UFC 99 Preview: The Main Card

Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva

The Breakdown: One of the most anomalous bits of matchmaking the UFC has ever seen yields one of the most interesting main events we’ll see this year as former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin takes on former PrideFC middleweight (205 lb) champion Wanderlei Silva in a 195 lb. catchweight bout. The clash of styles makes for what should be a blistering bout as Silva’s hell on wheels Muay Thai meets the deadly efficiency that has become Franklin’s calling card. Throw in the less than bulletproof beards both men bring to the cage and this is the kind of fight that rewards those of us who can shut off the part of the brain responsible for blinking.

At first glance, Silva’s love of the Thai clinch would suggest doom for Franklin who was unmercifully excavated by the unbreakable clinch of Anderson Silva, a former teammate of Wanderlei in the Chute Boxe academy. However, Silva’s clinch has never been the finely tuned machine that his former compatriot turned it into, instead he uses it to sound closing time for opponents already mauled by his relentless pace. That’s what makes this bout interesting as Silva’s proclivity for all-out assaults plays right into Franklin’s kill-shot counterpunching. In other words, the first mistake either man makes may be the only one we see before someone gets turned into the knockout of the night victim.

The X Factor: With every second that passes in this fight, the eventual moment where someone’s chin gets checked draws nearer. Whoever wins this fight will likely have to take some return fire before collecting the winner’s purse and its anyone’s guess as to who will hold up best. One thing is certain, the answer to that question will be what everyone points to as the deciding factor come Monday morning mixed martial artist time.

The Bottom Line: Lately, counter-punchers have been poison to Silva and Franklin fits that mold nicely with his excellent timing and arsenal of unorthodox hooking punches. It won’t be easy as Silva’s drop down in weight will only enhance his usual whirling dervish of pain. However, Franklin may not be able to take a big punch but, he can recover and return fire in short order. Expect a wild throw down to come to a sudden end as Franklin puts the lights out on Silva with a flat lining counter hook.