UFC Austin Preview, Breakdown & Analysis

The UFC is set to bring its Octagon to Austin, Texas, this Sunday (Feb. 18, 2018), as UFC Fight Night 126 will take place live on FOX Sports 1 from the Frank Erwin Center.

In the main event, veteran fan favorite Donald Cerrone will square off with rising Hawaiian contender Yancy Medeiros.

The co-main event, meanwhile, will play host to a battle between two top 10 heavyweights, as Derrick Lewis and Marcin Tybura will do battle.

Also on the main card, Texan James Vick will clash with veteran Francisco Trinaldo in a battle of lightweight contenders.

Without further ado, let’s take a deeper look into UFC Austin’s top fights:

Donald Cerrone vs. Yancy Medeiros

This main event bout has all the makings to become a ‘Fight of the Night’-winning fight between two entertaining, offensive-minded fighters.

Cerrone, who spent the majority of his career competing in the 155-pound division, made the move up to welterweight in 2016 and saw immediate success, winning four consecutive bouts. More recently, however, he’s dropped three straight bouts with two of them ending via TKO.

Stylistically, “Cowboy” is quite well rounded.

On the feet, he’s long and rangy and possesses a dangerous Muay Thai skill set. His jab is crisp, and he mixes up his punches well, while also utilizing a devastating arsenal of kicks.

In terms of grappling, “Cowboy’s” wrestling has always been a bit underrated in my opinion, and his takedowns have improved a great deal in recent years. He’s also a fantastic submission artist, as 16 of his 32 professional victories have come via submission. I’d argue that he holds the advantage in this department, and he could use it as a path to victory in this fight.

Medeiros, on the other hand, has seemed to hit his stride lately, as he’s won three consecutive bouts with all three ending via stoppage.

The hard-hitting Hawaiian, who trains with featherweight champion Max Holloway, is a scrappy fighter who comes from a karate and wrestling background, which makes his style a bit unique.

On the feet, Medeiros uses a high volume attack, while often switching stances. He prefers to throw jabs and straight punches, but also possesses a solid kicking arsenal, although he may not want to trade kicks with Cerrone.

In terms of grappling, Medeiros’ wrestling may also be a bit underrated, although he rarely shoots for a takedown. On the ground, he has a solid submission game, but he’ll need to be extra careful scrambling with “Cowboy”.

Ultimately, I find this fight to difficult to call.

Medeiros will be coming off of a quick turnaround from a difficult fight, which raises some concern, but Cerrone’s recent skid also raises questions about the state of not only his chin but his career as well.

Regardless, I expect the fight to play out on the feet, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Hawaiian land the big shots, but I feel as if Cerrone is the more polished striker, and if he can mix up his attack, he may be able to hurt Medeiros.

Prediction: Donald Cerrone def. Yancy Medeiros via fourth-round TKO

Derrick Lewis vs. Marcin Tybura

In this bout, both men will be looking to bounce back from losses.

Lewis has had a rough go as of late, as he dropped a stoppage loss to Mark Hunt last June. He was then scheduled to do battle with Fabricio Werdum late last year, but he was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury. Tybura then stepped up to replace him, although he lost a lackluster decision to the Brazilian former champion.

Regardless, both men are talented fighters, and this bout is pivotal for both of them.

Starting with Lewis, “The Black Beast” made a name for himself due to his ferocious power, as 16 of his 18 professional victories have come by way of T/KO. He’s also incredibly athletic for his size and has a strong ability to back opponents up against the fence.

Lewis isn’t known primarily for his grappling although he has shown the ability to get up off of his back throughout his career but his takedown defense has always been questionable. On the contrary, if he lands on top, his power tends to follow him, which gives him the ability to do a great deal of damage should the fight end up in that area.

One key factor regarding Lewis that must be noted, however, is his cardio, which has been criticized before.

Tybura, on the other hand, has compiled a 3-2 record since entering the UFC in 2016.

A brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Tybura has quietly improved his striking skills in recent years. He’s also been training at the famed Jackson-Wink Academy, which leads me to believe his game has only improved.

On the feet, Tybura has a solid jab and he uses his lead leg effectively as well. Typically, he uses combinations to enter the clinch, although I’m not sure he’ll be looking to strike with Lewis.

In terms of grappling, the Pole is a formidable wrestler, and he’s often shown the ability to catch kicks and land the takedown, which could be an effective tool in this fight. I’d also argue that he holds the advantage in the submission department.

In my opinion, this fight will be determined by what form of Lewis shows up. If he enters the Octagon in shape and can keep the fight standing, I feel as if his power may be too much for Tybura.

Prediction: Derrick Lewis vs. Marcin Tybura via second-round TKO

James Vick vs. Francisco Trinaldo

In this fight, two highly talented, yet perhaps a bit unknown, lightweights will clash in an intriguing fight.

Vick, who’s been campaigning for a big fight as of late, has quietly made a name for himself, as he’s won three consecutive bouts with all three ending via stoppage.

First off, it’s important to note that the Texan is massive for the 155-pound division. Standing at six-foot-three-inches tall, Vick is typically much larger than his opposition, but he also has tremendous cardio, which he uses when putting his high volume boxing approach on display. He’s also improved his counterpunching in recent years.

On the ground, Vick holds a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but he possesses five victories by way of submission and has never been forced to tap.

Trinaldo, on the other hand, is a veteran of the fight game, and he’s seemed to hit his stride recently, as he’s won eight of his last nine fights.

On the feet, the Brazilian will be at a bit of a size disadvantage, but he may very well have the power advantage. A skillful kickboxer, Trinaldo possesses power in both of his hands and also does well in the clinch.

As far as grappling goes, Trinaldo has solid wrestling, although it may be difficult to get Vick down. He’s also a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has five submission victories to his credit.

The x-factor regarding Trinaldo, in my opinion, however, is the fact that his cardio has been questionable over the years.

There’s a chance he’ll land a big shot, but I’m just not sure he’ll be able to keep up with the pace Vick will be looking to set. For that reason, I expect the Texan to use his length to pick the Brazilian apart on his way to a decision victory.

Prediction: James Vick def. Francisco Trinaldo via unanimous decision