Middleweight bout: Scott Smith vs. Cung Le
Odds: (+260 Smith /-340 Le )
The second match of the evening is a compelling rematch between former champion Cung Le and powerful, iron-chinned slugger Scott Smith. Their first meeting was a one-sided destruction for the majority of the fight, with Le putting on a striking clinic for the first two and a half rounds. Smith hung in there, though, and eventually caught Le with a huge shot for the win. Will lightning strike twice, or will Le finish what he starts this time?
Scott Smith is, far and away, one of the toughest men on the planet. He comes by his “Hands of Steel” nickname honestly, because his punches pack a wallop. He could just as easily be called “Chin of Steel”, though, because his ability to absorb punishment and keep coming forward is pretty much unrivaled in the entire sport. He doesn’t have much in the way of a ground game, and he is not the most technical fighter in the world, but his combination of spectacular punching power, toughness, and a never-say-die attitude make him an extremely formidable opponent.
Cung Le is also a dominant striker. He lacks the kind of one-punch power that Smith has, but he is a much quicker and more technical striker who can put together ruthless combos with both punches and kicks. He also has pretty solid takedowns, although his game once it hits the ground is not excellent. The interesting question coming into this rematch is whether he will be inspired by the fact that he lambasted Smith for the huge majority of their fight, or whether he will be more cautious due to eventually getting knocked out.
Despite Smith’s win, Le proved in the last fight that he is easily the superior striker, technically. Smith has the kind of power that can end any fight at any second, and he proved it last time, but I just don’t think he can survive the kind of beating he took last time and make it out with another win. I expect Le to overwhelm him again, but this time to take advantage of his openings to pile it on for a referee stoppage. Le by TKO.
Prediction: Cung Le takes the rematch via second round T/KO.