The Prelim Breakout Star is a once per event article that helps fans get to know those who will be entertaining them from the undercard. The intention of the article is not to bring attention to the most talented fighter on the preliminary card, but rather one that the common fan may have overlooked or underestimated.
The trilogy we’ve all been waiting for is upon us, but there will be plenty of action before we find out who the baddest man on the planet is. The prelims even have an intriguing heavyweight debut that should draw plenty of eyes.
Chris Daukaus
Affiliation – Martinez BJJ
From – Philadelphia, PA
Height – 6’2″
Weight – 265 lbs (Heavyweight)
Record – 8-3 (0-0 UFC)
What makes him impressive
Everybody in the heavyweight division has KO power. It’s perhaps the most overrated thing that people talk about with heavyweights. However, the source of Daukaus’s power is what makes him interesting to watch. It’s not just his size that gives him the ability to KO someone (and trust me, he has plenty of size), but rather it is the speed at which he throws his punches. His hooks are uncharacteristically quick for a man of his stature. In addition, his striking style is rare in the heavyweight division as it clearly has some Thai inspiration. He likes the clinch and sometimes even holds his hands as you would expect a Thai kickboxer to. This combination makes him unique for a division that has a lot of the same.
Why he has been overlooked
A recent loss to Zu Anyanwu is for sure some of the reason that Daukaus has been brushed aside. In a world where a loss that is seen by a lot of hardcore fans (as a lot of LFA bouts typically are) tends to take the wind out of your sails. To be fair though, Daukaus was clearly winning that fight before a big shot changed the complexion of it quickly.
What makes this a good match-up
Parker Porter has been around the New England MMA scene forever. He fought Jon Jones all the way back in 2008 and Gabriel Gonzaga in 2011. He gets his shot at 35 years old largely due to the fact that he has four wins in five bouts (he would be undefeated if not for being DQed to to an illegal blow). The one characteristic of his late wins is that he does good work when on top of his opponents. With the strong clinch work of Daukaus, it’s hard to imagine Porter getting on the inside long enough to get the fight where he wants – that is, without getting badly tagged.
Prelim Breakout Star Record: 201-88-1 (2 NC) (9 DNF)
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