Sports

UFC on Fox 4 preview: Light heavyweight bonanza

One of the four light heavyweights will get to face UFC champion Jon Jones after Saturday night’s UFC on Fox 4 in Los Angeles.

Again.

That’s right, no matter who is most impressive – the criteria UFC president Dana White set for becoming No. 1 contender – it’ll be a rematch with Jones for the title. That is assuming Jones gets by Dan Henderson on Sept. 1.

Mauricio (Shogun) Rua, Brandon Vera, Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader all not only have lost to Jones before, they all have been finished by the 24-year-old manchild from upstate New York. So why, you ask, will one of them be the No. 1 contender?

Good question. Jones has simply been so dominant in his year and a half on top of the division that he is bound to face some rematches. You can tell he isn’t all that excited about that, either, when he tweeted last week “scratching my head,” when told of White’s proclamation.

Perhaps a young lion like Alexander Gustafsson would make for a more intriguing fight for Jones at this point. It’ll be hard to sell any of these four guys against the champion – none of them put up that much of a fight the first time around.

Those are the cards that have been dealt, though, so let’s dive into this event, which still has a chance to be pretty interesting in a vacuum.

Mauricio (Shogun) Rua vs. Brandon Vera

What has Vera done to earn a main event on national television? Well, he knocked out former heavyweight champion Frank Mir with knees.

Wait, that was in 2006 you say? Well nevermind then.

I guess the answer to the original question is: nothing. Since that Mir KO finish and stating afterward that he would be the first man to hold both the heavyweight and light heavyweight titles in the UFC, Vera hasn’t picked up a quality victory. At least he’s usually good for an exciting fight with superior Muay Thai.

Rua, a Muay Thai master himself, looked terrible when he lost the title to Jon Jones a year and a half ago, but who doesn’t? Since then, he’s wrecked Forrest Griffin and lost to Dan Henderson in what could be the best fight in UFC history. Of the four guys here, he might be the most deserving of a title shot with a win. And win he certainly should at Staples Center.

Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader

UFC color man Joe Rogan will never live down his emphatic statement “Welcome to the Machida Era!” following the Brazilian’s knockout of Rashad Evans for the light heavyweight title in 2009. Turns out that the Machida Era has gone the way of the Ming Dynasty with nowhere near the longevity.

Since that impressive KO, Machida has been rather ordinary. His most impressive win in the last three years? A crane kick knockout of near-geriatric Randy Couture last April. Everyone wondered when he won the title who would figure out his elusive style. The answer has been just about everyone.

Bader doesn’t have anywhere near the quickness of Machida, but neither did Quinton (Rampage) Jackson and he pulled out a decision against “The Dragon.” If Bader gets his hands on him and uses his wrestling skills, this is a very winnable fight. If he’s content with standing and letting Machida pick him apart from the outside, he could go the way of Evans.

Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner

Less than a year ago, Varner wasn’t just at rockbottom — his career was all but buried. The former WEC lightweight champion was competing in Titan Fighting Championships and lost to Dakota Cochrane – who’s better known for having acted in gay porn before his MMA career than actual fighting.

Since then, Varner has turned it around. He won two straight in XFC and the UFC brought him back. In his return, Varner stunned prospect Edson Barboza in May with a first-round TKO. Now, all of a sudden, he’ll be in the lightweight title conversation with a win Saturday in Los Angeles.

Of course, Lauzon is no Cochrane – though I don’t really know what he does in his free time – and he could be Varner’s toughest test to date. The Boston-area native has been inconsistent and though he’s been in the Octagon with better competition than Varner he hasn’t really beaten anyone that impressive. His submission of Melvin Guillard last year was stunning, but it came after he landed a lucky punch less than a minute into the fight.

Not many people liked Lauzon in that one and Varner seems to have more in his toolbox – better wrestling, better striking. Still, you just never know what you’re going to get with Lauzon.

Mike Swick vs. DaMarques Johnson

The curtain jerker of the main card Saturday was supposed to be a fun matchup between heavyweights Travis Browne and Ben Rothwell, both of whom are known for finishing. Instead, with Rothwell injured (ankle), we’ll get Swick-Johnson, two names that probably won’t register with the casual fan.

Swick hasn’t fought since Feb. 6, 2010, a loss to Paulo Thiago, due to a stomach affliction and knee injury. His résumé is much more impressive than the one boasted by Johnson, who hasn’t beaten anyone still currently in the UFC.

The good news for fans is that both guys love to stand and bang. In Johnson’s seven UFC fights, he’s either finished his opponent or been finished himself. Both men are former Knockout of the Night winners. So, either way, we should get some fireworks.

PRELIMS

Cole Miller vs. Nam Phan

Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado

Josh Grispi vs. Rani Yahya

Phil De Fries vs. Oli Thompson

Manny Gamburyan vs. Michihiro Omigawa

Ulysses Gomez vs. John Moraga

Man, what a fall for Davis. He went from headlining a UFC on Fox card back in January (a light heavyweight title eliminator loss to Rashad Evans) to not even making the main card. Prado has never even fought in the UFC before. Look for the 27-year-old prospect to get back on track here.

Phan-Miller should be entertaining and the same goes for Gamburyan-Omigawa, both of whom have a background in judo. Once thought to be the next challenger for featherweight champion Jose Aldo, Grispi could use a win after losing two straight.

PREDICTIONS

Shogun Rua

Ryan Bader

Jamie Varner

Mike Swick

Cole Miller

Phil Davis

Josh Grispi

Phil De Fries

Michihiro Omigawa

Ulysses Gomez

Fight of the Night: Varner vs. Lauzon

Knockout of the Night: Rua

Submission of the Night: Davis

mraimondi@nypost.com