UFC on FX 1 Fight Card: 5 Reasons to Watch "Guillard vs. Miller"

This Friday, January 20, 2012, the UFC will hold its first-ever UFC on FX event, featuring top lightweights Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller in the main event.

Also, a pair of well-respected and well-traveled veterans battle it out in the co-main event as Josh Neer takes on Duane Ludwig.

Still, some fans may be asking themselves, "What are the best reasons to check out this card?" Here’s my answer to that—five reasons to watch UFC on FX 1: Guillard vs. Miller.

5. The Free Preliminary Card Features Names Like Jorge Rivera, Kamal Shalorus and Charlie Brenneman

Once again, the UFC’s preliminary cards are set to deliver a stacked mini-event filled with good, free fights. I’ve been campaigning to get people to notice these prelims for quite some time now, and with how good they’ve been lately, I’m thinking that that’s one trend that will continue throughout the year.

No matter who you are, as long as you’ve got the time and the channel, you absolutely shouldn’t pass up six free fights featuring good fighters.

4. Mike Easton Has the Makings of a Real Bantamweight Prospect

In the here and now, I think you could make a case for Dominick Cruz being one of the most dominant champions in the UFC.

Cruz has already beaten the only man who’s ever defeated him, and he’s 19-1 overall. So who’s left for him to face?

Maybe it’ll be Mike Easton by the end of the year or the start of 2013. Easton is currently riding high with an overall record of 11-1 with six of those eleven wins by stoppage. His fight on this card should be a good indicator of just how big of a star Easton could possibly be.

3. Duane Ludwig vs. Josh Neer Is a Respectable Co-Main Event

I won’t lie, fans and friends. I have no strong feelings about either of these fighters.

Let me be clear, though—that doesn’t mean I don’t like them. I’m just not a fan in particular, although I certainly respect both men as well-traveled, grizzled veterans.

I don’t think this will end in spectacular fashion (and if it does I’ll be more than happy to eat some humble pie) but I do think that we’ll be in for a good three-round war in this co-main event.

2. Pat Barry Fights Christian Morecraft? Definitely a “Blink and You’ll Miss It” Fight

This is honestly the fight I’m looking forward to the most, aside from the main event.

Christian Morecraft isn’t an elite heavyweight, but he’s a good all-rounder, and he seems to be improving steadily.

And how can you not love Pat Barry? Barry comes to either finish or get finished, and I’m 90-percent certain that somebody is getting badly KTFO’d in this fight.

That always makes for an entertaining few minutes.

And the number-one reason to watch “UFC on FX 1” is…

1. The Main Event, Of Course

When Melvin Guillard lost to Joe Lauzon in under 50 seconds, my heart broke. I’ve always been a fan of Guillard, and now that he’s a veteran of more than 40 fights spread across almost nine years, I just don’t know how many more times he can enter into this kind of “rebuilding” phase.

I also felt pretty sad when Jim Miller lost to Ben Henderson, because Jim Miller is a big dark-horse favorite of mine.

This is one fight in which I’ll probably feel disheartened no matter who wins, but this is also one fight that I can’t wait to see happen, because I know how awesome these two can be when they’re at their best.

Depending on how it goes, this could be our first strong contender for “Sleeper Hit of the Year.”

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.