The X Factor: Fighting in front of by far the biggest crowd you’ve ever seen in your UFC debut is stressful enough. Throw in a raucous hometown crowd pinning their hopes on you and it starts to get ridiculous for Sobotta. The pressure will be palpable, and how Sobotta responds to it will tell us a lot about the supposed German wunderkind. If he can keep his composure amidst the chaos, we may have Germany’s next great fistic hope.
The Bottom Line: Sure, Sobotta is a solid prospect, but Taylor is the far more battletested of the two and his overall game has improved to the point that some AA-level ground-and-pound won’t be enough to keep him down. The action will be back and forth, but Taylor will make the best of his opportunities while Sobotta gradually buckles under the weight of both the pressure and Taylor’s never-ending offense.