UFC Fight Night 25 Preview & Predictions

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Mike Stumpf vs. TJ Waldburger

Daniel “Ninja” Roberts is out due to injury and in his place will be promotional newcomer Mike Stumpf (11-2) to face TJ Waldburger (13-6) in a welterweight bout that is positioned on the preliminary card.

Stumpf is a Chicago, Illinois based mixed martial artist who fights out of Team Curran. The 5’10” fighter began his professional MMA career in 2007 and won his first six bouts before losing a December 2007 XFO 21 contest against Ryan Williams. Stumpf rebounded to win five of his next six including his most recent at XFO 39 this past May with a unanimous decision victory over Dan Bolden. Nine of his thirteen career bouts have been for the Illinois based Xtreme Fighting Organization but he also has fought for Extreme Challenge, Adrenaline MMA, Sho XC and Evolution FC.

Waldburger, 23, is a Texas based mixed martial artist who fights out of Temple, TX at the Grapplers Lair. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt made his professional MMA debut in late-2005 and went on to win 12 of his first 17 while fighting on the regional circuits in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. After winning the Shark Fights Welterweight Title, Waldburger signed with the UFC in late-2010. He debuted on the UFC Fight Night 22 card in September 2010 and produced a unanimous decision victory over David Mitchell. His follow-up bout was at the UFC Fight Night 24 event this past March; however he lost via TKO against Johny Hendricks to even his octagon record.

Prediction – Waldburger TKO

Ken Stone vs. Donny Walker

Former WEC competitor Ken Stone (9-3) is likely in a must win situation at UFC Fight Night 25 against Donny “Eagle Eye” Walker (15-7) when the two meet in a preliminary card bout in the bantamweight division.

Stone is a Massachusetts based wrestler who turned to mixed martial arts although he fights out of Florida at the American Top Team. Stone made his professional debut in 2007 and won nine of his first ten prior to signing with the WEC. The majority of his bouts came while competing on the regional scene in Massachusetts with organizations like AFO, World Championship Fighting, and Combat Zone. Stone only fought once for the WEC promotion in December 2010 losing via KO against Eddie Wineland. When the WEC was absorbed into the UFC, Stone earned the promotion although lost at his TUF 13 Finale debut via Scott Jorgensen KO.

Walker, 31, is an Ohio based mixed martial artist who fights out of the Griffin Rawl MMA Academy. “Eagle Eye” made his professional debut in 2004 and began his career with an 8-6 mark while competing for promotions such as NAAFS, UMMAXX, and King of the Cage. After his mediocre start, Walker won seven in a row from May 2009 through December 2010 to earn a UFC contract. The former NAAFS Featherweight Champion lost a tough decision against Jeff Hougland at UFC 132 this past July.

Prediction – Walker decision

Robert Peralta vs. Mike Lullo

Filling in for an injured Mackens Semerzier, replacement Robert Peralta (14-3) will make his debut inside the octagon at UFC Fight Night 25 in featherweight action against submission wrestler Mike Lullo (8-3) in a preliminary card bout.

Peralta is a veteran mixed martial artist who hails from Mexico and fights out of Team Kadillac in San Diego, California. After making his professional debut in 2007, Peralta began fighting out of Honduras for the MMAX promotion until 2008 when he signed with Gladiator Challenge out of California. The boxing and wrestling specialist won 11 of his last 12 to earn a position on the April 2011 Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Daley” undercard. Seizing the opportunity, Peralta produced an upset split decision victory over Hiroyuki Takaya that helped him secure his UFC debut.

Lullo, 32, is an Illinois born grappler who fights out of the Midwest Training Center. Lullo began competing as a professional in early-2008 and dropped his first two official bouts. He followed his back to back losses up with eight straight victories while fighting all over the Midwest regional circuit. His eight-bout winning streak earned him a fight in the UFC; however he came up short losing via TKO at UFC 123 against Edson Barboza last November.

Prediction – Peralta decision

Daniel Roberts vs. TJ Waldburger

Daniel “Ninja” Roberts (12-3) will try and snap his two-fight losing streak at UFC Fight Night 25 when he meets TJ Waldburger (13-6) in a welterweight bout that is positioned on the preliminary card.

Roberts, 31, is a Rockford, Illinois native who has moved to California to train out of the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu gym as well as Fairtex Gym. “Ninja” turned professional in 2007 and won his first nine bouts while fighting on the Oklahoma regional scene. His quick start earned him an opportunity to fight on the big stage; however he dropped his UFC on VS debut via KO against a tough John Howard. Three straight victories followed his March 2010 loss with wins over Forest Petz, Mike Guymon, and Greg Soto. Since his consecutive win streak, Roberts has dropped back to back bouts losing to Claude Patrick this past April at UFC 129 and then lost to Rich Attonito at the June UFC on VS 4 event in Pittsburgh, PA.

Prediction – Roberts TKO

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Seth Baczynski vs. Clay Harvison

A pair of The Ultimate Fighter veterans return to the octagon at UFC Fight Night 25 in welterweight action as TUF 11’s Seth Baczynski (13-6) meets TUF 13’s Clay Harvison (9-3) in a preliminary card bout.

Baczynski, 29, is a Hawaii born mixed martial artist who now trains out of Arizona at the Power MMA and Fitness gym. Baczynski made his professional debut in 2006 and won eleven of his first sixteen while fighting in a wide variety of mid-level organizations ranging from Florida to Arizona. In the summer of 2010 Baczynski was cast as a participant on the TUF 11 season where he lost in the elimination round but was invited back after an injury forced another fighter out of the competition. He then earned a victory in the preliminary round but was disqualified in the quarterfinals after kneeing a downed opponent. The submission specialist was invited back for a rematch on the TUF 11 Finale against Brad Tavares but was outscored on the judges’ cards for a decision loss. He was immediately released following the loss but has since won back to back bouts on the regional circuit to earn his way back into the octagon.

Harvison, 30, is a Georgia born mixed martial artist who remains in his home state and fights out of the Iron Clutch Kickboxing gym. The former soccer player began his professional MMA career in 2007 and won eight of his first eleven fighting in multiple organizations throughout Georgia. He earned a position in the TUF 13 house with a preliminary round victory, however injured his finger in the bout making it difficult to punch. It showed with his loss in the quarterfinal round against Ramsey Nijem after being limited to a one dimensional fighter. Harvison returned at the June 2011 Finale and picked up a split decision victory over Justin Edwards to solidify his position with the organization.

Prediction – Harvison decision

Matt Riddle vs. Lance Benoist

The Ultimate Fighter 7 participant Matt Riddle (5-2) will try and get back in the win column when he meets promotional newcomer Lance Benoist (5-0) in a UFC Fight Night 25 preliminary card bout that will be contested in the welterweight division.

Riddle, 25, is an Allentown, Pennsylvania native who now fights out of Las Vegas, Nevada at the Throwdown Training Center. Riddle was chosen to appear on the seventh season of TUF without any professional experience. He scored a KO victory over his first round opponent on the show, however lost via submission against Tim Credeur in his next bout finishing his chances of becoming the next Ultimate Fighter. The former collegiate wrestler won his TUF 7 Finale debut with a decision over Dante Rivera and officially won five of his first six overall inside the octagon. After defeating opponents such as Greg Soto and DaMarques Johnson, Riddle was outscored in his seventh bout under the UFC banner at UFC 124 last December when Sean Pierson handed him his second career defeat.

Benoist, 22, is a Missouri native who will be making his UFC debut after only five professional bouts. Benoist fought his professional debut in January 2010 and has since fought in five different regional promotions throughout Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. He has converted on four submission finishes and one KO victory over TUF 11 veteran Cleburn Walker in an August 2010 bout. Since his KO victory one year ago, the Midwesterner has piled up three straight submissions. His most recent victory took place in St. Louis, MO this past April when he finished Ryne Vincent at a CCCW event. Benoist also has aspirations of securing a TUF 13 position however was cut only to make his way back through the regional circuit.

Prediction – Riddle decision

Justin Edwards vs. Jorge Lopez

The Ultimate Fighter 13 cast member Justin Edwards (6-1) will try and take another forward step in his professional career when he meets promotional rookie Jorge Lopez (11-1) in a welterweight clash on the UFC Fight Night 25 preliminary card.

Edwards, 28, is an Ohio born mixed martial artist who fights out of the JG MMA gym in his native state. The former collegiate football player turned to professional mixed martial arts in 2008 and went on to win his first six bouts while fighting in multiple organizations like Bellator, Extreme Challenge, and IFC. His quick start earned him a spot, as a replacement, on The Ultimate Fighter 13 as part of Team Dos Santos. Although he was defeated in his first fight on the Spike TV show, he was given a chance to fight on the TUF 13 Finale but lost a tight split decision against cast mate Clay Harvison.

Lopez, 22, is a Las Vegas based mixed martial artist who fights out of the Wand Fight Team. Lopez made his professional debut in 2007 and after losing a bout in just his second career appearance, he went on to win his next ten straight. Among the organizations that the striking specialist has appeared in include MMA Xplosion, Total Fighting Alliance, and Tachi Palace Fights. Notable opponents who have dropped bouts during his streak include up and coming Chidi Njokuani, Dave Terrel, and Waachim Spiritwolf. His most recent victory came in early August at Tachi Palace Fights 10 when he used his punches to TKO David Marshall.

Prediction- Lopez TKO

Cody McKenzie vs. Vagner Rocha

Guillotine specialist Cody McKenzie (12-1) will try and shake off his first career loss when he meets Brazilian Vagner Rocha (6-2) in a UFC Fight Night 25 preliminary card bout in the lightweight division.

McKenzie, 23, is an Alaska native who now fights out of Washington State at the Fancy Pants Fight Team. McKenzie made his professional debut in 2007 and won eleven straight to begin his career while fighting on the regional scene in Washington, Canada, and Bahrain. Among the eleven consecutive victories, ten happened to be finished by way of guillotine submission choke. His unique resume sparked interest from the UFC who ended up using him on The Ultimate Fighter 12. He got off to a quick start for Team GSP with a guillotine choke finish in the preliminary round but lost his quarterfinal round bout against Nam Phan ending his chances to become the TUF 12 winner. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt made his official UFC debut at the TUF 12 Finale where he earned “Submission of the Night” honors with his guillotine choke finish of Brit Aaron Wilkinson. His eleven consecutive guillotine choke finish win streak came to a halt at the UFC Fight for the Troops 2 even this past January when Yves Edwards submitted him with a rear naked choke. McKenzie and Edwards were awarded with “Fight of the Night” for their efforts.

Prediction – McKenzie decision

Evan Dunham vs. Shamar Bailey

One time contender Evan Dunham (11-2) will try and rebound after suffering back to back losses when he meets TUF 13 participant Shamar Bailey (12-3) in a UFC Fight Night 25 preliminary card bout that will be contested in the lightweight division.

Dunham, 29, is an Oregon born mixed martial artist who fights out of Las Vegas at both Xtreme Couture and the Throwdown Training Center. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt won his first seven bouts of his career while fighting on the regional circuit throughout California and Oregon. The former collegiate wrestler came into the UFC in 2009 and won his first four octagon bouts to bring his winning streak to 11 in a row. Since winning eleven straight and jumping into title contention, Dunham has dropped two in a row losing to Sean Sherk at UFC 119 and Melvin Guillard at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 this past January.

Bailey, 28, is a Chicago, Illinois native who fights out of the Integrated Fighting Academy. Bailey began competing as a professional in 2006 and went on to win ten of his first eleven in multiple regional promotions throughout Indiana, Hawaii, Kentucky, Colorado, and the Netherlands. He signed on with Strikeforce in 2009 and won his “Fedor vs. Rogers” debut bout, however dropped his follow-up while fighting on the “Challengers” series against Justin Wilcox. After losing his second career fight, Bailey earned a position on TUF 13. Victorious in his preliminary bout, Bailey suffered an upset decision loss against Chris Cope to end his TUF hopes. He reappeared on the June 2011 TUF 13 Finale and came out victorious defeating cast mate Ryan McGillivray by decision.

Prediction – Dunham decision

Jonathan Brookins vs. Erik Koch

The Ultimate Fighter 12 winner Jonathan Brookins (12-3) is shooting for back to back octagon victories at UFC Fight Night 25 when he meets little known prospect and WEC veteran Erik Koch (12-1) in a featherweight bout that will be located on the main card.

Brookins, 26, is an Orlando, Florida native who fights out of his hometown at Gracie Barra Orlando. Brookins made his professional debut in 2006 and won eight of his first ten match ups while fighting mostly on the regional scene in Florida. After proving himself on the local circuit, Brookins shot up to the WEC where he lost his only competition in the November 2008 WEC 36 against current UFC Champ Jose Aldo. He also picked up a victory in the inaugural Bellator event in April 2009 as well as back to back wins for the G-Force Fights promotion prior to earning a position on the TUF 12 show. He ripped right through his opponents on TUF 12 and finished with a decision victory over Michael Johnson at the December 2010 Finale.

Koch, 22, is an Iowa born mixed martial artist who fights out of the debut in early 2007 and went on to win his first eight bouts while fighting out of the Illinois and Iowa based Mainstream MMA and Midwest Cage Championship promotions. His mastery of the regional organizations earned him a chance to fight under the WEC banner where he did well. He won his WEC 45 debut bout over Jameel Massouh but lost his second promotional bout against rising star Chad Mendes. After suffering his first career defeat, Koch won back to back bouts in the WEC before winning his UFC 128 debut via KO over Raphael Assuncao.

Prediction – Koch decision

Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Alan Belcher (16-6) will try for his third consecutive victory inside the octagon when he meets a rejuvenated Jason MacDonald (25-14) in a UFC Fight Night 25 middleweight bout that will be on the main card.

Belcher, 27, is an Arkansas born mixed martial artist who now fights out of the Roufasport gym. Belcher made his professional debut in 2004 and won nine of his first eleven while fighting all over the United States and South Korea. He lost his UFC 62 debut against Yushin Okami and won five of his first nine overall inside the octagon defeating opponents like Jorge Santiago, Ed Herman, and Dennis Kang. The well-rounded Belcher found some more consistency recently winning back to back bouts against Wilson Gouveia at UFC 107 and Patrick Cote at UFC 113 last May. This will be Belcher’s first fight in over a year.

MacDonald, 36, is a Nova Scotia, Canada native who splits his fight camps between Pure Fitness and Gracie Barra Calgary. The 1 st degree black belt made his professional debut in 1999 and won 16 of his first 23 while fighting throughout his native land in multiple regional promotions. MacDonald debuted inside the octagon at “Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3” in October 2006 and won five of his first eight under the UFC banner including three “Submission of the Night” bonuses. The submission specialist was released from the organization after suffering back to back losses against Wilson Gouveia and Nate Quarry at the TUF 8 Finale and UFC 97 respectively. Although many believed his career was over, MacDonald rebounded to win three of four back on the local fight scene to earn his way back inside the octagon walls. He lost in his UFC 113 return last May against John Salter but defeated Ryan Jensen by submission at UFC 129 this past April.

Prediction – Belcher decision

Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang

The Ultimate Fighter 11 winner Court McGee (13-1) will try and make it 3-for-3 inside of the octagon when he meets South Korean superstar Dongi Yang (10-1) in a UFC Fight Night 25 main card bout contested at 185 lbs.

McGee, 26, is a Utah native who fights out of the San Diego, CA-based Victory MMA. His March 2007 professional debut began a streak that saw him win eleven of his first twelve while fighting on the regional circuits throughout Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. McGee earned his way into the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter 11 where he actually lost a bout only to return via the wild card round. The wild card route ended up paying off as McGee made it all the way to the final and defeated Kris McCray by submission at the June 2010 Finale. Returning four months later at UFC 121, McGee defeated Ryan Jensen by submission for his second promotional victory.

Yang, 26, is a South Korean who fights out of the top gym in his homeland, the Korean Top Team. “The Ox” made his professional debut in 2007 and went on to win his first nine bouts while fighting mostly out of South Korea and Japan. Among his notable victories prior to joining the UFC include a TKO win over Pawel Nastula at Sengoku 4 in August 2008. Almost two years after his Sengoku victory, Yang made his debut at UFC 121 and dropped a split decision against Chris Camozzi. Returning at UFC Live on VS 3, Yang produced his ninth career TKO/KO victory with a win over Rob Kimmons.

Prediction – Yang TKO

Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger

Former #1 Welterweight Contender Jake Shields (26-5-1) will try and claim that spot once again beginning with his UFC Fight Night 25 main event feature against emerging star Jake Ellenberger (25-5).

Shields, 32, is a California native who fights out of San Francisco at the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu gym. The former Division II wrestler began his professional MMA career in 1999 and won eleven of his first sixteen while fighting throughout California, Hawaii, and Japan on their respective regional events. It was after a December 2004 loss to Japanese fighter Akira Kikuchi in Shooto that sparked his impressive rise to the top of MMA’s Welterweight class. After the aforementioned loss, Shields went on to win fifteen in a row including championship runs in Rumble on the Rock, Elite XC, and Strikeforce. After defending his Strikeforce Middleweight Title over Dan Henderson, he left the promotion for the UFC in late 2010. In his UFC 121 debut, Shields defeated Martin Kampmann by split decision to earn a title shot against George St. Pierre. Shields was thought to have been a legitimate contender to GSP’s belt, however lost a unanimous decision on the April 2011 UFC 129 main event.

Ellenberger, 26, is a Nebraska born mixed martial artist who fights out of the Reign Training Center in California. After making his professional debut in 2005, Ellenberger won his first twelve overall and 21 of his first 25 over multiple mid-level organizations such as the IFL, M-1 Challenge, and Bellator. Shortly after winning in his only Bellator bout, Ellenberger lost in his UFC Fight Night 19 debut via split decision against Carlos Condit. Since his debut loss, the knockout specialist has won four in a row to climb the ladder into a contending role. He has since defeated Mike Pyle at UFC 108, John Howard at UFC on VS 2, Carlos Eduardo Rocha at UFC 126 and Sean Pierson at the April 2011 UFC 129.

Prediction – Shields decision

By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Senior MMA Staff Writer