The year is still young, but UFC 156 has to be the early favorite for best card of 2013. Headlined by an incredible title fight, there’s a whole lot to love for fight fans looking to enjoy a great night of fights.
With so many big names and intriguing matchups set to go down, the competition for fight of the night will be fierce. There are plenty of fighters on the card that are known for setting the pace and entertaining the fans, but which fights are the favorite to earn the lucrative distinction?
Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall
If there’s one thing that the flyweights have shown since the division was added to the UFC, it’s that they are guaranteed to put on a show.
Benavidez and McCall should continue that trend, as they are both at the top of the division and hungry to get back in the thick of the title picture. Both guys establish a great pace and have the cardio to keep things interesting throughout.
Benavidez has one fight of the night award to his name, although it was under the WEC banner when he took then-champion Dominick Cruz to a decision. McCall has only fought twice in the UFC but already has one fight of the night performance under his belt.
These two will put on a show and make a serious run for the distinction.
Jon Fitch vs. Demian Maia
Yes, yes, Fitch has been called a “boring” fighter on more than one occasion. But when he’s taking on the kind of grappler that can keep up with him, he’s capable of putting on entertaining fights. He’s actually been involved in two fights that took home the honor already—his most recent bout with Erick Silva and his title match against Georges St-Pierre.
Maia has the chops in the grappling department to force Fitch into an exciting back-and-forth fight. With Fitch seemingly embracing a more fan-friendly style, this should be a great clash of styles on the ground.
Frankie Edgar vs. Jose Aldo
What better candidate for fight of the night than the matchup that headlines the whole card?
This is the closest thing to a “superfight” that we’ve seen in a long time, and it’s hard to envision this one not living up to the hype. Aldo is the explosive champion with the nearly flawless record. He’s on his way to mini-Anderson Silva status.
However, Edgar is the perfect opponent to push the champion to his limit. He has crisp boxing to combat Aldo’s vicious kicks and enough wrestling, heart and cardio to test Aldo’s will.
The resulting scrap should put fans on the edge of their seats and could fatten both fighters’ pockets in the form of the almighty fight of the night bonus.
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