STRIKEFORCE: MASQUARDT VS SAFFEIDINE LIVE STREAM
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After seemingly being pressured out of the UFC eternally in 2011, Nate Marquardt is probably going one win away from a return engagement within the promotion. the present Strikeforce champion is a 3-to-1 favourite to beat Tarec Saffiedine in Saturday night's Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine major occasion.
The organization's swan track has put many fighters in limbo, and Saffiedine is considered one of them. The challenger stated throughout a Thursday media interview that he had been supplied no assure that he can be introduced into the UFC after Saturday night, elevating the stakes far previous being the last-ever divisional champion within the promotion's closing battle.
Saffiedine (13-3) will supply Marquardt his sternest check within the standup department, the place he makes use of footwork, angles and a various set of strikes in an unpredictable assault that is centered round endurance. He will typically look ahead to his opponent to come back ahead earlier than starting his personal movement and makes use of an economic system of movement in executing his strikes. He can additionally be fairly sleek and creative, sometimes unleashing uncommon combos which are hardly ever seen, or using strikes in sudden situations.
certainly one of the keys to Saffiedine's putting success is his steadiness. He does not overextend himself making an attempt to land knockout blows, and he retains his kind all through the action, which frequently means he will get the perfect of exchanges when opponents begin swinging wildly.
On the down side, Saffiedine has by no means displayed fight-stopping power, with solely one profession knockout amongst his win whole. that would be a significant drawback towards the rugged and hard-charging Marquardt, who is as well-rounded as they arrive and has savaged opponents from almost each conceivable place.
Marquardt's longtime success has been centered round his means to overwhelm opponents wherever.
think about these profession information about Marquardt, culled by FightMetric:
* he's precisely landed fifty three p.c of his profession whereas solely absorbing 37 p.c of the strikes in opposition to him
* he's landed virtually twice as many strikes per minute as his opponent (2. eighty two to 1. 47)
* he's scored seventy two p.c of his takedown tries and has solely been taken down on 27 p.c of the tries towards him
Now preserve in thoughts that these gaudy numbers had been virtually completely achieved towards middleweights. Now 33, Marquardt made the transfer all the way down to welterweight and placed on a jaw-dropping efficiency in opposition to Tyron Woodley final July.
When Marquardt steps into the cage towards Saffiedine, he'll be demonstrably the larger man. At 6 ft tall, he's about two inches taller. He additionally boasts a attain benefit of almost 4 inches, and he's doubtless slicing way extra weight.
whereas Marquardt (32-10-2) has in latest times grow to be extra of an influence puncher, he actually made his identify as a submission grappler, and has since risen to the rank of a second-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He has 15 of his profession wins by way of tapout, and involves life together with his aggression in scrambles. Given his prowess in these arenas, it appears seemingly that Saffiedine will need to keep away from the grappling facet of the battle as a lot as doable.
Saffiediene could have the power to do it. thus far to date, he boasts a takedown protection fee of 86 percent, a superb quantity. however he was taken down thrice in a loss to Tyron Woodley, and that i would provide that regardless of Woodley's sturdy collegiate wrestling credentials, Marquardt has confirmed to be a greater offensive MMA wrestler than him.
That said, I'm not fairly satisfied that Marquardt will make any in depth makes an attempt to convey the struggle to the ground, assured that at 170, his hanging energy and arsenal can overcome any method Saffiediene throws at him.
In wanting over Saffiedine's history, it's additionally fairly obtrusive that he's by no means confronted a single fighter who has been a high 10 divisional menace. Woodley is his most embellished opponent, and that's a struggle Saffiedine misplaced by unanimous determination after failing to close down Woodley's wrestling sport. apart from that, his final three fights had been with Scott Smith, Tyler Stinson and Roger Bowling. distinction that with Marquardt, who has an abundance of big-fight expertise with names like Anderson Silva, Demian Maia, Chael Sonnen and Yushin Okami, and also you may see the bounce that Saffiedine is making on this bout.
Saffiedine's placing is nice sufficient to problem Marquardt for stretches, however in a five-round combat, anticipate to see the champion's physicality bend the combat into his picture. Saffiedine has by no means been knocked out, and if he can survive 25 minutes with the ferocious Marquardt, he could have surpassed any cheap expectation in a troublesome type matchup. however given Marquardt's capacity to craft a combat type to his liking, I'm going with him over the affected person Belgian through third-round TKO.
