UFC on Versus 2: Yushin Okami vs. Mark Munoz

	VERSUS
Yushin Okami		Mark Munoz

Much like the previous fight, this one will be a clash of brute strength. Yushin Okami is one of the most underrated fighters the UFC possesses. He's much like Jon Fitch was before his emergence and eventual title shot. Mark Munoz has been one of the hottest prospects since joining the fight game back in 2007. He has an incredible wrestling background and possesses some hammers for fists. This fight is going to be a test of each fighter's will and heart. Whoever breaks first mentally will end up losing the fight.

He's 8-2 since joining the Nevada-based promotion, and holds notable wins over Mike Swick, Alan Belcher, Dean Lister, and the late Evan Tanner. He has tremendous strength, and possesses some pretty solid stand-up. He enjoys clinching, and won't hesitate to take the fight to the ground. Okami hasn't had the greatest reception among fans, due to his lack of finishes. Despite his lack of urgency, he still seems to dominate the fights he wins. He has been on the cusp of a title shot for sometime now, and will look to batter the less experienced Mark Munoz en-route to a fight with Anderson Silva or a rematch with Chael Sonnen. For him to win, he'll need to exploit Mark Munoz stand-up defense and pick him apart.

"The Philippine Wrecking Machine" Mark Munoz is coming off three successful fights at Middleweight following his weight drop in 2009. As mentioned, he has one of the most highly touted wrestling pedigrees among UFC fighters, having won the 2001 NCAA Wrestling National Championship at Oklahoma State. He has shown progression through his career, having somewhat shored his defense on the feet, as well as a purple belt in jiu-jitsu under the Nogueira brothers. He also trains with an amazing camp at Black House, training with the likes of Lyoto Machida, Anderson Silva, the Nogueira twins, Jose Aldo, and Junior Dos Santos. What he'll need to do, which is what he tries to do every fight, is take Okami down and wear him out while working his outstanding ground and pound.

The telling factor in this fight is going to be Mark Munoz' inability to defend against Okami on the feet. If he can get Okami down, it'll be a long night for the Japanese fighter. Okami did show that he can be taken down against Chael Sonnen, but it's yet to be seen whether or not Mark Munoz' wrestling is as effective in MMA as Sonnen's has proven to be. Look for Okami to choose his shots wisely on the feet, and eventually drop Munoz late in the fight.

Prediction - Yushin Okami by 3rd round (t)ko.