UFC 101 Preview: The Main Card

Josh Neer (25-7-1) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (13-4)

The Breakdown: Lost in the shuffle on a top-heavy card, the lightweight dustup between Pellegrino and Neer is the odds-on favorite for “Fight of the Night” honors. While Neer’s combination of physicality and technical savvy has made him a nightmare for opponents, Pellegrino has no back down in him; that borderline reckless style seems to only enhance his already considerable skill set.

Striking the right balance against Neer will be critical, as Pellegrino will be the smaller man on fight night. As evidenced in Neer’s bout with Mac Danzig, going toe to toe with him does not appear to be the wisest route. Pellegrino has shown that rare blend of grappling and ground-and-pound, just as Neer has throughout his UFC run. Who buckles first under the pressure of a guaranteed firefight comes down to who has the cardio to fuel his Rocky Balboa routine.

The X Factor: It is no secret that Neer is the lightweight division’s answer to Lou Ferrigno. While Pellegrino has the game to keep pace with him, he will give up a lot of size to Neer in what shapes up to be a rugged bout. The toll may be too much for Pellegrino, who needs to have enough left in the tank to hold his own in the latter stages. If Neer can use his size advantage to force the issue with Pellegrino, “Batman” may not make it that far. Of course, Pellegrino also has to worry about keeping his jaw and nose from switching places.

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The Bottom Line: Though this fight has the potential to turn great, it will not take long to realize Pellegrino is fighting a losing battle. Neer has the edge on the feet with his reach and power, and his ground game is vastly underrated in comparison to Pellegrino. He will have to get past Neer’s thunder and find a way to take down his oversized quarry before he can get anything done. Pellegrino will not last long enough to reach that point, as Neer survives a back-and-forth first round before starching “Batman” midway through the second.