UFC 209 Newcomer Breakdown: Daniel Spitz

Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at American Daniel Spitz as he makes his UFC debut against Mark Godbeer at UFC 209 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Daniel Spitz Hometown: Spokane, Washington Age: 26 Height: 6-foot-7 Reach: NA Weight Class: Heavyweight Camp: Sikjitsu Career Record: 5-0 Key Wins: None Key Losses: None Background The Sikjitsu-trained fighter only began fighting professionally in 2015. He’s rallied off five straight wins to start his career. Of those five victories, four of them were won inside the distance. Strengths

  • Great size for the weight class
  • Very good footwork
  • Mixes in a lot of kicks with his knee strikes
  • Content to use reach and jab from the outside

Weaknesses

  • Keeps his hands low
  • Striking defense needs work
  • Lacks one-punch knockout power
  • Limited fight experience

Fighter Grade Offensive Striking: C- Striking Defense: D Knockout Power: F Athleticism / Speed: C- Footwork: C+ Chin: D+ Offensive Wrestling: D+ Takedown Defense: D+ Submissions: D- Conditioning: C- Intangibles: D Overall Grade: D Matchup with Mark Godbeer Spitz enters the Octagon for the first time at UFC 209 against Godbeer. Sometimes fighters make a short-notice appearance and are tasked with fighting top-ranked talent. In this case, Spitz was placed into a matchup that is in fact quite winnable. Godbeer is a decent boxer, but his MMA game is limited. He’s got decent hands with decent power, but that’s really the extent of it. Godbeer is a decently sized heavyweight, but he will be at a disadvantage in this bout. Spitz will have a three-inch height advantage here, and he is a fighter that uses his length well. Look for Spitz to fire off his jab from distance and stay out of the way of Godbeer’s power. That’s really the key for Spitz in this bout. He doesn’t have the one-punch knockout power to end fights quickly, so his movement and length will be the keys to winning this fight. He really should be able to do this here against Godbeer, whose skill set and game plan will be limited to a simple striking exchange. Look for Spitz to stay on the outside and use his superior footwork to work his jab to win a decision over Godbeer. At +130, Spitz is worth a small bet at UFC 209. UFC Ceiling Spitz reminds me a bit of Travis Browne. His height and movement are reminiscent of Browne. Not to mention neither fighter is a one-punch knockout threat. Both fighters’ ability to win is predicated on movement and staying out of trouble. I’m not saying Spitz will have the same level of success as Browne, but he’s a young fighter (26 years old) and coming from an underrated fight camp in Sikjitsu that has the length to cause opponents problems. He’s still rather green given his fight experience and amount of time fighting professionally, but I do think he’s an intriguing prospect at heavyweight. Fight Film Check out Spitz in some of his most recent fights… Spitz vs. Daniel Correira Spitz vs. Russell Koharchick

Written by Jay Primetown

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