Preview: UFC Fight Night ‘Edgar vs. Faber’

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LIGHTWEIGHTS

Yui Chul Nam (18-4-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Phillipe Nover (10-5-1, 0-3 UFC)

THE MATCHUP: The long-lost Nover, a finalist on the eighth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and once hailed by UFC President Dana White as “the next Anderson Silva,” returns to the UFC after an absence of more than five years. He draws South Korea’s Nam, who defeated Kazuki Tokudome in his promotional debut in March 2014. This should be a fun fight, if not one with serious divisional implications.

Nam is a vicious southpaw bruiser. His game revolves around whirling combinations of forward-moving hooks reminiscent of Wanderlei Silva back in the day, and he packs real power in everything he throws. Failing a knockout at range, Nam is happy to fall forward into the clinch, where he bombs away with knees, elbows and short punches. His takedown defense is solid and he works at a quick pace, although fatigue can be a real issue if he fails to get the finish early. Defense is an afterthought, and he relies almost entirely on his chin and toughness to carry him through his opponent’s strikes.

Nover is an excellent athlete with great physical tools, but his game has never really come together into a coherent whole. He flashes promise as a striker, with slick, powerful kicks and a beautiful counter left hook, but his output is too low to consistently win him rounds on the feet. The finishes to his takedowns are technical and he chain wrestles nicely, but he has a bad habit of telegraphing his level changes and shooting from too far away. On the ground, however, he scrambles beautifully, passes with aplomb and has a nose for the submission. Still, with almost 12 years of professional experience under his belt, this is likely as good as it gets for Nover.

BETTING ODDS: Nam (-185), Nover (+155)

THE PICK: If Nover can get this to the ground, he has a good shot at soundly out-grappling Nam. The problem is working his way through a more active and powerful striker’s wheelhouse, getting the takedown and then maintaining control. The more likely scenario is Nam stuffing takedowns, absorbing Nover’s strikes and outpointing him for three rounds. The pick is Nam by unanimous decision.

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