The UFC yesterday announced two new bouts for upcoming fight cards, and for today’s MMA Odds and Ends I’ll give my quick thoughts on both of them. Matt Hobar vs. Pedro Munhoz, TUF Brazil 3 Finale The UFC yesterday announced that Wilson Reis is out of his TUF Brazil 3 fight against Pedro Munhoz, and stepping in to fight Munhoz on short notice is Matt Hobar, the former Legacy FC bantamweight champ. This matchup between Hobar and Munhoz pits two former AXS TV champs against one another and I think it’s very good matchmaking. These two fighters match up pretty well with one another and I really do expect a competitive fight between these two young guns, two fighters who I believe both have very bright futures in the UFC. Still, based on the fact Munhoz has had a full camp for this fight and Hobar is taking it on short notice, I have to lean towards Munhoz here, and the fact he already has 15 minutes of experience fighting Raphael Assuncao in the Octagon helps. It also helps that the fight is in Brazil. So all signs do point to a Munhoz victory here, but again, Hobar is a talented fighter and it shouldn’t shock anyone if he does pull off the upset. Chris Beal vs. Patrick Williams, UFC 172 With UFC 172 down to only 10 bouts, the promotion decided to add a last-minute fight to card, and it’s a bantamweight bout between former TUF 18 contestant Chris Beal and UFC newcomer Patrick Williams. It surprised many that the 28-year-old Beal, who is 8-0 in his pro career, wasn’t given a fight at the finale after his time in the TUF house, but the UFC obviously wanted to see more out of him before doing so. And he showed a few weeks ago just how bad he wanted in the UFC as he picked up yet another knockout win on the regional circuit, and it was enough for UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby to give him a call. Although he didn’t do so well in the TUF house, I do think Beal is a talented fighter and he could definitely have some success in the Octagon. As for Williams, he is 7-3 in his pro MMA career, including two-straight victories in his last two outings. But he’s 32 years old, and honestly, I don’t really understand the signing. I know the bantamweight division is weak, but at first glance Williams just doesn’t seem UFC calibre. However, Shelby obviously sees something in him and gave him a chance in the big show. Still, while he has fought some okay competition on the Florida regional circuit, he doesn’t have that invaluable experience that Beal has from his time in the TUF house, and I expect the difference in level of competition to really prove to be the different here. Look for Beal to open as the favorite here and look for him to pick up a dominant win in his UFC debut.
