UFC on FOX 9 Date: December 14, 2013 Arena: Sleep Train Arena City: Sacramento, C.A. Flyweight bout: Alpetkin Ozkilic (-235) vs Darren Uyenoyama (+215) Fight Breakdown: Getting the night started with the very first fight of the evening that will stream live via Facebook, we have a match-up between two grapplers looking to make their mark in the UFC’s flyweight division, when promotional newcomer Alpetkin Ozkilic takes on North California’s own Darren Uyenoyama. Ozkilic is the favorite in this contest at -235 ($235 to win $100), while Uyenoyama is the hometown underdog at +215 ($100 to win $215) at Several Bookmakerss. ALPETKIN OZKILIC (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is set to make his Octagon debut on short notice, as he replaces an injured John Moraga. Ozkilic is currently riding a three-fight win streak with two TKO finishes, including one of UFC veteran Antonio Banuelos in his last outing, which caught the attention of UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby. The only blemish on his professional mixed martial arts career resume came at 135 pounds against current UFC bantamweight Chico Camus, in a fight where Camus himself caught Shelby’s eye. Ozkilic is a talented wrestler who works good takedowns but is only average with his top position, as he is not a very big threat with submissions, and does not display a dangerous ground and pound game. He is flat-footed, but has fast hands. He possesses serious power, and has an improving striking game; he works solid punches and kicks, putting together some effective combinations. Even though he took this fight on short notice, I don’t think his cardio will be an issue for him in his first fight under the big lights. DARREN UYENOYAMA (8-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is returning to the Octagon following his first defeat in the promotion, which came by knockout at the hands of current flyweight title challenger Joseph Benavidez. Uyenoyama is a very talented grappler and submission artist, owning a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has a very tight body lock he likes to use to set up his takedowns. He is not much of a striker, but has shown hints of improvement in that department, especially with his kicks. He sticks to what he is good at, his wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He is a very good grinder, but he doesn’t just lay and pray. He remains active, looking to end the fight via TKO or submission. That said, Uyenoyama has high fight IQ, so if he is in the guard of a fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he will play it smart and not be as active. However, I don’t believe that will be a concern against Ozkilic, as Uyenoyama will have the advantage in the submission game. Ozkilic is a good wrestler, but I would still give a slight general grappling advantage to Uyenoyama. He is a durable fighter with good conditioning, and a strong chin. To compliment his solid offensive jiu-jitsu game, Uyenoyama also has excellent submission defense, even though he has suffered one submission defeat in his professional mixed martial arts career, when he was caught in a guillotine choke while competing in Japan. Fight Prediction: Ozkilic is going to try and keep this fight standing, but Uyenoyama is going to close the distance, and sooner or later, I think the fight is going to hit the mat, where I think it will play out for the majority of the three rounds, en route to the judges’ scorecards. I think Uyenoyama will get the better of Ozkilic in the grappling. He may not find a submission, but I think he will do enough to take home a decision. Gabe’s Pick: Darren Uyenoyama by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Darren Uyenoyama (+215) 2u to win 4.3u, and Uyenoyama by Decision (+350) 2u to win 7u
