UFC 94 Breakdown: The Undercard

Matt Arroyo vs. Dan Cramer

Matt “No Regard” Arroyo Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 6’0/170lbs.
Age: 26
Hometown: Hackensack, N.J.
Fighting out of: Tampa, Fla.
Record: 3-2

The stakes: It has been an up-and-down run for Arroyo since he came to the UFC by way of the “The Ultimate Fighter.” Starting out with a win against the overmatched John Kolosci, Arroyo went on to lose via technical knockout to another “TUF” alumnus, Matt Brown, at “The Ultimate Fighter 7” Finale. With the UFC already overstocked on reality show graduates, another loss may be all it takes for UFC brass to show Arroyo the door.

The breakdown: While Arroyo’s skills in the submission department are solid, his striking remains a glaring flaw, and he must keep it under wraps against Cramer. As long as Arroyo can score takedowns, not exactly a given, his submission game should be enough to corral Cramer, who showed a weakness in that department during his own stint in the “TUF” house.

Dan Cramer Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 6’2/170 lbs.
Age: 23
Hometown: Danbury, Conn.
Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, Fla.
Record: 0-0

The stakes: Coming into the UFC with no professional experience means one of two things -- either someone thinks you’re the goods, or you’re being brought in to pad someone’s record. What category Cramer falls into will be up to him. Arroyo’s far from unbeatable, and he’s the kind of opponent that could send Cramer on his way to bigger and better things. The flipside is that guys with 0-1 records rarely get to stick around.

The breakdown: From what little we saw of Cramer on “TUF,” he would do well to avoid Arroyo’s mat work, as his inexperience is a severe liability on the ground. A roughhouse approach, mixing striking with clinch work, is Cramer’s best bet, but it’s anyone’s guess if he has the game to pull it off. While training with the American Top Team helps, Cramer will be all by himself inside that cage.


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The bottom line: For all of Arroyo’s faults, his ground game looms large in this bout, and Cramer’s inexperience looks like a Corleone family kiss of death. Watch for Arroyo to drag Cramer to the mat early and for a fine three-tap symphony from Cramer to follow.