Most of you are going to set your alarm for 5 a.m. Sunday morning and just about have your eyes open for the opening bell of UFC 194’s main event.
What we’d recommend, though, is that you turn the whole weekend into a bumper UFC fiesta as there is much more on the menu than Conor McGregor v Jose Aldo
To make up for the let-down of UFC 189, when fans’ excitement was somewhat dampened by the last-minute withdrawal from the main event, the promotion has put together an insanely impressive three days of fighting
While the action comes to a head with the featherweight title unification bout, here are the 10 perfect appetite-whetters to sink your teeth into.
10. Sage Northcutt v Cody Pfister – Thursday night
Is he the real deal? That’s what we want to know.
Sage Northcutt sure looked the real deal in his 57 second victory over Francisco Trevino at UFC 192 but Cody Pfister is a serious step-up.
Northcutt’s style is a karate style but Pfister walked right through the karate techniques of Yosedenis Cedeno at UFC 189, out-gritting the Cuban to a unanimous decision victory.
The way that the UFC are promoting Northcutt, you’d have thought they’d have given him a relatively easy fight in his second promotional outing but Pfister, despite having an undeniably humourous name, is no gimme.
9. Artem Lobov v Ryan Hall – Friday night
Visa issues threw a monkey wrench in the TUF finale.
Artem Lobov was scheduled to face fellow European Saul Rogers in the final of TUF 22 but, having lied on his application, the UFC were forced to find a replacement for Rogers and brought in highly decorated Jiu-Jitsu black belt Ryan Hall.
It actually ends up being a more interesting fight as it is pure striker against pure grappler.
Hall couldn’t get Rogers to the mat in the semi-final and his striking, albeit improved, didn’t look up to scratch whereas Artem Lobov was responsible for all three knockout victories this season.
They’ve recently trained with each other which adds another element to Lobov v Hall and it certainly won’t be an easy task for The Russian Hammer if we’re to see him join teammate Conor McGregor as a UFC fighter.
8. Joe Lauzon v Evan Dunham – Friday night
My pick for most exciting fight of the weekend, ladies and gents.
Put quite simply, both these guys put more emphasis on entertainment than eking out results and we’re all good with that mentality here at SportsJOE.
Lauzon is the record-holder for most post-fight bonuses earned in the UFC with an amazing 13 extra cheques to his name. J-Lau will leave his soul in the cage if needs be.
Dunham is cut from a similar cloth and puts everything on the line when he fights. This is one that we truly hope goes the distance… although that’s probably not the best thing for either man’s scar tissue.
7. Max Holloway v Jeremy Stephens – Saturday night
My God, the featherweight division is stacked.
This bout, like so many others this weekend, is flying well under the radar but a title shot could be no more than one fight away for the victor.
Max Holloway has gone 7-0 since that decision defeat to Conor McGregor in 2013 and he’s finished all but one of those opponents within the distance… and he’s only 24 years old.
But he will sleep on Jeremy Stephens at his peril. People had written Lil’ Heathen off after he went 3-5 between October 2011 and December 2014 but then Stephens showed the kind of toughness that can’t be taught by stopping Dennis Bermudez at UFC 189 in one of the best fights of the year.
A win for Holloway will likely see him paired up with the loser of Edgar v Mendes while a Stephens victory will propel the veteran right back into the title frame.
6. Rose Namajunas v Paige VanZant – Thursday night
We wanted Paige to be given a testing fight and look what happened, she got one of the most challenging bouts in the 115 lbs division.
Many had complained that the UFC were giving VanZant a free pass by matching her up against inferior opponents who would cave under pressure but Namajunas certainly won’t do that.
Namajunas’ record doesn’t flatter her and she has some of the best out-and-out striking among strawweights (living with Pat Barry will do that to someone).
She won’t give Paige an easy fight whatsoever and is more than capable off pulling an upset with her clean striking technique but her movement will be somewhat hindered by the fact that the UFC are using the smaller octagon for this event.
Will the VanZant hype train continue or will Rose pull a Holly Holm and head kick her way up the ladder?
5. Edson Barboza v Tony Ferguson – Friday night
Spinning shit vs elite guard game. What wins?
I must admit that, had this been Nurmagomedov v Ferguson, I’d be a little bit more excited but Edson Barboza is a more than acceptable replacement.
Barboza likely owns the best knockout in UFC history and his Taekwondo techniques are some of the most beautiful ever seen in the octagon.
Ferguson, meanwhile, is an absolute monster on the ground. His long arms and legs mean that he can find D’arce chokes and triangles from anywhere while his striking has come on leaps and bounds since his time in The Ultimate Fighter.
It may not be the wisest decision to stand with Barboza but El Cucuy is more than capable on his feet. But on the mat, he’s a bloody nightmare with his ability to trap his opponents in vulnerable positions and either synch up a submission or punish with his dagger-like elbows.
4. Gunnar Nelson v Demian Maia – Saturday night
It’s been described as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu porn! That’s really all there is to say.
SBG’s Icelandic import Gunnar Nelson holds a black belt under Renzo Gracie and takes on Demian Maia, who holds a black belt under Fabio Gurgel. So essentially, both lads can do anything they want on the mat.
As is usually the case with world class grapplers, the fight will likely be decided on the feet and both fighters have made an impressive transition to the stand-up game.
Maia has been a ranked opponent for as long as I can remember and Nelson’s progress will be put to the test against a former middleweight challenger.
They have a common opponent in Rick Story. He gave Nelson his first career loss but Story was finished in the first round by the Brazilian. That probably means nothing but may be worth pointing out.
Whatever happens, there will be some thrilling scrambles guaranteed at some stage.
3. Jacare Souza v Yoel Romero – Saturday night
This is definitely the Edgar/Mendes of the middleweight division as it would be almost impossible to deny the winner the next 185 lbs title shot.
It feels like we’ve been waiting an eternity for this monster showdown as arguably the best Jiu-Jitsu practitioner in MMA takes on arguably the best athlete.
Both guys have explosive power in their hands and we’re salivating at the thought of a grappling exchange.
Yoel Romero is an Olympic silver medallist in freestyle wrestling so he probably can take Jacare down but will he want to bring the fight into the realm of the former ADCC champion and BJJ black belt?
2. Frankie Edgar v Chad Mendes – Friday night
What’s just as fascinating as the main event of UFC 194 is who is next up for its victor.
The answer likely lies with the winner of this bout as there really is no argument that Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes are in the top four featherweights in the world, alongside Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor.
If Aldo wins and Edgar wins, that rematch would be right up our alley. If Aldo wins and Mendes wins, perhaps a super fight for Aldo is on the cards as nobody really wants to see Aldo/Mendes III right now.
If McGregor wins and Edgar wins then that bout is probably the most difficult on the table for the Irishman. And if McGregor wins and Mendes wins, a rematch with a fully prepared Mendes would be fascinating.
With both guys being at the top of their division for so long, it’s amazing that Edgar and Mendes haven’t squared off yet. Can Edgar’s chin hold up against the heavy hands of Mendes? Can Mendes deal with the pace pushed by The Answer? And who comes out on top in a wrestling exchange? We’re dying to find out.
1. Chris Weidman v Luke Rockhold – Saturday night
For my money, this is the best middleweight title fight in history.
It’s bigger than Silva v Sonnen, bigger than Weidman v Silva. It’s the biggest!
Why? Because it’s the most competitive! This is two fighters bang in their prime, one of whom is undefeated and the other who is something of a stoppage-machine.
Rockhold is a serious threat to Weidman’s middleweight crown and the fact that the champion has reportedly slimmed down in camp could mean that he will be dominated by one of the biggest 185 lbers in history.
Weidman looked in trouble from an early Vitor Belfort flurry last time around and Rockhold comes out swinging. We don’t know which way this one’s going to go.
