UFC 141 Preview: The Main Card

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Featherweights Nam Phan (17-9, 1-2 UFC) vs. Jim Hettes (9-0, 1-0 UFC)

The Matchup: Phan was able to erase the bitter taste of his “The Ultimate Fighter 12” Finale loss to Leonard Garcia in October, outstriking “Bad Boy” -- again -- en route to sweeping the judges’ scorecards at UFC 136. In that contest, Phan showcased hand speed and pinpoint combinations while avoiding the takedowns that might have led to his demise in the questionable 2010 defeat to the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts representative.

Phan would like to follow a similar blueprint against Hettes, a 24-year-old jiu-jitsu specialist who has yet to see a third round in his nine-bout career.

Hettes forced Alex Caceres to tap out to a rear-naked choke in his UFC debut in August. After dropping a back-and-forth opening frame to “Bruce Leroy,” Hettes found his groove in round two, hurling his opponent to the floor twice with judo throws before attempting at least three different submissions on the mat. That is par for the course for Hettes, who has five different submissions wins in his brief career to date.

Phan -- who has solid conditioning and a decent chin to go with his technical standup -- should avoid tangling with “The Kid” at close range, where the Pennsylvanian can put his considerable arsenal to work. Phan struggled in tight positions in a loss to Mike Thomas Brown at UFC 133, as the former WEC featherweight champion took him down five times before punishing the Californian with ground-and-pound. When upright, the former Strikeforce and Sengoku Raiden Championship veteran was in his element, however, connecting with punishing shots to the head and body of Brown.

Phan has a wealth of experience in addition to his well-known “Fight of the Night” battles with Garcia, with fights against the likes of Michihiro Omigawa, Billy Evangelista, Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante and Josh Thomson outside of the Octagon. Having already gone the distance 11 times will be an asset for him against Hettes, who has no doubt grown accustomed to the quick finish.

The Pick: Hettes has myriad options on the ground, but, even if he gets Phan there, he will find his opponent difficult to submit. The Vietnamese-American should be able to keep Hettes at bay with his superior striking and survive a few tight spots to earn a unanimous decision.

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