UFC Fight Night 60 Date: 02/14/15 Arena: 1STBank Center City: Broomfield CO Flyweight bout: Tim Elliott (-110) vs Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky (-110) Fight Breakdown: The FOX Sports 1 preliminary card for UFC Fight Night 60 in Colorado will be featuring a flyweight contest between RFA veteran Tim Elliott and former Bellator bantamweight champion Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky. The betting odds for this one are currently at a coin-flip, with both fighters being -110 ($110 to win $100) at Several Bookmakerss. Tim Elliott (10-5-1 MMA, 2-3 UFC) last saw action at UFC 172 over nine-months ago, where he took on number-one ranked Joseph Benavidez and lost the bout via guillotine choke in the very first round of action. It was a competitive fight and he was getting the better of the Team Alpha Male fighter in the early going of the round, but when the tides turned, they never turned back, as a moment’s opening while in top position was what “Joe B” needed to sneak in the choke with Elliott’s arms trapped, forcing Elliott to tap with his feet, which was a UFC first. The defeat puts him on a two-fight losing streak following a unanimous decision loss to Ali Bagautinov, and he may have his back against the wall headed into this one. The 28-year old is a very athletic southpaw who has a great chin and a wild, unorthodox style of fighting. He is a talented wrestler who prefers the single leg and is good at landing it. His elbows are razor sharp, and he is quite effective with them in his ground and pound attack. His takedown defense isn’t very good, but he is great at quickly getting back to his feet. The RFA veteran has a solid submission game, both offensively and defensively. He is dangerous off his back, as he constantly threatens with submissions. Not to mention, he makes excellent transitions on the mat. Elliott likes to remain active and keep the pressure on his opponents. He has great footwork, and is very quick. He likes to implement his knees and elbows in his striking attack, and has a nice flying knee he loves to use. He dishes out a lot of kicks, and has a variety of them in his arsenal. Elliott puts together some effective, high-volume combinations on the feet, and he never gets tired. Training out of Grindhouse MMA in Lee’s Summit, MO, he has excellent conditioning and will be prepared for a three round war against “Fun Size” come Valentine’s Day. Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky (18-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) picked up a pair of unanimous decision victories over Scott Jorgensen and Josh Sampo, but then dropped a unanimous decision to Jussier Formiga in his latest outing at UFC Fight Night 47 in Maine six months ago. He will be looking to bounce back into the win column when he takes on Elliott this Saturday night in Colorado. “Fun Size” is a talented, former NCAA Division I wrestler who works solid takedowns. He prefers the single leg, which is his go-to, and he often likes to shoot for them from the outside. He works well with trip takedowns too, and is a great scrambler. Makovsky is an excellent grappler and his submission game is also very good, as he spends time training with the legendary Marcelo Garcia, one of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts on the planet. His defensive grappling is solid as well. He has good takedown defense, and if taken down, he is very active off of his back, threatening with submissions. The former Bellator bantamweight champion shows improvement in his striking from fight to fight. He has a good chin and works a decent jab. He throws decent kicks too, and he likes to go high with them. As far as his conditioning goes, he may be at a disadvantage in the department in this contest, but I don’t expect it to be an issue for him come Saturday night. Gabe’s Thoughts: If this fight hits the judges’ scorecards, I lean with Elliott getting his hand raised, though it could be a close call that goes either way. However, should it end inside the distance, I see him as being the one to end the fight. I was really liking him at underdog odds but action has come in on him to make this fight an even coin-flip at the sportsbooks, but even at the current betting price of -110, I see enough value in him to make a move, as I think he should be a -170 favorite. I believe this is great match-making by UFC match-maker Sean Shelby and is a scrap that could very well come right down to the wire, but ultimately I think it is going to be Elliott’s speed and aggression that plays the difference and results in him getting his hand raised, be it by finish or decision. Gabe’s Call: Elliott by Submission (bulldog choke, 2:22 round 2) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Tim Elliott (-110) 2.2u to win 2u
