UFC 106 Preview: The Prelims

George Sotiropoulos vs. Jason Dent

The Breakdown: A lightweight clash between two fighters still trying to carve out spots for themselves on the ever-changing UFC roster closes out the prelim docket. Sotiropoulos remains undefeated inside the Octagon, but he has yet to move beyond prelim status. Dent, meanwhile, has only recently recovered from his disastrous first run in the UFC.

Dent’s second stint will take a turn for the worse here. He relies on grappling, and Sotiropoulos has proven himself the superior fighter on the ground. To make matters worse, Sotiropoulos appears to be the superior wrestler and has ground-and-pound to go with his excellent positioning and finishing skills.

The X-Factor: Dent’s only real hope lies in staying aggressive and keeping Sotiropoulos in his guard. By keeping Sotiropoulos contained, he gives himself a chance to work a submission and save himself from getting caught in something. There are problems with keeping someone like Sotiropoulos in guard, however, as the Australian has proven unafraid to go for leg locks and has shown that he knows how to finish them with aplomb.

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The Bottom Line: This will turn into one of the more one-sided contests on an evenly matched card, as Sotiropoulos proves too much for Dent’s one-note style. A ground-and-pound beating will be put to a merciful end when Dent gives his back and Sotiropoulos complies with a rear-naked choke in the second round.