Fresh off being added to the EA Sports UFC video game as downloadable content, Gunnar Nelson is looking to remain undefeated as he takes on Rick “The Horror” Story in the feature bout at UFC Fight 53 from Stockholm, Sweden.
Nelson has won every fight he’s had since he drew with John Olesen in his MMA debut. That includes four impressive wins in the UFC, three of them have come by submission.
The 26-year-old welterweight wants to throw his name into the crowded ring of contenders at 170 pounds. His opponent has had numerous chances to prove he’s a top-notch fighter, but he’s failed against the best in the UFC.
He’s been with the promotion since 2009, and at this point, he’s more of a gatekeeper. He’d love to prove that assessment wrong by beating Nelson and stringing together his first win streak in three years.
It seems as if both men are headed in different directions. Still, they must collide to continue on their path. The entire card is a UFC Fight Pass exclusive. Fans who subscribe and also have Fox Sports with their local cable provider will be treated to almost an entire day of fights. This card begins at 12:10 p.m. ET, and later on Saturday UFC Fight Night 54 will take place from Canada.
Here’s a look at the start times for the event in Sweden along with predictions for each fight. Just below the chart is a closer look at the top-two bouts.
Max Holloway Will Stop Akira Corassani
Believe it or not, Holloway is just 22 years old. It seems as though he’s been around forever. He picked up some tough losses against elite competition (Conor McGregor, Dennis Bermudez and Dustin Poirier), but he was likely pushed a little too fast.
He’s won his last three fights, and he’s about to run that streak to four on Saturday. Corassani has proven to be chinny in his career. He’s already been finished four times by strikes.
Holloway’s best attribute is his boxing. He’s worked to improve his ground game in light of his setbacks, but against Corassani, he’ll have the opportunity to counter-punch and stop his opponent.
This one won’t get out of the second round as Holloway will remind us why people were so high on him just a few years ago.
Gunnar Nelson Will Make Story Say Uncle
As young submission artists go, Nelson and Bellator’s Marcin Held might be the best in the world under 30 years old. When it comes to transitioning from opportunity to opportunity on the ground, you won’t find many with more facets to their submission game than Nelson.
Nine of his 13 wins have come by submission and Story is a prime candidate to become the 10th tapout victim. Story is a good grappler, but when opposed by a masterful submissions artist, it’s easy to see the gap between him and the gifted ones.
Demian Maia beat Story with a neck crank, and though this might sound like a bold statement, Nelson is just as talented as a grappler as Maia. Expect to see the same result as Nelson locks in a choke to send Story home with a defeat.
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