Ryan Bader vs. Carmelo Marrero

Ryan Bader was once considered a 1-dimensional wrestler.

Well…not any more. The vicious KO of Vinny Magalhaes (which he used to become the Ultimate Fighter champion) proved that quite effectively.

Joe Rogan always says that a wrestler with knockout power is a dangerous combination because he can dictate where the fight goes. Just think of Chuck Liddell before he lost his title. Bader may choose to smother his opponent if he feels things are getting too dicey on the feet but he’ll always be a threat with his fists, no matter where the fight goes.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of Carmelo Marrero. He definitely fits the profile of a 1-dimensional wrestler. While I haven’t had the “pleasure” of following his entire career I’ve not been impressed by what I’ve seen. He did manage to subdue Cheick Kongo for 3 full rounds, but that was before Kongo had any semblance of takedown defense. Bader is a terrible match-up for Marrero because he won’t be able to rely on his wrestling.

This fight is designed to put Bader over. While it is conceivable that Carmelo has developed his striking skills there’s no way he’s going to have the same kind of power as his opponent.

The only risk for Ryan is if he gets a bit over-anxious. Even then, Marrero isn’t the prototypical counter-striker to capitalize on such mistakes.

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