UFC 103 Preview: The Prelims

Ricky Story vs. Brian Foster

The Storyline: Foster, not to be confused with the identically named King of the Cage veteran, was spawned by Matt Hughes’ H.I.T. Squad stable and was originally brought in to test the ground game of new UFC signee Paul Daley. With “Semtex” promoted to the main card due to an injury to Mike Swick, Foster will instead make his UFC debut against Story.

The Breakdown: Story told his first tale inside the Octagon in June, when John Hathaway coasted to a safe, unanimous decision against him. The Sportfight veteran does hold wins over Ryan Healy, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 alum Brandon Melendez and the well-traveled and hard-hitting Jake Ellenberger, so he does possess a legitimate set of skills.

It will be interesting to see whether or not athleticism and a big heart can lead Foster to victory. Besides his wrestling background, he cites his brother’s demise as the main reason behind his involvement in MMA. The H.I.T. Squad has hit a rough patch lately, as Robbie Lawler and Clay French lost high-profile fights in recent months. Can Foster reverse those fortunes?

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The Prediction: Story has fought the better competition, making him the safer bet to walk away with a unanimous decision.