Why Junior dos Santos’ “UFC 131″ Win is Great for the UFC
The unfortunate result of this past weekend’s UFC 131 headline bout between Shane Carwin and Junior dos Santos was clearly evident come the end of the third round. Despite showing vastly improved cardio, Carwin’s face was mangled; multiple lacerations and a broken nose left him looking more like the monster of a horror film than a world-class fighter. Yet despite Carwin’s brutal condition, Junior dos Santos’ dominant victory signaled not merely another step forward in the sport for the young Brazilian, but a triumphant victory for the UFC as a whole. In fact, in the wake of Brock Lesnar pulling out of the fight and prior to dos Santos’ pending bout with UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez, here are just a few of the ways that the UFC came out on top following the win by “Cigano.”
Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos pushes UFC’s ever-expanding borders.
Despite UFC light heavyweight Fabio Maldonado’s recent declaration that Brazilian’s still have a long way to go in matching American mixed martial artists, the UFC’s much anticipated return to Rio de Janeiro this summer will without a doubt showcase Brazil’s wild passion for the sport. While America might remain the UFC’s largest market, considering the promotion’s forthcoming international expansion of its Ultimate Fighter reality series it’s becoming clear that the push in the future is going to be global; what better way to make that push than by showcasing a pair of elite talents who represent cultures outside of the U.S.? Just look at how the UFC promoted Velasquez’s victory over Brock Lesnar last October, utilizing his heritage to command international headlines. Think they’d have an equal opportunity to advance non-American relations with match between Velasquez and another muscle-bound American wrestler? Hardly.
What would have happened if Brock Lesnar was in Carwin’s shoes?
Had Lesnar actually been able to compete against his opposing Ultimate Fighter coach would he have fared any better than Carwin did? Certainly Lesnar’s wrestling ability is vastly superior to Carwin’s (and dos Santos’ for that matter), and his aggressive charging-forward fighting style has been known to work in his favor, but unless he’s able to take his opponent down and land top position or control in the clinch, Lesnar has proven that he isn’t the most comfortable fighter the Octagon has ever seen. Especially when he’s getting punched.
Knowing the former NCAA Division I wrestling star’s self-admitted inability to withstand such a barrage of strikes — as witnessed in both his matches with Carwin and Velasquez — that potentially awaited him with the pending dos Santos bout, chances are that Lesnar would have had a difficult time combating the young Brazilian in that realm. Further, what exactly might have happened if Junior dos Santos were to have defeated Brock Lesnar?
A record of 5-3 (4-3 in the UFC) is hardly anything to get too excited about, and all of the Brock-haters in MMA-land would be the first to challenge the former pro-wrestler’s will, determination, and ultimately his ability within the Octagon had he lost. Lesnar will likely draw massive PPV numbers for as long as he competes in the UFC, but without another blemish on his record parallel to the one dos Santos just stamped on Carwin’s, he remains a much more viable opponent in fans’ eyes; which means more money for Lesnar, and ultimately more money for the UFC. Shane Carwin carries far less of a public name than Lesnar and remains practically as marketable as he’s always been despite the loss, while the former UFC Heavyweight Champion might have received a blow far more detrimental to his career than simply another mark on his loss column had he fared the same.
Can we finally forget that super heavyweight talk?
It’s practically a moot point at this time, but high profile victories by the likes of dos Santos and Velasquez, each weighing in the ballpark of 240 pounds at recent weigh-ins, added further proof that there is no need for a highly contested super-heavyweight weight division. Dana White stated in the post-fight press conference this past weekend that the UFC has never really considered it; here’s hoping that with showings like dos Santos’, fans stop considering it too.
Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos will be a phenomenal fight.
While some have already started wondering aloud if the pending clash with these brilliant fighters could be the “best heavyweight fight ever,” what’s almost guaranteed is that it will be supremely memorable. Dana White still insists that Velasquez holds the edge, yet the early betting odds have the champion the slight underdog; each fighter remains ever-developing and with dos Santos’ rapidly improved wrestling skills (not to downplay his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt) Velasquez might not have as much of a grappling and mat advantage as history might suggest. And with dos Santos’ sharp boxing technique that he put on display against Carwin, he provided ample evidence that he’s hardly an inferior striker and will indeed be “coming for” the champion.
We know the UFC’s ecstatic concerning the pending bout between these two MMA stars, but as a fan of the sport and an intrigued onlooker into where it’s headed in the future: I can’t wait.