Rematch! Four Reasons To Watch UFC on FOX 17
The UFC’s massive weekend may be in the books, but the action will not stop as UFC on FOX 17 is set to go down next Saturday (December 19, 2015) live and free on big FOX from Orlando, Florida.
In the wake of a weekend that consisted of over thirty fights, and a plethora of exciting moments, this weekend’s upcoming card still sticks out as an intriguing event.
The UFC has put together an impressive lineup including an anticipated lightweight title fight in the main event. That being said, let’s take a look at four reasons why you should tune into the action on December 19th:
The Clash of Two Young, Rising Stars
With most of the attention centered on the stacked main card, the preliminary portion of the event may be getting a tad over looked.
That being said, we cannot forget about the fantastic featherweight showdown and prelim headliner between two young contenders in No. 7-ranked Charles “do Bronx” Oliveira and former lightweight Myles “Fury” Jury.
Oliveira, a tactician on the mat and a wizard on the feet, has won four out of his last five fights with three of those wins coming by way of submission. He is coming off of a loss to Max Holloway last August in which the bout was stopped early on due to a quite alarming injury suffered by “do Bronx”.
The Brazilian will undoubtedly be looking to bounce back in Orlando.
Jury on the other hand, was 15-0 with 12 stoppages before running into current title challenger Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone last September. “Fury” is only 27 years old and will be looking to make his mark in the 145-pound division.
With both men having something to prove, this bout has all the makings of an exciting affair.
The Return of the Stockton Bad Boy
Fan favorite and outspoken lightweight Nate Diaz will be making his return on the main card against No. 6-ranked Michael “Menace” Johnson after taking nearly a year off.
Diaz has actually lost three out of his last four bouts, his most recent being a one-sided decision loss to current champion Rafael dos Anjos last December. However, with 18 finishes in 20 career victories, “The Stockton Bad Boy” is always a sight to see.
He will be facing no easy task however, in the ultra-explosive and super fast Johnson. “Menace” was riding an impressive four-fight win streak before losing a highly controversial split-decision loss to Beniel Dariush last August.
Once again, both men appear to have a chip on their shoulders and this could end up being quite the war.
Who are you picking?
A Heavyweight Slugfest Years In the Making
Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos and former Dream, K-1, and Strikeforce champion Alistair “The Reem” Overeem have long been two of the best strikers in the heavyweight division.
They have been scheduled to meet multiple times with the bout always seeming to fall apart, but now after years of setbacks, the two fearsome giants will finally square off.
Dos Santos, a man who has only lost to former heavyweight boss Cain Velasquez during his Octagon run, is the owner of 12 knockout wins and may be the very best boxer that the division has to offer. After scoring a unanimous decision victory over highly-ranked contender Stipe Miocic last December, “Cigano” was forced to the sidelines with numerous injuries.
However, he is now healthy and once again on the brink of title contention.
Overeem, also known as “The Demolition Man”, made a triumphant UFC debut back in 2011, dismantling former champion Brock Lesnar. However, he then went on to lost three out of his next four, leading many to believe that the hype surround him was false.
Well, Overeem has now won two-straight and if he can get passed Dos Santos, he too could be close to a title shot.
A lot is at stake here, and I don’t see this one landing in the hands of the judges.
Rematch!
UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos will make the very first defense of his 155-pound title in the evening’s main event where he squares off against surging contender Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in a rematch of their 2013 bout.
The first time around saw dos Anjos scored a one-sided decision victory, but each man has undoubtedly evolved since.
Cerrone for example, hasn’t lost since he met dos Anjos, rattling off a division best eight-straight wins including five finishes. “Cowboy” has been on a tear to say the least, and he appears to be quite a different fighter this time around.
That being said, the Brazilian champion has been on a hot streak as well, winning his last four fights. That stretch includes an impressive knockout of former boss Benson Henderson, as well as a five-round beating of another former champion in Anthony Pettis.
The circumstances seem to be different, and the stakes are higher this time around.
Who do you see walking away with UFC gold?
