UFC 155 | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

UFC 155 Fight Card: Power Ranking the Preliminary Card Bouts

UFC 155 is one of the best cards of 2012, and the UFC made sure to reflect that in the preliminary card. While the main card has seen a slew of injuries, the preliminary card has remained incredibly compelling. We have established veterans like Jamie V…

We have established veterans like Jamie Varner, Melvin Guillard and Leonard Garcia. We have top-10 mainstays in Brad Pickett and Chris Cariaso. And we have hot up-and-comers in John Moraga, Michael Johnson and Erik Perez.

Each bout is quite compelling, so why don’t we do what Bleacher Report does best? Power rank these fights!

Begin Slideshow

Dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2: 4 Reasons You Can’t Miss the Rematch

The biggest heavyweight rematch of the year is upon us, as Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez will meet for the second time at UFC 155. With so much excitement in the air and the UFC preparing to send a forgettable 2012 out with a gigantic bang, it’s…

Reasons like:

Begin Slideshow

Dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2: Analyzing the Strengths of Cain Velasquez

Tonight, Cain Velasquez will face off against Junior dos Santos in the main event of UFC 155 with the UFC heavyweight title on the line. Cain is a former heavyweight champion, as he won the title from Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. He later lost it to dos Sa…

Tonight, he will attempt to reclaim his belt, and become the third two-time UFC heavyweight champion in history.

In the first fight against dos Santos, Velasquez was knocked out in just over one minute. It was a brief fight, but there are still certain things that can be taken from it.

Velasquez threw a lot of leg kicks and looked for a takedown early, and those are two of his strengths.

Velasquez is an incredibly well rounded fighter. He trains at American Kickboxing Academy with some of the best fighters in the sport, and has some of the best trainers around him.

First we can examine his striking. Velasquez has some of the fastest striking in the heavyweight division. He throws his hands and feet and everything he’s got in an attempt to knock you out.

He knocked Minotauro Nogueira out with his hands, and he used his knees to send Brock Lesnar tumbling to the ground. He threw leg kicks against dos Santos in an attempt to take away his lead leg, and he has an incredible variety in his striking.

Additionally, Velasquez has some of the best wrestling in the division. He was able to defend the takedowns of Lesnar, and take him down himself. Not only does he have good wrestling credentials to begin with, but he trains and is coached by a former Olympic wrestler and current top-10 heavyweight, Daniel Cormier.

Then, when Velasquez gets you on the ground, he has vicious ground-and-pound. If you don’t believe me, you can just ask Antonio Silva, or Brock Lesnar, or a number of other opponents Velasquez has beaten to a pulp on the ground.

Add in the fact that his gas tank is essentially limitless, and you are looking at a great striker and a great wrestler with outstanding ground and pound, and fantastic cardio. Sounds like a lethal combination.

Tim McTiernan is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. For the latest news on everything MMA, follow him on Twitter @TimMcTiernan.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 155 Weigh-in Video: Highlights from Dos Santos vs. Velasquez Weigh-Ins

UFC 155 is only a few hours away, but prior to stepping into the Octagon, all the combatants needed to step on the scales to make weight Friday afternoon. Luckily, there were no headaches for Dana White and the UFC, as all the fighters made weight.Abov…

UFC 155 is only a few hours away, but prior to stepping into the Octagon, all the combatants needed to step on the scales to make weight Friday afternoon.

Luckily, there were no headaches for Dana White and the UFC, as all the fighters made weight.

Above is a video showcasing the staredown between the two main-event competitors.

In the UFC 155 main event, Junior dos Santos will look to defend his title for the second time against the man he defeated to become champion, Cain Velasquez. Both men have competed once since their first encounter, which ended in a Dos Santos KO.

The champion defended his title against an overmatched Frank Mir at UFC 146 after the original opponent, Alistair Overeem, was removed due to a failed drug test. Velasquez also competed at UFC 146 fighting against Strikeforce veteran Antonio “Big Foot” Silva.

Velasquez made quick work of Silva, causing a nasty cut early in the first round and eventually finishing the fight via TKO.

In the evening’s co-main event, Joe Lauzon will face Jim Miller in a lightweight tilt. Both men have found themselves stuck at the gatekeeper level in the division and will look to advance their careers at the other’s expense. Both Lauzon and Miller are accomplished grappling artists, which could lead to a wild stand-up battle if they choose to avoid the ground game.

After the top of the card, the remaining fights will help sort out a clouded middleweight title picture.

Tim Boetsch was originally scheduled to face Chris Weidman, but Weidman was forced out of the fight with a shoulder injury. Now, Boetsch will face former boxer and tough-as-nails Costa Philippou.

Another rematch will take place before JDS and Velasquez throw down, as Yushin Okami will take on Alan Belcher. The two met back in 2006, with Okami picking up the unanimous-decision victory.

Kicking off the evening’s festivities will be a bout between Chris Leben and former Strikeforce fighter Derek Brunson. Brunson is stepping up on short notice to fight Leben, who will be entering the Octagon for the first time since UFC 138.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Velasquez vs. dos Santos 2: Cain Velasquez’s 5 Finest Moments

Tonight, Cain Velasquez will attempt to reclaim the heavyweight title from the man who beat him for it, Junior dos Santos.Velasquez has not had a very long career thus far. He has only had 11 pro fights, and he is 10-1 in those fights, with nine finish…

Tonight, Cain Velasquez will attempt to reclaim the heavyweight title from the man who beat him for it, Junior dos Santos.

Velasquez has not had a very long career thus far. He has only had 11 pro fights, and he is 10-1 in those fights, with nine finishes.

Even though he hasn’t had a long career, he has still had several memorable moments.

Here are his top five moments in MMA.

Begin Slideshow

Mike Goldberg Out of UFC 155, No Set Date for his Return

With 2012 mercifully coming to an end, you had to imagine that at least one more fighter would be taken off of the year’s final card due to the great injury curse. Sure enough, at the last possible second a key member of UFC 155 has been removed from the card, causing the organization to scramble to find an adequate replacement. Okay, he’s not a fighter – and he’s not even a casualty of the injury curse – but damn it, this year has been brutal for last-second withdrawals.

Veteran announcer Mike Goldberg will not be calling the fights tonight at UFC 155. Originally, his absence from tonight’s event was attributed to an illness, but it turns out that this isn’t quite the case. Via MMAJunkie:

UFC President Dana White on Friday confirmed the change to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) but could not offer specifics into the situation or when Goldberg is expected to return to his post.

“He’s taking time off and is not working this weekend,” White said. “I don’t know when he will be back.

UFC President Dana White on Friday confirmed the change to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) but could not offer specifics into the situation or when Goldberg is expected to return to his post.

“He’s taking time off and is not working this weekend,” White said. “I don’t know when he will be back.

White declined to offer any specifics on the reason for Goldberg’s leave.

Damn, that doesn’t exactly sound promising. Hopefully he’s not going through anything too serious, but from the looks of things, he won’t be back any time soon. While it’s possible that his sabbatical is a sign that he’s on his way out of the UFC, we’ll hold off on the tribute until more information becomes available.

Stepping in on short notice to join Joe Rogan will be B-Team announcer Jon Anik. Anik, who usually calls the fights on FX and FUEL TV alongside Kenny Florian, will be making his UFC PPV debut. Assuming he doesn’t completely drop the ball tonight, the position is his for the foreseeable future.

So what do you taters think about this? Is Goldberg taking time off to be with his family? Did the Arizona Cardinals offer Goldberg a gigantic contract (LOL)? If we really want to get crazy here, is the WWE paying him to no-show UFC pay-per-views like they have reportedly tried to in the past? And how do you think Jon Anik will work with Joe Rogan? Keep it civil, you guys.

@SethFalvo