UFC 117 Preview: The Prelims

Ben Saunders vs. Dennis Hallman

Categorizing Hallman’s recent KO loss to John Howard is a difficult thing to do. On the one hand he was five seconds away from a decision win, and on the other he got absolutely laid out in savage fashion. Regardless, if Hallman expects anyone to believe that he is once again a UFC worthy fighter, he’ll have his chance to prove it against Saunders.

In his fight with Howard, Hallman wisely preyed on the Wai Kru MMA product’s two biggest weaknesses -- his subpar defensive wrestling and his infamous inability to let his hands go. While Saunders’ takedown defense is hardly Alcatraz, he showed solid wrestling fundamentals against Marcus Davis and was simply overmatched in his recent loss to Jon Fitch. No one would argue Hallman is anywhere near the caliber of wrestler as Fitch and he’s probably no better than Davis.

A more careful watching of his bout with Howard reveals most of his takedowns weren’t so much the product of any technical brilliance on his part but rather Howard’s poor takedown defense. Setting the wrestling aside, the other major obstacle Hallman will face against Saunders is the marked size advantage he’ll be giving up to the rangy Floridian. Finishing any takedown on a significantly larger opponent is a draining process, and Saunders’ mauling clinch game makes chasing takedowns especially dicey.

Unless Hallman can consistently finish his shots, he’s going to end up getting battered inside the clinch. A daunting prospect since Saunders is brutally good at holding onto the Thai clinch and chaining together knee strikes in rapid succession. Really, any time spent on the feet will invariably go Saunders’ way, which will force Hallman to fight in a predictable manner.

If he had the wrestling to overwhelm Saunders that wouldn’t matter, but he doesn’t and he certainly doesn’t have the striking to exchange with him either. Close quarters is a dead zone for Hallman. At range he still has to contend with Saunders’ preposterous reach advantage. Although he has yet to flesh out his boxing game, Saunders’ kicks make for a devastating weapon and are difficult to counter because they come from so far away and carry serious power.

Much as in the Howard fight, Hallman’s hopes rest on him scoring takedowns and riding out the clock. The submission dynamism that once defined him is long gone, and that lack of finishing ability is crippling at this level. Look for Saunders to stuff an early takedown attempt and score a quick stoppage by grabbing the Thai clinch and not letting go until Hallman hits the deck.