Struve Intent on Utilizing Reach Advantage

Stefan Struve (right) stands 6-foot-11 and wields an 83-inch reach. | Photo: Dave Mandel

In the best of times, the 6-foot-11 Team Schrijber representative’s 83-inch reach can vex his opponents. When things do not go well, it is often because the 23-year-old did not fully utilize his physical assets. That is what Struve believes happened in his most recent Octagon appearance -- a knockout loss to Travis Browne via Superman punch at UFC 130.

“The last fight I made a stupid mistake of coming in with a knee strike when he was coming in for that punch. I should have used my reach in a better way,” he said during a pre-fight teleconference. “We’ve been working on that, and I’ve improved a lot. I’m always working to get better ... and just trying to use my reach the way I should. I think I’m really starting to pick it up.”

The Dutchman takes on kickboxing ace Pat Barry in the co-main event of UFC Live 6 on Saturday. The card goes down at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., and is headlined by a bantamweight title contest between champion Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson. The event will be televised on the Versus network.

Barry has lost two of his last three bouts, most recently getting knocked out by Cheick Kongo after dazing the Frenchman early in their UFC Live 4 tussle. Prior to that, he took a unanimous decision over Joey Beltran at UFC “Fight for the Troops 2” in February. At 5-foot-11, Barry is one of the promotion’s shorter heavyweights and will be dwarfed by the towering Struve. The fighter known as “Skyscraper” is well aware of the height disparity.

“Of course, I’m a lot taller than he is and I plan on using the reach and, on the outside, taking him apart,” Struve said. “I think if I use my reach in the right way it’s a big advantage for me.”

When Struve has gone down, it has been early, as all five of his career losses have come inside of a round. In the UFC, that includes the aforementioned bout with Browne, as well as first-round technical knockout losses to “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 winner Roy Nelson and current No. 1 contender Junior dos Santos.

Leading up to their showdown, Struve and Barry have engaged in some playful trash talk. Struve says he does not mind the back-and-forth banter when it comes from someone he knows. It was a different story than when Sean McCorkle attempted to get under his skin prior to their UFC 124 meeting.

“When McCorkle started talking trash on Twitter, I didn’t know the guy,” Struve said. “This time, me and Pat [have known] each other for two and a half years, and we’ve always been cool with each other. This isn’t trash talk; [it’s] more of hyping up the fight and getting the fans engaged. This is gonna be real cool.”