Brad Riddell and Rafael Fiziev face off in a clash between rising lightweights as the co-main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday, Dec. 4. Let's examine this bout, beginning with the latest betting odds.

Riddell needs to play the long game

Riddell goes into this fight with a lot of momentum behind him, an active striking style, and potentially the better all-around technique. He is coming off a savage battle with Drew Dober last June in a performance that earned him fight of the night honors.

That war of attrition went the distance, with both men miraculously able to walk out the octagon on their own two feet. As a high volume striker, Riddell is landing a respectable 4.75 significant strikes per minute with 53% accuracy, but he’ll need to have his defense on point against an equally talented striker.

Fiziev can’t run out of gas

Like Riddell, Fiziev’s last bout was another assault on brain tissue as he and Bobby Green did everything they could to kill each other. Fiziev got the better of the hellacious exchanges, narrowly outpointing Green in one of the year’s best fights.

Fiziev’s athleticism and dynamic striking is something to behold, and he often strikes with bad intent. He unbelievably lands 5.34 significant strikes per minute, and is extremely difficult to take down, meaning his opponents need to endure a terrible grind if they hope to beat him.

Riddell’s superior skill will win the night

Peyton Manning once said, "Your defense is offensive," and truer words were never spoken with regard to Fiziev. For all the shots he lands, he almost gets hit at the same rate.

When two volume fighters go at it, it’s usually the one with the varied skill set that gets the job done. For what it’s worth, Riddell’s better defense and inside game can slow Fiziev down. Fiziev tends to tire late, and that only works to Riddell’s favor.

These two are incredibly sturdy, and are able to absorb a lot of punishment, so a stoppage is unlikely. This is one of the hardest fight of the year to pick, but bettors should expect Riddell to eke out a decision in a fight that will require repeat viewings.

UFC Fight Night pick: Riddell