WEC Torres vs. Mizugaki Preview

Eddie Wineland vs. Rani Yahya

The Breakdown: It’s a true clash of styles as Wineland’s one-dimensional striking meets Yahya’s submission-or-bust style. While Yahya’s virtually non-existent wrestling is an issue, Wineland has never had much in the way of takedown defense. Combine that with Yahya’s kamikaze approach to takedowns and Wineland’s less than world-class grappling and you have what looks like the prelude to a three-tap symphony.

The X Factor: If Yahya has trouble getting a takedown, he’s in for a world of hurt, as the difference in striking is as vast as the difference in grappling ability. As long as Wineland finds his range early, he’ll have Yahya on the defensive, which is where he needs to keep him to win.

The Bottom Line: Normally, the wrestling-deprived grappler loses to the striker, but Wineland’s striking is more methodical than it is powerful. Unless he can score an early knockout, he’ll be stuck fending off Yahya’s never-ending arsenal of submissions. Bank on Yahya’s arsenal winning the day.