HOUSTON, TX, February 4, 2012 – We’re less than three weeks away from Legacy Fighting Championship 10 and it’s shaping up to be another exciting event. This time around, Mick Maynard has brought in a mixture of state and nationally recognized talent to compete with many of Houston’s up-and-coming pros. The main event also features a clash between 2 very exciting prospects in 3-1 UFC veteran Gerald Harris and California-based Bellator veteran D.J. Linderman.
The complete Legacy Fighting Championship 10 card includes:
• 185 lbs.: D.J. Linderman (11-2) vs. Gerald Harris (19-4)
• 155 lbs.: Justin Reiswerg (4-1) vs. Pat Audinwood (10-2-1)
• 170 lbs.: Mike Bronzoulis (13-4-1) vs. Eric Davila (20-11)
• 135 lbs.: Carson Beebe (9-1) vs. Tim Snyder (12-8-1)
• 170 lbs.: Jonathan Harris (6-1) vs. Chidi Njokuani (5-3)
• 170 lbs.: Alex Morono (3-1) vs. Rashon Lewis (2-1)
Legacy FC 10 – Undercard
• 135 lbs.: Angel Huerta (4-0) vs. Mike Sierra (4-5)
• 185 lbs.: Bubba Bush (3-1) vs. Patrick Hutton (3-3)
• 170 lbs.: Lee King (14-17-1) vs. Shawn Machado (2-1)
• 155 lbs.: Munil Adriano (7-7) vs. Rey Trujillo (9-7)
• 135 lbs.: Cody Williams (3-1) vs. Jesus Mendez (0-1)
We’ll break down the card in its entirety with our TXMMA preview and predictions closer to event time but for now let’s present our tale of the tape for the main event bout featuring Oklahoma based Gerald Harris vs. California’s D.J. Linderman.
TXMMA Tale of the Tape – Gerald Harris vs. D.J. Linderman
A Look at Gerald “Hurricane” Harris
Age: 32
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Team: Grudge Training Center
Height / Weight: 5 ft 11 in. / 185 lbs.
MMA Record: 19-4
Notable Facts:
► Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
► Discovered MMA for fun after a friend convinced him to try it; has been going ever since.
► Was a part-time comedian in college and once worked as a high school history teacher.
► A former IFL fighter and cast member on The Ultimate Fighter (season 7).
► Went 3-1 in the UFC post-TUF, including 2 knockout of the night bonuses.
► Currently on a 2-fight win streak, most recently defeating Kazuhiro Nakamura at Dream 17 in Saitama, Japan
Recognized Strengths:
► Very strong and known as a knockout artist.
► Has great wrestling ability; has several knockouts via slam.
► Has the #69 Greatest UFC Knockout of All Time; against David Branch at UFC 116.
► Has several verbal submission wins due to punches.
► Exceptional cardio; his knockout power carries through 3 rounds.
What he may need to do to win this fight:
This is a battle of big strong wrestler versus big strong wrestler. Gerald will be coming in more experienced and used to being in big fights while Linderman will come in with the advantage of having fought as high as heavyweight many times in his career. This fact may be debatable but we’ll assume D.J. “Da Protégé” Linderman may be the stronger fighter come fight night. If so, Gerald will need to utilize the likely advantage of being the faster and more explosive fighter when they hit the cage. That means coming at Linderman from all angles and hitting him harder, faster, and stronger. Linderman has never been finished and rarely put on his back but if Gerald can hit him just right or put him on his back first, that could be a possibility in this one.
What does this fight mean for his career?
With a win at Legacy Fighting Championship 10, Gerald will have earned his third win in a row to take his record to 20-4. Not sure what would be next for him but if it were in Legacy, that would certainly mean a middleweight title shot considering current champ Andrew Craig is set for him UFC debut. Outside of that possibility, he could go back to Japan to fight after his big win over Nakamura at Dream or go back and fight for the UFC once more.
A Look at D.J. “Da Protégé” Linderman
Age: 28
Location: Yreka, California
Team: Team Do Somethin’
Height / Weight: 6 ft 2in. / 185 lbs.
MMA Record: 11-2
Notable Facts:
► Had a troubled childhood and credits MMA for turning his life around.
► Has fought in many different weight classes, including super heavyweight, heavyweight, and light heavyweight.
► Considers himself a pretty quiet guy outside the cage; loves traveling and the outdoors.
► Married with two children.
► Has won 5 out of his last 6 fights.
Recognized Strengths:
► His main strength is on the ground as a wrestler. He owns stoppage victories over IFL vet Devin Cole and ATT’s Mario Rinaldi.
► Once known as a heavyweight prospect, D.J. is a very physically strong fighter.
► Very patient; goes for position before submission.
► Effective ground and pound attack; can finish fights from within his opponents’ guards.
► Ever-improving BJJ and striking skills.
► Excellent chin; can takes punches while moving forward.
What he may need to do to win:
Given their respective strengths, the strategy in this one for D.J. should be fairly straightforward – slow the “Hurricane” down and put him on his back. Gerald Harris is an explosive fighter and can set up his takedowns well so D.J. would be best served not letting him work from the outside-in. He needs to use his effective jab to close the distance with his opponent and use the fence as a tool to help him drag the fight to ground. Once he establishes top position he needs to make sure to control Gerald’s hips in order to keep him there and not let him reverse position or get back up. If he can do all these things, he’ll be in good shape.
What does this fight mean for his career?
With a win on UFC at Legacy Fighting Championship 10, D.J. will be at 11-2 and 6 wins out his last 7 fights. Our guess is that he would look to continue that streak in high-exposure (televised) bouts wherever he can find them, whether it be at Legacy or elsewhere. If he stays in Legacy after a win against Harris, he’d definitely set himself up with a title shot in the near future.
In conclusion
Set to air as the main event of Legacy Fighting Championship 10 on HDNet, this bout right here between these two experienced and up-and-coming fighters should present an interesting contrast in strengths and styles. Fans will get to see which of the two can overpower the other with their striking and grappling prowess. This is a big fight for both men that could very well be a launching point for bigger and better things so expect both of them to fight their hearts out. Tune in to HDNet at 9PM on February 24th or buy a ticket to watch it LIVE at Houston’s Arena Theater.
What are YOUR thoughts on this upcoming bout? Chime in with your comments below!
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