As a fan of the UFC, is there anything better than a night of live fights for free?
Well, yes, yes there is. How about a UFC Hall of Fame fighter headlining this event in his return to the light-heavyweight division, as well as a welterweight contest to determine the next number one contender?
As the UFC's popularity continues to grow all across the world, these events that are to be aired live on cable t.v. will continue to get better and better, as evident with UFC 105.
A melting-pot of U.K. talent will be on display this coming Saturday, as well as a group of established veterans from across the globe.
So come November 14th, 2009, a lot is going to be at stake for a select amount of those participating. The question is, who is going to rise to the occasion and take advantage of the opportunities placed in front of them?
MAIN CARD
Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera— Randy Couture
It has got to be tough to step inside the cage with your childhood idol staring directly into your soul, the same idol who is planning on crushing your dreams in the pursuit of his own. Such is the case for Brandon "The Truth" Vera.
At one point, many people thought that Vera was on the fast track of not only dominating the heavyweight division, but the light-heavyweight division as well. Needless to say, things didn't work out the way they seemed. After some poor performances, Vera was forced to move down to the 205 pound division prematurely.
Once here, Vera showed flashes of brilliance, but he was quickly shot back down to earth after a crushing defeat to Keith Jardine. He has bounced back since then with two straight victories, effectively utilizing his deadly muay thai in picking apart Mike Patt and Krzysztof Soszynski.
Can he continue to prove the doubters wrong against his childhood idol?
Randy "The Natural" Couture is considered one of the best fighters in the history of MMA, and if you were to look at his professional record (16-10), you would say that the Couture supporters are crazy. But it's not his record that the people are looking at to determine this statement, it is his history.
Couture is a five-time UFC champion, and one of two fighters to hold belts in two separate weight classes. He has all the experience needed to come out the victor every time, always coming through with a solid, well-executed game plan.
His boxing is often underestimated as his opponents tend to strictly watch out for his superior wrestling attributes. The way Couture can dominate in the clinch with any fighter of any weight class should be sending chills down the spine of Brandon Vera.
Would it be a safe bet to call Couture one of the greatest fighters of all time, probably not. However, you better believe that Couture will continue to bring it all in every waking minute of his life.
Dan Hardy vs. Mike Swick— Mike Swick
Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy has a chance to shoot his way past some well-deserving contenders this weekend. While many would consider Hardy's path heading into this number one contenders match a short, easy path, no one can discredit his performances.
Since joining the UFC, Hardy has compiled an impressive 3-0 record, knocking two great opponents down to the bottom of the barrel in the welterweight division.
He showed that he has some devastating power, with his quick, clean striking. Hardy has shown that he can recover from bad situations with his nerves of steel composure. The one thing he hasn't shown is the ability to capitalize on a mistake.
This may ultimately spell disaster for Hardy, as Mike "Quick" Swick has proved that he is one of the front-runners to fight Georges St. Pierre for the championship. Swick has an impressive record of 9-1 inside the UFC, 4-0 at his current welterweight status.
As his nickname alludes towards, Swick has some ridiculous speed with his hands and feet. Like a vintage Vitor Belfort, Swick has the ability to unleash a massive amount of strikes with amazing accuracy, and not only is Swick fast, he matches his quickness with some brute strength, earning seven k.o.'s in 14 victories.
Swick is also a solid wrestler, easily controlling his opponents with some intense core strength. If Hardy tries to take this one down, Swick's sprawl should be able to nullify any attempt.
On paper, it appears that Swick might out-perform Hardy in every aspect of this fight.
Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang— Denis Kang
Manchester's unsung hero, Michael "The Count" Bisping looks to rebound from his devastating knock out at the hands of Dan Henderson. He will undoubtedly be looking for an impressive victory to propel himself back in contender status.
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