Palhares and UFC Fight Night 22
Date: 2010-09-05 00:00:00
Source: http://www.profighting-fans.com/articles/rousimar-...
Submitted By: MMAFightsDump
After having his UFC 118 main card bout with Nate Marquardt shifted to his first main event gig at UFC Fight Night 22 in Austin, Texas, Rousimar Palhares is eager to prove that he belongs in that headlining position. In order for him to do that, he will have to show more than just his world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills. He will have to show that he has evolved from a one-dimensional threat that many in the business consider him to be. Find great unique MMA style t-shirts & clothing online at IntimidationClothing.com! Marquardt is an established veteran who has seen his share of big fights including a UFC title loss versus Anderson Silva. Palhares, on the other hand, will be in unfamiliar territory when he enters the octagon in September. A big part of his preparation will have to be done prior to the bout in getting the right mind set to fight the main event. Palhares came to the UFC in 2008 after winning seven of eight in a handful of Brazilian promotions. Since then, he has won four of the five bouts inside the octagon, including three consecutive victories. His UFC 84 debut victory over Ivan Salaverry put him on the radar after converting a submission of the night performance. He was then given to Dan Henderson at UFC 88, and although he lasted all three rounds, fell short with a unanimous decision loss. Palhares had a solid 2009 by defeating Jeremy Horn at UFC 93 and Lucio Linhares at UFC 107. He then made it three in a row with his March 2010 UFC 111 submission (heel hook) victory over Tomasz Drwal. Although he will come in as the clear cut underdog, Palhares has strengths that could possibly give Nate Marquardt some trouble. Palhares is durable, intelligent, and not to mention, a BJJ black belt. His strategy has to be to try and take Marquardt to the ground and catch him in a bad position with hopes of submitting him. Marquardt is no slouch on the ground and he has very good submission defense, but Palhares is the better of the two jiu-jitsu players and is one of the best at executing leg-locks. If the bout stays in the upright position, then look for Marquardt to push the pace with his striking. Palhares has only one KO to his credit, and is no match for Marquardt on their feet. With that being said, you can never count out a fighter like Palhares, solely because this sport is so unpredictable. I still look for Palhares to do his best to get Marquardt on his back and attack from there. > Look to Pro Fighting Fans for the official UFC Fight Night 22 results after the fights are complete and check out the expanded selection of UFC clothing & merchandise available online! Many in the MMA world are not going to give Palhares much of a chance; however he is in this main event slot for a reason. His aggressiveness and determination can work to his advantage, and with a win could make his middleweight title hopes a reality. Due to his tough childhood, there doesn’t seem to be much that will rattle him or make him nervous. Marquardt is a perennial contender for the belt and this challenge is a steep one; however don’t believe the betting lines that pit him as a huge underdog. Palhares is a real threat and a legitimate contender, look for him to make his name a more recognizable one, and look for this to happen sooner rather than later.
