UFC 145: Keys to Victory for Michael McDonald

In what looks to be one of the most hotly contested bouts of the UFC 145 fight card, Michael McDonald and Miguel Torres will collide in an intriguing bantamweight clash.

The two combatants took very dissimilar roads to this fight—McDonald a 21-year-old prospect, Torres a 31-year-old former WEC champion—but either man stands to gain a lot from a win.

In order for McDonald to be the one who gets his hand raised he will need to institute a game plan that mitigates Torres' superior ground game, and forces the veteran to react to his striking.

The following four slides describe McDonald's keys to victory at UFC 145.

Avoid the Clinch Like It's the Plague

Both McDonald and Torres strike well at length, but the latter has more to gain by stepping inside. 

If Torres can close the distance on McDonald, he can gain the clinch. From there, he increases his chances to taking his young opponent to the mat exponentially.

Torres is a superb grappler who holds an advantage over McDonald, should the fight end up on the canvas. However, Torres lacks a powerful shot, which causes him to rely heavily on the clinch when he wants to take it there.

Torres is able to use his length and size to work trips from in tight, and has enough experience to know the nuances of close-quarters combat.

McDonald's own length and size will mitigate Torres' chances of taking him down from the clinch, but why play with fire in the first place?

By keeping Torres at bay, McDonald increases his odds of fighting a kickboxing match, which maximizes his chances of defeating the former WEC bantamweight champion. 

Assume That the Fight Is Going the Full 15 Minutes

I don't say this because McDonald needs to improve his cardio. I say it because he needs to keep a steady pace and not load up on any one attempt to end the night early.

Big punches hurt more than quick, short ones, but they also take longer to throw and expose the aggressor to a longer duration of defenselessness.

McDonald has some seriously quick hands and should look to do damage with volume in this contest. If he goes for broke on any given punch, he increases the likelihood of winding up on his back, as well as the likelihood of eating a counter-shot.

This is not to say that he needs to seek to outpoint Torres. He simply needs to do damage consistently, over time.

Don't Be Defeated by a Name

McDonald is a 21-year-old kid. Torres is a 31-year-old legend.

Is it a stretch to say that experience lies with Torres?

McDonald needs to enter this fight knowing that he can win it. If he steps into the Octagon with doubts or hero worship, he might as well forfeit now and save himself some time and bruises.

McDonald needs to enter this fight with an aggressive mindset, because it is when he is aggressive that he fights best.

Let Your Hands Go

McDonald thrives when he lets his hands fly. He has to avoid throwing one punch at a time—something he did against Chris Cariaso—if he plans to out-strike Torres. 

He cannot fight tentatively and has to make sure that he is the one consistently getting off first. He has to make Torres react to him and prevent the more seasoned fighter from getting too comfortable.

McDonald's best chance to win this fight is to make Torres move backwards. 

To do this, McDonald needs to establish a dynamic in the first minute of the fight that shows he is not scared, awe-struck or timid.

If he can set this tone, the fight will be his to lose.