posted November 17, 2006 at 19:59 EST in UFC / MMA Articles

UFC Fighter Profile - Jeff Monson

On November 18th Jeff Monson is going to surprise a lot of people. When all is said and done after the UFC Heavyweight fight at UFC 65, Monson is going to be wearing the championship belt in addition to all of his tattoos. Taking the title from Tim Sylvia isn’t going to be easy, but few victories in the UFC are.

With a record of 24-5-0 Monson is hungry and training hard. He is a real deal #1 contender. Some would say that the size difference (Sylvia has 11 inches and 25 pounds on Monson) is enough to put the fight in the favor of Sylvia, but in some ways, the advantage goes to Monson. He’s faster and more agile than the ogre he’s up against.

If the fight goes to the ground, it’s over. Monson is a wrestling expert and a submission grappling world champ. Once on the floor of the octagon, everybody’s the same size (except for me. My sister routinely beats me at arm wrestling). If the fight goes to the floor: advantage Monson. He’s not going to score a KO, but the submission will come before the second round is over. He’ll need to do his best to avoid the big swings from Sylvia, but victories over Perosh, Cruz, and Hinkle show that this guy can take the hits.

They call him the snowman because, like a snowball, as he goes he keeps gaining momentum. With all of the fighters left in his wake after a string of 16 straight victories, I think he’s a big enough force to take down the reigning Heavyweight champ.

 

In terms of mental toughness, you can’t beat this guy. He’s a mental health professional and holds a Master’s Degree in psychology. He’s an expert in crisis evaluation and can keep a clear head during a fight. Oh yeah, and just because he’s shorter doesn’t mean he’s a little guy. (Everybody is little next to Sylvia). At 5’9’’ and 240 lbs, Monson’s a brick.

Fighting out of Olympia, Washington has been in the business since 1998. At 33 he’s ready to claim the heavyweight title that he deserves

Catch all the action of UFC 65, Bad Intentions, on November 18th on Pay Per View and place your bets on all of the action right here on BetUS.

Check back daily for more contributions and the best UFC betting info in the industry!

Adam Prince is a freelance columnist and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker room.