UFC 140 Fight Card: If I Was UFC Matchmaker for a Day

The news that all Canadian mixed martial arts fans were eagerly anticipating was announced this morning as the UFC confirmed today that they will be making their return to Canada for UFC 140, which is slated for the Air Canada Center on December 10th. This will be the second event held in Toronto after the promotion held their Ontario debut on April 29th at the 55,000-seat Rogers Center.

The promotion was strongly rumoured to be a lock to come back to Canada for their last show of the year but was deciding between Montreal and Toronto as the city to host. Fans from both cities were waiting and tense in anticipation for this morning's announcement.

The fighters and card has not been announced as of yet, but let the speculation begin in earnest as we will all look to become the UFC matchmaker leading up to this event. Hopefully, the card follows the UFC protocol of a big headline fight, followed by high level contender fights, with the card rounded out by local talent.

Here are some suggested matchups for that highly anticipated event.

Main Event: Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida II

In an ideal world with the right timing, I would have Jon Jones defend the title against Rashad Evans in the main event of this card. However, Jones is slated to defend his title in September against Rampage Jackson and will not be able to then turn around and defend again in December.

Evans is set to fight this weekend and provided he wins, he should be in line for either a title shot against Jones, Jackson or a No. 1 contender fight between him and Lyoto Machida.

If Evans wins this Saturday, hold both him and Machida until December and make it the main event.

Main Card: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung

We are all anxiously awaiting the return of "The Machine" Mark Hominick to the cage after that war he treated us to against Jose Aldo in April. Hominick told Joe Ferraro of Sportnet's UFC Connected on July 21st that he is 100% ready to start training immediately and will be ready whenever the UFC comes knocking on his door.

Immediately after his war with Aldo, Hominick called out The Korean Zombie Chan Sung Jung via Twitter, and The Zombie was happy to oblige. Both of these fighters are at the top of their game and popularity right now, and fans would be frothing at the mouth wondering if The Machine would KO The Zombie. Or, would The Twister be the fate of one of our very best?

I'm sure both fighters want to see action before this event, but this fight makes sense in way too many ways to be a part of the Canadian show.

Main Card: Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin II

Heavyweights Frank Mir and Shane Carwin have fallen down the ladder a bit since their first meeting in the cage in March 2010. In that fight, Carwin caught a sleeping Frank Mir on the cage and ended it with a flurry of uppercuts and punches that sent Mir crumbling to the canvass at 3:48 of the first round. The fight left me wanting more.

The title is set to be on the line again when champ Cain Velasquez takes on Junior Dos Santos in November, and no one in the Strikeforce Grand Prix has yet to distinguish themselves better than these two men (exceptions still in: Antonio Silva and Josh Barnett). With Brock Lesnar out dealing with his illness, Carwin and Mir are the next in line once Velasquez and JDS throw down.

Main Card: Rory MacDonald vs. Josh Koscheck

Rory MacDonald is one of Canada's best fighters and is set to fight this Saturday against dangerous veteran Mike Pyle at UFC 133. Provided MacDonald gets the win as expected this weekend, wouldn't you love to see him kick a guy like Josh Koscheck's ass?

Koscheck is recovering from injury, and he claimed last month that he wanted a catchweight fight at 185 on November 19 in San Jose, though he didn't explicitly say against whom. However, in a Bleacher Report interview on June 10, Koscheck expressed his interest in fighting a catchweight bout against Stephen Bonnar, who he is currently butting heads with in a legal battle.

If that fight never comes to fruition, Koscheck could become a gatekeeper fighter now, perfectly set up for a guy like Rory to prove his way to the top five.

This fight is only possible if MacDonald wins convincingly against Pyle. Otherwise, he does not deserve a shot at the mouth just yet.

Prelims: Sean Pierson vs. Martin Kampmann

Welterweight Sean Pierson got a bit of a tough shake his last time in the cage at UFC 129 in his hometown of Toronto. He was set to face Brian Foster and was well prepared to do just that when Foster had to pull out due to injury and was replaced by beast Jake Ellenberger a week before.

Ellenberger was a huge step up for Pierson and proved to be too much when he landed a nice counter left hand, dropping Pierson to the canvass and knocking him out. It was a very disappointing, and I'm sure unfulfilling, finish for Sean. I hope he gets a shot at redemption.

In looking at a nice quality match up for Pierson, I look to a guy like Martin Kampmann, who has fallen on a bit of hard times losing his last two fights but he still carries a solid name with hm and has legions of fans in Canada as well. He needs a nice bounce-back fight and this one could be it. Kampmann may see it as a step back but must be humble in the face of two defeats.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Stephan Bonnar III

These two entertaining fighters have some unsettled business between them, as they have already faced each other two times in their fighting careers in the UFC. With both fighters taking a win each, the talk of a rubber match started as soon as the last fight in July of last year ended.

They did it in Australia where a cut ended the fight and gave KSOS the win, and then they did it in Vegas where Bonnar got revenge with a TKO victory. Both of these fighters are awaiting fights, so the timing may be right now. It would only be fair to give Soszynski the home cage advantage this time.

Prelims: John Makdessi vs. Jonathon Brookins

John Makdessi is still flying high from his beautiful spinning back fist knockout of Kyle Bradley at UFC 129 in April. He is, however, recovering from an injury that kept him out of his next scheduled bout August 14th against Paul Taylor. Jonathon Brookins is set to make his real debut in the UFC in early September.

I want to see how good Makdessi really is, and he needs to be tested. Taylor would have done that, but Makdessi's injury prevented that fight. Now it may be a perfect time to hold him out until December and the Canadian card.

Brookins would offer that name opponent, and their styles would make for an interesting fight to see who the better young potential lion is coming out of that event.

Prelims: Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle

I have believed for a few years now that welterweight highlight-reel fighter Chris Clements belongs with the big boys in the UFC. Many people said that he needed to take his career more seriously and from all accounts in 2011, he has done that. He is coming off two impressive knockouts over UFC veteran Jonathon Goulet and Unified champion Travis Briere. Clements is not getting any younger, and his time for a shot is now.  

Matt Riddle is fighting on September 17th against Lance Benoist, but he should be able to recover in time to make a December show.

I am only picking Riddle because I think Clements belongs there instead of him, so let's make it a "winner takes the spot" match. Clements is a better fighter.

Clements is said to be considering some fight options in Canada right now, either defending his Ringside title in Quebec or possibly something with another promotion. Both of these fights are said to be in October.

I hope he has that tough call to make.  He deserves his shot.