Through the fire and flames, UFC 137 has finally seemed to calm down to a point where fans have a sense of understanding and clarity. The weeks leading up to this fight have been interesting to say the least, but even now with the donned “expect the unexpected” on the promo poster, UFC 137 is starting to solidify and take form.
Without the welterweight championship on the line, ticket sales and PPV buys may look a little unpleasant, but this does not mean that the card isn’t still significant.
To start, the headline fight between BJ Penn and Nick Diaz has a slew of implications all on its own. The speculation of title shots and contenders seems to almost rival the circus the lightweight division has become. A handful of fighters are all in the mix for title contention, and the uncertainty of who is next in line is quite parallel with the welterweights.
Nick Diaz, originally slated to get the title shot, will be fighting for the chance now. If Diaz can win his fight against BJ Penn, especially in dominant fashion, many will cry out for the originally planned GSP vs Diaz matchup. Condit is patiently waiting, but with the UFC, you never know when they will make a business move rather than a deserving one.
Nick Diaz’s performance against Penn will determine if he should have been given the shot in the first place, and if he truly is one of the best welterweights around. He is trying his luck again with the UFC, but BJ Penn is also out to salvage his name.
BJ Penn has a great history, but suffered a reputation hit when he lost to Frankie Edgar twice in a row. His return to welterweight against Matt Hughes was an impressive performance, but people still have GSP vs BJ Penn II burned into their minds. A draw with Jon Fitch to follow is not the best way to re-establish, but a win over Diaz could be just the thing.
If BJ Penn can have a dominant performance over Diaz, he may not get the title shot right away, but you could make a case for him. How GSP recovers from his injury and timing are the two biggest factors to determine who will get the shot next.
Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione is a great heavyweight fight, and carries some importance as to the evolving HW division. In recent years, the HW division received scrutiny for lacking fighters and excitement, but now is looking better than ever. The HW title on the line on FOX for free is just one way to shake up the division and bring the glory of HW combat sports back to life.
Matt Mitrione is looking to beat someone who has a bigger name in the HW division. To many, Kongo is his first real test as an HW. If he can beat Kongo, he will be on a six-fight winning streak and become a possible title contender. He will inevitably be thrown into the mix once the Cain/JDS and Brock/Overeem stints are over.
Both he and Kongo are looking to prove to the HW division that they are just as big of players as the others.
In probably one of the most significant fights of the night, Cro Cop will be fighting Roy Nelson. Both of them are fighting for their jobs at this point, and both are going to bring their best game with them. On the verge of the typically cutting point, this fight carries the potential last fight of Mirko Cro Cop, a legend in the sport, or could usher out another TUF winner.
Lastly, Donald Cerrone vs. Dennis Siver is another fight that carries strong implications for their division. The LW division, as mentioned before, has a bunch of contenders who are making strong cases for a title shot. While BJ Penn and Gray Maynard have taken the title contender spotlight for the last couple years, the rest of the LW’s are all chomping at the bit and ready to present their cases.
Cerrone and Siver marks another LW matchup that will help weed through some of these contenders at 155. It will also end the winning streak of one of these men, Siver with four in a row, and Cerrone with five. If Cerrone beats Siver in stunning fashion, it would be hard not to give him a title shot in the near future.
With Lauzon taking out Guillard, and Guida vs. Henderson coming up, the end of 2011 will help define the lightweight division into a much clearer picture.
Even without GSP’s belt on the line, following UFC 137, some things will look very different. The welterweight division should look a little clearer, but will still be in limbo until GSP recovers. The lightweights should look thinner, and the heavyweights will gain new top guys or see others out.
UFC 137 is all about proving relevance to the UFC in each fighter’s weight class. Where some cards are more to determine rank or put on interesting matchups, this card will help reveal some truths.
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