Breaking Down Martin Kampmann vs. Thiago Alves at UFC on FX 2

With relatively equal experience, Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves are set to duke it out on March 2 at UFC on FX 2.

Both fighters have become contending staples within the welterweight division, with the winner of this fight presumably acquiring the rights to participate in a No. 1 contender bout later in the year.

With title implications on the line, Kampmann and Alves should provide some of the best action we've seen from them, ever.

Kampmann has become one of the most well-rounded strikers in the division and Alves has always been renowned as one of the most talented fighters in the UFC, despite his sometimes questionable cardio problems.

With that said, it'll be hard for any MMA fan to come out of this free fight disappointed.  Here's the Octagon breakdown.

Striking

Kampmann

First and foremost, it's important to understand that Thiago Alves is no slouch on his feet.  He has ended fights via his hands in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

With that said, Martin Kampmann has seemingly transcended nearly the entire division as far as well-rounded striking is concerned.

The Danish kickboxer combines speed, power and most importantly technique to attack his opponents inside the cage.  He has used those tools in the past to out-strike fighters such as Diego Sanchez and Paulo Thiago.

And even though Kampmann doesn't necessarily have the same raw power as Alves, his consistency and ability to pick apart his opponent via boxing, more than makes up for his lack of brute strength.

So while it may be hard to defend Alves' power in close contact, Kampmann should be able to use swift jabs and sound kickboxing to dismantle the stocky Brazilian on his feet.

Grappling/Clinch Game

Alves

Once again, in no way is this an editorial bashing of the "other guy," but as it stands right now, Thiago Alves provides more promise in the clinch than Martin Kampmann does.

Alves literally walks around at 200 lbs., making him one of the strongest welterweights in the world.  He has used that strength in the past to impose his will on his opponents against the cage.

The only other welterweights that have given him problems in the past have been Georges St. Pierre and Jon Fitch, and those names speak for themselves.

Alves' takedown abilities are few and far between, but his on-the-feet grappling skills provide him with a pace-setting arsenal that's rarely matched.

Ground Game

Alves

If you strictly base Thiago Alves' ground game on numbers then he really doesn't have one. 

The guy only has nine career takedowns, unlike Martin Kampmann's 12, as well as his 80 percent takedown defense rate.

But fortunately for Alves, fans across the world, MMA isn't always based on numbers.  Numbers usually don't lose fights and they rarely win them.

So for his upcoming bout with Kampmann, Alves has the chance to go against the grain and use his raw power and big frame to dictate the pace of the fight via his ground game.

But Kampmann is fairly tough to bring down, with Jake Shields being the only fighter in the past three years to take him down more than once, so Alves is going to have his work cut out for him.

However, in a fight that's going to feature Kampmann focusing on his standup more than anything, Alves should be able to take the Dutchman down at least one time.  And when that happens, his big frame and relentless pace should keep Kampmann on the mat.

Submissions

Split

While both Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves rarely use their Jiu-Jitsu skills to end fights, that doesn't mean they don't possess the ability to do so.

Remember, three of Kampmann's first four UFC victories came by the way of submission.  And even though he has recorded only one since that span back in 2008, Kampmann still has the skills to end a fight by tap.

Alves, on the other hand, has a very underrated submission game.  With a recent submission victory over Papy Abedi at UFC 138, alongside his BJJ brown belt, Alves has what it takes to submit Kampmann if he hurts him on the ground.

But considering this fight is seemingly going to be a standup battle featuring some clinching here and there, maybe a few takedown attempts by Alves if he's getting beat on his feet, submissions shouldn't play a major role at all.

This one's a tie.

Momentum

Kampmann

Momentum is everything in sports.  And MMA just so happens to encompass that mentality to a tee.

UFC fighters rarely have the chance to succeed in their respective divisions if they continuously drop fights or put on lackluster showings.  So it's obvious that both Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves will take the momentum from their recent victories in order to mentally and physically prepare for their bout at UFC on FX 2.

But who has more?

Seemingly it's Kampmann.  Alves has always been atop the welterweight division, facing Georges St. Pierre for the belt in the past and what not, so this type of fight is old news.  What makes things even more alarming is that the guy just hasn't been able to capitalize on his natural fighting skills.

With that said, Kampmann seems to be the hotter fighter at the moment.  Fresh off a victory over Rick Story, who beat Alves at UFC 130, the Dutchman is ready to move up the welterweight ladder.  Not to mention his controversial losses to Diego Sanchez and Jake Shields.

Simply put, "The Hitman" has been more impressive inside the cage over the past year and a half than Alves has.  With sound striking, top-level kickboxing and the ability to finish fights in an underrated fashion, Kampmann seems ready to knock Alves off his block.

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