“Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes.
The Event: UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes, currently scheduled for January 14, 2012 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Two free preliminary cards are scheduled to air on the UFC’s Facebook page starting at 7:00 PM ET. An additional four free preliminary fights are scheduled to air on the FX network starting at 8:00 PM ET. The five-fight main card is scheduled to air live on Pay-Per-View starting at 10:00 PM ET.
Why You Should Care: This is the first major UFC event of the year, and much like the UFC’s last trip to Brazil, this card is loaded with some of the UFC’s top Brazilian stars. You’ve got champions, hungry upstarts, and thrilling veterans. Even better, all of those fighters have been put into matches that make sense and look very exciting on paper, with a high potential of several “can’t-miss” moments.
What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: I think it’s a fair criticism to say that Jose Aldo has yet to generate the same level of fear and hype in the UFC as he did in the WEC, where many thought he was untouchable and the future of the division. But Aldo is still a champion, and he’s facing a tough threat in the unbeaten Chad Mendes. Will the chinks that have recently appeared in Aldo’s armor lead to Mendes realizing his full potential, or will Aldo take the experience he’s gained from a slew of tough, top UFC competition and restore his status as a walking wrecking ball? There’s only one way to find out.
What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: For quite some time I’ve been saying that Anthony Johnson could make middleweight easily and should in fact move up before his massive weight cut catches up to him and begins affecting both his performance and his health. Johnson will be facing a very tough challenge in Vitor Belfort, who aside from his loss to Anderson Silva has looked absolutely amazing in his latest UFC run. It’s a classic “prospect vs. veteran” match-up, featuring one of the UFC’s hottest prospects going up against one of the UFC’s most dangerous veterans.
Why You Should Watch This Card: The main event should be a back-and-forth war, and the co-main event has an amazing amount of potential. You’ve also got a total of six free fights if you’re into prelim bouts, and with the quality of the UFC’s prelims lately… you need to be into prelim bouts. The Pay-Per-View card, the FX card, and the Facebook card all boast some of the UFC’s top Brazilian talent: from Rousimar Palhares to Gabriel Gonzaga to Erick Silva and more.
Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: It’s pretty clear that the UFC is banking on filling this card with Brazilian fighters as a way to get fans to overlook the fact that this isn’t exactly a stacked card. Jose Aldo isn’t really a draw yet because he hasn’t been smashing people the way he did back in the WEC, Anthony Johnson is unproven as a middleweight, and the other Pay-Per-View fights are honestly Fight Night Live-caliber fights.
Closing Thoughts: In the end, I’m excited about this card. It has its fair share of shortcomings, but I think the potential for big KOs and dramatic submissions is high. It may not be the biggest UFC event, but it should be one that’s well worth watching. So definitely count me in.
Oliver Saenz, also known as PdW2kX, is a freelance journalist, opinion columnist, hardcore MMA fan, and lifelong video game nerd. For more news, views, previews, and reviews on all things Mixed Martial Arts as well as video games, be sure to visit FightGamesBlog.net.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com