The UFC Heavyweight title is on the line at UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2. Champion Cain Velasquez (11-1 MMA; 9-1 UFC) defends against Antonio Silva (18-4 MMA; 2-1 UFC). This five round title fight is the main event of the five fight PPV main card. The UFC rankings have Silva as the #4 contender (and, for what it's worth, Cain as the #6 pound-for-pound fighter). UFC 160 is live on PPV this Saturday May 25, with the main card beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT.
Rematches happen for a variety of reasons - an inconclusive finish, a great first fight, a personal grudge. This rematch is none of those. The last time these two fought at UFC 146 almost one year ago to the day, Velasquez flat out mauled Bigfoot. He took him down, cut him open, and left him a bloody heap, scoring a first round TKO win in a very conclusive fight. This rematch then is more a fight of necessity, born out of various other possible contenders either being tied up or losing. That may not make it the best main event ever, but that's what happens sometimes.
How do these two stack up?
Velasquez: 30 years old | 6'1" | 77" reach
Silva: 33 years old | 6'4" | 82" reach
What have these two done recently?
Velasquez: W - Junior dos Santos (UD) | W - Antonio Silva (TKO) | L - Junior dos Santos (KO)
Silva: W - Alistair Overeem (KO) | W - Travis Browne (KO) | L - Cain Velasquez (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Cain Velasquez won the UFC Heavyweight title from Brock Lesnar in 2010. At the time an undefeated fighter, Velasquez seemed on the verge of a dominant run as champ. But a shoulder injury and quick KO loss to Junior dos Santos stopped his momentum. He bounced back with the Silva win, but few gave him a shot in a rematch against JDS. Velasquez surprised people with a dominant decision victory, accomplishing what only Randy Couture and Tim Sylvia had previously managed - regaining the UFC Heavyweight title. That title has never sat around a champion's waist for long - let's see if Velasquez can break that trend with this run.
More on UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2
Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva seemed like a good, slightly lower tier contender during his EliteXC and Strikeforce runs. But his 2011 win over Fedor Emelianenko made him a serious contender. He followed that up with losses to Daniel Cormier and Velasquez, and once again seemed back to a lower level. But a pair of wins over Browne and, most impressively, Overeem have him back in contention. He's the heavy underdog here, and it's tempting to write him off - but Heavyweight is a division where you should never write anyone off, particularly the man who defied the odds against Fedor, defied the odds against Reem.
Why should you care?
Close fight or not, this should be a fun one, with Cain likely putting a beating on Bigfoot, and the game underdog trying to survive and pull off the miracle once again. Oh, and the lineal title - don't forget about that!
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