Thiago Alves yells as he makes weight during the UFC 130 weigh-in Friday, May 27, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Thursday, March 1, 2012 | 6:30 p.m.
In many respects, it’s amazing that Thiago Alves and Martin Kampmann made it this far in the UFC without ever fighting each other.
The 28-year old Alves (19-8 MMA, 11-5 UFC) has fought in the octagon for the past seven years. The 29-year old Kampmann (18-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) has one less year of service but has found a similar amount of success.
After years near the top of the welterweight division, Alves and Kampmann will clash in the main event of UFC on FX 2 Friday in Sydney, Australia.
“I know I will beat this guy and then the UFC can line 'em up for me to knock down,” Kampmann said. “I know I can beat anyone in the division and I’m ready to prove it.”
Alves and Kampmann have two of the most fan-friendly fight styles in the 170-pound division. Both like to come forward and rely on their striking backgrounds.
The Las Vegas-based Kampmann is more technical, but Alves is more powerful. They’ve combined for 18 career knockout victories.
“I think he will try to test his striking against mine, but after I hit him, I know he will try to get away from me,” Alves said. “I found the old pit bull inside me. He was sleeping, but he’s woke up and nasty now.”
Alves and Kampmann were going through rough patches before scoring wins in their last fights. Kampmann had lost two controversial bouts in a row, to Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez, while Alves went 1-2 in his next three after a UFC 100 loss to champion Georges St. Pierre.
Oddsmakers are torn on the bout, as Alves is a slight favorite at minus 135 (risking $1.35 to win $1) with Kampmann coming back at plus 105.
Pick: Alves by decision
Check below for a breakdown of every fight along with odds and a pick. The main card of UFC on FX 2 airs at 6, with six preliminary fights scheduled for 3 on FUEL TV and the first bout streaming on Facebook.
Flyweight tournament bout: Joseph Benavidez (15-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Line: Benavidez -900, Urushitani +600
Matchup: Benavidez exits the bantamweight division still ranked as the second-best 135-pound fighter in the world. His two losses to champion Dominick Cruz were very close and came by split decision. Urushitani is more of an unknown. The Japanese import is an accomplished judo practitioner and has 14 career wins by decision.
Pick: Benavidez by submission
Flyweight tournament bout: Demetrious Johnson (15-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. Ian McCall (11-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Line: Johnson -325, McCall +250
Matchup: “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is going to have a wrestling advantage. The question is if he can take advantage of it against someone like McCall, who has solid takedown defense and great Muay Thai. McCall is riding a four-fight win streak, while Johnson’s recent defeat to Cruz was his first setback in five contests.
Pick: McCall by decision
Middleweight bout: Court McGee (13-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) vs. Constantinos Philippou (9-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Line: McGee -145, Philippou +115
Matchup: These are two of the most durable 185-pound fighters on the UFC’s roster. Neither the 29-year-old McGee nor the 32-year old Philippou have ever lost by stoppage. Philippou, a boxer, has pulled off two straight upsets. McGee, a wrestler, has won eight straight and took “The Ultimate Fighter” 11 crown in the process.
Pick: Philippou by decision
Light heavyweight bout: James Te Huna (13-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. Aaron Rosa (17-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Line: Te Huna -300, Rosa +250
Matchup: Rosa, a former heavyweight, looked improved in his 205-pound debut when he beat Matt Lucas by majority decision at UFC on FOX 1. But Te Huna is 7-1 since 2008 with six knockout victories.
Pick: Te Huna by TKO
Light heavyweight bout: Anthony Perosh (12-6 MMA, 2-3 UFC) vs. Nick Penner (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Line: Perosh +105, Penner -135
Matchup: Perosh scored one of the bigger upsets of last year when he submitted Cyrille Diabate in the second round at UFC 138. The 39-year-old is rewarded with his third UFC fight in front of his hometown. Penner is a Canadian newcomer with four wins by knockout, five wins by submission and two wins by decision.
Pick: Perosh by submission
Featherweight bout: Cole Miller (18-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) vs. Steven Siler (19-9 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Line: Miller -400, Siler +300
Matchup: Miller requested the bout after Siler knocked his brother, Micah Miller, out of “The Ultimate Fighter” 13 tournament. Siler went on to lose in the second round of “TUF” to eventual winner Diego Brandao and now gets to welcome the elder Miller to the 145-pound division.
Pick: Miller by TKO
Middleweight bout: Kyle Noke (19-5-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) vs. Andrew Craig (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Line: Noke -275, Craig +215
Matchup: Noke, the Sydney native, was well on his way to establishing himself as a promising 185-pound prospect before Ed Herman completed a nasty inverted heel hook submission on him at UFC on Versus 5. Craig, who fights out of Houston, has never fought a fighter of Noke’s caliber but did have one bout on a Bellator card.
Pick: Noke by knockout
Welterweight bout: T.J. Waldburger (14-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. Jake Hecht (11-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Line: Waldburger -115, Hecht -115
Matchup: It may come down to which fighter is better on the feet, as their submission credentials cancel each other out. Hecht scored a TKO in his UFC debut last December, finishing Rich Attonito in the first round.
Pick: Hecht by decision
Welterweight bout: Mackens Semerzier (6-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Daniel Pineda (16-7 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Line: Semerzier -165, Pineda +135
Matchup: Pineda, nicknamed “The Pit,” becomes the first UFC roster member to fight twice in 2012. He’s a late replacement for the injured Robert Peralta, who was supposed to rematch Sermerzier after their bout at UFC on FOX 1 ended in a no contest. This should be one of the closest fights on the card.
Pick: Pineda by submission
Heavyweight bout: Oli Thompson (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) vs. Shawn Jordan (12-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Line: Thompson +170, Jordan -210
Matchup: This must be a first — a strongman competitor encounters a college football player here. Thompson qualified for the 2008 World’s Strongest Man competition around the same time Jordan was winning his second national championship ring as a fullback at LSU.
Pick: Jordan by decision
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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