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UFC Prague breakdown: Who takes tight one between Thiago ‘Marreta’ Santos and Jan Blachowicz?

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MMAjunkie Radio co-host and MMAjunkie contributor Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC on ESPN+ 3.

UFC on ESPN+ 3 takes place Saturday at O2 arena in Prague, Czech Republic. The entire card streams on ESPN+.

Jan Blachowicz (23-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC)

Staple info:

  • Height: 6’2″ Age: 35 Weight: 205 lbs. Reach: 78″
  • Last fight: Submission win over Nikita Krylov (Sept. 9, 2018)
  • Camp: WCA Fight Team (Poland)
  • Stance/striking style: Orthodox/Muay Thai
  • Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

+ KSW light heavyweight title
+ Muay Thai accolades
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 5 KO victories
+ 9 submission wins
+ 6 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Serviceable jab
+ Dangerous uppercuts and hooks
+ Will switch stances
^ Favors liver kicks from southpaw
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Strikes well off the breaks
+ Improved wrestling ability
+ Solid transitional grappler
^ Submission savvy from top or bottom

Thiago Santos (20-6 MMA, 12-5 UFC)

Staple info:

  • Height: 6’4″ Age: 35 Weight: 205 lbs. Reach: 76″
  • Last fight: KO win over Jimi Manuwa(Dec. 8, 2018)
  • Camp: American Top Team (Florida)
  • Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
  • Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:

+ Muay Thai titles
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt
+ Capoeira green rope
+ 13 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 8 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Good footwork and movement
^ Will switch stances
+ Fast hand speed
^ Dangerous hooks and uppercuts
+ Devastating kicks
+ Strong inside the clinch
+ Improved overall grappling
^ Wrestling, transitions, fundamentals

Point of interest: The cost of entering chaos

The main event in Prague features a fun matchup between two offense-friendly light heavyweights.

Thiago “Marreta” Santos, who has been on a whirlwind tour of violence, will make his ninth official appearance on the UFC stage in just over the past two years.

A dynamic striker by nature, Santos can hit as heavy as the hammer tattooed on his chest suggests. With a background in capoeira, the Brazilian’s base shines through in his athletic movement. Almost shuffling laterally, Santos will smoothly switch his stances, fighting equally effective from either side.

Traditionally favoring his patented left Thai kick from the southpaw stance, Santos will also indiscriminately spin or attack legs with vigor in an effort to mix things up. However, since moving up to 205 pounds, Santos has been more prone to squeezing the trigger more frequently – unloading offense as if an excited eight-year-old is spamming commands behind a video game controller.

But with wild, free-flowing attacks (as fun as they may be to watch) existing on a street that goes both ways, Santos cannot afford to sleep on what could be potentially coming back at him.

Enter Jan Blachowicz.

Despite stepping onto the UFC scene as a persistent stalker who could come forward in combination with shifting liver kicks from the southpaw stance, Blachowiciz has developed into deceptively effective counter striker when he wants to be. In the heat of combat, the Pole packs a mean uppercut-hook return that he keeps on a hair-trigger, something he was able to show against both Jared Cannonier and Jimi Manuwa.

Blachowicz also employs a stiff and serviceable jab that he quietly uses to string together his offense, which may help him stave off the aggression coming his way. That said, it could also cost him should Santos decide to try and time the Polish fighter over the top.

Regardless who you give an edge to standing, these lines can quickly be blurred if chaos is allowed to culminate between these two.

Next point of interest: Potential ground action

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