HOUSTON, TX, December 7, 2011 – It”s that time again for another ‘TXMMA Tale of the Tape’ as we break down the Legacy Fighting Championship 9 main event featuring current champion Jorge “Macaco” Patino defending his belt for the very first time against former Legacy champion and incoming Strikeforce fighter Mike “The Greek” Bronzoulis. It’s a battle for bragging rights between two veteran beltholders in this one.
Let’s t take a look at this upcoming fight and break down the matchup in preparation for this Friday night’s main event LIVE at Houston’s Arena Theater and also on HDNet’s Friday Night Fights.
TXMMA Tale of the Tape – Jorge Patino vs. Mike Bronzoulis
A Look at Jorge “Macaco” Patino
Location: Houston, Texas (originally São Paulo, Brazil)
Team: Gold Team Fighters USA
Height / Weight: 5 ft 8 in. / 170 lbs.
MMA Record: 20-13-1
Notable Facts:
► Famous value tudo fighter who began his career in the 1990’s. Known for his legendary battles with Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons.
► His nickname “Macaco” means monkey in Portugese.
► Patino is a UFC veteran after taking on Pat Miletich for the welterweight title at UFC 18.
► He is currently trainer to several UFC fighters including Charles “do Bronx” Oliviera and Felipe Arantes.
Biggest Strengths in the Cage:
► Jorge “Macaco” Patino has long been known as a fearless fighter in the cage. Having trained for a long time with the world-renowned team formerly known as Chute Boxe, he’s never shy about contesting things on the feet with his opponents. A testament to that fact was his last Legacy bout (debut) against Pete Spratt, a bout that was contested almost entirely entirely on their feet. Aside from his flurrying Muay Thai style, Patino is also a noted Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt – a distinction he earned way back in 1998. Despite being 38 years old, Macaco competes regularly on the TX grappling circuit. Don’t let his age fool you. He may be aged in experience but physically, he’s in the shape of a man 10 years his junior.
What he may need to do to win this fight:
► Looking at this matchup stylistically, one could reasonably expect this matchup to go the same way as his bout with Pete Spratt – meaning this may be a strategic chess match with the two seeking to win rounds in a battle of attrition. Despite his ground pedigree, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Macaco’s opponent try to take him down to try and win those valuable points. Macaco will have to pick his shots carefully on his feet. While flurrying in a la Wanderlei is a strength for him, he’s going to have to make sure Bronzoulis doesn’t tie him and take him down in the process. At the same time, Macaco is also known for having a lengthy judo background so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him utilize the clinch for his own purposes and end up on top.
What does this fight mean to his career?
► A win in this bout would mark the third victory in a row for Macaco after besting Pete Spratt and Cleburn Walker. Before that, his last two losses were to big-name vets in André Galvão (Strikeforce vet) and Roan Carneiro (UFC vet). This would definitely be another feather in the cap of an already illustrious career but don’t be surprised if he commands another big name or looks for big fights elsewhere should he take out Bronzoulis on Friday night.
A Look at Mike “The Greek” Bronzoulis
Location: Houston, TX
Team: Paradigm Training Center
Height / Weight: 6 ft 0 in. / 170 lbs.
MMA Record: 13-3-1
Notable Facts:
► In addition to Legacy, Mike is also a veteran of Shark Fights and Strikeforce. He most recently beat Chad Leonhardt by TKO in August 2011.
► Perhaps one of his most notable fights to date came against UFC fighter Kamal Shalorus, who he took to a majority draw at King of Kombat 6 in Austin during April 2009.
► Bronzoulis is returning as a challenger for the Legacy 170 belt but he’s also a former Legacy champion in that same division. He won that belt against Jonathan Harris in November 2010 (LFC 10) and left for Strikeforce having never lost it in the cage.
Biggest Strengths:
► Like his opponent, Mike Bronzoulis is also known to be a gritty fighter who continuously moves forward in the cage. On his feet, he favors high kicks and has also shown an affinity for in-fighting at close distance and in the clinch. Cross-training with Paradigm, Main Street Boxing Gym, and with Saul Soliz, he’s almost always ready to take the fight wheerever it comes, on the feet or the ground. an underrated wrestler, “The Greek” possesses good takedowns and top control while also proving himself to be almost impossible to take down and keep down. He’s never been finished in 17 fights as a professional.
What he may need to do to win:
► “The Greek” will look to employ the same game plan he usually does in order to get victory in this one. That means a steady dose of boxing and ground and pound is in order. It’s possible that he’s use his reach advantage to jab from the outside and quickly close the distance when needed and turn the corner on those takedowns. He’ll likely be the bigger fighter when these two hit the cage so look for him to exploit his strength from the top position from within guard in this one, especially in the later rounds. He’s no stranger to rolling with high-level grapplers so he won’t be scared to hit the floor with the BJJ black belt.
What does this fight mean to his career?
► A win in this fight would mark the sixth victory out of the last seven fights for Bronzoulis. Aside from another title belt to add to his collection, it would also be a momentum builder as he looks to make waves nationally. With news of Strikeforce being on the verge of renewal on Showtime rather than imminent collapse, that could mean many more high-profile fights for Mike and even tougher tests should he pass this one.
In conclusion
Based on everything we know and have seen in the past from these two, this matchup between Jorge “Macaco” Patino and Mike “The Greek” Bronzoulis could be a very interesting way to end the night for the HDNet-televised Legacy Fighting Championship 9 card in Houston. Both these men possess the skills to finish fights quickly yet both of them will be walking in as fighters noted for being impossible to finish. With that being said, this has the making of a five-round war with either man as capable as the other to come out on top and put on that championship belt. May the best man win.
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