UFC on Fox 6: Bader needs Victory vs. Matyushenko

UFC on Fox 6

When you’re getting ready to head into the octagon against a 42-year-old Russian nicknamed “The Janitor,” you’d better be prepared for a brawl. That’s the situation in front of Ryan Bader ahead of his light heavyweight title fight against Vladimir Matyushenko in Chicago on Sunday.

After dropping consecutive fights to Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz, Bader rebounded with victories over Jason Brilz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.  However, just when it looked like he was ready to take the next step, he was knocked back by a loss to Lyoto Machida. Now he needs a win to re-establish himself in the competitive light heavyweight division. “I’ve worked a lot of my boxing and jiu-jitsu and put it all together. Vlad is a tough opponent,” Bader told reporters. “He is a strong wrestler that hits hard. He’s not as mobile as some of my past opponents, but he’s been in there with a lot of great fighters and has come out on top most of the time.”

Matyushenko’s Road to Recovery

Experience is certainly in Matyushenko’s corner, but many wonder how sharp the veteran will be after missing the last year with a variety of injuries. His last match was a loss to Alexander Gustafsson back in December of 2011 before a calf injury put him on the shelf.  “I don’t think cage rust will be much of an issue for me this time, because I’ve been very active with my training,” the veteran told reporters. “I have been training other guys during the down time, and then had my own camp now. To be able to train my teammates during my recovery was good for me psychologically. It’s helped me to prepare myself mentally for my fight.”

His mental state isn’t concerning, but his speed and athleticism will be put to the test against Bader. While both fighters are strong wrestlers, Bader has knockout power and will try to turn this into an up-tempo fight early.

Prediction

Sure, it’s great to see The Janitor back in the cage at UFC on Fox 6. He’s an MMA icon and always puts in a good show no matter who he’s up against. This might be the end of the road, though. He isn’t talking about retirement, but with a hungry Ryan Bader looking to make a statement, the result of this match might force Matyushenko’s hand. Bader’s pegged as a big -610 favourite at Sports Interaction and rightfully so. He’ll be back in the mix for a title shot after putting Matyushenko away.