Roy Nelson vs Stefan Struve Fight Prediction – Fight Night 21

Fight Overview:   Two guys with completely opposite builds will meet up, with tall and lanky Dutchman Stefan Struve facing short and round Roy Nelson ina  Heavyweight contest.  Both men are accomplished grapplers, but Nelson has a dynamic wrestling game which Struve is going to have to find a way to deal with if he wants to win.

Struve’s Strengths:  Struve is very tall, with crazy reach that he uses very well, and has excellent and unpredictable submissions.

Struve’s Weaknesses:  His punching is not very powerful, and he has absolutely terrible takedown defense.

Nelson’s Strengths:  Nelson has a big right hand, good wrestling, black-belt jiu jitsu, and a smothering top game.  He also uses his bulk very well on the ground to control position.

Nelson’s Weaknesses:  His cardio is not the best, by any means, and if Struve can drag this fight out it might be his undoing.

The Verdict:  Nelson’s wrestling is going to be way too much for Struve’s awful takedown defense.  Struve looks like he is trying to stop shots on top of an oil slick most of the time, and Nelson is too good and too experienced to let him get away with it.  Struve can submit guys from the bottom, but Nelson’s jiu-jitsu is excellent and he is a master at controlling top position.  Expect him to take Struve down, pass the guard, and unload shots for the stoppage.