UFC Fight Night 70: 3 Reasons to Watch Machida vs. Romero Fight Card

Just one week after showcasing its newest potential international star in undefeated women's strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, the UFC is heading to Hollywood (the Florida one).

But after the United States suffered problems with issuing travel visas, about a dozen of the fighters pegged for UFC Fight Night 70—including the lightweight and bantamweight finalists in this season's The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil—are forced to watch Saturday's event from home.

But stripping the card to its bare bones wouldn't stop President Dana White and the UFC brass from moving full steam ahead with this card. Folks who've already purchased tickets are free to get their money back. But for the rest of us who aren't part of the 145,000 or so people currently residing in Hollywood (and with the humidity, why would you want to?), we can still watch the card from home.

Here are three reasons why, despite losing a bulk of its appeal, you should still tune in.

'The Boss' Gets a Promotion

Long considered one of the better MMA prospects in recent memory, Steve "The Boss" Bosse is finally making his UFC debut.

At 33 years old, Bosse's debut doesn't necessarily fall in line with that of, say, a then-24-year-old Conor McGregor. Even already boasting a 10-1 overall record with eight TKO finishes, Bosse comes in to the UFC with only one relatively notable victory: a second-round KO over former UFC slugger Houston Alexander.

It also won't help that he enters the Ultimate Fighting Championship amid a crowded middleweight division.

Still, training alongside some of the better fighters on the planet at Montreal's Tristar Gym, Bosse could have what it takes to—at the very least—make some waves as the Vitor Belforts and Anderson Silvas slowly make their way out of the 185-pound picture.

Previously slated to make his debut at UFC 186 against Fabio Maldonado in place of a lawyered-up Rampage Jackson, Bosse now takes on Thiago Santos—a fighter who looked all the parts of an impressive striker in his first-round finish against Andy Enz. 

A win keeps the former hockey player moving forward. An exciting win gets people talking.

An Opportunity to Silence Critics

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking of fighters who are more advanced in age, we move on to a 38-year-old Yoel Romero who looks absolutely nothing like a guy closing in on 40.

Romero hasn't stepped into the cage since he scored a controversial victory over Tim Kennedy at a stacked UFC 178 last September. If you haven't watched it, just know it involved a stool, some Vaseline and a language barrier. That said, we move forward with the technical winner continuing his climb to the top and the technical loser still mending both physical and emotional injuries suffered in that loss.

So long as we can accept Romero's comeuppance, we can still appreciate Saturday's scheduled main event and whatever possible fights may very well come his way should he win. No matter how one-sided Lyoto Machida's last loss was, The Dragon certainly won't be an easy task—especially not for a fighter who'd rather keep things horizontal than deal with a tricky karate master.

Things are pretty crowded atop the 185-pound title picture these days, but a decisive, non-controversial victory over the former light heavyweight champ should help him make good with any of his critics.

(Another) Rise of 'The Dragon'

Alex Trautwig/Getty Images

Lyoto Machida didn't look himself the last time out. Not even close.

But at this point in his 13-year career, most of us aren't sure if we'll ever see the old Machida rise again or if we're destined to watch an old Machida struggle against top competition. He's 37 years old, and that won't mean good things as his once-perfect timing starts to fade away—leaving him open against younger fighters such as 30-year-old Luke Rockhold and 31-year-old Chris Weidman.

Luckily for Machida, he's not fighting a younger fighter on Saturday night. He's fighting a less experienced but absolute bulldozer of a fighter in Yoel Romero.

It's hard to say if any sort of victory puts Machida back into the conversation every 185-pound fighter on the planet wants to be a part of. It's crowded. Not quite "Best Buy on Black Friday" crowded, but pretty crowded no less.