Preview: UFC Fight Night ‘Shogun vs. St. Preux’

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FLYWEIGHTS

Ian McCall (13-4-1, 2-2-1 UFC) vs. John Lineker (24-7, 5-2 UFC)

THE MATCHUP: Two contending flyweights in search of a signature win meet in what promises to be an action-packed clash at 125 pounds. McCall has rebounded from the rocky beginning of his UFC career to win two in a row, with the most recent victory coming over Brad Pickett in July. Body-punching gremlin Lineker lost a clear but competitive decision to Ali Bagautinov in February but got back on track with a win over Alptekin Ozkilic five months later.

McCall is a rugged, well-rounded fighter who mixes up the various facets of his game nicely but lacks a really outstanding skill set aside from his ability to generate offense in transition. A competent striker, McCall utilizes constant movement, mixes up his rhythm nicely and makes consistent use of shift punches, where the rear leg travels forward as the punch is thrown in order to cover more distance. He is at his best when he uses his perpetual motion to bait his opponent into stepping forward, where he unloads two- and three-punch counter combinations. His defense is generally solid, but he is vulnerable to counters, especially when he kicks and in exchanges. McCall’s best skill set is probably his infighting. He loves the front headlock and snapdowns at close range, and he throws nasty knees in the clinch, which he combines with a lovely body-lock trip. His double-leg is slick and explosive, and his takedown defense is outstanding. From the top, McCall is more focused on control and ground striking than submissions, but he is generally solid.

Lineker is something of a throwback, a sprawl-and-brawl, no-frills puncher with a granite chin and enormous power in his hands. Although he does his best work with his opponent’s back to the fence, Lineker is not much of a pressure fighter or someone who actively pursues that strategy; he is essentially content to wing brutal punching combinations at any and every opportunity. Those three- to six-punch combinations, however, are beyond nasty. Lineker mixes hooks, uppercuts, overhands, shovel hooks, Superman punches and a surprisingly crisp jab into a bone-crushing head-body devil’s brew that few opponents have been able to withstand for long. He is a competent if not outstanding defensive wrestler and pursues the occasional takedown of his own, but he is no more than decent on the mat. Lineker throws bombs, he excels at it and he knows it; and he sees little reason to do much else.

BETTING ODDS: McCall (-175), Lineker (+150)

THE PICK: If McCall comes in focused on wrestling, he should be able to keep it relatively even at range, wear down Lineker in the clinch and work his wrestling and top control for long-enough stretches to take a clear decision. In practice, however, the American has rarely been able to avoid the allure of a quick-paced brawl, and that is what makes this a compelling scrap on its own merits. McCall will shoot and work his front headlock game; Lineker will counter with big uppercuts when McCall changes levels; McCall will get frustrated and start to exchange; and Lineker will substantially outland and wear down the American with his pace and accumulated damage. Lineker by decision in a “Fight of the Night” scrap is the pick.

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