UFC 136 Preview: 8 Things to Watch for

With UFC 135 in the books, much of the focus in MMA has turned to UFC 136. 

Taking place October 8th from Houston, Texas, UFC 136 will be headlined by two championship fights. 

Kenny Florian will challenge Jose Aldo for the featherweight title, while Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard will have their highly anticipated third bout for the UFC lightweight title. 

Here are some things to look out for on what should be an exciting night of fights.

Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan II

When Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan met at The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale, Phan seemed to have the fight won.

Instead he lost the fight by a controversial split decision. Nonetheless, the bout won Fight of the Night, and Phan was still paid a win bonus.

Both he and Garcia are coming off losses, and both fighters are actually coming into the bout as replacements.

Although their first fight got messed up by judging, it was an exciting one, and the two should look to repeat. 

Anthony Pettis' Performance Following a Loss

Before UFC 125, it was announced that Anthony Pettis would face the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard for the UFC lightweight title.

Pettis was the last WEC champion, and wanted to prove his claim of being the best at 155 lbs.

The Edgar/Maynard bout ended in a draw, and Pettis chose to take on Clay Guida instead of wait for his title shot.

Pettis lost the bout and is now looking to get back into the mix.

Pettis will not have it easy as he takes on heavy-handed Jeremy Stephens. 

Melvin Guillard's Rise in the Lightweight Division

Melvin Guillard is currently on a five-fight winning streak; Guillard has become one of the top fighters in the UFC’s lightweight division.

Guillard is already in the mix, and depending on what happens in the Ben Henderson/Clay Guida fight or the lightweight championship fight between Edgar and Maynard, Guillard could be seeing a title shot somewhere in the near future. 

Chael Sonnen's Return

After being out for over a year thanks to legal troubles, Chael Sonnen will finally make his return to the Octagon.

Although Sonnen has not been fighting for a while, he has still been in the public eye thanks to talking about Anderson Silva, The Noguira Brothers and just about anyone or anything else that has to do with Brazil.

Sonnen is looking to get a rematch with Silva, but he will have to get through...

Brian Stann Possibly Shutting Chael Sonnen Up

Since moving down to middleweight, Brian Stann is 3-0. This includes TKO victories against Chris Leben and Jorge Santiago. 

Stan is 11-3 overall, with eight of his wins coming by knockout.

A win for Stann could not only mean he’ll shut Sonnen up, but also that he'll find his way into a bout with Anderson Silva.

Kenny Florian's Third Title Bout

Since entering MMA in 2002, Florian has fought in four weight divisions.

Florian found his most success at lightweight, where he fought for the lightweight title twice.

Florian fell short both times though, and after losing a title eliminator to Gray Maynard at UFC 118, he dropped to featherweight.

After winning his first bout at featherweight, Florian received a shot at Jose Aldo. This could be Florian’s last chance for a title.

Jose Aldo's Dominance Could Continue

At just age 25, Jose Aldo has become one of the most exciting and pound-for-pound best fighters in MMA.

Aldo is known for his brutal striking and speed, and has looked nearly unstoppable since entering the WEC back in 2008.

Aldo will be facing his toughest competition to date when he meets the very experienced Kenny Florian.

Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard III

Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard may not have the rivalry that Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have, but they do have history.

Maynard is the only man to ever defeat Edgar, beating him by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 13.

In the opening round of their UFC 125 rematch, Maynard nearly knocked out Edgar, but Edgar showed the true heart of a champion and fought his way back to a draw.

The fight still remains one of the best fights of the year. 

After both men pulled out of their rematch at UFC 130 due to injuries, they will finally have the chance to settle the score.