Stanislav Nedkov pulls out of UFC 117, Phil Davis steps in
Word has recently come from BUSHIDO Bulgaria that Stanislav “Staki” Nedkov has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming fight at UFC 117 against Rodney “Sho Nuff the Master” Wallace on 7 August. At the moment, no details are available over the nature of the injury. Nedkov was set to make his debut at UFC 117, signing on with a professional record of 11-0.
UFC newcomer Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis has been called up to take up the fight on only two weeks’ notice. Like fellow wrestler Jon “Bones” Jones, the 25-year-old fighter has a great deal of hype surrounding his recent entrance into mixed martial arts. Many consider the fight a step down for the up and comer, however taking the fight this early in his career is may earn Davis “brownie points” with UFC President Dana White in a league with increasingly fickle contracts.
Wallace: fighting for survival?
Nedkov’s injury may end up being dangerous for Wallace’s career in the Ultimate Fighting Championships. “Sho Nuff the Master” comes off of two consecutive decision losses since his entry into the UFC. His debut came at the season finale for The Ultimate Fighter 10 against former US Marine Brian “The All American” Stann. During the fight, he was outpaced by Stann, who was able to counter Wallace’s wrestling with solid ground skills and some brutal leg kicks, defeating Wallace by decision.
Wallace had a better showing in his second fight against Jared “The Messenger” Hamman. He kept a relentless pace throughout the match, earning both fighters Fight of the Night honors and a $65,000 bonus for their efforts. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for Wallace, who lost the match by decision.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan made comments during the fight that Wallace, weighing 205lb at a height of 5ft 9in, probably had too much muscle mass for the octagon. As many fans learned in the disappointing matchup between former World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski and Tim Sylvia, a bigger size can be a double-edged sword when it comes to fatigue.
Mr. Wonderful an awful opponent for Wallace
In many ways, Davis appears to have Wallace simply outclassed. A monster in his own right, Mr. Wonderful has had a history of walking into weigh-in showings with a downright imposing physique. If Wallace intends to muscles through the fight, he will encounter a difficult opponent in Phil Davis.
Mr. Wonderful also holds a number of distinctions in wrestling and grappling. He was the winner of the 2008 NCAA championships at 197 lbs during his stay at Penn State, and went on to win the 2009 championship in the 221 lbs blue belt division after turning his interests to Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Wallace also holds a background in collegiate wrestling which he has had to rely on in his earlier fights.
Mr. Wonderful’s career in the UFC has been the opposite to that of Davis. He holds a 2-0 record to The Master’s 0-2. Interestingly, Davis last fight was against Brian Stann and went to decision, which Davis ended up winning unanimously. If MMA fan math holds any weight, this is a bad sign for Wallace, should the fight end up going the distance
Wallace fights for career
Wallace may be in for the last fight of his UFC career with his matchup against Davis. Going to decision in eight of his eleven fights makes his stopping power questionable. However, it is impossible to consider anyone out of the running when it comes to mixed martial arts. But few people would question that Wallace will need to win this fight to remain with the UFC, and that he's been given a much tougher opponent.
The fight will take place at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California and will be broadcast live on Pay Per View.
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