Two of the UFC's profitable middleweights may battle for as long as five rounds this Thursday night (November five, 2011) seeing that everyone's preferred red-haired brawler Chris Leben takes on budding contender Mark Munoz in the main event with UFC 138 in Birmingham, Britain.
Chris Leben bounced back from your horrific damage to Brian Stann through knockout available Pride star Wanderlei Silva in just 27 just a few seconds at UFC 132. His domination put him back in the particular thick of the relatively vulnerable middleweight category and when called he'll be right back in that mix if he is able to score yet another big win against Tag Munoz.
Munoz includes taken this leap, evolving suitable complete compounded martial specialit this earlier year and also his 6-1 record including a freshly released decision wining over previous title contender Demian Maia possesses proven he has for true. He's sniffing a title shot if he may defeat this fan-favorite Leben, he will be a single step magnified.
Can Leben rating another impressive knockout? Can Munoz soil and lb "The Crippler" into oblivion? What may each talented middleweight are related to safe a victory on Sunday?
Let's determine:
Chris Leben
Record: 22-7 complete, 12-6 within the UFC
Crucial Wins: Wanderlei Silva (UFC 132), Yoshihiro Akiyama (UFC 116), Aaron Simpson (Ultimate Finale 11)
Crucial Losses: Brian Stann (UFC 125), Michael Bisping (UFC 89), John Rosholt (UFC 102)
How he bought here: After plowing with the west coast circuit with a 14-1 history, including getting the inaugural WEC middleweight champion, Chris Leben went up to fame on season one of many Ultimate Mma star (TUF) reality Tv series.
Leben don't have the maximum amount success fighting for the show nonetheless his drunken antics and also overall persona made him a celebrity. After this show lost, he would take a really impressive five fight receiving streak within the UFC middleweight scale before building a combat UFC newcomer Anderson Silva in addition to obviously which didn't stop well to the Oregon indigenous.
Since the loss to Silva, Leben has gone 6-5 inside the UFC middleweight split. He was near to being released with the promotion before an incredibly impressive about three fight winning streak within the likes associated with Jay Silva, Aaron Simpson as well as Yoshihiro Akiyama thrust him back up the dominion of contenders.
Leben can be halted at UFC 125 with a first around stoppage damage to Brian Stann however he got back on monitor by trashing out MMA legend Wanderlei Silva in mere 27 minutes at UFC 132. Soon after his victory, "The Crippler" has been invited to attend the very first five rounded non-title main event in UFC record against Munoz.
How he makes it done: Leben would need to do whatever it takes to territory his major left palm. He should take advantage of the fact that this is the five rounded fight when you're more potent. Munoz will likely try to consider him decrease, but which will cost your pet precious electricity and many people feel, Leben has the greater gas tank of the two, as he's finished many fights within the third around.
Leben really should not be afraid of overextending himself inside the stand-up since his takedown defense has improved significantly within the last calendar year. He also has a very difficult enough visit withstand several ground and also pound by Munoz, as a minimum temporarily in advance of popping returning to his ft. If obtained down, nevertheless, he have to avoid getting stuck underneath the former national champ wrestler for extended intervals.
Don't end up being surprised to discover Leben choose the eliminate with nearly every punch seeing that he's among the best finishers amongst gamers when he has been got another person hurt. Munoz includes bounced returning from martial artists like Kendell Grove in addition to Demian Maia after they tagged him inside a fight, but Leben may be a horse of the entirely numerous color.
Indicate Munoz
Record: 11-2 complete, 6-2 within the UFC
Crucial Wins: Demian Maia (UFC 131), D. B. Dollaway (UFC with Versus 3), Aaron Simpson (UFC 123)
Crucial Losses: Yushin Okami (UFC with Versus 2), Matt Hamill (UFC 96)
How he bought here: Mark Munoz got into MMA as a pure wrestler. He won an NCAA title while fumbling for Oklahoma State in 2001 when at 197-pounds. After a couple easy first round knockouts within the WEC, he manufactured his UFC debut versus Matt Hamill within the light heavyweight scale and seemed to be knocked senseless by way of a Matt Hamill brain kick. He smartly opted to decrease to 185 pounds from then on.
At middleweight, Munoz grew to become famous for his absurdly powerful yard and single lb, blasting both equally Ryan Jensen as well as Kendall Grove around the ground before developing short next to Yushin Okami with the second UFC show within the Versus funnel.
"The Philippine Wrecking Machine" teamed " up " with most of the best Brazilian strikers inside the sport from a mutually effective relationship, seeing that he helped fighters such as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira as well as Anderson Silva shoreline up their wrestling while they made it easier for him enhance his impressive skills. His very difficult worked repaid as that Reign Exercising Center owner managed to outstrike Aaron Simpson with UFC 123 as well as he adopted it " up " by knockout out C. B. Dollaway in only a minute this particular past March.
The easy destruction involving Dollaway forced Munoz back into contender reputation and he or she solidified which position using a decision triumph over former title challenger Demian Maia previous this summer time. He looks upskill his position with a different solid performance contrary to the always hazardous Leben.
Exactly how he receives it accomplished: Footwork, footwork, footwork. Unlike his pal, Wanderlei Silva, Mark Munoz must avoid standing facing Leben. If he ever finds out himself able where he is trading strike for punch and even two punches for starterst, that may well be a burning off battle against "The Crippler. "
Munoz's impressive has improved significantly while in the last yr, but he has to realize which Chris Leben is not really any type of fighter you need to stand with for virtually every extended timeframe. Munoz need to look closely for the gameplans with two fighters specifically who also have success towards against Leben, Chris Rosholt along with Michael Bisping. Bisping utilised his footwork superbly to juke into the pocket along with land attacks without receiving hit whilst Rosholt went on Leben straight down, wore your ex boyfriend down after which it choked him out.
While in the stand-up, Munoz ought to utilize great angles in order to avoid getting hit with withstand punches along with the second Leben gets frustrated, he have to take him down along with start pounding on him together with his blistering soil and pound attack. "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" has one of the most dangerous surface striking from the business thus if they can keep Leben upon his to come back, posture " up " and start off pounding away, he is going to be in great shape.
Struggle "X-Factor: " The largest X-Factor with this fight may be the addition involving two added rounds. With Munoz wrestling ability and also Leben's terrific ability for taking a boxing techinque, this can be a fight which may take a while to complete, so it could end " up " coming as a result of conditioning. The particular longer your fight will go, the much more this onslaught favors Leben the way it becomes a growing number of difficult to look at someone down because you get tired and Leben features this freaky flexibility to score knockouts regardless if he's totally gassed out and about. If Leben could drag this fight into the later models, his possibility of profitable should improve.
Bottom Tier: While not the most ideal selection for your first non-title fiver round main event in UFC track record, this bout really should be very amusing. Both Leben and also Munoz get it when out therefore you can in particular never rely Leben beyond a battle. He's proven the period and time frame again. In addition there are some middleweight concept implications on this fight much like a victory, Munoz would have won a number of straight from the division along with 6 with 7 general. There's a lot on the line also , you should surely be tuning with.
Who will come out above at UFC 138? Reveal your predictions from the comments under!
