At UFC on FX 5 there is the potential for a new name to push his way into the heavyweight title picture. Travis Browne is facing Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in the main event, and this is his opportunity to grab ahold of the hype that has been surrounding his name for much of the last year, and transform that into contendership momentum. With a highlight reel finish, Browne could be the next name added to a very short line of contenders among the UFC’s big men.
With an overall record of 13-0-1, Browne has had an interesting run under the Zuffa banner. Though undefeated in five fights in the Octagon, he has to credit Cheick Kongo, just as much as his own skill, for that unblemished record. At UFC 120, Browne walked out of the Octagon with a draw instead of a defeat due to negative tactics that Kongo used, which forced referee Marc Goddard to deduct a point. Kongo was up on the scorecards before that point, and his actions helped Browne maintain his undefeated streak.
However, it was his next bout that caught everyone’s attention . At UFC 130 he scored a knockout victory over Stefan Struve that still stands out as one of the more “video game-esque” knockouts in recent memory. The superman punch that made Struve bend over like a falling tree caused everyone to stand up in shock, and gave Browne the signature win that he needed to distinguish him from the rest of the fighters winning fights within the weight class.
Even though Silva is riding a two-fight losing streak, he is still considered a tough opponent for any athlete in the heavyweight division. However, Browne is one of the few fighters that holds a size advantage over Silva, and that should play an interesting role in how “Bigfoot” approaches this bout. With 20 knockout victories between them, fight fans can expect that these two individuals will both step into the Octagon with the intent to end the fight with a big punch. Silva is the more technical kickboxer of the two, but Browne has the power to test his chin at a moment’s notice.
That is not to say that the ground aspect of MMA will not come into play at all, though. Neither Silva nor Browne has a high number of finishes by submission, but both men have shown the ability to control the positional battle on the mat. If the fight does reach the mat, it will be captivating to see which individual can best the other on scrambles and other ground techniques, and if either fighter has a strength advantage over the other. Expectations lean towards this bout being contested solely on the feet, but if either athlete employs a strategy of taking his opponent down, that will quickly change the complexion of the bout.
To be considered a true contender at heavyweight, Browne needs to walk out of the Octagon with a victory. Losing to Silva would place him in among the ranks of “gatekeepers” like Matt Mitrione and Pat Barry. However, if he can stop Antonio Silva in a similar fashion to the way Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez did, that victory would catapult Browne into the ranks of elite heavyweights, and open up big opportunities in 2013.
