UFC Live 5 Preview: The Main Card

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UFC Live 5 brings several high-octane showdowns to the masses, with excellent style matches comprising a deep card on Sunday at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

Buoyed by a welterweight headliner pairing Dan Hardy with Chris Lytle, the evening’s fare will be nicely supplemented by a lightweight contender showdown between Jim Miller and former WEC champion Benson Henderson, both of whom have proven themselves high-action fighters in the past. In addition, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 winner Amir Sadollah takes on Duane Ludwig, and Donald Cerrone meets hot Brazilian prospect Charles Oliveira.

Here is a closer look at the main card, with previews and picks.

Welterweights
Dan Hardy (23-9, 1 NC, 4-3 UFC) vs. Chris Lytle (30-18-5, 9-10 UFC)

The Matchup: This is a slugger’s delight in the 170-pound division, as Hardy faces his fourth consecutive setback if bested here. Both have hard-earned reputations as potent bangers, with the tools and mentality to keep swinging no matter the consequences. In Hardy’s case, he has been wrestle-smashed by Georges St. Pierre and Anthony Johnson, with those two defeats sandwiched around a brutal, one-shot knockout loss to Carlos Condit. Lytle, meanwhile, has one of the most subtle jiu-jitsu games in the sport and was a state champion wrestler. Lately, however, he only uses those weapons when forced to do so.

In addition to being a bit more well-rounded in MMA striking, Lytle is also more durable; he has never been legitimately knocked out -- he was stopped on cuts twice -- and anyone who saw his fight with Josh Koscheck at UFC 86 knows he is living proof that human beings can bleed a hell of a lot without losing consciousness.

Lytle’s transition to slugger in recent years is based on a good foundation. He has boxed professionally, and while he can look like a wild swinger at times, he picks angles well and uses all his limbs to attack, at least more than Hardy, who tends to rely on basic stand-up boxing. Hardy may have more one-shot power in his fists, but Lytle’s chin should be able to absorb the Brit’s thunder.

In Lytle’s last outing at UFC 127, he took a bad beating from Brian Ebersole, the kind that can often age a fighter in a long career like his. If Hardy can assert himself early and dictate when and where the exchanges happen, his confidence will grow. Lytle could work on taking down Hardy and piling up points, but that will not happen unless he gets smashed early and has to resort to grappling.

There is a reason this is the main event; it looks like a sure straight-up slugfest. Lytle has some mileage on him but a lot more experience, and he has never folded in a firefight, even when he looks like he has been run over by a truck. Hardy will score in spots, but Lytle should do enough countering, especially with his solid overhand right, which he will wing like a baseball pitcher and mix in with other strikes.

The Pick: A back-and-forth scrap unfolds here, with Lytle doing just enough to take a close decision.

Continue Reading » Next Fight: Jim Miller vs. Benson Henderson