Breaking Down UFC on Versus 4: Mitrione Vs. Morecraft / Brown Vs. Howard
Added on Jun 23, 2011 by John Petit in
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Heavyweight bout:
Matt Mitrione vs. Christian Morecraft
Matt Mitrione
Odds: -280
Reach: 82 inches
Record: 4-0
UFC Record: 4-0
Last 5: 4-0
Streak: +4
Christian Morecraft
Odds: +231
Reach: 81 inches
Record: 7-1
UFC Record: 1-1
Last 5: 4-1
Streak: +1
Christian Morecraft is just starting to get comfortable in the Octagon. After his knock out loss to Stefan Struve, the first loss of his career, Morecraft bounced back with a solid win over an aggressive Sean McCorkle. Not many people were picking him him to win that fight, but he used his aggression and put pressure on McCorkle and took him out of his fight. McCorkle is known as a game opponent and Morecraft kept his cool and fought his type of fight. Thats exactly what you want to see out of someone coming off their first loss and first fight in the UFC.
Coming off his Ultimate Fighter run, Mitrione has put together a string of wins and has been looking exponentially better. The former NFL’er is obviously a gifted athlete that is able to adapt to the training, and it has been said he is very good at learning and putting his experiences into practice. This is a guy who was picked second to last by Rashad Evans on TUF, and I don’t think many people thought he would one day be 4-0 in the UFC. His striking is what has grown the most in his 4 fight MMA career, and that will be his key to winning this fight on Sunday night.
Morecraft needs to take the fight to Mitrione and do it fast. If he can do what he did against McCorkle he has a really good shot at winning this fight, but I am not sure he will be able to. Although Mitrione is shorter than Morecraft he will enjoy a small reach advantage, and I think Mitrione will be able to keep Morecraft at bay. I think Morecraft will come on strong in the bout, but I think Mitrione will be able to weather the storm and take control late in the fight. I see Mitrione taking this one by decision.
Welterweight bout:
Matt Brown vs. John Howard
Matt Brown
Odds: +220
Reach: 76 inches
Record: 11-10
UFC Record: 4-4
Last 5: 2-3
Streak: -3
John Howard
Odds: -312
Reach: 72 inches
Record: 14-6
UFC Record: 4-2
Last 5: 2-3
Streak: -2
Typically when you see a 11-10 fighter you think of someone who doesn’t really have any business in the UFC, but Brown does have decent wins. However, he has dropped his last 3 fights due to submission, and is certainly one loss away from being cut by the UFC. Brown is an exciting fighter, and has no problem coming forward or getting hit punched or kick. Like it or not, he is a game fighter, and at times has shown more balls than brains. He certainly has the ability to defeat a fighter of John Howard’s caliber, but putting into practice has proven difficult for him as of late.
After Howard’s gutsy performance in his decision loss to welterweight stand out Thiago Alves it s hard not pick him against a lot of guys in the division. Howard is really good at mixing up his striking and his takedowns, and if he can do that in this fight against Brown this will be his fight to lose. This is a fight that Howard could “play safe”, but he hasn’t been that way in the past and frankly it would shock me if he did. He can easily take this win by submitting Matt Brown after hurting him on the feet, and i think thats what will most likely happen late in the second round. Matt Brown is likable person and seems right on the edge of turning that corner of becoming a complete fighter, but I have had that feeling since his run on The Ultimate Fighter. If he gets cut after this fight I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him back in the UFC some day.
