UFC on FUEL TV 1 Fight Card: 5 Reasons Why It'll Be a Sleeper Hit

There’s a lot of negativity floating around the MMA landscape right now. Maybe it’s Nick Diaz getting busted for smoking pot, maybe it’s Carlos Condit’s very controversial actions that led him to beat Nick Diaz. Fighters are leaving their long-time managers and coaches as well.

Me, I’ve always been a positive person. So here’s a little positivity for you: I think the upcoming “UFC on Fuel TV” card is going to be a bona fide sleeper hit, both because it’s a smaller show on a smaller network and also because it features a wide range of excellent UFC talent.

Here’s five reasons why you shouldn’t sleep on UFC on FUEL TV 1:

We Already Know What the UFC on FUEL TV Looks Like

Thanks to preliminary events (which, hey, are pretty darn good and you should really start watching them if you haven’t yet), we know exactly what the UFC looks like on FUEL TV. There’s a lot of unpredictability hovering around the UFC right now; this is one of the main reasons we keep watching, but it can also lead to some questionable decisions and some poorly-received changes.

A little stability goes a long way, so fans who have seen previous UFC events on FUEL TV know what they’re getting: the UFC with no major changes to its production values.

Jonathan Brookins vs. Vagner Rocha Is a Great Prelims Main Event

It’s always interesting to see what happens to a season winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” once he goes from winning the season to actually competing in the UFC. For the most part, Jonathan Brookins has a lot of potential and can be very entertaining to watch.

His opponent, Vagner Rocha, is currently 7-2 and coming off of a big submission win over Cody McKenzie. With the raw talent these two men have displayed in the past, this is one prelim fight that could’ve definitely had a home on the main card.

While Filled with Mid-Level Talent, Many of the Mid-Level Talents Are Quite Good

This event isn’t the most star-studded event the UFC has ever put on television, but it’s not supposed to be. It is what it is: a smaller show on a smaller network filled with smaller stars. But to just cast them off as smaller stars does a big discredit to most of this show’s competitors.

Here are just a few examples: Ivan Menjivar is a well-traveled 23-8 veteran, John Albert is 7-1 with all seven wins by stoppage, Walel Watson is 9-3 with all his wins by stoppage, Stipe Miocic is 7-0 with six wins by stoppage, both Aaron Simpson and Dave Herman are on three-fight win-streaks, and the list goes on.

My point is this: Just because they’re not big stars doesn’t mean they can’t have wildly entertaining fights.

Win or Lose, Amazing Moments Tend to Happen Around Stefan Struve

I don’t say that just to say it, by the way. Let’s look at the man’s last five (five!) fights—all have produced a “highlight reel” moment.

Most recently, Struve submitted Pat Barry. That win rebounded him from a loss that saw him get Superman Punch KO’d by Travis Browne. Before that he TKO’d Sean McCorkle, and before that he KO’d Christian Morecraft. And before that, Roy Nelson finished him in 39 seconds.

In his nine fights inside the Octagon, Struve has fought to a decision (win or lose) only once. I never know what I’m going to get with Stefan Struve, but I generally know that it’ll be a can’t-miss moment.

Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger Is Going to Be a Whole Lot of Fun

Diego Sanchez is coming off a pair of big victories over Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann, although the victory over Kampmann came with a sizable amount of controversy. Ellenberger, meanwhile, is on a five-fight win streak and just knocked out Jake Shields.

Sanchez has been put in a gatekeeper role in this fight, and the last time he was put in that role he lost to John Hathaway. This is definitely a fight where anything could happen, and as far as main events go, you could do a whole lot worse. I honestly wouldn’t have called foul if this fight had been put on a pay-per-view.

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.