UFC on FX 6's Mike Pierce Makes Camp Adjustments for Baczynski's Height

UFC on FX 6's Mike Pierce makes camp adjustments for Baczynski's height
by Matt Erickson on Dec 11, 2012 at 10:15 am ET

It's not like Mike Pierce is dealing with a Pat Barry-Stefan Struve situation this week.

But it's safe to say it's noticeable that he's going to have a seven-inch height disadvantage, and that puts him into some new territory.

The 5-foot-8 Pierce (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) takes on the 6-foot-3 Seth Baczynski (17-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC) on Friday at UFC on FX 6. Baczynski will be Pierce's tallest opponent yet in the UFC, and that forced him to make some training camp adjustments.

UFC on FX 6 takes place Dec. 15 at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Australia. The main card airs live on FX (on Friday, Dec. 14, in the U.S. due to the time difference) following prelims on FUEL TV.

Baczynski has put together a four-fight win streak, and has been asking for a bigger-name opponent. Bigger, anyway, than he believes he's had his last couple fights against Simeon Thoresen and Lance Benoist.

"I totally agree (that he needs a name opponent), but I think I'm a bad name for him," Pierce recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio. "I like the matchup. He's a big, tall guy. He's one of the tallest guys in the division, and me, being one of the shortest guys, it'll make for a real interesting matchup, I think."

Pierce has faced a few 6-footers. But not 6-3. So he went right to work getting properly ready for his tallest UFC opponent yet.

"I'm only 5-foot-8, so most of the guys I train with are taller than me anyway," Pierce said. "But for this camp, we had a handful of other guys who are in the 6-foot-1 to 6-foot-3 range. There was even one guy I sparred with for a day or two that was 6-foot-5. I've definitely got a good look this camp with tall, rangy guys – so I'm absolutely prepared for it."

Pierce is going after his third straight win. At UFC on FX 5 in October, he notched a come-from-behind second-round knockout of Aaron Simpson. His only two losses in his past eight fights have been split-decision setbacks to onetime welterweight title challenger Josh Koscheck and recently anointed top contender Johny Hendricks, making him one of the 170-pound division's most successful fighters the past three years.

Considering his other UFC loss came by decision to another former title challenger, Jon Fitch, it's safe to say Pierce isn't too stressed out over preparing for Baczynski, even though he took the fight on a little bit shorter notice after filling in for an injured Kyle Noke.

"I've grappled with guys that are very well-versed in their grappling game," he said. "I don't think he's going to throw anything at me that I haven't seen before. I've grappled with tall, lanky guys like him before and I don't think he's really doing to surprise me with anything there."

Pierce's knockout of Simpson was his first finish in 20 months, and he said it upped his confidence – especially considering Simpson had him on the ropes before he came back to stop him.

And that confidence is something he plans to put on display against Baczynski in Australia – the first time he'll be fighting outside the United States.

"The one thing I took away from that was I gained a little confidence that I could go through some adversity and recollect myself in between rounds and come back out, stick to the game plan, do what I want to do and get those types of finishes I've been trying so hard to get," Pierce said. "This camp, we'd rather avoid going through that adversity and not have to go through getting wobbled and rocked. That's been the focus this camp."