UFC 127 Preview: The Prelims

Riki Fukuda (above) will need to put Nick Ring on the defensive. | Daniel Herbertson/Sherdog.com

The Matchup: While seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter” produce show winners and a fresh crop of talent, Ring’s one of those guys that bring the “What if?” factor to the table. A knee injury forced him out of Season 11, but he has a lot of ability and instinctiveness for the game. He returns against Deep middleweight champion Fukuda, whose strong wrestling and positional game make this an intriguing UFC debut for both.

The jury definitely remains out on first-time Japanese fighters in the UFC, as they often perform poorly compared to what they have shown in overseas promotions. However, Fukuda -- who has faced and beaten better competition than his counterpart -- has the chops and style to overcome that history, and he should be able to apply his takedowns and aggression to put Ring on the defensive. If Ring can deal with this effectively and use sweeps and submissions to counter him, he has shot.

The Pick: Fukuda by late stoppage or decision.

Next Fight: Hunt vs. Tuchscherer