UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz at a Glance
Traveling across the pond again to entertain the always loyal and fight loving fans of England; UFC 138 is live tomorrow night (morning) from the LG Arena in Birmingham. Headlined by a middleweight contender tilt which many are calling for the winner to receive a title shot, the international card also showcases some of Europe’s best fighters, seasoned veterans and one very amped Ultimate Fighter contestant, WOOOOOOOO!
Mark Munoz is riding a three fight win streak since losing a close split decision to Yushin Okami in August of 2010. Having since finished CB Dolloway and earning decision victories over Demain Maia and Aaron Simpson, his chin will be tested as he stands across from Chris Leben. “The Crippler” who’s most impressive (and current) win was a knockout win over MMA legend Wanderlei Silva and the Oregon southpaw will be more than happy to stand and trade if his opponent wishes to do so. A win for either man will be good for their career but is a title shot warranted? Given the scene at 185 lbs, one could argue yes or no but at the end of the day, a win moves them one step closer to a shot at “The Spider’s” belt.
Bantamweights meet in a co-main event with Brad “One Punch” Pickett looking to avoid the submission game of Renan Barao (12 wins by submission). As Pickett is seasoned in BJJ himself, holding nine of his wins via submission, he has the knockout power to end the fight on the feet.
Making his promotional debut, Papy Adebi will look to make a name for himself and keep his professional record unblemished by defeating UFC veteran, Thiago Alves. A defeat for “Pitbull” would almost definitely issue him a pink slip, as he was once dangerous and taking the fight to any opponent, his weakness is wrestling and if the fight goes south, his mental focus is detracted leading to defeat.
The undercard is filled with local fighter (Europe), where anything could happen and a win would keep their name known locally and possibly give them a new fan base stateside. Chris Cope will make his first post TUF appearance against muay thai fighter, Che Mills. With his proven heart and ability to weather a storm and deliver the win when needed, Cope should able to decide the pace of the bout and keep himself employed for another outing.
A week left until the biggest UFC promotional event in its history with UFC on FOX, this card on SpikeTV will be live (via tape delay) and free, a great way to enjoy your Saturday night and see who will continue their rise to the top and who may be upset, sent back to the gym puzzled at where things went wrong.
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