5 Reasons to Watch UFC Fight Night on FOX: Dos Santos vs Miocic
The UFC will embark on a trip to Phoenix this weekend for the first time ever with a heavyweight matchup between two of the very best fighters in the world in the main event.
Former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos returns to the UFC after more than a year away dealing with injuries to take on No. 4-ranked Stipe Miocic, who hopes to earn his first shot at the title with a win this weekend.
Also on the card, Rafael dos Anjos tries to take another step towards a title shot of his own as he takes on Nate Diaz, who finally returns to the Octagon following a yearlong layoff due to a contract dispute.
There are four main card fights and a fantastic preliminary card this weekend, but we're going to give you five good reasons to make sure you tune in to watch UFC Fight Night on FOX: dos Santos vs. Miocic.
Expect Fireworks
It's dos Santos vs. Miocic, two of the best at heavyweight. Enough said.
The fact that the No. 2-ranked heavyweight is fighting the No. 4-ranked heavyweight is probably enough of a reason to want to watch dos Santos and Miocic throw down this weekend, but considering how these two guys finish opponents makes it even more exciting.
Throughout his UFC career, dos Santos has become the most prolific striker in the heavyweight division. He has an 81-percent finishing rate by knockout or TKO and also has the most knockdowns of any heavyweight in the UFC (11). Dos Santos might be one of the best boxers to ever step foot in the Octagon, but he's got plenty of kicks as well. His finish of former K-1 Grand Prix kickboxing champion Mark Hunt with a spinning heel kick was one of the greatest knockouts to ever take place in the UFC.
His opponent Stipe Miocic is no slouch either.
He's got a 75-percent finishing rate by knockout or TKO and has two separate knockouts of less than one minute each since entering the Octagon for the first time in 2011. Miocic can also mix things up on the ground with a background in wrestling after competing at the Division I level at Cleveland State where he roomed with former UFC middleweight competitor, Gerald Harris.
Both fighters are looking to make a statement on Saturday, so look for the leather to start flying early until one of them goes down.
The Stockton Bad Boy Is Back
The return of Nate Diaz (left) is certainly appointment viewing.
Nate Diaz is finally back in the UFC after taking the last year off while in the midst of a contract dispute with the promotion. Things got settled when Diaz got at least one of the demands he had going into negotiations -- he wanted to face a legitimate top-five opponent.
Be careful what you wish for.
Diaz will face power-punching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rafael dos Anjos, who has become one of the top lightweights in the world over the last few years. Dos Anjos hammered former champion Benson Henderson in his last fight, becoming the first fighter to knock him out -- and that was one bout after he dispatched of Jason High in similar fashion.
Diaz never backs down from a challenge, so expect a lot of punches in bunches and probably some chatter in the cage as well. Diaz and his big brother Nick love to get in the heads of their opponents with a little taunting and trash talk mid-fight, and there's no way that won't get the crowd going in Phoenix.
A win will put either fighter right in the crosshairs of title contention for 2015. Dos Anjos is definitely closer with his top-five ranking and wins over Henderson and Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, but Diaz has shared more than a few words with lightweight champion Anthony Pettis in the past, so there's plenty of motivation to make that fight happen as well.
The Battle of the Netherlands
Alistair Overeem (left) will face a rare taller opponent in Stefan Struve.
Two of the best strikers to come to MMA via Holland face off on the main card on FOX this weekend when Alistair Overeem faces Stefan Struve. It's one of the rare moments when Overeem will give up height to an opponent with Struve coming in at exactly 7-feet tall. The fight is also extremely important for Overeem and Struve after a very tumultuous last year for both competitors.
Struve has been out of action since March 2013 after being diagnosed with a heart condition that nearly ended his career. Thankfully doctors were able to fix the problem and Struve was cleared for a return to the Octagon in July when disaster struck once again. Struve suffered a panic attack in the back prior to his scheduled fight against Matt Mitrione in Las Vegas, nearly passing out just minutes before he was supposed to hit the cage. The fight was called off and an emotional Struve was heartbroken to miss out on yet another fight.
As for Overeem, he came storming into the UFC like a lion with a knockout victory over former champion Brock Lesnar before turning into a lamb for the majority of his next four fights, going just 1-3 overall. To add to his misery, Overeem suffered knockouts in all three defeats after being a kickboxing champion just prior to entering the Octagon for the first time.
Both Overeem and Struve have to know what's on the line when they meet Saturday night. For Struve, it's a chance to get back to doing what he loves and sending a reminder to the rest of the heavyweight division that he's still got what it takes to compete at an elite level. For Overeem, this might be win or go home because a loss could precipitate the end of his career in the UFC and he definitely does not want to go out like that.
Ready for the Top Ten?
The fourth bout on the main card set for FOX on Saturday night puts veteran contender Gabriel Gonzaga in the Octagon against former Ultimate Fighter competitor Matt Mitrione.
Gonzaga has been sidelined with a hand injury after suffering a loss to Stipe Miocic earlier this year and he's chomping at the bit to get the bad taste of defeat out of his mouth. Meanwhile, Mitrione is trying to build on two recent knockouts where he finished off Shawn Jordan and highly touted prospect Derrick Lewis, both in the first round.
Mitrione has long been considered a fighter with the potential of making a run at the top 10 in the heavyweight division, but he's fallen short each time that opportunity has presented itself. At age 36, time might be ticking on Mitrione's long-term future so it's now or never if he's ever going to make some noise at heavyweight.
Gonzaga has been a perennial contender and has faced the best of the best inside the UFC. He's battled for the title before and usually feasts on any fighter who sits outside the top 10 rankings. For those keeping score at home, Mitrione is ranked No. 14, so either Gonzaga is going to live up to his legendary status or the former NFL football player turned fighter will prove he belongs in the conversation to be considered one of the best heavyweights in the sport.
No. 1 Contender's Match
The undercard for UFC Fight Night on FOX this weekend is stacked with several top-rated matchups, but none may be more important that the strawweight showdown between Claudia Gadelha and Joanne Jedrzejczyk.
Gadelha was considered the top contender at 115 pounds prior to The Ultimate Fighter season that wrapped up on Friday night and crowned the first-ever champion in the weight class. Gadelha comes from Brazil and speaks limited English so she couldn't fight in the tournament to crown the champion, but she still rates as one of the best in the world in the strawweight division.
Jedrzejczyk came into the UFC earlier this year and made an impact immediately with her win over Julianna Lima. She's undefeated with a perfect 7-0 record and some of the most dangerous striking at 115 pounds. Gadelha is a very strong Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, which translates to world-class grappling skills. This fight might come down to a classic striker vs. grappler showdown, with the winner challenging for the title in early 2015.