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The UFC will be heading to the Fox network for the first time in 2013 and they do so with a UFC Flyweight Title bout in the headliner. There is a loaded six fight preliminary card that will be taking place on FX, prior to the big four fights happening on Fox. The six fight preliminary card not only features Clay Guida’s featherweight debut, but a big lightweight division fight.
Kicking off the action is a welterweight division fight as Pascal “Panzer†Krauss (10-1-0) competes against Mike Stumpf (11-3-0). Kruass has split both of his UFC appearances, defeating Mark Scanlon and suffering a defeat to John Hathaway. Stumpf is currently winless in UFC competition and he has not competed in an MMA fight in nearly two years. Krauss had a great run going before he ran into John Hathaway, but he will start a new run by defeating Stumpf on Saturday Night.
Heavyweights will step into the cage next as “Savage†Shawn Jordan (13-4-0) does battle with Mike Russow (15-2-0-1NC). Jordan will be looking to rebound from his first UFC defeat, which came at the hands of Cheick Kongo at UFC 149. Russow has won four of five under the UFC banner, with that lone loss coming to Fabricio Werdum at UFC 147. Russow has a very dominant wrestling game and that wrestling will carry him to rebound from that UFC 147 defeat.
Another welterweight division fight is up next as David “Daudi†Mitchell (11-2-0) is in action against Simeon “The Grin†Thoresen (17-3-1). Mitchell is currently winless as a UFC competitor, with his losses coming to both Paulo Thiago and TJ Waldburger. Thoresen has split both of his UFC appearances, defeating Besam Yousef and suffering a defeat to Seth Baczynski. Mitchell needs to get this victory in order to remain on the UFC roster, but that will not happen as Thoresen picks up the win.
A light heavyweight division battle is up now as Ryan “Darth†Bader (14-3-0) battles Vladimir “The Janitor†Matyushenko (26-6-0). Bader is looking to rebound from a crushing UFC defeat to Lyoto Machida, a defeat that cost him a UFC Light Heavyweight Title shot. Matyushenko returns to action after a yearlong layoff due to injuries, with his last fight being a defeat to Alexander Gustafsson. Both fighters have an excellent wrestling skill set, but the more active Bader will get the much needed victory.
Up next is a featherweight division fight as Clay “The Carpenter†Guida (29-13-0) takes on Hatsu Hioki (26-5-2). Guida will be competing for the first time as a featherweight in the UFC, he previously won nine of sixteen as a lightweight. Hioki is coming off of a big loss to Ricardo Lamas back at UFC On FX IV, a loss that cost him an opportunity at the UFC Featherweight Title. This fight has a shot to be the fight of the night, but it will be Hioki spoiling the featherweight debut of Guida.
Headlining this portion of the card is a lightweight division contest as TJ Grant (19-5-0) faces “Handsome†Matt Wiman (15-6-0). Grant will enter the fight riding a three fight winning streak, with his last victory coming over Evan Dunham at UFC 152. Wiman has won five of his last six under the UFC banner, with that lone loss coming at the hands of Dennis Siver at UFC 132. The winner of this fight could wind up in UFC Lightweight Title contention and that winner is going to be Grant.
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