Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at Mexico’s Erick Montano as he takes on fellow TUF Latin America contestant Enrique Marin at UFN 78 in Monterrey, Mexico. Erick “Perry” Montano Hometown: Mexico City Age: 29 Height: 5’9” Reach: 71 Weight Class: Welterweight Camp: Bonebreakers Team Career Record: 6-3 Key Wins: None Key Losses: War Machine Background The Mexican welterweight out of the Bonebreakers Team is the younger brother of UFC welterweight Augusto “Dodger” Montano. He has fought nine times in his career and has never seen the scorecards with all of his bouts ending via knockout or primarily submission. Strengths
- Aggressive fighter
- Good power in his hands
- Relentless in ground and pound
- Moves well in transition
Weaknesses
- Over-aggression tends to make him lose position
- Grappling/jiu jitsu needs a lot of work
- Struggles with fundamentals on ground such as maintaining control
Matchup with Enrique Marin Expect a competitive matchup in this TUF Finale. Montano is the better grinder with the more effective ground and pound. While Marin is the better technical striker. If the fight stays on the feet, I favor Marin. If it goes to the ground, it becomes a much more competitive fight. This fight comes down to which fighter has improved more since their time appearing on TUF. Marin is the rightful favorite in this fight as his crisp boxing technique should allow him to connect from the onset in this bout. Both fighters are rather green and it’s best to pass on any betting opportunities. UFC Ceiling I don’t expect much from Montano for his UFC career. Sure, he has decent ground and pound, but the overall skill set simply isn’t there. He doesn’t have strong technique on the feet, his grappling is at a low level, and he doesn’t have the physical gifts to dominate his opponents. If he loses to Enrique Marin at UFN 78, he may likely not receive a second chance in the UFC. Fight Film Check out Erick Montano in one of his most recent fights: Erick Montano vs. Pedro Junior