UFC Fight Night Breakdown: The Undercard

Nick Catone vs. Derek Downey

Nick Catone Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 6’0/185 lbs.
Age: 27
Hometown: Englewood, N.J.
Fighting out of: Point Pleasant, N.J.
Record: 6-0

The breakdown: After a missed date with Amir Sadollah late last year, Catone will finally get to make his UFC debut, albeit with far less pomp and circumstance surrounding the affair. That doesn’t make his task any easier, though, as Derek Downey presents the same issues that Catone is accustomed to creating for his opponents. A solid wrestler with the striking and jiu-jitsu to back it up, Downey is the kind of opponent Catone has to out-wrestle to beat and winning that battle is far from a given.

The X factor: As with any UFC neophyte, how Catone handles the stomach-churning pressure of the Octagon is as important as anything else in this fight. Even more important than that, however, is how Catone will react should Downey get the better of him when takedown time arrives.

Derek “The Gentleman” Downey Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 5’11/185 lbs.
Age: 28
Hometown: Orem, Utah
Fighting out of: Orem, Utah
Record: 10-3

The breakdown: A regional journeyman for virtually his entire sporting career, Downey now gets his shot at claiming a spot under the bright lights of the UFC, but he has to prove himself against a fighter who may well be a better version of him. With that in mind, Downey needs to come out and frustrate Catone early by using a varied offense that forces his quarry on the defensive. If Catone has to worry about what Downey will do next, it keeps Downey from worrying about Catone constantly forcing him to defend takedowns.

The X factor: Although Downey has shown solid wrestling throughout his career, he lacks the pedigree of Catone and has struggled against superior wrestlers in the past. Unless Downey is ready to overcome Catone’s wrestling one way or another, he’ll be in trouble.

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The bottom line: An otherwise solid prospect, Downey has remained an unknown thanks to some crippling losses to superior wrestlers such as Josh Burkman and Ed Herman. This go-round won’t be any different: Catone turns this bout into a wrestling meet and ends up getting the nod.