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There's only one featherweight fight at UFC 157 in Anaheim, and it pits a potential young up-and-comer against a veteran of the sport. Dennis Bermudez (9-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is looking to make it three wins in a row, while Matt Grice (15-4 MMA, 2-4 UFC) looks to ease off any job security pressure with his second straight victory.
These two both have strong wrestling skills, but Grice is more experienced and has the size advantage. Will it matter against a quicker, harder-hitting guy like Bermudez? The FX prelims start at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT, and the rest of the fights air live on PPV at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT as usual.
How do these two stack up?
Bermudez: 26 years old | 5'6" | 66" reach
Grice: 31 years old | 5'9" | 70" reach
What have these two done recently?
Bermudez: W - Tommy Hayden (SUB) | W - Pablo Garza (UD) | L - Diego Brandao (SUB)
Grice: W - Leonard Garcia (UD) | L - Ricardo Lamas (TKO) | W - David Gardner (UD)
How did these two get here?
Bermudez lost one of the greatest TUF tournament finals ever, a dramatic 1st round submission loss to Diego Brandao. He had Brandao badly hurt with punches and got caught in an armbar, tapping with 15 seconds left in the round. This marked Bermudez's 3rd straight pro MMA loss on his record, all by opening round submission. He has since responded with a dominant victory over Pablo Garza last May and then a submission win of his own over Tommy Hayden at UFC 150 in August. The Brandao fight marked his official featherweight debut, and so far he's looked impressive in all of his UFC bouts, even in defeat.
Grice, like Bermudez, recently dropped from lightweight to featherweight. This is Matt's 2nd stint in the UFC, having gone just 1-3 the first time around with all of his defeats coming by stoppage. His return to the big time came in 2011 against Ricardo Lamas, but he lost by TKO. Grice did manage a decision win over Leonard Garcia last June.
Why should you care?
Bermudez is an intriguing talent at 145 lbs with strong wrestling abilities, and he's going up against a veteran of the sport in Grice. The odds are highly unlikely that Grice contends at featherweight, so focus your attention on Bermudez's development as a fighter.
SBN coverage of UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche
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