UFC-Norfolk in-depth breakdown: Stylistic matchups, fight picks, best bets and fantasy studs

MMAjunkie Radio co-host and MMAjunkie contributor Dan Tom provides an in-depth breakdown of all of UFC Fight Night 120’s main-card bouts.

UFC Fight Night 120 takes place Saturday at Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va., and it airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

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Dustin Poirier (21-5-1 MMA, 13-4 UFC)

Dustin Poirier

Staple info:

• Height: 5’9? Age: 28 Weight: 155 lbs. Reach: 73?
• Last fight: No-conest with Eddie Alvarez (May 13, 2017)
• Camp: American Top Team (Florida)
• Stance/striking style: Switch-stance/kickboxing
• Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt
+ 10 KO victories
+ 6 submission wins
+ 12 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Improved overall boxing
^ Cage-cutting, shifting, angles
+ Accurate left cross
^ Dangerous off of the counter
+ Strong inside of the clinch
+ Underrated wrestling ability
+ Excellent transitional grappler
^ Solid submissions and scrambling
+/- Aggressive in exchanges

Anthony Pettis (20-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC)

Anthony Pettis

Staple info:

• Height: 5’10” Age: 30 Weight: 155 lbs. Reach: 72?
• Last fight: Decision win over Jim Miller (July 8, 2017)
• Camp: Roufusport (Milwaukee, WI)
• Stance/striking style: Switch-stance/kickboxing
• Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:
+ Former UFC lightweight champion
+ Taekowndo black belt (3rd degree)
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt
+ 9 KO victories
+ 7 submission wins
+ 12 first-round finishes
+ Good footwork and feints
+ Improved boxing
^ Accurate counter-cross
+ Diverse kicking game
^ Dangerous body attacks
+ Improved wrestling ability
+ Excellent transitional grappler
^ Slick submission setups
+/- 2-1 against UFC southpaws

Summary:

The main event for UFC Fight Night 120 is a potential barnburner between Dustin Poirer and Anthony Pettis.

Comming off of a controversial no-contest with Eddie Alvarez earlier this year, Poirer gets another opportunity against a former champion.

Looking to avoid the role of stepping stone is Pettis, a former kingpin at 155 pound who’s seeking to make a statement in his return to the division.

Starting off on the feet, we have a matchup of two dangerous and diverse strikers.

Poirier, the southpaw, has made significant improvements to his game since moving shop to American Top Team. Demonstrating an excellent awareness of footwork, the Louisianan slugger will now shift his stance for setups or adjust his angles accordingly.

Utilizing this style of shifting to create attack opportunities, Poirier has also shown to sit down more on his punches, giving three fighters their first stoppage losses since moving to lightweight. Whether he is prodding, pulling or returning, everything Poirier throws seems to have a real potency to it.

Still, firepower is a two-way street.

Coming from a taekwondo base, Pettis has been able to bring a spectacular array of kicking attacks into the cage. Balancing out his traditional stylings under the tutelage of Duke Roufus, we have seen Pettis round out his attacks with punches and feints to help set up his fight-ending kicks.

As flashy as some of the kicks on his highlight reel may be, Pettis’ body kick seems to be his bread and butter, and he unloads them from either stance with authority. Considering that his opponent likes to utilize a shell-defense, this could be a strike worth watching for from Pettis.

That said, the former lightweight champion won’t be without trends of his own. Despite having a good radar for most strikes, left hands seem to be Pettis’ common culprit. Given that the left-cross (both coming forward and off the counter) is Poirier’s best punch, Pettis, too, will have to be on high alert inside of exchanges.

Regardless of how heated striking stanzas get, this fire could reach even higher temperatures should it touch the floor.

Both men have quietly developed their wrestling games and possess serviceable takedown abilities in the open and against the fence. Although I give Poirer a slight edge in this department for being the more consistent pursuer of shots, I would not bank on either man comfortably grounding the other.

Furthermore, each fighter does well with creating scrambles once grounded, making ground exchanges even more compelling. Neither competitor is afraid to throw up attacks from their back, nor is he afraid to bait a submission from topside to pass and advance. And with the proven grit that is attached to their technical savvy, I suspect that both men will be hard to submit soberly.

With Las Vegas odds slightly favoring Pettis, I can’t say that I disagree.

Not only does Pettis have multiple paths to victory, but he is also the more proven five-round product. Poirier, who tends to give a little too much of himself at times, could find himself in troublesome spots should he not manage his approach wisely.

However, should the Louisianan avoid the big shots early and stay present at the steering wheel, I see his pressure-fighting approach paying dividends both stylistically and on the scorecards. Pettis has the propensity to fight in between the fence and inner-black octagon lines, which also just so happens to be where Poirier makes his money (whether it be by strikes or takedowns).

If Poirier is allowed to reach his cruising altitude, Pettis could quickly find himself reacquainted with the wrong side of pressure. For that reason, I will reluctantly side with Poirier in what I feel will ultimately be a back-and-forth war.

Whichever side you are on, I suggest caution in playing it; this is a gunfight, folks.

Official pick: Poirier by decision

Official outcome: To be determined