UFC Fight Night ‘Henderson vs. Khabilov’ Preview

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Lightweights

Rafael dos Anjos (20-7, 9-5 UFC) vs. Jason High (18-4, 2-2 UFC)

The Matchup: Dos Anjos saw his five-fight winning streak come to an end against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC on Fox 11. As well as the Brazilian had blended together his striking, grappling and wrestling during his recent tear, he was simply overwhelmed against the two-time combat sambo world champion.

After back-to-back victories over James Head and Anthony Lapsley, High is moving from welterweight to 155 pounds. Although “HD” could be the more powerful fighter in this matchup, dos Anjos is a serious upgrade in competition from his previous two foes, no matter the weight class. High has generally struggled when he is unable to impose his will through wrestling. He has good speed and athleticism to go with his Division I wrestling background. He can be opportunistic in transitioning to submissions, as he demonstrated when he guillotined Head 1:41 into their UFC Fight Night encounter in August.

Against a well-rounded foe such as dos Anjos, High will need to disguise his shot. A lack of head movement and a tendency to move straight forward when attempting to close the distance could prove to be problematic for High here. Dos Anjos has underrated power and can catch his foe with a counter as he moves forward; and as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, the Kings MMA product is more than equipped to deal with High’s own crafty grappling on the mat.

Overall, dos Anjos is better at landing combinations and kicks in exchanges, and that in turn will better enable him to set up his own explosive shot. Meanwhile, High will have fewer options should he find himself unable to gain top position consistently.

The Pick: Dos Anjos wins by decision or submission.

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