UFC Fight Night 31 ‘Fight for the Troops 3’ Preview

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Middleweights

Yoel Romero Palacio (5-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Ronny Markes (14-1, 3-0 UFC)

The Matchup: Palacio had a memorable UFC debut, as he knocked out Clifford Starks with a flying knee and follow-up punches 1:23 into their UFC on Fox 7 encounter. Thus far, all but one of the 36-year-old Cuban’s professional victories have come inside of a round. A silver medalist in freestyle wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Palacio’s wrestling credentials speak for themselves, but it is menacing power that makes him even more dangerous.

Markes has not lost since 2010 and carries a seven-fight winning streak into his showdown with Palacio. That tear includes Octagon triumphs over Karlos Vemola, Aaron Simpson and Andrew Craig. The Brazilian held his own in the wrestling category against Simpson, a former Arizona State University standout, and controlled large portions of his bouts with Craig and Vemola with takedowns and ground-and-pound.

However, Palacio is on a different level and also understands how to use the threat of his shot to set up offense on the feet. Case in point: he faked a takedown against Starks to get him leaning forward before exploding with the fight-altering knee. Prior to signing with the UFC, Markes displayed good athleticism and finishing ability in stopping nine of his first 11 adversaries. The former Shooto champion has absorbed some big shots in the Octagon, as he was dropped by Simpson at UFC on Fuel TV 1 and dazed by Craig in January. His ability to recover served him well.

Markes will need that composure against Palacio, who often attacks in short bursts. While that can be effective in overwhelming opponents, it also leaves him vulnerable against a savvy opponent. Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante weathered a Palacio flurry in a 2011 Strikeforce bout to hand the American Top Team product his only defeat. If Markes can survive the initial assault and make it past round one, he might be able to test Palacio’s gas tank.

The Pick: Markes is going to have serious difficulty taking down Palacio when he finds himself in danger. A short-lived slugfest favors the Olympian. Palacio wins by KO or TKO in round one.

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