UFC 128 was flying under the radar until Rashad Evans’ injury forced him out and Jon “Bones” Jones into the main event. With Shogun Rua embarking on one of the most anticipated and question raising title reigns for long-time MMA fans the introduction of the rising star presented a profoundly unique match-up. Many have waited for Shogun to ascend to the top of the light-heavyweight division since his world – beating performances in Pride FC. Unfortunately his three most impressive performances in the UFC, one against Chuck Liddell and two against Machida, have only marginally endeared him to the casual fan. Jones on the other hand has become wildly popular and his dominance might even remind some of a young Rua in Japan. Meanwhile Dana White and company continues their trend of light-stacking cards headlined by a light-heavyweight title fight. Jones vs Shogun presents one of the most perplexing match-ups in recent memory but the under card is underwhelming at best, filled with little known fighters, one-sided match-ups, and a legend that appears to have lost it, whatever it was when he had it. In an attempt to try new formats, I am going to count down the top five things to get excited about from this card, which not surprisingly generally align with the five fights on the main card.
5. Faber Hits The UFC
Urijah Faber (pictured) has been a long time fan favorite in the WEC, pushing fast pace fights and providing the company a marketable face for the last few years. His fall from the top surprised some people as he was unable to deal with Matt Brown who in turn seemed unable to deal with anyone else. Faberwill make his UFC debut against Eddie Wineland, who is riding a four-fight win streak into UFC 128. The most interesting aspect of this fight might be the style match-up. Wineland’s record isn’t going to impress many but he is a wrestler with KO power, something Faber has had trouble with in the past. Faber is no doubt going to be a focal point of the UFC’s 135-pound division. What remains to be seen is if he can live up to the hype.
4. Miller vs Shalorus
Jim Miller (pictured) is a fighter. I know all of these guys are fighters but Jim Miller seems to like fighting a bit more than just about everyone else. In fact, both Miller boys (the other to be discussed later) always seem to bring a hard-nosed approach to fighting. Kamal Shalorus will not hesitate to get in there and mix it up with Miller. Both are looking to make headway in the lightweight division and Jim Miller might even be on his way to a title fight if he can avoid trip-ups. These fighters might not be glamorous or well known but keep an eye on this one as it is a fight of the night candidate for sure.
3. Marquardt vs Miller
Nate Marquardt was originally scheduled to face Akyama before the latter got pulled from the fight with an injury. What was the match’s lose might be the fans gain as last minute replacement Dan Miller rarely fails to bring the fight. The brother of the aforementioned Jim Miller, Dan is more likely to push the pace and get in Marquardt’s face than Akyama. He might even take a Chael Sonnan approach to the fight and attempt to grind out a win from top position. Marquardt on the other hand is backed into a corner. He can’t afford to lose another fight, especially if he wants to remain relevant in the title conversation. Outside of the title fight, this is the most interesting and likely most important fight on the card in terms of positioning in a division. Both fighters stand to gain and or lose a lot of ground depending on the outcome of the fight.
2. Cro Cops Swan Song?
Cro Cop (pictured) is far from a relevant force in the UFC right now. His lackluster performances and inability to win with any consistency have placed him in a b-list of fighters in the heavyweight division. His fight against Brendan Shaub might be his last in the UFC if he finds himself with another tally in the L column. While Shaub’s recent performances and his rise in the UFC are noteworthy, the story hear remains Cro Cop, if for no other reason than what he gave many MMA fans in his prime: unbelievable fights and highlight reel KOs. If Cro Cop can find that form that everyone seems to still be waiting for I’ll be the first one out of my seat cheering. But if this is to be his last fight, at least under the UFC banner, I want to see it, no matter how painful it may be. Cro Cop’s legacy has no doubt been tainted but it has not been cast aside and he still deserves our attention
1. Shogun vs Jones
I would venture to say that the most important belt in the sport today is the UFC Ligh-Heavyweight Champion. The highly competitive nature of the division has necessitated an excessive amount of parody with regards to the title. Since Chuck Liddell, no one seems to be able hold on to the belt for more than one defense. Shogun Rua (background) is going to try to establish some stability in the division by starting his title reign off on the right foot. His opponent has been crowed the future of the sport. Jon Jones' (foreground) career to this point has seen him virtually untested, running through highly competitive fighters. Jones replaces the injured Rashad Evans and will find himself across from by far his toughest challenge to date. When Shogun is healthy he is light-years ahead of Jones former opponents with his striking and his game from the bottom, two places that Jones’ former opponents find themselves in a great deal of trouble. Expect Jones to rely heavily on his reach to set up take-downs. His freakish physical stature is going to give anyone problems so I expect he will get the fight to the floor and control the pace for some time. Unfortunately once on the ground Jones may have a different set of problems. Shogun is famous for technical Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and great leg locks. Seeing Jones utilize his top game against Bader was a cause for concern as some of the positions he maintained may leave him open to submissions from a fighter more skilled off his back. It is no secret by this point that I think Shogun is going to outmatch Jones, who I strongly believe will be a champion one-day. Two factors give me pause: Shogun’s knee and the lack of prep time for each fighter. Shogun is returning from yet another knee surgery. And his returns from such surgeries have yielded mixed results. Hopefully, Shogun has used his long layoff to ensure that he is 100% for this fight. If Shogun is not firing on all cylinder a new champion will be crowned. Additionally the nature of injury replacements inherently leaves each fighter with less time to prepare. While the argument could be made that Jones is more like Rashad (the fighter Shogun was originally planning for) than Shogun is Bader (The fighter Jones was preparing for and beat before hearing the news he must keep training), I think the shortened prep time introduces an element of unpredictability as much as anything. At the same time, Jones and Evans are not very similar in terms of their striking game. It is Shogun’s anticipation while standing that sets him apart and he will be more or less starting from scratch preparing for Jones in that regard.
If you are a fan of action, this is the main event for you. Shogun Rua vs Jon Jones is not going the distance. I would be more comfortable betting on that than I would be either fighter. Weather it is Shogun’s experience or Jones physical attributes that win the day, neither man is going to sit back and let the fight come to them. There is nothing certain in MMA, especially at 205 pounds in the UFC, but the winner of this fight could be well on his way to turning the corner of a new era in the division.
No comments:
Post a Comment