UFC 108 Preview: The Prelims

Mike Pyle vs. Jake Ellenberger

The Breakdown: One of the more intriguing bouts of the evening pits veteran welterweights Pyle and Ellenberger in a match that tests Ellenberger’s savage kamikaze style against the more composed but no less dangerous game of Pyle. Trying to control the tempo against Ellenberger nearly got Carlos Condit knocked out, and that’s the same thing Pyle needs to get done -- a pure firefight is not something he can afford getting into.

How exactly Pyle can avoid it is anyone’s guess, though. Ellenberger is unafraid of getting hit if it means imposing the pace that best suits him. Unfortunately for Pyle, he doesn’t have the power to back Ellenberger off and his grappling lacks the quick-fire submissions necessary to keep Ellenberger from simply ground-and-pounding him into paste. All in all, Pyle better hope he comes to the cage rocking the Infinity Gauntlet or something equally imposing or else he’ll discover why Ellenberger is suddenly at the bottom of every welterweight’s wish list.

The X-Factor: It’s not easy surviving Ellenberger’s mad dash of doom, but his cardio isn’t good enough to sustain that energy for 15 minutes and it’s when he’s forced into the deep water that he gets in trouble. As long as Pyle can keep his head on straight long enough for Ellenberger’s gas tank to read empty, he’ll have an opponent ripe for the picking.

The Bottom Line: If and when Ellenberger starts taking on the division’s leading lights, he’ll find out why you don’t see too many guys who fight like the Tasmanian Devil at the top of the game. Unfortunately for Pyle, he’s not going to be confused with an elite welterweight any time soon and will end up losing a decision after failing to capitalize on a winded Ellenberger in the third round.