This Saturday is UFC 148 and it is set to be one of the best events in a long time.
It starts with 4 solid fights before the 2 co main event fights. The fighters going into these fights know that they will have to put it all on the line if they want to win fight of the night honors and the bonus check that goes with it. I expect to see a lot of solid competition from these 4 fights.
Then we get to the Tito Ortiz vs Forrest Griffin match. This is the rubber match between the 2 and neither is still at the top of their game anymore. Tito is getting inducted into the Hall of Fame that night before the fights and Griffin hasn’t done so well in his last few fights. Each has won one of the previous fights and needless to say there is no love lost between the two. Dana White wouldn’t put a 3rd fight together unless both fighters wanted it and so did the fans. A win for each would be a huge bump in their career and egos. For Tito it would be the best way for him to go out, on top, dominating a solid fighter in Forrest Griffin. For Griffin beating Ortiz would be a big push for him. He needs a big dominating win to get back in the title race picture. Beating a hall of famer is one way to get the attention of the fans and UFC executive’s minds
Then the main event. Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen. This will be a great fight. Too often the main events are slow as fighters feel each other out not wanting to get caught early and loose the fight. They dance around for a round then are tentative to get in close afraid of a counter strike or a take down. Anderson Silva is one of the biggest culprits of this doing it in most of his fights. I don’t see that coming from him this time. This fight has more than just a title on the line. It has more than the share of the winner’s purse. It’s personal for Silva. He seems to downright hate Sonnen. He feels that he doesn’t deserve to be in the ring with him and has taken a lot of offense to the remarks Sonnen has made about his wife and country. I see Silva coming out swinging. Silva has dominated most of his fights except one. That one happens to be his last fight with Chael. In their previous fight Sonnen dominated the fight for 4 rounds until he got caught in an arm triangle and had to tap out. He is the style of fighter that gives Silva a problem. He’s big and strong and can punish you on the ground or standing up. Chael also seems to not like Silva much. The two almost got into blows at the press photo shoot. When guys can barely be in the same room as each other you know there is actual hatred there. They could barely stay on the same phone call together. I see this fight going at least 4 rounds. I see a lot of stand-up action with Silva using a lot of kicks to wear out Sonnen then trying to tap him out. I know Silva would love to knock out Sonnen and he may try which might get him in trouble with Sonnen. I see Silva coming out with the win and the belt but I would love to see and wouldn’t be surprised if Sonnen won and set up a 3rd bout. Either way I see it being fight of the night and everything the fans and Dana White want in a rematch.
