Breaking Down UFC On Versus: Marquardt Vs Story / Kongo Vs Barry
Added on Jun 24, 2011 by John Petit in
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Main Event
Welterweight
Nate Marquardt Vs. Rick Story
Nate Marquardt (debut at welterweight)
Odds: +127
Reach: 74 inches
Record: 31-10-2
UFC Record: 10-4
Last 5: 3-2
Streak: +1
Rick Story
Odds: -143
Reach: 71 inches
Record: 13-3
UFC Record: 6-1
Last 5: 5-0
Streak: +6
Rick Story came into the UFC and dropped a decision to John Hathaway, but has been on a 6 fight tear ever since. Most recently, he had a gutsy win over Thiago Alves that many people counted him out of. When news broke that Anthony Johnson had a solider injury that forced him off of the card Story jumped at the chance to take the fight. Even though it would only be 1 month to the day since his last fight. The important thing to note about Story with regards to this fight is that he used to fighting larger welterweights, and his fight with Alves is a perfect example. This is a big opportunity for him to fight someone like Marquardt, and a win over Nate probably puts him a win away from a shot at the welterweight strap.
Nate Marquardt confused a lot of people when he announced his drop to welterweight as his only losses at middleweight were to contenders or the champion Anderson Silva. Also, usually fighters switch weights after losses, and Nate is coming off of a win to Jim Miller. The big wild card here is the weight cut as Marquardt has even said he has had problems getting down to middleweight, and now he is dropping an extra 15 pounds. At some point fighters lose power in their strikes and their stamina is affected, and that may be a factor in this fight.
I am not convinced that Nate will be a welterweight for very long even if he wins this fight. I think he is in for a rude awakening come Saturday afternoon before weigh-ins. If Nate comes in a stable fighter on Sunday night he should be able to beat Rick Story, but I need to see him hit weight and fight at middleweight before I pick him. I think Story is going to be aggressive in this fight, and I see him pushing around Nate late in the fight to earn himself a decision win.
Heavyweight
Chiek Kongo Vs. Pat Barry
Chiek Kongo
Odds: -230
Reach: 82 inches
Record: 15-6-2
UFC Record: 7-4-1
Last 5: 2-2-1
Streak: 0 (last fight was Draw)
Pat Barry
Odds: +179
Reach: 78.5 inches
Record: 6-2
UFC Record: 3-2
Last 5: 3-2
Streak: +1
Chiek Kongo was on his way to a decision win against Travis Browne, but because he repeatedly ignored Herb Dean’s warning about grabbing his shorts he was deducted a point making the fight a draw. If Kongo thinks he is going to coast his way to a W against Barry he has some bad news coming Sunday night. Barry is relatively new on the MMA scene, but he has been kick boxing professionally since 2002. This is Kongo’s first fight in 2011, and his last two losses were to heavyweight standout Frank Mir and current heavyweight champion Cain Velásquez. Prior to that, the fight I think that most applies to this bout was his absolutely viscous win over Mustapha Al Turk at UFC 92. I don’t bring that up to make a comparison of Al Turk’s ability, but mainly to point out the way Kongo fight. He took Al Turk down, and crushed him with elbows until the Ref pulled him off in one of the most brutal exhibitions of ground and pound to ever take place in the Octagon.
There is one obvious hole in Pat Barry’s game, and thats the ground. When asked now about his ground game he will point you to his work with Brock Lesnar and Cole Konrad as evidence he has been working on it. However, even though his loss to Mirko Crocop was inspiring to watch I think its almost unforgivable to ever be submitted by rear naked choke when your opponent doesn’t have the hooks in. All you really to do is turn around or stand up. Barry is a game opponent who doesn’t mind getting hit, and his kick boxing pedigree speaks for itself (18-6-1 as a pro.) The bad news for Barry is that Kongo hasn’t been tko’d since 2004.
Barry needs to take Kongo out of his game right away. If he lets Kongo get comfortable in the Octagon, Chiek is able to confuse a lot fighters with his takedowns and punches. If Kongo is able to mix it up and get Barry to come forward a lot than Barry will spend a lot of time on his back getting pounded on and it may even turn into a takedown clinic. Barry is an emotional fighter, and thats one of the reasons why he is such a fan favorite, but I’m willing to be that Kongo will be playing into that to take him out of his game plan. I have been on the fence about this fight, and even picked Barry to win on Recap Radio, but I think Kongo will use the takedowns and ground and pound just enough to get the decision win.
