WEC Torres vs. Mizugaki Preview

Apr 03, 2009
Photo by Sherdog.com

Cruz will fail late
in the contest.
Dominick Cruz vs. Ivan Lopez

The Breakdown: It’s a shame this fight is relegated to undercard duty, as both Cruz and Lopez are amongst the WEC’s best bantamweight prospects and they both love the striking game. While Lopez comes into the WEC with a flawless record, Cruz has taken on some of the division’s best and more than held his own. If this fight turns into a battle, it may be Cruz’s experience that makes all the difference.

The X Factor: While you can’t argue with Cruz’s technical ability, his power is somewhat lacking. Accuracy and movement are good to have but when you don’t have the power to back it up, it’s just a matter of time before you get caught. Lopez won’t need much of an opening to make Cruz into the night’s top KO victim.

The Bottom Line: Call it a hunch, but I like Lopez’s chances against Cruz. He may not be a proven commodity, but Lopez’s talent is obvious and Cruz doesn’t have the power to go toe-to-toe with Lopez. A come-from-behind win is in the cards for Lopez as he scores a spectacular KO in the third round.