Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight knockout artists Jordan Mein and Emil Weber Meek will brawl this Saturday (Dec. 10, 2016) at UFC 206 inside Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
It’s been nearly two years since Mein stepped into the Octagon. "Young Gun" retired at just 25 years old, but he’s already excited to return to the cage and scrap it out with a dangerous foe. Standing opposite Mein is Emil Meek, a UFC newcomer. One of Europe’s finest Welterweights, the Norwegian rose to fame by brutally knocking out Rousimar Palhares in his last match up.
Let’s take a look at the keys to victory for both athletes:
Jordan Mein
Record: 29-10
Key Wins: Mike Pyle (UFC Fight Night 49), Dan Miller (UFC 158), Josh Burkman (MMA: The Reckoning)
Key Losses: Thiago Alves (UFC 183), Matt Brown (UFC on FOX 7), Tyrone Woodley (Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Jardine)
Keys to Victory: Mein is a really sharp boxer. The Canadian moves in-and-out very well, attacking with slick combinations and digging to the body well. Mein has finished 16 of his opponents via knockout.
If his skills haven’t rusted, he can make that 17 here.
Meek is a physical force, but he’s nowhere near the technician that Mein is. Furthermore, Mein has only struggled with the offensive wrestling of truly great wrestlers, and Meek cannot count himself in that group either. To win this bout, Mein just needs to avoid a brawl. If he can stick to his movement and long punches, he’ll find the opening for a big combination or counter blow before long. Plus, his opponent tends to slow down over time, so avoiding the early madness will only benefit him.
Eventually, Mein can find an opening and hand his foe a third knockout loss.
VS.
Emil Meek
Record: 8-2
Key Wins: Rousimar Palhares (Venator FC 3)
Key Losses: None
Keys to Victory: Meek is a very powerful athlete, which is a major reason why he’s finished seven of his opponents via knockout. Meek isn’t a technical master in any one area, but he’s proven to be a reasonably well-rounded fighter.
His elbow knockout to counter Palhares’ takedown was a thing of pure violence.
Opposite a recently retired opponent who is the more skilled athlete, Meek’s strategy should be pretty obvious. "Valhalla" needs to swarm his opponent immediately and give him no time to settle into the bout and find his footing. Aside from the fact that Meek hits damn hard and his foe has been stopped in both of his UFC losses, Mein has struggled with aggression before. Most notably, Matt Brown overwhelmed him with an endless onslaught.
Meek may not have Brown’s Muay Thai skill, but he can copy the idea. If Meek attacks Mein immediately, he may be able to get him out of the cage before he’s ever really able to show up.
Bottom Line: This should be a hell of a scrap.
Prior to his retirement, Mein was a very exciting up-and-coming Welterweight. He was one of those fighters who had all the skills to succeed but hadn’t yet gone on a strong run towards the top. At 27 years old, there’s still time. With a win, Mein is back to climbing the ladder and could receive a top 15 fighter in his next match up. On the other hand, a loss sets him back to the middle of the division, and he’ll need a few wins before getting any big steps up in competition.
As for the debuting fighter, it’s an interesting situation. Meek is a relatively young and inexperienced fighter, but he’s been given a hugely difficult test in the nearly 40-fight veteran. It’s a trial by fire. The benefits for Meek are huge if he pulls it off. Almost immediately, he’ll become a new player at 170 pounds. That said, a loss doesn’t hurt his stock too badly, even if it isn’t the start he desired for his UFC career.
At UFC 206, Jordan Mein and Emil Weber Meek will open the main card. Which fighter will leave the cage with a victory?