Tag: Gray Maynard

Ben vs. Jared: UFC 160 Edition


(Cain doesn’t see an enormous head. He sees a big, beautiful, blood-piñata, just waiting to burst open and spill its bounty. / Photo via MMAFighting.com)

BG and Danga are back mahfuckas, baaaaaaaaaaaaam! [*cough*] Excuse me. What I meant to say was, UFC 160 goes down tomorrow night in Las Vegas, so CagePotato founding editor Ben Goldstein and staff writer Jared Jones have teamed up once again to discuss all the important themes surrounding the event. Which heavyweight fight on the main card is more likely to end in an upset? Should we write off KJ Noons as nothing more than UFC shark-bait? What’s a Nurmagomedov gotta do to get some respect around here? Read on, and throw down your own opinions in the comments section.

It seems pretty obvious that the UFC is trying to set up Dos Santos vs. Velasquez III, but who stands the better chance of throwing a wrench in their plans, Hunt or Silva?

Jared: ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS. The last I checked, Mark Hunt was riding high on the most unexpected win streak in UFC history, turned his last opponent’s jaw into mashed potatoes, and will now be harboring the kind of silent-but-deadly rage that can only be brought about by jet lag. “Bigfoot” is coming off an upset win over a sans testosterone-abusing Overeem, sure, but picking him over the man, the myth, the pseudo-Mexican who reenacted the rock scene from Cannibal Holocaust on him almost a year ago to the day? No thanks, my dude.

Ben: I hate to agree with this jackass — and how dare you try to persuade me by linking to a track from Primus’s underrated Rhinoplasty EP, Jared — so for the sake of argument, I’ll go ahead and say ARE *YOU* KIDDING *ME* WITH THIS?? Mark Hunt has built up a dubious win streak slinging haymakers against guys who allowed him to do so. Junior Dos Santos is far too disciplined to become another victim of the same old rock-’em-sock-’em Super Samoan routine. In a brawl, Hunt has a chance against anybody. But this won’t be a brawl — it’ll be boxing match, and JDS is about as good as they come in that department.

And sure, Hunt has scored a string of upsets against guys like Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve. Meanwhile, Antonio Silva has scored far more unexpected and dramatic upsets against guys like Fedor Emelianenko and the aforementioned ‘Reem. Bigfoot has heart for days, and fists big enough to dummy up anybody in the heavyweight division on any given night, including the current champion. How many times are you gonna sleep on this guy? #BigfootEra

Gray Maynard vs. T.J. Grant: Who will earn the right to suffer a narrow split decision loss to Ben Henderson next?


(Cain doesn’t see an enormous head. He sees a big, beautiful, blood-piñata, just waiting to burst open and spill its bounty. / Photo via MMAFighting.com)

BG and Danga are back mahfuckas, baaaaaaaaaaaaam! [*cough*] Excuse me. What I meant to say was, UFC 160 goes down tomorrow night in Las Vegas, so CagePotato founding editor Ben Goldstein and staff writer Jared Jones have teamed up once again to discuss all the important themes surrounding the event. Which heavyweight fight on the main card is more likely to end in an upset? Should we write off KJ Noons as nothing more than UFC shark-bait? What’s a Nurmagomedov gotta do to get some respect around here? Read on, and throw down your own opinions in the comments section.

It seems pretty obvious that the UFC is trying to set up Dos Santos vs. Velasquez III, but who stands the better chance of throwing a wrench in their plans, Hunt or Silva?

Jared: ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS. The last I checked, Mark Hunt was riding high on the most unexpected win streak in UFC history, turned his last opponent’s jaw into mashed potatoes, and will now be harboring the kind of silent-but-deadly rage that can only be brought about by jet lag. “Bigfoot” is coming off an upset win over a sans testosterone-abusing Overeem, sure, but picking him over the man, the myth, the pseudo-Mexican who reenacted the rock scene from Cannibal Holocaust on him almost a year ago to the day? No thanks, my dude.

Ben: I hate to agree with this jackass — and how dare you try to persuade me by linking to a track from Primus’s underrated Rhinoplasty EP, Jared — so for the sake of argument, I’ll go ahead and say ARE *YOU* KIDDING *ME* WITH THIS?? Mark Hunt has built up a dubious win streak slinging haymakers against guys who allowed him to do so. Junior Dos Santos is far too disciplined to become another victim of the same old rock-’em-sock-’em Super Samoan routine. In a brawl, Hunt has a chance against anybody. But this won’t be a brawl — it’ll be boxing match, and JDS is about as good as they come in that department.

And sure, Hunt has scored a string of upsets against guys like Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve. Meanwhile, Antonio Silva has scored far more unexpected and dramatic upsets against guys like Fedor Emelianenko and the aforementioned ‘Reem. Bigfoot has heart for days, and fists big enough to dummy up anybody in the heavyweight division on any given night, including the current champion. How many times are you gonna sleep on this guy? #BigfootEra

Gray Maynard vs. T.J. Grant: Who will earn the right to suffer a narrow split decision loss to Ben Henderson next?

Ben: I feel like Gray Maynard is one those fighters who can beat everybody in his weight division except for the very elite talents (see also: Bisping at middleweight, Condit at welterweight), and this seems like the kind of matchup that the Bully wins nine times out of ten. I’m not trying to shovel shit on T.J. Grant’s skills or his recent wins, it’s just that he hasn’t proven himself to be a Top 5 caliber fighter yet and I can’t identify any one specific thing that he does better than Maynard, other than maybe throwing those elbows of his. My prediction: This fight will not be decided by elbow strikes, Maynard will grind out a unanimous decision, and the UFC will change its mind and find somebody other than Gray Maynard to suffer the next narrow split-decision loss to Ben Henderson — maybe Anthony Pettis, after he’s done pretending to be a featherweight.

Jared: Yeah, you’re probably right about Gray, but T.J. Grant 2.0 has been on an absolute killing spree in the lightweight division, my friend. His performance against Evan Dunham really showcased how far he has come as a striker, and coupled with Maynard’s potential ring rust, Grant makes for an underdog pick that I’m more than comfortable placing a few dollars on. The fact that Maynard’s striking doesn’t hold a candle to his ground game leads me to believe that Gray could find himself in a heck of a heap of trouble wherever this fight takes place. While “The Bully” maintains the ability to hold Grant down for long enough to earn another title shot (that he will likely lose), I’m going to play devil’s advocate here and pick Grant to win. Big whoop wannafightaboutit?

Does anyone want KJ Noons to ever win a fight again?

Jared: It sure doesn’t seem like it. I realize that he and Donald Cerrone are both coming off losses (which, in Cerrone’s case, almost meant the loss of his life), but that’s like saying that the Toronto Maple Leaves and the Florida Panthers are both coming off “rough seasons.” Noons has dropped four out of his last five fights, including a (bullshit) loss to Ryan Couture — who was just steamrolled by Ross Pearson in his own debut — in his last contest, and you’re going to stick him in there with “Cowboy” Cerrone, the man who only loses to title holders and future contenders?

Don’t get me wrong, Noons is one tough sonofabitchbastard and this should make for a great fight, but also one that Noons stands next to no chance of winning. Cerrone hasn’t made the same mistake of flapping his gums off like he did before the Pettis fight, but what he will do is use a game plan similar to that of Jorge Masvidal to dominate Noons en route to a UD victory that bears at least one 30-26. My question is: With 5 losses in his past 6 fights, will Noons go one-and-out in the UFC, or is he being primed to take Leonard Garcia’s throne as the affable yet down-on-his-luck slugger?

Ben: I actually think the UFC does want KJ Noons to win another fight and stick around in the company for a while — what with his fan-friendly slugging style and gorgeous head of hair. It’s just that they don’t want him to win this fight in particular. This match is a rebound for Cowboy, plain and simple, and Noons will play his role accordingly. (As for your prediction that one judge will score it 30-26? That would be Cecil Peoples. Meanwhile, Nelson Hamilton and Glenn Trowbridge will dispose of their scorecards after Cerrone wins by second-round TKO. Ah, yeah. Cecil Peoples jokes. I’ve been doing this for over five years now, and that’s not depressing at all.)

The UFC tends to give second chances to guys who are immediately thrown to the wolves in their UFC debuts or step in as short-notice injury replacements and get smashed, and Noons certainly fits that first category. Look for him to return later this year in a fight he can actually win. (Say, what’s that Yancy dude up to?)

Which prelim fighter is most likely to be unemployed after UFC 160? And why is the guy with the best record in MMA curtain-jerking on FX?

Ben: Well, Jeremy Stephens is the only prelim fighter who’s guaranteed to be cut if he loses on Saturday, considering that he’s already on a three-fight losing skid, and he’s fighting an Octagon newbie who’s best known for getting spinning-backfisted into a living death. The only problem is, I think Stephens will win that fight.

So I’m going to make a riskier pick and say Brian Bowles will never fight in the UFC again. The former WEC bantamweight champion has drifted out of relevance following his loss to Urijah Faber at UFC 139 and his subsequent year-and-a-half long injury layoff. George Roop will outstrike Bowles to a decision victory, and the UFC will realize that there’s really no point in keeping Bowles around anymore.

As for Khabib Nurmagomedov (aka “The Eagle”), it’s only his unpronounceably ethnic name that’s keeping him stuck underneath the Colton Smiths and Rick Storys of the world. But once he tears through Abel Trujillo, he’ll be the owner of a 20-0 record and four straight wins in the UFC. At that point, it won’t matter if his name is Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop Steinberg, the UFC won’t be able to keep this guy a secret any longer.

Jared: Wow…Roop over Bowles? Scanners, meet gif.

On Bowles’ WORST DAY, he would still beat the stuffing out of the puffed up crow’s cock that is George Roop, and I say that with all due respect. Luckily for us, this theory is going to be put to the test on Saturday, as Bowles will be coming off the longest layoff of his career as you mentioned. While I usually don’t base fight predictions on a fighter’s record, the fact that Roop hasn’t put together 2 wins in a row since 2008 (well technically, 07-08) is a more telling statistic than the reach advantage that Roop will fail to utilize as he has most of his career. Come Monday morning, Roop is going to venting his frustrations with fighter pay, the UFC’s preference of stand-and-bangers, and President Obama’s “crappy policies” to any two-bit journalist that will listen. Don’t worry; I’ve already got his number on speed dial.

It’s anyone’s guess why a guy as talented, not to mention exciting as Kebab NumaNumaYeah is still buried on the prelims, but in this case, I think it might actually make sense. UFC 160’s main card is stacked, quite honestly, yet I haven’t seen one advertisement for the event despite watching Bar Rescue on Spike TV for six hours yesterday. My masochistic TV tendencies aside, DW & Co. are probably thinking that the best way to score some last-minute PPV buys is with an exciting televised card for the meek, non-Smashers to enjoy. Starting said card with a fight that is sure to both bring the pain and piss off the Culinary Union? Sound like a win-win to me.

3 Questions We Have About Gray Maynard Ahead of UFC 160

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Gray Maynard in the cage. Since his last bout (an uninspiring affair with Clay Guida), Maynard has been on the sidelines, rehabbing a leg injury while watching the rest of the lightweight division go o…

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Gray Maynard in the cage.

Since his last bout (an uninspiring affair with Clay Guida), Maynard has been on the sidelines, rehabbing a leg injury while watching the rest of the lightweight division go on without him.

Much has changed since Maynard last fought for the mantle of lightweight king, back at UFC 136 in October 2011.

Since that time, he’s seen his conqueror dethroned by Benson Henderson, who has in turn defended his title three times and is but one victory away from becoming the most successful UFC champion the division has ever seen.

Meanwhile, Frankie Edgar has been in high-profile fights ever since, headlining both cards in his battles with Henderson and then again against pound-for-pound notable Jose Aldo.

At UFC 160, Maynard will look to step back into what is now a very crowded room, and waiting to greet him at the door is a very tough and capable fighter in TJ Grant, who looks to make a statement at Maynard’s expense.

This is by no means an easy bout for “The Bully,” at least on paper, but he’s in a division that is perhaps the toughest in the sport and Grant is just one example of this.

There will be no easy touches for him in the foreseeable future, and while he may have aims at knocking Henderson off his perch, he’s got a lot of work to do in order to get within striking distance.

Anytime a fighter suffers a devastating loss, it seems to haunt their steps for quite a while. When you couple that with the frustrating experience of trying to chase Clay Guida down for the better part of 25 minutes, and a lengthy rehab following injury after that, things that once seemed clear suddenly seem cloudy.

Here are the three basic questions we have about Gray Maynard as he returns to action on May 25, 2013.   

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3 Questions We Have About Gray Maynard Ahead of UFC 160

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Gray Maynard in the cage. Since his last bout (an uninspiring affair with Clay Guida), Maynard has been on the sidelines, rehabbing a leg injury while watching the rest of the lightweight division go o…

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Gray Maynard in the cage.

Since his last bout (an uninspiring affair with Clay Guida), Maynard has been on the sidelines, rehabbing a leg injury while watching the rest of the lightweight division go on without him.

Much has changed since Maynard last fought for the mantle of lightweight king, back at UFC 136 in October 2011.

Since that time, he’s seen his conqueror dethroned by Benson Henderson, who has in turn defended his title three times and is but one victory away from becoming the most successful UFC champion the division has ever seen.

Meanwhile, Frankie Edgar has been in high-profile fights ever since, headlining both cards in his battles with Henderson and then again against pound-for-pound notable Jose Aldo.

At UFC 160, Maynard will look to step back into what is now a very crowded room, and waiting to greet him at the door is a very tough and capable fighter in TJ Grant, who looks to make a statement at Maynard’s expense.

This is by no means an easy bout for “The Bully,” at least on paper, but he’s in a division that is perhaps the toughest in the sport and Grant is just one example of this.

There will be no easy touches for him in the foreseeable future, and while he may have aims at knocking Henderson off his perch, he’s got a lot of work to do in order to get within striking distance.

Anytime a fighter suffers a devastating loss, it seems to haunt their steps for quite a while. When you couple that with the frustrating experience of trying to chase Clay Guida down for the better part of 25 minutes, and a lengthy rehab following injury after that, things that once seemed clear suddenly seem cloudy.

Here are the three basic questions we have about Gray Maynard as he returns to action on May 25, 2013.   

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UFC 160: Bleacher Report Main-Card Staff Predictions

With UFC 160 fast approaching, it is once again time for us to engage in the thankless task of forecasting what will happen when trained killers engage in unarmed combat. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it. Saturday night’s card, c…

With UFC 160 fast approaching, it is once again time for us to engage in the thankless task of forecasting what will happen when trained killers engage in unarmed combat. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.

Saturday night’s card, coming to us from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is stacked from top to bottom: Donald Cerrone vs. K.J. Noons, Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt, and Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva for the UFC heavyweight title are just a few of the corkers on the agenda.

With that in mind, the team got together to predict what the future holds for the UFC 160 competitors.

Our seers include the Nostradamus-like Scott Harris, the telepathic McKinley Noble, the clairvoyant Sean Smith, the prophet-esque Riley Kontek, and me, the Sylvia Browne of MMA, James MacDonald.

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Gambling Addiction Enabler: ‘UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Silva II’ Edition


(Looks like this year’s harvest will be even better. Sanguis Bibimus! Corpus Edimus! Photo via Getty Images.) 

By Dan “Get Off Me” George

This Saturday night, Cain Velasquez will attempt to make WILL MAKE the first title defense of his career in his second term as UFC heavyweight champion when he rematches Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, Mark Hunt will look to continue WILL CONTINUE his Cinderella run in the co-main event against former HW champ Junior Dos Santos, and a possible #1 contender the next lightweight title contender WILL BE DECIDED in the sure-to-be-brawl between Gray Maynard and T.J. Grant. Whew.

With one of the strongests undercards (on paper) in what feels like an eternity, UFC 160 is primed to become, at the very least, a night chock full of wild finishes and entertaining scraps that will leave *no fan* unsatisfied. I really hope I’m not overselling it. Anyway, join us now as we try to underline the right favorites and highlight some possible underdogs in the hopes of finding that ever-elusive payout for UFC 160. The gambling lines, as always, come courtesy of BestFightOdds.

Undercard bouts:

Brian Bowles (-280) vs. George Roop (+240)

Having only lost twice, to Urijah Faber and injuryweight world champion Dominick Cruz, Bowles comes in as a healthy -280 favorite (and rightfully so) against the woefully inconsistent George Roop. Roop is coming off a less than convincing win over Reuben Duran in his return to bantamweight, whereas his opponent is looking to get back on the short list of top contenders in the division. Bowles should be able to close the distance on Roop and get this fight to the mat, where we may see a submission victory for the former WEC champion. Bowles makes the parlay at -140 and the prop bet that he is able to end things before the final bell.


(Looks like this year’s harvest will be even better. Sanguis Bibimus! Corpus Edimus! Photo via Getty Images.) 

By Dan “Get Off Me” George

This Saturday night, Cain Velasquez will attempt to make WILL MAKE the first title defense of his career in his second term as UFC heavyweight champion when he rematches Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, Mark Hunt will look to continue WILL CONTINUE his Cinderella run in the co-main event against former HW champ Junior Dos Santos, and a possible #1 contender the next lightweight title contender WILL BE DECIDED in the sure-to-be-brawl between Gray Maynard and T.J. Grant. Whew.

With one of the strongests undercards (on paper) in what feels like an eternity, UFC 160 is primed to become, at the very least, a night chock full of wild finishes and entertaining scraps that will leave *no fan* unsatisfied. I really hope I’m not overselling it. Anyway, join us now as we try to underline the right favorites and highlight some possible underdogs in the hopes of finding that ever-elusive payout for UFC 160. The gambling lines, as always, come courtesy of BestFightOdds.

Undercard bouts:

Brian Bowles (-280) vs. George Roop (+240)

Having only lost twice, to Urijah Faber and injuryweight world champion Dominick Cruz, Bowles comes in as a healthy -280 favorite (and rightfully so) against the woefully inconsistent George Roop. Roop is coming off a less than convincing win over Reuben Duran in his return to bantamweight, whereas his opponent is looking to get back on the short list of top contenders in the division. Bowles should be able to close the distance on Roop and get this fight to the mat, where we may see a submission victory for the former WEC champion. Bowles makes the parlay at -140 and the prop bet that he is able to end things before the final bell.

Dennis Bermudez (-270) vs. Max Holloway (+230)

With the exception of one bout on the main card (we’ll get to that later), all signs point to a Fight of the Night-earning war when these two talented strikers mix it up on Saturday. Holloway at +215 or better is quite the enticing underdog pick, as he has the potential to avoid the blitzkrieg attack of Bermudez by using his height and reach advantage to counter the ultra-aggressive TUF 14 runner up. Bermudez may very well catch Holloway early, but at -280 to win, the prop that Bermudez wins inside the distance at +200 may be the best option for a lone bet here.

Main Card PPV:

Donald Cerrone (-300) vs. K.J. Noons (+250)

K.J. Noons is coming off a controversial loss to Ryan Couture in his last Strikeforce outing and will be looking to right the ship in his Octagon debut against the -300 territory Donald Cerrone. K.J. has power in his hands for sure, but Cerrone has a more complete stand up game and will not make the same mistake he did against Diaz (trying to simply outbox his opponent). Cowboy will most likely attack K.J.’s lead leg and use his reach to keep Noons frustrated and swinging for the fences from the outside. Cerrone is parlay bound and the prop that Cerrone wins by decision at +175 is a solid option, as Noons is notoriously hard to finish.

Gray Maynard (-210) vs. T.J. Grant (+175)

Along with the Holloway/Bermudez tilt, this fight has the potential to find itself as a candidate for FOTN. Undefeated at lightweight in the UFC, Grant has put together 4 straight wins in increasingly brilliant fashion. With Gray potentially fighting off ring rust, the makings for an upset are very real. Grant has not been stopped in over 4 years and this includes a bout with Johny Hendricks, where T.J. was simply overpowered in a competitive fight. Maynard is undoubtedly one of the strongest lightweights in the division, but Grant looked ultra impressive against Matt Wiman (another powerful lightweight) and while he may not finish Gray, this fight will surely be close right until the end. Prop that fight goes the distance is around -205 and may be the safest option.

Glover Teixeira (-300) vs. James Te Huna (+250)

Glover Teixeira comes in as a sizable favorite to score his 19th win in a row (!) against the hard-hitting and harder to take down Te Huna. While Glover beat Rampage convincingly in his last outing, it is hard to determine how serious Jackson took their bout; this may be the first true test for Glover in the UFC. All signs point to Glover winning this fight, but he probably won’t want to turn this into a potentially lethal slugfest and may be content to show off his BJJ prowess. Just sit back and enjoy this one, folks.

Junior Dos Santos (-450) vs. Mark Hunt (+360)

JDS was a -350 favorite going into his fight with Roy Nelson, this time Junior is a -450 favorite going into his fight with Mark Hunt, who is comparable to Roy in the sense that they posses heavy hands and enjoy separating their opponents from consciousness. Most likely though, much like Roy Nelson, Hunt may find JDS to be too quick and too technical with his stand up, which may leave Hunt on the wrong end of a boxing clinic. JDS will be looking to finish this fight and get back to the top of the HW division, whether or not he gets caught by Hunt in the process is yet to be determined, but -170 that this fight does not go the distance is alluring. JDS for the win makes the parlay.

(Ed. Note: Sorry, I gotta step in here. Mark Hunt because PRIDE. – Danga)

Cain Velasquez (-800) vs. Antonio Silva (+550)

Considering their first encounter, it would be hard to imagine that “Bigfoot” could do any worse this time around against Cain. However, as a +550 underdog, the people have spoken once again and have given very little consideration to Silva pulling off the upset here. A line like -750 does not impact a small parlay, so much like with the UFC 159 main event, the prop section offers some interesting proposals that could pay off nicely. “Fight Does Not Start Round 4″ is at -285 and pays roughly the same as many favorites to win. For the true gambler, placing money on Cain to win in the 2nd or 3rd rounds pays +300 and +500 respectively, so splitting your money on those props (i.e. a $10 bet on each) might pay off nicely if Cain is able to avoid disaster. Cain most likely wins and Bigfoot most likely bleeds…..again.

Parlay 1
Bowles + Cerrone + JDS (Ed note: Lalalalalalala I can’t hear you!!!) 

Parlay 2
Stephens + Bowles + JDS

Props
-Velasquez/Silva does not start rd.4
-Cerrone wins by decision
-Bowles wins inside the distance
-FOTN Holloway/Bermudez

Feel free to share your thoughts and concerns on this weekend’s card in the comments section. But mainly, enjoy the fights and may the winners be yours!

The Stakes Are High for the Major Players at UFC 160

The “biggest” stage in MMA will take on a new meaning this weekend at UFC 160.The promotion’s annual Memorial Day weekend event in Las Vegas will feature four of the top heavyweight fighters in the world, as champion Cain Velasquez will look to defend …

The “biggest” stage in MMA will take on a new meaning this weekend at UFC 160.

The promotion’s annual Memorial Day weekend event in Las Vegas will feature four of the top heavyweight fighters in the world, as champion Cain Velasquez will look to defend his title against Antonio Silva in the card’s main event, and former titleholder Junior dos Santos will attempt to earn another championship opportunity when he squares off with knockout artist Mark Hunt in the co-main event slot.

While the heavyweights have received the lion’s share of the spotlight in the lead up to the event, there is a high-profile lightweight scrap that will have an immediate impact on the divisional picture at 155-pounds. Former No. 1 contender Gray Maynard and T.J. Grant will step into the Octagon to determine who will be the next to challenge for Benson Henderson’s lightweight crown.

The promotional tag line for the event says, “Heavyweights. Heavy hands. Heavy stakes.”

Let’s take a look at what is on the line for the major players at UFC 160.

 

Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva

The general consensus in the MMA community was that we would be seeing Cain Velasquez face Alistair Overeem at UFC 160 this weekend.

“The Reem” was coming off a year-long suspension back in February, and his return to the Octagon was highly anticipated. The only thing the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion had to do was get past Antonio Silva at UFC 156, and the Dutch wrecking machine appeared supremely confident that he would accomplish that.

Unfortunately for Overeem, “Bigfoot” had much different plans. After being on the business end of things for two rounds, the American Top Team fighter unleashed the beast and unloaded his heavy hands on the former K-1 champion to pull off an upset via brutal knockout.

The victory earned Silva not only a chance to compete for Velasquez’s heavyweight strap but also a shot at redemption. The two heavyweights squared off one year ago at UFC 146, and the AKA product steamrolled the Brazilian. It was a violent, lopsided bloodbath, as Velasquez brutalized Silva with a torrent stream of elbows that resulted in a first-round stoppage.

That being said, Silva will have a chance to avenge the loss and get his hands on UFC gold if he can defeat Velasquez this Saturday night at UFC 160.

With the division heating up and a batch of contenders on the rise, this may be the only chance the Brazilian gets to compete for the title—at least for the time being. There will certainly be more opportunities for Silva to fight his way back up the ladder, but with current depth in the weight class, doing so will be a difficult road to travel.

This makes his fight with Velasquez the most important fight of his career, and he’s coming into the bout as a heavy underdog. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old has been on the other side of doubt before, and each time he’s answered the call with devastating results.

But while the Silva underdog story sounds nice, the reality is that he’s fighting a machine in Velasquez. The former standout wrestling star from Arizona State University is coming off a five-round dismantling of Junior dos Santos at UFC 155. The fight with “JDS” showed the 30-year-old champion has finally returned to full health and is looking to make a lengthy run in his second go as the heavyweight titleholder.

Velasquez stumbled in his first attempt to defend the belt during his initial reign as champion, and he’s determined to not make that mistake again. Should he come up short against Silva at UFC 160, all the doubt that lingered after his loss to dos Santos will return in force, and that has to be ample motivation for Velasquez heading into the fight.

 

Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt

Being a UFC champion defined Junior dos Santos, and there is nothing more he should want than to get back to the top. “Cigano” will earn the opportunity to get another fight for the title if he’s able to defeat Mark Hunt this Saturday at UFC 160.

The bout with the “Super Samoan” will be the first action dos Santos has seen since losing his heavyweight title to Velasquez at UFC 155 last December. For the first time in his UFC career, dos Santos appeared human in his rematch with the current champion. Where “JDS” had been the hunter throughout his previous nine fights under the UFC banner, he was the prey for five rounds against Velasquez.

While both fighters have proven knockout ability, dos Santos has the better all-around skill set—at least on paper. The heavy-handed Brazilian has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under the Nogueira brothers. And while he’s yet to show off any of those ground skills inside the Octagon, the bout with Hunt could provide the perfect opportunity to do so.

While a victory will earn him a title shot, a loss would be devastating for dos Santos. The 29-year-old Brazilian and Velasquez are widely recognized as the two best heavyweights in the world. Coming up short against Hunt would push dos Santos out of the immediate title picture and into the fold of the heavyweight division.

Things look a bit different on Hunt’s side of the table. The fight against dos Santos is all gain where the 39-year-old is concerned. The New Zealand native is riding the momentum of a four-fight win-streak into UFC 160, and a victory over a former titleholder would make his case for a title shot difficult to deny.

While UFC President Dana White has only anointed dos Santos as a title challenger with a victory, Hunt would certainly put himself front and center if he can pull off the upset. The former K-1 champion has the better striking pedigree in the matchup. If Hunt knocks out dos Santos on Saturday, the Twitter campaign to get him a title shot will be lively.

On the other hand, a loss in the co-main event will erase any hopes Hunt has to become a UFC champion. He hasn’t necessarily been the UFC’s “golden child” throughout his time with the promotion, and a loss would close the door on any talk of him being a contender in the near future. The story of the UFC trying to pay Hunt not to come over from the now-defunct Pride organization is well-known throughout the MMA community.

Nevertheless, the heavyweight knockout artist has been defying the odds, and Hunt has the biggest opportunity of his career ahead of him at UFC 160.

 

Gray Maynard vs. T.J. Grant

At the beginning of 2011, Gray Maynard came as close to becoming champion as a fighter can actually be without winning the belt. The former three-time All-American from Michigan State University had champion Frankie Edgar on roller skates during the first round of their title bout at UFC 125. The Ultimate Fighter alum battered “The Answer” around the cage, dropping the Toms River native on several occasions as the referee hovered over the action. 

Unfortunately for Maynard, Edgar went on to survive the round, surging back over the next four frames, and the fight resulted in a draw.

In the aftermath of the bout with Edgar, the 34-year-old’s career hit turbulence. A series of injuries prolonged his trilogy bout with the champion—a fight Maynard would go on to lose at UFC 136. Immediately following the first loss of his professional career, the Santa Cruz transplant severed ties with his long-time home at Xtreme Couture and made the move to California.

Following a brief stint in Brazil and some training at a collection of other gyms, Maynard joined the team at American Kickboxing Academy. The San Jose-based facility is one of the most heralded gyms in MMA. Maynard will be looking to show off the work he’s invested under new training.

The fight comes at a crucial time in Maynard’s career. It has been a year since his split-decision victory over Clay Guida at UFC on FX 4, and he’s looking to regain his status in the lightweight division. With a guaranteed title shot on the line at UFC 160, Maynard has the opportunity accomplish this goal while setting the stage for the ultimate prize.

On the other hand, if Maynard comes out on the business end of the Grant fight, he will be reshuffled into the deck of one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions.

The same holds true for T.J. Grant. Since dropping down into the 155-pound weight class, the 29-year-old Canadian has been on a tear.

The former welterweight has collected four consecutive victories and battered his way up the divisional rankings. His last performance was a brutal drubbing of TUF alum Matt Wiman at UFC on Fox 6, where Grant hammered the “Handsome” and consciousness out of Wiman with a series of standing elbows.

Following his victory in Chicago, Grant asked for a top-ranked opponent, and the UFC answered with Maynard. The bout presents the opportunity for Grant to knock off a staple of the divisional upper tier and take the final step before title contention.

Then again, should the Nova Scotia native lose this weekend, he’ll move to the back of a long line of fighters looking to become contenders.

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