Diggin' Deep on UFC 223 - Main card preview

UFC 223 was the biggest card of 2018 thus far. Then Conor McGregor wanted to let the world know he does whatever he wants, leading to three fights being canceled and a lot of thunder being stolen from the event. It’s a real shame that the actions of one overgrown child resulted in the loss of potential livelihood for five others completely unaffiliated with McGregor’s target.

The removal of Michael Chiesa and Anthony Pettis from the card thanks to the lacerations on Chiesa’s face from the shattered glass leaves the card with two fights. There will be another fight on the main card, but it was unannounced by the time this article was sent in for publishing.

As it is, the two fights remaining are fine contests. Renato Moicano is looking to bounce back from a loss to Brian Ortega while his opponent, Calvin Kattar, looks to continue his improbable run. The opener features the controversial Al Iaquinta looking to turn away upstart Paul Felder. Here’s hoping the action produced from these contests can give fans something to talk about other than McGregor.

The main card begins at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT on Saturday.

Renato Moicano (11-1-1) vs. Calvin Kattar (18-2), Featherweight

Kattar may not have captured the attention of the casual fan – yet – but MMA journalists and analysts are well aware of the Boston Finisher’s improbable run in his short time in the premier MMA organization. Kattar’s impeccable game plans have caught their attention, which should come as no surprise as he stepped away from his own career briefly to concentrate on coaching. His counters are accurate and he maintains his cool even in the face of intense pressure. Kattar’s wrestling and grappling don’t appear to be anything special as they haven’t been significantly tested, but how his grappling defense holds up will be key as Moicano is the proud owner of one of the most effective RNC games in the division.

Moicano’s submissions are commonly overlooked as his recent contests have largely taken place on the feet. The young Brazilian received a lot of flack for an alleged boring performance against Jeremy Stephens, but it lead to a victory for Moicano. Given the result, the criticism is unwarranted. He kept his jab in the face of Stephens the whole night, taking a measured approach to be the most recent competitor to defeat the longtime UFC veteran. Moicano showed he’s capable of pushing a faster pace too when he was getting the better of Brian Ortega. Then again, everyone is getting the better of Ortega before he finishes them, so maybe we shouldn’t look too much into that….

What makes this matchup so intriguing is the ability of both fighters to adjust to what their opponent likes to do. Kattar looks more comfortable doing so, but that can be attributed to his edge in experience. On the other hand, Moicano has experience with two of the hottest featherweights in the sport right now and showed he belongs with them. Then again, Kattar stopped two up-and-coming youngsters with momentum behind them in their tracks. Something has to give….

There are a few factors that have me leaning in the direction I am. Kattar is more economical with his energy, nailing takedowns with precision timing and minimal movement. However, that also leads to him getting hit quite a bit. Moicano has proven that he can avoid damage when that is his primary goal as was the case against Stephens. I know I’ve picked against Kattar in every contest he has fought in the UFC thus far, but Moicano’s athleticism and more advanced BJJ skills should prove to be the difference, though I expect it to be a hell of a fight. Moicano via submission of RD2

Al Iaquinta (13-3-1) vs. Paul Felder (15-3), Lightweight

To say the UFC’s relationship with Iaquinta has been rocky would be a severe understatement. The Ragin’ one was suspended from receiving any performance bonuses after tearing up a hotel room. Instead of fighting out the suspension as quick as possible, Iaquinta opted to pursue a career in real estate, resulting in one fight over the last three years. That isn’t even mentioning the spat over his contracted pay. Everything appears to be water under the bridge now as Iaquinta received a pay bump and appears to be eligible for bonus money.

Let’s face it, the UFC is a better place when Iaquinta’s unpredictable personality is on television screens. Remember his interview when he dropped F-bombs on the fans? It isn’t like he does it every time, but his unpredictable nature isn’t the only thing fans appreciate about him. He’s one of the lightweight division’s heaviest hitters, with four of his last five contests – all wins – ending early from strikes. A slick counterpuncher, few work the body and head as well as Iaquinta and he mixes in a nice volume of low kicks too. He does tend to get lazy on defense at times, staying in the pocket for too long or allowing the opposition to snatch a limb on the ground. His brain farts on the feet have decreased, though there hasn’t been nearly enough recent footage of him on the ground to verify if he’s tightened up his submission defense.

Felder’s run of success has been similar. He has secured three straight stoppages due to his lethal elbows, with only a single one of his victories going the distance since his UFC debut. He’s done a fantastic job of shoring up areas that have been perceived weaknesses. For instance, he lost to Francisco Trinaldo following a brutal elbow in the clinch that opened up a massive cut. It wasn’t just the one elbow either. Since that loss, Felder has been a physical maelstrom in close quarters, bullying the opposition and brandishing those elbows in much the way Trinaldo did against him. Keep in mind too that Felder made his initial splash in the UFC with his spinning arsenal, back fists and back kicks alike.

Felder pulled out another major surprise when he survived Charles Oliveira on his back for the majority of a round, only to turn things around on the Brazilian and pound him into a battered and bruised mass under the flurry of elbows and punches. Felder is no longer the exciting striker he was billed as upon his UFC entry. He’s become far more than that.

This may be the most difficult contest on the card to predict. The only KO/TKO loss between Iaquinta and Felder was the doctor stoppage from the cut delivered by Trinaldo on Felder. Both are tougher than rawhide. Iaquinta’s time away from the sport makes it difficult to know if he has consistently been progressing in his career. Yes, he looked awesome in dispatching of Diego Sanchez, but who hasn’t been taking Sanchez out early since his chin disappeared? That’s Iaquinta’s lone fight in three years. On the other side, Felder’s progress has been very visible, fighting eight times over that same stretch. I feel safer picking Felder, though I completely acknowledge Iaquinta is just as likely to win. Felder via decision

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