Bantamweight bout: Jared Papazian (-215) vs John Robles (+165) Fight Breakdown: The WSOF preliminary card features a bantamweight contest between two friends when UFC veteran Jared “The Jackhammer” Papazian takes on fellow Californian John Robles. Papazian is currently the favorite in this match-up at -215 ($215 to win $100) while the return on the underdog Robles is +165 ($100 to win $165) at Several Bookmakerss. Jared Papazian (15-10 MMA, 0-0 WSOF) makes his WSOF debut coming off a first round submission loss to Brandon Bender less than three months ago. Don’t let his record fool you, he is a real threat in the 135 division. Papazian went 0-3 in exciting fights in the UFC and was cut after his third loss, which was coincidentally the fight of the night. Papazian is 1-1 since the release and looks to string together some quality wins that will get him back to the big show. Jared Papazian is a great striker for any striking coach to work with, as he is both a very good brawler and solid technical fighter. He has decent takedown defense but needs to work on it more, as talented wrestlers have been able to take him down at ease. Papazian has been working on his takedown defense and once he’s perfected it, I believe he will be a force. He is a talented striker with a very good chin and a good jiu jitsu game, although his offensive jiu-jitsu is currently superior to his defensive jiu-jitsu. Papazian has incredible cardio, as he’s gone the distance in 13 of his 25 professional fights; 3 of them being five-round title wars. He recently spent a week in Sacramento, CA training with Duane Ludwig and the rest of Team Alpha Male. I think we will see an improvement in his performance and feel he should make Alpha Male his spot for training camps. He is a talented fighter who loves to learn, has a great chin, and a lot of heart. The right coaches and training partners can turn someone like him into a definite title contender. John Robles (8-1 MMA, 0-0 WSOF) makes his promotional debut in his home-state against fellow Californian and pal Jared Papazian. Robles is a talented striker and it isn’t hard to tell he likes to finish fights, as 7 of his 8 career victories have come by way of TKO/KO. I think he believes he has the superior striking going into this bout and will be looking to stop Papazian with strikes. Robles’ cardio is a big concern, as he’s only gone the distance in one fight, which ended up being the only loss currently on his resume. Much like Papazian, Robles has good footwork and likes to start off fast. His takedown defense isn’t very good, although he’s good at popping back up to his feet. His offensive submission game is questionable, as there’s limited tape on him, but from what I’ve seen, he has a decent defensive submission game. While his offensive submission game is questionable, Robles is good at beating opponents up from the top position. He prefers to go for strikes rather than look for submissions. Fight Prediction: I think Papazian is better everywhere, even in the striking department. He is the superiour grappler and will likely mix in takedowns to win rounds, if not entirely make it a grappling match and beat Robles up on the mat en route to a Unanimous Decision or late TKO victory. Gabe’s Pick: Jared Papazian by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Jared Papazian -215
