UFC 109 Preview: Mike Swick
by Nick Thomas on Feb 3, 2010 1:57 PM EST
in MMA News
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Print"This is going to be my first fight against somebody that's a legitimate black belt champion on the ground; the good news is that I get to showcase a lot of my ground skills I think. My wrestling and a lot of the jiu-jitsu I've been working on, I'm excited about."HT: allelbows.com, mmafighting.com
... "I truly believe I'm a better fighter than Dan Hardy and I truly believe I would win 9 out of 10 times. I want a rematch definitely. It's the number one thing on my list. But I can't think about that until I beat Paulo Thiago."
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Thanks. The guys at aka were super friendly and gave us full access to their gym and training sessions. We also shot a piece on Cain which should be out next week. I am actually typing this as I drive to Vegas right now so sorry for any typos. Lol.
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by ekc on Feb 3, 2010 12:48 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I am going with Paulo Thiago on this one, but I feel that Swick could win this as well. Honestly, I am just more of a fan of Paulo Thiago than I am of Swick.
Swick just seems like he’s decent at everything but doesn’t excel at a single discipline. So when he fights a better kickboxer in Hardy he get’s tool. I see something similar happening with Thiago. He’ll end up on the ground and just be able to out grapple. His only real strength is his speed and I don’t think he wins this fight anywhere.
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by Matthew Roth on Feb 3, 2010 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
His real strength is his speed at middleweight.
Swick’s hands aren’t particularly fast at WW. If he learned how to use his size effectively and learn how to wrestle well he’d be a force. As it stands I don’t think he’s as good as the hype says. I’ll take Daley, Alves, the other AKA WWs, and Nick Diaz over him just about any day of the week. Hughes, Hornbuckle, and Kampmann would all be interesting fights.
Paulo Thiago should be his toughest fight yet, actually.
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-Randall Munroe
Hughes would still be able to out muscle him. I’ve never really been impressed by Swick. Hornbuckle I think would kill him via wrestling and Kampman just seems like a better version of Swick. Thiago will be able to out muscle him if he wants.
I’d like Swick/Diego…that’s a good fight.
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by Matthew Roth on Feb 3, 2010 12:54 PM EST up reply actions
I mostly agree, but there are questions to be answered in each of those fights.
How well can Hughes compete with younger guys who aren’t GSP and Alves? How does Hornbuckle stand against (supposedly) top 10 competition? And can Kampmann figure out what striking defense is?
As for Diego, he’d just outwork him. Swick doesn’t use his range effectively and after the Hardy fight, I’m questioning his chin. Diego will be faster on the feet, out-scramble him on the ground, and will not let up when he smells blood. There’s a lot of bad fights for Swick, come to think of it…
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Feb 3, 2010 1:04 PM EST up reply actions
What’s crazy is Swick was considered next in line for MW before losing to Okami. He’s a great gatekeeper for the top 10 but he’s not top 10. He gets mauled by:
1. Gsp
2. Alves
3. Koscheck
4. Fitch
5. Hughes
6. Daley
7. Hardy
8. Kampman
9. Condit
10. Hazelet
I’d have them favored over Swick.
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I disagree on Hazelet.
I think he’s just a fan favorite who will get lost in the mix right now. If he takes his BJJ credentials and pulls a Kenny Florian, improving exponentially around them, then he’s gonna be real dangerous. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him fighting Alves for the title in two-three years.
I’d put Diego on that list, and just do be a dick, Ricardo Almeida.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Feb 3, 2010 2:46 PM EST up reply actions
The thing that impresses me about Paulo Thiago is that he has been put in these sink-or-swim fights, and he swam. He hasn’t fought anyone in the UFC that he would be favored to win stylistically (not even Volkmann who hung with Paulo on the ground, and even then, he was originally supposed to fight Thiago Alves). Swick can win this even though I do feel that weight cut affects him, but I feel that Paulo will eke out the win here.
What is it about Dan Hardy that gets under everyone's skin so much?
That’s a talent in and of itself, neither Swick nor Davis can keep talking about losing.
Get rid of the ramp!
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