UFC 199: Rockhold vs Bisping - Main card preview and predictions
If UFC 200 has been touted as a historic landmark occasion for the company, the preceding card that is all set to roll out this weekend at the Fabulous Forum in California doesn’t fall far from the mark based on the richness of talent on display either.
Featuring a bevy of entertaining stylistic match-ups, the culmination of a couple of bitter rivalries and a potential ‘ride-off-into-the-sunset’ retirement of a legend, UFC 199 card promises much in terms of action inside the Octagon and emotional implications outside it.
Newly crowned Middleweight champion Luke Rockhold defends his title against a game Michael Bisping in the main event, while eternal rivals Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber do battle the third and likely final time for the Bantamweight crown in the co-headliner.
The rest of the main card is rounded up by a showdown between top contenders Max Holloway and Ricardo Lamas that bears much implication on the Featherweight division, a fan friendly Middleweight fight between MMA legend Dan Henderson and knockout artist Hector Lombard and a potential ‘Fight of the Night’ honours stealing bout between Dustin Poirier and the returning Bobby Green in the Lightweight division.
(#11) Dustin Poirier vs (#13) Bobby Green
This fight could see the winner crack into the top 10 rankings of perhaps the most talent stacked division in the UFC. Not only that, it is also likely to be a barnburner of a fight given that both men like to move forward and get into the face of their opponents.
But that’s about where the similarities end.
Dustin Poirier is coming off a successful foray into Lightweight after defeating Joe Duffy while Bobby Green is coming off a loss to Edson Barboza followed by a tumultuous year and a half lay-off riddled with both injuries and personal tribulations.
With both men already snapping at each other in the build-up to the fight, expect this one to be a treat for the fans. Two entertaining and hard-nosed fighters with a fair measure of skill and no shortage of heart are genuinely set to throw down.
Expect fireworks, and a very close fight.
Prediction: Dustin Poirier by Split Decision