Preview: UFC Fight Night ‘Machida vs. Romero’

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MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Thiago Santos (10-3, 2-2 UFC) vs. Steve Bosse (10-1, 0-0 UFC)

THE MATCHUP: This should be a fun action fight. It is puzzling that the UFC decided to place Bosse -- a former hockey enforcer with a following in Canada who was briefly linked to a fight with Fabio Maldonado at UFC 186 -- on a card in Florida. He draws Brazil’s Santos, who has alternated wins and losses in his four UFC outings, most recently blowing out Andy Enz in January.

Santos is an athletic striker with an especially devastating kicking game. He is a willing boxer and has some skill countering in the pocket, but his arsenal consists almost entirely of winging hooks that he throws with little craft or technique. Santos’ kicks, however, are outstanding. The left kick to the body is his specialty, and he complements it with an arsenal of spinning back kicks and wheel kicks. That is essentially the extent of his game: Despite four fights in the UFC, even his takedown defense is an open question, though it should be noted that his consistent circular movement makes it difficult to get a clean shot at his hips.

Bosse is essentially the brawler his hockey-goon background would suggest -- and in a good way. He is athletic, strong, works at a quick pace and packs real power in his hands, and there is more craft to his approach than you might think. He loves to trade in the pocket and favors his right hand, which he often doubles or even triples in sequence as a straight, overhand and uppercut. Failing that, he dives forward into the clinch, where he has a nice arsenal of knees, elbows and short punches. His takedown defense is solid and he scrambles well, but he has little to offer on the ground.

BETTING ODDS: Santos (-190), Bosse (+165)

THE PICK: If Bosse were more polished with his footwork or could complement his brawling with a takedown game, he would have a good shot at winning this. With Santos’ constant circular movement and strong kicking game, however, I think that Bosse will struggle to get inside and into his wheelhouse, where he might be able to wear down the Brazilian for a late finish. The pick is Santos by knockout in the second round.

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