UFC 145 Preview: The Main Card

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Lightweights
Mark Bocek (10-4, 6-4 UFC) vs. John Alessio (34-14, 0-3 UFC)

The Matchup: Against top-tier competition -- Frankie Edgar, Jim Miller, Benson Henderson -- Bocek has fallen short, but he remains a solid competitor who can make life difficult for most anyone else in the lightweight division, as he illustrated by ending the 15-fight winning streak of Nik Lentz using takedowns and solid ground-and-pound last December.

Bocek isn’t going to overwhelm you with his striking, but he is a dangerous submission wrestler who has earned seven of his 10 career victories via tapout. The Tristar Gym product has good stamina and wears down his foes by outpositioning them on the floor. He is smart when fighting from his back, putting his defensive-minded guard to good use.

Alessio, who stepped in after Matt Wiman withdrew due to a knee injury, is a three-time UFC veteran who has won 10 of his last 11 bouts. The Xtreme Couture product has not set foot in the Octagon since 2006, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Thiago Alves. A longtime competitor at welterweight, Alessio made his first appearance at 155 pounds this past November.

The 32-year-old employs an opportunistic ground game himself, but he figures to have an edge on the feet against Bocek, who prefers to work his Brazilian jiu-jitsu from top position. Alessio has not faced anyone of Bocek’s caliber since dropping to lightweight, so his stamina could be in question as the bout moves into its later stages.

The Pick: Alessio is a crafty veteran who has been around the fight game for a while. He’ll make things interesting, but Bocek will hold on for a narrow decision verdict.

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