Is Randy Couture-Brock Lesnar Really the Best Fight on the UFC 91 Card?

On Nov. 15, UFC 91 will feature a heavyweight title fight between Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar. While the main event is getting most of the attention from the hype machine, it may not be the most exciting fight on the card that night. Two other fights on the main card will most likely be action packed battles leaving fans wanting more.

A lightweight match between Kenny Florian and Joe Stevenson will earn the winner a fight against Sean Sherk for the No. 1 contender status. Both fighters earned their way into the UFC by way of the Spike TV reality show The Ultimate Fighter.

Florian lost in the Season One finale to Diego Sanchez (185 pound division). Stevenson defeated Luke Cummo to win Season Two (170 pound division). Both fighters have since dropped to the lightweight division (155 pounds) and found success.

Florian, known for his technical Muay Thai and slick submissions, is on a five-fight win streak and has won eight of his last nine fights. The only setback in that period is a decision loss to Sherk in a title fight in October of 2006. All but one of his wins have been finished prior to a decision.

He will enjoy a height and reach advantage and will try to keep Stevenson at a distance to utilize his powerful leg kicks. If Stevenson can close the distance, Florian will use the Thai clinch to land knees and elbows.

While Stevenson is the underdog on paper, never underestimate his ability to win a fight from any position. His never-give-up toughness in a submission loss to BJ Penn earned him a lot of respect in the fight world. He is relentless in his attack.

If he can close the distance, he will try to take the fight to the ground with his strength and wrestling advantage. And if he manages to get the fight to the ground in top position, he is more than capable of ending it by delivering powerful punches and elbows.

Both fighters are well-versed in submissions, so it is doubtful either fighter will have an advantage there. The fight will most likely be decided by where it takes place. If Florian can keep it standing and maintain distance for striking, he will emerge with a knockout. If Stevenson can close the distance and use his wrestling to take the fight to the mat, he should be able to keep a positional advantage and win a decision.

Another fight that will likely be a topic of conversation for fight fans following UFC 91 is a middleweight bout between Nate Quarry (10-2-0) and Demian Maia (8-0-0). Quarry gained notoriety following his appearance on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. Due to injury, he wasn’t able to fight on the show. However, he was a voice of reason amidst the chaos in the house.

Following the reality show, he won his first three UFC fights in a combined 6:34. Four out of his five last wins have come via knockout. While Quarry is comfortable on the ground, he has only two wins by submission. He will clearly want to keep this fight standing to use his powerful hands and superior boxing technique to wear down his opponent and deliver a knockout blow.

Demian Maia entered the UFC as a highly regarded submission specialist with world-class skills on the ground. He is undefeated with three wins in the UFC, all by way of submission. His last opponent, Jason MacDonald, was known for his own submission game, but was no match for Maia once the fight hit the ground.

Many pundits expect Maia to quickly submit Quarry, but the result of the fight will hinge on Quarry’s takedown defense. Quarry has never fought against an opponent with the submission skills of Maia. Likewise, Maia has never fought against someone with the punching prowess of Quarry. He will have to be more wary of Quarry’s power than any other opponent he has faced to date.

Both of these battles have the potential to end by way of knockout or submission. You will likely see stand-up fighting mixed with some grappling. Broken nose? Busted lip? Elbow tendons stretched? Red-faced fighter tapping because he can’t breathe? All of the above are possible results.

No matter what your preference, you’ll walk away from UFC 91 enjoying more than just a mega-hyped heavyweight title fight. You’ll know that the smaller guys can produce some great fights, too!