Which prospect will become a legitimate contender?

The main event of UFC Fight Night 88 features a battle between to exciting prospects looking to break into the upper echelons of the Bantamweight division. Thomas Almeida and Cody Garbarndt are two mixed martial artists who prefer dealing with things on the feet which means fans will be treated to a striking match up between two of the sharpest punchers in the Bantamweight class. In a sport where veterans usually lock horns with the young guns, it’s great to see that two talented prospects will have the opportunity to prove who deserves to move forward and who will have to wait until they get their moment in the sun. Thomas Almedia is a striker with a pretty diverse skillset with the ability to end any fight with any one of the eight limbed based attacks of muay thai. So far in his UFC career Almeida has shown killer instinct and a willingness to put on the pressure once he knows he has his opponents hurt. The biggest flaw in his game however is the fact that he’s fairly hittable both entering and exiting exchanges. He’s either pushing straight forward to land his strikes or exiting straight backwards to get out of harms way, two tactics that are likely to get him into trouble in this fight. Almeida will have to cut angles, using his superior kicking ability, and keep Garbrandt guessing in order to pull off the victory. Like his opponent, Cody Garbrandt is undefeated in mixed martial arts competition. Garbrandt possesses some serious and slick boxing skill, fast, accurate, and sharp hands that can put any Bantamweight to sleep. He cuts angles beautifully and is always capable of getting into his opponent’s blind spot in order to exploit openings. Garbrandt also has a strong wrestling game which could be the major difference in the fight. The biggest question that needs to be answered is if Garbrandt is seasoned enough to deal with Almeida’s striking? Almeida has more fights, more experience, and has faced a higher level of opposition during his UFC tenure. Garbrandt will have to be sure to keep the Brazilian guessing with the occassional takedown attempt and failing that should stay in boxing range where his quicker, sharper hands will serve him the best. It’s always hard to pick in a battle of undefeated prospects, but someone’s O has got to go. While Almeida may be extremely talented and hold more experience, his tendency to get clipped in fights is a glaring hole in his game, one that Garbrandt is likely to exploit. Look for an exciting fight while it lasts where Cody Garbrandt will secure a KO victory in the second round. Who do think will be victorious in the UFC Fight Night 88 main event? Follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter. Also, be sure to share, like, and comment to show your support.

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics