UFC 125 Preview: The Prelims
Davis vs. Stephens
Jason Probst Dec 30, 2010
Marcus Davis | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Lightweights
Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens
The Matchup: With an edge in wrestling, Stephens has an extra card to play in this one, though the bigger Davis drops down after a long campaign as a welterweight. Both like to slug, planting their feet and daring the other guy to go shot for shot. Davis’ stand-up is more technical, thanks to his seasoning as a professional boxer -- strictly on the clubfight circuit -- and his ground game at 170 pounds was decent.
Early on, Stephens needs to take away Davis’ confidence and belief that he’s the bigger, stronger fighter. While Davis would probably welcome some big exchanges, I’m not sure the combination of dropping a weight class and his assorted mileage will not catch up to him here. Plus, Stephens has better takedowns, though he will probably have a tough time in the clinch with Davis, who has proven adept in chest-to-chest tieups and striking from that position.
The Pick: Look for Stephens to take a round or two to figure out the hand being dealt in front of him and make adjustments en route to a comfortable decision win.
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