UFC 104 Preview: The Main Card

Spencer Fisher vs. Joe Stevenson

The Breakdown: After two previous climbs up the lightweight ladder were upended just as his resume was coming together, Fisher hopes his bout with a fellow longtime contender will be the one that legitimizes him as a title challenger. Making that happen will mean finally proving he can best someone who can hit him with a top control clinic. Stevenson is certainly overmatched on the feet, considering Fisher’s versatility and kill-shot club credentials, but he will not hesitate to mimic the takedown strategy Frankie Edgar used to beat Fisher at UFC 78. Unless Fisher’s takedown defense has improved, it could be another frustrating 15 minutes for the resident bridesmaid of the lightweight class.

The X-Factor: Stevenson has the brain-melting habit of exchanging with his opponents despite having a limited reach. While he has gotten away with it before, the only present he will receive with that approach against Fisher is a ringing noise in his head for the next few weeks. Fighting smart will be critical for Stevenson, as any adventures on the feet will end like a John Carpenter movie for the Californian.

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The Bottom Line: For as long as his body holds up, Fisher will be a dangerous gatekeeper but perhaps nothing more. Stevenson’s shot will prove too much for Fisher to overcome, as he ends up on the short end of a top control special and finds his own opportunities too few and far between -- this assuming, of course, that Stevenson’s “Karate Kid” impersonation from UFC 80 has been fully erased from his memory banks.