The days leading to the UFC 110 were filled with UFC news, stories and rumours about how the contenders condition themselves for their fights. Recently, UFC followers have been watching closely how former champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira conditioned himself mentally for the match with unbeaten fighter Cain Velasquez in Sydney, Australia.
The main event was predicted to attract a large crowd of fans and supporters, as the Acer Arena apparently sold out to some 16,500 spectators, making it the second most sold out event in the UFC’s 16 year history.
Nogueira vs. Velasquez
All eyes focus on the main event, not only because its winner gets a shot at a world heavyweight title, but also because fans and UFC enthusiasts are curious about the apparent mismatch between a former champ and UFC coach like Nogueira and the young though inexperienced Velasquez.
While most bets favor Velasquez for his undefeated record, his formidable boxing and wrestling skills and an endless supply of oxygen in his gas tank, Nogueira’s massive experience should not be discounted. Nogueira has fought the A-list of MMA heavyweights and in his latest fight, he came out victorious in a unanimous decision against Couture in August 2009.
Silva vs. Bisping
In addition to the Nogueira-Velasquez match, UFC fans also witnessed the mental game between Silva and Bisping in the co-main event. Silva has dropped from 205 to 185 but this alone doesn’t guarantee a win. After all, he lost 5 out of the last 6 fights he was in and losing 20 pounds does not equate to gaining more power.
Bisping, on the other hand, is a methodical fighter, picking on his opponent until he wears him out. His less than perfect track record is countered by the experience gained by a longer time in the middleweight division than Silva. Still, many MMA followers think he’s no match to Silva’s aggressive prowess in the octagon.
Other fights in the card of UFC 110 are Joe Stevenson versus George Sotiropoulos in the UFC lightweight division and Keith Jardine against Ryan Bader in the light heavyweight division. Heavyweight Mirko Filipovic takes on Anthony Perosh who has replaced Rothwell.
Also in the UFC news are the cancelled rematch between fellow Aussies Elvis Sinosic and Chris Haseman and the bout between Ben Rothwell and Mirko Filipovic. Sinosic has been knocked down by a shoulder injury while Rothwell is ill. Instead Mirko will fight Australian Anthony Perosh.
So it’s all systems go for UFC 110.
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