5 Reasons to Watch UFC Fight Night 62
Demian Maia and Ryan LaFlare meet Saturday at UFC Fight Night 62 in Brazil. It may not be the main event you wanted, but it is the main event you deserve.
Do not sleep on this main event or fight card. It comes during a heavy week of top-notch sports action, but the UFC is here to satisfy your MMA needs.
UFC Fight Night 62 features 12 bouts with six fights on the main card on Fox Sports 1. The first two preliminary bouts will take place on UFC Fight Pass before the remaining four move to Fox Sports 2.
With the heavy slate of sports on Saturday, you may be wavering on watching the event. Don't. Watch it. If you opt out, you will miss a fantastic night of action.
What the fight card lacks in name-value on paper it will make up for in a variety of ways. Here are five reasons that you should tune into UFC Fight Night 62 this weekend.
Exciting Fights
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This should go without saying, but you should watch because this is a fun card, which hasn't always been the case in the past year of events in the sport of MMA.
UFC Fight Night 62, however, provides several quality contests.
Fights happen across five separate divisions on Saturday, with half of the card taking place in the stacked lightweight division.
There are few ranked fighters on the card, but it is littered with hungry combatants who are seeking that big-time performance to get themselves noticed. The card will treat you to some quality action, and that is all we ask as fans.
This event may lack a top-tier main event, but for a Fight Night card, you should be happy with the action that you see out of Brazil this weekend. This fight card is a credit to quality Fight Night matchmaking.
Prospects
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This card has quite a few prospects at various stages in their careers.
It opens with two over-30 flyweights—Bentley Syler and Fredy Serrano—who are making their respective UFC debuts. They competed on The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America but are still new to the sport of MMA. The 125-pound division needs bodies, and their bout will show us if either fighter has what it takes to be an important member of the division.
Later on the card, you have prospects like Andre Fili.
The 24-year-old has shown all of the raw ability to be special but has yet to translate it to the next level. Saturday is another chance for him to take a step forward in his career.
From MMA neophytes to legitimate prospects, this Fight Night card should showcase a lot of talent making its way through the ranks of the UFC. It is always fun to watch the maturation process.
Atmosphere, Finishes and Upsets
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The NCAA tournament is in full swing, and even if you are a hardcore sports fan, you will probably consume your fill of basketball by the time UFC Fight Night 62 rolls around. This is your chance to get a break from the hardwood with some exciting fisticuffs.
The Brazilian crowd is always on fire and creates the atmosphere that a card like this needs. It will be exciting, with all the chants, boos for foreigners and everything in between.
The cards in Brazil also typically provide exciting finishes. Knockouts and submissions should both be on display this weekend. Heavy-handed brawlers and jiu-jitsu black belts are waiting to collect bonus checks from the UFC.
And, yes, there will probably be an upset or two on the card as well. Anything can happen in MMA, and that is the beauty of the sport.
Sure, you may get to see an upset here or there in the tournament, but by Saturday, those opening-round games will have passed. The Brazilian fight card will be there to keep your week of upsets going.
UFC Fight Night 62 is your escape. Sit back and enjoy the antics of a fired-up crowd watching two athletes swing leather at each other.
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Erick Silva vs. Josh Koscheck
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Erick Silva vs. Josh Koscheck—the explosive Brazilian striker vs. the brash American wrestler. Who wouldn't want to watch that matchup?
More than that, this is an interesting fight considering where each fighter is at in his career.
Silva was once a bright prospect whom many identified as a potential title contender. He has never come close to reaching that mark. His talent is there—fantastic striking and grappling.
This is a fight for Silva to look great in and establish himself among the best at 170 pounds.
For Koscheck, this fight is about redemption. His outing at UFC 184 was very poor. A win over Silva would validate his return to the cage.
The fight does not hold significant value to the welterweight rankings, but it holds value to where these fighters will go from here. Silva can re-establish himself as a threat, while Koscheck can jump back into the fold after a lackluster return.
And the best part of it all is that the stylistic matchup should make for a great fight.
A Meaningful Main Event
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It certainly isn't the most star-studded main event, but it holds significance in the welterweight division.
No. 7-ranked contender Demian Maia meets No. 14-ranked Ryan LaFlare.
Maia was making quick strides in the division, but back-to-back losses to Jake Shields and Rory MacDonald ended his bid to be a title contender. He got back in the win column against Alexander Yakovlev last May, and he is now set for another top-15 contest.
LaFlare is one of the most unassuming ranked fighters in the UFC today. This is a chance for him to announce himself as a contender.
He has quietly put together four straight wins in the UFC and holds a perfect 11-0 professional record. All of his wins have come by decision, and that is part of the reason no one is talking about him—he has yet to have a thrilling performance.
A win over Maia would do wonders for LaFlare, and a win for Maia would move the Brazilian back into serious title contention.
This is a meaningful main event and a compelling stylistic matchup for fans who love to watch high-level grappling.
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