WITH THE NEXT scheduled UFC event not due to take place until mid-April, a rare quiet period has engulfed the MMA world allowing us to take stock of recent happenings.
Two new series of “The Ultimate Fighter” are due to start soon but in the meantime, we can have a more detailed look at each division and see how things stand at the moment.
Lightweights
Ben Henderson managed to wrestle the belt off Frankie Edgar on Friday past to become the latest UFC lightweight champion.
In a close fight, Henderson managed to outwork and outpoint Edgar in a controlled and impressive manner to take the unanimous decision victory.
Anthony Pettis spectacularly KO’d Joe Lauzon on the same card and many believed he had done enough to earn a shot at Henderson, re-creating their WEC lightweight battle in which “Showtime” won.
However, just as Frankie Edgar had to face both Gray Maynard and BJ Penn twice, Henderson must do the same, as Dana White announced an immediate re-match is to happen this summer.
Jim Miller and Nate Diaz face each other in May, and it’s between the winner of that bout and Anthony Pettis, to see who gets to face the winner of Henderson-Edgar II.
YouTube Credit: Mr Toothrot
Bantamweight
The one man to dominate this division over the last number of years, Dominick Cruz, has already claimed the scalps of every major contender. Now he has set about doing it all over again.
Having cleaned out the division, beating the likes of Joseph Benavidez, Scott Jorgensen and Demetrious Johnson, he is scheduled to take on Urijah Faber once more as both of them are coaches on the new series of TUF.
Faber is the only man to inflict a loss on Cruz, and although Cruz defeated him in their most recent outing, Faber will get his shot once again in July, hoping it will be third time lucky in his quest for the title.
If Cruz wins the rubber match, there is really only Renan Barao or young prospect Michael McDonald left to face.
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Light-heavyweights
The next scheduled title matchup in this division has finally been confirmed as Jon Jones versus Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on 21 April.
The one-time friends and teammates are now anything but, and the protracted saga between the two will finally come to an end next month after much cancelling and rescheduling.
Since bursting onto the scene as an unorthodox and gangly youngster in 2008, Jones has transformed himself from a green and raw teenager to a seemingly unstoppable and unbeatable wrecking ball in the sport.
After becoming the youngest champion in UFC history, his demolition jobs over Shogun Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida have seen him rocket to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings.
The ease in which he has brushed aside his recent opponent has made him look unbeatable, but his one-time rolling partner thinks he has the tools to beat him.
Rashad Evans believes he is the man to stop the Jon Jones steam train and he has taunted him with the fact that he used to get the better over him in training. It will be interesting to see if he was right come 21 April.
YouTube Credit: Azyunyh4
