UFC 155 takes place inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday, and so far we know plenty about the card to help us get excited. For one, UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos faces Cain Velasquez for the belt in the event’s head…
UFC 155 takes place inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday, and so far we know plenty about the card to help us get excited.
For one, UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos faces Cain Velasquez for the belt in the event’s headliner, while Jim Miller faces Joe Lauzon in the event’s co-headliner.
Rounding out the main card, Tim Boetsch faces Costa Philippou, Yushin Okami faces Alan Belcher in a UFC 62 rematch and Chris Leben returns to meet former Strikeforce product Derek Brunson.
Also, the preliminary card stands as a promise for a thriller in itself, with names like Jamie Varner, Erik Perez, Leonard Garcia, Brad Pickett, Eddie Wineland and more on the bill to open the card.
So with all that in the open, what should fans know about this Saturday’s year-end fight card?
The UFC did not disappoint with its first-ever championship fight on FOX. In the November 2011 bout, then-champion Cain Velasquez fell victim to a knockout punch and suffered his first career mixed martial arts loss to the heavyweight challenger, …
The UFC did not disappoint with its first-ever championship fight on FOX. In the November 2011 bout, then-champion Cain Velasquez fell victim to a knockout punch and suffered his first career mixed martial arts loss to the heavyweight challenger, Junior dos Santos.
This holiday season, the pair is being re-gifted on pay-per-view live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. UFC 155 will be headlined by the heavyweight pair, as dos Santos will try to successfully defend his title for the second time while Velasquez looks to rebound against the only opponent that has ever taken him out.
Elsewhere on the main card, a clash of lightweight contenders and a trifecta of middleweight matchups will help take us into the the new year.
Heavy-hitter Chris Leben is set to lead off the card following a one-year drug suspension, while 185-pound contenders Alan Belcher and Tim Boestch will also enter the Octagon in separate bouts. Veteran 155-pounder Jim Miller will be in action as well, looking to reverse his fortunes coming off a loss to former No. 1 contender Nate Diaz.
It’s set to be a great Saturday night in Vegas, but then again, there aren’t many boring nights spent in the Sin City.
When: Saturday, Dec. 29
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
Watch: PPV starting at 10 p.m. ET through your local provider. FX and Facebook preliminary fights starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Fight Card
Main Card (PPV at 10 p.m. ET)
Heavyweight Championship: Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez
Lightweight: Joe Lauzon vs. Jim Miller
Middleweight: Tim Boetsch vs. Costa Philippou
Middleweight: Yushin Okami vs. Alan Belcher
Middleweight: Chris Leben vs. Derek Brunson
Preliminary Card (FX at 8 p.m. ET)
Bantamweight: Brad Pickett vs. Eddie Wineland
Bantamweight: Erik Perez vs. Byron Bloodworth
Lightweight: Melvin Guillard vs. Jamie Varner
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Myles Jury
Preliminary Card (Facebook at 6:30 p.m. ET)
Heavyweight: Phil De Fries vs. Todd Duffee
Featherweight: Chris Cariaso vs. John Moraga
Flyweight: Max Holloway vs. Leonard Garcia
Dos Santos’ Keys to Victory
Dos Santos executed an intelligent game plan when he won the title back in November of 2011—attack quickly before Velasquez can get on his game.
Just a minute and four seconds into the title fight, dos Santos dropped Velasquez for the first time in the former champion’s career. Sticking to that trend, only four of his sixteen career fights have lasted past the first round.
JDS needs to press Velasquez early, but he should be worried about the counterpunch as well. I don’t think this fight gets out of the second round, and it could even be decided in the first if things match up the way they did in their first go-around.
Dos Santos must avoid the takedowns and ground-and-pound of Velasquez while also making an early statement. The longer the fight goes, the more it favors the Mexican-American challenger.
Velasquez’s Keys to Victory
Pride will certainly be a big factor in Velasquez’s attempt to reclaim a title he never successfully defended.
Reportedly fighting with a torn ACL, Cain still took his first fight against dos Santos and looked uncharacteristically timid before getting knocked out. One could also speculate that the former champion underestimated the up-and-coming Brazilian, but if that was indeed the case, that mistake won’t be made again.
There’s a lot on the line for Velasquez, especially with a rematch coming so quickly and a handful of other top heavyweights waiting in the wings.
JDS has the advantage in reach, but don’t underestimate the striking ability of Velasquez. He doesn’t lead the UFC in significant strikes per minute for nothing. Cain will likely need to withstand a first-round barrage from dos Santos to claim the title yet again.
What They Are Saying
MMAJunkie.com informed us that fan-favorite referee Herb Dean will grace the Octagon with his presence for the title fight—good news for fans of the long-time fight overseer.
Rumors of Velasquez’s ACL injury were no joke—even before the UFC on FOX bout between the two champions. Now, more videos have surfaced to legitimize the claim that Velasquez was well below 100 percent at the time, and that he could be a completely different fighter come Saturday night.
ESPN’s Ryan Grace and Andrew Davis examined this marquee matchup by the numbers, and one of the big ones is 7.5—Velasquez’s significant punches landed per minute in his time with the company.
Cain Velasquez ranks 1st all-time in UFC history in significant strikes landed per minute at 7.5. In their first matchup last November, Velasquez landed seven significant strikes in 14 attempts over the span of their 64 second contest. Velasquez is 2nd all-time in significant strike accuracy (60.2 percent) behind UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
But while Velasquez is the company’s highest-volume striker, dos Santos is no slouch.
“Cigano” is 2nd all-time in significant strikes per minute with 6.9, topping that average by three significant strikes in his victories against Velasquez and first title defense against Frank Mir at UFC 146.
The fireworks that these two can produce makes this championship bout a virtual toss-up.
Undercard Fight to Watch: Yushin Okami vs. Alan Belcher
Due in large part to a serious eye injury that left him sidelined for over a year, Alan Belcher has flown under the radar as a top-10 middleweight. Going up against former No. 1 contender Yushin Okami, a win help would give Belcher the recognition he needs to ascend the 185-pound ladder.
These fighters’ differing styles will make for an interesting stylistic matchup. Okami typically grinds his opponents out in 15-minute decisions, while Belcher likes to end fights with strikes or submissions.
Belcher is on a four-fight win streak, while Okami rebounded with a win in his last bout after suffering consecutive losses to Anderson Silva and Tim Boetsch. Throw in their history at UFC 62, where these two men fought to an Okami unanimous decision, and this matchup has undeniable intrigue.
Main Event Prediction
Fight fans love sequels. After Saturday night, they will also love trilogies.
Since we aren’t used to seeing either of these men exit the first round, it will be odd seeing this fight head to Round 2. But when it does, look for Velasquez to land one solid right before finishing this fight on the ground.
A healthy Velasquez rebounds from his loss to dos Santos to re-claim the championship and set up a third match in 2013.
UFC 155 is rapidly approaching and it boasts a great card for the end of the year. The UFC heavyweight title is on the line, in addition to other big-time fights.The card hosts names such as Junior dos Santos, Jim Miller, Alan Belcher, Tim Boetsch, Chr…
UFC 155 is rapidly approaching and it boasts a great card for the end of the year. The UFC heavyweight title is on the line, in addition to other big-time fights.
The card hosts names such as Junior dos Santos, Jim Miller, Alan Belcher, Tim Boetsch, Chris Leben and Melvin Guillard, among others.
Here are five fights you cannot miss come UFC 155.
Just because Christmas has come and gone doesn’t mean that all of the best gifts in 2012 have been delivered. On Saturday night, UFC 155 will provide fans with a battle for the most prestigious prize in all of mixed martial arts: the UFC heavyweight ch…
Just because Christmas has come and gone doesn’t mean that all of the best gifts in 2012 have been delivered. On Saturday night, UFC 155 will provide fans with a battle for the most prestigious prize in all of mixed martial arts: the UFC heavyweight championship.
Headlining the card is a championship bout between reigning champion Junior dos Santos and former kingpin Cain Velasquez. The two met previously at the inaugural UFC on FOX event last November in a fight that saw JDS strap the belt around his waist following a first-round knockout.
In the co-main event, fans will be treated to a lightweight showcase of jiu-jitsu specialists when Joe Lauzon takes on Jim Miller. Miller takes this fight on short notice after a training injury forced Gray Maynard from the contest.
A trio of middleweight battles rounds up the main card as the surging Tim Boetsch meets Costa Philippou, Alan Belcher looks to win a rematch against YushinOkami and a returning Chris Leben welcomes Strikeforce veteran Derek Brunson into the Octagon.
The following is an in-depth look at UFC 155, including preview, odds and predictions.
Author’s Note: For previous events, the best betting odds have been given only for the statistical favorite. Beginning with UFC 155, we will offer underdogs the same courtesy. After all, anything can happen in MMA.
All betting odds are courtesy of BestFightOdds.com.
MMA fans are in for a treat this weekend as Saturday’s UFC 155 heavyweight showdown between champ Junior dos Santos and former champ Cain Velasquez is set to end the year with a bang.In their first meeting at UFC on Fox 1, dos Santos emphatically rippe…
MMA fans are in for a treat this weekend as Saturday’s UFC 155 heavyweight showdown between champ Junior dos Santos and former champ Cain Velasquez is set to end the year with a bang.
In their first meeting at UFC on Fox 1, dos Santos emphatically ripped the belt from Velasquez’s hands with a brutal knockout just over a minute into the first round. Now set to square off at this weekend’s highly anticipated rematch, you can expect another exciting affair when the Octagon’s doors close on Saturday night.
If the Brazilian wants to come out victorious once again, however, he will need to put on another picture-perfect performance against his longtime rival. Keep reading to see my keys to victory for “Cigano.”
MMA fans are in for a treat this weekend as Saturday’s UFC 155 heavyweight showdown between champ Junior dos Santos and former champ Cain Velasquez is set to end the year with a bang.In their first meeting at UFC on Fox 1, dos Santos emphatically rippe…
MMA fans are in for a treat this weekend as Saturday’s UFC 155 heavyweight showdown between champ Junior dos Santos and former champ Cain Velasquez is set to end the year with a bang.
In their first meeting at UFC on Fox 1, dos Santos emphatically ripped the belt from Velasquez’s hands with a brutal knockout just over a minute into the first round. Now set to square off at this weekend’s highly anticipated rematch, you can expect another exciting affair when the Octagon’s doors close on Saturday night.
If the Brazilian wants to come out victorious once again, however, he will need to put on another picture-perfect performance against his longtime rival. Keep reading to see my keys to victory for “Cigano.”
The UFC did not disappoint with its first-ever championship fight on FOX. In the November 2011 bout, then-champion