MMA ODDS AND ENDS FOR THURSDAY: TWO APRIL INJURY REPLACEMENT BOUTS ANNOUNCED
2 April welterweight matchups needed to be changed due to injuries, and also for today’s MMA Odds and Ends I’ll offer my thoughts on the two new struggles. Tim Means vs. George Sullivan, UFC on FOX 15 Because of an injury to Kenny Robertson, Tim Means will step in on short notice to battle George Sullivan at UFC on FOX 15, which is set for April 18 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Means vs. Sullivan will air live on UFC Fight Pass. I don’t see the way he loses if Means can continue to keep this battle standing. Sullivan is a decent striker for sure, but Means is among the best in the welterweight division at blending in all his limbs, and so if that struggle stays standing he’s likely to win it. If Sullivan can get Means up against the fence and property some vital takedowns, he could certainly sneak a decision on the judges’ cards, but Means has revealed amazing takedown defence at 170lbs and it is going to be somewhat difficult for Sullivan to do that. Means is carrying this fight on short notice, and he’s a guy who doesn’t get a lot of love from bettors, however I think he’s a really good shot here to knock Sullivan outside or acquire a determination and I’m really leaning towards Means to find the success here, even thinking about the fact he is taking it on short notice. Chris Clements vs. Nordine Taleb UFC 186 Claudio Silva is from his UFC 186 welterweight bout against Nordine Taleb and now Chris Clements will take on Taleb within an all-Canadian affair. UFC 186 occurs April 25 at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and Clements vs. Taleb is famous for the Fight Pass first card card. Silva vs. Taleb was likely going to be a boring, grinding affair between two guys who prefer to push up their opponents against the fence before they gas out, so at least with Clements in now instead of Silva there is a chance this might be entertaining. Clements, a striker, is in fun, back-and-forth standup charms and when he could keep Taleb off of him, he will likely have the ability to stand in the middle of the Octagon and hurt his foe. Taleb, however, is one of those guys that sticks to his rivals such as glue, and if he can push Clements up against the fence and land some takedowns, he can win this battle based on his wrestling independently. Therefore, the secret for Clements will be to stop the takedowns, and when he continues to show improvements in his wrestling like he did in his last outing against Vik Grujic, at which he stuffed the takedowns and outstruck his competitor , he can win. I anticipate Taleb to be a small favorite here, but don’t sleep with the brief notice factoring in, even on Clements inside this area.
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