Cain Velasquez and Travis Browne will square off this Saturday (July 9, 2016) at UFC 200 inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a match up of Heavyweights looking to earn a title shot, what adjustments must be made for either man to claim victory? Find out below!
Top-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight contenders Cain Velasquez and Travis Browne will throw down this Saturday (July 9, 2016) at UFC 200 inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The last few years have been rough for Velasquez. Between losing out on opportunities because of injuries and losing his title to Fabricio Werdum, Velasquez hasn’t actually won a fight since 2013.
Browne hasn’t exactly been lighting the world on fire, either. He’s alternated wins and losses in his last four bouts, but this is a major opportunity for him to insert himself into the title picture.
Let’s take a look at the keys to victory for both men:
Cain Velasquez
Record: 13-2
Key Wins: Junior dos Santos (UFC 155, UFC 166) Brock Lesnar (UFC 121), Antonio Silva (UFC 160, UFC 144)
Key Losses: Fabricio Werdum (UFC 188), Junior dos Santos (UFC on FOX 1)
Keys to Victory: Velasquez is a dominating wrestler and pressure fighter. Best known for his incredible cardio, the former champion pushes an intense pace and breaks down his opponents.
Against the lanky Browne who loves to work from the outside, that’s the obvious game plan here.
A big part of this bout will come down to how worn out Velasquez’s body is. He’s been noticeable less explosive in recent bouts because of his series of injuries, and if that leaves him slower and tired quickly, he’s in for a very rough night against Browne.
Assuming that Velasquez is still reasonably close to his prime form, this should be a very favorable style match up for him. Velasquez knows how to close the distance quickly and work his opponent over from the clinch, against the fence, and on the mat. If he employs his usual gameplan, it should be very helpful in nullifying Browne’s explosiveness and length.
There is one caveat: Velasquez has spent time in the past dropping down and grinding for the takedown, which would be inadvisable against Browne. His opponent’s elbows against opponents in on his hips are devastating, and Velasquez needs to take precautions.
VS.
Travis Browne
Record: 18-3-1
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 an extremely athletic fighter, large Heavyweight and reasonably well-rounded martial artist. He definitely excels at kickboxing from the outside, but Browne’s wrestling and grappling have proven to be pretty solid in the past.
That will be important here.
Browne’s move to Glendale Fighting Club saw a lot of criticism — and not without reason — but it did improve his counter punching. Opposite Velasquez, who’s guilty of pushing forward without moving his head, boxing on his back foot could win him the fight.
To knockout the former champion, Browne has to make him uncomfortable with long kicks up the middle and punches. Velasquez is an aggressive fighter, so if he’s getting touched on the outside, it won’t be long before he charges.
Once that happens, it’s Browne’s chance to capitalize. Browne hits damn hard, and his counter punching game is good enough to land at least a couple shots. If those don’t finish the job, they may be enough to make Velasquez shoot an ugly takedown directly into some elbows.
Bottom Line: This is potentially a title eliminator bout.
Velasquez really needs to get back into the win column. Injuries cost him a rematch with Werdum, and a loss here would slip him further from the title. If he can’t get past Browne, Velasquez would likely be on the outside looking in at the title mix.
Quite a fall from grace.
Alternatively, Browne is still a fairly high-ranked Heavyweight and quality win. Should Velasquez beat up his opponent and look good doing it, he’s got a decent argument to challenge for the strap. At worst, he’s one more good win away from a title shot.
Similarly, this is a high stakes bout for “Hapa” as well. A loss doesn’t end his title hopes permanently, but it would leave him a significant distance from contention. For a man who consecutively knocked out both Alistair Overeem and Josh Barnett, that has to be a disappointing skid.
On the other hand, it could be the biggest win of his career. Velasquez just recently lost the title and has only ever been beaten by champions. If Browne can add himself to that short list, he’s not far off from fighting for the strap.
At UFC 200, Cain Velasquez and Travis Browne will open the main card in a Heavyweight clash. Which man will have his hand raised?