World Series of Fighting returns tonight with David Branch and Jesse Taylor contesting for the promotion’s middleweight strap, but before the main card takes place on the NBC Sports Network, a preliminary card headlined by a heavyweight grudge match will be streamed on WSOF.com.
40-year-old journeyman heavyweight Dave Huckaba will look to snap the five-bout winning streak of rising American Top Team product Derrick Mehmen.
In addition to winning the fight for the sake of competition, Huckaba is also fueled by anger towards his opponent.
“He’s got a big mouth really,” Huckaba said. “He’s badmouthed my family and me. He’s disrespectful to the sport. MMA is a sport of respect, man. It’s a sport of two men doing battle, it’s not about trash talking. He’s just a young kid that doesn’t know any better.
Huckaba, who picked up the sport at the age of 31, is coming off of a successful WSOF debut against Ray Sefo. Having finished 17 of his opponents by way of strikes, Huckaba’s known for his power in his punches, and he believes that he’ll showcase that against Mehmen.
“He’s not even that good of a fighter, man. He’s got an overhand right and grappling and that’s about it,” said Huckaba. “I’m going to knock him out.”
Derrick Mehmen, a fighter with no knockout losses on his record, disagrees with that sentiment, although he did concede that Huckaba possesses real punching power.
“He’s got some power in his hands and he’s a brawler,” said Mehmen. “He’s got a punchers chance. I’ve got the power, technique and I’m more well-rounded.”
Mehmen also believes that he has the grappling advantage between the two heavyweights.
“I can take it to the ground if I want, but i don’t have to take it to the ground. He’s not taking me down. If I do take him down I’m going to dominate him. He’s got nothing for me on the ground, for sure. The only chance he has to win this fight is one lucky punch.”
Regardless, all of the trash talk will become meaningless tonight when the two heavyweights collide in the headlining bout on WSOF 10’s preliminary card.