We are less than 2 weeks out from the historic UFC 100, and the main card scheduled to air is filled with possible storylines. We've been covering the build up between Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar for the second encounter, as well as the many verbal jabs thrown by Michael Bisping toward Dan Henderson. George St. Pierre and Thiago Alves are maintaining the respectful approach in regards to what each fighter is capable of which is cool. However, the results at UFC 100 could have a major impact on the future of the UFC. Let's take a look:
-
Brock Lesnar/Frank Mir II-This fight could either begin the Lesnar era of potential dominance or come full circle with Frank Mir regaining the title that he never actually lost. We saw what the UFC wants to do with the future contenders in Carwin and Velasquez here. The winner of that fight will fight the winner of Lesnar/Mir. I'm sure the winner of the Nogueira/Couture fight will fit into that puzzle at some point. If Lesnar gets past Mir, the biggest PPV draw in MMA could become even larger. If Mir is able to defeat Lesnar once again, we could have one of the best feel good stories in quite sometime.
GSP/Alves-The #1 WW facing the #2 WW in the world. In fact, this will be the second time in a row that GSP has faced the #2 guy while champion. If GSP is able to get past Thiago Alves, there is nothing really left for him in the WW division. We could very well see him move up in weight to face Anderson Silva at some point in the future. If Thiago Alves is able to beat GSP, then it could be the dawn of a new era opening up slots for new contenders to emerge. It would also open the door for Jon Fitch who already has a win over Thiago Alves, albeit was a very long time ago.
Dan Henderson/Michael Bisping-Old school vs. New school. If Michael Bisping is able to get past Dan Henderson, we will surely see Michael Bisping face Anderson Silva on a UK PPV in the near future. Which would be huge for Zuffa overseas, as Bisping is well received in his homeland. Also, if Henderson loses, I'm sure the big "R" word will peak it's head out at some point or another. He is 38 yrs old and hasn't looked particularly good lately. However, if Dan Henderson is able to win, then it just proves that Bisping isn't ready for elite competition just yet or at all....depending on how he loses.
Alan Belcher/Yoshihiro Akiyama-This could be one of the most important fights for Zuffa depending on how you look at things. If they are serious about going into the Japanese/Korean markets, then this is almost a must win fight for Akiyama. They just announced a deal to air UFC content in China, so it appears to be the way they are heading. If Belcher is able to win, it'll be the second big fight in a row he's won, able getting past former PRIDE standout Denis Kang. So he could be making some headway in the division. Akiyama also has a win over Kang as well, and a win for Akiyama could set up a re-match of sorts. Both fighters have big followings overseas.
Jon Fitch/Paulo Thiago-I suppose you could consider this a rivalry match since Thiago is coming off a win against Fitch's AKA teammate Josh Koscheck. A win for Fitch keeps him where he wants to be. However, a win for Thiago solidifies him as the AKA killer, and legitimate WW in the division.
Jon Jones/Jake O'Brien-This is clearly a fight that Jones should be able to win, and will be another step in solidifying him as a up and coming contender. The kid has all kinds of potential, and a spectacular win here just adds another horse to the stacked UFC LHW division.
Mark Coleman/Stephan Bonnar-This is a do or die fight for both guys. Coleman, the UFC Hall of Famer is on a fight by fight basis with athletic commissions and a loss for Bonnar would mean two in a row. A loss to Coleman would be devastating for his UFC career. If Coleman is able to get the win, I'm sure he would probably want to fight again. If Bonnar loses, would the guy that's 1/2 responsible for the popularity of the UFC get cut from the promotion?
UFC 100 coverage
Loading comments...