To say that UFC 168 isn’t the most anticipated card of 2013, or ever really is like saying Lady Gaga doesn’t change costumes 168 times in one concert.
Two main events are scheduled to headline this card of the year Saturday Dec. 28 on Pay Per View, and the best way to describe it is “Revenge”. Two former champions in their respective weight classes Anderson “The Spider” Silva, and Miesha “Cupcake” Tate are looking to regain what was taken from them by the hands, fists, and legs of the current champions.
In the co-main event we have the UFC women Bantamweight title on the line, when Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey (7-0) defending her undefeated streak, and belt takes on the woman who she first took the title from in former Strikeforce 145 titleholder Miesha Tate (13-4).
If fight fans haven’t paid attention, these two gals have one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history. It rivals Yankees-Red Sox, Bears-Packers, Ohio State-Michigan, and Lil Bowo -Lil Romeo. Well, you get where this is going, but these two carry such venom for each other Spiderman himself couldn’t control it. It got even worse after this past season of “The Ultimate Fighter’ Where in the end, Miesha outcoached Ronda to a sweep in the finale.
FIRST FIGHT:
Rousey scored a first round submission victory by armbar, which most fans should be used to, because all of her 7 pro fights have ended in fist round armbars, with one of those armbars happening in March of 2012 against Tate. Miesha controlled the standup, but she got a little to aggressive in that fight letting her emotions of Ronda get the best of her, and she paid for it by being submitted in the first round.
KEYS TO VICTORY
Ronda is an accomplished Judo practitioner, winning the bronze medal in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, where she became the first American women to ever medal in Olympic Judo. Rousey will have the advantage in grappling, though Miesha isn’t a slouch on the mat, she’s got a better chance not attached to Ronda.
With the fight starting on its feet, Miesha just needs to keep the fight standing, and be aggressive, yet cautious if she wants to “Shock the world”, as she’s previously stated.
Now to the “Main event of the evening” as Octagon ring announcer Bruce Buffer would say. One of the most anticipated rematches in UFC history is going to take place Saturday night, and it matches the greatest fighter in the sports entire existence in former UFC Middleweight champion, and challenger Anderson “The Spider” Silva (33-5) against a man who was able to do something no other human was able to do before him, and that’s not only beat Anderson Silva in the UFC, but also do it in a brutal fashion Chris “The All American” Weidman (10-0) the current champion at 185 in the UFC.
FIRST FIGHT:
Everyone loves Silva, because he’s flashy, and plays to the crowd, but Weidman made him pay for that mistake with a left to the chin, while the former champions hands were down taunting, and the current champion dropped him, got close and rained down several punches before getting his hands raised, by referee Herb Dean.
KEYS TO VICTORY:
Anderson now knows he’s got to take Weidman seriously, because he was put to sleep like a toddler after 3 hours at the playground. Silva needs to use his elusive striking (With his hands up this time), and keep the fight long enough to negate Chris’ offense.
Weidman on the other hand just needs to mix it up, just as he did in the first fight, go for takedowns, and mix up strikes with them. This Saturday night proves to be a can’t miss Pay Per View for any fight fans around the world, because all four fighters have something to prove. Champions have to prove it wasn’t a fluke the first time around, and why they’re among the best the UFC has to offer.
While the challengers proving it was a one time thing, and they’ve made the proper adjustments to regain that illustrious gold back around their waist