UFC Fight for the Troops 3: Preliminary Card Predictions
The UFC has decided to give back to the troops with its third installment of UFC Fight for the Troops on Wednesday from Fort Campbell in Kentucky. It is a great event that allows servicemen to enjoy MMA action on a military base.
UFC Fight for the Troops 3 is headlined by Tim Kennedy and Rafael Natal in a bout that does not draw much interest from MMA fans. Though Kennedy is a great guy to headline the event, late replacement Natal does not deserve the lead spot in the eyes of most fans. Basically, the UFC could have found somebody better.
Before the main card, we have a solid bunch of prelims. Here are the predictions for those fights.
Derek Brunson vs. Brian Houston
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Opening the card will be the middleweights, as Strikeforce vet Derek Brunson takes on newcomer Brian Houston. Houston is a late-notice fighter who fills in for the injured Antonio Braga Neto.
Brunson is a wrestler whose style is self-described as "lay-and-slay." He turned around a two-fight skid outside the UFC with a late-notice win over UFC staple Chris Leben, where he used his trademark wrestling to tire out "The Crippler."
As for Houston, he has just four professional fights in his career, all of which he has won. After winning a decision in his pro debut, the former football player knocked out his next three foes quickly in the first round.
He is powerful but he very inexperienced. Brunson has years of amateur wrestling under his belt, as well as 12 pro MMA fights, so he should ground and pound Houston and get the finish.
Prediction: Brunson def. Houston via TKO
Seth Baczynski vs. Neil Magny
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Military vet Neil Magny will compete in front of his fellow servicemen when he takes on "The Polish Pistola" Seth Baczynski.
Magny is a grinder with solid striking and decent takedown defense. He opened his UFC career with a workmanlike win over Jon Manley, but he quickly tapped out against Sergio Moraes in his sophomore outing.
Baczynski has had an up-and-down career in the UFC. He is 4-3 with the company, notching victories over Clay Harvison, Matt Brown, Lance Benoist and Simeon Thoresen while falling to Brad Tavares, Mike Pierce and Brian Melancon.
Magny needs to make this an ugly fight, but that will be tough against Baczynski. He is tall and lanky, which allows him to keep opponents at bay.
This may go to a decision, but just to make it more interesting, I'll say Baczynski gets the finish.
Prediction: Baczynski def. Magny via submission
Yves Edwards vs. Yancy Medeiros
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Next up are an old-school warrior and a new-blood fighter in the lightweight division, as 63-fight vet Yves Edwards meets 10-fight newcomer Yancy Medeiros. This will be Medeiros' second fight at lightweight, as he is a former middleweight dating back to his Strikeforce days.
Edwards has had a nice career resurgence in his third stint with the company, but he is in danger of getting his walking papers. He was 4-2 to start this stint with wins over Cody McKenzie, Rafaello Oliveira and Jeremy Stephens, but he has lost two straight split decisions against Isaac Vallie-Flagg and Daron Cruickshank.
Medeiros was 2-0 in Strikeforce at 185 pounds with wins over Gareth Joseph and Raul Castillo. However, he lost his UFC debut at 155 when he was suplexed into an injury at the hands of Rustam Khabilov.
Medeiros is a wrestler with some solid striking, but Edwards is more well-rounded. He is the better striker and has good takedown defense, so he should be able to beat the young lion.
Prediction: Edwards def. Medeiros via TKO
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Chris Camozzi vs. Lorenz Larkin
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A pair of intriguing middleweights are set to square off when fellow strikers Chris Camozzi and Lorenz Larkin meet on Wednesday.
Camozzi has quietly put together an impressive resume with the UFC, going 6-3 with the company. The Muay Thai specialist has notched solid wins over Nick Ring, Luiz Cane, Nick Catone and Dustin Jacoby.
Larkin is a Strikeforce import who went 4-0 (1 NC) with the company. He came to the UFC and subsequently lost a controversial decision to Francis Carmont in April.
Both men are strikers, which could make this a fun matchup. Many people are going to go with Larkin, but I will go with the upset here and take Camozzi in his rebound fight.
Prediction: Camozzi def. Larkin via decision
Germaine De Randamie vs. Amanda Nunes
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The ladies are up next, as Dutch striker Germaine de Randamie will take on Brazilian banger Amanda Nunes.
Although young in her MMA career at 4-2, de Randamie was an undefeated professional kickboxer at 37-0. She opened her UFC career with a lackluster split decision over Julie Kedzie, where she did well in the clinch.
Nunes, a fellow Strikeforce vet, went 1-2 with Invicta before making her UFC debut against Sheila Gaff, brutally knocking out the German. She is a boxer to de Randamie's kickboxer, so this could be a great clash.
Nunes has the ability on the ground, but it will be tough to get de Randamie down since she trains at American Kickboxing Academy with wrestling coach Daniel Cormier.
Therefore, de Randamie will keep this fight on the fight and kickbox her way to victory.
Prediction: de Randamie def. Nunes via decision
Dennis Bermudez vs. Steven Siler
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A pair of The Ultimate Fighter 14 vets will meet next, as Team Miller teammates Dennis Bermudez and Steven Siler collide. Siler fills in on late notice for Nik Lentz, who moved to the UFC on Fox 9 card to fight Chad Mendes.
Bermudez is a power wrestler with a chin of granite, as seen in his Fight of the Year candidate opposite of Matt Grice. After dropping his UFC debut to Diego Brandao, he has rattled off four wins over Pablo Garza, Tommy Hayden, Grice and Max Holloway.
Siler is the opposite of Bermudez, as he is a striker with a good submission arsenal (rear-naked choke and guillotine choke are his favorite techniques). He is 5-1 with the UFC, falling only to Darren Elkins while beating Josh Clopton, Cole Miller, Joey Gambino, Kurt Holobaugh and Mike Brown.
Siler is an accurate, powerful striker, but he showed against Elkins that he can struggle against high-level wrestlers. Bermudez is one of them, and he should notch a win here.
Prediction: Bermudez def. Siler via decision
George Roop vs. Francisco Rivera
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Next up are the bantamweights, as the ultra-tall George Roop takes on the very tough Francisco Rivera.
Roop recently returned to the bantamweight division after a disappointing run at featherweight. He took a decision over Reuben Duran in his return before smashing former WEC champion Brian Bowles via knockout.
Rivera is in his second stint with the company after an 0-2 run under Zuffa (0-1 in WEC, 0-1 in UFC). He returned a year later and has yet to lose, beating Alex Soto and Edwin Figueroa with his high-level striking.
This is going to be an interesting fight, as both men like to bang. However, Roop is tall and long, which is tough for a 135-pounder to prepare for.
I am in an upset mood, though. Rivera has heavy hands, can take a beating and is very aggressive.
Prediction: Rivera def. Roop via decision
James Krause vs. Bobby Green
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A pair of lightweights on win streaks will meet in the featured prelim, as James Krause (eight-fight surge) takes on Bobby Green (five-fight surge).
Krause is a technical striker with a good submission base, with his favorite sub methods being the guillotine and triangle choke. He took his UFC debut on late notice, winning a Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night bonus in tapping out longtime UFC employee Sam Stout.
Green won his UFC debut over Jacob Volkmann after a 4-1 stint in Stikeforce. After losing his debut in Strikeforce against Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante, he notched wins over Charon Spain, J.P. Reese, James Terry and Matt Ricehouse.
Green can bang on the feet, but he is more of a jiu-jitsu fighter. Krause is more well-rounded and skilled on the feet, so he should be able to outstrike Green to a win.
Prediction: Krause def. Green via decision
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