UFC 105
Saturday night, Randy Couture steps back into the octagon at UFC 105 hoping Father Time continues to keep his distance. His opponent Brandon Vera, on the other hand, is looking to be the one that reminds Couture he’s not 35 anymore.
Coming off two straight losses, the most recent to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira just a few months ago at UFC 102, Couture is looking to show fans yet again he’s one of those rare athletes that can defy time. Nogueira worked Couture for three rounds and made him look old in the process, and chances are Couture will be looking to take out his frustration on Vera.
Vera is coming into this fight after getting a unanimous decision victory over Krzysztof Soszynski on the same UFC 102 card. Despite all the niceties being bantered around between the two leading up to this fight, Vera knows Couture is looking to prove to the skeptics that at the age of 46, he can still destroy guys. All this “Mr. Couture” stuff being tossed about may be out of genuine respect by Vera, but there has to be a small part of Couture that thinks it’s also a reference to him being an old guy. This will add to the level of destruction Couture will be looking to deliver.
When the action starts, Vera’s going to try to keep things standing up, where he should have the advantage. With a Muay Thai background and both a reach and height advantage over Couture, look for Vera to try to pound on Couture’s legs early on. Ultimately Vera will be looking to get into a clinch and unload knees, which will be bad news for Couture if he allows this to happen.
Couture on the other hand will be looking to get this fight on the ground ASAP. Even though both are accomplished wrestlers, Couture definitely holds the advantage. Couture should also be the bigger, stronger fighter on the ground, so he should be able to control Vera and work his ground and pound. Vera does have submissions, but it will be difficult to tangle Couture up in anything scary enough to produce a tap.
This is a fight Couture has to win. A loss will make it three in a row, and even Couture’s going to have a hard time talking his way out of that fact. Right now, his loss to Brock Lesnar can be chalked up to the unfair advantage of Lesnar really being a bald Grizzly Bear. The Nogueira loss is understandable as it was also to one of the best heavyweights in the world. However, a poor showing against Vera could change the perspective as to how we reflect on those two defeats
Despite the urgency of Couture for a victory, Vera has a very good chance at pulling this one out. He’s fighting on a big stage, with an opportunity to seriously raise his stock with a victory. A victory that contains an explanation mark will raise it even that much further. Couture will take Vera down, pound him a bit and maybe wash his mouth out with soap for calling him “Mr. Couture”, but it won’t stay on the ground. I see Vera throwing kicks, knees, punches and elbows, finally catching Couture with a series of the aforementioned and ending things in the second round.
Comments
Wow, bold prediction with Vera winning. I just don't see Couture loosing three in a row. I have liked what I have seen from Vera in past fights, especially his devastating leg kicks. If he can land a bunch of those early and slow down Couture, I can see him maybe squeezing out a decision. No way he knocks out Couture.
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