UFC Fight Night 27 Lowkick Staff Predictions
Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann:
Mike Drahota: This has all the makings for an all-out war in Indianapolis. Both fighters need a win to stay competitive in the stacked UFC Welterweight division, and both are highly polished finishers. Condit was taken down throughout their first match, but I think he’s a much more developed fighter at this point. Kampmann is no slouch, but the fact that he’s only seen a 46-second knockout loss to Johny Hendricks since June 2012 has me worried. For that reason, I’m thinking Condit gets back on track with a second round TKO of Kampmann tomorrow night.
Rory Kernaghan: I expect a short and brutal fight when NBK and the Hitman throw down in the evening’s main event. Condit has evolved very well over recent times, gaining a wealth of experience in his last few fights. Kampmann is a solid fighter with a great heart, but I think Condit has surpassed him in the game. Look for Condit’s diverse striking to come in to effect early for a first round TKO win.
Brian Cox: The last time they met the difference in the bout proved to be Kampmann’s wrestling skills and with them, Martin was able to sustain a victory in a close fight. As they were a well-matched pair in their last encounter, they’re an even better matched pair now. Both fighters have great stand-up and ground games. Both fighters are tough. Once again, I see this fight boiling down to whose wrestling skills are better and with Condit coming off of losses to GSP & Hendricks, I have to figure that Carlos has gotten the message on wrestling and has been working diligently on it; we shall see. That said, I’m picking Condit to win this fight and by stoppage; TKO round 3.
Donald Cerrone vs. Rafael dos Anjos:
Mike Drahota: This is an interesting fight in that Cerrone is a well-known striker who has fallen short against top competition, but dos Anjos is a surging Lightweight on a streak that no one has really noticed. I think dos Anjos, a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt, could surprise a lot of people with this fight. While he’s been winning mainly decisions lately, he’s stated his intentions to push the pace against Cerrone. The winner will get a jump up the Lightweight rankings, but very few think that will be dos Anjos. I’m in the minority, so I’ll take dos Anjos with a shocking second round submission.
Rory Kernaghan: Donald Cerrone and Rafael Dos Anjos should be a great fight. Both guys are slick grapplers and also like to bang. Cerrone’s stand up is better than RDA’s, and will probably be the difference in this bout. As I said before, I expect this bout to earn fight of the night honors. Look for Cerrone to walk away the winner after three action packed rounds. Cerrone by decision.
Brian Cox: Cerrone is a fighter’s fighter. He comes to fight and he comes to bang. His preference in a bout is to employ his stand-up skills to put away his opponent. Rafael dos Anjos, however, will more than likely be looking to take this fight to the ground and test Cerrone’s ground skills. If he can, he might be able to beat Cerrone there, but that’s not to say that “The Cowboy” doesn’t have his own ground skills or the ability to stay on his feet. I think this fight will boil down to takedowns and who can get them and who can stop them. All things considered, I’m going to give the nod to Cerrone and say that he can keep it on the feet; winner by unanimous decision, Donald Cerrone.
Outer Photo: Rafael Suanes, USA Today Sports Images
