Alan Belcher Returns Against Rousimar Palhares In UFC On FOX 3 Bout

UFC officials just announced a middleweight addition to the upcoming UFC on FOX 3 event between Alan Belcher and Rousimar Palhares.
UFC on FOX 3 is set to take place in New Jersey from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford on May 5. In the main event lightweights Nate Diaz and Jim Miller will throw down in a five-round non-title fight.
Alan Belcher was on a fast rise to the top before an eye injury in training forced the middleweight to take a 16-month hiatus from active competition to recover. Possessing a well-rounded skillset he has gone 5-1 in his last six outings and 7-2 in his last eight. We last saw Alan competing against Jason MacDonald last September in his welcome back to the Octagon match. He was able to submit the grappling based fighter before the end of the first round.
Palhares also comes into the matchup with the backing of a three-fight win-streak behind him. The submission savvy Brazilian last saw action at UFC 142 submitting Mike Massenzio in just one-minute. To date Rousimar has only dropped three of his 17 pro fights. His lone UFC losses came at the hands of Dan Henderson and Nate Marqaurdt.
This is a fight where the winner will likely push themselves into a contender match for the title.
The latest UFC on FOX 3 card now includes:
Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller
Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck
Alan Belcher vs. Rousimar Palhares
Pat Barry vs. Lavar Johnson
John Hathaway vs. Pascal Krauss
John Dodson vs. Darren Uyenoyama
Danny Castillo vs. John Cholish
Mike Massenzio vs. Karlos Vemola
Louis Gaudinot vs. John Lineker
Continue to next page for the “Editors Breakdown and prediction.”
Read More: Alan Belcher (News), Rousimar Palhares (News), UFC on FOX
This middleweight contest has serious implications for the winner. Alan Belcher’s mix of striking and Jiu Jitsu have been able to take out nearly everyone the UFC has put in front of him in recent years.
Palhares on the other hand is more one dimensional, he has the power, but his more compact stature makes his striking not as effective. To his credit though, his one solid dimension is his leg-lock abilities and his extreme power and relentlessness in getting fights to the ground and taking out his opponents.
I for one am a believer in all things Belcher. He has worked hard over the years to evolve and it shows when he steps into the cage. I think his defensive wrestling is good enough to keep this fight on the feet where he should have the clear advantage and if that fails him, his Jiu Jitsu is good enough to stay out of danger on the ground and get it back to the feet.
There is the possibility that Palhares uses his brute strength to bully Alan to the mat repeatedly and blanket him to try and earn points, but those big muscles take a lot of oxygen and even if this strategy pans out for him in the beginning, the second portion of the fight should swing more in Belcher’s favor.
If you haven’t already picked up on it by now, I am going with Alan Belcher, my guess is a three-round bout for position and cage control that Alan Belcher wins with better footwork and striking.
Read More: Alan Belcher (News), Rousimar Palhares (News), UFC on FOX
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RIP Alan Belcher’s leg.
LMFAO! Highly possible, but I don’t know… Belcher’s a pretty well rounded fighter, and may be able to do enough to keep it standing, which would give him a better chance. This could end up being a pretty good scrap, though
I like how he goes for a shot then trans to his butterflys and goes for a leg
this guy went 7-2 is his last 8 fights… he must be nasty.
FAIL !
“and 7-2 in his last eight.” 7+2=9 .
Belcher has really good Bjj and should be able to stop his leg from being torn off. If not It will give me the giggles to see him scream in pain as he taps, just like Palhares’s other victims.
Toquinho has this.
His only losses were Hendo and steroidbaby Nate “the not so great” Marquardt.
I agree & he gave the Nate fight away, rookie move in the cage. He wins by leg lock, his BJJ is so strong, so fast, he wastes no motion & he’s small for the class so he has longer limbs to work on. Its genius. Hes nasty.
Should be intersesting. Palaheres(SP) has some bizarre chit happen in his fights. I like this card better then a bunch of the pay ppv’s
Okay I am really excited! I like both fighters!
I think Palahares is going to win but Alan might surprise some people.
Palhares’ leg locks are so ****n nasty that he catches people with them even tho they knows its coming and he would’ve caught Nate in one to if he wasn’t all greased up.
Great Card !
That’s what we said last time, on paper it is.