As the last person to defeat the current interim UFC Welterweight champion, Martin Kampmann surprisingly gets little attention in a division crowded with exciting stars. This is mostly due to a string of bad luck in his recent bouts.
Headlining this Friday’s UFC on FX 2 opposite former top contender Thiago Alves, “Hitman” will look to solidify his status in the division and add his name to the list of top contenders. But questions still remain as to whether he is even a viable, top tier welterweight.
An easy way to determine his ranking would be to simply review his record, a respectable 18-5 mark filled with big wins over Paulo Thiago, Thales Leites, Jorge Rivera and the previously mentioned Carlos Condit. But his losses to Paul Daley, Nate Marquardt and most recently Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez, has made some analysts think Kampmann is nothing more than a gatekeeper or a mid-level fighter.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Delving deeper, Kampmann could realistically be on a five fight win streak, as both his losses to Shields and Sanchez were highly controversial. Especially in the Sanchez fight, “Hitman” was the more technical striker and produced more damage, two key elements of his game that have been integral to his success, but aspects that the judges often overlook.
In order to get these big wins, Kampmann has to start finishing these higher profile fighters. And that’s the big question: Does he have the ability to put away big-name stars?
In terms of pure ability, Kampmann is on-par with almost anyone in the division with his technical kickboxing skills as well as an underrated ground game. But as fight fans know, accomplishments overshadow ability every time.
MMA is all about “what have you done for me lately”, and besides a decision win over Rick Story at UFC 139, Kampmann really has nothing to show for his efforts. Sure, the blame can be rightfully placed on the judges for the Sanchez and Shields bouts, but at some point, a fighter has to take his destiny into his own hands or else risk being left in the dust.
Against Alves, Kampmann will have a tough test on the feet as “the Pitbull” brings both heavy hands and a tight technical striking game to the table. If Kampmann wants to make that leap into the upper echelon of the division, he has to do more than out point Alves, he has to finish him.
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