UFC 220 Preview
Combat sports have always had a fascination with the biggest and strongest of fighters as the heaviest weight classes have always captured the imagination of fans.
Heavyweight champions have always been the biggest names in any sport involving prizefighting and the interest tends to peter off from that level.
There is just something about the biggest and strongest that makes people watch, possibly because they are so much bigger than the average person.
It is always fun to see and the UFC has been no stranger to that phenomena as they have concentrated a lot on the heavyweight division.
Although it has always been one of the favourite divisions the UFC has seen a lot more interest in the Light Heavyweight division in its 25-year history.
Now both of them will be featured on the same card at UFC 220 where two champions look to step out of some big shadows.
First, up will be Daniel Cormier the Light Heavyweight Champion of the world who has technically never lost his title.
Unfortunately, that is not how most people see it as he has lost two title defences, both to Jon Jones.
Those losses were removed from his record after it was discovered that on both occasions Jones had taken banned substances.
In both cases, Jones claims that he never knowingly took steroids or Performance Enhancing Drugs but he failed two USADA drug tests.
So Cormier has remained the champion in one of the most visible divisions in the UFC with a shadow the shape of Jones hanging over him.
Jones seemed like he would be done for a long time, anywhere from four years to never fighting in the UFC again.
It seems now like it might be sooner than some thought and Cormier is standing there as the champion taking out everyone except Jones.
There are plenty of people who will never consider Cormier a true champion but for Cormier the quest to make his case continues.
Cormier has done plenty of work in the division cleaning out all challengers and creating a division with few fighters left to compete.
That is where Volkan Oezdemir comes in as the fast-rising Swiss fighter looks to shock everyone with a big win that could change the face of this division in a big way.
Although he has only had three fights in the UFC, all three wins including two knockouts, he will get his shot thanks in large part to the dominance of Cormier.
Despite his losses to a fighter who was on PEDs there is little doubt that Cormier is one of the greatest ever and the more challengers he eliminates the harder it is to deny him a spot among the best ever in one of the most popular divisions in UFC history.
In the heavyweight division, Stipe Miocic has a chance to become the greatest heavyweight in UFC history.
That will come with one more title defence to bring his total defences to four straight which in the heavyweight division is a plateau nobody has ever reached.
There is simply too much unpredictability in a division where every single fighter has that power that can end a fight with one punch.
That ability leaves every fight as an almost toss-up because at any moment the challenger can land a big shot and take the title.
That reality has made it one of the most difficult divisions in the UFC and Miocic is the latest to try to get to that level.
He will have his hands full on this one though as one of the most exciting prospects in the UFC will be standing across the octagon from him.
Francis N’Gannou is a prospect that is a rare occurrence in the UFC as he has given some new life to a division full of veteran fighters.
After taking out some of the biggest names in the division with his vicious power he has earned a spot to take on the champion.
There is little doubt that this is one of the best heavyweight fights in recent memory as the power of N’Gannou will take on the precision boxing of Miocic.
It doesn’t seem likely that both will remain standing in this fight but if they do it is sure to be a fight that will be remembered.
The two heaviest weight classes in the UFC have always been at the top of the list when it comes to the fans.
That has led to a lot of stars in each division but there is always someone coming and at UFC 220 two champions try to cement their legacy in two of the most visible divisions in MMA.
The Sport Addiction 