UFC 139: 7 Reasons Not to Overlook This Card

UFC 139 proves once again that fans can’t afford to skip a pay-per-view.

I mean, this is getting a little ridiculous here. As bad as the economy is, it’s getting harder and harder to convince your friends just about every week to cough up the cash and purchase yet another PPV.

But believe me, when I tell you, this one’s worth it. I know it’s tough to spend $55 once again, especially after purchasing two PPVs in October and looking ahead to purchasing two big PPVs in December, but you will not forgive yourself if you miss this one.

From the historic showdown between Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, to possibly Wanderlei Silva’s curtain call, this will be a PPV hardcore MMA fans won’t soon forget.

Here are the seven reasons fans shouldn’t overlook UFC 139.

The Return of Miguel Torres

As journalists, we’re supposed to be unbiased, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say Miguel Torres is one of my favorite fighters to watch.

He’s had a more cautious approach in the octagon lately, but even when he’s cautious, he’s still exciting.

Torres has lost three of his last five fights, and enters this fight against Nick Pace, coming off of a close decision loss to Demetrious Johnson.

Torres needs to win this fight if he ever wants to get another shot at the bantamweight championship or make the dream fight with Urijah Faber a reality.

But that’s down the road, and right now, it’s all about his return from his gruesome toe injury he suffered training. Seriously, did you see how this bone was cocked to the side?

Lucky for those unwilling to buy this PPV, this fight with Pace airs free on Facebook.

Michael McDonald Gets to Show the World His Skillset

If you’ve never seen Michael McDonald in action, boy are you in for a treat. This guy is a crisp kickboxer with well-rounded skills, and his rise to the top is anything but mediocre.

This guy, or should I say kid, is 20 years old and yet he’s poised, sharp and deadly.

Best of all, this is where McDonald starts to become a household name, because his fight with Alex Soto will be featured on Spike.

Soto likes to mix it up, and McDonald’s not shy when it comes to exchanging punches and kicks. I predict a lot more McDonald fans in the near future.

Bonnar and Kingsbury Has Fireworks Written All Over It

Speaking of guys that are never shy to stand and bang, look no further than Stephan Bonnar and Kyle Kingsbury.

The last time we saw Kingsbury in the octagon, he won an all-out war with Fabio Maldonado, and don’t look now folks, but Bonnar is on a two-fight win streak.

This fight may not have title implications, but you can bet these two fighters are going to put on a show.

Don’t Forget About Kampmann and Story as Welterweight Contenders

If I’m not mistaken, weren’t both of these fighters in serious consideration for a title shot at some point over the past couple of years?

Unlucky for both guys, a loss quickly followed, and that went out the window. But, that doesn’t mean you have to forget about both guys altogether.

Martin Kampmann was en route to stating a claim for a title shot, before losing a decision to Jake Shields a year ago, while Rick Story was riding high off of an impressive victory over Thiago Alves, only to drop his next fight against Charlie Brenneman over the summer.

Both guys are skilled, both guys are hungry, and both guys are in need of a win. That’s always a good recipe for a great fight.

Bowles/Faber Finally Cross Paths

When this fight was first announced for UFC 139, I thought this was going to be the main event.

I thought to myself, “that’s an exciting fight, Urijah Faber has proven in the past that he’s more than capable of carrying a PPV and the UFC will treat this PPV as somewhat of a throwaway show.”

Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only is this fight not the main event, but it’s not even the co-main event. That speaks volumes of how great this card really is.

Getting to this fight, I can see how it could be a boring fight, but it’s highly unlikely. Brian Bowles likes to throw bombs and has proved in the past that he’s more than capable of dropping opponents, so I can see where Faber would want to use his superior wrestling skills to get this fight to the ground and control him there.

But then again, could a Faber fight really be boring? Even if he gets this fight to ground, he has to be weary of Bowles’ guillotine.

I expect Faber to take a smart approach about it, but this guy likes to get in there and mix it up with his opponents. Odds are this fight could turn out to be a bust, but I’m more than willing to bet Faber and Bowles give the crowd what they want.

Wanderlei Silva’s Curtain Call?

Saturday could possibly be the day that every MMA fan has been dreading for quite a while now, as it looks like Wanderlei Silva’s MMA career could very well end.

The guy that made soccer kicks and foot stomps famous in Japan is getting older and quite frankly, his wars of the past are starting to catch up with him.

Silva has lost six of his last eight fights, with four of those ending in brutal knockouts. Simply put, his chin is starting to become more vulnerable, and that doesn’t bode well for the former Pride champ when he faces Cung Le Saturday night.

Whether this fight goes all three rounds, or ends suddenly in the first, this one’s going to be exciting regardless, because this clash of styles is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

And, come on, I know all of you die-hard Silva fans aren’t going to want to miss his curtain call. After watching Silva for so many years, we all know he’s going to go down swinging.

Lights Out In the Main Event

I’m calling it right here, right now—someone’s going to sleep in the main event. Yeah, I know, not that bold of a prediction, but I’m always down to see a good ol’ fashioned knockout.

Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua have dynamite in their hands, and they’ve proven it time and time again throughout their MMA careers.

What’s so surprising about this fight is that they’ve never crossed paths before, and that makes this fight all the more special to the hardcore fans out there.

The hardcores have been wanting to see these two square off against each other for years, and Saturday night it’s finally going to happen.

I honestly can’t wait to see this MMA royalty in the ring together exchanging punches and kicks, which makes this fight more than capable of headlining a PPV in my eyes.

The only real question about this main event is who’s going to get caught?