Beatdowns! Preview : Miguel Torres will be too slick for Manny Tapia

courtesy of WEC

If you're very slick or very tough, you'll probably be a good fighter. If you're very slick and very tough, then you'll probably be a great fighter. Miguel Torres, WEC bantamweight champion, fits in the latter category.

Torres' full arsenal of skills and intangibles were on display against Yoshiro Maeda at WEC 34, when he had to fight for his life against the extreme striking of Maeda. The fight was hella exciting, complete with trading, slick submission attempts - and even double ankle locks!

Torres and Maeda are both very, very tough dudes, but ultimately, what set Torres apart was his slickness. Amidst the chaos, he peppered away at Maeda with jabs and crosses until the fight had to be stopped due to Maeda's swollen right eye.

If Torres fights on Wednesday night (December 3, 8 PM ET, Versus) like he did against Maeda, then Manny Tapia is in trouble. To make a long story short, Tapia is a brute force, with excellent jiu-jitsu, wrestling and striking skills, but Miguel Torres has the total package along with a knack for being slick, and with long extremities and skinny-dude endurance. Think of Torres as a bantamweight version of WEC welterweight champ Carlos Condit.

I see Tapia giving Torres all he can handle for three rounds with his brute force and skills, but Torres' stamina and improvisational submission capabilities saving the day in the championship rounds.

Miguel Torres over Manny Tapia via submission in Round 4.

P.S. Check out what Frank Mir has to say about Torres vs. Tapia :

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