UFC 134: 5 Things To Look Out for If Edson Barboza vs. Ross Pearson is Signed

MMA Junkie reports that while it's not official, a bout between "The Real Deal" Ross Pearson and Edson Barboza is in fact slated for UFC 134, the Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to the country of Brazil that is scheduled to take place in Rio this August.

Barboza will be coming off of the Fight of The Night win by unanimous decision over WEC product Anthony Njokuani, while Ross Pearson will be coming off of a unanimous decision win at UFC 127 in Australia--a win that came against one Spencer "The King" Fisher, who incidentally enough faces BJJ mastermind Thiago Tavares on the same card.

Now it's still early to be talking UFC 134, but as long as we're already talking about it now, I might as well let you see five things that you should be looking out for if the fight gets signed and takes place in Rio.

Personally, I hope this does get to be on the Rio card...

5. Both Guys Will Want to Ride Their Momentum from Their Most Recent Wins

As stated in the opener, Pearson and Barboza are coming off of unanimous decision victories earned in their last fights against respective opponents Fisher (at 127) and Njokuani (at 128).

The only difference between the two is that Pearson's win over Fisher was more-or-less a must-win fight as he was coming off of his first UFC loss to Cole Miller at the time.

Barboza was coming off of his eighth career win and a successful UFC debut against Mike Lullo at UFC 123 when he took the fight with Njokuani.

Both guys are coming off of wins, but someone is going to have to get dropped on rung on their ladder to a Lightweight title contendership opportunity,

4. Both Guys Suck at Putting on Boring Fights

Seriously, can you recall a fight that both of these guys were in that was a snoozer?

There's only two times in the history of the UFC that I can remember a Team Rough House fighter being in a fight that sucked--and both times, it was their "smart" opponent that made it a little less exciting than hoped (hint: one of those WASN'T Dan Hardy's UFC 111 bout with GSP)

So far, I've yet to see the fight in Ross Pearson's career that sucked, and the same goes for Barboza as well.

It's undeniable that when these two show up to fight, they come to fight, and they leave everything they have in the cage regardless of whether they get the "W" or not.

Expect all of the same this August when Pearson and Barboza face off, IF they face off.

3. The Real Deal Will Try To Play a "Real Spoiler" in Real Hostile Territory

Brazilian Pride could be in full effect if this fight get s signed.

When UFC Ultimate Brazil happened in 1998, three out of the five scheduled bouts featured clashes of two Brazilians, including the famous 45-second fight between Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva.

The other two bouts to feature Brazilians featured American fighters facing Brazilians.

This event, the second UFC event to emanate from Brazil, will feature a rematch of two former Light Heavyweight Champions, a rematch of a Rumble on The Rock Welterweight bout with UFC Middleweight title implications, a Fight of The Night contender featuring two exciting Lightweights--one exciting American and one exciting Brazilian--and the long-awaited debut of a Bulgaria-born veteran of three years in the sport against a solid Brazilian KO Artist.

Should the ink dry on this fight's contractual obligations, the bout will mark not only the first international UFC event to feature Barboza on the card, but it will also be the first time (in recollectable memory) that a UK fighter has fought in Brazil.

It will also mark an occasion where the win would have to come at the expense of a home-country hero like Barboza, and if there's one thing we know about most non-US crowds, it's that  they take great pride in the fighters that represent them.

We've seen UK fighters lose in England and we've seen German fighters lose in front of German crowds.

Hell, George Sotiropoulos is arguably one of the biggest names in Australian MMA right now, and he lost to Dennis Siver at UFC 127.

Maybe Pearson can do what guys like Carlos Condit, Dennis Siver, and Amir Sadollah have done in their respective careers and spoil the return home for the Brazilian native.

2. Edson Barboza Has Never Faced a Slugger Like Ross Pearson

Now mind you, Pearson's not a guy that only moves forward with punches and can't at least kick or throw a knee.

Past fights with Aaron Riley and Dennis Siver have shown that Pearson does show diversity in his striking, and you can especially ask Riley how dangerous Pearson can be when the fight stays vertical.

Barboza has shown diverse striking methods in the past, but never before has he ever faced a dude with as heavy of hands as Pearson.

To say he will be tested by a truly gritty slugger in this one is an understatement.

1. Ross Pearson Has Never Met a Kick Quite Like Edson Barboza's

Edson Barboza's badass Wheel Kick to Anthony Njokuani's chin was as phenomenal as any kick we've seen since Brian Ebersole's Cartwheel Kicks, Anderson Silva's Front Kick, Paul Taylor's head kick to Gabe Ruediger, or Anthony Pettis' Showtime Kick on Ben Henderson.

What is sickening about Barboza is the effects of his leg kicks, which have won him two fights.

Pearson has faced guys with good striking before, but when was the last time that Pearson ever faced someone that could finish him with nothing but leg kicks?

He's one of only three UFC fighters to have that reputation to his credit, and it only took his UFC debut for fans to see that he is capable of doing such a thing.

It took until his second UFC fight to see the toughness and creativity that this man possesses against a proven striker like Njokuani.

If that was Barboza's first two UFC fights in a nutshell, then I for one can't wait to see what he does to a fighter like Pearson in Rio.