UFC 123 Preview: The Prelims

Lightweights
Tyson Griffin vs. Nik Lentz

The Matchup: Two high-energy, imposing 155ers collide here. This is what makes this division so much fun, and we have not even had the WEC crew arrive yet with the merger. Lentz is on the rise, going 3-0-1 in the UFC, while Griffin, once one of the division’s rising contenders, has hit a rough streak.

A decision loss to hot prospect Evan Dunham preceded Griffin’s last outing in which he fell prey to the numbing punching power of former Pride Fighting Championships lightweight titleholder Takanori Gomi in the first stoppage loss of his career. Those two bouts are not enough to assume Griffin has lost some of his luster, especially when one considers he was a late substitution against Gomi. With his back to the wall, he definitely needs a turnaround performance to continue ascending the ranks.

Lentz is a stout wrestler with less-polished stand-up than Griffin, though he will throw his shots fearlessly. This match should have an up-tempo pace, with Lentz trying to assert himself through punches in an effort to close the gap, force clinches and take it to the mat. Griffin may not be as strong a wrestler as Lentz, but his grappling for MMA may prove a tad better. He mixes in strikes with takedowns quite well and has shown himself to be an excellent overall athlete with a head for the game.

The Pick: This is definitely one of those flip-a-coin matches so typical of the lightweight division, and I think it comes down to the wire, with Griffin getting the better of the striking, Lentz spending more time on top and the judges giving Griffin a razor-thin decision.