With this weekend’s Fox Sports 1 launch, the UFC wanted to kick things off in a major way, and the table is set for the promotion to do just that.
For their first stop in Boston in nearly three years, the UFC put together a loaded card that features several pivotal matchups in multiple divisional title pictures. In addition to the high-profile tilts that line the top of the card, there are several bouts laced throughout the event which also carry heavy stakes for the fighters involved.
While every fight matters at the highest levels of MMA, UFC Fight Night 26: Shogun vs. Sonnen has a unique feel, as every bout on the Fox Sports 1 portion of the card will have an impact on the future of the competitors stepping into the Octagon at TG Garden.
Potential championship opportunities and fighters battling to remain relevant in title pictures line the top of the card, and a collection of talented fighters looking to prove that the hype behind them is real will fill out the remainder of the televised portion of the event.
That level of high-stakes action makes Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 26 card a must-see event.
Let’s take a look at what is on the line for the fighters on the card.
Title Implications on the Line
When Alistair Overeem signed his UFC contract, many figured it would only be a matter of time before the Dutch, striking monster was reigning atop the heavyweight division. The former Strikeforce, K-1 and Dream champion wrecked shop on every platform outside the UFC. When “The Reem” made his impressive Octagon debut, thrashing former champion Brock Lesnar, the 33-year-old knockout artist appeared to be well on his way to climbing the next mountain in his path.
But a positive test for elevated levels of testosterone and a nine-month suspension put Overeem on the sidelines and brought his championship momentum to a halt. He attempted to re-ignite the fires of a title run in his return to the Octagon against Antonio Silva at UFC 156, but after suffering a stunning knockout loss to “Bigfoot” in Las Vegas, Overeem suddenly found himself with his back against the wall.
With tremendous expectation hovering overhead and a hefty contract to boot, the Dutchman will absolutely need to get things back on track this weekend in Boston when he steps in the Octagon against Travis Browne. If Overeem can pick up an impressive victory over the Jackson’s MMA-trained fighter, he will jump back into the title mix of the heavyweight division. On the other hand, should he come up short against Browne, questions of his elite-level status will take center stage.
Things look a bit different on Browne’s side of the table. While the 31-year-old Hawaiian is currently ranked among the best in the division, he has yet to pick up that one signature victory that would allow him to trade in his prospect tag for that of legitimate title contender. “Hapa” was poised to take that step against Silva at UFC on FX 5 back in October of last year, but found himself on the end of a brutal first round knockout at the hands of the Brazilian.
The rangy striker bounced back in his next outing, as he picked up a first round stoppage victory over Gabriel Gonzaga at the TUF 17 Finale in April, and he will have the perfect opportunity to solidify himself as a title contender if he can defeat Overeem at UFC Fight Night 26 this weekend in Boston. While besting the Dutch, striking juggernaut is no easy task, if Browne can topple the former Strikeforce champion, he will certainly earn his place in the upper-tier of the heavyweight division.
While there may not be any immediate title implications on the line in the main event between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Chael Sonnen, the bout is absolutely crucial for both fighters.
The “Gangster from West Linn” is coming off back-to-back title opportunities in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, and if he has any hopes of getting back into striking distance of another shot at UFC gold, he will absolutely need to defeat the former champion on Saturday night.
Make no mistake about it—Sonnen‘s knack for promotion makes him one of the biggest draws under the UFC banner, but the mercurial 36-year-old hasn’t tasted victory inside the Octagon since he defeated Michael Bisping back in January of 2012. In all fairness to Sonnen, his two losses over this stretch have come against Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. Nevertheless, if Sonnen is going to get his career back on track, a victory over Rua is a necessity.
Where Sonnen will be dropping back down to middleweight regardless of the outcome, Rua will remain in the light heavyweight ranks with the intention of making another run at the 205-pound title. After dropping his last outing to current No. 1 contender Alexander Gustafsson at UFC on Fox 5 back in December, the former middleweight Pride Grand Prix champion is in desperate need of a victory inside the Octagon.
There are a handful of potential contenders lingering in the light heavyweight ranks, and if Rua hopes to remain in stride with the pack, he cannot afford another back step when he faces Sonnen this weekend in Boston.
Fighting to Remain in the Mix
Title pictures are heating up in nearly every division under the UFC banner. On Saturday night, a pair of matchups will determine who rises and who falls in the welterweight and bantamweight divisions.
In 170-pound action, resurgent TUF alum Matt Brown will put his five-fight winning streak on the line when he faces savvy veteran Mike Plyle. The 32-year-old Ohio native has logged one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent memory, as he bounced back from a rough patch where he dropped four out of five showings and was teetering on the edge of unemployment to a blistering tear, where he’s collected five consecutive victories inside the Octagon.
His most recent showing resulted in an impressive second round stoppage victory over the talented, young Canadian Jordan Mein at UFC on Fox 7 in April. The win put Brown on the doorstep of the upper-tier in the ultra-competitive welterweight division. A victory over Pyle would certainly plant him on the title radar going forward.
That being said, should Brown come up short against Pyle on Saturday night in Boston, it would be difficult to imagine the loss knocking him too far back on the divisional hierarchy. However, with the depth of talent on the 170-pound roster, it would certainly require a few more additional steps before he regained his current status.
The circumstances are similar where Pyle is concerned. The 37-year-old Tennessee native has put together an impressive four-fight winning streak and has been successful in seven of his last eight showings inside the Octagon. “Quicksand’s” only setback on this run came against Rory MacDonald at UFC 133 in August 2011, and Pyle has been on a tear ever since.
The fight with Brown will provide Pyle the chance to break into the top 10 of the division, a status long sought by the Las Vegas-based fighter. Yet, if he comes out on the business end of the tilt with the scrappy Midwesterner, it would knock Pyle out of that particular picture for the foreseeable future.
The title picture in the bantamweight division may be currently out of sorts, with the division having two belt holders, but the race for future title contention is certainly heating up.
Two fighters that are looking to jockey themselves into championship opportunities will collide at UFC Fight Night 26 when Brad Pickett squares-off with recent title challenger Michael McDonald.
“One Punch” has been on an impressive run. The heavy-handed Brit has collected victories in three of his last four outings. His most recent showing resulted in a split-decision victory over Mike Easton at UFC on Fuel TV 9 in April and has Pickett charging toward the top of the division. A victory over the 22-year-old Californian would go a long way to show that the Englishman deserves to be in the title conversation at 135-pounds.
Where Pickett is looking to break onto the championship radar, McDonald is eager to get back. The talented young knockout artist suffered his first loss in nearly four years when he was submitted by interim champion Renan Barao at UFC on Fuel TV 7 in February.
“Mayday” is considered by many to be the future of the bantamweight division, and a victory over Pickett would keep that notion in tact. On the other hand, if McDonald suffers his second consecutive defeat this weekend in Boston, his place in the divisional picture will certainly be forced back a few notches.
The Buzz Will Either go Quiet or Amplify in Boston
In the world of MMA, hype can be a difficult thing to carry. In the cases of highly-touted prospects Uriah Hall and Conor McGregor, we get to see how two fighters handle the matter in two entirely different fashions.
After being labeled the “TUF Beast” for the hospital stays he handed out to the opposition on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Hall came into the show’s finale with a tremendous amount of buzz and expectation. He would come up short in his bid for the six-figure contract against Kelvin Gastelum and become the target of criticism from every corner of the MMA community.
Going into his bout this weekend with John Howard, the New York native has shrugged off the pressures of expectation and refused to feed into the buzz that still surrounds him. Hall told UFC.com that he believes expectation only brings added pressure and it is something he doesn’t need.
While Hall may be avoiding the hype talk, McGregor wholeheartedly embraces it. The fast-talking Irishman has reveled in the spotlight he’s received since knocking out Marcus Brimage in his Octagon debut at UFC on Fuel TV 9 in April, and he is looking to get on the fast track to title contention in the featherweight division.
McGregor has made no secret that he has every intention of becoming a certified superstar in the MMA realm and thrives off the expectation surrounding him as he prepares to face off with Max Holloway on Saturday night.
That being said, when a fighter draws attention to his profile outside of the cage, it is absolutely necessary that he backs it up when the cage door closes. Both Hall and McGregor will have the eyes of the MMA world fixed on their performances this weekend at UFC Fight Night 26, and where victories will legitimize the buzz surrounding them, defeat will bring a considerable backlash.
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