UFC Featherweight bout: Erik Koch vs. Jonathan Brookins
Odds: (-210 Koch /+170 Brookins )
Betting Pick: Koch
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In what has the makings of a very competitive 145 pound bout, Erik “New Breed” Koch will square off against Jonathan Brookins, who is recently moved down from 155. Both of these guys have excellent ground games and effective submissions, but Koch is the more experienced of the two and has fought substantially better opponents. If Brookins wants a successful Featherweight debut, he is going to need an excellent game plan and a mistake-free performance.
Jonathan Brookins is riding the momentum of a successful UFC debut, and looks to continue his winning streak at his more natural weight of 145. Brookins, who fights out of Gracie Barra Orlando, is a very slick and effective grappler with dangerous submissions. His standup is a work in progress, but his ground game is extremely solid. The big question mark for Brookins is how he will handle the weight cut and how he will deal with a fairly large step up in competition. Koch is much more seasoned than Brookins, and fighting a more experienced guy in a new weight class could present a whole host of problems for Brookins.
Erik “New Breed” Koch is a very dangerous and well-rounded fighter. His base is grappling, and he is very effective on the ground, but he has also grown into a dynamic striker who can hurt you with all four of his limbs. Unlike Brookins, Koch has fought quite a few top-level opponents and acquitted himself very well. He has never been finished and has only lost once in his thirteen fight career. Against Brookins Koch would do well to press his striking advantage instead of taking this fight to the ground and playing to Brookins’ strength.
I don’t think Brookins is going to have an answer for Koch’s superior striking and experience. On the ground this could go either way, but I think Koch has the tools to keep Brookins from taking him down, and on the feet he is the more dangerous of the two by far. Eventually he will overwhelm Brookins with punches for the stoppage. Koch by T/KO.
Prediction: Erik Koch via second round T/KO.
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