Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at middleweight Ronald Stallings as he takes on TUF 17 Champion Uriah Hall at UFC Fight Night 59. Ronald “The Choir Boy” Stallings Hometown: Aberdeen, Maryland Age: 31 Height: 6’0” Reach: Weightclass: Middleweight Camp: Team Lloyd Irvin Career Record: 12-6 Key Wins: Mike Massenzio Key Losses: Adlan Amagov Background The Team Lloyd Irvin product is a veteran of the sport having previously fought in Strikeforce on the Challengers circuit. He has a background in taekwondo as well as no-gi grappling. Strengths
- Decent all around striker
- Throws punches in volume combined with lower leg kicks
- Pushes forward and likes to be the aggressor
- Fairly dangerous on the ground with submissions off his back
Weaknesses
- Poor footwork
- Can be pushed against the cage
- Too hittable on the feet
- Tends to become stagnant in prolonged stand up exchanges
Matchup with Uriah Hall Ron Stallings is no stranger to large MMA promotions having fought previously in Strikeforce. His fight against Uriah Hall is easily the biggest of his career and furthermore he is taking it on extremely short notice; less than one week. Stallings will be at a disadvantage in nearly every facet of this bout. Hall’s striking prowess will be a nightmare for Stallings as the newcomer will likely struggle to get inside and fight Hall at a length he is comfortable with. In his matchup with Adlan Amagov, Stallings had issues with the variety of kicks that Amagov had to offer. Hall is very similar in that regard; in fact he’s even a rangier striker than the Russian is. Hall has the technique that can land with relative ease especially since Stallings isn’t the most defensively sound fighter. Stallings best assets is his volume striker. If this fight is fought mainly against the cage, Stallings could possibly win a decision for being the more active fighter. However, Hall is more powerful, technical, and more talented than his opponent and should be able to keep this a standing exchange for the entirety of the fight. Expect Hall to win in dominant fashion, possibly even by knockout. UFC Ceiling Ron Stallings is a decent addition to the UFC’s middleweight division. His aggressive style and solid work rate should give him another chance in the octagon even if he loses to Uriah Hall. The Team Lloyd Irvin fighter will be undersized in most of his fights at middleweight and will need to show he can work his way inside to strike with his opponents if he’s going to have success in the UFC. Fight Film Check out Ron Stallings in some of his recent fights: Ron Stallings vs. Adlan Amagov
Ron Stallings vs. Joshua Williams