UFC 119 Preview: The Prelims

Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran

The days of the UFC heavyweight division being a physical comedy sketch played out by lumbering bags of meat are thankfully over. Mitrione and Beltran may not be superstars in the making, but they’ve both exceeded the expectations placed on them by fans still skeptical of anyone who weighs in above the light heavyweight limit.

This fight boils down to Mitrione’s massive size and improving all-around skills against Beltran’s almost masochistic toughness and punching power. When placed in that context, Beltran is in a deep hole against someone who may be a bit of a meathead but has some real talent. Going back and forth with Tim Hague is not an indicator of future success, and stylistically Beltran doesn’t line up well with Mitrione.

When he’s at his best, Beltran is up close, throwing punches and hopefully landing enough to keep his opponent from putting together quality counters. That’s a problematic approach to employ against Mitrione, who has a huge reach advantage and the kicks to make that advantage work for him. Even if Beltran does get inside, he’s not the kind of wrestler who is going to stop a decent takedown.

Mitrione may have been a fistic klutz on “The Ultimate Fighter,” but he has developed nicely and is starting to put together a variety of skills in a way few imagined. Continuous improvement isn’t something Beltran has shown. He seems quite content to be a one-dimensional brawler, and embracing that sort of dead-end skill set doesn’t inspire much confidence. Beltran is eventually going to run into someone who can run him over on the feet.

Mitrione is that guy, and Beltran will predictably chase down his own destruction. Expect an extended outclassing that ends with Mitrione exploiting Beltran’s unsightly ground game for a submission win.