Although UFC on FOX 3 will be headlined by a dynamite lightweight bout between Nate Diaz and Jim Miller, there are plenty of other fights on the card to get excited about as well. There may not be a ton of star power to behold, but if you’re looking for closely contested fights with quality combatants, this card should appeal to you.
Most probably believe the winner of Diaz vs. Miller will own the night, but the rest of the main card on FOX will feature plenty of exciting competitors as well. As is often the case with UFC and boxing events, most fans will tune in for the main event, but it will be somebody else who ultimately catches their eye and grabs the spotlight.
Here are three fighters who are sure to steal the show on Saturday night.
Perhaps Josh Koscheck isn’t the greatest fighter in UFC, but when it comes to talking trash and making himself visible, there are few better than him. Koscheck will have a tough test on Saturday against Johny Hendricks in a welterweight bout, but he has scored some big wins over the course of his career and will be out to prove himself yet again and to earn another title shot down the line.
Koscheck matches rarely end quietly as he is equally adept at knocking out or submitting his opponent, so Hendricks will have to be quite wary. Whether Koscheck wins or loses, though, you never know what type of theatrics he might come up with. UFC is always looking for guys with personality and character, and there is no doubt that Koscheck fits the bill.
Lavar Johnson
In 21 career professional fights, 34-year-old Lavar Johnson has never once gone the distance, so if you’re looking for fireworks, you’ll want to watch his heavyweight bout with Pat Barry. Fourteen of Johnson’s 16 wins have come by way of knockout and he’ll likely be looking to do the same against Barry. At 6’4″ and 252 lbs., Johnson isn’t built for distance, but he can pack a serious punch over the short term.
Barry has only gone all three rounds once in his own right, so I wouldn’t anticipate this one lasting too long after the initial bell rings. Not every UFC fan enjoys a short slugfest, but there will be plenty of technical endeavors in other matches throughout the night. Johnson is either going to win or lose in a blaze of glory, and that makes him exciting to watch.
Rousimar Palhares
As one of the preeminent submission specialists in UFC today, you never know what Rousimar Palhares has under his sleeve. He has won 14 fights as a professional and 10 of them have come via submission, so his opponents always have to be wary of what he might do during mat-based grapples. His patented heel hook has left many capable fighters in his wake, and he will likely try to utilize it against Alan Belcher on Saturday night.
Belcher is a talented fighter in his own right and he has only been submitted once in his career, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this test of wills. Palhares is as ruthless and dominant as they come on the mat, so I have to believe that there is a good chance he will have Belcher in a precarious position at some point.
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