With the lightweight title at stake, UFC 164 on Saturday, Aug. 31, from Milwaukee should be a great show.
Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis will clash in the co-main bout, and the whole card is solid. Pettis earned a unanimous-decision victory over Henderson the last time the two met, and Henderson is looking to turn the tables.
That fight was one of the best of 2010, and it’s custom made for highlight reels with Pettis’ “Showtime Kick.”
As enticing as that rematch is, there are more reasons to tune it. Check out how you can stream the action, and then I’ll take a further look at the more exciting bouts.
Live Stream
Preliminary fights can be streamed on the UFC’s Facebook page.
The pay-per-view portion is available at UFC.tv and UStream.
Chad Mendes vs. Clay Guida
Clay Guida enters as the No. 9-ranked featherweight, but his controversial win over Hatsu Hioki has left him with a fair amount of skeptics.
He will be able to send a resounding answer to any skeptics by winning this bout over No. 1-ranked Chad Mendes.
The 28-year-old Mendes lost his title bid in January 2012, but he’s been impressive in his three bouts since. If he can pick up this win, another title shot will likely be just around the corner.
Both of these guys will be supremely motivated. I expect a long fight with Mendes using his superior attacks to earn a win.
Frank Mir vs. Josh Barnett
With two former heavyweight champs going toe-to-toe, this fight shouldn’t hurt for action or intrigue.
It’s surprising that Frank Mir and Josh Barnett have been around as long as they have and never met—especially considering this is such a fun matchup of styles.
We have the catch wrestling of Barnett against the jiu-jitsu of Mir. Both men are masters of their styles. Barnett will likely try to win this one with his top game by wearing down Mir. However, Mir is a cagey veteran with a good bottom game.
Of course, going for some ground-and-pound will not be without risk for Barnett. Mir is excellent on the mat and will be angling for a submission to put an end to this fight.
I’m leaning toward Mir emerging with the win, but this is truly anyone’s fight.
Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis
It’s hard to believe it has taken these two so long to get back into the Octagon together. However, it has been a long journey for both since Pettis’ Showtime Kick.
Pettis struggled with injuries following his bout with Henderson, losing to Guida in his next fight. He’s been on a roll since. He’s won three straight and will look to keep that streak going against this familiar opponent.
Meanwhile, Henderson has been in the Octagon seven times since his loss to Pettis and hasn’t done anything but win. That streak includes four title defenses. This should be his toughest challenge to that title yet.
Pettis is a Milwaukee native. He will have the crowd behind him and the confidence of his past victory. I believe he will take the title on Saturday.
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