WEC 45 Preview
Prelims
Dec 16, 2009
The Prelims
Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Pettis
Pettis, a top lightweight prospect, gets a chance to quickly make a
name for himself against Palaszewski, a former International Fight
League standout. Not a bad matchup for Pettis, who has the
takedowns to bully Palaszewski and take advantage of his porous
guard. Most of Palaszewski’s game centers on using his well-rounded
skills to frustrate opponents, but Pettis has the tools he needs to
impose his will on him. Once that happens, it will not be long
before Pettis’ precise top game leaves Palaszewski looking like a
post-modern pretzel.
Muhsin Corbbrey vs. Zachary Micklewright
John Hosman vs. Chad George
With his neck fully healed from his encounter with Rani Yahya at WEC 42, Hosman looks to rebound against the debuting George, who comes into their fight as a short-notice replacement. Not exactly the ideal circumstances for one’s debut on the big stage; that will certainly work against George. Expect to see Hosman keep it workmanlike, as he grinds out a top control win on George, who finds himself ill-prepared for this specific fight. Still, it is hard to pick against a man who calls Don Frye his hero based entirely on his legendary mustache.
Brad Pickett vs. Kyle Dietz
The sole European on the card, Pickett has to pick up the slack for the homeland in his WEC debut against Dietz, who needs a win after submitting to Rafel Rebello at WEC 41. Another grapple-fest awaits Dietz, as Pickett has no qualms about matching jiu-jitsu with anyone willing or crazy enough to go that route. Dietz will be willing, but the aftermath will make him look foolish, as Pickett’s grappling remains a bit more polished and his overall positioning skills are superior. The frustration of getting out-pointed on the mat will lead to Dietz making some desperation mistakes that will hand Pickett a tapout win midway through the second round.
Jameel Massouh vs. Erik Koch
After dropping his first two WEC bouts thanks to some brutal matchmaking, Massouh gets a chance at redemption against Koch, an undefeated but unproven prospect. While Koch has the same game that gave Massouh trouble in his first two bouts, he lacks the striking to back up Massouh -- a key part of the success Leonard Garcia and Raphael Assuncao enjoyed against him. With Massouh able to throw his strikes without worrying about getting planted on his back, he will be free to work his game and force Koch to play defense in order to keep his head attached to his shoulders. Consider it an admirable goal for Koch but not one that normally leads to success in a fight. That will become clear when Massouh notches a dominant knockout win in the second round.
Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Pettis
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Muhsin Corbbrey vs. Zachary Micklewright
Stuck in reverse thanks to two straight disheartening losses,
Corbbrey faces what could be his last shot at carving out a spot in
the WEC’s increasingly competitive lightweight division. That
chance comes against a relative unknown in Micklewright, a Miletich
Fighting Systems disciple who comes into this fight with an
opportunity to establish himself. Most of Corbbrey’s troubles come
from his inability to stop the takedown, which is exactly the route
Micklewright will look to take. Unless Corbbrey has developed some
bulletproof takedown defense in the last few months, it looks like
just another frustrating night for the EliteXC veteran.
John Hosman vs. Chad George
With his neck fully healed from his encounter with Rani Yahya at WEC 42, Hosman looks to rebound against the debuting George, who comes into their fight as a short-notice replacement. Not exactly the ideal circumstances for one’s debut on the big stage; that will certainly work against George. Expect to see Hosman keep it workmanlike, as he grinds out a top control win on George, who finds himself ill-prepared for this specific fight. Still, it is hard to pick against a man who calls Don Frye his hero based entirely on his legendary mustache.
Brad Pickett vs. Kyle Dietz
The sole European on the card, Pickett has to pick up the slack for the homeland in his WEC debut against Dietz, who needs a win after submitting to Rafel Rebello at WEC 41. Another grapple-fest awaits Dietz, as Pickett has no qualms about matching jiu-jitsu with anyone willing or crazy enough to go that route. Dietz will be willing, but the aftermath will make him look foolish, as Pickett’s grappling remains a bit more polished and his overall positioning skills are superior. The frustration of getting out-pointed on the mat will lead to Dietz making some desperation mistakes that will hand Pickett a tapout win midway through the second round.
Jameel Massouh vs. Erik Koch
After dropping his first two WEC bouts thanks to some brutal matchmaking, Massouh gets a chance at redemption against Koch, an undefeated but unproven prospect. While Koch has the same game that gave Massouh trouble in his first two bouts, he lacks the striking to back up Massouh -- a key part of the success Leonard Garcia and Raphael Assuncao enjoyed against him. With Massouh able to throw his strikes without worrying about getting planted on his back, he will be free to work his game and force Koch to play defense in order to keep his head attached to his shoulders. Consider it an admirable goal for Koch but not one that normally leads to success in a fight. That will become clear when Massouh notches a dominant knockout win in the second round.
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