UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos Will Lose Hype Without 5 Rounds

UFC on Fox 1 is being touted as one of the biggest events in UFC history, and it has the potential to open up the MMA world to an entire new audience. The one thing that could really hurt the event, though, is if the match between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos doesn't manage to go five rounds.

One of the benefits of the match being a championship bout is that they get an additional two rounds, so fans expect to see a fight till the end. If the match were to be a quick knockout, which isn't likely, much of the hype surrounding the heavyweight championship match will be gone because this match is essential in broadening MMA to the rest of the country. In order to do so, they need maximum exposure.

If the match is anything short of five rounds, fans and newcomers will be feeling cut short on what perhaps could have been a great piece of sports history on national television. People don't get to see championship-caliber matches for free, usually, so the fact that a match with these implications will be on national television is huge for the sport.

If it is anything short of the designated five rounds, what is UFC and Fox supposed to do with all that extra exposure? It would go to waste and that potential audience will just move on to a different channel.

Most people who are just going to tune in and see what this is all about because the hype is everywhere. Fox and UFC have put together a huge media campaign, and tonight's Pacquiao-Marquez fight has even grown the exposure of the UFC event. People want to see the best battle it out tonight, and anything short or a real fight is going to leave them feeling cheated.

Both Velasquez and dos Santos are warriors, and it is unlikely that either will go down early. All it takes is one big hit, and it can be done. If either of these men finish off the other early, they will be excited, but they will be letting down the entire MMA audience.