The UFC card scheduled for Stockholm, Sweden on January 24th has added a Light Heavyweight bout to the main card featuring Ryan Bader taking on Phil Davis. Both men are in the top 10 of the weight class, with Bader (18-4) being ranked #7 and Davis (13-2) ranked #5. When the line hits the sport books, look for Davis to be favored in the fight.
Bader has put together a three-fight winning streak, as he has used his wrestler base to win UDs in each of those outings. In September of 2013 he lost to Glover Teixeira in a bout that propelled Teixeira into a title shot. Davis had a similar setback this last April, when he was outgunned by Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson. Since then however, he bounced back with a good win over Glover Teixeira on the main card of UFC 179 in Brazil.
If Teixeira is to be the measuring stick, then on that alone Davis will be favored in this fight. Bader has had a long career in the UFC already, going (11-4) overall, but he has failed to win several break through matches (Teixeira, Lyoto Machida) in the past. Not only does Davis have a win over Teixeira to his credit, he also has defeated Machida, who Bader failed to beat when the met back in August of 2012.
Davis has had two losses, to Johnson and to Rashad Evans and both came against better wrestlers. If this bout stays standing it could be close to a pick ’em fight, as both men are adding stand up to wrestling bases, so it is a difficult read to know who is further along in that department. A stand up fight may benefit Bader however, as the common thinking is that Davis will be a better wrestler heading into the fight and should be able to control the action if they tie up. As far as wrestling goes, Bader may have a better chance of gaining position in the early going, as Davis has an efficient style that preserves energy, while Bader has tied at the end of fights. In terms of the over under, this bout is almost a certainty to go the distance as both men have gone the full 15 minutes in each of their last three outings.
Countdown to UFC 179 focuses on his bout with Glover Teixeira down in Brazil, a bout he won. Meet Phil Davis:
