Strikeforce ‘Carano vs. Cyborg’ Preview

Jay Hieron vs. Jesse Taylor

The Breakdown: This is a bout that no one expected. Hieron and Taylor step in on short notice to replace the chronically injured Joe Riggs and the chronically chronic-ed Nick Diaz. Short notice is the ultimate variable but Taylor is an inexperienced, developing fighter while Hieron is a savvy veteran with the right style to frustrate any neophyte looking to make a name at his expense. A balanced fighter with a strong wrestling pedigree, Hieron’s wrestling game should be enough to keep Taylor from working the top-control game he depends on almost exclusively in the cage.

With his best offensive option nullified, Taylor will either have to prove his striking is up to snuff or try to make a miracle happen from his guard. Hunting for miracles in a fight doesn’t exactly count as sound strategy, and unless Taylor has something new to show off, a miracle in the cage to match the miracle on ice is looking less and less likely.

The X Factor: One thing Hieron has always struggled with is working off his back. While Taylor is still adapting his wrestling to the cage, he is a massive welterweight and can bully his way to takedowns when his skill comes up short. If the wrestling swings in Taylor’s favor at any point, he may not need more than a brief window to turn Hieron into the star of his highlight reel. Whether or not Taylor actually has the offensive firepower to take advantage of that scenario is what he’ll have to prove to both himself and everyone else.

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The Bottom Line: The short notice nature of this bout will become obvious early on as Hieron dismantles a clearly unprepared and inexperienced Taylor. The end will come violently when Hieron leaves Taylor’s guard in shambles and initiates a ground-and-pound siege that will eventually force a referee stoppage.