UFC 235 is coming our way tonight from Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s without a doubt one of the most stacked cards of the year. I know it’s only March, but this card will be hard to beat. With two title fights on the card, one being the pound-for-pound king Jon Jones and the start for Ben Askren in the UFC, Saturday night is a can’t miss night.
Jon Jones, who many believe to be the greatest MMA fighter of all-time, will defend his belt for the ninth time in his career. This is a quick turn around for Jones after his last fight in December. It seems like he has a lot of time to make up for. His opponent this time around is Anthony Smith. Smith has compiled a 7-2 record since entering the UFC with a couple big KO’s. Although, with a weak 205-pound division, it seems like a lackluster opponent for Jon Jones. I mean, once you beat DC twice what does a man like Anthony Smith have for you? Nothing. Nothing is the answer.
The second title fight is a lot more interesting! Tyron Woodley is putting his welterweight title on the line against “The Nigerian Nightmare” Kamaru Usman. This truly is a great fight at the 170-pound division. Woodley has been a dominant champion that seems almost impossible to beat at this point. His wrestling is as strong as anyone’s, and he combines it with the biggest KO punch in the division. That makes him extremely difficult to beat. You have to out strike him without getting taken down.
Can Usman be the man to crack that case? I’m not sure if he can, but he has the tools to do it. You need a strong combination of wrestling and striking, and Usman has both of those in spades. Usman is going to be a very tough test for Woodley. He may even be a “nightmare,” if I may. I still see the fight going the way Woodley wants it to and controlling his opponent as he always does. It’s going to take a lot to beat Woodley, and I don’t think Usman has proved enough at this point for me to think he has what it takes.
The fight I’m most looking forward to is the debut of welterweight Ben Askren. He’s been stirring the pot with all the UFC fighters since he entered the promotion after being traded from ONE Championship for Demetrious Johnson. He’s an undefeated fighter who’s been a champion at all other promotions he’s fought for in his career. After being one of the best collegiate wrestlers of all-time, he sticks to that blueprint and wins every fight by putting his opponents on their back, and they can’t get up. He told Joe Rogan that he hasn’t even been punched in the last three years of his fighting career.
Askren is a loud mouth and doesn’t care who knows it. He speaks his mind no matter what. He’s been very vocal about Dana White and how Dana didn’t want Ben in the UFC in previous years. Askren has been outspoken about Dana and every UFC fighter on the roster.
This is probably why White is throwing Askren to the wolves in his first UFC fight. He’ll be fighting former UFC champion Robbie Lawler. “Ruthless,” as he’s known in the MMA world, is one of the greatest welterweights of all-time and truly one of the most legendary warriors in the UFC history. The heart and will power of Lawler has been the difference in many of his fights. In a fight when the person who riots first is going to lose Robbie Lawler will win every time. Will that be the case against Askren?
The answer is no. Ben Askren isn’t going to find himself in a war with Robbie. That’s what Robbie wants. Ben wants to take Robbie down and control the fight at his pace. I see this fight going how Askren wants it to, taking Robbie down, and keeping him on his back for the fight. I see Askren winning by decision. Many people may think Askren is a boring fighter. That may be, but the fact is, boring or not, he’s undefeated and wrestling is a part of MMA. And, if you think watching a wrestler is boring, don’t watch MMA.
The prelims are also can’t miss! And, now they can be seen on ESPN! I still can’t believe the UFC on ESPN. It’s awesome. The main event of the prelims is a hell of a fight that non-PPV viewers will get to see. One of the most talked about up and coming fighters, Zabit Magomedsharipov, is fighting a UFC veteran and long-time top-ranked featherweight Jeremy Stephens.
This is a classic case of a technical striker vs a brawler. Zabit is one of the most impressive strikers I’ve ever seen and wows everyone in each fight more than the last. With a 16-1 overall record and a 3-0 record in the UFC, Zabit has the spotlight on him for a title shot, and showcasing on ESPN to the world will only help his case at a title shot.
Jeremy Stephens is nothing to sneeze at. Coming into a fight with Stephens overlooking him will get you knocked out real quick. “Lil’ Heathen” Stephens can beat anyone on a given night and may possess the most KO power in the featherweight division.
I think they chose the perfect fight to wrap up the prelims on ESPN. Keep this fight on free television for casual fans to watch. A fight like this, that I expect to be a great back-and-forth fight between two strikers, is perfect for the casual fan to watch and be persuaded to buy a PPV or tune in next time it’s on ESPN.
I’m picking Zabit to win this fight. It may be hard to finish Stephens, though. Zabit has a couple of submission finishes, but it’s mostly because they can’t take his striking anymore and give up the neck. I’m not sure if Zabit can do that to Stephens, but he’s so good that I have to pick Zabit by TKO.
I can’t wait for tonight! It’ll be one great fight after another as the UFC delivers for us once again. I hope everyone enjoys the fights. Let me know what you think about them!