UFC Event

UFC 152 Fight Card Primer: Jimy Hettes Vs. Marcus Brimage

By Mookie Alexander@mookiealexander Updated Sep 22, 2012, 1:54pm EDT

Jimmy Hettes and Marcus Brimage square off during the UFC 152 weigh-ins at the Mattamy Athletic Centre at The Gardens on Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 in Toronto. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

Perhaps one of the more anticipated fights of UFC 152 is a preliminary card matchup between Jimy Hettes (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Marcus Brimage (6-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in the featherweight division. They're both unranked in the SB Nation MMA Consensus Rankings, but another impressive showing by Hettes will certainly see him enter October as a top 25 featherweight. Brimage, who fought on season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, is looking for his second straight upset victory.

Hettes is considered one of the most exciting prospects in the sport, and is looking for a 3-0 start to his UFC career. He's significantly favored in this one and should have a substantial grappling advantage over Brimage. This fight airs on FX, and the preliminary card broadcast starts at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT before the live PPV at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT.

How did these two get here?

Jim Hettes was actually only signed as a late replacement for Leonard Garcia against Alex Caceres at UFC on Versus 5. In a back-and-forth grappling battle, Hettes was victorious with a rear-naked choke in the 2nd round. As an underdog against veteran Nam Phan, he trampled him with strikes and dominated him on the ground towards a decision win. He has yet to fight in 2012 due to injury, but he's an exciting talent and aims for bigger things at 145 lbs if he gets past Brimage.

Brimage actually fought originally as a lightweight, but when TUF 14 came calling, he dropped to featherweight, where his 5'4 frame certainly fits better. He lost in the second-round to Bryan Caraway but was chosen to fight on the season finale, where he defeated Brandon bass. Brimage pulled an upset by defeating Maximo Blanco at UFC 145, a fight more notable for their post-fight gymnastics routines than the actual 15 minutes of fighting. He's once again in the underdog role here in this battle of relative newcomers to the sport.

Why should you care?

Hettes is one of the most promising prospects in the featherweight division. He's looked outstanding in both of his UFC fights and this is another chance to showcase his talent.

More UFC 152 coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.

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