UFC 104 Knockout Alert - Antoni Hardonk vs. Pat Barry
by Nick Meyer
If it’s a striking match you’re looking for at UFC 104, then the Antoni Hardonk-Pat Barry fight is sure to pique your interest.
Both these fighters will enter the Octagon on Saturday, October 24 looking to do nothing but stand and let the fists and feet fly. That is what you want in an undercard fight because that’s what the crowd wants. If you please the crowd, then you please your boss and you have a job as long as you’re competitive.
Both Hardonk (8-5 MMA record) and Barry (4-1) are among the better strikers in the heavyweight division and both bring K1-level leg kicks and fluidity to the Octagon that’s sure to be pleasing to the eye.
The bettors are a bit split on who will take this one home, however, as the odds are fairly close. Hardonk is the slight favorite going into this UFC 104 matchup at -125 odds while Barry sits at -105.
Barry’s last UFC bout was a disappointing one as the UFC gave him what many thought was an easy matchup against Tim Hague, but Barry made a mistake and got choked out by the Canadian.
As strange as it sounds, however, taking the fight to the ground might be a decent idea for Barry, the Louisiana native, because Hardonk is simply that bad on the ground.
Whereas Barry is making strides towards being a complete UFC and MMA fighter, Hardonk has languished for a while now and seems like he might never be more than a glorified kickboxer.
That might not be enough to get the win in the end, however, as Hardonk is more of a legit heavyweight right now. He towers over Barry at 6’4 to 5’11 in the height department and his longer legs will give him a massive advantage when the leg kicks start flying.
Once Hardonk lands a few of them, he’ll have the opening he needs to wade in and finish Barry off, giving him his second straight loss in the UFC, casting a shadow of doubt over a guy who was once considered a potentially strong prospect.
It’s not that Barry is a bad fighter, but this might be the fight that will make him consider a move down to light heavyweight where his size is more of an advantage.
MMA Betting Pick: Hardonk (-125).
