MMA HQ – Mixed Martial Arts News and Analysis

Well, I posted my Welterweight preview yesterday and I want to finish off The Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback with a preview of the middleweight division. If you haven’t yet, you might as well go back and check out my preview of the welterweight division as well.

Fighter Name: Patrick Cote
Age:
Record: 8-3
UFC Record: 0-3
Key Wins: Jason MacDonald, Bill Mahood
Key Losses: Joe Doerksen, Chris Leben, Tito Ortiz

All three of Patrick Cote’s career losses have come in the UFC, and two of the three were to top-notch fighters (Leben is no top-notch fighters, for all you new MMA fans). Cote is a decent fighter from Canada who has had some good success in TKO, but hasn’t been able to break into the US MMA scene.

Fighter Name: Edwin Dewees
Age: 24
Record: 34-9
UFC Record: 0-2
Key Wins: Drew Fickett, Shannon Rich
Key Losses: Rich Franklin, Chris Leben, Joe Stevenson, Drew Fickett

Edwin “Babyface” Dewees has a lot of experience for a 24 year-old fighter. Most UFC fans will remember his fight against Rich Franklin in which Franklin picked him apart pretty easily leading to a first round TKO. Dewees is a submission specialst with 27 of his 34 victories coming by submission; however, he has no power, and I don’t think he’ll be able to hand with the strong strikers in this middleweight divison.

P.S. I put Shannon Rich in there under “Key Wins” as a joke. Everyone beats Shannon Rich on their way to the larger shows. Rick has over 60 losses in his career, so I know its not a “Key Win”

Fighter Name: Charles McCarthy
Age:
Record: 9-4
UFC Record: 0-1
Key Wins: None
Key Losses: David Loiseau

Charles “Chainsaw” McCarthy, suffered a brutal defeat in his only UFC appearance at UFC 53 against David Loiseau. Louiseau’s finished McCarthy off with a nice flying knee into the cage after McCarthy looked like he would be able to hold his own. McCarthy has won all his fights by submission, but I don’t expect anything at all from him in this competition.

Fighter Name: Travis Lutter
Age: 33
Record: 8-3
UFC Record: 1-2
Key Wins: Jose Landi-Jons, Marvin Eastman
Key Losses: Trevor Prangley, Matt Lindland, Jorge Rivera

Travis Lutter is yet another submission specialist who has fought some of the bigger names in MMA. Lutter has the skills and experience to hang with this class of middleweights. Will this be Lutter’s chance to shine and return to the UFC?

Fighter Name: Gideon Ray
Age:
Record: 13-4-1
UFC Record: 0-2
Key Wins: Jason Medina
Key Losses: Jason MacDonald, Mike Swick, David Loiseau

I really don’t know what to say about Gideon Ray; I’ve never really been able to figure him out. He has decent standup and ground skills but nothing to outstanding. Most of Ray’s fights end in the first round one way or the other, but there has been no consistancy in the outcome.

Fighter Name: Jorge Rivera
Age: 34
Record: 13-5
UFC Record: 2-3
Key Wins: Travis Lutter, David Loiseau, Mark Weir, Dennis Hallman
Key Losses: Rich Franklin, Anderson Silva, Chris Leben

Being a native of Massachusetts, I have to root for Jorge to do well anytime he fights. Rivera has some big wins over some big name fighters, but most UFC fans will remember him for his recent loss to Chris Leben at UFN 3. The ref stoppage against Leben was very premature in my mind and I think Rivera would have been able to handle Leben had the ref let the fight continue. Again, Rivera has the skills, it will just come down to the desire.

Fighter Name: Pete Sell
Age:
Record: 7-1
UFC Record: 1-1
Key Wins: Phil Baroni
Key Losses: Nathan Quarry

Pete “Drago” Sell choked out Phil Baroni in the third round at UFC 51, then proceded to get handled by Nathan Quarry at UFN 1 in the first round. Not much of a stand up fighter, Sell will either submit you or win by decision. He could be a “sleeper” in this division.

Fighter Name: Scott Smith
Age:
Record: 9-2
UFC Record: 0-1
Key Wins: Justin Levens, Tait Fletcher
Key Losses: James Irvin, David Terrell

I’m not really sure how much of a “comeback” this is for Smith and why he is a contestant on TUF 4, but I’m glad he is still with the UFC. Smith is a good fighter with good power and got his first shot in the UFC after defeated Justin Levens, who was undefeated at the time, in the WEC to win the WEC belt. Smith’s last fight was in April at UFC 59 where he was choked out by David Terrell. Smith is still somewhat unexperienced against fighters of this caliber but he is one of the up-and-coming fighters to watch for.

And that wraps up the full cast of TUF 4. What are your thoughts on the Middleweight division contestants? Who’s your favorite? Who’s your dark horse? Leave some comments and discuss…