Urijah Faber, Brock Lesnar and the Top UFC Fights in the Next Few Months
The UFC has produced some outstanding cards and top fights since the beginning of the year.
In the next few months they have some more top, quality face-offs that could shakeup the landscape of the UFC as we know it.
UFC on Versus 3 is on it's way tomorrow night and looks to produce yet another quality night of fights. But, only a select few of these fights could make this list.
What are the top fights in the coming months?
This list is in no particular order. They're all too good for one to be considered the best.
Anthony Pettis vs. Clay Guida
1 of 10
Event: The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale
Weight Class: Lightweight
To me, this is a big fight if it is confirmed (it most likely is, but as of now, it's in the talks). You have two of the most exciting fighters in MMA, duking it out.
I can't wait to see this fight. Guida never disappoints and isn't afraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone. You could literally throw a prime Mike Tyson in there and Guida would still stand and trade with him.
Then you look at the other side. Anthony Pettis has single handily changed the way I look at kicks.
He made Stephan Bonnar go nuts with this kick. That kick helped bring him the WEC lightweight belt and a shot at Frankie Edgar or Gray Maynard. Only problem, Maynard and Edgar drew and Pettis didn't get his title shot.
If he wins against Guida, he could be the number one contender, and rightfully so.
That kick is like the most astonishing kick I have ever seen.
Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick
2 of 10
Event: UFC 129
Weight Class: Featherweight
For the UFC Featherweight Title
Big fight for Aldo here. He hasn't faced a striker like Hominick, and could be put to the test come UFC 129.
This fight helps stack up the UFC 129 card and could seriously top the UFC 128 card, which in my mind is the best card.
Aldo is one of the top fighters in the world, and for many, the top fighter. Although I don't see how people think that when you consider Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva are still around.
This could very well turn into a lopsided match in favor of the champion, Aldo. Everyone loves to watch Aldo fight; he just has something about him that makes people want to watch him, but I can't put my finger on it.
Oh yeah, it's because he's got a great skill set. Standup or ground game, Aldo can take you out.
Brock Lesnar vs. Junior dos Santos
3 of 10
Event: UFC 131
Weight Class: Heavyweight
This will probably be one of the most watched fights in the coming months.
Why, you may ask?
It's because everybody wants to see Brock Lesnar. The haters want to see him lose, and the lovers want to see him get back on track.
This is a huge fight for Brock. If he wins here it helps him get one step closer to regaining his title against the likes of Cain Velasquez.
If he loses, the speculation of his retirement starts up once again.
Fact is everybody will tune in to see Lesnar. Sorry JDS, it's not you, it's the fact that Lesnar is your opponent.
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Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3
4 of 10
Event: UFC 130
Weight Class: Lightweight
For the UFC Lightweight Title
This could turn into yet another great fight. This is the one that started off the great year for the UFC, and will once again determine who walks away champion.
So far Maynard is leading this series, having the only win way back at UFC Fight Night in 2008.
Everybody wants to see this to find out who will finally hold the lightweight title.
Waiting for this fight has helped clog up the UFC's huge lightweight division.
Two great fighters entering the ring to face off against each other? Sounds good to me. It's the biggest reason to watch UFC 130.
Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida
5 of 10
Event: UFC 129
Weight Class: Light Heavyweight
Ok, so I'm like everyone else; I find Machida's fight style boring to watch.
Listen though, there are two reasons you should definitely watch this fight—If Machida loses there is a huge possibility he could be cut from the UFC, and if he wins, Couture's retirement speculation heats up.
I would still make Machida the favorite in this fight. His all-around skillset is still tops in the UFC.
Grappling, striking, ground game—Machida has it all and does it very well.
Remember that it's Randy Couture though, you can never count him out, and he still has a shot to win.
Couture is the toughest guy I have ever seen. You could put him in a rear naked choke and he wouldn't black out for a couple of minutes. One of the most impressive fighters I have seen. And yes, I love Couture.
Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields
6 of 10
Event: UFC 129
Weight Class: Welterweight
For the UFC Welterweight Title
Everyone should tune into this fight. Even those of you who don't like GSP, or his style, should tune in.
Shields is yet again the underdog going into a title fight. Shields could play the biggest spoiler in recent MMA history.
A win by Shields would not only does stop one of the longest title defense streaks in UFC history, but also stop all talks of a GSP versus Anderson Silva mega-fight to crown who is pound-for-pound number one.
In my personal opinion, there is no shot GSP loses. However, crazier stuff has happened in the Octagon, and this is a big upset brewing.
UFC 129, April 30th. Mark your calendars everyone.
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Brendan Schaub
7 of 10
Event: UFC 128
Weight Class: Heavyweight
This fight helps make UFC 128 the best card in the next few months. There are just a lot of good fights on that card.
There are plenty of reasons to watch this one. If Cro Cop loses, retirement speculation heats up a lot more, and one of the best kick artists the MMA world has ever known will be gone
A Cro Cop loss means that Brendan Schaub not only catapults himself to the next tier in the UFC heavyweight division, but could crack the top ten heavyweights in the world.
I'm definitely not counting out Cro Cop in this one, and it could be a really close fight.
Nate Marquardt vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
8 of 10
Event: UFC 128
Weight Class: Middleweight
Everyone loves Akiyama, or more commonly referred to as "Sexyama". He's coming off two big losses to Michael Bisping and Chris Leben.
When a fighter loses two in a row, that makes their next fight huge. Three losses in a row, and you are sent packing from the UFC.
Then you look at Marquardt. He's coming off a loss to Okami in a title contention eliminator match and is looking to get back into the title mix.
Okami hasn't fought Silva for the title yet, and most likely won't for a while, but a win here could help catapult Marquardt back into the mix.
As much as I love both fighters, I'm hoping Sexyama can pull this off. Don't want to see him leave just yet.
Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland
9 of 10
Event: UFC 128
Weight Class: Bantamweight
This could very much become a title eliminator match, with the winner going on to face Dominick Cruz.
Cruz and Faber are already going at it in a war of words. Fan speculation has already begun saying that if Faber wins, Cruz and Faber could be the coaches on season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter.
Faber is 3-3 in his last six matches, so this could prove to be a meaningful match for the one-time WEC featherweight champion.
Faber is an extraordinary fighter and could begin his domination of the bantamweight class with another win here.
Wineland is another excellent fighter, and both these guys could turn this fight into an absolute war. The UFC debut of Urijah Faber could be a great one. He always puts on a show.
Mauricio Rua vs. Jon Jones
10 of 10
Event: UFC 128
Weight Class: Light Heavyweight
For the UFC Light Heavyweight Title
This is a huge fight. Everybody is already crowning Jon "Bones" Jones as the next big thing in the UFC. A win here against Shogun Rua will give the hype train a full head of steam, and we'll never stop hearing about how good Bones is.
I love Bones, but the hype train is a little ridiculous. Let's wait and see what he does against Shogun, then we can crown him as the next big thing.
A win for Shogun could cement him as one of the top fighters in the world and prove his dominance in the MMA world after becoming champion in Pride at the ripe age of 23.
Both fighters are absolutely phenomenal, and could turn this into one of the greatest fights of the year. Two different styles, one champion.
Not to mention Jones took this fight on short notice.
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