UFC 116 official and shaping up nicely
The UFC officially UFC 116 this week and the rumored main event of Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin was also announced. The unified Heavyweight title is on the line as both will enter the cage with belts but only one can leave with one. Easily the biggest Heavyweight (both 265lbs.) fight the UFC has seen since the formation of the division. Lesnar (4-1) has been out since UFC 100 with diverticulitis and when fight time comes it will be almost one year to the day so ring rust will be a big concern. Carwin (12-0) is coming off a 1st round TKO over Frank Mir to win the interim Heavyweight belt at UFC 111. There is one thing that is for sure with this fight and that’s it will not get into the judges hands for a decision.
Happening the 4th of July holiday weekend you can expect Dana White and company to put on a huge show with Vegas rocking hard that weekend.
Also announced this week for the card is the long discussed bout between Wanderlei Silva and Yoshihiro Akiyama plus the rematch between Stephan Bonnar and Krzysztof Soszynski. Akiyama (13-1, 2NC), like Lesnar hasn’t fought since UFC 100 where he made his UFC debut against Alan Belcher winning by split decision. He was thought to be fighting Silva (33-10-1, 1NC) at UFC 110 but instead Michael Bisping fought Silva that night. Akiyama has long wanted to fight Silva which is likely the reason for the long break from fighting. Soszynski (19-9-1) defeated Bonnar (11-7) at UFC 110 by doctor stoppage (cut) sustained from an accidental head butt. Their first fight was a blood bath an entertaining so a rematch minus the head butt should again be a good one.
The UFC 116 card is quickly filling up especially the undercard, with 7 total fights announced 4 of which are part of the nights undercard. Two rumored main card fights yet to be announced are a Lightweights Kurt Pellegrino vs. George Sotiropoulos and Heavyweights Cheick Kongo vs. Roy Nelson. Sotiropoulos (12-2) is coming off a win over former title contender Joe Stevenson and will look to continue his raise up the Lightweight division. Since his appearance on season 6 of the Ultimate fighter he is 5-0 in the UFC. He will have his hands full though against Pellegrino (15-4) who is riding a 4 fight streak and is 7-3 overall in the UFC. The kongo fight might stay as rumor though as he is nursing a back injury sustained in his last fight versus Paul Buentello.
The main card still needs some work but it’s looking solid so far, here is what the card looks like right now (rumored fights in italics)
Main event:
265 lbs.: Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin
Main card:
185 lbs.: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Wanderlei Silva
155 lbs.: Kurt Pellegrino vs. George Sotiropoulos
265 lbs.: Cheick Kongo vs. Roy Nelson
Under card:
265 lbs.: Brendan Schaub vs. Chris Tuchscherer
205 lbs.: Stephan Bonnar vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
270 lbs.: Matt Brown vs. Chris Lytle
265 lbs.: Jon Madsen vs. Karlos Vemola
170 lbs.: Kendall Grove vs. Goran Reljic
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