Being a heavily involved hardcore fan of this sport and ultimately what many of my closest friends like to jokingly call a "degenerate gambler" of MMA fight cards, here's a little preview into some of the newcomers stepping into the Octagon for the first time at UFC Fight Night 18: Condit vs. Kampmann.
This is a nice little primer for anyone looking for upset picks, getting some general knowledge on an unknown fighter, or just interested in hearing about some of the incoming talent that is showing up at what the UFC dubs their "up-and-coming fighters" events in the UFN cards.
Steve Steinbeiss (4-2): This Middleweight newcomer is likely unknown to most fans, but he's spent some time in more exposed organizations like BodogFIGHT and the WEC. He's currently training out of Arizona Combat Sports with the likes of WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner, TUF 8 winner Ryan Bader, TUF 3 alum Jesse Forbes, TUF 7 alum C.B. Dollaway, and Matthew Riddle.
At 4-2, Steinbeiss is still fairly green in his career so far, but he did take on UFC veteran in Carmelo Marrero at WEC 36, losing via split decision. While having a knack for finishing opponents using the power in his hands, Steinbeiss will have his work cut out for him in taking on a very experienced Ryan Jensen, who has only lost to names like Demian Maia, Thales Leites, Joey Villasenor, Wilson Gouveia, and Brock Larson.
Aaron "A-Train" Simpson (4-0): Another transferred WEC fighter in the Middleweight division is the undefeated Simpson. After going undefeated in 3 professional bouts, all ending by TKO, he was given :18 seconds of time to knockout David Avellan at WEC 36. In four bouts, only one bout went past the first round and it was subsequently ended in the third round via TKO. It shows what kind of power Simpson has and his ability to finish opponents.
Simpson is also a part of Arizona Combat Sports out of Tempe, Arizona. Simpson is a former All-American wrestler as well as a very highly respected wrestling coach and trainer in the MMA scene. According to MMAWeekly's story during his short notice bout with David Avellan, he's helped mold who Cain Velasquez, C.B. Dolloway, and Mark Munoz have become today in terms of transitioning their wrestling skills to MMA.
Another interesting tidbit: He was featured as a contestant on NBC's American Gladiators with his wife.
Nissen Osterneck (5-1): Osterneck is no stranger to the hype machine. MMAJunkie profiled him back in 2007 when he was relatively unknown, but he was highly touted as being "the next big thing" in the sport. He's a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist on the floor, but his training camp encompasses every aspect of MMA.
His lone loss came at WEC 36 in which Jake Rosholt TKO'd Osterneck in the second round of their bout. While the defeat does sideline his development a bit, the UFC has saw him fit enough to be transferred along with the rest of the WEC cast of fighters to get a shot at making an impact in the Octagon.
Osterneck will be taking on highly aggressive power puncher Jorge Rivera, and it could be a potential upset bout in that Osterneck is not only powerful but controlling on the ground with solid wrestling, good grappling skills, and power in his punches on the floor.
More after the jump...
Jesse Sanders (20-4): It's a little amazing that Sanders has compiled such an extensive record, yet never fought in anything more than regional shows. It's likely because his strength of record is rather poor. One example: His last bout was against an 0-5 opponent back in October of 2008. It's looking like another Jason Reinhardt type of evening for Sanders.
There isn't a whole lot of information out there on Sanders. From what I can gather, he'll be looking to end this on the floor against Brock Larson, an overpowering top controling wrestler. Sanders is leaping into the mix in the UFC with this matchup, and it's going to be a huge step up in competition for him.
Brock Larson (24-2): Larson isn't a newcomer to the UFC, but he is making his return after quite a long time down in the WEC trying to battle his way back into a rematch against Carlos Condit.
Larson fits the mold of what Minnesota Martial Arts Academy has unleashed in the world of MMA. He's an overpowering crusher in the cage with solid wrestling skills that will put you on your back and in the sights of his brutal ground and pound abilities. With MMA wrestling powerhouse fighters like Sean Sherk and Brock Lesnar in your camp, we can understand his goal in the cage.
Larson has a pretty straight-forward gameplan. It usually starts with an aggressive takedown, strikes to the face, and either a finish with those strikes or a transition to a submission. The gameplan is rather effective, and it's made his career successful. His lone losses have come to only Carlos Condit and Jon Fitch. That says a lot about how good Larson can be in the cage.
Any picks?
The matchups in question are:
Brock Larson vs. Jesse Sanders
Nissen Osterneck vs. Jorge Rivera
Rob Kimmons vs. Joe Vedepo
Tim McKenzie vs. Aaron Simpson
Ryan Jensen vs. Steve Steinbeiss
It looks like Sanders is an easy setup guy for Larson to begin adding some wins to his record in the UFC. Sanders' record is deeply padded with novice fighters, and Larson is an incredibly tough opponent for him to be debuting against in the UFC.
I like Osterneck over Rivera. Rivera's aggressiveness and reluctance to hit the floor should give Osterneck a heavy advantage on the ground if he can get it there. Kimmons is much more experienced than Vedepo, but it's definitely a lot closer than many fans seem to think. Kimmons has only recently began taking on better competition than in his earlier days as a fighter.
Simpson vs. McKenzie is likely a matchup due to the fireworks that could fly. McKenzie generally makes mistakes due to his wildness that get him in trouble, and Simpson has the record and pedigree to capitalize on those mistakes. Simpson could be an upset pick there.
I'm taking Jensen over Steinbeiss. He has more experience and his losses are against some of the best competition in the UFC's Middleweight Division. He should have an easier time against Steinbeiss.
