Back in February, the UFC confirmed that former UFC middleweight kingpin Rich "Ace" Franklin (24-4-0-1) would, in fact, continue his run in the light heavyweight division with a matchup against former PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva (32-9-1-1). The UFC 99 preview has dubbed this bout a battle between "aggressive" fighters with Rich's reign in past relying on his power and abilities to punish opponents while Wanderlei's overly aggressive brawling led to his status as being considered one of the most feared fighters in MMA. Most fans felt that this was simply a catchweight matchup for pure entertainment value, but as we've come to realize... this bout is much more than a main event matchup. It may be a bout that could produce some major hype for the UFC's middleweight division, and some interesting matchups in the light heavyweight division depending on the outcome.

As Michael Rome pointed out in his article regarding the UFC 99 Countdown show, Dana White has made it clear that Wanderlei Silva will be in line to take on the current UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva if he's able to defeat Forrest Griffin at UFC 101. Of course, this depends on if Wanderlei Silva still has enough left in the tank to defeat Franklin at UFC 99.

Wanderlei has had quite a rough time in his current tenure in the UFC. He's currently 1-2 within the promotion while being 1-4 in his last 5 bouts, all against top competition within the middleweight and light heavyweight weight classes. His brawling style combined with his raw power is a formidable beast to any opponent, but his style over the years has caused severe strain on his body as he ages. He also hasn't been technically sound in his striking for most of his career, and he heavily relies on the fact that he comes forward at a tenacious pace to keep opponents on the run.

Franklin has enjoyed much more success than Wanderlei has recently. He's 3-2 in his last 5 fights with a controversial loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 93, and a devastating loss to Anderson Silva for the second time at UFC 77. He's been impressive in wins over Travis Lutter and Matt Hamill, and he continues to show a well-rounded skillset instead of a one-dimensional game like Wanderlei. He'll be looking to continue his progression within the light heavyweight picture with a win.

Stylistically, this is an attractive fight on paper. Wanderlei's destructive punching and aggression has real potential to be too strong for Franklin. As we've seen in past fights with Anderson Silva, Franklin's chin isn't immune to heavy shots. While it's a stretch to say Franklin has a weak chin, it's definitely an area in which Silva can take full advantage.

The only real counterpoint to that is that Franklin has a much more well-rounded game. He has dynamic abilities in the standup game, solid power in his hands, good ground abilities, and he's the lengthier fighter. He'll have a reach advantage, and it's going to be a tough prospect for Wanderlei to wade through Franklin's punching to land the big shot.

The UFC is likely wanting to see Wanderlei win this matchup as they will be pushing for a Anderson Silva vs. Wanderlei Silva showdown with some hype being created out of Anderson Silva helping Rich Franklin train for the UFC 99 matchup. If Wanderlei loses, it's likely we'll see Maia or Okami in a title shot bout against Anderson Silva over Wanderlei, which probably isn't as exciting for the UFC brass to swallow.

A Franklin win opens up some more opportunities for him in the light heavyweight division. I could see Franklin potentially taking on the winner of Jardine vs. Thiago Silva, or the UFC giving Luis Cane a shot at Franklin. If Griffin loses to Silva, there is always the possibility of Franklin being thrown into a battle with Griffin. In any case, it'll make for another headlining battle for the UFC. It isn't Silva vs. Silva, but the UFC probably has no problems with this prospect.

This rounds out the UFC 99 main card action. With all the solid matchups set to take place, this card has turned out to be a real gem on this year's roster of UFC cards. Most of the main card matchups involve some heavy thinking when it comes down to styles and picking a winner. Enjoy the fights everyone!