UFC 145 Preview: The Main Card

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Bantamweights
Miguel Torres (40-4, 2-1 UFC) vs. Michael McDonald (14-1, 3-0 UFC)

The Matchup: Just barely old enough to buy himself a beer, McDonald is hoping to make the leap from prospect to contender against Torres, who not long ago was considered the top bantamweight in the world. Unbeaten in three Octagon appearances, “Mayday” finally had a performance that lived up to his own lofty standards at UFC 139, when he knocked out Alex Soto in 56 seconds to earn a “Fight of the Night” bonus. McDonald has said that injuries and weight-cutting issues made his first two outings --decision triumphs over Alex Figueroa and Chris Cariaso -- more difficult than he hoped they would be.

The fact that McDonald has managed to persevere through the myriad difficulties at such a young age bodes well for his long-term future.

Torres’ ill-conceived Twitter remarks earlier this year resulted in his temporary release from the UFC. Whether or not the punishment fit the crime, the former WEC champion has to be thrilled that he is still employed by the world’s largest MMA promotion. As is usually the case, Torres will look to put his reach advantage to work against McDonald. The Chicago native is adept at controlling distance and using angles to unleash a dangerous standup arsenal.

It will be interesting to see how he approaches McDonald, who has a strong right hand and good countering ability. The Modesto, Calif., native favors a fast pace and won’t shy away from trading with his more experienced foe. McDonald also has a good sense of timing on takedowns, should he find himself getting beaten to the punch.

Though Torres has a notoriously active guard, he wasn’t rewarded for his quality work from that position in a loss to Demetrious Johnson at UFC 130. McDonald, though skilled and aggressive on the mat, does not possess the type of wrestling background that has been known to give Torres trouble.

The Pick: With the UFC just about to exhaust the Dominick Cruz-Urijah Faber angle, the bantamweight division could use some fresh faces. McDonald’s time is coming, but it isn’t here just yet. In a hard-fought affair, the rangy Torres utilizes varied striking on the feet and manages to stay off his back enough to take a close decision victory.

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