UFC star says AFL players are tough enough to step into the octagon

A UFC fighter has identified the AFL stars he wants to see make the incredible jump from the footy field to the UFC octagon.

Different type of courage.

ANDREW Swallow can vouch for Luke Hodge’s ability to land a surprise elbow to the jaw.

The blow the Hawks skipper landed on his North Melbourne counterpart last season was straight out of a UFC textbook, but it’s not Hodge’s striking ability that leads Australian lightweight Jake Matthews to nominate him as the AFL player most suited to a career in mixed martial arts.

In Matthews’ eyes, Hodge displayed his pedigree for the fight game long before last season’s hellacious round five clash that saw both Hodge and Jordan Lewis — for an attempted spoil that saw him crack Todd Goldstein in the head — suspended for three and two weeks respectively.

Seven years earlier, in fact. As a talented junior footballer and keen Hawks fan, 21-year-old Matthews watched the 2008 Grand Final with great interest.

Jake Matthews.

That was the day Hodge won the Norm Smith Medal for best-on-ground after tallying 26 disposals in Hawthorn’s 26-point upset of Geelong. After entering the game with a broken rib.

“The one that sticks out to me is Luke Hodge,” said Matthews, who will look to continue his climb up the 155-pound ranks against American Kevin Lee in Las Vegas on Saturday (AEST). “Not only is he really athletic, he’s just tough … Just being tough can sometimes be enough in this sport.”

Matthews also threw up the name of Melbourne youngster Jack Viney — who coincidentally was named by Hodge earlier this season as the opposition player he liked watching the most — as another candidate.

The other Aussie fighting the Ultimate Fighter Finale undercard is Anton Zafir. The 28-year-old Queenslander had a different perspective on which Australian athletes could have entered the Octagon, listing Maroons legends Johnathan Thurston and Wally Lewis.

Jack Viney.

“If Wally Lewis was younger now I’m sure he’d be pretty good,” said Zafir, whose second fight in the UFC is against Li Jingliang.

“He loved to throw down and he was tough. Johnathan Thurston is a talented athlete. He could do really well. A lot of rugby league players already have that general wrestling base. It would be pretty to see one of them crossover.”

JONES, HUNT FAVOURED IN HEADLINERS

‘I am the champion’

Both Matthews and Zafir are thrilled to be part of a momentous week in UFC history. Three nights in a row of stacked cards will finish with headline bouts between Australia’s Mark Hunt and WWE superstar Brock Lesnar and Jon Jones’ battle with Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight title.

As expected, the two Aussies are tipping Hunt to turn Lesnar’s lights out — and Jones to defeat Cormier for the second time.

“There’s two ways the fight Hunt-Lesnar could go — either Hunt will get the knockout or Lesnar will wrestle him and take him down. I don’t think Lesnar will finish Mark, but he could outwrestle him for three rounds and get the decision,” Matthews said.

“But I’m going to back the Aussie every time, Mark can get the knockout. Lesnar is big, with a lot of muscle, so if he tires out Mark can start landing his strikes and defending the takedowns. That’s the way I hope it’s going to go.”

Matthews knows Jones from his time training in Jackson’s Gym in Albuquerque and believes we’ll see a much better version of the former champion than we did in his decision win in his first fight against Cormier.

“All the stuff that happened before and after that fight, I don’t think Jon was even 50 per cent of himself,” Matthews said. “This time you’re definitely going to see a different Jon Jones and I think he’ll finish DC.”

Zafir was also backing the “Super Samoan” and “Bones”.

“My heart says Mark. I’ve seen him come through some awesome fights,” Zafir said. “If he can put his hands on Brock, it will be game over. Saying that, Brock is a formidable human being. The athleticism of that man is incredible. I’d hate to be standing across the cage when he’s running at you for a takedown. If Brock can get Mark down it might work in his favour but my heart says Hunt. He has the toughness, the heart and the skill to put Brock away.”

Zafir will be in the crowd watching on Sunday and, while noting the benefits Cormier would enjoy from having 18 months of preparation since his last fight with Jones, he’s going with the man many regard as the best ever.

“Right now I think Jon Jones is in a league of his own,” Zafir said. “His striking ability, his range and he’s also got some serious wrestling skills. He brings so much to the game, it’s hard to overlook him.”