No bones about it, this will be good
UFC 214: As if you need more than one, here are five reasons to watch this weekend as Cormier-Jones 2 headlines
While a ton of great fights and a handful of “better than the numbers indicate” events have taken place inside the Octagon this year, 2017 has felt like a disappointment overall on the UFC front.
A couple of last-minute, high-profile fight cancellations have torpedoed pay-per-views, while the biggest names in the sport are not currently active. The one big fight the organization has pushed hard to put together has been met by universal criticism and more and more marquee talents are in no hurry to step back into the cage unless the money is right.
This year has been solid if you’re willing to look beyond just the names and pay-per-view numbers, but a struggle in terms of delivering major fights that resonate beyond the MMA bubble. Saturday should change that. UFC 214 is the blockbuster event everyone has been waiting for — the massive pay-per-view offering headlined by a true “must-see” matchup supported by two additional title fights and a plethora of pivotal divisional battles.
Here are five reasons to check out the action from Anaheim, Calif., this weekend:
1 Cormier-Jones 2
When Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones step into the Octagon Saturday, more than the UFC light-heavyweight title is on the line.
Cormier is fighting to avenge the lone loss of his career and silence the critics who question the legitimacy of his title reign. In a way, Jones is fighting to reclaim everything he’s lost during a tumultuous 21/2-year stretch when bad decisions outside the cage tarnished his legacy and cost him the title.
But this fight is more than that. As Cormier said Monday during the UFC 214 media call, this is mixed martial arts at its highest level; a bout between two of the best fighters on the planet who also happen to be fierce rivals.
Their first meeting was outstanding and this one should be even better.
2 The throwback
In a time when everyone is trying to be as well-rounded as possible, Demian Maia is a throwback — a onetrick pony who has climbed the divisional ladder and sits on the precipice of winning the championship belt.
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace carries his seven-fight winning streak into the co-main event, where he looks to literally wrestle away the welterweight title from Tyron Woodley in an intriguing clash of styles between a tactical master and an elite athlete with blistering power.
3 Cyborg fully online
Cris Cyborg earned stoppage victories in each of her first two UFC appearances, but both fights were contested at the arbitrary weight of 140 pounds, which left the Brazilian standout operating at less than full strength.
Saturday night, Cyborg gets her first opportunity to step into the Octagon in her natural weight class, squaring off with Invicta FC bantamweight champ Tonya Evinger in a superfight for the vacant UFC women’s featherweight title.
The duo has combined to go unbeaten in their last 29 fights (18 for Cyborg, 11 for Evinger) and have 22 stoppage victories between them during that time. This is the most challenging matchup Cyborg has faced in years and will determine what the future holds for the women’s 145-pound weight class.
4 Contenders will emerge
There is an uncommon synergy to this card that the UFC should really look at manufacturing and capturing more frequently in the future as before the welterweight and light-heavyweight titles are defended, the challengers in each division have the potential to be determined.
Jimi Manuwa and Volkan Oezdemir kick off the main card in what should be a firefight to crown the No. 1 contender in the 205-pound division, while Robbie Lawler and Donald Cerrone follow for what will definitely be an exhilarating battle, but could also the man to face the winner of the Woodley-Maia clash.
Showing fans what the championship picture looks like in one night resonates far better than trying to connect the dots over the span of several events held months apart.
5 But wait, there’s more ...
You know a card is stacked when the televised preliminaries feature a trio of fights that could headline a Fight Night card without anyone having any real grounds for objection.
Burgeoning cult figure Jason Knight aims to continue his march up the featherweight ladder with a tough assignment against former title challenger Ricardo Lamas, while brash bantamweight Aljamain Sterling searches for the biggest win of his career when he steps in with former divisional kingpin Renan Barao.
Add to that a clash between undefeated featherweight prospects Brian Ortega and Renato Moicano, plus the return of talented Team Alpha Male standout Andre Fili and you’ve got a four-pack of televised prelims that should serve as a delicious appetizer to Saturday’s pay-per-view main course.