On January 28, 2012, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will present their second event ever on network television as part of the deal with one of the biggest networks in television when they present UFC On FOX 2: Evans vs Davis at the United Center in their first trip to the "windy city" Chicago, Illinois. The main card for this event will showcase three bouts with each holding major significance in their respected weight classes with each victor earning top spots in line for title contention. The main event will be a meeting of elite wrestlers when former champion and elite UFC veteran Rashad Evans takes on elite former collegiate wrestler Phil Davis. The co-main event will be a classic and well anticipated Middleweight match-up for the division's #1 contendership spot pitting powerful American wrestler Chael Sonnen against technical British striker Michael Bisping. And the opening bout for the main card will be a meeting of two more grapplers when renowned elite BJJ expert Demian Maia takes on rising undefeated American wrestler Chris Weidman. With UFC President Dana White himself saying that the match ups involving Evans and Sonnen could backfire, jeopardizing potential grudge matches for either fighters that could draw some of the biggest PPV numbers the promotion has ever seen, it is clear that he is willing to make such a gamble, especially seeing that he is putting these bouts on free network television for all fans t. With title contention on the line in all three main card bouts, and in two of the most talent rich divisions in both the sport and the UFC, this could turn out to be the most watched MMA event matching the promotion's debut event on FOX in November, 2011. All three main card bouts will be presented on FOX, while the preliminary card bouts will be presented on FUEL TV.
Main Card Bouts:
"Suga" Rashad Evans (16-1-1) vs Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis (9-0-0)
Chael Sonnen (26-11-1) vs Michael "The Count" Bisping (22-3-0)
Demian Maia (15-3-0) vs Chris "All-American" Weidman (7-0-0)
Main Event: Evans vs Davis (LHW)
The main event will be a highly anticipated Light Heavyweight meeting pitting a veteran against a rising prospect when former division champion and TUF2 winner Rashad Evans is pitted against rising undefeated prospect and former 4x NCAA1 All-American collegiate wrestler Phil Davis. Should Evans win this bout, he will be guaranteed his long-postponed title shot against reigning division champion and former teammate Jon Jones in a heated grudge match, and should Davis win in impressive fashion, he could earn that title shot or be one to two fights away from doing so. Evans will come into this bout riding a three fight win streak since losing his title and suffering his first defeat, which includes a Unanimous Decision over heavy hitting BJJ black belt Thiago Silva, a Unanimous Decision over rival and fellow former champion Quinton Jackson, and a Rnd2 TKO over fellow former champion Tito Ortiz in a rematch at UFC 133: Evans vs Davis II that avenged the lone draw on his record. Davis comes into this bout riding an undefeated nine fight win streak, with the last five including his promotional debut earning a Unanimous Decision over former WEC division champion Brian Stann, a Rnd1 submission over then undefeated Swedish prospect Alexander Gustafsson, a Unanimous Decision over Rodney Wallace, an impressive Rnd2 Submission over strong grappler Tim Boetsch, and a Unanimous Decision over former PrideFC star and well-rounded veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC Fight Night 24: Nogueira vs Davis. This bout will be a meeting of interesting styles when the diverse well-rounded game of Evans takes on the aggressive elite wrestling of Davis that is magnified by his strength.
Striking/Grappling Comparison: For the advantage in the stand-up, Evans will be the clear favorite with strong knockout power and an improving skill set that has come with his change in training camps; having begun training with a new team founded by himself with several Brazilian fighters and other African-American fighters calling the team the "Blackzilians", which is a big change since leaving longtime trainer Greg Jackson seeing that his seniority meant nothing when having to fight younger teammate Jon Jones. Now training with renowned kickboxer Tyrone Spong, Evans is honing his striking power and capability to perfection, which was put on display in his recent rematch with Ortiz. For Davis, he is still considered "green" in the sport of MMA, focusing more on his wrestling capabilities in fights and not displaying his striking capabilities as much. However, training with UFC Bantamweight champion Dominic Cruz, who has one of the most agile and elusive striking styles in the sport, could prove advantages learning how to stay on the outside of Evans' strikes and set up his own takedowns. For power, skill set, and experience, Evans is the heavy favorite in the stand-up. For the advantage when grappling, some analysts could consider the ground game even between the two former collegiate wrestlers. Though Evans does not have the decorated and credentialed collegiate wrestling background that Davis has, his athleticism and strength has helped him become one of the strongest wrestlers in the division, and having a black belt in BJJ also helps show his intent to be diverse, even if we have yet to truly see his submission game. With his credentialed background in collegiate wrestling and developing a submission game while progressing in his career, Davis could actually be the favorite when grappling with impressive strength that has controlled previous opponents and committing to the takedown. Pitting the credentials in experience for Evans in the sport, against the credentials for Davis that he brought with him when entering the sport, will make this an interesting match up when the two meet in the clinch and on the ground.
Strategies: For game-plans, both Evans and Davis will most likely have different intentions in where they plan on keeping/taking the fight. Evans will most likely want to keep the fight standing where his superior experience in the sport will play a big factor, and will likely be more comfortable using more diverse combinations involving kicks, knowing he has his own wrestling game to fall back on. Evans best chances are in the stand-up, and will likely look for the finish to assure his long awaited bout with Jones happens as soon as possible. To avoid the takedown, Evans will likely use more lateral movement to not remain centered and give Davis a moving target. In the stand-up, Davis will likely look to use lateral movement of his own to avoid Evans' striking to give him a moving target as well. While Davis is seen as the likely aggressor to instigate a clinch and go for takedowns, he will likely have to defend some takedowns himself on the defensive. Davis' best chances are getting the takedown and smothering Evans on the ground not letting him up, likely looking to grind out a decision victory or look to finish with a submission. Overall, Evans is the favorite to win in this bout, with Davis seen as a heavy underdog to many analysts.
Favor: Evans
Co-Main Event: Sonnen vs Bisping (MW)
The co-main event will be a Middleweight clash between two conflicting styles and personalities, when former 2x WEC contender and 1x UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen takes on TUF3 winner and former Cage Rage Light Heavyweight champion Michael Bisping. Sonnen comes into this bout following a Rnd2 Submission win over former WEC Light Heavyweight champion Brain Stann at UFC 136: Edgar vs Maynard III, where he impressed everybody with a dominant performance, even after coming off a fourteen month layoff. Bisping will come into this bout riding a four fight win streak, that includes a Unanimous Decision over former IFL Middleweight champion Dan Miller, a Unanimous Decision over Japanese MMA star Yoshihiro Akiyama in a bout that earned both fighters Fight of the Night honors, a controversial Rnd2 TKO over veteran Jorge Rivera, and a Rnd3 TKO over former Strikeforce Middleweight contender and opposing TUF14 coach Jason Miller at the TUF14 Finale. The winner of this bout will become the #1 contender in the Middleweight division and move on to fight reigning champion Anderson Silva later in the year. This bout was originally expected to pit Sonnen against heavy hitting fellow wrestler Mark Munoz, but Munoz was forced to withdraw due to injury just over a week prior to the bout. Originally slated to face Demian Maia in the bout leading into this one, Bisping accepted the opportunity to move up to the co-main event to fight for the #1 contender's position for the division.
Striking/Grappling Comparison: This bout will be a classic match-up of striker vs grappler, pitting the elite wrestling of Sonnen against the accurate and technical striking of Bisping. For the advantage in the stand-up, it is no surprise that Bisping will be a big favorite when striking against Sonnen, though Sonnen's wrestling could play a factor in nullifying this disadvantage. With a background in kickboxing that includes winning two titles prior to transitioning into MMA, and having developed a technical game that has helped him outwork or beat some of his opponents to the punch, Bisping is considered one of the most underrated strikers among Middleweight divisions top ranked fighters. Though Sonnen is not a fighter known for his striking, he does pack some strong power that can stun some opponents, and does much of his striking up close and in the clinch where he can instantly begin to work for and set up takedowns. An added factor that helps Sonnen when striking with some opponents, is his wrestling background that makes some strikers tentative to commit to combinations or kicks in fear of being take down. If Bisping can utilize more lateral movement, he can avoid letting Sonnen close the distance and keep him at the end of his punches, though Sonnen will undoubtedly look to close the distance constantly. For more technical striking, Bisping is favored in the stand-up, though Sonnen will be favored by others who take his aggression into consideration. For the advantage when grappling, it will undoubtedly go the way of Sonnen with a credentialed wrestling background, that also includes being an alternate for Team USA's Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team. With a wrestling pedigree that he has adapted to fit perfectly into MMA, Sonnen has imposed his strength and will upon many opponents, forcing them against the cage and taking them down where he smothers them with continuous ground-&-pound attacks. Though coming from the British MMA scene, Bisping has developed a strong takedown defense that not many British fighters can compare with due to the lack of wrestling teachings in the United Kingdom, and has also honed a BJJ skill-set that is rarely seen from him since he prefers to utilize it as a defensive measure should he be put on his back. Though many analysts have come to recognize Bisping for the takedown defense he has shown in some of his most recent bouts, he has not fought a true wrestler that intended to take him down since his first professional loss that came at the hands of TUF2 winner Rashad Evans in 2007. With a renowned wrestling skill-set in MMA, and the visible improvements he has made to his wrestling game combing BJJ with it to look for submission finishes and be aware of submission attempts from his opponents, Sonnen is easily expected by many fans and analysts to blow through Bisping's takedown defense and be able to nullify what defensive BJJ game he may possess.
Strategies: For fight strategies, it is obvious that both fighters will have completely opposing goals on where they want the fight to take place. For Sonnen in the stand-up, he will look to keep Bisping moving back to not allow him to get off his strikes with full capability, and back him up against the cage where he can instigate the clinch and impose his will on him. Sonnen will obviously want to take the fight to the ground and will force Bisping against the cage and take him down where he can begin to grind away on him with nonstop control and ground-&-pound. For Bisping in the stand-up, he will look to move laterally constantly as to not make himself a centered target for takedowns and to avoid being backed up against the cage. When striking, Bisping will likely look to land fast small combinations while on the move, and not commit to extended combinations that could leave centered as a standing target, as well as refrain from utilizing any kicks so he will not be easily thrown off balance in the event that Sonnen looks to catch the kicks. Should he be pressed against the cage or taken down, Bisping's best chances of getting a reset or stand-up is likely tying up with Sonnen and hold on until the referee decides action has stalled enough, and be prepared to put his BJJ to the test to see if Sonnen has improved his submission defense that was visibly lacking in previous bouts. Overall Sonnen is the favorite to win this bout and move on to have his long awaited rematch with Anderson Silva for the division title.
Favor: Sonnen
Maia vs Weidman (MW)
The opening bout on the card will be a meeting of two strong Middleweights who come from two opposing, when 1x UFC title challenger, decorated submission grappler, and third-degree BJJ Black Belt Demian Maia takes on the rising former 2x NCAA1/NJCAA collegiate wrestling All-American and undefeated prospect Chris Weidman. Maia will come into this bout off a dominant Unanimous Decision win over former Sengoku Middleweight champion Jorge Santiago at UFC 136: Edgar vs Maynard III. Weidman will come into this bout riding a seven fight undefeated streak, with the last three including his UFC debut with a Unanimous Decision over veteran Alessio Sakara accepting the bout on two weeks' notice, a Rnd1 Submission win over Jesse Bongfeldt that earned Submission of the Night honors, and a Rnd1 (Technical) Submission win over Tom Lawlor at UFC 139: Shogun vs Hendo. Originally this bout was slated to pit Maia against Michael Bisping for the #1 contendership spot in the Middleweight division after the winner of Sonnen/Munoz faced champion Anderson Silva, though Bisping was moved up to the co-main event to replace an injured Munoz and Weidman accepted the bout as his replacement on less than two weeks' notice.
Striking/Grappling Comparison: Though both fighters originally come from grappling backgrounds with little to no striking experience, their more recent performances have shown some improvements. Being in the sport longer, and learning first hand that coming into the sport with no striking skills, Maia has shown much improvement in his striking game developing a good technique. Since suffering a devastating Rnd1 KO loss to former contender Nate Marquardt and being unable to contend with the striking skill set of champion Anderson Silva when he fought for the title in 2010, Maia realized that he needed to commit himself to strictly learning how to strike, seeing as he was already one of the sport's most elite grapplers. Though Weidman has come into MMA the same as Maia, with little striking to go on, he has trained with the same team that produced former Welterweight champion Matt Serra, and showed he could hang with a skilled striker taking on Sakara in his UFC debut on short notice. Overall with the experience in the sport that Maia has accumulated, he will be the favorite in the stand-up. For the advantage when grappling, again though bout fighters come from a grappling background, Maia will again be favored in this bout due to his pedigree and experience in both in the sport and as a grappler. Competing in MMA for just over ten years, having eight of his fifteen victories come by way of submission, and taking first place in nearly thirty grappling tournaments to show for his experience, Maia is undoubtedly one of the most credentialed submission grapplers both in the Middleweight division and the sport in entirety. Though Weidman is not as decorated a grappler as Maia is, he holds credentials to show for his discipline as a collegiate wrestler as well, being a 2x NCAA1 All-American and a 2x NJCAA All-American collegiate wrestler, which are impressive accomplishments in the amateur wrestling world. Though some analysts will see Weidman as having a possible advantage in the grappling aspect as a wrestler, a discipline that in the past couple years has been utilized by some wrestlers to completely nullify the submission game of a BJJ practitioner, most will see Maia's experience as the key factor that will make him the favorite on the ground.
Strategies: For strategies, this bout could end up a stand-up affair, though either fighter could feel that their best chance at victory could come via the ground game. For Maia, the strategy could be to take on Weidman standing and try to be the more technical fighter, though he will have to work past the 4" reach advantage Weidman will have over him in this bout. With the possible advantage when grappling, Maia could look to take the fight to the ground, with pulling guard being a possible means to do so. For Weidman, he could look to showcase what improvements he has made to his striking game, and will have a 4" reach advantage that could give him some room to set up his strikes and keep Maia at the end of his reach. If the fight becomes difficult in the stand-up, or the initial strategy involves going to the ground, Weidman could see his wrestling as his best tool in this bout to control Maia on the ground and nullify his BJJ. Overall Maia will be a big favorite in this bout for his experience, especially for the fact that he was already in full preparation for a bout, while Weidman is taking this bout having to prepare a game plan in just several days.
Favor: Maia
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