UFC72 Matchup Breakdown #2 - Okami vs Franklin
All Rich Franklin wants is a shot at Silva…to avenge the mess he left in the ring at UFC64. He beats Okami and he just might have another shot.
We’re going to break down each fight into 5 categories (there are craploads more, but this is what we’ll use) : Striking, Submissions, Defense, Balls, Competition
1) Striking - Okami is a ground and pounder, Franklin is a monstah!
EDGE:ACE
2) Submissions - Okami is a great submittal fighter, But Franklin has tapped out fighters in almost HALF of his wins. Ya, Franklin is supposed to be all about striking right? WRONG.
EDGE: ACE
3) Defense - Both fightersare fantastic defensive practitioners, with only 5 losses between thetwo, you know there not getting hit often. But as both guys tend to like to carry the pace and be semi-aggressive in there attack’s, there is no clear favorite here. (You could make a slight case for Franklins take down D, but against Okami’d G and P, it makes it moot.
EDGE: Even
4) Balls - Both these guys are down for going to war, but the edge here can only be determined in who has been to the brink of losing and toughed it out, manned up and won. It has to be Rich. He is a closer! It doesn’t matter who it is in front of him, if he smells a KO, he will finish him. That takes massive Cojone’s. Okami is okay with toughing through and dominating a decision but Ace, Ace will put you out.
EDGE:ACE
5) Competition - Title defenses have to be one of the most difficult mental battles in sports. Not onlydo you have the pressure and expectations of holding on to your belt, you also have competition in front of you that had to earn there way there. It’s not like your being matched up on style or experience, which often happens before fighters begin contending for titles, You are simply facing the toughest and hungriest fighters. Okami has not felt, or battled through this typs of pressure.
EDGE: ACE
Almost a shutout for Ace Franklin. I know, you shouldn’t underestimate Okami, look at all the upsets this year…I KNOW. But on paper, Rich is just that good.
(1 votes, average: 1 out of 5)
ACE HAS NO EDGE IN THE REMATCH WITH THE SPIDER