Preview: UFC Fight Night ‘Hunt vs. Miocic’

---

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Brad Tavares (13-3, 8-3 UFC) vs. Robert Whittaker (13-2, 4-2 UFC)

THE MATCHUP: Hawaii’s Tavares and Australia’s Whittaker clash in an intriguing battle of youthful middleweights. Whittaker won “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” at welterweight and compiled a 3-2 mark at 170 pounds before moving to middleweight for his last fight -- a thrilling knockout over Clint Hester. Tavares was a competitor on “The Ultimate Fighter” way back in 2010 and has established himself as a solid fighter on the fringes of the top 15, most recently with a decision win over veteran Nate Marquardt.

Tavares has good physical tools that complement his meat-and-potatoes approach. A hard 1-2, stinging left hook, crisp low kicks and solid defensive skills make him a fundamentally sound if unspectacular striker. He is strong in the clinch and maintains good control while he chips away with knees and short punches. Offensive and defensive wrestling are both strong suits, especially the latter; prior to running into Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero, Tavares had the best takedown defense percentage in the history of the division. On the mat, Tavares is strong from the top and generally does a good job of getting back to his feet. In sum, the Hawaiian is a very good all-around fighter without the pace or the power to really make his sound skills stand out.

Formerly a big welterweight, Whittaker fights long, which makes his lack of stature at middleweight less of a problem than it might be. He is quick, takes clean angles and has excellent timing as he works behind a crisp jab and steady diet of low kicks. Beautiful punching combinations, especially on the counter, form the basis of his game. His left hook and sneaky counter elbow are his most dangerous strikes, and he varies them organically depending on his read of his opponent’s defense. Slick head movement and generally solid defense make him less hittable than you might expect given his preference for countering in the pocket. Rock-solid takedown defense is a hallmark of Whittaker’s game, and he can hit the occasional reactive double-leg when the mood strikes, though he offers relatively little on the mat.

BETTING ODDS: Tavares (-160), Whittaker (+140)

THE PICK: While there is nothing flashy or terribly exciting about Tavares’ skills, he is extraordinarily competent and can exploit any particular area of weakness in his opponents’ game. With that said, I think Whittaker is a more diverse and much more dangerous striker with better power and accuracy, and if he can avoid getting pinned against the fence or repeatedly taken down the fight is his to lose. The pick is Whittaker by decision.

Next Fight » Anthony Perosh vs. Sean O’Connell