The upcoming UFC Milwaukee card keeps growing everyday, and in today’s MMA odds and ends I’ll give my thoughts on the new fights added to the card, including a banger btween two of the best lightweights in the world.
Edson Barboza vs. Dan Hooker, UFC on FOX 31
An exciting lightweight bout between Edson Barboza and Dan Hooker will take place at UFC on FOX 31, which goes down Saturday, December 15 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NZherald.com first reported the bout. Barboza (19-6) is 13-6 overall in the UFC since making his Octagon debut back in 2010. He was always looked at like a future title contender but his recent bout showed a serious flaw in his game as both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kevin Lee were able to exploit his takedown defense and beat him up badly on the ground in his last two fights. His last outing, a TKO loss to Lee, was especially damning and it’s the sort of beating that could lead his career on a downward cycle. Having said that, Barboza is still one of the most technical strikers in the division and his leg kicks match up with anyone, so it’s not fair to write him off just yet. Hooker (17-7) is 7-3 overall in the UFC but is a perfect 4-0 since moving up to lightweight. He just looks a lot fresher and healthier fighting at 155lbs and the results have shown just that, as he’s finished all four of his opponents at his new weight class including a brutal knockout over Gilbert Burns in his last fight. This is a tough one to call. Barboza has been such a good fighter in the UFC for nearly a decade now but it seems like all the damage has finally caught up to him. Hooker is still unproven against elite talent but he has looked good against the mid-pack fighters. At this point, I’d have to favor Hooker to win this fight just based on his win streak and the momentum he has right now.
Jessica Rose-Clark vs. Andrea Lee, UFC on FOX 31
As well, a women’s strawweight bout between Jessica Rose-Clark and Andrea Lee is also on tap for this UFC on FOX 31 event, with the UFC making the bout official. Rose-Clark (9-5, 1 NC) is 2-1 in the UFC but is coming off of her first loss in the Octagon, a unanimous decision defeat to Jessica Eye. Lee (9-2) beat Veronica Macedo in her UFC debut in a “Fight of the Night” to pick up her first win after a USADA suspension. She was recently involved in a domestic violence incident and I’m surprised she didn’t take more time off considering what’s going on in her life outside the cage. That being said, if Lee can stay mentally strong and prepare for this bout with no distractions, I like her to win it. Rose-Clark is a pretty scrappy fighter but she’s more of a gatekeeper type while Lee could be someone who eventually competes for the belt if she improves. I’d favor Lee slightly in this one..
