One of the UFC welterweight division's most dangerous strikers returns to action at UFC Fight Night 121 in Sydney this weekend.

Tim "The Dirty Bird" Means brings a special kind of martial arts violence to the octagon, with his knees and elbows in particular among the best in the welterweight division.

Means' momentum came to a halt in the early part of the year after his March rematch with Alex "Cowboy" Oliveira ended in a rear-naked choke defeat.

But Means came roaring back against Alex Garcia, showcasing his striking skills en route to a unanimous decision win.

© Sean Pokorny-USA TODAY Sports

Now, the Albuquerque native steps back into the octagon against in-form opposition in Belal "Remember The Name" Muhammad.

Muhammad is riding a two-fight win streak, having decisioned both Randy Brown and Jordan Mein so far this year.

But Means will offer a significantly tougher class of opposition, and on the two occasions we've seen Muhammad pitched against a fighter on the fringes of the welterweight top 15, he's fallen short.

He lost a decision to Alan Jouban at UFC Fight Night 90 last July and was knocked out in the opening round by Brazilian striker Vicente Luque at UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden last November.

© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Muhammad's best chance of victory lies in outwrestling Means, but with Means also having four submission wins on his record, Muhammad will have to be wary on the mat as well as on his feet.

With Means offering the sort of attritional striking game that will push the pace and force Muhammad onto the back foot, a stoppage looks likely, with "The Dirty Bird" taking the spoils with a TKO/KO finish, most likely in the second or third round.

Key Odds

• Means to win: -224
• Means to win inside the distance: +115
• Fight goes over 1.5 rounds: -214

[Main image credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports]

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