UFC on FX 5: Travis Browne vs. Bigfoot Silva Head-to-Toe Breakdown

Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

UFC on FX 5 hits television screens on Oct. 5, with the second consecutive heavyweight main event.

Travis Browne will meet Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in an attempt to make his claim as one of the UFC's best heavyweights. Browne has a career record of 13-0-1, 4-0-1 inside the Octagon. The 6'7" heavyweight has a chance to make an statement by stopping Bigfoot.

Bigfoot Silva returns to the Octagon after a tough debut bout against Cain Velasquez. He was taken down early in the fight and brutalized by Velasquez's ground and pound until the referee pulled him off Bigfoot 3:36 into the fight.

Something has to give when the two behemoths step inside the cage, and this is how the fight breaks down.

Striking

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These two heavyweights pack a wallop in their punches.

The difference between Browne and Bigfoot is the speed and diversity in their attacks. Browne holds the advantage in both.

Browne has looked great on the feet in his UFC tenure. He moves exceptionally well, changes up his attack and has the killer instinct.

Bigfoot, on the other hand, is much more plodding. He does throw low leg kicks, but they do not come at a speed to avoid being taken down. That was a major mistake when he took on Velasquez. One low kick in the opening seconds and he was on his back.

Bigfoot's noggin is also an easy target.

The Hawaiian is the better of the two on the feet, and it will be where Browne hopes to keep the fight.

Edge: Browne

Grappling

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Browne has shown some of his grappling skill in his UFC bouts but has never faced a grappler like Bigfoot.

Silva is a different animal than the likes of Chad Griggs, James McSweeney, Rob Broughton and Cheick Kongo. His grappling is more proficient than all of theirs combined.

Bigfoot's size and skill give him the advantage in the grappling department, but if the fight hits the canvas, it will be important to see who winds up in top position. While Bigfoot may be  more technically sound, it will be hard to stop a ground-and-pound onslaught from Browne.

The grappling chess match will be very important in this heavyweight matchup.

Edge: Silva

Submissions

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While many note Silva's ground credentials, he only has three submissions to his credit, and one of those came via punches.

Browne finished his last fight, versus Chad Griggs, by arm-triangle and showed that he is continuing to evolve as a martial artist. But, Silva is not Griggs.

When Silva has top position, he likes to ground and pound rather than to look for the submission finish, but his years of jiu-jitsu training have definitely given him many more options on the mat than Browne.

If Browne were to submit Silva, it would be a big statement, but it is not likely to happen.

Edge: Silva

Intangibles

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There is something about Travis Browne that screams "future UFC Heavyweight Champion."

He still has plenty of work to do to get to that point, but it seems clear that, at some point in the future, he will be wearing gold. The 6'7" frame is not supposed to be attached to an athlete like Browne.

Bigfoot looked as if he was on the cusp of joining the heavyweight elite after destroying Fedor Emelianenko in early 2011 but was quickly exposed in his next two outings. Now, he seemingly has the role of gatekeeper.

This is a big test for Browne, but he looks the part of a championship-caliber athlete. We will have to wait to see if he can put it all together inside the cage and live up to the hype.

Edge: Browne

Prediction

Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

Bigfoot can derail the hype train of Browne by getting the fight to the ground and mauling him. Getting Browne to the canvas, however, is the problem.

This fight probably won't last long with heavy leather exchanging, and Browne has the bigger target to aim for. I expect Browne to find his target and drop Silva with vicious power. The referee may stop the fight then or wait for Browne to dole out a little more punishment, but once he connects, the fight will essentially be over.

Hapa will finish Bigfoot.

The Jackson's Submission Fighting heavyweight will prove that he is the premiere prospect of the heavyweight division.

Prediction: Browne defeats Silva by TKO in the first round.