UFC 105 Preview: The Prelims

Terry Etim vs. Shannon Gugerty

The Breakdown: Two underappreciated lightweights hell-bent on breaking the glass ceiling, Etim and Gugerty make for an interesting style clash. Etim’s freakish range only compliments his striking and grappling, while Gugerty lives to napalm opponents with his aggressive brand of jiu-jitsu. Etim has proven the more versatile fighter, but his wrestling has been a game-changing liability throughout his UFC run.

Gugerty does not have the wrestling he needs to blanket Etim, but his grappling only gets better from the top position. Meanwhile, Etim seems to struggle while being controlled. Just how much control Gugerty can exert will play heavily into the outcome, as Etim has him beat anytime the pace turns hectic.

The X-Factor: Gugerty can handle Etim on the mat, but upright, this becomes a one-sided affair in favor of the lanky Brit. Etim’s takedown defense, however, does not appear to be strong enough to keep him standing against an unwilling opponent. Unless Etim has added some new wrinkles to his game, it will be a struggle to keep this fight going in his favor.

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The Bottom Line: The occasional takedown will come with too heavy a price for Gugerty, as he absorbs far too much damage standing from Etim and ends up just barely breaking even with him on the mat. As Etim’s pace continues to wear on Gugerty, watch for a late technical knockout stoppage to come courtesy of a high kick, backed up by enough punches to flip the referee’s compassion switch.