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UFC 146: Heavyweight Destruction Derby with Overeem, Dos Santos, Velasquez, Mir

Are you an Affliction-wearing, beer-guzzling UFC fan who lives and dies by the action taking place in the heavyweight division?If so, May got a whole lot more interesting over the past twenty-four hours.The month kicks off at UFC on FOX 3 on May 5th, w…

Are you an Affliction-wearing, beer-guzzling UFC fan who lives and dies by the action taking place in the heavyweight division?

If so, May got a whole lot more interesting over the past twenty-four hours.

The month kicks off at UFC on FOX 3 on May 5th, where Pat Barry and Lavar Johnson will meet to determine who can take the most punches to the head before falling flat on their face. That’s going to be an exciting fight, to be sure, but the real intriguing stuff happens later in the month.

More specifically, the heavyweight division could go through a sea change of sorts at UFC 146 on Memorial Day weekend.

Over the past twenty-four hours, the UFC revealed a series of three top-flight heavyweight bouts. All will take place at UFC 146 in Las Vegas.

Let’s take a deeper look at one of the heaviest-hitting cards in the history of the UFC.

Junior dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem (UFC heavyweight championship)

These are the two best strikers in MMA‘s heavyweight division, and it’s going to be a blast watching them trade leather with terrifying power. Overeem is unquestionably the better overall striker, which is to say he’s much better at the kicking game. But Dos Santos is the best pure boxer in the game and has lights-out power in his hands.

Dos Santos allegedly has an outstanding ground game, though at this point I’m not sure if that’s the truth or if that’s one of the red herrings we in the media are often fed to hype up a fight. I don’t think it’ll matter in this fight, regardless.

Cain Velasquez vs. Frank Mir

How Frank Mir finds himself on the cusp of yet another UFC title run is beyond me, but here we are, just two months from a number one contender’s fight.

Yep, the winner of this bout will move on to face the winner of the Dos Santos/Overeem main event for the heavyweight championship, which means Mir could potentially be a UFC champion in 2012. I never would’ve seen that coming a year ago.

I don’t believe he gets that far. Velasquez, despite his quick loss to Dos Santos, is still the most technical and skilled heavyweight in the world. He’ll prove it here and in destructive fashion. Don’t expect Mir to make it past the second round.

Roy Nelson vs. Antonio Silva

Poor Roy Nelson. Dude just keeps getting tough fight after tough fight. There are no easy shortcuts for Big Country, not when he continually avoids any real attempts by Dana White to move him to the light heavyweight division.

This is a winnable fight for Nelson, but it’s going to be a tough one. I don’t think Silva will put him away because, let’s face it, nobody puts Big Country away. Nelson will need to endure what will likely be another horrific heavyweight beating, but he’s a better overall fighter than Silva and should be able to do enough to get the win.

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Junior dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem Officially Announced for UFC 146

Junior dos Santos will make his first title defense against Alistair Overeem at UFC 146 on May 26th.The UFC confirmed the event earlier this week and announced the heavyweight title bout as a part of a press release.”The biggest heavyweight fight of 20…

Junior dos Santos will make his first title defense against Alistair Overeem at UFC 146 on May 26th.

The UFC confirmed the event earlier this week and announced the heavyweight title bout as a part of a press release.

“The biggest heavyweight fight of 2012 will land at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 26th, as UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos defends his title for the first time in the main event of UFC 146 against former Strikeforce and K-1 champion Alistair Overeem. Ticket information will be announced soon.”

Dos Santos is coming off a knockout victory over Cain Velasquez, where he captured the heavyweight crown at UFC on FOX 1 last November in only 69 seconds. The Brazilian is undefeated during his tenure, holding a UFC record of 9-0.

Overeem enters the bout after dispatching former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 to become the No.1 contender. Overeem holds a lot of experience, competing in various promotions including K-1 and Strikeforce prior to joining the UFC, and also carries a 12-fight win streak.

Also on the card, two heavyweight bouts have been added as former heavyweight titleholder Cain Velasquez will meet Frank Mir in a No. 1 contender’s bout, and UFC newcomer Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva will face Roy Nelson.

In addition, Dan Hardy will look to snap a four-fight winless streak when he squares off against UFC veteran Duane Ludwig in a welterweight contest.

UFC 146 is scheduled for May 26th live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

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Cain Velasquez vs. Frank Mir Title Eliminator Set for UFC 146

Two former UFC heavyweight champions will clash at an already star-studded card set for May 26th, according to MMA Junkie. Submission specialist Frank Mir will take on heavy-handed wrestler Cain Velasquez in a bout that seems unlikely to go a full…

Two former UFC heavyweight champions will clash at an already star-studded card set for May 26th, according to MMA Junkie.

Submission specialist Frank Mir will take on heavy-handed wrestler Cain Velasquez in a bout that seems unlikely to go a full 15 minutes at UFC 146.

UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta said the bout would take place roughly a month ago in a question-and-answer session with fans via his Twitter account.

Additionally, UFC 146 will determine who either Mir or Velasquez will challenge for the belt, as the event is headlined by a heavyweight title clash between reigning title holder Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem.

Mir is currently riding a three-fight win streak, which includes a his fantastic kimura technical submission over fellow jiu-jitsu ace Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 140 which many fans and analysts deemed the 2011 Submission of the Year.

Most recently, Velasquez, who was coming off of rotator cuff surgery, lost the UFC heavyweight title to JDS via devastating first-round knockout at the promotion’s inaugural FOX network debut this past November.

Prior to that bout, the former Arizona State Sun Devil won the coveted 12 pounds of gold from Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 in October of 2010.

This announcement comes on the heels of another heavyweight bout being confirmed by the UFC.

Despite recently entertaining a drop to light heavyweight, Roy Nelson will welcome former Strikeforce heavyweight contender Antonio Silva to the Octagon.

The card, which will be hosted at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, has yet another showdown in a bout likely regulated to the undercard when Gabriel Gonzaga takes on undefeated former Strikeforce fighter Shane del Rosario.

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Roy Nelson vs. Bigfoot Silva Booked for UFC 146 on May 26

(The battle of the chins, ladies and gentlemen. One figurative, and the other literal. Which will reign supreme?)

It looks like Mayor McCheese has granted Roy Nelson a temporary reprieve from his Facebook sponsored drop to light heavyweight, as it is being reported that the TUF 10 winner has been booked to square off against former EliteXC heavyweight champion Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC 146 in May.

Continuing the UFC’s ongoing trend of purging Strikeforce of any remaining talent, it was rumored a couple months ago that Silva would be facing Cain Velasquez for his UFC debut, which was tentatively set for April. Rumors quickly shifted to a possible Velasquez/Frank Mir matchup, and “Bigfoot” was all but forgotten about in the mix of things. After shocking the world by handing Fedor Emelianenko his first (T)KO loss since December of 2000 at last year’s Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva card, “Bigfoot” would find himself on the wrong end of a slightly less shocking KO loss to Daniel Cormier in the semifinals of Strikeforce’s long running heavyweight tournament in his last contest.

(The battle of the chins, ladies and gentlemen. One figurative, and the other literal. Which will reign supreme?)

This may be a must win situation for Nelson, who has dropped three of his last four fights (all by unanimous decision), most recently getting sliced and diced by Fabricio Werdum, who also holds a win over Silva, for three rounds at UFC 143. “Big Country” will again find himself with a huge size disadvantage — nearly 9 inches in reach and around 20 pounds in weight. Perhaps this is Dana White‘s way of forcing Nelson to come to the same realization as that of his own, by beating it into him.

Then again, Nelson is a BJJ black belt with a ~~granite~~ tungsten chin, whereas Silva is a BJJ black belt who has shown a tendency to get rocked in many of his fights despite having a jaw that would make that one prisoner from Tango & Cash green with envy. Unless Silva manages to out grapple Nelson, or somehow submit him, you have to imagine this is fight is essentially Nelson’s to lose.

UFC 146 is set to go down at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26th, and features a heavyweight title clash between Alistair Overeem and Junior Dos Santos as its headliner. Make your picks, Potato Nation.

-J. Jones

UFC 146: What Jason "Mayhem" Miller Must Do to Ensure He Stays in the UFC

There is little doubt that at UFC 146, Jason “Mayhem” Miller will be fighting for his job.
Despite Miller’s immense popularity and ability to sell a fight, Dana White made it clear that Miller is on a short leash after mulling over cutting him after hi…

There is little doubt that at UFC 146, Jason “Mayhem” Miller will be fighting for his job.

Despite Miller’s immense popularity and ability to sell a fight, Dana White made it clear that Miller is on a short leash after mulling over cutting him after his lackluster performance against Michael Bisping at the TUF 14 finale.

In a sport that rewards characters, Miller has made a name for himself with his MTV show “Bully Beatdown,” and just generally being a quirky character who talks a good game. However, Miller has yet to win a fight in the UFC and was outclassed in fight against Bisping.

Dana White and Co. will be looking very closely at Miller’s UFC 146 matchup against C.B. Dollaway to determine if Miller truly deserves a spot in the world’s largest MMA promotion. Here’s what Mayhem must do to keep his job.

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UFC 146 Booking Update: Gonzaga vs. Del Rosario, Brandao vs. Elkins

(Separated at birth??)

The UFC’s May 26th stop in Las Vegas — which will hopefully be headlined by Junior Dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem — continues to pick up manpower.

In the heavyweight division, undefeated former Strikeforce contender Shane Del Rosario will make his UFC debut against the suddenly-not-retired Gabriel Gonzaga. Del Rosario’s 11-0 record includes 10 wins by first-round stoppage, but he hasn’t competed since his submission of Lavar Johnson a year ago. Meanwhile, Gonzaga just picked up his first win in the UFC since 2009 when he choked out Ednaldo Oliveira at UFC 142. Gonzaga’s last three UFC victories have come against Octagon first-timers, which might be a bad omen for Del Rosario.

(Separated at birth??)

The UFC’s May 26th stop in Las Vegas — which will hopefully be headlined by Junior Dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem — continues to pick up manpower.

Also on the UFC 146 card, TUF 14 featherweight winner Diego Brandao gets his first non-relaity-show opponent in the UFC when he meets Darren Elkins. Elkins is 2-0 in the UFC since dropping to featherweight, with unanimous decision wins against Michihiro Omigawa and Zhang Tiequan. In other words, he’s no pushover, and Brandao might not be able to destroy him quite as easily as his victims on TUF.