UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann Preview & Picks
After a controversial card last Saturday that featured a draw in the main event and an illegal knee in the other top fight, the UFC hopes to make amends with a freebie on Versus this Thursday. Welterweight contenders Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann meet in the main event.
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UFC on Versus
Promotion – UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann
Date – March 3, 2011
Time – 9PM ET/6PM PM Venue – Louisville, Kentucky
Broadcast – Versus Network
Betting: Bet on UFC
Let’s make a pick for that bout and another intriguing matchup on the fight card.
Diego Sanchez (22-4) vs Martin Kampmann (17-4)
UFC odds: Sanchez +125, Kampmann -155
Maybe the Diego Sanchez-at-welterweight experiment isn’t a disaster after all. Once he moved up from 155 to 170 pounds, I for one wrote him off. While he was a well-rounded and hard-working fighter, I figured he was too small. In his return to 170 pounds against John Hathaway, Sanchez was horribly overmatched; his reach disadvantage killed him.
But then Sanchez blew us away. He dominated Paulo Thiago, a bigger fighter with heavy hands. So Sanchez suddenly looks like a dangerous guy at 170. He’s strong despite his stocky frame and poses a legit threat to Martin Kampmann.
That doesn’t mean Kampmann shouldn’t be favored. This guy is good. Good enough that he should be 18-3, not 19-4, as most fight fans out there believe he beat Jake Shields. Kampmann is a tough matchup for anyone at 170 because he’s strong in every facet of the game. He’s an accomplished kickboxer and thus an elite striker; he’s also very underrated on the ground, with six submission victories.
I know Sanchez looked great against Thiago – but Kampmann dominated Thiago just as much if not more. Sanchez is an extremely hard worker, very fast and a “hustle” guy but I just don’t think he’s better than Kampmann anywhere. While the two fighters actually have the same listed reach, I see Kampmann using his longer frame to set up kicks and keep Sanchez at bay. Should be a hard-fought affair but I like the Dane. 
Pick: Kampmann -155
Mark Munoz (9-2) vs C.B. Dollaway (11-2)
UFC odds: Munoz -190, Dollaway +155
This is an intriguing matchup of clashing styles between two up-and-coming middleweights. Mark Munoz has been a big hit since dropping down from 205. He’s used his wrestling and absolutely devastating ground-and-pound to go 4-1 at 185 pounds, his only loss coming in a close battle with the wily vet Yushin Okami.
C.B. Dollaway is a wrestler with the ability to pull off the odd spectacular submission. However, I don’t think he matches up well with Munoz. Dollaway, like Munoz, is a collegiate wrestler but Munoz seems to have the bigger frame as a former light heavyweight. I think he’s more likely to push Dollaway around than vise-versa.
Though Dollaway’s submissions are dangerous, Munoz has grappled with good submission guys like Kendall Grove and Ryan Jensen before and hasn’t had too much trouble. Munoz also has the heavier hands.
It may not be pretty but I see Munoz grinding out a win, maybe via ground-and-pound TKO.
Pick: Munoz -190
UFC On Versus 3: OFFICIAL FIGHT CARD
Main Event:
Welterweight Bout: Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez
Main Card
Middleweight Bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz
Middleweight Bout: Alessio Sakara vs. Chris Weidman
Bantamweight Bout: Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page
Preliminary Card
Lightweight Bout: Danny Castillo vs. Joe Stevenson
Light Heavyweight Bout: Cyrille Diabate vs. Steve Cantwell
Lightweight Bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Shane Roller
Middleweight Bout: Rob Kimmons and Dongi Yang
Light Heavyweight Bout: Todd Brown vs. Igor Pokrajac
Bantamweight Bout:Takeya Mizugaki vs. Reuben Duran
Middleweight Bout: Dave Branch vs. Rousimar Palhares
