Jose Aldo is ranked as one of the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He’s trying to come back from an injured foot he sustained in a motorcycle crash back in the fall. He also happens to be the UFC featherweight champion.
Remember this guy? He’s fighting Saturday night in the main event of UFC 156 in Las Vegas (PPV, 10 p.m.).
Almost every story this week has been about his opponent, Frankie Edgar, who has lost his last two fights and is dropping down to a new division to try regain some momentum. Aldo hasn’t lost a fight since 2005, a string of 14 in a row. That’s an Anderson Silva-like streak.
Let’s be honest. I’m just as guilty as any other reporter for all the Edgar love. But please consider that this is a New York-based newspaper and Edgar is from Toms River, N.J., which is still very much Post country. Obviously, the stories will be leaning toward the local boy.
Edgar, 31, also happens to be a media darling. UFC president Dana White has likened him to a 21st century version of Rocky Balboa. He’s gritty, tough and a fan favorite. Aldo, 26, is from Brazil, so there’s a language barrier. He simply doesn’t do as many interviews.
What Aldo is though is straight dominant. Maybe that’s slightly boring. He hasn’t lost a fight under the Zuffa and has rarely been challenged.
What people are overlooking here is that this fight is almost as big for Aldo as it is for Edgar. Outside of a post-prime Kenny Florian, Aldo has not had as tough a fight as Edgar will surely present him Saturday night. There’s little doubt: Edgar will be his toughest challenge. Wrestling and cardio are potential weakneses in Aldo’s game and those are two of Edgar’s greatest strengths.
Aldo is already mentioned right with guys like Silva, Jon Jones and George St-Pierre when people are talking about the best fighters in the world. As far as popularity goes, though, Aldo is not even close to them. Edgar is probably a bigger draw. Perhaps that could all change with a dominant victory Saturday night.
Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Why is Evans fighting someone who is barely in the top 10 among light heavyweights? Probably because Rashad has been around long enough to have faced most of the other elite guys in the division. There are many interesting fights out there for him at 205, but his near future might be at middleweight. Dana White has said that if Evans wins he’ll have the option to drop down and challenge champion Anderson Silva. While Nogueira has the boxing skills and power to play spoiler, it’s hard to believe he’ll be able to contend with the stronger, more athletic Evans in the takedown game.
Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva
The last time we saw Overeem in the Octagon it was December 2011 when he was systematically taking apart Brock Lesnar. Overeem finished the former heavyweight champion with a liver kick and Lesnar announced his retirement afterward. A few months later, Overeem was suspended for failing a drug test and he was just cleared to fight in December.
Could the long layoff hurt him against a big, unorthodox guy like “Bigfoot?” Doubtful. Overeem has his sights set on the heavyweight title and he’ll earn a shot against champion Cain Velasquez if he wins here – the shot he would have gotten had he not been popped for performance-enhancing drugs.
Jon Fitch vs. Demian Maia
One thing is certain here: this fight will go to the ground. Who takes it there could be the one with his hand raised a few minutes later. Fitch is one of the very best wrestlers in MMA; Maia is one of the best jiu-jitsu practioners. Something will have to give. Maia has looked excellent since dropping down to welterweight, while Fitch has been one of the best 170-pounders in the world for half a decade. Very interesting fight.
Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall
The flyweights took center stage last week at UFC on FOX and put on a show. After champion Demetrious Johnson and John Dodson, these two guys are probably the next best 125-pounders on the planet. Expect a fast-pace fight that will take place everywhere. Benavidez is the favorite, but McCall nearly beat Johnson last year during the organization’s flyweight tournament.
PRELIMS
Gleison Tibau vs. Evan Dunham
Tyron Woodley vs. Jay Hieron
Jacob Volkmann vs. Bobby Green
Yves Edwards vs. Isaac Vallie Flagg
Chico Camus vs. Dustin Kimura
Francisco Rivera vs. Edwin Figueroa
The most fascinating fight on the prelims is Woodley-Hieron by far. Hieron is a sturdy, durable veteran who hails from Long Island. Woodley is a very promising prospect coming over from Strikeforce. Both guys are strong wrestlers, so expect this to be a standup fight. Edwards is coming off a huge knockout of Jeremy Stephens yet takes a step back against Vallie Flagg. Weird matchmaking. Volkmann is as consistent as he is boring to watch and Tibau-Dunham is a bout between two guys treading water in the loaded lightweight division.
PREDICTIONS
Edgar
Evans
Overeem
Fitch
McCall
Dunham
Hieron
Volkmann
Edwards
Camus
Rivera
Fight of the Night: Aldo vs. Edgar
Knockout of the Night: Overeem
Submission of the Night: McCall