We don’t know how Alistair Overeem’s licensing situation in Nevada is going to shake out until April 24, which means we don’t really know with 100 percent certainty who will face Junior dos Santos next month.
That’s a weird feeling.
UFC 146 isn’t that far away, and we’re used to seeing plenty of promotion for title fights at this point. So you can imagine how weird it is for dos Santos, Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez, because they’re currently in the middle of a heavy training camp, all while not knowing exactly who their opponent is going to be next month.
The #RallyforHunt movement has been cute, but let’s be honest with ourselves: There’s very little chance Mark Hunt is given a title shot before Frank Mir. And rightly so. Mir appeared on Spike TV’s MMA Live Uncensored last night and said he’d probably be upset if the UFC picked Velasquez or Hunt to replace Overeem:
I mean, obviously I’d feel a little slighted. But both those guys are great fighters. I would never be mad at them for taking advantage of the situation. Would I be angry? Of course. I wouldn’t wanna be at my house on the night that’s announced. I would not be a happy individual. I would probably just stay away from my house for a couple of days.
Mir is the most credible challenger, and he’s also going to sell the fight to the mainstream audience better than any of the other selections. Velasquez was knocked out quickly by dos Santos the last time around, so there won’t be much interest in that fight unless he picks up a win.
And Hunt really isn’t a challenger. He hasn’t earned it in the cage, at least not yet. And despite the Internet and their love for all things Hunt, the vast majority of casual MMA fans would likely opt to hit the town on May 26th instead of sticking around the house and buying the pay-per-view.
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