UFC Heavyweight bout: Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve
Odds: ( Barry / Struve )
Betting Pick: Barry
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In what has the makings of a very exciting bout, skilled strikers Patrick Barry and Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve will duke it out in the Heavyweight division. Both of these guys have great punching, but Struve also brings a ridiculously long reach and world-class jiu-jitsu to the table while Barry is the tougher, more powerful puncher and has a substantially better chin. If Barry can keep this fight standing, he should be able to wade through Struve’s long reach and batter him on the inside, but Struve will utterly dominate Barry if this fight makes it to the ground, so this should be an exciting and competitive affair.
Patrick Barry is a tough-as-nails slugger with dynamite power in his hands and solid kicks to go along with it. His style is somewhat one-dimensional, and he doesn’t have much in the way of wrestling or a ground game, but he is a powerful striker who can withstand a huge amount of punishment to land his haymakers. Against Struve he will be giving up a tremendous amount of reach, but his chin is very good which should allow him to eat a few shots to close the distance and bully the wiry Dutchman around on the inside. In a purely standup affair, the advantage goes to Barry despite Struve’s sizable reach advantage. The most important thing for Barry is to not let this fight wind up on the ground under any circumstances, because if it does Struve’s hugely superior jiu-jitsu will be the end of him very quickly.
Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve is a skilled Dutch kickboxer who is very worthy of his nickname. A long, rangy, lanky fighter, Struve has very long reach and good striking technique. Unlike many skilled strikers, especially in the Heavyweight division, Struve brings world-class submissions to the table as well. Struve’s long, lanky frame is one of his biggest strengths and also his biggest weaknesses. His height and reach allow him to land shots from far out, but they also make him easily to physically control once guys get inside his range, and he is not a very physically strong fighter at all. Although Struve is a devastating striker, he has a much worse chin than Barry and in a pure kickboxing match he would be playing with fire. His best bet would be to try and force this fight to the ground and work his submission game, but to do that he is going to put himself in peril of eating a power punch and getting put to sleep.
This is a tough fight to call, but I think the edge has to go to Barry. Struve is far better on the ground, but he prefers to use his kickboxing, and Barry throws harder punches and has a better chin. For Struve to secure takedowns he is going to have to overpower a stronger guy with a lower center of gravity or try to get in close to clinch, which plays right into Barry’s strengths. I don’t see Struve being able to keep Barry at bay with his jab well enough to prevent Barry from bullying him around on the inside and working him over with power punches, and eventually Struve won’t be able to handle the damage. Barry by T/KO.
Prediction: Pat Barry via second round T/KO.
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