‘The Ultimate Fighter 17’ Finale Preview

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Heavyweights

Travis Browne (13-1-1, 4-1-1 UFC) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (14-6, 9-5 UFC)

The Matchup: Browne tore his hamstring early in his UFC on FX 5 encounter with Antonio Silva, and as a virtually stationary target, the Hawaiian was no match for the powerful right hand of “Bigfoot.”

Disappointing injury aside, Browne appeared to have a significant speed and athleticism edge against the massive Brazilian, which he attempted to showcase by utilizing footwork and flashy kicks in the early going. “Hapa” remains an intriguing talent at heavyweight -- a solid grappler with a penchant for risk-taking attacks on the feet. How he rebounds from the first loss of his MMA career will speak volumes about his place in division.

Gonzaga, meanwhile, has won each of his last three fights -- two of them in the UFC -- via choke. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt appeared to be down and out following back-to-back losses to Junior dos Santos and Brendan Schaub in 2010, but with wins over Ednaldo Oliveira and Ben Rothwell, “Napao” proved he remains a dangerous opponent as long as he sticks to his grappling.

A tactical approach will be paramount for Gonzaga against Browne, as the former college basketball player has the decided edge on the feet when it comes to quickness and movement. Gonzaga’s best striking weapon is his thudding leg kicks, which he should use to slow his opponent’s movement. The Team Link product should then look to force clinches and search for takedowns. While Browne is no slouch on the mat, consistent pressure by Gonzaga from above will force the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts export to expend a great deal of energy trying to escape back to his feet.

There is no guarantee Gonzaga opts for this approach, however. It is nearly as likely that Browne baits him into a standup battle, and the plodding Brazilian will struggle to keep up with his more versatile foe. Browne has also held his own in physical clinch battles before, as he did in battling Cheick Kongo to a draw at UFC 120. At 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, Browne is not likely to be overwhelmed by Gonzaga’s brute force.

The Pick: Browne’s conditioning is going to hold up longer than Gonzaga’s, but he might not need to take the bout into deep waters. Superior speed, movement and creativity allow Browne to win via technical knockout in round two.

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