UFC 194 Preview – Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold

The UFC 194 co-main event has show stealing potentialThe co-main event for UFC 194 is not only the biggest fight in middleweight history but arguably the biggest co-main event the UFC has ever put on. In a classic all American, East coast vs. West coast battle, the undefeated Chris Weidman will put his title on the line against his most formidable adversary, Luke Rockhold. It’s very rare that you have two undeniably talented fighters squaring off when both of them are at their peak. Much like Lawler – Macdonald 2 did at UFC 189, this fight has show stealer written all over it.Weidman is looking to silence doubters once and for all by adding Luke Rockhold’s name to a list of vanquished opponents that reads as a who’s who of Brazilian MMA legends.Rockhold on the other hand is seeking to finally achieve the recognition he feels he was denied by adding the UFC middleweight championship to his list of honors.

#1 Road to the Octagon

The journey to the title fight has been different for Weidman and Rockhold

Chris Weidman

From 2006 to 2013, Anderson Silva ruled the middleweight division. He had no equal and his fights often resembled a round of UFC Undisputed on the PlayStation. Then along came Chris Weidman.

An afterthought to most, a heavy underdog to all, favoured only by a select few. Weidman was supposed to be the last stop on Anderson Silva’s journey to a Superfight with either Jon Jones or Georges St. Pierre.

However in one of the most iconic upsets in MMA history, the All American connected with a hook knocking the legendary Brazilian out and winning the middleweight championship.

Luke Rockhold

When the UFC absorbed Strikeforce in 2013, they added amongst others, Luke Rockhold to their roster. At the time Rockhold was the Strikeforce middleweight champion, fresh off a win over Tim Kennedy.

Despite his credentials, Rockhold flew under the radar a bit and was hardly a popular figure even in MMA circles. A debut loss to Vitor Belfort didn’t help him. Since then though, Rockhold has won 4 straight fights.

His last and most impressive was in April of this year against former Light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida. The victory earned Rockhold his shot at Weidman and the title.

#2 Chris Weidman Analysis

Chris Weidman is one of the best pressure fighters in MMA

Weidman beat Anderson in a rematch and has defended his title 2 more times after that. A collegiate wrestling stand out, Weidman likes to pressure his opponents, punch his way in, clinch and drag the fight to the floor. He favours close distance fighting and his aggressive style allows him to set the pace in the early rounds of a fight.

Weidman likes to take the centre of the octagon early and force his opponent to fight moving back the entire time. The more his opponents back up, the more pressure Weidman applies.

His close range fighting style neutralises fighters who like to move around a lot and force them to fight against their natural instincts. His second title defence against Lyoto Machida is a prime example of this.

Weidman’s striking may not be at the level of Rockhold but his ability to manage distance balances things out. It should also be noted that all of Weidman’s title fights have come against elite strikers and he beat them all rather emphatically.

It’s often forgotten that Weidman is a BJJ black belt under Renzo Gracie. He’s hardly a novice on the ground. In all his fights, Weidman has adhered to the philosophy of position over submission.

His only aim is to get into a better position with each move on the ground until he is on full mount and can unload with a ground and pound. His performance against Vitor Belfort is a perfect testament to that.

There is nobody better in MMA at the ground and pound than Chris Weidman. His striking and wrestling are used in tandum to bring his opponent to the ground from where he can establish full mount and unload with punches and elbows. Against Rockhold, the ground and pound will remain Weidman’s best shot at retaining his title.

Watch Chris Weidman defeat Anderson Silva in the video below: -

#3 Luke Rockhold Analysis

Luke Rockhold has a varied striking and grappling arsenal to play with

Rockhold likes to pressure his opponents in order to implement his counter striking game. He likes to use his range and maintain his distance as much as he can. His striking is the most potent weapon at his disposal. His kicks in particular are a force to contend with.

Fighting southpaw, Rockhold baits his opponents in to catch them with the counter right hook. Once he senses his opponents are tiring he forces them to move into his left leg and connects his kicks with devastating power and accuracy.

Once he has his opponents pushing back against the cage, he circles ever so slightly to his right, giving them a window to escape out off. However when they begin to move away, he stops them in their tracks with his left foot.

Once he has his opponent hurt, Rockhold will jump on them with a submission.

Rockhold has the most submission attempts in UFC middleweight history and most of them come off the back of heavy shots that floor his opponent. Rockhold isn’t one to get carried away with the fight.

He is very tactically aware and uses time as his ally. If an opportunity presents itself, he will take it with open arms and latch on a submission in an attempt to score a win. Much like with his striking, Rockhold is an opportunistic grappler.

He will hold position until he finds a more advantageous one from where to can lock in a submission.

Watch Luke Rockhold put a beating on Lyoto Machida in the video below: –

#4 Prediction

Chris Weidman’s ground and pound will be too much for Luke Rockhold

Weidman’s ability to keep the distance in the fight short will negate Rockhold’s abilities to land kicks and right counters. However the longer the fight stays on the feet, the more it favours the higher calibre striking and faster speed of Luke Rockhold.

Rockhold also holds an edge in the submission department however, Weidman is the better wrestler. All of this combined makes it easy to see why this could be the best middleweight fight since Anderson Silva – Chael Sonnen.

Ultimately what it comes down to is the ground game. Weidman’s wrestling will allow him to take Rockhold down and mount him. However Rockhold’s Jiu Jitsu will cause Weidman plenty of problems on the mat.

When push comes to shove though, Weidman is better on top than Rockhold is on his back.

Prediction: - Chris Weidman via TKO Round 4