UFC 171 ‘Hendricks vs. Lawler’ Preview

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Welterweights

Kelvin Gastelum (7-0, 2-0 UFC) vs. Rick Story (16-7, 8-5 UFC): After an unlikely run on the “The Ultimate Fighter 17,” the 22-year-old Gastelum continued his rise to stardom with a first-round submission of Brian Melancon at UFC Fight Night 27. Gastelum relies on constant pressure, but it is unlikely that he will have to chase down Story, who also relies heavily on power punches and takedowns. There could be some spirited close-quarters exchanges between the two wrestlers. Story wins by decision or TKO.

Women’s Bantamweights

Jessica Andrade (10-3, 1-1 UFC) vs. Raquel Pennington (4-3, 1-0 UFC): Pennington relied on a superior standup arsenal to win her promotional debut against Roxanne Modafferi in November. “Rocky” also acquired valuable experience prior to her stint on “The Ultimate Fighter 18,” dropping bouts against Leslie Smith and Cat Zingano under the Invicta Fighting Championships banner. She will have a significant height and reach edge against Andrade, so the key will be her confidence in pulling the trigger during exchanges. The 22-year-old Brazilian overwhelmed Rosi Sexton with powerful punching combinations in her last outing, but she has displayed dangerous chokes prior to signing with the UFC. Pennington takes it by decision.

Featherweights

Dennis Bermudez (12-3, 5-1 UFC) vs. Jim Hettes (11-1, 3-1 UFC): Bermudez has won five straight fights since being submitted by Diego Brandao at “The Ultimate Fighter 14” Finale, relying on a blend of heavy hands and wrestling. Hettes, who returned after a year-long hiatus to submit Robert Whiteford at UFC Fight Night 30, is a skilled grappler with an active submission game, but he would be wise to avoid trading with Bermudez. Conversely, “The Menace” needs to be cautious when attacking with ground-and-pound. Bermudez uses his wrestling to remain upright and wins a decision.

Welterweights

Sean Spencer (11-2, 2-1 UFC) vs. Alex Garcia (11-1, 1-0 UFC): A Tristar Gym product, Garcia looked impressive in dispatching “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” alum Ben Wall in just 43 seconds in his Octagon debut. Spencer, meanwhile, has won two straight at 170 pounds after suffering a short-notice middleweight loss to Rafael Natal in his promotional debut. Garcia wins by TKO.

Lightweights

Francisco Trevino (11-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Renee Forte (8-3, 1-2 UFC): Forte has certainly had his struggles in the Octagon, but his win over Terry Etim trumps anything Trevino has done is his MMA career to date. A product of the Macaco Gold Team, Trevino has compiled a gaudy record on the regional level but lacks a signature win. He often competed as an undersized welterweight, so a move down to 155 pounds should serve him well. Still, Forte is more battle-tested and should be able to pull out a victory via decision.

Flyweights

Will Campuzano (13-5, 0-3) vs. Justin Scoggins (8-0, 1-0 UFC): In his first UFC bout since January 2011, Campuzano had a five-fight winning streak halted by Sergio Pettis in November. Despite taking the bout on short notice, the Texan was game in defeat and will attempt to get his first Octagon triumph against Scoggins, who scored a first-round TKO over Richie Vaculik in his promotional debut. However, Scoggins will find it more difficult to overwhelm his experienced foe here. Campuzano wins by decision.

Middleweights

Bubba McDaniel (21-7, 1-1 UFC) vs. Sean Strickland (13-0, 0-0 UFC): So much of McDaniel’s success depends on his mindset. If he is confident, he is far more likely to perform to the best of his abilities. With that said, few expected him to defeat Brad Tavares at UFC Fight Night 27, where McDaniel was unable to get going until the final round. The King of the Cage middleweight champion, Strickland has powerful ground-and-pound but will have to combat McDaniel’s crafty grappling if he wants to take the fight to the canvas. On short notice, it is a lot to ask. McDaniel takes this by submission.

Featherweights

Daniel Pineda (18-10, 3-3 UFC) vs. Robert Whiteford (10-2, 0-1 UFC): Pineda is virtually guaranteed to supply action, but the 28-year-old tends to absorb his fair share of punishment in the process. With losses in three of his last four fights, a win could be needed if he wants to stick around the promotion. Whiteford, meanwhile, had no answer for the grappling of Jim Hettes in his promotional debut at UFC Fight NIght 30. This has the potential to become a brawl, as Whiteford will not shy away from exchanges. Pineda wins by TKO in round two or three.

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TRACKING TRISTEN

2014 Record: 58-27
Career Record: 325-185-1
Last Event (UFC Fight Night 38): 7-2
Best Event (“The Ultimate Fighter 18” Finale): 9-1
Worst Event (UFC Fight Night 37): 3-5