Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight power punchers Matt Mitrione and Derrick Lewis are going to duke it out at UFC Fight Night 50 this Friday (Sept. 5, 2014) in Ledyard, Connecticut, which will air live on FOX Sports 1.
After a forgettable run on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10, "Meathead" announced himself as a fighter to watch at the finale by blasting Marcus Jones in his professional debut. He went on to win his next four bouts, including a win over Internet sensation Kimbo Slice.
Since then, Mitrione has run into some trouble. He's gone just 2-3 in his last five bouts and needs a win here if he wants to remain relevant in the heavyweight division.
Derrick Lewis is a fairly terrifying man. A monstrous heavyweight with absurd amounts of power, Lewis has finished both of his UFC opponents inside the first round. Making this explosive match even more interesting is the fact that these two apparently have beef, ensuring a no-holds barred slugfest.
Let's take a look at how each fighter can gain an edge in this fight preview.
Matt Mitrione
Record: 7-3
Key Wins: Shawn Jordan (TUF "China" Finale)
Key Losses: Brendan Schaub (UFC 165), Roy Nelson (TUF 16 Finale)
Keys to Victory: Mitrione comes to fight. He's finished all but one of his victories inside the Octagon, and usually goes out on his shield as well. It hasn't worked particularly well for him recently, but his fights are usually short and violent.
That's one way to win some fans.
One of Mitrione's biggest advantages is his experience on the big stage. He's fought for the UFC in each of his 10 fights and been on the main card of pay-per-views, while Lewis has less than 10 minutes of Octagon experience.
Mitrione generally does his best work inside the clinch, where he can unleash on his opponent with punches in bunches. He has some nice kicks from the outside but is fairly hittable from that distance.
Hittable is not a good trait for heavyweights.
Therefore, Mitrione needs to get in close to his opponent and should have the speed advantage that will allow him to safely do so. Once inside, Mitrione can work his dirty boxing or even attempt a trip or takedown from the clinch. Jack May managed to take down the "Black Beast," and he's much less well-rounded than Mitrione.
As long as Mitrione stays tight and avoids the power shots, he should be able to wear out Lewis and take a decision. Plus, it would be a real feather in "Meathead's" cap if he managed to be the first man to finish Lewis.
Derrick Lewis
Record: 11-2 (1)
Key Wins: Jared Rosholt (Legacy Fighting Championships 13), Guto Innocente (TUF 19 Finale), Jack May (UFC on FOX 11)
Key Losses: Tony Johnson (Bellator 46)
Keys to Victory: Having finished all 11 of his victories -- including 10 knockout victories -- it's pretty clear that Lewis doesn't waste much time. That said, the fact that both of his losses are via decision usually means that Lewis has poor conditioning, which is far from uncommon at heavyweight.
However, Lewis helped prove otherwise in his bout against Jared Rosholt. The three-time All-American wrestler controlled the first round, but his gas tank began to fail in the second. Lewis and his crazy knockout power needed no other opening, and he finished Rosholt with a massive right hand.
Lewis actually has a background in boxing and was working with the legendary George Foreman prior to fighting inside a cage. The 29 year old is a competent puncher on his feet, but actually has gotten most of his Octagon finishes from top position.
"The Black Beast" is a bit sloppy in pursuit of the takedown. However, once he secures the takedown, it only takes a single punch to put his opponent out. Therefore, it would be smart for him to come at Mitrione swinging, get Mitrione to raise his hands and defend or swing back, then shoot in on his hips.
If Lewis gets on top of "Meathead," it's game over.
Bottom Line: Due to the shallow nature of the heavyweight division and relative inexperience of each fighter, both Mitrione and Lewis are still considered prospects. With a win here, either man could earn a top-15 ranking.
This is a far more vital bout for Mitrione. "Meathead" has been in the UFC since 2009, but the former professional football player has yet to make any real mark in the division. Worse still, his development -- which at one point was a selling point for the athletic heavyweight -- seems to have trailed off quite a bit.
If he does manage to defeat Lewis, it would greatly improve Mitrione's place in the division. A lot of people in the mixed martial arts (MMA) world are pretty excited about Lewis, so stealing his hype would be a good way to erase Mitrione's recent (and ugly) loss to Brendan Schaub.
Plus, if Mitrione wants to make a rather unlikely run at the title, he really needs to start now.
For Lewis, this is another chance to showcase his devastating power and prove that he's a future contender. He's looked like an absolute killer thus far, and a win here could leave him just a couple wins away from a title shot.
Mitrione is a decent measuring stick, but he's one that most people expect Lewis to blow through. Were Lewis to lose this bout, a tremendous amount of his hype will vanish. Most of the people who Mitrione defeats wash out of UFC not long after, and Lewis does not want his name added to that list.
At UFC Fight Night 50, two power punches will collide in order to climb the heavyweight ladder. Who will come out of this battle on top?