WEC 41 ‘Brown vs. Faber 2’ Preview

Josh Grispi vs. Jens Pulver

The Breakdown: The rising prospect takes on the aging veteran, as Grispi continues his climb up the ranks against Pulver, the former UFC lightweight champion turned fading featherweight. While Pulver (22-11-1) can still chin check anyone, his overall game has suffered as he has aged, and it’s obvious he cannot keep up with the current crop of competitors. Thankfully, Grispi (12-1) is not the kind of striker that has been troubling Pulver of late. However, he does have a strong ground game, and Pulver’s takedown defense is not what it used to be. This is probably the last litmus test for Pulver’s career, and, lately, the results have not been too encouraging.

The X Factor: Age, an iffy chin and some bad luck have left Pulver’s once promising featherweight tenure feeling like an “Alien vs. Predator” movie -- nothing more than wasted potential. However, if Pulver can force Grispi to fight him standing, he definitely has an edge on the grappling-centric style of his youthful counterpart. Pulver has put together miraculous career comebacks before; whether or not he has another one in him is anyone’s guess.

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The Bottom Line: Pulver has endured nothing but disappointment of late, and it does not figure to get any better against Grispi. He has the gusto and game to chase after a submission and avoid Pulver’s parries on the feet. Expect an entertaining fight, but Pulver’s declining skills will eventually cost him the fight, as Grispi snatches hold of a late submission in an evenly matched fight. No more of the Phoenix routine for Pulver, who looks to have squeezed every last drop of greatness he could from his long and storied career.