UFC 173: 5 Fights That You Have to Watch

Must-See Fight #1:  Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Ellenberger

I really can’t name too many other fighters with the raw power and aggression that Lawler and Ellenberger have shown throughout their MMA careers. Countless KO victories litter their MMA Resumes, and now we get to see these two go at it with a possible title shot being at stake. There is a legitimate fear that this fight ends up being a pawing match with both fighters being leery of each others knockout power, but I’m just not so sure that Lawler is willing to let his fate be decided by the judges after his recent title loss to Johny Hendricks. For that reason, I think Lawler is going in for the kill, and if that proves true, this fight could be downright crazy. Someone is likely going to be left facedown on the canvas if they decide to trade punches.

Must-See Fight #2:  Renan Barao vs. T.J. Dillashaw

How could arguably the top Pound-4-Pound fighter in the world be 2nd on my list for Must-See Fights? That can mostly be attributed to Robbie Lawler and Jake Ellenberger being proven KO artists, but there’s also a bit of an invincibility factor surrounding Barao. Most aren’t giving Dillashaw any shot of winning, and so part of a fight being a must-see bout is both fighters having a legitimate shot at winning. That’s no slight to Dillashaw, but we all know just how dominant Barao has looked lately. Barao can finish this fight in a variety of ways, and fans will surely be tuned in to see him do either.

Must-See Fight #3:  Daniel Cormier vs. Dan Henderson

Though this is the co-main event, I have a strong feeling this fight could be lacking in the overall action department. If Henderson can keep the fight standing, this fight could turn out to be interesting, but more than likely Cormier is going to utilize his size and speed to push Henderson around in the clinch or bring him to the floor with takedowns. With Henderson’s big right hand always capable of knocking his foes into unconsciousness, the intrigue of this fight could be high. The oddsmakers aren’t giving Hendo much of a shot though, and it’s hard to dispute that fact considering Cormier is a very cerebral and calculated fighter that will likely keep himself out of range of Henderson’s power.

Must-See Fight #4: Michael Chiesa vs. Francisco Trinaldo

Outside of Lawler vs. Ellenberger, this fight has every possibility of being the wildest 1st round on the fight card. Chiesa and Trinaldo are both natural finishers and each will look to dictate their style early. Trinaldo is a brawler with legitimate KO power and powerful kicks. Meanwhile, Chiesa’s striking is nothing to write home about, but he has worked feverishly on improving in that area. He has a huge reach, and was holding his own with top striker Jorge Masvidal on the feet last time out. The x-factor here is Trinaldo’s cardio. People like to point out that Trinaldo is a black belt himself, but he has been submitted in 2 out of his last 3 losses, and that’s mostly attributed to his go-for-broke fight style that leaves him prone to takedowns or exhaustion. Chiesa is not without weakness himself though as his overall striking defense is beyond poor. He has an excellent chin, which has thus far saved him, but he cannot allow himself to feel Trinaldo’s power early and often. This fight should be full of momentum swings in the 1st round before Chiesa ultimately uses his superior conditioning and wrestling to take home a victory.

Must-See Fight #5: Tony Ferguson vs. Katsunori Kikuno

Both fighters like to strike, and are each capable of pulling off a KO victory. Ferguson is the heavy favorite due to having a more well-rounded skill-set, but if he chooses to stand with Kikuno, this bout could be fireworks. For those that don’t remember, Katsunori Kikuno more than held his own early on with Eddie Alvarez back in 2009. Ferguson has been in some close decisions when he decided to keep things standing against talented strikers Michael Johnson and Yves Edwards, so it is in his best interest to at some point take this fight to the ground and look for the submission. Either way, this fight clearly should be high on the entertainment factor.

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