Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brandon Vera

Brandon Vera was originally scheduled to go against wrestling-powerhouse Matt Hamill. The change to Krzysztof Soszynski is a little disappointing for me, as I was looking forward to seeing how Vera would deal with a strong wrestler.

So, you have to wonder – is Krzysztof a more difficult opponent for Vera? It’s true that Krzysztof doesn’t have the wrestling pedigree of Hamill. But Soszynski is also a more well-rounded fighter. He’s been able to finish guys while standing up and on the ground. We all know he’s got a great kimura.

Hamill has great wrestling and knock out power, but not much else. His stand-up is still a little wonky. While he does have the ability to take someone down, he doesn’t do much when he’s there. It’s doubtful he’d submit someone like Vera.

Brandon Vera has more things to worry about against Soszynski than he would if he were facing Hamill. Having said that, he’ll feel a lot more comfortable striking with Soszynski. While Krzysztof is a decent grappler, it’s doubtful he’ll pursue the takedown as aggressively as Hamill would. Furthermore, Vera should have an easier time keeping things on the feet.

All this analysis leads me to one conclusion – I have no idea who’s going to win this fight. They’re both great at striking and good at grappling. Soszynski has shown more promise in the light heavyweight division than Vera has. Then again, Krzysztof is getting a higher caliber opponent than what he’s used to. Still, his confidence should be enough to help him through this challenge.

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