Been a long time since I posted here. (Though I admit, I unexpectedly got a lot of mileage out of that "Warrior" review...) I'd written this as a sample for another project and it seemed fitting to include here. It's a look at the upcoming UFC on FOX main card tailored to those unfamiliar with the sport and its combatants. Let me know what you think.
UFC on FOX 2: Main Card Preview
The Ultimate Fighting Championship presents “UFC on FOX 2” on January 28th, 2012 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The 11-bout card features a main event between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis and a restructured co-feature between Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping. Three fights will air on the FOX network starting at 8pm EST while the prelim bouts air on Fuel. Here’s what to expect on fight night once the main card gets underway…
Rashad Evans vs. “Mr. Wonderful” Phil Davis
Two wrestlers step into the cage for the main event when Michigan State wrestling alumnus Rashad Evans meets Penn State wrestling standout Phil Davis at 205 lbs. Evans has a record of 16-1-1 while Davis is undefeated at a perfect 9-0. Evans last fought against Tito Ortiz at “UFC 133” and was victorious with a TKO in the second round. He was originally slated to fight Davis at that event but “Mr. Wonderful” bowed out with an injury, prompting Ortiz to take his place. Davis last fought in March of 2011 when he defeated Antonio Rogerio Noguiera by decision at “UFC Fight Night 34.” This is his first fight since the knee injury that canceled the initial Evans/Davis matchup.
When two wrestlers meet in the cage, their grappling often cancels out and the fight turns into a kickboxing battle. Rashad Evans is the more experienced fighter, has faster movement and has demonstrated knockout power against Sean Salmon and Chuck Liddell. Phil Davis is the larger and younger of the two men and a win over Evans elevates him into the top-five in the light-heavyweight rankings. Evans has more to lose because he is guaranteed a title shot against current champion Jon Jones with a victory while Davis has not been given such assurances. The fight is five rounds and a grueling decision for either man would not be surprising though Evans is favored. Evans and Jones have a longstanding rivalry and an Evans victory sets up a potentially lucrative Jones vs. Evans pay-per-view bout for the championship.
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael “The Count” Bisping
Two of the UFC’s most polarizing personalities clash at 185 lbs. when British fighter Michael Bisping squares off against Oregon wrestler Chael Sonnen to determine the number one contender to Anderson Silva’s middleweight championship. Sonnen’s original opponent Mark Munoz had to pull out due to an injury. Sonnen (26-11-1) is fresh off a dominant win against Brian Stann at “UFC 136” in October while Bisping (22-3-0) is making a quick turnaround following his victory over Jason Miller in December. Sonnen is looking for a rematch against Silva, who submitted him in August of 2010. Sonnen tested positive for PEDs following the loss and this is his second fight since coming off of suspension. Bisping just completed his second stint as a coach for the UFC’s “The Ultimate Fighter” TV series and earned himself a step-up in competition following his dismantling of Miller.
While both men have similar records, Sonnen has generally faced higher-ranked competition throughout his career and Bisping has come up short when facing higher-profile opponents. Bisping also tends to take fights personally and is easily offended by perceived disrespect. Sonnen is one of MMA’s most prolific trash-talkers so the pre-fight hype may work to his advantage. Bisping has shown excellent defensive grappling and underrated striking but his takedown defense has long been an Achilles heel and that is where Sonnen shines.
Damien Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Chris Weidman is stepping in on short notice to fight submission specialist Damien Maia after Maia’s original opponent Michael Bisping got promoted to the co-main event against Chael Sonnen. Weidman is undefeated in his seven-fight career but he has never faced a specialist the level of Damien Maia, who may have the best jiu-jitsu game in the middleweight division, if not the entire sport. Maia is 15-3-0 with submission wins over the likes of Chael Sonnen and Jason MacDonald.
While Weidman has a strong wrestling pedigree, it’s not in his best interests to take a ground-specialist like Maia to the floor. Maia has been knocked out standing up before so Weidman is likely to use his wrestling to keep the fight standing so he can batter Maia with strikes. Maia’s striking has greatly improved in his more recent bouts but it’s still the weakest part of his overall game. Maia may struggle with getting a wrestler of Weidman’s ability down but, if he does, look for him to try to finish quickly with an armbar or choke.