UFC on Fox 4: A Fan's Guide to the Entire Fight Card

Suffering from Olympics fatigue syndrome? This Saturday, the UFC might have just the tonic. 

UFC on Fox 4 (also known as UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera) goes down August 4 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It's all on free TV, and it all kicks off at 5 p.m. Eastern on Fuel TV, then moves to the mothership at 8 p.m.

The co-main events pit light heavyweights Ryan Bader against Lyoto Machida and then Mauricio "Shogun" Rua against Brandon Vera in some kind of cluster-melee for the next shot at champion Jon Jones.

But there are more fights than that. In fact, six of the UFC's eight weight classes are represented here. At the same time, though, don't kid yourself: Every card has a few clunkers, and this one is no different. Don't let yourself fall victim to the socioinformational mind-control machine. 

But how, pray tell, does one do that? How does one see through the propoganda and, in so doing, separate the wheat from the chaff? With this slideshow, that's how.

Herewith is a list of all 10 matchups, ranked from most boring to most exciting. Informational capsules, viewing coordinates and a few predictions also are included. NO FILTER, BRO.

10. Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado

Light heavyweight bout
See it on: Fuel TV

Oh, how the Phil Davises have fallen.

Just six months ago, Davis main-evented one of these Fox cards. But losing that title eliminator to Rashad Evans touched off a series of unfortunate events that buried Davis deep on the undercard. While there he'll fight a dude named Wagner Prado, who will be unfamiliar even to many hardcore fans.

This is the part where all the hardcore fans deny it. Yes, yes, you've known him since he was 12. My congratulations. And in all fairness to Prado, it's not like he materialized out of thin air. His fists certainly know how to materialize wins; he has seven career KOs in eight career fights (all wins). 

The bright side here for Davis is that he's going to win this fight. That's it. Down side for fans is it won't be elegant. Wrestlefest aught-12, here we come.

9. Philip De Fries vs. Oli Thompson

Heavyweight bout
See it on: Fuel TV

Oli Thompson resembles an old-world enforcer straight out of Sparta. Philip De Fries is a bit of a carnival attraction himself: French last name, British man's body. The intrigue!

I've been told I need to say something about the fight. So Thompson, who was crowned Britain's strongest man in 2006, won a belt in an English promotion but is 0-1 thus far in the UFC. De Fries is a pretty lackluster 1-1.

On paper, Thompson appears to be more well-rounded and should be able to pound his way to an even Octagon record. Feel free to fast-forward through this one; that might even make it move at normal speed.

8. Manny Gamburyan vs. Michihiro Omigawa

Featherweight bout
See it on: Fuel TV

Each combatant in this likely loser-leaves-town matchup relies on a top-notch judo base. But like any red-blooded male, both enjoy a good knockout from time to time.

Michihiro Omigawa (1-5 in the UFC and a loser in three of his last four) is more technical standup-wise, while Manny Gamburyan (2-5 in the UFC, plus a loser of two straight in the Octagon and three straight overall) has a power edge. Still, I'm not sure this is one of those fights where the ground games cancel each other out and give way to a slugfest. Gamburyan might want it that way, but I think Omigawa has the edge on the mat and knows it. 

Omigawa once outgrappled Hatsu Hioki. Gamburyan's last opponent, Diego Nunes, stuffed his takedowns all day. And Nunes isn't nearly the grappler that Omigawa is.

7. John Moraga vs. Ulysses Gomez

Flyweight bout
See it on: Fuel TV

Ulysses Gomez, ranked ninth in the most recent Bleacher Report flyweight rankings, is fighting his first UFC fight this Saturday. Ditto John Moraga, who at 10-1 is a dangerous fighter but not as well-known as Gomez.

Gomez steps in to replace Ian McCall, whom I will assume without checking had to pull out after his Rollie Fingers mustache became ensnared in the gears of an exercycle.

6. Cole Miller vs. Nam Phan

Featherweight bout
See it on: Fuel TV

Random trivia: Featherweights and light heavyweights rule this card; each division boasts an evening-high three bouts. Impress your friends with that little nugget.

Cole Miller will fight for the second time in the UFC at featherweight. At 6'1", he is a redwood among dogwoods at 145 pounds. For comparison's sake, Nam Phan is seven inches shorter at 5'6"; division champ Jose Aldo is 5'7".

But Phan has the tools to chop down Featherweight Stefan Struve. Miller has his own tools, but after this one they'll sound the "timber" alarms in his honor.

5. Mike Swick vs. DeMarques Johnson

Welterweight bout
See it on: Fox

No question about it: Mike Swick is the emotional favorite here. You would be too if you tore every ligament in your body and then contracted whooping cough and then got run over by a knife truck.

Returning from a two-and-a-half-year absence, Swick is the betting favorite as well. But I say not so fast. Ring rust is a real thing. It happens. And that big win over Ben Saunders seems a lot farther off than two-and-a-half years ago.

Then there's the small matter of his opponent Saturday night. DeMarques Johnson won't wow anyone, but he can match Swick's aggression, he's decent in all phases and he can take Swick into the deep water. That's not so good for rust.

So sound the upset alarms. It's hard not to root for Swick, and he'll fight another day, but Johnson's going to take this decision. 

4. Josh Grispi vs. Rani Yahya

Featherweight bout
See it on: Fuel TV

After dropping two straight, Josh Grispi needs himself a win. His original opponent, Pablo Garza, may have offered a better matchup than jiu-jitsu ace Rani Yahya, who not only earned 14 of his 16 wins by submission but used 10 different maneuvers to elicit the taps.

Grispi is by no means ground-deficient but would probably rather bang if he had his druthers, especially versus Yahya. This one's pretty even, but it won't be dull regardless. Fight of the Night dark horse, right here.

3. Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader

Light heavyweight bout
See it on: Fox

Not long ago, UFC President Dana White said the winner between Vera and Rua would receive a title shot.

Fans and observers everywhere—at least those unable to mind-erase the image of Jones breaking those mens' faces in previous meetings—greeted the announcement with just the slightest hint of an eyebrow raise. Such is the manner in which emotions are expressed in this repressive Internet age of ours.

To his credit, White picked up on the subtext, and amended his stance. Now, the two co-main events will essentially double as a kind of one-night free-for-all to determine the next challenger, as White has said the "most impressive" winner will get the next chance to be drawn and quartered by the black-winged angel of death, known to mortals as Jon Jones.

On the theory that it can be difficult to evade a runaway freight train, Bader should be able to ground-and-pound Machida here and throw his hat in that ring, for better or worse.     

2. Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner

Lightweight bout
See it on: Fox

I had it all typed out. Fight of the Night potential. Joe Lauzon needs a win, Jamie Varner streaking but relatively unproven, Lauzon will look to take the fight down to the...zzzzzzz.

Screw that noise. Screw it in the ear, I tells ya. Jamie Varner by knockout! KO of the Night, right here.

1. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Brandon Vera

Light heavyweight bout
See it on: Fox

An old-school photo because I think we'll see old-school Shogun Rua Saturday night.

As one or two of my colleagues have pointed out, the reality of Brandon Vera fighting for the light heavyweight title might be enough to spiral the planet into a second darkness. Lucky for us all, then, that it ain't happening.

Vera likes to employ his Muay Thai. So does Shogun. Shogun's is better. And on the ground—not that it will go there—it's Shogun all day.

Admittedly, the idea of Shogun getting another title shot is a little strange, given the way Jones dominated him just 18 months ago. Nevertheless, if AAA Shogun shows up against Jones, he might be the only light heavyweight who can give Jones a run, at least on the feet. So it's fitting that at the end of UFC on Fox 4, the shot will be his. 

Scott Harris is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and a regular contributor to the site's Caged In blog. Scott also has a brand-new and reasonably interesting Twitter account; follow along @ScottHarrisMMA.