Diggin’ Deep on UFC on FOX 21: Maia vs. Condit FOX main card preview

Now here are some names that fans recognize! While there is no doubt that Paige Van Zant’s fame exceeds her actual abilities – at least for now – she isn’t a pushover by any means even if she was beaten from pillar to post by Rose Namajunas last December. She faces another one of the more familiar faces at strawweight in Bec Rawlings in what should be a hell of a contest.

The opening fight of the main card is a repeat of a 2012 classic between Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller. Miller came out on top in the first contest and though neither fighter will ever be mentioned in title talks ever again, they showed a little bit of gas still in the tank in each of their respective performances at UFC 200. Even though there isn’t much at stake in terms of the standings, there is a reason the UFC picked them to open up the main card.

The main card starts on FOX at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.

Paige Van Zant (6-2) vs. Bec Rawlings (7-4), Women’s Strawweight

Van Zant and Rawlings both have a large fan base, but also have a fair amount of haters. If nothing else, it should be an interesting clash of styles.

Van Zant is coming off of her stint on Dancing with the Stars which turned her into more of a household name than fighting ever did. She’s still one of management’s favorites despite the loss to Namajunas, meaning we can expect a healthy dose of her in the spotlight whether we like it or not. Keep in mind her fight with Rose was only her 8th professional fight at the age of 21. It’s doubtful we’ve seen the best out of her.

Rawlings is a bit of a controversial figure as some have called her a bully… or worse. Whatever your opinion of her, she has recovered from a disappointing UFC debut to score two wins in a row. Few believe that she’ll be able to become a title contender at this stage, but three wins in a row would be difficult to ignore in a division still trying to find its identity.

The youngster Van Zant – now 22-years old – is pathologically aggressive with a strategy heavy on getting the fight to the ground. Though she has made significant progress in the technical aspects She doesn’t commit enough on her strikes besides when she is looking to use them to cover distance. Favoring body kicks and short punching combinations, Van Zant’s defense is the next aspect she should look to shore up. Her wheelhouse is when she can push her opponent against the cage and use all of her available appendages to her benefit.

Rawlings is also an …

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