Dominick Cruz vs Urijah Faber at UFC 132: Cruz vs Faber II on July 2nd
The biggest Bantamweight fight in MMA history which is actually a rematch from their 2007 WEC Featherweight Title bout which then champion Faber won by guillotine choke in the 1st Round. Stakes are even higher this time around as they both main event a major UFC event for the first time and the rivalry has really heated up between them since then. The winner of this bout will definitely hold the #1 rank in my Bantamweight rankings as well as be near the top of the pound for pound rankings.
Fedor Emelianenko vs Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Fedor vs Henderson on July 30th
Probably the biggest fight Strikeforce can book for Fedor right now as he has now lost 2 in row. A call for Fedor to drop weight and fight at 205 was a possibility and when a rumoured bout with Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion it seemed like that was the likely course for Fedor's career. But it's actually ended up a bout in the Heavyweight division and now the story really has shifted from a possible career changing move by Fedor to Henderson going all the way to Heavyweight to take on one of the most feared fighters in MMA history. Perhaps the pressure will now be off Fedor to perform and he will be able get his career back on track, but stands in his way is heavy handed Henderson who at age 40 is not at all ready to call it a career.
Joe Warren vs Patricio Freire at Bellator 47 on July 23rd
A rematch from their Bellator 23 bout for the Featherweight tournament final that Warren won by a controversial split decision. Since that loss Freire again entered the Bellator Featherweight tournament and this time won it tearing through his 3 opponents and setting up the rematch. Warren went on to win the Bellator Featherweight title after beating Freire and has now set his sights on the bantamweight tournament and title. Predicting he will win the bantamweight tournament and title is a bold enough statement but before any of that he has to get passed the dangerous and surging Freire before any of those future aspirations can happen. The winner of this bout will not only be ranked in the top 5 Bantamweights but as one of the best fighters outside of the Zuffa banner.
Marloes Coenen vs Miesha Tate at Strikeforce: Fedor vs Henderson on July 30th
The first Women's title fight since Zuffa bought Strikeforce takes place before the big Fedor vs Henderson bout but is just as if not more important to their respective divisions. Honestly and with respect to the Cyborg vs Carano bout this is the biggest women's fight Strikeforce has booked to date. I say that because I look at this as a much more competitive, evenly matched bout. With the recent departure from Strikeforce of Cyborg Santos the winner of this bout will definitely become the face of Strikeforce's women's MMA but still behind her in my pound for pound rankings in the #2 spot.
With respect to the Wanderlei Silva vs Chris Leben and Tito Ortiz vs Ryan Bader bouts that are happening after this bout at UFC 132 I included this fight because the winner of it will be much closer to a title shot than the 2 fights mentioned. Condit is already my 6th ranked Welterweight and if I had a "on the bubble" section Kim would be right there. Not only does this bout have title implications with it, it's importance is matched by it's potential to be a really exciting fight as both fighters set a pretty fast pace. Tweet
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