If you’ve ever woken up and said “You know, there’s not enough MMA on TV nowadays,” then tomorrow will excite you beyond all measure. The UFC is going for the unprecedented feat of hosting two events back-to-back. UFC Fight Night 41: Munoz vs. Mousasi will kick off the day in Berlin, Germany, only to be followed up approximately 30 minutes after that event ends with The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 Finale, UFC Fight Night: Miocic vs. Maldonado, in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
44 men will step into the Octagon to compete. There will be more than enough action to go around, and at first glance, it might seem a little bit overwhelming, but if you look at the main events of each show, you’ll see that these cards offer distinct flavors to sate the tastes of both hardcore and casual fight fans.
Mark Munoz is facing a former Strikeforce and two-division Dream champion in a bout that will help shape up the middle of the 185-pound weight class. Since Anderson Silva‘s injury, the middleweight division has become very interesting to watch, as multiple athletes have forced their names onto the contender’s list. Munoz and Gegard Mousasi are both within the bottom half of that pack, but putting on a great show will help them make a case for moving up. Also worth noting is the style matchup in this contest. Munoz brings the wrestling, which has hampered Mousasi in the past, but Mousasi’s striking can expose Munoz’s suspect chin. They may not be two names that move the needle for fans, but they have the potential to create an intriguing fight that will be much better than one might initially expect.
On the other hand, casual fans in search of pure violence should get a kick out of the contest between Stipe Miocic and Fabio Maldonado. This fight doesn’t present the same style conundrum as the bout in Germany. Instead, these guys will likely find themselves in the type of heavyweight brawl that mainstream fans hope for. Miocic has slowly been climbing the shallow heavyweight ladder, and when his original fight against Junior dos Santos was scrapped after the former champion was forced out due to injury, instead of another “big name” entering the fray, the incredibly durable Maldonado stepped in to take the bout.
While this does seem like an example of a MMA “squash match,” anyone familiar with Maldonado’s exploits knows that he’s one of those fighters that can take a tremendous beating, and still pull a vicious knockout out of his hat. He’s riding a three-fight win streak, and all of those bouts have been exciting slugfests. Miocic is more of a technical fighter who knows how to control fights before they get dirty, but Maldonado can drag a fight with nearly anyone into the muck with nearly anyone. This has all the makings of a fight that will leave the Sao Paulo crowd cheering.
But there are other reasons to watch these cards than just their main events. The Rony Jason vs. Robbie Peralta fight in Brazil provides another opportunity for Jason to build his name in front of his home country’s fans, while pushing his name beyond the country’s borders on American television. Rodrigo Damm vs. Rashid Magomedov features another one of the Russian prospects on the UFC’s roster who are trying to break through, and should be a fun scrap.
Over in Germany, the bout between Francis Carmont and C.B. Dollaway may not end up being as exciting as most would like, but there is still a lot at stake within the middleweight rankings. The fight between Sean Strickland and Luke Barnatt will help us figure out which competitor is ready to take the next steps in his career. And lastly, the Vaughn Lee vs. Iuri Alcantara fight has the potential to be the fight that steals the whole show.
When it’s all said and done, there’s a chance that many fans will sit through nearly 13 straight hours of mixed martial arts action on Saturday. Though complaints of oversaturation continue to abound, the UFC remains undaunted, giving us MMA action on two continents in the same evening. And even if the sport’s biggest names won’t be in action, there’s still the potential for a thrill ride from the afternoon to the late night that will leave any fight fan more than satisfied.
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UFC Fight Night 41: Munoz vs. Mousasi is due to take place on May 31, 2014 at the O2 World Berlin in Berlin, Germany.
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UFC Fight Night: Miocic vs. Maldonado (formerly The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 Finale: Miocic vs. Maldonado, The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 Finale: Dos Santos vs. Miocic, UFC Fight Night: Sonnen vs. Silva) is due to take place on May 31, 2014 at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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