Liddell-Jackson II Headlines UFC 71 Card
Gouveia vs. Marrero
May 24, 2007
Wilson
Gouveia (Pictures) vs. Carmelo Marrero (Pictures)
With Chuck Liddell (Pictures) having already wiped out most of the UFC light heavyweight division, the opportunity is there for new faces to step up and claim a spot for themselves.
Two such fighters will look to take advantage of this opportunity
when Wilson Gouveia
(Pictures) and Carmelo Marrero (Pictures) put fist to face in an undercard
bout. Although both fighters aren't quite household names yet, they
should ring a bell with any MMA fan.
After all, it wasn't that long ago that American Top Team's Gouveia took TUF alumni and rising star Keith Jardine (Pictures) to the limit in their clash on the finale of TUF 3. Although the fight ended in defeat for Gouveia, 28, he made his presence known and, if not for a suspect gas tank, could have launched himself into the upper echelon of the division.
No stranger to disappointment himself, Marrero enters this fight coming off the first loss of his MMA career, an absolute drubbing at the hands of Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga. It was after being manhandled by Napao that Marrero decided to drop down to light heavyweight and try his luck against fighters his own size.
Although the Pennsylvania-based fighter no longer have to worry about being dwarfed by his opponents, the 6-1-0 record he currently sports is somewhat misleading, since he hasn't beaten anyone of note.
Looking at Marrero's record, you know something is awry when the most impressive win he holds is an almost unbearably boring unanimous decision over the living embodiment of the one dimensional striker that is Cheick Kongo (Pictures). That fight was essentially Marrero, 26, declaring that he is a wrestler who has nothing but a passing knowledge of MMA. The talent strapped heavyweight division is a place where one dimensional wrestlers and strikers can earn a living, but once you move down in weight you're not likely to find many easy marks in the UFC.
Gouveia certainly has zero interest in being Marrero's grappling dummy and he presents a laundry list of problems for anyone looking to simply muscle him around on the mat. Marrero will have to score the takedown early and often, otherwise he'll find himself taking the stinging leg kicks that Gouveia used to great effect against Jardine. Either way, should Marrero score that all-important takedown he'll find himself on the mat with a guy who trains at one of the premier grappling oriented MMA academies in America.
In other words, Marrero can't possibly win this fight on the feet and if he does get it to the ground he'll have to contend with someone who won't play dead the second it gets there. The only way Marrero can take this one is if Gouveia's gas tank fails him yet again, or if he barters his soul to Satan in exchange for victory. Neither one of these scenarios is particularly likely, although I do hear Satan is looking to replenish his collection of souls.
A note for all you prospective fighters out there, when selling your soul sounds like the only way you can win a fight: it might be time to reconsider your approach. Gouveia will pepper Marrero with strikes early on before surrendering a takedown and slapping on an armbar without much resistance in the first round.
With Chuck Liddell (Pictures) having already wiped out most of the UFC light heavyweight division, the opportunity is there for new faces to step up and claim a spot for themselves.
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After all, it wasn't that long ago that American Top Team's Gouveia took TUF alumni and rising star Keith Jardine (Pictures) to the limit in their clash on the finale of TUF 3. Although the fight ended in defeat for Gouveia, 28, he made his presence known and, if not for a suspect gas tank, could have launched himself into the upper echelon of the division.
Regardless, Gouveia has rebounded nicely from that initial
disappointment and dispatched fringe UFC fighters like Seth Petruzelli (Pictures) and Wes Combs (Pictures) with little difficulty. Whether
or not Gouveia (8-4-0) can make the move from glorified can opener
to legitimate contender is a question that his bout with Marrero
will go a long way towards answering.
No stranger to disappointment himself, Marrero enters this fight coming off the first loss of his MMA career, an absolute drubbing at the hands of Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga. It was after being manhandled by Napao that Marrero decided to drop down to light heavyweight and try his luck against fighters his own size.
Although the Pennsylvania-based fighter no longer have to worry about being dwarfed by his opponents, the 6-1-0 record he currently sports is somewhat misleading, since he hasn't beaten anyone of note.
Looking at Marrero's record, you know something is awry when the most impressive win he holds is an almost unbearably boring unanimous decision over the living embodiment of the one dimensional striker that is Cheick Kongo (Pictures). That fight was essentially Marrero, 26, declaring that he is a wrestler who has nothing but a passing knowledge of MMA. The talent strapped heavyweight division is a place where one dimensional wrestlers and strikers can earn a living, but once you move down in weight you're not likely to find many easy marks in the UFC.
Gouveia certainly has zero interest in being Marrero's grappling dummy and he presents a laundry list of problems for anyone looking to simply muscle him around on the mat. Marrero will have to score the takedown early and often, otherwise he'll find himself taking the stinging leg kicks that Gouveia used to great effect against Jardine. Either way, should Marrero score that all-important takedown he'll find himself on the mat with a guy who trains at one of the premier grappling oriented MMA academies in America.
In other words, Marrero can't possibly win this fight on the feet and if he does get it to the ground he'll have to contend with someone who won't play dead the second it gets there. The only way Marrero can take this one is if Gouveia's gas tank fails him yet again, or if he barters his soul to Satan in exchange for victory. Neither one of these scenarios is particularly likely, although I do hear Satan is looking to replenish his collection of souls.
A note for all you prospective fighters out there, when selling your soul sounds like the only way you can win a fight: it might be time to reconsider your approach. Gouveia will pepper Marrero with strikes early on before surrendering a takedown and slapping on an armbar without much resistance in the first round.
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