UFC on Fuel TV 5 Preview

---

Welterweights

Che Mills (14-5, 1-1 UFC) vs. Duane Ludwig (21-13, 4-4 UFC)

The Matchup: Mills was impressive in his UFC debut, knocking out Chris Cope in a mere 40 seconds at UFC 138. There is a big difference between Cope and highly regarded 170-pound prospect Rory MacDonald, however -- a fact that Mills was made painfully aware of in a lopsided loss at UFC 145. While “Beautiful” held his own when the fight was vertical, MacDonald was completely dominant on the mat.

If Mills wants to remain standing, he will have a willing foe in Ludwig, a renowned muay Thai practitioner. Ludwig’s willingness to engage can make for some entertaining stand-and-bang affairs, but it can also prove costly: witness the first-round knockout loss to Dan Hardy in his last outing at UFC 146. Ludwig hits hard and is technically sound, so Mills will want to try and mix a takedown or two into his game plan.

Mills has demonstrated a good sense of movement and timing on the feet, but Ludwig, with his K-1 background, is the more multi-faceted striker. With that said, Mills’ reach advantage dictates that Ludwig will not be able to fight on the outside. Ludwig does not mind trading in the pocket, however, and has proven capable of doing damage to the body. Mills, meanwhile, must utilize his solid jab and look for openings to land punishing knees to his opponent.

After so many standup wars, Ludwig will never back down from a firefight. Likewise, Mills has established a reputation as something of a standup specialist, so fireworks are likely to be in store.

The Pick: While Mills is the bigger, younger fighter, it is tough to go against Ludwig’s experience here. As long as “Bang” does not spend extended periods of the fight on his back, he will able to unleash a high-volume attack and wear down Mills for a late TKO stoppage.

Last Fights » The Prelims