On Nov. 12, both Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos will do battle at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., in unarguably the biggest moment in UFC history.
The battle in and of itself is noteworthy, but it’s the stage the bout is being contested on that’s so important.
The heavyweight title tilt will be the first featured bout that takes place on the FOX network as part of a recent seven-year deal the UFC recently struck with the sports television juggernaut.
Dos Santos rose to prominence in the UFC in just his very first bout, when “Cigano” took on the highly touted submission specialist in Fabricio Werdum, who was being groomed for a shot at the heavyweight title. The debuting Dos Santos spoiled those plans for his countryman, as he knocked out Werdum inside of the first round with a brutal uppercut.
Since then, Dos Santos has failed to disappoint those expectations of greatness he garnered from the bout, as he has since gone on a tear in the heavyweight class. He’s 7-0 in the organization, with additional victories over the likes of Pride veterans Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Gilbert Yvel and former title challengers Gabriel Gonzaga and Shane Carwin—finishing all but “The Engineer” before the final bell.
Velasquez, meanwhile, has been equally impressive inside the Octagon. The American Kickboxing Academy representative remains undefeated in his mixed martial arts career, as he had developed a heavy striking acumen built upon his strong collegiate wrestling pedigree.
After moving 6-0 in the UFC, following a first round knockout of former champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Velasquez was primed for his shot at heavyweight gold when he took on the behemoth in Brock Lesnar. The proud Mexican-American weathered an early storm from the charging Lesnar, picked his spots and eventually sealed the finish with a dominant first round TKO finish due to strikes.
Dos Santos and Velasquez represent two of the divisions best and most promising stars, as their star has been cultivated whilst under the UFC banner. Both men have only recently broken into the public eye with their recent outings, so they haven’t built the sort of mass appeal that a Lesnar or Anderson Silva might garner, but their not too far away.
UFC President Dana White is in a win-win situation. Neither Dos Santos or Velasquez are huge draws as pay-per-view headliners and with the exposure the two will garner with their stint on Fox, it could generate the much needed revenue the organization needs, since it’s suffered in PPV sells in recent events. They’re not hurting by any means, but more money wouldn’t hurt.
The UFC and Fox are tied together for some time, but the momentum of how this bout will turn out will resonate with future events.
Both Dos Santos and Velasquez have proven to be two of the most dynamic and exciting fighters in the division, so regardless of the outcome, we are bound to see an alluring heavyweight affair, which will hopefully translate into a drawing in a slew of new UFC fans in the process, which is why this bout will be the most pivotal in the company’s history.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com