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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The UFC returns to Japan this weekend with UFC on Fuel 8, featuring a six-fight main card on the network headlined by a one-off light heavyweight bout between middleweights Brian Stann and Wanderlei Silva. There isn't a lot on the line in most of the matchups on the card, but the main card is filled with fights that should prove quite entertaining. Here are some brief thoughts and predictions for Saturday's event:
Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva (Light Heavyweight): Wanderlei wanted to return to Japan, and he didn't want to have to worry about a weight cut, so Stann obliged in order to take this fight. This one's pretty simple. Stann doesn't really get beat by strikers. He's got heavy hands and solid technique that allows him to hold his own with anyone. Add that to a good chin and he can survive the barrages that might come from "The Axe Murderer." His issues in fights have come with fighters who can out-grapple him, and Silva's not likely to attempt that. Given Silva's own issues with his chin, I think we'll see Stann win by KO.
Stefan Struve vs. Mark Hunt (Heavyweight): The UFC's tallest heavyweight takes on its shortest, as Struve attempts to show how much he's continued to improve as a fighter. This matchup gives him a real opportunity to do that as well, because the result of this fight will really come down to what approach he has. Is he going to try striking with Hunt, despite his inability to effectively use his reach in the past? Or is he going to do what he did against another hard-hitting striker in Pat Barry and bring the fight to the ground, where he'll be at a significant advantage? If he stands up with Hunt, it's highly likely he finds himself on the wrong end of the KO. I think he's getting smarter in that area, though, and I'll take Struve by submission.
Takanori Gomi vs. Diego Sanchez (Lightweight): Sanchez is one of those fighters who has simply never been able to find the most comfortable home. Sanchez bounced down to lightweight after years at 170 lbs., performed well and earned a title fight, but a bad loss and personal issues outside of the cage sent him back to welterweight in less than optimal fashion. After getting things back on track and winning two of his next three, Sanchez returns to 155 lbs. in an attempt to make another run. Gomi's gotten himself two straight wins after consecutive losses to start his UFC run, but he's nowhere near the fighter he used to be, and I think Sanchez has a good shot at starting something new at lightweight. Sanchez by decision.
Yushin Okami vs. Hector Lombard (Middleweight): Both Okami and Lombard picked up significant wins in December, Okami besting Alan Belcher a second time and Lombard stopping Rousimar Palhares. This is the most relevant fight on the card as far as divisional contention, as both fighters could potentially make runs at a title fight. Okami's been there and lost, so there might be more in it for Lombard here, who needs a big performance to justify the money the UFC opted to shell out for him last year. A poor performance and a loss could lead to either fighter getting cut, so a lot is on the line because of that. Ultimately, though Okami could try to bully Lombard for three rounds, Lombard's not easily bullied. If he can keep this standing, he'll have a good chance to deliver a violent finish. Lombard by TKO.
Mizuto Hirota vs. Rani Yahya (Featherweight): Yahya is a very talented grappler and a very solid featherweight fighter whose Zuffa tenure includes losses to only top flight competition. Hirota's done well throughout his career, and his last two losses have come in the lightweight division to very good fighters as well in Pat Healy and Shinya Aoki. Yahya's a slick grappler, but there may be a size advantage for Hirota here. Despite that, I think Yahya's a bit underrated into this fight. I'll take Yahya by decision.
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Siyar Bahadurzada (Welterweight): This fight pits a very good grappler in Dong Hyun Kim against one of the more violent fighters in the welterweight division in Bahadurzada. We've only seen Bahadurzada once in the UFC, and he made such quick work of Paulo Thiago that it's hard to say what level he'll be at against a grappler like Kim. If he can hold off takedowns and the ground game, he's got the type of power that can put Kim out the way Carlos Condit finished him. If he can't adjust or can't keep himself standing, he'll get beat up for three rounds on the ground. This should be a very interesting fight, and though I see ways for both to win, I'll take a stab at Bahadurzada by TKO.
=====Preliminary Card Quick Picks=====
--Riki Fukuda over Brad Tavares by decision
--Takeya Mizugaki over Bryan Caraway by decision
--Kazuki Tokudome over Cristiano Marcello by TKO
--Kyung Ho Kang over Alex Caceres by submission
--Hyun Gyu Lim over Marcelo Guimaraes by TKO
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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