UFC 145: Miguel Torres vs. Michael Mcdonald Keys to Victory

One of the most interesting bouts thus far in 2012 will come to fruition at UFC 145 as Miguel Torres takes on rising star Michael McDonald.

The bantamweight battle possesses all the necessary ingredients to capture Fight of the Night honors, even on a card featuring Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans and Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills.

For Torres, a victory over McDonald would mean he's finally ready to contend for a UFC championship.  The former WEC great has always had the talent to become one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world and a victory over one of the biggest prospects in the sport would prove his worth to an organization that released him a few months ago.

For McDonald, a victory over a credible veteran like Torres would essentially mean he is in fact the real deal.  As a striker, knocking off a Jiu-Jitsu expert trying to blaze his own title trail will prove that he's one of the best fighters at 155 lbs.

With that said, here's the initial breakdown and what each fighter needs to do in order to secure a victory at UFC 145.

Torres: Stay Away from McDonald's Right

Michael McDonald arguably has the most power of any bantamweight in the UFC.

He has used his raw talent in the past to dismantle very respectable fighters, with his most infamous victory coming by the way of KO over Alex Soto (shown in this borderline barbaric photo).

His counterpart, Miguel Torres, is also no slouch on his feet.  He offers sound boxing and some of the best kicks in the division, but in no way does he possess the chin to take a powerful right hand from McDonald.

In order to prolong this bout for as long as he can, Torres needs to shy away from all devastating hooks, uppercuts and even jabs.

Lunging in and out of strikes may do it, but Torres shouldn't take any unnecessary chances.

McDonald: Stay out of Torres' Guard

Miguel Torres has some of the best submissions in the UFC.

With a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu he's been able to land some crisp submissions in the past that have helped him gain the recognition he has today.

If Michael McDonald is looking to give himself the best opportunity to win this fight, which he should be, there's no reason to try and take Torres down.

Off his back, in the guard or in the clinch, Torres is deadly.  His skinny legs help him secure techniques that smaller bantamweights often have trouble doing.

And while McDonald does in fact possess a solid ground game, which he has used in past bouts to subdue fighters, Torres is on an entirely different level.

Torres: Look to Clinch and Use His Knees

With great flexibility Miguel Torres has become an excellent grappler.  More specifically, inside the clinch.

Against the cage, Torres has shown in the past that he's more than capable of landing nasty knees and elbows against his opponents.

With that said, considering Michael McDonald's strength in this fight will be on his feet, the 21-year-old needs to caution how often he turns his back to the cage.

Because if Torres gains the upper hand in close quarters, it will leave McDonald more susceptible to takedowns and even submissions.

Simply put, McDonald needs to constantly move around the Octagon to limit damage.

McDonald: Prepare for a Battle

Miguel Torres is a true gamer.

He has surely been around the MMA block and has fought in some of the biggest fights in WEC history. 

For Torres, this is just another fight against a hungry, up-and-coming prospect, even though he himself needs to win in order to secure a future within the UFC.

But Michael McDonald arguably has more to lose, and gain. 

He's riding a three-fight win streak within the division and has given fans a taste of greatness in his last bout against Alex Soto that has many people believing he'll one day become the bantamweight champion.

Unfortunately for McDonald, Torres is not going to lay down and let him punch his way to a decisive victory.

Torres can work off his back, sling knees in the clinch, use his long base to land strikes from the outside and take as much damage that's needed in order to earn a paycheck.

With that said, it's important that McDonald enters this fight at UFC 145 with the mindset that he's entering a war.  I'm sure he is, which is why this bantamweight showdown has all the makings to capture Fight of the Night honors.

Torres: Use His Reach

Miguel Torres and Michael McDonald are exactly the same height (5'9").

They both possess the ability to land devastating strikes while keeping their distance.

But for Torres, who will be matched up against one of the better KO artists in the division, he'll most certainly have to use his six-inch reach advantage to attack McDonald from the outside.

Torres doesn't want anything to do with the righty's mid-range game, so the veteran should be looking to lunge and punch in order to land jabs and body shots from a secure and stationary position.

Reach usually plays a major role in a fighter's game plan for striking, so it's safe to assume Torres is sticking to the norm on this one.

McDonald: Keep His Composure

As previously mentioned, Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres is going to be an all out battle.

Each fighter has everything to gain and everything to lose.

McDonald is looking to continue his climb up the bantamweight ladder and Torres is aching to show that he can still be a major player for a championship in the UFC like he was in the WEC.

But for McDonald, who's coming into UFC 145 as a relatively inexperienced 21-year-old, keeping a sturdy composure could be the deciding factor in winning or losing.

Remember, McDonald has never fought anybody of Torres' caliber, let alone showcasing his talents on a stacked PPV card featuring Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.

The young bantamweight will surely come through in the clutch, but it's important for him to remember that keeping a cool head often means the difference in sticking to a game plan or letting the leather fly all over the Octagon.

Basically, McDonald needs to pick his shots, avoid the clinch and listen to his corner in order to give himself the best chance to knock off Torres.

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