Last week, UFC delivered a great event in Fight Night 68.  With almost every fight on the card ending with a spectacular finish, this is a tough act to follow.  Especially when it’s followed by a very weak Pay-Per-View that, save for the headliner, would be much better suited for a free Fight Night or even a Fight Pass event.

Main Card (Pay-Per-View)

Main Event: (C) [NR] Cain Velasquez vs (IC) [#1 HW] Fabricio Werdum for undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship.

Worth: $25

Why: Almost six months and countless UFC events into the year, this is only the second fight to receive my maximum single fight valuation of $25 (the first was Jon Jones vs Daniel Cormier at UFC 182).   The reigning UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will fight for the first time in nearly two years, and this will be his first fight since 2010 against an opponent not named Junior dos Santos or Antonio Silva.  This time he will be facing Fabricio Werdum, who has been on a tear: 5-0 in his current UFC stint, and capturing the interim title that UFC created due to Cain’s extended absence in his most recent fight with Mark Hunt.

This is a great title unification fight between #4 and #5 ranked heavyweights of all time.  And the winner is likely to further climb the all time ranking, besides cementing his #1 spot on the current rankings.  Fabricio Werdum has shown amazing improvement in his recent career, and I won’t be surprised to see him defeat Velasquez, especially since ring rust is a very likely factor (last time Velasquez returned to action after an extended layoff, he was knocked out in the first round by dos Santos).  On the other hand, Werdum is a notorious slow starter who tends to absorb some punishment early on, but weathers the storm and takes over later in the fight when his opponent gets tired.  This could be very bad news against a fighter like Velasquez, who goes all out from the opening bell to the end of the last round, and has the cardio to keep the same insane pace in a five round fight.

But I have no horse in this race – there are great matchups in store for the man who walks away with the unified title.  If Cain retains, he will most likely face Stipe Miocic next, with Andrei Arlovski and Ben Rothwell as viable backup options.  If Werdum overcomes, he will probably get an opportunity to avenge the only stoppage loss of his career against JDS.  The heavyweight division is becoming very fun to watch after years of stagnation, even if there is not a single fighter in the Top 10 under 30 and most of the contenders are familiar faces.  Great fight… and it’s all downhill from here.

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Heavyweight Championship (265)
[*] Cain Velasquez (13-1-0, -460) vs. [#1/#10DD/#7P4P] Fabricio Werdum (19-5-1, +357)
Cain Velasquez is the All-Time #4 ranked Heavyweight and #17 ranked Absolute fighter.
Fabricio Werdum is the All-Time #5 ranked Heavyweight and #24 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Cain Velasquez (3-0-0)
2013-10-19: W vs. [#2HW+] Junior dos Santos (17-3-0) via TKO (Slam and Punch) in 3:09 of round 5
2013-05-25: W vs. [#10HW+] Antonio Silva (18-7-1) via TKO (Punches) in 1:21 of round 1
2012-12-29: W vs. [#2HW+] Junior dos Santos (17-3-0) via UD (50-45, 50-44, 50-43)

Last 3 Fights: Fabricio Werdum (3-0-0)
2014-11-15: W vs. [#8HW+] Mark Hunt (10-10-1) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 2:27 of round 2
2014-04-19: W vs. [#6HW+] Travis Browne (17-3-1) via UD (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)
2013-06-08: W vs. [#28HW+] Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (34-9-1) via Submission (Armbar) in 2:41 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Cain Velasquez 602, Fabricio Werdum 210
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Cain Velasquez leads 5-2
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Lightweight (155)
[#7] Gilbert Melendez (22-4-0, -177) vs. [#12] Eddie Alvarez (25-4-0, +147)
Gilbert Melendez is the All-Time #6 ranked Lightweight and #22 ranked Absolute fighter.
Eddie Alvarez is the All-Time #11 ranked Lightweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Gilbert Melendez (1-2-0)
2014-12-06: L vs. [#3LW] Anthony Pettis (18-3-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 1:53 of round 2
2013-10-19: W vs. [#25LW] Diego Sanchez (25-7-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
2013-04-20: L vs. [#4LW] Ben Henderson (22-5-0) via SD (48-47, 48-47, 47-48)

Last 3 Fights: Eddie Alvarez (2-1-0)
2014-09-27: L vs. [#2LW] Donald Cerrone (28-6-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2013-11-02: W vs. [#23LW] Michael Chandler (12-3-0) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 47-48)
2012-10-12: W vs. [#52LW] Patricky Freire (13-6-0) via KO (Head Kick and Punches) in 4:54 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Gilbert Melendez 189, Eddie Alvarez 259
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Gilbert Melendez leads 3-2
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Middleweight (185)
[#13] Kelvin Gastelum (10-1-0, -409) vs. [#32] Nate Marquardt (33-14-2, +310)
Nate Marquardt is the All-Time #3 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Kelvin Gastelum (2-1-0)
2015-01-31: L vs. [#4WW] Tyron Woodley (15-3-0) via SD (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
2014-11-15: W vs. [#15WW] Jake Ellenberger (30-9-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:46 of round 1
2014-06-28: W vs. [#39WW] Nicholas Musoke (13-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Nate Marquardt (1-2-0)
2015-01-03: L vs. [#27MW] Brad Tavares (13-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-06-28: W vs. [#137MW] James Te Huna (16-8-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:34 of round 1
2013-10-19: L vs. [#5WW] Hector Lombard (34-4-1) via KO (Punches) in 1:48 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Kelvin Gastelum 133, Nate Marquardt 161
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Last week’s UFC Fight Night 67 : Condit vs Alves delivered a mixed bag, with several fun fights and great finishes mixed in with a couple of nearly unwatchable clinch-fests and Ryan Jimmo puking in a bucket in what was likely his last Octagon appearance.   Another weekend, another fight night coming up.  Let’s see what this one looks like on paper (or your screen, to be precise).

Main Event: [#17 MW] Dan Henderson vs  [#20 MW] Tim Boetsch

Worth: $5

Why: These types of fights make me sad.  Here we have a 44-year old legend of the sport, the only regret of his storied career being the failure to win UFC gold in the post-tournament era.  He’s only won one fight in his past six; more concerningly, he has been stopped in his last three losses.  Granted, all these fights have been against the cream of the crop at middleweight, light heavyweight, and even heavyweight fighters.  Now in his second fight back at 185 lbs, Henderson is taking on Tim Boetsch – a tough, high-level journeyman brawler.  The last time ‘Hendo’ fought fighters of that level were his matchups with Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral and Rafael ‘Feijao’ Cavalcante back in Strikeforce.  And while he disposed of them handily, I don’t think he will have as easy of a time with Boetsch.

Four years is a long time for a fighter in his forties who is coming off a TRT regiment.   While Henderson is a decorated wrestler, his best attributes as an MMA fighter have always been a rock solid chin, and a nuclear warhead of a right hand, aptly nicknamed ‘The H-Bomb’.  After his last few fights, the legendary chin has been showing a few cracks, and while the H-Bomb is as powerful as ever, deteriorating hand speed and reflexes mean that Hendo will have fewer opportunities to plant it on his opponents.  Boetsch is a big step down in competition compared to Henderson’s most recent UFC stint, but he is still a very dangerous opponent, and Dan should hang up the gloves for good if he can’t get past Tim.

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Middleweight (185)
[#17] Dan Henderson (30-13-0, +163) vs. [#20] Tim Boetsch (18-8-0, -194)
Dan Henderson is the All-Time #5 ranked Middleweight and #10 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Dan Henderson (1-2-0)
2015-01-24: L vs. [#5MW] Gegard Mousasi (37-5-2) via TKO (Punches) in 1:10 of round 1
2014-05-24: L vs. [#2LHW/#6DD/#5P4P] Daniel Cormier (16-1-0) via Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:53 of round 3
2014-03-23: W vs. [#16LHW] Mauricio Rua (22-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:31 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Tim Boetsch (1-2-0)
2015-01-31: L vs. [#8MW] Thales Leites (25-4-0) via Technical Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 3:45 of round 2
2014-08-16: W vs. [#27MW] Brad Tavares (13-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:18 of round 2
2014-04-26: L vs. [#2MW] Luke Rockhold (14-2-0) via Submission (Inverted Triangle Kimura) in 2:08 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Dan Henderson 133, Tim Boetsch 126
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#9] Ben Rothwell (34-9-0, +160) vs. [#12] Matt Mitrione (9-3-0, -191)

Last 3 Fights: Ben Rothwell (2-1-0)
2014-09-05: W vs. [#6HW+] Alistair Overeem (39-14-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:19 of round 1
2013-08-31: W vs. [#66HW+] Brandon Vera (13-7-0) via TKO (Punches and Knees) in 1:54 of round 3
2013-01-19: L vs. [#33HW+] Gabriel Gonzaga (16-10-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 1:01 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Matt Mitrione (3-0-0)
2014-12-13: W vs. [#33HW+] Gabriel Gonzaga (16-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:59 of round 1
2014-09-05: W vs. [#55HW+] Derrick Lewis (12-3-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:41 of round 1
2014-03-01: W vs. [#35HW+] Shawn Jordan (17-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:59 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ben Rothwell 274, Matt Mitrione 175
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Ben Rothwell leads 2-1
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Lightweight (155)
[#25] Dustin Poirier (17-4-0, -187) vs. [#80] Yancy Medeiros (11-2-0, +158)

Last 3 Fights: Dustin Poirier (2-1-0)
2015-04-04: W vs. [#62LW] Carlos Diego Ferreira (11-2-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:45 of round 1
2014-09-27: L vs. [#6FW] Conor McGregor (17-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:46 of round 1
2014-04-16: W vs. [*] Akira Corassani (12-6-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:42 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Yancy Medeiros (2-1-0)
2014-12-12: W vs. [#121LW] Joe Proctor (10-3-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:37 of round 1
2014-08-30: W vs. [#136FW] Damon Jackson (9-2-0) via Submission (Reverse Bulldog Choke) in 1:54 of round 2
2014-04-26: L vs. [#35LW] Jim Miller (24-6-0) via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 3:18 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Dustin Poirier 63, Yancy Medeiros 176
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Coming off an excellent UFC 187 Pay-Per-View, Ultimate Fighting Championship has a busy schedule for the remainder of May and June, with a fight card every weekend for the next 5 weeks.  Inevitably, this means that the talent will be spread thin among so many events, especially considering the number of stars who fought last week.  There are still a few interesting fights on the next upcoming event, so without further ado, let’s take a look at UFC Fight Night 67: Alves vs Condit – broadcast live from Brazil on Fox Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Main Event: [#12 WW] Carlos Condit  vs [#14 WW] Thiago Alves

Worth: $15

Why: The careers of our welterweight main event participants have followed an oddly similar path.  Both are 31 years old and have been fighting professionally for over a decade.  Both are Muay Thai stylists with significant fight-ending power in their limbs (though Condit is the more versed of the two in the ground game).  Both peaked around 2008, when Condit was the long-reigning WEC welterweight champion, whereas Alves has accumulated seven consecutive wins in the UFC, earning a shot at then champion Georges St. Pierre.  One might say that it was all downhill from there for both fighters:  Alves was battered for five rounds by GSP in a one-sided affair, after which he managed only a 2-3 record before taking a two year long break from the sport due to injuries.  Around the same time, Condit entered the UFC as a part of WEC merger, and had his sights set on the gold but suffered a controversial split decision loss to Martin Kampmann in his Octagon debut.  He did eventually earn his shot at St. Pierre, but didn’t fare much better than Alves, losing a decision despite getting a near finish in the fourth round.

In 2015, it’s not exactly clear where either fighter stands in the wide open post-GSP division.  Thiago Alves made a successful return after his injury, scoring a decision over Seth Baczynski, then stopping Jordan Mein after overcoming some adversity early in the fight.  Condit has been on a layoff of his own, after injuring his knee in a loss to Tyron Woodley, and will be looking to regain his place as a contender.  The winner of this fight will be edging into the title picture, alongside Johnny Hendricks and Tyron Woodley.  The loser will likely be relegated into the ‘aging gatekeeper’ territory.  Either way, this promises to be an exciting battle of two of the most feared welterweight strikers.

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Welterweight (170)
[#12] Carlos Condit (29-8-0) vs. [#14] Thiago Alves (21-9-0)
Carlos Condit is the All-Time #5 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Thiago Alves is the All-Time #12 ranked Welterweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Carlos Condit (1-2-0)
2014-03-15: L vs. [#4WW] Tyron Woodley (15-3-0) via TKO (Leg Kick) in 2:00 of round 2
2013-08-28: W vs. [*] Martin Kampmann (20-7-0) via TKO (Punches and Knees) in 0:54 of round 4
2013-03-16: L vs. [#2WW/#9DD/#9P4P] Johny Hendricks (17-3-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Thiago Alves (2-1-0)
2015-01-31: W vs. [#23WW] Jordan Mein (29-10-0) via KO (Kick to the Body) in 0:39 of round 2
2014-04-19: W vs. [#134WW] Seth Baczynski (19-13-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2012-03-03: L vs. [*] Martin Kampmann (20-7-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:12 of round 3

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Carlos Condit 441, Thiago Alves 119
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Carlos Condit leads 2-1
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Featherweight (145)
[#10] Nik Lentz (25-6-2) vs. [#12] Charles Oliveira (19-4-0)

Last 3 Fights: Nik Lentz (2-1-0)
2014-05-10: W vs. [#9BW] Manny Gamburyan (14-8-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-12-14: L vs. [#3FW] Chad Mendes (17-2-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-05-18: W vs. [#18FW] Hacran Dias (22-3-1) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Charles Oliveira (3-0-0)
2014-12-12: W vs. [#17FW] Jeremy Stephens (23-11-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-06-28: W vs. [#106FW] Hatsu Hioki (27-9-2) via Submission (Anaconda Choke) in 4:32 of round 2
2014-02-15: W vs. [#255FW] Andy Ogle (9-6-0) via Submission (Triangle Choke) in 2:40 of round 3

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Nik Lentz 385, Charles Oliveira 169
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#55LW] K.J. Noons (13-7-0) vs. [#328LW] Alex Oliveira (10-2-1)

Last 3 Fights: K.J. Noons (2-0-0, 1 NC)
2014-12-12: NC vs. [#56LW] Daron Cruickshank (16-6-0)
2014-04-16: W vs. [#139LW] Sam Stout (20-11-1) via KO (Punches) in 0:30 of round 1
2013-10-19: W vs. [#363LW] George Sotiropoulos (14-7-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Alex Oliveira (2-1-0)
2015-03-21: L vs. [#44LW] Gilbert Burns (10-0-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:14 of round 3
2015-02-21: W vs. [#660WW] Joilton Santos (9-4-0) via UD ()
2014-10-18: W vs. [#1486WW] Douglas Aparecido (5-7-0) via TKO in 2:52 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: K.J. Noons 169, Alex Oliveira 70
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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UFC has had a lot of ups and downs in 2015 so far.   After a fairly successful first quarter in terms of TV ratings and Pay-Per-View buy numbers, the promotion hit another rough patch: cards falling apart due to injuries, controversial Reebok sponsorship deal which left many fighters unhappy, and legal issues faced by the company as well as certain fighters.  Nonetheless, the line-up they put together for UFC 187 looked to be the most stacked card since UFC 100 (and arguably the best in the organization history).  Of course the MMA gods didn’t spare this great card: light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who was slated to defend his title against Anthony Johnson, was stripped of the belt and suspended from UFC due to a series of poor decisions on his part, and a lightweight title eliminator bout between two top contenders fell apart when Khabib Nurmagomedov suffered an injury and pulled out of his fight against Donald Cerrone.  Despite these losses, UFC 187 had such a strong line-up that it still remains an amazing card, and will be one of the rare PPV events worth the asking price.

Main Card (Pay-Per-View)

Main Event: [#2 LHW] Anthony Johnson vs [#3 LHW] Daniel Cormier for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

Worth: $20

Why: If the original main event of Jon Jones vs Anthony Johnson had gone on as planned, it would have been the second UFC fight this year to receive my max valuation of $25 (the first and only one so far was Jon Jones vs Daniel Cormier at UFC 182).  The replacement bout of ‘Rumble’ Johnson vs Daniel Cormier is still a great fight, but let’s not kid ourselves: the winner of this fight will be a paper champion unless Jon Jones receives a lengthy prison term for his shenanigans, or decides to walk away from the sport.  I am looking forward to Cormier-Johnson, and really this was the best fight UFC could have made under the circumstances, but I can’t help the feeling that the winner of this fight will be just keeping the belt warm for Jones’ eventual return.

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Light Heavyweight Championship (205)
[#2/#7P4P] Anthony Johnson (19-4-0) vs. [#3] Daniel Cormier (15-1-0)
Anthony Johnson is the All-Time #19 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Anthony Johnson (3-0-0)
2015-01-24: W vs. [#6LHW] Alexander Gustafsson (16-3-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:15 of round 1
2014-07-26: W vs. [#11LHW] Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (21-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:44 of round 1
2014-04-26: W vs. [#5LHW] Phil Davis (13-3-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Daniel Cormier (2-1-0)
2015-01-03: L vs. [#1LHW/#2DD/#1P4P] Jon Jones (21-1-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
2014-05-24: W vs. [#16MW] Dan Henderson (30-13-0) via Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:53 of round 3
2014-02-22: W vs. [#42LHW] Patrick Cummins (7-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:19 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Anthony Johnson 119, Daniel Cormier 140
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Middleweight Championship (185)
[#1/#1DD/#3P4P] Chris Weidman (12-0-0) vs. [*] Vitor Belfort (24-10-0)
Chris Weidman is the All-Time #2 ranked Middleweight and #22 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Chris Weidman (3-0-0)
2014-07-05: W vs. [#4MW] Lyoto Machida (22-6-0) via UD (49-45, 48-47, 49-46)
2013-12-28: W vs. [#6MW] Anderson Silva (34-6-0) via TKO (Leg Injury) in 1:16 of round 2
2013-07-06: W vs. [#6MW] Anderson Silva (34-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:18 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Vitor Belfort (3-0-0)
2013-11-09: W vs. [#16MW] Dan Henderson (30-13-0) via KO (Head Kick) in 1:17 of round 1
2013-05-18: W vs. [#2MW/#9DD] Luke Rockhold (14-2-0) via KO (Spinning Heel Kick and Punches) in 2:32 of round 1
2013-01-19: W vs. [#9MW] Michael Bisping (26-7-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 1:27 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Chris Weidman 322, Vitor Belfort 560
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Chris Weidman leads 2-0
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Lightweight (155)
[#2] Donald Cerrone (27-6-0) vs. [#62] John Makdessi (13-3-0)
Donald Cerrone is the All-Time #17 ranked Lightweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Donald Cerrone (3-0-0)
2015-01-18: W vs. [#4LW] Ben Henderson (22-5-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2015-01-03: W vs. [#13LW] Myles Jury (15-1-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#12LW] Eddie Alvarez (25-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: John Makdessi (2-1-0)
2015-04-25: W vs. [#144LW] Shane Campbell (11-3-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:53 of round 1
2014-02-01: L vs. [*] Alan Patrick Silva Alves (12-0-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2013-09-21: W vs. [#472LW] Renee Forte (8-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:01 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Donald Cerrone 125, John Makdessi 28
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Donald Cerrone leads 1-0
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Continuing on the quest for global expansion, UFC is holding their first ever event in the Philippines.  This card will be broadcast on Fight Pass and Fox Sports 1, with a bright and early Saturday morning start of 7 AM (Eastern Time) for Fight Pass prelims, 8 AM for the FS1 prelims, and 10 AM for the main card.   You won’t be missing much if you sleep in until 10 – while there are several interesting fights on the main card, the undercard doesn’t have a whole lot to offer, so set your DVR and watch the prelims later if you care.

Main Event: [#2 FW] Frankie Edgar vs [#3 BW] Urijah Faber

Worth: $15

Why: This is a matchup between two of the all-time greats in the 155-and-under divisions.   Former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar is 3-1 since dropping down to featherweight, his only loss a decision to the champion Jose Aldo.  With Aldo set to face Conor McGregor at UFC 189, and no clear #1 contender waiting for the winner, Edgar will be campaigning for another shot at the featherweight gold with a win over Urijah.  Faber has yet to get his hands on a UFC title: the long-time WEC featherweight champion is 8-3 in the UFC overall, and those 3 losses all came in bantamweight title fights.  He is now returning to his old roaming ground of 145 lbs, and a victory here might also earn him another title shot.  Faber has not looked great in his last few outings, particularly in his most recent fight with Francisco Rivera, who appeared to be getting the best of Urijah until Faber capitalized on an unintentional eye poke that was missed by the referee.  This does not bode well for him against Edgar: in the lighter weight classes speed is king, especially when both opponents are not knockout artists and instead rely on endless cardio and scrambling ability to win fights.  At 35, Faber may have lost a step in the quickness department, while 33-year-old Edgar looked as good as ever in his dominant win over Cub Swanson.  I believe Urijah still has enough left in the tank to make it a competitive fight, but ultimately he will be outworked by the younger and fresher Edgar, which will likely mark the end of Faber’s title aspirations.

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Featherweight (145)
[#2/#6DD] Frankie Edgar (18-4-1) vs. [#3BW] Urijah Faber (32-7-0)
Frankie Edgar is the All-Time #21 ranked Featherweight and #12 ranked Absolute fighter.
Urijah Faber is the All-Time #2 ranked Featherweight and #11 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Frankie Edgar (3-0-0)
2014-11-22: W vs. [#10FW] Cub Swanson (21-7-0) via Submission (Neck Crank) in 4:56 of round 5
2014-07-06: W vs. [*] B.J. Penn (16-10-2) via TKO (Punches) in 4:16 of round 3
2013-07-06: W vs. [#12FW] Charles Oliveira (19-4-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Urijah Faber (2-1-0)
2014-12-06: W vs. [#38BW] Francisco Rivera (10-4-0) via Submission (Bulldog Choke) in 1:34 of round 2
2014-07-05: W vs. [#46BW] Alex Caceres (10-7-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:09 of round 3
2014-02-01: L vs. [#2BW] Renan Barao (33-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:42 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Frankie Edgar 175, Urijah Faber 161
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Frankie Edgar leads 1-0
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Middleweight (185)
[#5] Gegard Mousasi (36-5-2) vs. [#14] Costas Philippou (13-4-0)
Gegard Mousasi is the All-Time #16 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Gegard Mousasi (2-1-0)
2015-01-24: W vs. [#15MW] Dan Henderson (30-13-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:10 of round 1
2014-09-05: L vs. [#3MW] Ronaldo Souza (22-3-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:30 of round 3
2014-05-31: W vs. [#24MW] Mark Munoz (13-6-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:57 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Costas Philippou (1-2-0)
2014-05-10: W vs. [#27WW] Lorenz Larkin (15-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:47 of round 1
2014-01-15: L vs. [#2MW/#9DD] Luke Rockhold (14-2-0) via KO (Kick to the Body) in 2:31 of round 1
2013-09-21: L vs. [#19LHW] Francis Carmont (23-10-0) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Gegard Mousasi 112, Costas Philippou 371
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Middleweight (185)
[#24] Mark Munoz (13-6-0) vs. [#64] Luke Barnatt (8-2-0)

Last 3 Fights: Mark Munoz (0-3-0)
2015-02-28: L vs. [#16MW] Roan Carneiro (20-9-0) via Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:40 of round 1
2014-05-31: L vs. [#5MW] Gegard Mousasi (36-5-2) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:57 of round 1
2013-10-26: L vs. [#4MW] Lyoto Machida (22-6-0) via KO (Head Kick) in 3:10 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Luke Barnatt (1-2-0)
2014-11-22: L vs. [#63MW] Roger Narvaez (7-2-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2014-05-31: L vs. [#93WW] Sean Strickland (15-1-0) via SD (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
2014-03-08: W vs. [*] Mats Nilsson (11-4-1) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 3:24 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Mark Munoz 77, Luke Barnatt 175
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#5] Mark Hunt (10-9-1) vs. [#9] Stipe Miocic (12-2-0)
Mark Hunt is the All-Time #19 ranked Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Mark Hunt (1-1-1)
2014-11-15: L vs. [#1HW+/#10DD/#6P4P] Fabricio Werdum (19-5-1) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 2:27 of round 2
2014-09-20: W vs. [#14HW+] Roy Nelson (20-11-0) via KO (Punch) in 3:00 of round 2
2013-12-07: D vs. [#10HW+] Antonio Silva (18-7-1) via Draw (Majority) in 5:00 of round 5

Last 3 Fights: Stipe Miocic (2-1-0)
2014-12-13: L vs. [#2HW+] Junior dos Santos (17-3-0) via UD (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
2014-05-31: W vs. [#29LHW] Fabio Maldonado (22-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:35 of round 1
2014-01-25: W vs. [#32HW+] Gabriel Gonzaga (16-10-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Mark Hunt 175, Stipe Miocic 147
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Mark Hunt leads 2-1
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Middleweight (185)
[#19] Brad Tavares (13-3-0) vs. [#34] Robert Whittaker (13-4-0)

Last 3 Fights: Brad Tavares (1-2-0)
2015-01-03: W vs. [#32MW] Nate Marquardt (33-14-2) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-08-16: L vs. [#17MW] Tim Boetsch (18-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:18 of round 2
2014-04-19: L vs. [#8MW] Yoel Romero (9-1-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Robert Whittaker (2-1-0)
2014-11-07: W vs. [#50MW] Clint Hester (11-4-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 2:43 of round 2
2014-06-28: W vs. [#210WW] Mike Rhodes (5-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-02-22: L vs. [#28WW] Stephen Thompson (10-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:43 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Brad Tavares 126, Robert Whittaker 183
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#32] Anthony Perosh (15-8-0) vs. [#40] Sean OConnell (16-6-0)

Last 3 Fights: Anthony Perosh (2-1-0)
2014-11-07: W vs. [#261LHW] Carlos Augusto Inocente F (6-4-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:46 of round 1
2013-12-07: L vs. [#4LHW] Ryan Bader (19-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
2013-08-03: W vs. [#26LHW] Vinny Magalhaes (12-7-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:14 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Sean OConnell (1-2-0)
2015-01-18: W vs. [#94LHW] Matt Van Buren (6-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:11 of round 3
2014-06-28: L vs. [#33LHW] Gian Villante (13-5-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2014-04-16: L vs. [#24LHW] Ryan Jimmo (19-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:27 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Anthony Perosh 183, Sean OConnell 111
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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After a weekend without any major MMA events (likely due to all the brouhaha surrounding Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao), we are back to our regular scheduling, with the second UFC Fight Pass exclusive card of the year.  Fight Night 65: Hunt vs Miocic will be broadcast from Adelaide, Australia and is headlined by an awesome heavyweight matchup.   Despite as weak an undercard as one might expect from a Fight Pass event, the main event alone is enough to bring the net value of Fight Pass subscription into the green for the year.   And with the main card start time of 11 PM (US Eastern Time) – which is not far from the usual start time of UFC events, you don’t even have to stay up till wee hours to watch the fights, as is often the case with live events broadcast from abroad.  Between all of this, I am actually enticed to sign up for Fight Pass to watch this card.  Or at least start with a free trial subscription…

Main Event: [#5 HW] Mark Hunt vs [#9 HW] Stipe Miocic

Worth: $20.00

Why: As mentioned above, this is an awesome fight.  The late career resurrection of Mark Hunt has been very fun to watch, culminating in a shot at the interim title against Fabricio Werdum, where Hunt gave Werdum all he could handle before being knocked out by a vicious knee.  He now has to take on Stipe Miocic – an opponent who is almost 10 years younger, and is one of the few bright prospects on the shallow and shop-worn heavyweight roster.   The winner of this fight may be in line for the next title shot, especially if Cain Velasquez successfully defends his title against interim champion Werdum.  Should Werdum retain the title, then the next shot probably belongs to Junior Dos Santos – UFC’s perennial #2, who already holds wins over Hunt, Werdum, and Miocic (first two by knockout, the latter by a somewhat controversial decision).   Either way, this fight might show that Mark Hunt still has plenty of fight left in him at 41, or it could be a career-defining performance for Stipe Miocic which will solidify him as a contender.  And no matter what happens, it’s virtually guaranteed to be an exciting slugfest.

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UFC 186… what can I say about it?  Well, this card has it all.  And I don’t mean that in a good way.  A main event cancelled due to an injury, a mismatch of a title bout, a fighter pulled out of a scheduled bout due to a legal injunction, a couple of fights with that are virtually guaranteed to go to a dull decision, a matchup that looks like it came from a time machine tuned to 2005, and a handful of fighters you’ve never heard of.  Oh, and don’t forget the long-awaited UFC return of Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson… oops, strike that.  Bellator filed a lawsuit to dispute Jackson’s contractual status, and an injunction was granted to stop Rampage from fighting on this card.  Instead, we get the long awaited UFC debut of retired Canadian minor-league hockey enforcer and MMA fighter Steve Bosse… oops, strike that again. The injunction has been lifted by an appellate court, and now Rampage is back on the line-up.  Le sigh… this is why I try to publish these blogs at the last minute, and even that doesn’t always guarantee that all the fights will actually take place as scheduled.  Yeah, this card pretty much has it all.

Main Card (Pay-Per-View)

Main Event: (C) [#1 FLW] Demetrious Johnson vs [#8 FLW] Kyoji Horiguchi for the UFC Flyweight Title

Worth: $10

Why: This PPV was originally planned with two title bouts, but an injury prevented the bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw from defending his title against Renan Barao, marking the second time that a scheduled rematch between the two fell apart and bumping the flyweight title fight to the main event slot.  I’ve grown to enjoy watching ‘Mighty Mouse’ fight over the years; while some champions stagnate and fight not to lose after they’ve held the title for a while (Georges St.Pierre and Tim Sylvia come to mind), DJ has been improving ever since dropping down to 125 lbs and winning the inauguaral title.  So I now look forward to his fights… I just wish UFC could find him a good challenger.  Kyoji Horiguchi is not it.  The 24-year old is 4-0 in the UFC, but his competition so far has been nowhere near championship level. Like several other recent flyweight challengers, he is only getting the title shot because Johnson has to fight someone… preferably someone he hasn’t already beaten.  So when Ian McCall lost to John Lineker, who in turn failed to make weight for the fight and was banished to bantamweight, that left us with Horiguchi as the only viable Top-10 opponent.  I just don’t see the guy who went the distance with Luis Gaudinot in his last fight as presenting much of a threat or challenge to Johnson.  Barring a huge upset, this fight’s purpose is to keep DJ warm until a rematch with John Dodson, or until Henry Cejudo can be built up as a contender.

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Flyweight Championship (125)
[#1/#5DD/#4P4P] Demetrious Johnson (21-2-1) vs. [#8] Kyoji Horiguchi (15-1-0)
Demetrious Johnson is the All-Time #4 ranked Flyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Demetrious Johnson (3-0-0)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#21FLY] Chris Cariaso (17-8-0) via Submission (Kimura) in 2:29 of round 2
2014-06-14: W vs. [#11FLY] Ali Bagautinov (13-3-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
2013-12-14: W vs. [#2FLY] Joseph Benavidez (21-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:08 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Kyoji Horiguchi (3-0-0)
2015-01-03: W vs. [#81FLY] Louis Gaudinot (6-4-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-09-20: W vs. [#270FLY] Jon delos Reyes (7-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:48 of round 1
2014-05-10: W vs. [#75FLY] Darrell Montague (13-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Demetrious Johnson 210, Kyoji Horiguchi 112
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Middleweight (185)
[#11] C.B. Dollaway (15-6-0) vs. [#12] Michael Bisping (25-7-0)
Michael Bisping is the All-Time #23 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: C.B. Dollaway (2-1-0)
2014-12-20: L vs. [#4MW] Lyoto Machida (22-6-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 1:02 of round 1
2014-05-31: W vs. [#19LHW] Francis Carmont (23-10-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2014-03-23: W vs. [#67MW] Cezar Ferreira (8-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:39 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Michael Bisping (1-2-0)
2014-11-07: L vs. [#2MW/#8DD] Luke Rockhold (14-2-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 0:57 of round 2
2014-08-23: W vs. [*] Cung Le (9-3-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 0:57 of round 4
2014-04-16: L vs. [#9MW] Tim Kennedy (18-5-0) via UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: C.B. Dollaway 126, Michael Bisping 169
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (215)
[#9LHW] Quinton Jackson (35-11-0) vs. [#29LHW] Fabio Maldonado (22-7-0)
Quinton Jackson is the All-Time #19 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Quinton Jackson (3-0-0)
2014-05-17: W vs. [#15LHW] Muhammed Lawal (15-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-02-28: W vs. [#199MW] Christian MPumbu (18-7-1) via KO (Punches) in 4:34 of round 1
2013-11-15: W vs. [#39MW] Joey Beltran (16-11-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:59 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Fabio Maldonado (2-1-0)
2014-10-25: W vs. [#76LHW] Hans Stringer (22-6-3) via TKO (Punches) in 4:06 of round 2
2014-05-31: L vs. [#9HW+] Stipe Miocic (12-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:35 of round 1
2014-03-23: W vs. [#33LHW] Gian Villante (13-5-0) via UD (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Quinton Jackson 343, Fabio Maldonado 182
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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