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Featherweights
Dustin Poirier (10-1, 2-0 UFC) vs. Pablo Garza (11-1, 2-0 UFC)

The Matchup: Poirier burst upon the scene at UFC 125, earning a unanimous decision over the highly regarded Josh Grispi. He then proved he was no one-hit wonder, taking another three-round verdict over Jason Young at UFC 131.

With an aggressive style and solid conditioning, Poirier is a rising star at featherweight, and a win against Garza would further solidify his status in the division. In his two UFC triumphs, Poirier has shown an ability to mix effective kicks and knees with wrestling. Those skills should come in handy against the dangerous ground game of “The Scarecrow.”

At 6-foot-1, Garza can use his length to test Poirier with the same creative submission ability that he used to finish Yves Jabouin at UFC 129 in April. However, the lanky Garza presents a large target for Poirier to connect with leg kicks, something Jabouin did effectively in the early going of his bout with Garza.

“The Diamond” can also mix in knees from the clinch, but he must be wary of falling into Garza’s guard – “The Ultimate Fighter 12” alum has finished seven of his 12 career victories via submission. Despite the height discrepancy, Poirier and Garza share an identical reach, so the 22-year-old should be able to connect with timely punches without too much risk.

There is always the chance that Garza can connect with a big knee or kick, but his best shot at victory lies in baiting Poirier into a grappling contest. Unless Poirier is careless early, that is not likely to happen. The longer the fight lasts, the greater the chances are that the Louisianan wears down Garza.

The Pick: Garza will be hunting for submissions throughout and has the potential to pull off an entertaining finish on the feet, as well, but Poirier is the more well-rounded fighter. He eventually catches Garza and wins via technical knockout in the third round.

Continue Reading » Next Fight: Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto vs. Darren Uyenoyama