The UFC is bringing it all to Texas on December 2 at the Moody Center in Austin. In what is shaping up to be one of the best fight night cards, fans are in for a treat. As for the focus of this one, we’re taking a look at Punahele Soriano vs. Dustin Stoltzfus
As revealed by UFC President Dana White, the event will be headlined by Beneil Dariush and Arman Tsarukyan. While it is an exciting fight, there are many more good fights lined up on the night. Thus, UFC Austin is raising the bar of fight nights and closing the gap with PPV cards.
Your #UFCAustin card is official for Dec 2!
👊 Beneil Dariush vs Arman Tsarukyan
🔥 Dan Hooker vs Bobby Green
💥 Rob Font vs Deiveson Figueiredo…AND MORE!! pic.twitter.com/RmXO5Js3Ov
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) October 31, 2023
As for the headliners, it is a fight that many are looking forward to, considering their star power. However, Soriano vs Stoltzfus has all the makings of an underrated banger. Although their record may cease to impress, both fighters bring the fireworks each time they step into the Octagon.
Previously, Punahele Soriano suffered a big setback against Roman Kopylov. Similarly, Dustin Stoltzfus also had a torrid time out against Abus Magomedov at UFC Paris. Thus, with both men coming off losses, they will be that extra bit determined to right their wrongs. As such, let’s check out their head-to-head stats coming into this matchup.
Punahele Soriano vs. Dustin Stoltzfus stats
Stats | Punahele Soriano | Dustin Stoltzfus |
---|---|---|
Wins | 9 | 14 |
Losses | 3 | 5 |
Height | 5 ft 11 in | 6 ft |
Division | Middleweight | Middleweight |
Reach | 72 in | 75 in |
Age | 30 | 32 |
UFC Austin: Punahele Soriano vs. Dustin Stoltzfus prediction
For the most part, ‘Puna‘ comes in as a clear favorite for this one. Despite a 1-3 record in his last 4 fights, Soriano is expected to return to the form he showed at the start of his UFC tenure. Following an impressive Contender Series showing, Soriano continued his streak with two back-to-back KO/TKO finishes. At the time, there was an aura of invincibility around the Hawaiian prospect as well.
Since then, Soriano suffered back-to-back losses to Brendan Allen and Nick Maximov. Although it was a solid step up in competition, the 30-year-old narrowly fell short. Following that he managed to secure a KO/TKO win over Dalcha Lungiambula, before succumbing to a brutal body kick from Kopylov earlier this year.
As for Stoltzfus, it is quite clear that he is being used as a sacrificial lamb to try and resurrect Soriano’s career. Having won only one of his last five fights, it is quite evident that the German is being put on the chopping block. However, despite the consensus about him, Stoltzfus is a warrior at heart and will go down swinging if it comes to it.
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Notably, Stoltzfus comes in with the height and reach advantage for this one. Moreover, Soriano is known to be an early starter and struggles to drag himself to Round 3 at times. Although the early blitz might be difficult to survive, there is a clear path to victory for Stoltzfus if he does. Thus, whatever happens, fans are in for a treat with this one.