BROOMFIELD, Colo. – Maybe the altitude will be a huge factor tonight. Jason Brilz and Eric Schafer are way too experienced to suffer the stamina issues they did in the opening fight of UFC on Versus 1. Brilz had a little more in the gas tank and won via unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three cards.
"I knew it would be tough up here in the altitude so my conditioning was top notch. and I think his was too it was just that we went at it that first round. I just had a little more in the tank, I guess," Brilz told UFC.com.
Schafer’s pedigree and resume is better than Brilz but it appeared he punched himself out in the opening round. The Wisconsinite really had Brilz hurt after he landed an uppercut with two minutes left in the round. Schafer wailed away with slow but effective punches and got it to the ground but he never got into a dominant position where he could show off his Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In the final two rounds, Brilz (18-2-1, 3-1 UFC) simply had more energy and when it went to the ground, he usually had top control.
Schafer (11-5-2, 3-4 UFC) has now lost two straight. Will he get another chance in the UFC? This is already his second chance with the promotion.
Pierce slams his way to second UFC win
Julio Paulino made the trek from his Alaska fighting roots but it wasn’t productive on this night in the second bout at UFC on Versus 1. Mike Pierce landed the heavier shots on the feet and then double-legged Paulino whenever he wanted on his way to a unanimous decision victory, 30-27 on all three cards.
Paulino looked to have good size at welterweight but his takedown defense was shaky. His standup was also slow. Pierce’s best shot of the fight came with three minutes left in the second when he stopped Paulino in his tracks. He elected to take the fight back to the ground instead of going for the kill via standup.
Pierce (11-3, 2-1 UFC) was close to pulling off a huge upset in his last fight against Jon Fitch at UFC 107. He looks like another nice prospect in a stacked division.