Takanori Gomi and Joe Lauzon will face off in a lightweight contest at UFC on Fox 16, according to a Thursday report from MMAJunkie.com.
It will be hard punches and sharp submission attempts as two of the 155-pound division’s most dedicated finishers—both of whom need a win, by the way—do bloody battle in Chicago’s United Center. In an emerging trend for the card, Lauzon vs. Gomi is the fourth lightweight fight to be announced so far for the card.
Joe Lauzon vs. Takanori Gomi is the fight dreams are made of. Thank you Gods of War for this undeserved gift.
— Shawn W. Smith (@shawn_w_smith) April 23, 2015
The 30-year-old Lauzon (24-10) is known for his bloody, strong-headed striking exchanges and spidery jiu-jitsu chops. All told, the Massachusetts native has ended a pro fight before the final horn sounded 17 times. Five of those wins came by knockout, and 18 came by submission, with one decision win. He had a two-fight win streak coming into 2015, but the new year was unkind, and Lauzon lost to Al Iaquinta.
Gomi, a hero of Japanese MMA during that nation’s halcyon days with the Pride promotion, now has 36 years and 46 pro fights on his odometer. He has racked up a 35-10-1 record and a Pride Lightweight Grand Prix in his time, but he’s come on harder times since entering the UFC, where he’s now 4-5, his fifth loss also being his most recent when he was knocked out in 92 seconds by Myles Jury.
Both men go for the throat, especially when they need the win. Though Lauzon would have an edge in the grappling phase, his punches, kicks and clinch knees may be able to smother or return open fire if Gomi chooses to box in the middle of the Octagon.
Either way, it will be an interesting fight on an interesting card made all the more interesting by the fact that now, as of this addition, four of its six announced bouts are at lightweight. In news announced April 22, two new lightweight bouts—Rustam Khabilov vs. Danny Castillo and Ramsey Nijem vs. Erik Koch—were also added, according to Damon Martin of Fox Sports.
The main fight as it stands is a bantamweight title rematch between TJ Dillashaw and Renan Barao.
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