UFC On FOX 13: Dos Santos vs. Miocic Date: December 13 2014 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Venue: U.S. Airways Center Broadcast: FOX UFC Heavyweight Contender Junior dos Santos Junior dos Santos (16-2) is physically one of the most gifted fighters in the UFC. The former UFC heavyweight champion of the world, JDS has it all – a black belt in BJJ, fantastic stand up skills with knockout power in all his limbs, and a heart that is almost too big to believe. After knocking out Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX 1, JDS has had a tumultuous last two years afterwards, defending the title against Frank Mir at UFC 160 but then losing the belt to Cain Velasquez at UFC 155 in an unprecedented beating. He came back and defeated Mark Hunt in impressive fashion at UFC 160, but he then fell to Velasquez again at UFC 166 in another brutal beating. JDS could very likely beat every heavyweight in the UFC besides Velasquez at this point, but even with that in mind, no one is ruling out a possible fourth meeting between the two. JDS was set to meet Miocic at the TUF Brazil 3 Finale, but was injured and had to pull out. But now healthy again, the UFC decided to match the two heavyweights up and they will meet, barring injury, in the main event of UFC on FOX 13. UFC Heavyweight Contender Stipe Miocic A Golden Gloves winner and Division I wrestler, Stipe Miocic (12-1) may be the darkest horse in the UFC heavyweight division. He’s been around the Octagon for nearly three years, amassing a 6-1 record that includes the the likes of Fabio Maldonado, the late Shane del Rosario, Gabriel Gonzaga and Roy Nelson, the latter two fights being especially dominant in fashion. Miocic is simply a sound fighter that not enough people know about. He has fantastic wrestling, very technical boxing, and knockout power that stuns most fighters. He uses his range well and doesn’t put himself into too much trouble. He was set to take on top-ranked Junior dos Santos originally at the TUF Brazil 3 Finale, but after JDS broke his hand Miocic fought replacement Fabio Maldonado and knocked him out in the first round. Coming off that win, the UFC decided to match him back up with JDS once again and the two will tango in the main event of UFC on FOX 13 with the winner likely to earn a title shot in the UFC heavyweight division. Opening UFC on FOX 13 Main Event Analysis: MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas made dos Santos a -270 favorite (bet $270 to win $100) while Miocic opened as a +190 underdog (bet $100 to win $190) at Several Bookmakers. JDS hasn’t fought since a beatdown at the hands of Cain Velasquez last year at UFC 166, and it’s unknown how he’ll look in his return coming off of that long layoff. As for Miocic, he has looked tremendous as of late, going 3-0 over his last three fights with wins over Roy Nelson, Gabriel Gonzaga and Fabio Maldonado. This is a really good fight. JDS, the former champion, has proven to be one of the best heavyweights of all time, but he also appears to be on a decline. As for Miocic, after getting knocked out by Stefan Struve two years ago he has been nothing but solid since then, and he makes for an interesting opponent for JDS in this spot. Obviously JDS deserves to be the favorite, and there’s a good chance he wins by knockout like most expect him to, but Miocic has all the tools to pull off the upset, and this fight isn’t as clear-cut as it may seem at first glance.
