Preview: UFC on ESPN 55 ‘Nicolau vs. Perez’

Welterweights

Uros Medic (9-2, 3-2 UFC) vs. Tim Means (33-15-1, 15-12 UFC)

ODDS: Medic (-310), Means (+250)

Means is still a viable fighter at 40 years of age, and it is nice to see “The Dirty Bird” coming off a win. Means had an unmemorable first UFC run as a drawn-out lightweight but quickly returned to the promotion as a welterweight and found his niche as a bringer of violence. Means’ style has always walked a bit of a tightrope. Despite his technical proficiency, Means has been content to walk in and initiate exchanges with the understanding he will have to take one to give two. That approach trades on a lot of reflexes and durability, so it was not necessarily a surprise that Means would hit a clear ceiling whenever either of those skills slipped. However, it has been impressive exactly how long of a post-prime career Means has enjoyed. He survived and outlasted Laureano Staropoli, Mike Perry and Nicolas Dalby for a three-fight winning streak just three years ago and rebounded from some hard-fought losses to bring Andre Fialho to his breaking point in September.

Medic makes for another dangerous but winnable fight against Means as a flawed but potent prospect. He has been a bit hard to calibrate as a talent, as there was little to glean from his early career. Medic looked like a physical force and an effective finisher but did so against the worst possible competition on the subpar Alaskan scene, then some uninspiring opposition on Dana White’s Contender Series and in his UFC debut. It was not until wins over Omar Morales and Matthew Semelsberger that Medic was able to definitively show some grit under pressure as more than just a size bully, though a loss to Myktybek Orolbai in November was a bit disheartening, as he had little answer for Kyrgyzstani’s durability and pressure. There is the opportunity for Means to lay a beating on Medic, but he might have to finish this early in order to walk away with the win. Medic might be flawed but he does not break, and he figures to throw out enough offense that something is likely to find Means’ chin. This should be a fun and violent while it lasts. The pick is Medic via second-round knockout.

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Nicolau vs. Perez
Spann vs. Guskov
Silva vs. Lipski
Diniz vs. Lane
Pearce vs. Onama
Medic vs. Means
The Prelims