By Dwight Wakabayashi
UFC on FOX 7 will see the much-anticipated arrival of Gilbert (El Nino) Melendez as he challenges champion Benson Henderson for the lightweight title in the main event. Many have had Melendez ranked right up there as the best lightweight in the world in the last five years, and we won’t have to wait much longer to find out if that’s fair.
The main event is champion vs. champion, and the rest of the card is stacked with former two-time heavyweight title-holder Frank Mir vs. Strikeforce’s last heavyweight king Daniel Cormier. The younger of the Stockton bad boy duo Nate Diaz will welcome Josh (The Punk) Thomson back to the UFC and Canada’s Jordan Mein steps in to face surging veteran Matt Brown to kick off the card.
Here is a preview of all four fights this weekend.
Matt Brown (16-11) vs. Jordan Mein (27-8) – welterweight
Mein steps in for the injured Dan Hardy to face Matt Brown for a chance to vault himself way up the rankings after just two UFC fights. Mein ran through veteran Dan Miller in his debut in November, escaping an early arm bar to go on and get the first-round knockout. Mein is part of the young new breed of fighter who has trained all aspects of MMA from a very early age and his game is dangerous everywhere it goes in the Octagon.
Brown is on the biggest run of his career and showed a much improved technical striking game in his last win over Mike Swick. The win was his fourth in a row and served notice that he is ready to step up to the Dan Hardy’s of the division. Brown can grind out a win with the best of them using his dirty boxing and brawling style, and that must be the blueprint here. He needs to stay in tight on Mein and keep him out of his comfort range if he wants to win.
I think Mein’s length will be the difference here as he will be able to touch Brown before Brown touches him. If he can catch an overly aggressive and charging Brown as he comes in, this one will be over.
Nate Diaz (16-8) vs. Josh Thomson (19-5) – lightweight
Nate Diaz is the No. 4 ranked lightweight in the world in the UFC official rankings and he will be looking to keep that spot with a convincing win over returning star Josh Thomson. Diaz is coming off a disappointing fight in his title shot loss to Benson Henderson last December. Diaz was hurt early in that fight and didn’t find his rhythm at all. He will look to use his reach and punches in bunches style to score on Thomson early and soften him up for the finish.
Thomson returns for a second stint in the UFC after losing to Yves Edwards at UFC 49 in 2004. He is coming off one of the best performances of his career in his decision loss to Gilbert Melendez last May. Many felt Thomson took that fight and it was really too close to call. Thomson is a great fighter in every aspect, with speed and power in his hands and feet as well as a solid wrestling and grappling game. He is aggressive in his approach and he is not going to be intimidated one bit by the antics of Diaz.
This is going to be a very tough and close fight between two hungry fighters but in the end, Diaz’ size and reach will prevail.
Frank Mir (16-6) vs. Daniel Cormier (11-0) – heavyweight
A very intriguing heavyweight scrap is on the card in what I consider a co-main event as former UFC champion and resident limb breaker Frank Mir will be the first UFC fighter to take on Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix champion Daniel Cormier. Mir looked silly and overmatched in his failed title shot against Junior dos Santos last May and will be looking regain his form. It is no secret what Mir brings, and he looks to hurt and finish by any means necessary at all times. The question is, how far have Mir’s skills slipped?
Cormier is ranked higher than Mir in the UFC rankings despite never fighting in the UFC. He won the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix by dominating some very formidable fighters in Antonio Silva and Josh Barnett before slowing down a bit in his last win over Dion Staring. Cormier is a compact heavyweight with explosive speed and impeccable wrestling. He is a hard man to get a hold of and Mir will have to hit and hurt him to have any chance of getting the upper hand on the ground. If Cormier can take Mir down and end up in top position at will, it will be a long night for the former UFC champ.
This one is very tough to call but I think Cormier is too hungry for a fading Mir to stop.
Benson Henderson (18-2) vs. Gilbert Melendez (21-2) – lightweight championship
Benson Henderson will put his title on the line against a debut fighter this weekend, but Melendez is not your typical UFC first timer, as he comes in as the last standing Strikeforce champion and has been beating tough guys for years now. Henderson simply does it all, and he does it all with the highest level of efficiency and style you possibly can. His incredible strength and dexterity and devastating kicks always lead the way. This will be Henderson’s third title defence.
Melendez will finally enter the Octagon and compete against the very best of the best in the world. Circumstances have kept him away from the UFC for the last few years and because of that, he has not fought the best lightweights in the world. Melendez has been stomping some very tough guys, but in my opinion he has not been fighting the best in the world and can’t be considered among the likes of Henderson, Pettis and such until he fights and beats one of them. Saturday night is his chance, and I hope he can make it a closer fight than Henderson-Diaz. Melendez is as purely tough as they come and that, along with his wrestling, are the best weapons in his arsenal.
I think a title fight UFC debut on national television is a recipe for disaster for Melendez and Henderson will expose him very easily.
Dwight Wakabayashi is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report UFC and regular contributor to Sportsnet.ca’s UFC section. Follow him on Twitter @wakafightermma.
