UFC Fight Night 81 fight card: Travis Browne vs Matt Mitrione full fight preview

Travis Browne and Matt Mitrione will throw down this Sunday (Jan. 17, 2016) at UFC Fight Night 81 inside TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. In a match up of powerful ranked Heavyweight contenders, what adjustments must be made for either ma…

Travis Browne and Matt Mitrione will throw down this Sunday (Jan. 17, 2016) at UFC Fight Night 81 inside TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. In a match up of powerful ranked Heavyweight contenders, what adjustments must be made for either man to claim victory? Find out below!

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight hitters Travis Browne and Matt Mitrione will hunt for the knockout this Sunday (Jan. 17, 2016) at UFC Fight Night 81 inside TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

After putting together a stellar 17-1-1 record across his first 19 professional fights, Browne has fallen on hard times. He’s been brutally beaten in two of his last three fights, making it vital for him to be victorious this weekend to remain near the top of the division.

On the other hand, Mitrione simply keeps coming up short in important fights. He manages to build some momentum, but Mitrione is still without the signature victory that could make him a contender.

Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for both combatants:

Travis Browne
Record: 17-3-1
Key Wins: Josh Barnett (UFC 168), Alistair Overeem (UFC Fight Night 26), Brendan Schaub (UFC 181)
Key Losses: Fabricio Werdum (UFC on FOX 5), Andrei Arlovski (UFC 187), Antonio Silva (UFC on FX 5)
Keys to Victory: Browne is one of the largest and most powerful men in the division, which has allowed him to knockout the large majority of his opponents. He’s also a capable wrestler and grappler, though he rarely relies on those skills.

In this bout, Browne needs to put a major focus on distance. Mitrione seems have more fluid movement and is the better technical striker, so Browne needs to take full advantage of his reach advantage to nullify that.

Basically, Browne needs to be all the way out or all the way. On the outside, Browne is the superior kicker and could potentially counter Mitrione as he comes in, a skill he showed opposite Brendan Schaub.

If Mitrione is particularly aggressive in his attempts to close the distance, Browne should look for the takedown. He’s won via submission before and defended himself well against Werdum, whereas his opponent has shown zero ability to defend or apply submissions.

It’s a massive advantage for Browne, and he’d be a fool not to at least try and use it.

VS.

Matt Mitrione
Record: 9-4
Key Wins: Gabriel Gonzaga (UFC on FOX 13), Derrick Lewis (UFC Fight Night 50), Shawn Jordan (TUF “China” Finale)
Key Losses: Ben Rothwell (UFC Fight Night 68), Brendan Schaub (UFC 165), Roy Nelson (TUF 16 Finale)
Keys to Victory: A former professional football player, Mitrione is one of the most naturally talented Heavyweights in the sport. That talent has manifested itself in the form of eight knockout victories, as Mitrione has quickly grasped the concept of distance and knows how to sneak big punches into his opponents’ jaws.

For Mitrione, this bout is all about avoiding those pesky mistakes. Mitrione looked fantastic opposite Rothwell, at least until he decided to look for an incredibly unnecessary takedown and was insta-tapped.

Play to your strengths, “Meathead.”

Browne’s athleticism is rarely matched, and he’s proven to struggle when forced to rely on his actual kickboxing technique. If Mitrione can turn this fight into a kickboxing battle — which shouldn’t be all that hard, considering Browne’s love of brawling — he has a significant edge.

Unless, of course, he makes an inexplicable tactical error halfway through the fight.

Bottom Line: This is an important bout for both men … and it should end with a bang.

Browne needs this win. There’s been a lot of talk about Browne lately, but none of it has been thanks to his fighting ability. If Browne wants to be considered a serious contender in 2016, he absolutely must win this fight.

Otherwise, he’ll be outside of the title mix and need a real win streak to get back in.

Meanwhile, Mitrione is still outside the Top 10 despite his considerable athletic ability. His lack of grappling and fight IQ are obstacles for Mitrione, but he still has the ability to defeat many of the men ranked above him.

But, he needs to prove it here.

With a win, Mitrione’s ranking should jump up, and he’ll be in good position to work toward a title shot. If, however, he comes up short once more, UFC may stop giving him opportunities to advance up the ladder.

At UFC Fight Night 81, Travis Browne and Matt Mitrione will slug it out. Which fighter will have his hand raised?