The UFC on Fuel TV 9 card will see a few fighters take a big step forward in their careers.
The free event being broadcast from Stockholm may not be the most talked-about event in UFC history, but winning only leads to bigger and better things. Placement on bigger and better cards is all about making the most of your opportunities, and that’s just what the fighters on this card will look to do.
From well-known veterans looking to rise to new heights to relative unknowns making their UFC debut, this card features a ton of fighters with a lot to gain on Saturday.
Here’s a look at three fighters that should make big statements in Stockholm.
Robbie Peralta
Poor Peralta has been buried on the Facebook prelims in every one of his three UFC fights. He’s also gone 2-0 with one no-contest in those three fights.
His last fight, a win over Jason Young, lasted just 23 seconds, as Peralta’s devastating power was on full display. This time around Peralta finally gets the main card treatment against an opponent that fans are at least a little familiar with. He’ll take on former The Ultimate Fighter contestant Akira Corassani.
Corassani won his UFC debut at UFC on Fuel TV 5 against Andy Ogle, but he didn’t look nearly as dominant as Peralta has.
Expect Peralta to make a case to remain on the televised portion of cards with an impressive finish.
Ryan Couture
Ryan Couture is going to have to put together a pretty nice career to get out of his father’s (Randy Couture) shadow. A win in his debut against Ross Pearson would be a good start.
Couture enters the fight as a sizable underdog (plus-300, according to Bovada), but he has the tools to win the fight.
Pearson is a grizzled veteran in the organization. He’s fought in the UFC since 2009 and is coming off of a great performance against George Sotiropoulos. However, he’s struggled to put things together in back-to-back fights. He’s alternated wins and losses in his past six bouts.
That isn’t to say that Couture is going to win just because that’s been the pattern. But it’s worth pointing out that Pearson has a penchant for being a little inconsistent and Couture went 6-1 in his time at Strikeforce.
If Couture pulls off the upset of the night, there’s no doubt the UFC will be ready to capitalize on his name.
Marcus Brimage
Brimage takes on UFC newcomer Conor McGregor in the best matchup of the Facebook prelims.
If Brimage has shown anything in his brief UFC career, it’s that he knows how to stop a hype train. McGregor has an impressive track record in Europe. He’s earned 11 of his 12 wins by knockout and comes into the fight with an eight-fight win streak. There’s a fair amount of buzz over his debut.
That buzz won’t bother Brimage. He took on lauded international prospect Maximo Blanco in his last fight and came out victorious. Before that, he ruined the momentum that Jimy Hettes had after upsetting Nam Phan.
If Brimage can beat another dangerous opponent in impressive fashion, it’ll be time for him to step up in competition.
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