UFC on FOX 13: Nate Diaz vs Rafael Dos Anjos Fight Breakdown
Part of a great night of fights in Phoenix, Arizona this weekend (Sat., Dec 13th, 2014) Nate Diaz vs Rafael Dos Anjos serves as the co-main event at UFC on FOX 13. Diaz comes back from an extended hiatus of just under a year, whereas RDA will look to continue his run of form, which has seen hm finish Jason High and Benson Henderson in 2014. A tough fight indeed for the returning Stockton native.
Without further ado, here is the LowKickMMA Nate Diaz vs Rafael Dos Anjos fight breakdown:
Striking
A similar story for both guys here, although in varying degrees. Primarily known as grapplers, each has developed their own style of striking for MMA. Diaz, a tall and rangy fighter like his brother Nick, likes to use straight punches to get the job done. His nasty TKO win over Gray Maynard shows that speed+accuracy=power. What Dos Anjos possesses is raw power, as demonstrated by his knockout punch against Benson Henderson. It’s also worth noting that RDA now has a titanium fused jaw, which has broken the hands of numerous opponents in the octagon.
When it comes down to it, the man who imposes his will best is likely to own the stand up department. If the Josh Thomson fight is anything to go by, the way to beat Nate Diaz is by moving in and out well, and timing your counter strikes over the top of his long punches. Dos Anjos showed his vastly improved striking against “Smooth”, and I think his style matches well with Diaz. Knockout power and head movement gives Dos Anjos an edge in my books at 60-40
Takedowns
Diaz is not hard to find with the takedowns; his long physique and high centre of gravity makes him a reasonably easy target. He is successful in only 31% of his attempted sacks, and gets taken down himself in 54% of his opponents attempts. Dos Anjos’ defense is a little better as his opponents only complete 35% of their attempted takedowns, and is successful in 37% of his own.
Diaz has a tricky guard from his back, so may not mind getting dumped on the mat. RDA has the physical advantage, as well as the lower centre of gravity, and is proven in the stats. Another slight edge, again, 60-40 Dos Anjos
Submissions
This is the bread and butter of both fighters, with Diaz holding a BJJ black belt under Cesar Gracie, and Dos Anjos under Aldo “Caveirinha” Januario de Olivera. They both entered the game with their heavily grappling based styles, and it may come to a ground fight if they reach a stalemate on the feet.
RDA has eight submissions from 22 wins, and Diaz 11 from 17. The physique of both men may play in to the other’s hands; Diaz’s long arms and legs make him a target for leglocks and armbars, but they also provide a very effective grappling tool for the Stockton bad boy. It could be a short night if he is able to wrap Dos Anjos up on the ground, but equally he needs to be on his P’s & Q’s. Overall, it’s got to be 50-50
So as I said, it’s a tough return bout for Diaz on paper, and especially considering Dos Anjos is on fire right now. Stay tuned to LowKickMMA.com for more pre-fight hype and coverage of UFC on FOX 13!
