WEC Torres vs. Mizugaki Preview

Apr 03, 2009
File Photo/Sherdog.com

Bart Palaszewski will
be upset at WEC 40.
Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Njokuani

The Breakdown: The battle of difficult to pronounce last names should make for some of the night’s best action as Njokuani and Palaszewski love to keep head trauma centers on their heels. While Palaszewski has the edge in experience, Njokuani’s muay Thai style is slick and explosive. It’s anyone’s guess how the mat work will go, but Njokuani’s striking makes him a live underdog.

The X Factor: Anytime you have a striker’s showdown, it’s always the grappling that ends up rearing its head. Neither man has much takedown defense so if someone is getting the worst of the striking, the grappling -- or lack thereof -- could become the lynchpin of the winner’s strategy.

The Bottom Line: Palaszewski is coming into this fight on short notice after he took a lopsided three-round decision loss just a month ago. It’s not a recipe for success against an opponent who has you beat at your specialty. Njokuani pulls off the upset special and the world is left to wonder how you pronounce his name.