Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at middleweight Julian Marque as he makes his UFC debut against England’s Darren Stewart at UFC on Fox 26 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Julian Marquez
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
Age: 27
Height: 6’2”
Reach: 72”
Weight Class: Middleweight
Camp: Syndicate MMA
Career Record: 6-1
Key Wins: Matt Hamill, Phil Hawes
Key Losses: None
Background
The Syndicate MMA fighter has won six of his first seven fights to start his professional career. He was very impressive on the Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series knocking highly acclaimed prospect Phil Hawes in the second round.
Strengths
- One punch knockout power
- Good chin
- Strong work rate
- Will continue to push forward
Weaknesses
- Not the most technical fighter
- Takedown defense is a question mark
- Willing to take leg kicks
Fighter Grade
Offensive Striking: C-
Striking Defense: D
Knockout Power: C
Athleticism/Speed: D+
Footwork: C-
Chin: B-
Offensive Wrestling: C-
Takedown Defense: C-
Submissions: D
Conditioning: C-
Intangibles: C-
Overall Grade: C-
Matchup with Darren Stewart
Julian Marquez makes his UFC debut at UFC on Fox 26 against England’s Darren Stewart. This is a battle of two physically strong middleweight who will look to knock each other out. Don’t expect much grappling in this bout as both fighters preference is to stand and trade. One of the biggest differences in this bout is volume. Neither fighter is certainly the most technical, but Marquez lands at a much higher clip. Furthermore, Marquez has a very good chin and will continue to push for all 15 minutes. Given Marquez’ motor, this is a very tough matchup for Stewart. Look for this to be a competitive first round, but for Marquez to take over after the opening five minutes and win by late stoppage or finish. At -255, this is a bit over of my projected line of -225. At current odds, this fight is a pass.
UFC Ceiling
Julian Marquez is an interesting prospect in the middleweight division. Compared to most debutants, he already has solid experience having beaten veterans of the sport. While he doesn’t have great fundamentals, he has a solid motor and a good chin. That alone should be able to get him to stick around in the UFC. He will need to improve his striking technique if he’s going to be able to challenge top fifteen middleweights.
Fight Film Check out Julian Marquez in some of his most recent fights:
Julian Marquez vs. Phil Hawes
Julian Marquez vs. Cameron Olson
