UFC ‘Jones vs. Matyushenko’ Main Card Preview

John Howard vs. Jake Ellenberger

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Howard has an undefeated UFC record and is still trying to get some traction going in the welterweight division. If you’re looking for an answer why, watch his fights and you’ll see that he has major issues with consistency and takedown defense. Both of which will be tested by the furious stylings of Ellenberger.

Unlike Howard, Ellenberger knows how to put on the pressure without making himself an easy mark. A great example of that is his bout with Mike Pyle, a nifty grappler who Ellenberger managed to pound. More importantly, Ellenberger has the wrestling skills that Howard is missing.

Scoring the occasional high-impact slam does not a wrestler make and Howard struggles when he can’t overwhelm his opponents with brute physicality. Lacking that polished technique has put Howard in some dicey situations in the UFC. Ellenberger is definitely the biggest test “Doomsday” has encountered in the Octagon. He has the kind of wrestling skill to force Howard into his least favored position -- the guard.

All of Howard’s bulldozing power and fast-twitch muscle fibers don’t do him much good when he has to work off his back, and Ellenberger has a surprisingly strong base for a relatively small welterweight. That strong base allows him to work a nasty ground-and-pound attack without giving up position. Contrast that with Howard, who often blows top control by trying to land bombing strikes without having control of his opponent.

It’s those small differences in skill that make for a big difference come fight time. Howard has yet to show any inclination toward closing that gap while Ellenberger’s arrival in the UFC has produced some of the best performances of his career. That trend will continue with Ellenberger notching a surprisingly dominant TKO win.