Mixed Martial Arts: The Top 10 Potential PPV Matches of 2012

2012 looks to be a breakout year for the UFC and for MMA in general.

The UFC on Fox deal looks to bring MMA to a truly mainstream status and will provide numerous outlets for exposure. Strikeforce will remain in business and now has the ability to put on entertaining fights instead of trying to worry about competing with the UFC.

Bellator will continue to assert itself as the second promotion in the U.S. and should keep putting on entertaining shows, much like the WEC we all miss.

There's also a bundle of potential matchups that should be on any MMA fan's calendar. From rematches to grudge matches, 2012 will provide us with numerous great potential matches.

10. Alexander Gustafsson vs. Jon Jones

Other than Rashad Evans, another name that's been floating around lately as a potential threat to Jon Jones is Alexander Gustafsson.

Gustafsson surely has the physical traits to challenge Jones. The Swede stands at 6'5" and has a reach of 76 inches.

At one point in time, Gustafsson was one of the hottest prospects in the UFC, but ultimately tasted defeat for the first time in his career against another blue-chip prospect, Phil Davis.

Other than the Davis bout, Gustafsson has looked very impressive, but he will need to do so against a higher level fighter than Vladimir Matyushenko.

A fight against Gustafsson would prove whether Jones' talent is result of his training or his physical gifts.

9. Gray Maynard vs. Donald Cerrone

Gray Maynard had some thrilling moments in 2011, coming within seconds of winning the UFC lightweight title on two occasions.

Maynard has moved on from those losses and also moved on from his longtime home of Xtreme Couture.

Although not permanent at the moment, Maynard training with the guys at AKA will no doubt give the wrestler a striking game to compliment his top-level wrestling.

Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone is also coming off a loss. His fight at UFC 141 against Nate Diaz saw any momentum for a title shot in 2012 run amok. I believe it was simply a case of "Cowboy" letting his emotions get the better of him again.

A bout between these two former title contenders would help clear up the lightweight title picture and give Maynard a chance to show how much he's grown as a fighter in his post-Xtreme Couture career.

8. Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva II

The first bout between Brandon Vera and Thiago Silva was mainly a one-sided beatdown. Silva and Vera talked about each other quite a bit before their bout and both men looked to prove a point in their fight.

The only point proven from the fight was not to make Silva angry.

After the fallout from the failed drug testing, the decision was overturned and Vera got his job back. Now that Silva has returned from his one year suspension, Brandon "The Truth" Vera wants revenge.

"I just heard my dear friend Thiago Silva is back.....I want that (expletive)," Vera said via his Twitter.

7. Nate Diaz vs. Frankie Edgar/Benson Henderson

As much as I don't like him, Nate Diaz proved he's a really good fighter with his performance against Donald Cerrone at UFC 141.

Diaz came into his own during 2011 and has set himself up for a potential title shot in 2012. He's likely one more fight away from a title shot, but that will set him up to face the winner of Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar.

Diaz is a guy who looks to fight as soon as the fight begins and would have no issues with chasing Edgar across the Octagon. Against Henderson, the two men would provide a back and forth scrap that could easily be the fight of the year.

I'm not a Nate Diaz fan by any stretch of the imagination, but inside the Octagon, there's no doubting the man can put on an exciting fight.

6. Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson

The UFC will be featuring a mini-tournament for the new flyweight division. The final bout for the new title could be a bout between Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson.

Johnson had a shot at the 135-pound title but came up short despite a strong performance. Benavidez will look to avoid a conflict with teammate Urijah Faber by moving down a weight class, as well.

The thought was that the flyweight division was created for someone just like Johnson who is too small to be fighting at 135 pounds.

A bout between Benavidez and Johnson could provide an exciting 25 minutes of fighting and would bring a lot of eyes to the new weight class.

An added bonus is that if Benavidez can win, Team Alpha Male could possibly own three titles in the UFC.

5. Michael Bisping vs. Anderson Silva/Chael Sonnen

Michael Bisping has a knack for making people dislike him. His actions against Jorge Rivera drew the ire of numerous fans and fighters, with Chael Sonnen being among them.

A matchup with Sonnen would serve multiple purposes for MMA fans. It's a win-win, as fans would see one of their more hated fighters get beaten. Also, the pre-fight talk between both men would likely mean lots of money for the UFC.

If Bisping manages to secure a title shot in 2012, he would finally have his title shot that he's been seeking for quite some time. Bisping, along with his fans, believes he deserves a title shot and with a win against Demian Maia.

A fight against either Silva or Sonnen would provide fans with the opportunity to finally see Bisping against an elite level middleweight. It would be sink or swim time in his UFC career for the British bad boy.

4. Junior Dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez II

Their first bout made history, but was over in the blink of an eye.

Junior dos Santos won in just 64 seconds and took the UFC Heavyweight title from Cain Velasquez. The bout was featured on free TV, but a possible rematch could make a lot of money for the UFC.

It'd also be a very interesting matchup should both men get by their next opponents. Velasquez is rumored to be facing a debuting Antonio Silva while dos Santos defends his title against Alistair Overeem.

Defeating Overeem would establish dos Santos as the best striker in the heavyweight division and a win for Velasquez would solidify his place as the No. 2 heavyweight.

Velasquez would need to implement a better strategy in order to prove the first bout was just a fluke.

3. Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre

This bout was originally scheduled for UFC 137, then rescheduled for UFC 143 and now is officially on the shelf while Georges St. Pierre heals from a major knee injury.

Meanwhile, Nick Diaz faces off against Carlos Condit at UFC 143 for an interim welterweight title.

Although GSP has previously said he isn't letting the Diaz trashtalk get into his head, if Diaz wins against Condit, will he be able to handle months of "Nick Diaz being Nick Diaz" before they meet?

Diaz can sell a fight with the best of them and he certainly hasn't held any punches back with his feelings on GSP. Hopefully, he will get the chance to back up his word and face off against GSP in a title unification bout.

2. Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva II

Chael Sonnen can't stop talking about Anderson Silva. Hopefully the "Oregon Gangster" isn't looking past his next opponent, Mark Munoz, and can set up a rematch with the pound-for-pound king.

Their first matchup featured weeks of Sonnen-mania and the high PPV buys were attributed to his pre-fight talking.

Sonnen backed up his talk for four and a half rounds, until a come from behind triangle attempt sealed his fate against the champion.

One would think the defeat would humble Sonnen, but it's only intensified his dislike of Silva.

If Sonnen can get past Munoz, the UFC will have arguably its biggest moneymaker PPV of the year. The fact that it could be in Brazil would make it an even bigger spectacle.

1. Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans

The storied past between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones is well documented.

Fans have been waiting for months for the two former teammates to face off inside the Octagon. If all goes according to plan, the bout could happen sooner rather than later.

This could be the biggest grudge match in UFC history. Evans certainly has his detractors, but it would be easy work getting fans behind him, as Jones is one of the most hated figures in all of MMA.

Jones has virtually destroyed everyone put in his path and many people believe Evans is the only person capable of beating the young champion.

The champion believes Evans doesn't have his number and says that Evans is referring to "one day at practice."

Let's hope Evans can get past Phil Davis and finally set up this climatic showdown in the lightheavyweight division.