UFC 107 Preview: The Prelims

Kevin Burns vs. T.J. Grant

The Breakdown: After breaking into the UFC with upset wins over Roan Carneiro and Anthony Johnson, Burns’ run has hit the skids with back-to-back losses that have him toiling in the prelims. The situation isn’t much better for Grant, who got grapple-stomped at UFC 100 by Dong Hyun Kim and is still trying to translate the hype that followed him out of Canada into the cage.

Most of that hype comes from Grant’s obvious physical talent, but he does lack the technical polish to back it up. In stark contrast to that is Burns, who won’t win any triathlons yet stays in fights thanks to his in-cage intelligence and surprisingly well-rounded skills.

Staying smart will be key for Burns; Grant would love nothing more than to bully him to the mat and work his blitzing brand of jiu-jitsu. That’s assuming Grant will come in with a plan for getting past Burns’ punches, and from what we’ve seen thus far, Grant has all the game-planning skills of the Detroit Lions’ coaching staff.

The X-Factor: Trying to match brains with brawn can get dicey. Even when Burns has won that battle, the “W” always seemed to come with more headaches than an episode of “Lost.” It will take a perfect game plan to keep Grant corralled, and even then it may not be enough.

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The Bottom Line: This will be a nip-tuck fight, but Burns’ underrated grappling will keep him alive on the mat and his superior striking will frustrate Grant from bell to bell. A close fight swings in Burns’ favor late as Grant’s pace catches up to him and costs him a decision.