UFC 162 ‘Silva vs. Weidman’ Preview

---

Middleweights

Mark Munoz (12-3, 7-3 UFC) vs. Tim Boetsch (16-5, 7-4 UFC)

The Matchup: After bloodying and battering Chris Leben in the UFC 138 headliner, Munoz politely requested a title shot against 185-pound champion Anderson Silva. Considering that it was his fourth straight middleweight triumph, “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” did not appear too far from reaching his goal. That happened in November 2011; it only seems like it occurred ages ago.

It has been a bumpy road for Munoz since then. An elbow injury knocked him out of a title eliminator bout against Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2, and he was subsequently thrashed by Chris Weidman in his return to the Octagon in July. Munoz later revealed that he entered the bout with Weidman nursing a stress fracture in his foot, which affected his weight cut and performance. Broken bones in the foot would sideline him for the better part of a year.

Now, Munoz returns to action as something of a forgotten man. He squares off with Boetsch, a former light heavyweight whose improbable unbeaten run at 185 pounds ended with a technical knockout loss to Costa Philippou at UFC 155. Like Munoz, Boetsch had his share of obstacles in defeat, as he appeared to injure his right hand in the opening frame and later received an eye poke from Philippou that seemed to further hamper his performance.

Some would say that Boetch’s four-fight winning streak was fortuitous, with a miraculous comeback against Yushin Okami and a contentious decision win over Hector Lombard helping to pad his resume. At any rate, both Munoz and Boetsch badly need a victory to remain in any sort of title contention.

An extended layoff, a brutal knockout loss and advancing age -- Munoz is 35 -- are all legitimate concerns surrounding the Reign MMA representative’s return to the Octagon. In Boetsch, Munoz is facing a heavy-handed competitor who does not mind engaging in a slugfest in close quarters. Even before the loss to Weidman, Munoz had never been known for impenetrable standup defense. However, as a two-time NCAA All-American and 2001 national champion at Oklahoma State University, Munoz holds the edge in wrestling pedigree over Boetsch, a high school state champ who competed collegiately at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.

Despite his credentials, Munoz has never been known as an incredibly accurate takedown artist, although his success rate has improved as his standup has progressed. Still, as a former light heavyweight, Boetsch will not be easy to drag to the canvas. What could transpire is a hard-nosed fight in a phone booth; both men hit hard and are more than willing to slug it out, and it is worth noting that Boetsch possesses a dangerous front kick, as well. In a back-and-forth battle, a key takedown or two could sway the judges should the bout go the distance.

The Pick: Munoz enters as a slight favorite, but Boetsch has been the more active fighter of late. If he can defend the majority of Munoz’s takedowns, “The Barbarian” wins via late stoppage or decision.

Last Fights » The Prelims