UFC on FX 1 Crash Course: Everything You Need to Know

Hello once more, fans and friends, and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course.”

“Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main events, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail.

So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring UFC on FX 1: Guillard vs. Miller.

The Event

UFC on FX 1: Guillard vs. Miller, currently scheduled for Friday, January 20, 2012 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.  A six-fight preliminary card will be broadcast live on Fuel TV starting at 6:00 PM ET. The four-fight main card will be broadcast live on FX starting at 9:00 PM ET.

Why You Should Care

Although it’s not the first show of the Fox era or even the first time the UFC’s shown on FX, it’s still an important milestone for the UFC and should answer a lot of questions.

It’ll be interesting to see where in the scheme of things this new series of live events falls: will it be more like the standard, occasionally disappointing “Fight Night Live” events, or will it be closer to the UFC’s “UFC on Versus” efforts, which quickly became the standard-bearer for the UFC on television during the brief time the series existed?

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event

Melvin Guillard is one of the biggest reasons everybody talks about the UFC’s lightweight division, especially the upper-echelon, being so crowded right now. Jim Miller is another big reason.

Both men are fantastic fighters that love to finish opponents, and I personally once considered Jim Miller to be the most underrated lightweight in the division. This should be a crazy high-octane encounter with a high chance of a fast finish.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event

Duane “Bang” Ludwig is a veteran of over 30 fights and has competed all around the world. He’s currently on a two-fight win streak in his most recent run inside the Octagon.

His opponent, Josh Neer, is equally experienced with over 30 professional fights on his record as well. Even better, Neer is also currently on a winning streak.

It’ll be a brawl between two very talented and very experienced veterans, so it should be a good one.

Why You Should Watch This Card

The lightweight main event belongs on a Pay-Per-View, so that’s a big reason to tune in. The card also boasts Christian Morecraft vs. Pat Barry, which should be an entertaining clash to start off the show.

If you’re a fan of prelims, the preliminary card features fighters like Jorge Rivera, Charlie Brenneman and Kamal Shalorus. This is definitely a “something for everybody” card.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card

It’s a good card, just not the best. Both fighters in the main event are coming off of humbling losses, and the co-main is a lot more “Fight Night Live” than it is “UFC on Versus.”

Also, it’s on a Friday instead of the UFC ‘s traditional Saturday time slot.

Closing Thoughts

All things considered, I’m feeling positive about this show. It may not turn out to be the humongous success that UFC 142 was, but I don’t think it’s fair to measure this show against what I called the first great MMA benchmark of 2012.

Instead, I think this show will end up being a benchmark all by itself, giving us the first measuring stick of the type of quality we can expect on FX. For that reason alone, I’ll be watching this card.

The fact that I’m actually pretty interested in several of the fights is just a bonus.

Oliver Saenz, also known as PdW2kX, is a freelance journalist, opinion columnist, hardcore MMA fan, and lifelong video game nerd. For more news, views, previews, and reviews on all things Mixed Martial Arts as well as video games, be sure to visit FightGamesBlog.net.