Part of the stacked main card at UFC 171 includes a great matchup that marks the return of Diego Sanchez after his epic war with Gilbert Melendez in what was one of the best fights of last year. Sanchez meets Myles Jury, the undefeated and rising prospect who is now 4-0 in the UFC. Sanchez will be looking to get back into the win column while handing Jury his first loss, while Jury will look to emerge the victor in the biggest fight of his career thus far.
Fighter Summary
Myles Jury (13-0 overall, 4-0 UFC)
Strengths: Good grinder, well rounded, no big holes in game
Weaknesses: Can be a bit boring at times
Diego Sanchez (24-6 overall, 13-6 UFC)
Strengths: Iron chin and toughness, no quit, hard puncher
Weaknesses: Tendency to brawl it out
Fight Breakdown – Diego Sanchez is one of those guys that doesn’t really know how to fight moving backwards. That’s a double-edged blade because sometimes it works in his favor and much of the time it doesn’t. He takes a ton of punishment in order to touch guys up and against elite fighters he’s ended up the worse for wear. But it sure as hell has made for some entertaining moments.
Sanchez will likely come out the aggressor. He’s got a ton of aggression and fights without fear, and he also has a nice grappling game and the takedown defense to keep his feet, so he can afford to focus on punching Jury’s lights out without being overcautious of his takedown attempts.
Jury will want no part of Sanchez in the stand up, at least not on Sanchez’ terms. Jury might be able to hang enough to stick and move, and he definitely wants to do that to keep Sanchez away to avoid serious danger. But if he starts to play Sanchez’ game and shows a willingness to stand in the pocket and trade with him, we’ll probably see a big finish for “The Dream”.
What Jury is more likely to do is draw Sanchez in and set up an opportunistic takedown. The safest way to beat Diego Sanchez is to take his brutal and explosive striking away. Unless you’ve got a stand up game that is clearly superior to his, it’s best to avoid the risk of tangling with him. Jury is great at playing to opponents’ weaknesses and you can bet he’ll fight smart and stay out of harm’s way. Another weakness of Sanchez is once his opponent has him figured out, it’s much harder for Sanchez to regroup and take a different approach.
So Sanchez absolutely cannot get too predictable. It’s no secret what he’s going to try and do initially. Come after the guy, land some shots and turn this thing into a brawl. But if there are other opportunities, Sanchez shouldn’t be hesitant to pursue them. He has an under-appreciated grappling game that we haven’t seen so much in light of his preference to exchange on the feet. It wouldn’t be a shocker to see Sanchez set up a submission, but it would be a break from the norm.
Jury will also have to worry about Sanchez’ motor. The guy is going to keep coming and will fight at 100mph from the opening ding to the final horn. Much like fighting a guy like Nick Diaz or Cain Velasquez, there’s just no room to rest during the fight. Some guys simply get overwhelmed and Sanchez is one of those fighters that wants to finish all the time. He will be by far the hardest test of Jury’s career, while Sanchez has fought hall of famers and some of the best fighters in MMA today.
Key to Victory: Can Sanchez keep his cool?
Sanchez is entirely capable of beating Jury in the stand up, and also keeping Jury off of him and staying on his feet. The question is: will he? As stated, Sanchez has a tendency to brawl with guys, to urge them to stand and fight without using strategy or tactics. That would work if you’re standing across from Nick Diaz. But cerebral fighters with poise, like Jury, won’t buy into those bullying tactics and will stick to their game plan. That means Sanchez will have to stick to his. If Jury gets the upper hand in any facet of the match, it will be on Sanchez, the proven veteran, to mix things up and find a way to come out with the victory.
Why It Matters – Diego Sanchez is fighting again. That alone is sure to bring a lot of attention to this fight and the entire card. His performance and the magic that he and Gil Melendez created in their epic bout cannot be overstated. The guy has proven to be an absolute warrior and is featured on both sides of some of the bloodiest bouts in UFC history. His fight against Melendez undoubtedly earned him even more fans and what was so captivating was that Sanchez had a chance to win that fight. Melendez is regarded as one of the best lightweights in the world, so there is some pressure on Sanchez here to perform at a high level.
Sanchez is also ranked outside of the top ten in the lightweight division, but he just fought the #2 guy in Melendez. Any chance at moving higher up the ladder will start with thrashing Jury, who is essentially being given a shot at someone of note, even though he already beat #10 Michael Johnson recently. The UFC is essentially telling Jury that they think he’s ready for someone like Sanchez and if he gets the win, he’ll get a crack at top ten status soon thereafter.
Jury is the newcomer here, with only four fights in the UFC. He’s got a 13-0 record and could elevate his status with a win over someone like Diego Sanchez. His resume would look very strong with the list of contenders he has beaten. 14-0, 5-0 in the UFC and only 25 years old. A lot of people would point out those kinds of numbers as someone headed for a title shot.
Sanchez has a chance to put all that on hold for a while. He’s doing the favor here by fighting Jury and doesn’t gain a ton by winning. He can hand Jury his first loss, and get back into the win column, and then the sky is the limit for Sanchez after seeing what he could do against Melendez. He has to get past Jury first though and he probably will.
Prediction – Sanchez
