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Featherweights

Rani Yahya (17-7, 2-1 UFC) vs. Mizuto Hirota (14-5-1, 0-0 UFC)

The Matchup: Yahya’s ability to suffocate foes on the ground surfaced in UFC wins over Mike Thomas Brown and Josh Grispi. However, the Constrictor Team product faltered in his meeting against Chad Mendes, a superior wrestler, as the American was able to dictate the location of the fight in cruising to a unanimous decision triumph at UFC 133.

Hirota is not an elite wrestler, so he will have to combine his trademark aggression on the feet with timely takedown attempts to keep Yahya off-balance. The Deep lightweight champion has made an admirable return from a nasty broken arm that came courtesy of a Shinya Aoki hammerlock at a K-1 event in 2009, but the 31-year-old is still looking to recapture the form that saw him earn each of his six victories prior to the injury by knockout or technical knockout. Since then, “Pugnus” has earned a pair of unanimous decision wins under the Deep banner before being worn down by the grinding style of Pat Healy at Strikeforce “Rockhold vs. Kennedy” in July.

Yahya’s standup is erratic, but the 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist uses his striking primarily as a means to force grappling exchanges. With 15 submission victories among his 17 career victories, the 28-year-old Brazilian understands what works for him in MMA. Yahya works methodically to advance position on the mat and will chain together multiple submission attempts -- including a multitude of dangerous chokes -- in pursuit of the finish.

Hirota has decent takedowns and ground-and-pound, but he does not want to find himself on his back against a grappler as skilled as Yahya. The Japanese fighter must expose the holes in his opponent’s striking by landing crisp jabs and hard hooks. Hirota will often risk exposing himself to damage in order to push forward and land flurries, though Yahya is hardly consistent enough to punish him for such an approach. Clinches will become a key factor, as Hirota will look to work his dirty boxing while avoiding body locks and trip takedowns from Yahya.

The Pick: Yayha makes Hirota pay for his aggression by changing levels and scoring takedowns, wearing down his foe to earn a third-round tapout or decision victory.

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