NASHVILLE, TN, January 18, 2012 – We’re two days away from UFC on FX 1 and fans all over the great state of Texas are excited! The main reason for this anticipation within the lone star state is the presence of FOUR fighters with Texas roots on the card for Friday’s event. Melvin Guillard (formerly of Houston) headlines the entire card on FX. In addition to “The Young Assassin,” Kamal Shalorus (Austin), Joseph Sandoval (Lubbock), and Daniel Pineda (Houston) are all set to compete on the undercard set to air on FUEL TV.
MAIN CARD
• Melvin Guillard vs. Jim Miller
• Duane “Bang” Ludwig vs. Josh Neer
• Mike Easton vs. Jared Papazian
• Pat Barry vs. Christian Morecraft
PRELIMINARY CARD
• Jorge Rivera vs. Eric Schafer
• Kamal Shalorus vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
• Charlie Brenneman vs. Daniel Roberts
• Fabricio Camoes vs. Tommy Hayden
• Daniel Pineda vs. Pat Schilling
• Nick Denis vs. Joseph Sandoval
We’ll break down the card in its entirety with our TXMMA preview and predictions later in the week but for now let’s present our tale of the tape for the bout featuring outgoing Legacy Fighting Championship 145/155 champion Daniel “The Pit” Pineda taking on Minnesota-based fighter Pat “Thrilling” Schilling.
TXMMA Tale of the Tape – Daniel Pineda vs. Pat Schilling
A Look at Daniel “The Pit” Pineda
Location: Houston, Texas
Team: 4OZ Fight Club
Height / Weight: 5 ft 7 in. / 145 lbs.
MMA Record: 15-7
Notable Facts:
► Born and raised in Houston, TX.
► Wrestled at the high school level before making his way into MMA.
► An original member of Silverback Fight Club before making his way to 4OZ Fight Club.
► Has five years of MMA experience; First fight was a submission win over one of his current coaches – Jeremy Mahon
► Currently on a 5-fight win streak dating back to July 2010; Has beat three champions or former champions since that time.
► Winner of 2011 TXMMA Professional Fighter of the Year Award; 4 wins in 2011 including one over WEC veteran Frank Gomez.
Recognized Strengths:
► Very fast starter; likes to get after his opponents early and set the pace.
► Unpredictable striker; not afraid to trade with his opponents on the feet to get the finish.
► Composed fighter on the ground; not afraid to attack with submissions rather than stand back up.
► Well-rounded submission game – comfortable attacking legs, arms, and the neck.
► Exceptional cardio; Daniel can fight three-rounds at the same pace if it goes that far.
► Not afraid to go for knees in the clinch.
► Loves to finish; has only been to one decision in his 22 fight career so far.
► Developing submission defense despite most of career losses coming by way of submission.
What he may need to do to win this fight:
I suppose the most obvious thing to say here is that Daniel should be wary of the takedown in this fight. That much is certain. Above and beyond that, he has to fight his fight. Daniel has exceptional wrestling experience and ability as well and it’s translated over into his MMA career. Above and beyond that, he’s developed mightily in both striking and submission areas in order to become a well-rounded true mixed martial artist. In this fight he’ll be best served fighting “his fight” and staying composed until he finds an opening. Once it’s there, he’ll likely go for the finish in true “Pit” fashion.
What does this fight mean for his career?
With a win on UFC on FX 1, Daniel will have taken his record to a respectable 16-7 with no less than 3 professional titles. Of course the only statistic that would really matter at this point would be 1-0 – as in undefeated in UFC competition. It only gets harder from there as he works his way up the ladder of contention in the UFC featherweight division. A highlight reel finish or FOTN effort would do wonders for both of these men.
A Look at Pat “Thrilling” Schilling
Location: West St. Paul, Minnesota
Team: Ambition MMA
Height / Weight: 5 ft 8in. / 145 lbs.
MMA Record: 5-0
Notable Facts:
► Originally made his way to MMA with a background in wrestling. Pat went 131-34 in high school before wrestling for NCAA Division II Moorhead State University.
► All 5 of his pro wins have been finishes; 4 of them have come by way of submission.
► Went 6-0 on the amateur circuit before going pro; 5 submissions and 1 TKO on the amateur level.
► Did not start watching MMA until he was in college.
► Used to work at Game Crazy; Currently works at Best Buy in Gaming Department.
Recognized Strengths:
► Excellent takedown attempts.
► Strong positional instincts from the top position on the ground.
► Quick transitions and an aggressive offensive submission on the ground.
► All 5 of his pro wins have been finishes; 4 of them have come by way of submission.
► Went 6-0 on the amateur circuit before going pro; 5 submissions and 1 TKO on the amateur level. ► He was the Brutaal Genesis promotion regional featherweight champion as an amateur.
► Generally recognized as a raw fighter that has “top 15” potential according to one source.
► Developing striker but powerful. Uses aggressive takedown game to overcome limitations in this area.
What he may need to do to win:
In order to gain a win over “The Pit,” Schilling will have to show his superiority in the wrestling department and finish his takedowns – especially early on. Pineda has a habit of starting out strong and it will likely be no different in this fight so Pat would be best to try and slow this down to a measured pace early on and look to control Daniel on the ground. Not sure how he matches up with Daniel on his feet but word is that “Thrilling” does have a certain measure of unpredictability to his game so look for him to try and catch Daniel with something unorthodox. Should he succeed in doing so, look for him to try and close quickly.
What does this fight mean for his career?
With a win on UFC on FX 1, Pat will have taken his record a very respectable 6-0 in his UFC debut. It only gets harder from there as he works his way up the ladder of contention in the UFC featherweight division. A highlight reel finish or FOTN effort would do wonders for both of these men.
In conclusion
You don’t put a fight together with guys nicknamed “The Pit” and “Thrilling” without expecting there to be fireworks. Oftentimes when two wrestlers are paired in MMA, the bouts turn out contested on the feet, with the two opposing forces looking to find an edge in the striking arena as opposed to contesting the bout in an area where they are neutral. That could be the case here or it could turn into a bout where both fighters seek to prove their wrestling/grappling superiority. If it moves towards the latter, viewers could be treated to a lightning-quick battle of ground transitions ala Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg at UFC 145. No matter which way it turns out, look for an exciting bout in this one and make sure you tune in early on Friday with the UFC on FX 1 Prelims scheduled to air on FUEL TV beginning at 6PM EST / 5PM Central.
What are YOUR thoughts on this upcoming bout? Chime in with your comments below!
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