Looks like Houston Texas will be getting a doozy this October. Most notably, the Heavyweight Championship of the world will be headlined at UFC 166 in the Toyota Center.
Yet while JDS and Cain Velasquez are breaking in their leather and keeping loose back stage, four other absolute killers will be squaring off at some point in the night.
Long time former middleweight contenders in Nate Marquardt and Hector Lombard are in very similar positions in their attempt at breathing new life in to their careers at a lighter weight class.
Gilbert Melendez, still considered the #1 contender among the scariest division among the light weights after dropping a close decision to champ Benson Henderson in his UFC debut, is going to fight long time contender, Diego Sanchez.
Where Melendez is currently one of the best the sport has to offer, Sanchez won’t care. He enters the cage with the idea that regardless of the odds, he’ll go out on his sword.
Here’s how one simple minded fool believes it will unfold that night.
~ Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos ~
This one is the rubber match, both have exchanged losses, neither have come close to being touched by other competitors in the heavyweight division, and both have routed the other.
They are on a whole different planet than anyone else among the heavyweights. Here’s where it gets interesting; they also know what the game plan is. There is no mystery surrounding this one.
Cain has been able to take down every single opponent he’s faced and every time he does, they end up not making it back to their feet without the help of the referee waving the champ off.
JDS on the other hand, dances around until the thin leather on his fists finds their mark and boom, he drops one opponent after another.
These polar opposite strategies have worked on every one of their opponents, and more importantly, each other. Because Cain has the recent win, and his ability to win a decision is probably higher than JDS’s ability to finish the fight, I’m giving this one to the champ.
~ Hector Lombard vs. Nate Marquardt~
Lombard is a very scary striker out of BellatorFC where he literally blasted his way through 25 opponents, until abruptly running in to trouble in the UFC. Where he struggled to find his mark against bigger, stronger competitors in the middleweight division, it will be fascinating to see how he fairs against the welterweights.
Don’t forget about how the man will look! He’s already ridiculous at 185lb’s, and with the Mike Dolce’s diet backing his play, he will probably look even more inhumanly ripped at 175lb’s.
Marquardt is a crafty veteran though. Sure he’s lost his share of fights in ways Lombard specializes in, but where Lombard struggles in the game plan department, Marquardt excels. Look to see Marquardt attempt to steal a crafty win, and Lombard the knockout.
Both fighters are notorious for showing up on game day, unprepared and sluggish at times. So in this one, whomever decides to show up with a penchant for hurting, will be the one to walk away with the win by knockout.
~ Diego Sanchez vs. Gilbert Melendez ~
I love Diego’s heart in this one. But Melendez is from a new era of fighters. He’s going to have an answer for anything Diego brings to the table. Of course he’s still gotta go out there and break Diego, or out last him for three rounds.
Wherever this one goes, Gil will be a little faster and stronger. It’s an age thing folks. Sadly I don’t give Diego much of a chance in this one.
Top five reasons an Anderson Silva loss won’t hurt his legacy
UFC fighter pay: Top five idiots leading the charge
UFC 162: Top five fears Chris Weidman won’t admit on fighting Anderson Silva
UFC on FOX Sports1 conundrum: Is Glover Teixeira vs Ryan Bader the right choice?
Johny Hendrick’s five intangibles that may end GSP’s night early at UFC 167