MMAVu

With Anderson Silva unable to be ready for a UFC 95 fight, the promotion has turned to its lightweights to headline the card. Diego Sanchez will face Joe Stevenson in the main event at London’s O2 Arena Feb 21.Sanchez was on the cusp of a 170lb title shot when he was scheduled to face Thiago Silva at UFC 90 this past October. Unfortunately for him, a rib injury forced him off of the card. Josh Koscheck stepped in to face Alves on short notice, and proceeded to get pummeled by Alves for three rounds. An interesting thing to note is that Koscheck was the first guy to hand Sanchez a professional loss. So the guy who beat him got beat by another guy…that may have spurred Sanchez on to a drop in weight.

Stevenson is like a top 5 gate keeper of the 155′ers, always the bridesmaid but never the bride…yet. Stevenson is one tough hombre and is still a pup at 26 years of age. He’s in a mini-slump now, having lost 2 out of his last 3 fights.

Both these guys can go and this should be a non-stop war, both on the ground and on the feet. You sure could do worse for a main event!

In a conference call today at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, UFC President confirmed the winner of the 155lb bout will be guaranteed a title shot at BJ Penn. Said White:

This fight is going to be amazing, and the winner of this fight will face B.J. Penn for the lightweight title after B.J. fights Georges St. Pierre

In the lead up to Florian’s last bout with top contender Roger Huerta, it was widely speculated the winner of the fight would get a crack at Penn, and Dana White said as much…but after Florian took the decision, it was announced that BJ Penn would be taking on 170lb Champion Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight belt. Rather than rest on his laurels, Florian agreed to a fight with former number one contender, Joe Stevenson.

Stevenson is on the comeback trail after losing to Penn for the vacant lightweight title back at UFC 80. During the fight, Stevenson was doing so-so until an elbow from Penn opened up a geyser of a cut on Stevenson’s forehead, changing the course of the fight. Stevenson last defeated Gleison Tibau by guillotine choke at UFC 86. In fact, three out of his last four wins have come by guillotine choke, so watch for that in this weekend’s bout.

Prediction: Florian by unanimous decision. Stevenson just doesn’t have the range nor the striking technique to force Florian out of his game plan. Watch for Florian to do what he did to Huerta, fight a smart fight and not mix it up on the ground much with Joe Daddy.