WEC 42 Preview

Ricardo Lamas (6-0) vs. Danny Castillo (7-1)

The Breakdown: With the WEC’s lightweight division in turmoil thanks to champion Jamie Varner’s laundry list of injuries, Lamas, a top prospect, will get a chance to announce his presence at the expense of Castillo, who will look to redeem himself after taking a controversial split decision from Phil Cardella at WEC 39.

Vindication will prove a tall order, as Lamas’ relentless top control style is something Castillo is ill-prepared to stymie. Despite his solid submission and striking skills, Castillo will need to defend the takedown first and foremost or end up getting the business end of a top control special.

The X Factor: Though Lamas wields an effective style, his offense mostly consists of takedowns and mediocre ground striking. Granted, Lamas makes up for it with relentlessness, but if he cannot keep Castillo on lockdown, he will find himself outgunned and short on options. This all comes down to Castillo stuffing enough takedowns to give himself a chance to do something other than get slammed like a World Wrestling Entertainment jobber.

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The Bottom Line: It seems easy to knock Lamas’ one-note approach, but it has proven undeniably effective. Do not expect much in the way of excitement, as Lamas grinds out a one-sided decision win fueled by meat grinder ground-and-pound.