This Saturday, the UFC returns to Brazil for UFC 198, a card stacked from top to bottom with various of the countries MMA legends. This is the the GetMoreSports UFC 198 Preview, where we shall look at the various match ups, including the headlining Heavyweight title fight.
Mixed Martial Arts, the UFC and Brazil have a long history together. With the undersized and underestimated Royce Gracie changing the face of combat sports through victory at UFC 1, the South American country has long been considered the sports spiritual home.
UFC 198 appears to be very much a celebration of that fact, playing host to a veritable ‘who’s who’ of Brazilian martial artists. At the top of that list, is current UFC Heavyweight Champion, Fabricio Werdum, who will be defending his title against contender Stipe Miocic.
The bout has come to fruition in a somewhat unusual way. Originally scheduled to rematch former champion Cain Velasquez in February at UFC Fight Night 82, that fight was scrapped due to Velasquez pulling out with injury. When the UFC attempted to have Miocic step in to face the champion on short notice, Werdum announced his withdrawal from the fight.
Claiming he would have fought against Cain, but not against Miocic, Werdum decision garnered some criticism from fans. In the end, the UFC allowed Werdum time to heal before rebooking the Miocic bout.
With his last victory coming over Velasquez, Werdum found his name being put forth as potentially the best heavyweight in the sports history. Owning victories over Velasquez, Fedor Emelianenko, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, themselves three of the best ever, it’s not a reputation unearned. In Miocic, Werdum comes against a name not quite yet etched in the annals of history.
Miocic comes in to UFC 198 after a two impressive victories over Mark Hunt and the resurgent Andrei Arlovski. A game fighter, it’s likely Miocic will go forward aggressively, unwilling to give Werdum the space to dictate the range. As always in a Werdum fight, any time the men hit the mat, the favour goes firmly to the Brazillian.
Werdum will have an opportunity to show off his ever increasing striking ability, and likely has the cardio advantage. Look for him to keep Miocic at bay with front kicks and jabs, before upping the tempo in the later rounds.
Then in the co-main event, we have not one but two Brazillian icons.
Vitor Belfort, who earlier this week made headlines after claiming the UFC’s sponsorship deal with Reebok was leaving him in a position not dissimilar to slavery, has long been a figure of controversy.
A known steroid user, ‘the Phenom’ is renowned for his late career resurgence and the era of TRT-Vitor (in which Belfort went on a run of wins via vicious headkicks). Since testosterone replacement therapy’s exile from the sport however, Belfort’s seems to have slowed.
Losing to (then Middleweight champion) Chris Weidman, Belfort comes into UFC 198 with a fairly unimpressive victory over Dan Henderson. Yet such is the power of the veterans name, a win over his opponent on Saturday could potentially push Belfort into another title shot. For that discussion to begin, however, Belfort must defeat Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza.
Souza was last seen at UFC 194, where he was defeated by Yoel Romero via split-decision. Souza is regarded as a grappling wizard, with sixteen of his twenty two victories coming by submission.
Belfort is regarded as one of the most dangerous men in the sport during the first round, and Souza showed himself to be something of a slow starter against Romero. Should Souza hold on until the end of the first, he could easily cause Vitor some real problems in the later stages of the fight.
Also on the card will be the UFC debut of womens featherweight Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino, who faces off against Leslie Smith in a catchweight bout at 140lbs.
Long been speculated as coming into the UFC, as one of the best women’s fighters ever, Cyborg’s exclusion from the promotion had long been a point of contention amongst fans. Now, that point can be put to rest and Cyborg can make her mark with an impressive debut.
Check out the odds for UFC 198 here.
