UFC 158 may lack size, but heavy hitters abound on the card.
A middleweight tilt between Chris Camozzi and Nick Ring represents the heaviest weight class on the card, but the competition for the Knockout of the Night bonus should be fierce.
As much as we fans love the technical aspects of the sport, we all love a good knockout. Who takes home the extra cash for putting up the best highlight-reel knockout is always one of the best parts of the card.
Here are the prime candidates to make us jump out of our seats come fight night.
Carlos Condit vs. Johny Hendricks
Anytime Johny Hendricks is on a card, he’s an automatic favorite to win the Knockout of the Night award.
Despite a heavy wrestling background, Hendricks’ knockout power is what makes him the fastest riser in the welterweight division. He’s won the distinction of Knockout of the Night in three of his last five fights. His thunderous left hand has the ability to end the fight at any time.
His opponent, Carlos Condit, is no slouch in the knockout department either. He has 13 wins by way of knockout on his resume and is a two-time winner of the bonus.
Neither of these guys have been knocked out in their career. Considering the power of both, it’s hard to envision that still being true after UFC 158.
Patrick Cote vs. Bobby Voelker
UFC veteran Patrick Cote will make his welterweight debut after spending portions of his career at both light heavyweight and middleweight. He’ll be welcomed by former Strikeforce welterweight Bobby Voelker.
There’s a good chance that the resulting collision will yield a spectacular knockout.
Cote has always been unafraid to stand and exchange. Once upon a time he scored back-to-back Knockout of the Night awards. Now that he’s fighting at the lowest weight of his career, it stands to reason he could see another power surge.
Voelker is a capable knockout artist in his own right. He’s a new face to UFC fans, but 15 of his 24 wins have come by way of knockout.
Jake Ellenberger vs. Nate Marquardt
Surprise, surprise, it’s another matchup between welterweights with plenty of power to knock each other silly.
Ellenberger is another wrestler with phenomenal power in his hands; he’s racked up 17 of his career wins by way of knockout and has a Knockout of the Night performance against Jake Shields.
Marquardt is a grizzled veteran who has traditionally scored more victories by submission, but he has the power to knock out opponents. He has nine knockouts in his career.
Both of these fighters are great grapplers, which could mean that it comes down to who has the better stand up. That means one of these guys is going to sleep.
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