UFC 145 Fight Card: 7 Reasons MMA Fans Can't Wait for April 21

UFC 145 is now only a few weeks away, and fans of the UFC couldn't be more giddy.

With a highly anticipated headliner between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, UFC fans have had April 21 circled on their calendars for a while.

A title fight isn't the only thing to look forward on the docket, however, as UFC 145 will serve as a great kickoff for what should be a loaded summer for the world's largest MMA promotion.

Here are seven reasons April 21 can't come soon enough.

The PPV Lull Is Over

On April 21, the wait will finally be over.

Last year, the UFC pumped out 16 pay-per-view events. Add the debut of UFC on FOX and you have 17 major events, about one and a half per month. That's a pretty steady stream of events.

In 2012, the UFC started the year off with three major events in UFC on FOX 2, UFC 143 and UFC 144 all within close proximity. Then came the off time. As MMA fans, we aren't used to an offseason. The thought of waiting over a month for a major event just seems absurd.

As MMA fans, we are always forward-looking. A great fight card is hardly finished before we start looking toward the next big matchups to come.

With no big matchups to look forward to, fans have had a long time to get hyped up for the upcoming slate of events, and it all starts with UFC 145.

Granted, UFC on Fuel TV 2 will be one week prior, but it will merely serve as the appetizer for the fix that we fans have been craving.

'Wonderboy' Stephen Thompson's Second UFC Appearance

Stephen Thompson may be the most electric newcomer of 2012, as the undefeated prospect made an emphatic debut with a first-round knockout of Dan Stittgen at UFC 143.

Thompson is an accomplished kickboxer who owns an incredible 57-0 record in kickboxing to go with his 6-0 record in MMA. "Wonderboy" is definitely someone to keep an eye on and sure to be one of the highlights of the evening.

Georges St. Pierre says that Stephen Thompson is the "best striker he's ever seen" and Thompson's highlight reel knockout certainly put the welterweight division on notice. Thompson steps up to fight Matt Brown on the card's preliminary portion that can be seen on FX.

The UFC Debut of Another Strikeforce Heavyweight

When Zuffa announced that the Strikeforce heavyweight division would be dissolving into the UFC, questions were raised as to how the injection of new talent would impact the division, if at all.

So far the Strikeforce heavyweights have fit right in. Alistair Overeem, who came over before the dissolution announcement, got the ball rolling with his impressive annihilation of former UFC champion Brock Lesnar.

Fabricio Werdum looked very impressive in his return to the UFC in a one-sided affair against Roy Nelson. Then Lavar Johnson, coming off a two-fight losing streak in Strikeforce, made his UFC debut by becoming the first fighter to finish Joey Beltran.

So far, the Strikeforce heavyweights have been successful in transitioning to the UFC, and Chad Griggs will look to continue the trend when he meets rising prospect Travis Browne.

Griggs is coming off a first-round victory over Valentjin Overeem in a Strikeforce Grand Prix Reserve bout. Griggs can make a strong statement about his status in the heavyweight division with a victory in his UFC debut.

Standing in Griggs' way will be Browne, who has looked impressive in racking up a 3-0-1 record in the UFC to remain undefeated in his MMA career.

Browne vs. Griggs will headline the FX preliminary portion of the card and should be an entertaining heavyweight clash, as both fighters have impressive power and records.

Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres

Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres has Fight of the Night potential written all over it for UFC 145.

First, there's Michael McDonald. The 21-year-old is one of the most exciting prospects in the UFC and continues to make waves in the bantamweight division, getting off to a 3-0 start in the organization after making his debut last year. McDonald made short work of his last opponent, knocking out Alex Soto in 56 seconds at UFC 139.

Perennial bantamweight contender Miguel Torres will definitely have the experience advantage coming into this fight with an official 39-4 record. This will also be Torres' first fight back from his short-lived release from the UFC for an inappropriate tweet.

Torres, like McDonald, last fought on the UFC 139 card, where he defeated Nick Pace by unanimous decision. A win for either guy will firmly place them in the contender picture at Bantamweight, so we can be sure that both of these fighters will bring their "A" game in a classic veteran vs. prospect matchup.

Can Brendan Schaub Regain Momentum?

UFC 145 will tell us a lot about where Brendan Schaub stands as a UFC heavyweight.

A year ago, when the UFC heavyweight division was largely devoid of any promising contenders or prospects, the TUF 10 runner-up appeared to be on the fast track toward contender status.

After losing the TUF 10 finale to Roy Nelson, Schaub reeled off four straight victories, three of which came by way of knockout.

However, Schaub's fast track would come to a screeching halt when he was upended by veteran Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 134 by knockout in the first round.

Now Schaub will look to regain the momentum against Ben Rothwell.

Rothwell is an experienced journeyman who has all but locked up gatekeeper status with his underwhelming 1-2 UFC record. If Schaub loses to Rothwell, his fate as a gatekeeper could be sealed.

MMA fans should be anxious to see if Schaub can show that loss to Nogueira was simply a bump in the road and not a true indication that he can't step up to the elite of the division.

Rory MacDonald Steps into the Spotlight

Critics of UFC 145 will say that it's a one-fight card. Apparently they have never seen Rory MacDonald fight.

MacDonald is a finisher who has looked more impressive in each appearance and at 22 years old, he is the future of the welterweight division. UFC 145 could very well serve as his coming-out party.

In MacDonald's four UFC fights, he has been on the main card twice but always as the first fight on the card. With MacDonald achieving co-main event status, he will finally get his chance to shine in the spotlight.

MacDonald will look continue to build on his dominant back-to-back wins over Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle. Another dominant victory and the Tristar gym product can plan on seeing his name on the marquee more often.

Attempting to play the role of spoiler will be British fighter Che Mills, who made his UFC debut at UFC 138 with a brutal 40-second knockout of Chris Cope.

Mills is largely an unknown commodity, having spent the brunt of his career on the British scene, and he will be looking to make a name for himself fighting in the co-main event in only his second UFC fight.

The Jon Jones-Rashad Evans Feud Finds Resolution

By far the most anticipated aspect of UFC 145 is that one of the UFC's greatest feuds will finally see some resolution. When Jon Jones and Rashad Evans square off for Jones' light heavyweight title, there is much more at stake than the belt that will go to the victor.

This is a fight more than a year in the making. The bout that Jones and Evans have wanted since Jones was able to take the title away from Mauricio "Shogun" Rua as Evans' injury replacement just weeks before the title fight.

Neither fighter will need to look very hard for motivation in this fight. For Jones, the chance to finally move past the man who has overshadowed his accomplishments by constantly being the storyline seems to be his primary motive in beating Evans.

For Evans, he becomes the next man to attempt to expose any holes that Jones may have and claims he's the one to do the job.

The war of words between these two have gone back and forth with each making their own opinion known that this fight is personal and they both are out to prove the other one wrong.

While the talking between these two may be getting a little stale, nothing sells a fight like bad blood, and this matchup has that in spades. The question is, will the fight live up to the hype?

With as much as both fighters have invested in this one fight, it is hard to see how this fight could possibly fail.

Should Jones win, fans will be treated to history in the making. Jones will have more evidence to add to his case as one of the sport's best pound-for-pound fighters. He will finally be able to put to rest the talk that Rashad has his number and will be one step closer to cleaning out the light heavyweight division, like he would like to do.

Should Evans win, he will finally earn his title back that he has coveted for so long. He will also have the distinction of being the first man to beat Jones, a distinction that would perhaps mean more to Evans at this point than the belt. 

One thing we do know for sure is that on April 21, these two will finally put the war of words to the side, do battle in the octagon and history will be made. That's something that should make any MMA fan excited.