UFC 139 Fight Card Breakdown: Martin Kampmann Vs. Rick Story

UFC welterweights Martin Kampmann (17-5) and Rick Story (13-4) meet on the pay-per-view (PPV) card of tonight's UFC 139 in San Jose, CA. Both men are on the fringes of contention in the division and are looking for a win to get back on track. Kampmann is ranked #14 and Story is ranked #9 in the MMA Nation/USA TODAY Consensus Rankings.

Kampmann is 4-3 as a welterweight in the UFC, after going 4-1 as a middleweight. He's beaten some tough fighters in Carlos Condit and Paulo Thiago but has lost to Jake Shields, Paul Daley, and Diego Sanchez. Kickboxing is his base style, but training with Xtreme Couture has turned him into a very well-rounded fighter. Wrestling remains his weak spot.

That's convenient for Story, a former collegiate wrestler for Southern Oregon University, who likes to use his wrestling to control opponents and then hurt them with powerful strikes in the clinch or on the ground. Story had racked up a six fight win streak in the UFC, including an impressive win over long-time contender Thiago Alves when he lost an upset decision to Charlie Brenneman in June. Brenneman was a last-minute replacement for Nate Marquardt who couldn't get licensed in Pennsylvania. 

If Kampmann can keep the fight at range, he should be able to score points on Story, but look for Story to walk him down and force the fight into close quarters. Look for Story to win by TKO or decision.