FIGHT TIME
Sunday, July 16th
12:00 PM PST
3:00 PM EST
Glasgow, Scotland
A Modern Day Viking Returns to Protect the Land!
Gunnar 'Gunni' Nelson:
The Icelandic born and Irish trained fighter out of SBG 'Straight Blast Gym'. Training with the likes of Conor McGregor and the SBG coaching alliance of John Kavanaugh and Owen Rodd, Gunnar has molded himself into a multi faceted martial artist. Not only a master of Kyokushin, Gunnar has also received his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Renzo Gracie. Nelson is one of the youngest and most feared grapplers in the UFC; his depleting energy against a more technical ground fighter in Demian Maia showed inexperience in the cage, but it also showed a willingness to survive and evolve.
Nelson is an absolute finisher, and he has shown to have the power of MJOLNIR in his right hand. His explosive karate stance allows quick in and out movement; most of Gunnar's submission finishes are in fact set up by hard strikes on the feet. Both Jouban and Thatch met the same fate of the monster straight right and eventual choke, one can not get hurt against this Icelandic Wizard or it will be a loss of both consciousnesses and the win. The viking blood will run deep this main event, expect a fiery Gunnar with the people roaring him on in Glasgow!
Santiago 'Gente Boa' Ponzinibbio:
An Argentinian Brawler who knows no backward step. This is a man who's only intent is to seek, hurt, and destroy. 'Boa' changes nothing about his style fight to fight, yet he is still a thorny box that you can not just pry open. One must methodically break down this beast, and hit him where it hurts each time. The 24-3 record speaks a lot to his experience and intelligence in the cage, Santiago is not clueless, he is fearless. The bold style of brawler makes Ponzi one of the most entertaining fighters alive, every one of his performances is must see.
Finishes and complete dominance over durable veterans like Court McGee and Zak Cummings mean a lot a highly contended welterweight division, a win here would project him into immediate contention. Santiago does need to tighten up his defense to be champion caliber, but his whirlwind of offense and killer instinct makes him one of the most dangerous men alive. We will see 'Gente Boa' ready to conquer the Newfoundland, he is a true warrior.
Breakdown and Prediction:
Level of competition and skill becomes a bit skewed when two men are in the biggest contest of their life. Gunnar at home seems very threatening, but recent odds on this fight have become tighter and tighter giving no man the true edge. People have noticed the hard headed style of Ponzi and how effective it can be against a low volume fighter like Gunnar. On the contrary, Gunnar remains the favorite because he is an elite counter striker, and those types of fighters have really been the only downfall of Ponzinibbio. Gunnar will need to step up his pace and fight like he means it for 25 minutes, it will not be an easy task to keep up or finish the Argentinian, but Gunnar will do what he must.
Victory is a must here for both men, but even more so for the man long awaited to be champion. Gunnar has been a talked about fighter for years now, and his path to the title is coming to fruition. Day by day he grows and we see his technique becoming more savvy every fight. The hungrier the competition becomes, the more intelligent established fighters must get. This will be a tough matchup, but I see the style of the Viking becoming a nightmare for an eventually tired Argentinian. 'Gente Boa' may even steal the majority of rounds, but his style beckons a finish, and Gunnar will appease.
Prediction: Gunnar Nelson by Submission Round 4
