UFC 96 Breakdown: The Main Card

Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz

Matt “The Hammer”Hamill Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 6’1/205 lbs.
Age: 32
Hometown: Loveland, Ohio
Fighting out of: Utica, N.Y.
Team: Team Renzo Gracie
Record: 5-2

The breakdown: A mirror image fight in every way, Hamill has to take on another converted wrestler who loves to maul. However, Hamill’s dirty boxing and trench war mentality give him a marked advantage on the feet against the still one-dimensional Munoz. Hamill needs to seize on that advantage by stuffing Munoz’s inevitable takedown attempts and, more importantly, forcing him to step outside of his usual game and into a losing battle.

The X factor: While Joe Rogan jumps all over every opportunity to overstate Hamill’s wrestling pedigree, Munoz is the far more accomplished collegiate competitor. How Hamill handles being in the cage with someone fully capable of taking him down will say a lot about just how much stock we should put in him from here on out.

Mark “The Philippine Wrecking Machine” Munoz Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 6’0/205 lbs.
Age: 31
Hometown: Yokosuka, Japan
Fighting out of: Sacramento, Calif.
Team: Ultimate Fitness
Record: 5-0

The breakdown: Awesome nickname aside, Munoz has an awful lot to prove, considering he’s going from the scrap heap -- the World Extreme Cagefighting light heavyweight division -- to the mutant shark tank that is the UFC. While the deck seems stacked against him, Munoz has a natural affinity for ground-and-pound that makes him dangerous against opponents who cannot stop his shots. As long as he can turn into an irresistible takedown force come fight time, he has the game to make Hamill the first in a potentially long line of victims.

The X factor: Once a coddled prospect in the comfy confines of the WEC, Munoz now has to graduate to full-fledged contender if he wants to stick around in the UFC. How Munoz handles that pressure and the question of whether or not he’s even ready for this match will be the best measure of his future in the fight game.

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The bottom line: Munoz will give Hamill trouble if he puts him on his back. Whether Munoz can finish a quality opponent in his UFC debut is another question. Expect Hamill to win a rough one by stopping most of Munoz’s takedowns and forcing him to play a striking game that Munoz is just beginning to learn.