UFC 95 Breakdown: The Undercard

Junior dos Santos vs. Stefan Struve

Power Ratings

dos Santos
Striking : 3.0
Grappling : 3.0
Submissions : 3.0
Experience : 2.0
Total : 2.8

Struve
Striking : 3.5
Grappling : 1.5
Submissions : 2.5
Experience : 2.5
Total : 2.5

Analysis: In the best heavyweight matchup of the night, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has pitted two of his most promising talents in the division against one another. Dos Santos, an Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira protégé, will return for his sophomore appearance inside the Octagon after he knocked countryman Fabricio Werdum out of the UFC last autumn. Meanwhile, the Dutch giant Struve will make his promotional debut on a five-fight winning streak.

A fantastic fighter who hinted at his great talent against little known but quite capable opposition in smaller shows in Brazil, dos Santos (7-1) was scheduled to face Roman Zentsov in Russia last April when Silva stepped in at the last minute to sign him for the UFC. He justified the faith the UFC had in him with his stunning knockout against the formerly top 10-ranked Werdum at UFC 90.

Struve (16-2), the reigning Cage Gladiators heavyweight champion, drew Zuffa’s attention by beating UFC veterans Colin Robinson and Mario Neto. His most outstanding feature remains his size; at a towering 6-foot-11, he’s easily the tallest fighter in the UFC. His submission skills are also noteworthy, especially coming from a stand-up nation like the Netherlands.

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Prediction: Struve has a solid set of skills, especially considering his young age. Dos Santos is more advanced in the key aspects of the game, though, and his wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu will come into play in this fight. Expect the “Minotauro” pupil to take Struve to the mat early, pass those endlessly long legs and finish the fight by submission inside the first round.