Diggin’ Deep on UFC Hidalgo: Poirier vs. Johnson Fight Pass preview

The UFC goes about as far south as you can go without crossing the border this week and the flavor of the card reflects that. The two Fight Pass fights reflect that as each contest features a native of Mexico, each of whom are TUF Latin America winners facing inexperienced but talented opponents. There is little reason to get excited at first glance, but there could be real promise on this online offering.

The Fight Pass prelims start at 7:00 PM ET/4:00 PM PT.

Erick Montano (7-3) vs. Randy Brown (7-1), Welterweight

Reality TV anyone? Montano was one of the recent winners of TUF Latin America while Brown was one of Dana White’s early finds on his most recent excursion into reality TV, Lookin’ for a Fight.

As TUF continues to slide out of importance in the eyes of MMA fans, Montano’s tournament victory meant next to nothing. It may guarantee him a second fight if he loses here and though two consecutive losses is the usual standard fare for a ticket out of the organization, the UFC has regularly cut TUF alum after a single loss. Montano doesn’t have a lot more room to grow so that added security may be of comfort to him.

Brown has a lot more room to grow as he is still very raw. He’s has shown flashes of his talent, including his victory in his UFC debut against Matt Dwyer. However, Michael Graves exposed his lack of wrestling and grappling skills in handing the youngster his first loss. If it holds true that you learn more from your losses, Brown could look significantly improved.

To be fair, Brown has actually shown solid takedown defense even if his offensive wrestling and defensive grappling have plenty of holes in them. He also has some offense off of his back. He just hasn’t shown the ability to get back to his feet. Montano has shown some wrestling ability, though his grappling skills are lacking. He is prone to not only giving up an advantageous position, but also giving up the sub. On the other hand, Montano has shown the ability to scramble and a knack for finding his opponent’s back, so he should have a decided advantage over the unrefined ground game of Brown.

What makes Brown such an intriguing prospect is his massive frame (6’3″) and reach (78″). He hasn’t been comfortable throwing …

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