UFC 125 Preview: The Prelims

---

Lightweights
Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann

The Matchup: While the “Decision Divas” are out in force because Georges St. Pierre is going the distance lately, they may want to hold off and realize everything is relative, at least where criticism is concerned. That is because McKee makes GSP look like a prime Mike Tyson. McKee, a strong wrestler who has labored for years on smaller shows, sports a gaudy 25-3-2 record, with 18 decision victories. He has pitched more complete games than Cy Young.

In fact, my favorite memory of McKee’s career is not in MMA but rather the 2002 Abu Dhabi North American trials, where he took on Mark Bocek in one of the elimination rounds. Submission matches tend to be somewhat tedious affairs for the uninitiated, and this one was terrible even by those standards. McKee took down Bocek and then camped out in his guard for what seemed like years. The highlight was Bocek’s coach, the irrepressible Marc Laimon, yelling instructions to Bocek for the whole match. Everyone else sat there listening to Laimon, because it was more interesting than the match itself.

I think McKee got the decision but only after a couple judges were revived in time to turn in their cards. To his credit, Laimon also coached Roy Nelson that day, in addition to engaging in an epic match with Dean Lister, losing a decision in a grueling affair. McKee’s MMA style is pretty much the same, and it is effective for him. Volkmann is 2-2 in the UFC, and that experience is probably his biggest edge.

The Pick: Neither guy is a stand-up artist, so it’s going to come down to wrestling, a close contest almost assured. I like McKee by a narrow decision. Brace yourselves, Divas.

Continue Reading » Page Five: Brown vs. Nunes