UFC Fight Night 35 Preview: T.J. Dillashaw vs. Mike Easton

Previews

UFC Fight Night 35, highlighted by Luke Rockhold vs. Costas Philippou, brings the UFC back to Georgia and the middle of the week for a Wednesday fight night. Bantamweight contenders T.J. Dillashaw and Mike Easton will look to bounce back from recent setbacks when they clash on the main card. Both of these guys need a win, as Easton is in a two fight slump, last seen losing a split decision victory to Brad Pickett, while Dillashaw also lost a split decision to Raphael Assuncao.

Fighter Summary

T.J. Dillashaw (8-2 overall, 4-2 UFC)

Strengths: Well rounded, toughness, conditioning

Weaknesses: Lacks elite grappling

Mike Easton (13-3 overall, 3-2 UFC)

Strengths: Explosive, powerful striking, clinch game

Weaknesses: Grappling

Fight Breakdown – These are two of the harder hitting bantamweights who rely primarily on their striking and stand up game to win fights. Easton, appropriately nicknamed “The Hulk”, is an explosive striker with good power in his hands. He was looking like a serious contender last year until he ran into Assuncao, coincidentally the last guy to beat Dillashaw as well.

Easton will look to keep his distance from Dillashaw and time his punches to catch Dillashaw at a good moment. He doesn’t mind throwing body shots just as much as head shots, as long as he connects solidly. The only problem with that is, Dillashaw is a great striker. It’s no secret Team Alpha Male got a little revitalized with the addition of Duane Ludwig as a coach, and Dillashaw, along with the other members, was a clear beneficiary. He’s no slouch in the striking department and if both guys are willing to stick to the stand-up, it’s going to be a chess match until one guy shows he has the advantage.

Really, this fight is going to be about speed and movement. Both of these guys are quick and move well, and that’s going to be key in both setting up and avoiding strikes. Easton has to watch out for the kicks of Dillashaw, who has powerful kicks from both sides. He’s got a great outside leg kick and a Vitor Belfort-like head kick, which he threw at Issei Tamura a few times and eventually caught him with. Dillashaw has to set it up a bit better, but that head kick is more than enough to stun and finish Easton.

Dillashaw will have to be wary of Easton’s hands more than anything. Easton has a ton of potential but tends to focus more on his hands and landing brutal shots wherever he can. Come fight night, we’ll see if he varies his striking and he will certainly have to against a guy as good as Dillashaw. If Easton tries to make this a boxing match, he’s going to have to reach into his bag of tricks because Dillashaw has a wide ranging skill set.

Whoever gets the upper hand in the striking department will undoubtedly try to keep it standing, so it will be up to the other fighter to try a different approach. Between the two, Dillashaw is more likely to shoot for and earn takedowns, and he’s a very good grinder if it comes to that. He’s a got solid clinch game and doesn’t mind getting dirty against the cage. Easton will most likely try to keep Dillashaw off of him to implement his striking, so if we see a lot of action against the cage, it’s probably going to be initiated by Dillashaw and avoided by Easton. But Easton is not afraid to tangle and fight close up, and Dillashaw has to be wary of Easton’s knees, which could quickly take a toll on Dillashaw if Easton lands them with success.

Key to Victory: Who has the better clinch game?

These guys will be very even in the stand up. They’ll end up trading shots all night, until one of them lands a big blow that really throws the other guy off. They’re both tough and durable and have great conditioning, so really, it may boil down to one of them taking control of the other against the cage. Dillashaw has shown he can control the action by doing that, and so has Easton, so it’s going to be a key aspect of the fight. Striking is just one part of the battle and if they’re even in that, it will have to be something else. Whoever can establish control in the clinch is very likely to win the fight.

Why It Matters – First off, they both lost in their last fights and Easton lost his last two. That automatically makes this fight more critical for both guys. Easton is barely above .500 in the UFC. For how good he is and how close his last fight with Brad Pickett was, it won’t matter if he can’t notch some victories. Dillashaw would be a nice name to add to his victim list. Dillashaw has more breathing room, but he hasn’t been able to beat the very best guys. His two losses came to John Dodson and Raphael Assuncao, while he has looked like a world-beater against lesser competition. Easton is a very winnable fight for him and someone he has to beat to develop and progress as a fighter.

Second, Dillashaw and Easton are #6 and #7 in the Bantamweight division, respectively. Even with their recent losses, the Bantamweight division just isn’t that deep and there aren’t many guys ahead of them in line. Out of those that are, three of them have already lost to champion Renan Barao decisively, with Urijah Faber getting another shot after Dominick Cruz bowed out with yet another injury.

So a win here puts them right on the fringe of that group, with maybe one or two more wins leading to a title shot, crazy as that sounds. Neither of these guys really seems ready to be a title contender, but with the lack of legitimate opponents for Renan Barao (as long as he remains champion), it could happen for either guy. But they need a win here first and that’s all that will be on their minds. Dillashaw is just a bit too crafty and capable to stand still and absorb whatever damage Easton is putting out. It will be enough to win him the fight.

Prediction – Dillashaw

Dan is a new addition to the InsideFights team. When not teaching at the local college during his day job, he likes to ride his fixed gear bicycle around town. Given the choice, he'd rather bike than drive any day (ride on!). He also enjoys trying new craft beers and vegetarian/vegan foods, playing guitar, writing fiction and of course, catching up on all things MMA. Dan currently lives in Los Angeles with his awesome wife.