UFC: Junior Dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez Could Be Best Heavyweight Fight Ever

The phrase "best ever" is thrown around a lot these days. I should know. I just did it.

Sometimes, though, it's a phrase worth bouncing off the proverbial wall. With dominant UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez set to take on an equally dominant top contender in Junior dos Santos, now would appear to be one of those times.

If any serious conversation containing the words "best ever" is to take place, we should first define our terms. Does best mean the most closely contested?  Most contentious? Most hyped?  Most lucrative? 

For my purposes today, I'll use the fourth definition of "best" listed on TheFreeDictionary.com, which is, quite simply, "most highly skilled."

There are a lot of great heavyweight fights in UFC history, and in MMA history. Randy Couture, Mirko Cro Cop and Igor come to mind, as does this guy I once heard of, name of Fedor. And yet, when applying the term as defined above and when considering both combatants, I believe the looming battle between Velasquez and dos Santos could indeed take the cake. Here are five reasons why.

1. "Most Highly Skilled"

It's right there in the definition.

Velasquez is in my opinion one of the most—if not the most—highly skilled heavyweights in recent memory. His only real competition, it seems, is Junior dos Santos, who after dismantling Shane Carwin is now probably considered one of the best—if not the best—strikers in the division's history.

But there's more. Both men can grapple, although Cain's college wrestling background probably gives him the edge on paper. Dos Santos is no slouch, though, having practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu for years now. At UFC 131, he showed against Carwin that holding him down is like keeping a life vest submerged in the Dead Sea. Or something like that.

Both men also belong to elite MMA camps, Velasquez at American Kickboxing Academy and dos Santos at Blackhouse.

In short, there is not much to exploit on either side. It is all top shelf. Victory will likely not spring out of a mistake or a weakness; it will come from skill.

2. It Could Spark a Rivalry

Photo credit: Sherdog

Like great movie epics, many of the greats fights in UFC history have numbers after them. Liddell-Couture III, Ortiz-Liddell I, Hughes-St. Pierre II. 

Velasquez-dos Santos I could be the next.

At 28 and 26, respectively, Velasquez and dos Santos are in the prime of their primes.

To make things a little more interesting, there seems to be a whiff of bad blood in the water. Back at UFC 110, Velasquez demolished dos Santos teammate and mentor Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Junior was calling out Velasquez (politely, but insistently) as early as last March. 

Dos Santos said it was not about revenge for him, and that he simply wants great opponents. We shall see.

3. There Will Be Blood

Photo credit: Las Vegas Sun

Dos Santos's razor-sharp striking is the default gold standard in the heavyweight division. If you needed any additional proof, just look at the shark bait that was Shane Carwin's face after UFC 131.

And yet, there is no major separation between El Cigano and Cain, who brought down the shaven polar bear that is Brock Lesnar and whose overhand registers 1,000 pounds more pressure than boxing knockout artist James Toney (according to ESPN's "Sports Science").

Both man have the tools to trade, and neither is afraid to do so.

4. Two White Hats

Photo credit: ESPN

The prospects of the grudge match and/or the slugfest are intriguing, but unfortunately for the UFC, there's a good chance the hype for this one won't come from the fighters.

Ultimately, though, that may be a good thing.

Velasquez is so quiet in interviews he almost appears nervous, but at the same time is an outspoken advocate for the Latino community in America and beyond. And you could never discern what dos Santos was capable of from his soft-spoken demeanor and beguiling smile. His gentle touch with his charges on the recent season of "The Ultimate Fighter" only served to underscore that.

Neither man has ever gotten in trouble out of the ring (that we know of, anyway), and Velasquez is a dedicated family man. There is no bad guy in this fight. 

All that matters is, you know, the fight.

But to me, this makes it more exciting. Because it's no bark and all bite. No sizzle, all steak. 

5. Just Fight

No novelties. No TV stars. No professional wrestlers. No old guys. No rookies. No one-trick ponies or one-hit wonders.

Neither man is afraid to stand.  Neither man is afraid to go to the ground. There's no point karate or lay-and-pray in either of these guys' DNA.

In other words, there is no way this fight will not be exciting.

One undisputed champion and one undisputed No. 1 contender.  Both at the tops of their games. Both good guys and fierce warriors. Both violent and incredibly proficient combatants.

May the best man win. I'm sure he will.