Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Bloody Elbow presents their UFC on Fox 6 fight card primer, previewing all the action at UFC on Fox 6: Johnson vs. Dodson. Here, we look at Erik Koch vs. Ricardo Lamas.
The UFC on Fox 6 main card opens with Erik Koch (13-1 MMA; 2-0 UFC) vs. Ricardo Lamas (12-2 MMA; 3-0 UFC). This Featherweight fights kicks off the four fight main card on Fox. UFC on Fox 6 airs live from Chicago this Saturday night, January 26, with the main card beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.
This battle between former WEC fighters was originally set for the prelims of UFC 155. However, it was pulled from that card and moved here to main card status on Fox. That's a wise move in my opinion. The winner here could easily be next in line for a title shot against the Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar winner. Giving whoever wins here nice exposure on Fox helps to make a possible title challenge more appealing down the road.
How do these two stack up?
Koch: 24 years old | 5'10" | 70" reach
Lamas: 30 years old | 5'8" | 69" reach
What have these two done recently?
Koch: W - Jonathan Brookins (UD) | W - Raphael Assuncao (KO) | W - Francisco Rivera (TKO)
Lamas: W - Hatsu Hioki (UD) | W - Cub Swanson (Sub) | W - Matt Grice (KO)
How did these two get here?
Erik Koch had a good 3-1 run in the WEC, with his only loss coming against Chad Mendes. When he came to the UFC, he was one of the immediate contenders at 145 pounds, but he's had a rough time of it in the past two years. Between injuries to Koch and injuries to his opponents, he has only fought twice in the past 2 years, and is now coming off a 16 month layoff. Koch was announced as an opponent for Jose Aldo on two separate occasions last year, but both times, the fight was called off due to injury (once to Aldo, once to Koch). He desperately needs a consistent fight schedule, and that can start right here.
More on UFC on Fox 6: Johnson vs. Dodson
Ricardo Lamas is a somewhat overlooked figure in the Featherweight division, which is a shame as he holds some very impressive wins. He has a UFC win over Cub Swanson (who is possibly in line for a title shot) and Hatsu Hioki (who was widely considered the #1 contender at the time). A tough wrestler, Lamas will be fighting in front of a hometown crowd in Chicago, and will look to once again play spoiler to a potential title contender.
Why should you care?
This is a fun opener, and you have to look at the winner as a viable contender for the belt, especially if the fight ends spectacularly.
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