UFC on FOX 4: August 4, 2012 Staples Center in Los Angeles, California UFC Heavyweight Contender Phil De Fries (-240) Profile: Phil De Fries (8-1-1) is a 26-year-old English heavyweight who has just two years on experience in MMA, but he has earned a purple belt in BJJ and uses his superior physicality to bring the fight to the ground and submit his opponents. In fact, submissions have been his preferred method of stoppage inside the Octagon with seven of his eight wins ending that way. His lone loss came in the form of a brutal knockout at the hands of fellow heavyweight contender Stipe Miocic at UFC on FUEL TV 1. He hopes to make strongman Oli Thompson his next victim by taking him down to the ground and ending the fight with a tap in his third UFC bout. UFC Heavyweight Contender Oli Thompson (+190) Profile: The English strongman champion turned MMA fighter Oli Thompson (9-3) is only a three-year vet of MMA, but he has used his unbelievable strength and power to muscle his opponents down. Before making his way to the UFC, Thompson went 9-2 in three years on the English MMA circuit, using his power to finish fights via a bevy of maneuvers. He seems comfortable on the ground, finishing multiple fights via rear-naked choke and also seems to have confidence in his fists, which he has used en route to three knockouts. The 32-year-old may be raw, but he is raw in strength and ability. He will be looking to rebound from a TKO loss to Shawn Jordan in his UFC debut against Phil De Fries at UFC on FOX 4. Opening UFC on FOX 4 Odds Analysis: MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas has made De Fries a solid -240 favorite (bet $240 to win $100) against Thompson, who opened as a +190 underdog (bet $100 to win $190) according to the MMA odds. In a true battle of English heavyweights, one of them will obviously emerge victorious and bounce back from a bad loss in their previous bout. Although both fighters are relatively inexperienced, De Fries is younger and seems to be a more legitimate heavyweight contender. Thompson is six years older and more of a novelty, earning the distinction of Britain’s Strongest Man in 2006. He will be fighting in the United States for the first time and lacks the BJJ expertise and dominating submission skills that De Fries has flashed during his young MMA career.
