UFC Fight Night 49: "Henderson vs. Dos Anjos" takes place this weekend (Sat., Aug. 23, 2014) from inside BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in the FOX Sports 1 (FS1) co-main event, former WEC welterweight champion Mike Pyle looks to improve his winning streak against former Strikeforce product Jordan Mein.
Pyle, who has been under contract with UFC for over five years now, defeated TJ Waldburger at UFC 170 in his last bout. He had a four-fight winning streak snapped by Matt Brown at UFC Fight Night 26 before his most recent contest.
The Canadian was also stopped by "The Immortal" in his second Octagon fight, before returning to winning ways against Hernani Perpetuo at UFC on FOX 11. Mein has only lost twice in his last 12 scraps, which also includes victories over Dan Miller (UFC 158) and Evangelista Santos (Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Kharitonov").
Mein was slated to face Thiago Alves first, but the Brazilian was then replaced by Brandon Thatch after suffering an injury. A fractured toe to Thatch saw him pull out, which forced a match up against Pyle after his original opponent, Demian Maia, was also forced off the card.
Let's break down both fighters below:
Mike Pyle (26-9-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC)
Big Wins: TJ Waldburger (UFC 170), Rick Story (UFC 160), John Hathaway (UFC 120)
Big Losses: Matt Brown (UFC Fight Night 26), Rory MacDonald (UFC 133), Jake Ellenberger (UFC 108)
What He Needs To Do In Order To Win: Pyle is comfortable enough to stand-and-bang against anyone, whether or not his opponent a superior striker. Truth be told, his kickboxing is good enough in that regard, and he's deadly when it comes to his clinching game because of the high volume of knees thrown.
"Quicksand" is also underrated on the ground, able to fend off takedowns the majority of the time. He may not be a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, yet his 16 submission wins can't be overlooked. Expect the aging welterweight to sneak in a takedown or two as the fight progresses.
He's only lost once in his last six bouts, and finished four opponents using his strikes (punches, knees, and elbows). He's dangerous on the feet, too, which would explain his confidence when trading strikes.
What He Needs To Avoid: Mein throws with lot of power, so if the going gets tough for "Quicksand," he can't be stubborn and continue to eat hits. Also, Pyle is a relatively slow starter. Matt Brown pressured him right off the bat, which could explain his knockout loss in under a minute.
Ironically, "The Immortal" had success when pressuring Mein and made the Canadian uncomfortable, too. Pyle could benefit from that sort of gameplan, however, he has to be wary of "Young Gun's" counters.
It would be wiser to shoot on Mein as much as he can with takedown attempts, rather than engage in a kickboxing bout. It worked for him against a good wrestler in John Hathaway at UFC 120, although considering Pyle's career could be coming to a close soon, he may be too headstrong to reject a safer approach. After all, he's been knocked out in his last three losses.
Jordan Mein (28-9 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Big Wins: Hernani Perpetuo (UFC on FOX 11), Dan Miller (UFC 158), Evangelista Santos (Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Kharitonov")
Big Losses: Matt Brown (UFC on FOX 7), Tyron Woodley (Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine"), Jason High (Rumble In The Cage 40)
What He Needs To Do In Order To Win: Both fighters are pretty tall for the 170-pound weight class and possess size advantages over their opponents, but Mein could have the edge in terms of frame.
He's going to be hard for Pyle to take down, and that's where Mein could make a point by shrugging off the American's attempts early. He's a big boy, and it's not like his punches aren't capable of finishing guys, either.
He could be just as decorated as Pyle when smelling blood, eager to storm his foes to finish the job. Mein throws pummeling elbows out of nowhere, and he's definitely going to be looking to land as many as he can. "Young Gun" is facing someone who has a good striking base, although it would be in his best interest to swing with caution, like he did in his last outing.
What He Needs To Avoid: Not that he lacks a ground game, but Mein wants to keep the battle on the feet. The kickboxing-based combatant doesn't seem to eager to test his might when the fight hits the mat, so it's best for him to stick to his bread and butter.
That said, Pyle does possess knockout power with one blow. Mein looked a little more calculated against Perpetuo, hesitant to throw caution to the wind and attack without mercy. He may not want to rush the action against Pyle, but "Quicksand" is known to start slow and burst when his adversaries least expect it.
Also, "Young Gun" likes to keep his hands low. That allows him to set up kicks from odd angles, yet Pyle could capitalize on that if he gallops forward. Mein is also vulnerable when rushed, therefore he needs to keep his distance but find his range at the same time.
Final Assessment: Both co-main event fighters match up well together, proving this contest could be one of the dark horses found on both weekend fight cards. Despite the Canadian being a lot younger than Pyle, they have a boatload of experience, with 73 fights between them. It's easy to favor Pyle, since he's been around the block and held a few titles, but counting out someone who started fighting professionally at 16 years old would be foolish.
Mein is favored in this bout, although it's best not to pay too much attention to numbers for this one. Either guy could catch the other square on the chin, and all roads lead to a slugfest in this one.
Take your pick.
For more on UFC Fight Night 49: "Henderson vs. Dos Anjos," check out the finalized fight card including bout order and set times, right here.