Taylor Hoysradt, Staff Writer
In the wake of a classic bout between Jon “Bones” Jones and Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, UFC
President Dana White has put together what is set to be another hard-hitting classic at UFC 166. On October 19, one of the UFC’s biggest rivalries will be renewed with current UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez taking on top-contender Junior Dos Santos for the third time in his very young but successful mixed martial arts career. The fighters have split the series, with Dos Santos knocking out Velasquez in the first bout to take the Heavyweight title and Velasquez regaining the title from Dos Santos in the second fight. Velasquez currently holds a record of 12-1-0, while Dos Santos sports a record of 16-2-0. Each fighter is deadly in the striking game, but Dos Santos has a slight advantage on the ground due to his use of submissions. These two fighters do not like each other one bit, so expect the best from each man in this fight. Look for this fight to be a slug-fest ultimately won by a knockout in either the second or third round.
Before Velasquez and Dos Santos square off for the Heavyweight Title, another Heavyweight battle is set to take place at UFC 166. Rising star Daniel Cormier takes on long-time heavy hitter Roy “Big Country” Nelson in a highly anticipated matchup between two very different fighters. Cormier comes into the fight winning his first 12 MMA matches of his career while Nelson has remained a force in the heavyweight division with a record of 20-8-0. Cormier is next in line to contend for the heavyweight title if he wins and Nelson has the chance to show the UFC fans and Dana White that he is still a household name in the sport. There has been plenty of trash talking leading up to the fight between the competitors. Nelson has been quoted calling Cormier an “Uncle Tom” for his desire to beat him for Dana White (Nelson and White do not have a good relationship.) Cormier has also been calling for Nelson to shave his trademark shaggy beard and hair so it doesn’t get in his face during the fight. With title-fight implications and reputations on the line, look for this fight to become a war early in the first round. Cormier will try to finish Nelson quickly with striking and takedowns, while Nelson will mostly be going for the home-run punch from the get go. Ultimately, as much as I love Nelson’s charisma and and fighting style, I believe Cormier will be too much for him. Regardless of the outcome, it will be fun to watch.
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