Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at Shane Campbell as he takes on Canadian John Makdessi at UFC 186 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Shane “Shaolin” Campbell Hometown: Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada Age: 27 Height: 6’0” Reach: 71” Weight Class: Lightweight Camp: Toshido Mixed Martial Arts Career Record: 11-2 Key Wins: None Key Losses: Jesse Ronson Background A former professional kickboxer with a 62-9 record, Campbell transitioned over to MMA in 2008 where he has mainly fought on the Canadian regional scene. Most recently, he competed in World Series of Fighting. Strengths
- Heavy-handed
- Combination striker
- Hard leg kicks
- When smells blood, will really unleash strikes in power and volume
- Does well in the clinch
- Strong ground and pound
Weaknesses
- Can have moments of inactivity on the feet
- Needs to show he can maintain distance to land strikes with regularity
- Poor takedown defense
- Not good off his back
Matchup with John Makdessi In a fight that has been bumped up to the main card, this should be an entertaining contest for the fans. Campbell is an accomplished kickboxer, while Makdessi has excellent taekwondo credentials. Expect nearly the entirety of this bout to take place on the feet. Campbell has a height and reach advantage. That can certainly be a big factor in this fight if he’s able to keep Makdessi at distance. Campbell hits harder, but Makdessi is much more accurate and is the more consistent striker over a three round contest. While I think Makdessi is the better MMA fighter, the stylistic similarities make this a pretty even contest. Expect Makdessi to land well with the jab while Campbell will struggle to keep the fight at distance. This will result in Makdessi winning a decision, but a couple rounds here could be difficult for the judges to interpret. UFC Ceiling Shane Campbell is the type of fighter the UFC likes to have on its roster. He’s a stand up striker and has little interest in a ground exchange. His technique is solid and he can score with power. He will rarely be in a boring fight and ultimately what the fans want to see is excitement. Campbell can certainly entertain, but he will need to improve his defensive wrestling to compete in the Octagon. He can be taken down too easily by his opponents and that will spell problems as he takes on some of the better fighters in the lightweight division. With that said, he can certainly stick around for a handful of fights as a fun, action striker appearing on Canadian fight cards. Fight Film Check out Shane Campbell in some of his recent fights: Shane Campbell vs. Jerrid Burke Shane Campbell vs. Taylor Solomon