UFC 136 Preview: The Main Card

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Featherweights
Nam Phan (16-9, 0-2 UFC) vs. Leonard Garcia (15-7-1, 2-2 UFC)

The Matchup: Their first encounter was a three-round slugfest, overshadowed by a controversial decision awarded to Garcia at “The Ultimate Fighter 12” Finale. In the 10 months since, Garcia was submitted by an epic twister from Chan Sung Jung, while Phan soldiered through a competitive but losing effort in a decision defeat to former WEC champion Mike Thomas Brown. Phan showed sharp hands a precise striking in their first outing and figures to replicate that against Garcia, whose decent ground game is often subverted by his willingness to slug on the feet.

No guess here on whether Phan is mentally dogged by the decision that did not go his way in December, but he does have public sentiment on his side should it go the distance. That typically sways the scorecards in favor of the guy that did not get the decision most thought he deserved.

The Pick: By staying precise and avoiding crazy exchanges -- something Garcia has a penchant for forcing with his all-out, face-first style -- Phan can dictate the action and keep it at a distance, working in and out of striking range while countering effectively. Expect him to do so in another three-round crowd pleaser, landing enough clean shots to take a unanimous decision.

Jason Probst can be reached at [email protected] or twitter.com/jasonprobst.