Since its announcement earlier this week, UFC 146 has become one of the anticipated events of this year, featuring a few pivotal heavyweight bouts.
With Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem headlining the main card, and Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir securing the co-main event slot, it is evident the UFC is relying on their heavyweight stars to carry the spotlight and gain more exposure.
This was a smart move from the UFC, and it will likely keep fans more involved in the division, as the next heavyweight challenger will be determined for a future bout with the champion.
The UFC heavyweight division has not received this amount of attention in recent memory, as it was long considered a weak and talentless division. But with the emergence of fighters like dos Santos, Velasquez and Overeem, the division has suddenly become relevant and one of the more entertaining weight classes to watch.
This new breed of heavyweight fighters has sparked life into a stagnant division, once reigned by former UFC heavyweight champion, Brock Lesnar, and has remained stable in his absence. For once, fighters competing over 205 pounds are more than just big, powerful behemoths, and actually possess technique and skill to make bouts more enjoyable to watch.
UFC 146 will receive it’s fair share of publicity within weeks leading up to the event and it could very likely surpass all expectations.
If the heavyweight division intends on standing alone as a credible, premier weight class, this will be the event to prove its legitimacy in mixed martial arts.
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