UFC 170 ‘Rousey vs. McMann’ Preview

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Welterweights

Mike Pyle (25-9-1, 8-4 UFC) vs. T.J. Waldburger (16-8, 4-3 UFC)

The Matchup: Pyle entered UFC Fight Night 26 with quite a bit of momentum, having won seven of his past eight bouts with the promotion. He left the Octagon in Boston that night 29 seconds later, yet another victim of Matt Brown’s impressive streak of violence.

Now 38 years old, Pyle is probably in the twilight of his career, but he is still capable of taking out most anyone outside the division’s top 10. He draws yet another action-oriented foe in Waldburger, who has gone to a decision just four times in 24 professional bouts. What makes Waldburger different from Brown is that he makes most of his magic happen through jiu-jitsu; if he is not getting a tapout, he is probably getting knocked out. It will be interesting to see how a crafty veteran like Pyle elects to approach this bout. Working inside of Waldburger’s guard is a dangerous game, but “Quicksand” is plenty submission savvy himself, and his ability to outwrestle the 25-year-old Texan may be a temptation that is too great to resist.

Waldburger is extremely aggressive -- he averages 5.94 submission attempts per 15 minutes, according to FightMetric.com -- and he thrives on matchups that feature frenetic scrambles and transitions on the mat. His striking is limited, although not without power, as he has rocked Nick Catone and Brian Ebersole with short, counter punches in recent outings. However, he is also wild at times, perhaps to encourage foes to take him down so they have to work inside his guard.

Pyle’s guard is dangerous, as well, but he will also attempt to close the distance to clinch range, where he can earn top position by landing trips and throws from the clinch. He can land vicious knees in close quarters, and his right hand could potentially catch a hard-charging Waldburger at some point.

The Pick: Waldburger’s go-for-broke mentality is a lot of fun, but as long as Pyle fights with intelligence, he takes this via TKO or decision.

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