Strikeforce/M-1 ‘Fedor vs. Henderson’ Preview

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Welterweights
Paul Daley (27-10-2, 1-1 SF) vs. Tyron Woodley (8-0, 6-0 SF)

The Matchup: Fresh off his thrilling one-round brawl with Nick Diaz in April, Daley returns against the talented Woodley, an emerging Strikeforce contender who may be the best welterweight left on the promotion’s roster. Daley’s numbing one-shot power and improved all-around game were not enough against Diaz, who simply forced confrontations and banged him out.

Woodley presents an entirely different picture. His quick takedowns, speed and developing standup game present some matchup problems for Daley, just as the Brit’s power and experience do for Woodley. This is a classic striker-versus-wrestler collision. Woodley’s decision win over Tarec Saffiedine in January showed he was perfectly content to avoid excess danger and take it to the mat, where he could ride out a win. That is also the smart approach against Daley, who either melts you with power or gets overwhelmed once the fight hits the floor.

With the Strikeforce welterweight title now vacant following Diaz’s return to the UFC, Woodley is a win away from getting the chance to vie for it. However, given his disinclination to stand with Saffiedine, this one will either end quickly with a Daley bomb or with the Brit’s being taken down and camped on. Woodley used very little ground-and-pound against Saffiedine despite having him planted for much of their fight, but that was due more to the Belgian’s clever jiu-jitsu and positional smarts. Daley’s is not at that level on the ground.

The Pick: Woodley takes this one easily, riding out a decision in a fairly one-sided bout.

Continue Reading » Next Fight: Tarec Saffiedine vs. Scott Smith