UFC 97 Breakdown: The Prelims

Ryo Chonan vs. T.J. Grant

The Breakdown: Ironically, the size advantage Chonan gained by cutting down to welterweight has come at the expense of his once versatile offense. Thankfully, the size advantage Chonan holds on Grant makes him a solid favorite since the Canadian’s solid submission game does not have the greatest takedowns backing it up. If nothing else, Chonan can wear down Grant in the clinch and on the mat with strikes, while steering clear of any limb-snapping situations.

The X Factor: For whatever reason, Chonan has lost a step, and it shows in his increasingly sluggish offense. Bulling guys around will only get you so far, and if Grant comes out guns blazing or finds a way to gain top control, “Piranha” will find himself in a position in which he never does well. Grant needs a lot of things to go right for him, but Chonan’s one-dimensional style lends itself to mistakes, as he relies on doing one thing perfectly for 15 minutes.

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The Bottom Line: This is a rough fight for Grant, who’s not a physically dominating fighter and has mostly relied on cinching submissions against no-name fighters. Chonan may not be the welterweight for which his fans had hoped, but he’s far from a no-name and remains a savvy foe for any UFC debutant. That will become obvious, as Chonan runs roughshod on Grant en route to a lopsided unanimous decision nod.