Vladimir Matyushenko and Jason Brilz, two veteran Mixed Martial Artists will open the UFC 129 Pay Per View. It’s not the kind of match you expect to set the world on fire. Both men are wrestling-based fighters with grinding styles and limited KO power.
Matyushenko (25-5, 6-3 UFC) is 3-1 since returning to the UFC in 2009 and comes into the fight off a TKO win over Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira at UFC 122 last November. Prior to that, Matyushenko was on the wrong end of a Judo Chop worthy performance by Jon Jones at UFC on Versus 2.
Brilz (18-3-1, 3-2 UFC) is coming off a controversial split decision loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 114. It was such a great fight I did a three part Judo Chop on it (here’s Round 1, Round 2, Round 3).
Neither of these guys is that dynamic. Matyushenko is 39 and Brilz is 35. They both rely more on their experience and power than speed, but I’d have to give the quickness edge to Brilz.
Let’s break the fight down into it’s component aspects:
| Aspect | Matyushenko | Points | Jason Brilz | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range Fighting | ||||
| Boxing | Journeyman | 1 | Puncher | Brilz |
| Kickboxing | Passable | 1 | Passable | Tie |
| Wrestling | Excellent | 1 | Very Good | Matyushenko |
| Clinch Fighting | ||||
| Dirty Boxing | Grinding | 1 | Strong | Matyushenko |
| Thai Clinch | Iffy | 1 | Ok | Brilz |
| Throws/Trips | Strong | 1 | Strong | Tie |
| Ground Fighting | ||||
| Positional Control | Very Good | 1 | Good | Matyushenko |
| Top Game | Grinding | 1 | Punishing | Brilz |
| Bottom Game | Questionable | 1 | Scrambler | Brilz |
| Submissions | Limited | 1 | Limited | Tie |
| Overall | Journeyman | 3/4 | Journeyman | Brilz |
This is a coin toss but I think Brilz’ superior punching power at range will make the difference. If the fight goes to the ground, Brilz has the better chances of escaping a bad position.
Look for Jason Brilz to grind out a win in what will be an ugly fight.
UFC President Dana White breaks down the UFC 129 light heavyweight bout between Vladimir Matyushenko and Jason Brilz.
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