UFC 189 continues to get more and more stacked by the day. The UFC announced on Tuesday evening that the latest addition to the already-stacked event is a three-round welterweight battle between Matt Brown and Tim Means, a bout that is expected to open up the main pay-per-view card. This is an awesome fight, and one that I was hoping the UFC would book. Both Brown and Means are two fighters who you can guarantee will bring violence to the Octagon. Both fighters are almost always in wars and going up against each other, there is a real possibility these two put on a “Fight of the Night” if not a “Fight of the Year”-type bout. Brown has lost his last two fights after winning seven in a row, but the losses came to champion Robbie Lawler and top contender Johny Hendricks. Prior to those defeats, Brown had reeled off an impressive seven-fight win streak that saw him take out the likes of Erick Silva, Jordan Mein, and Mike Swick in devastating fashion. Despite the recent losses, Brown remains a top-10 welterweight, and easily one of the most exciting fighters in the game. As for Means, he’s won four in a row since returning to the UFC at 170lbs, including a third-round submission win over George Sullivan last weekend. The UFC is keeping Means very busy and he’s been showing up every fight looking better and better. We already knew Means was an elite striker in the welterweight division, but he’s now added wrestling to his game and overall has looked absolutely sensational since moving to welterweight, where he’s much stronger since he doesn’t have to cut weight anymore. The UFC wants to see just how good Means really is, so they are matching him up with Brown, who is a top contender at 170lbs. Coversely for Brown, they want to see if he’s able to halt the momentum of a guy who is quickly coming up the ranks. Most will expect a standup war here, but don’t be surprised if this fight hits the mat as both men are skilled grapplers as well. One would imagine Brown would be the betting favorite heading into this one, but after seeing how good Means has looked as of late, it’s hard to count him out of this fight. UFC 189 takes place July 11 at MGM Grand Garden Arena, and is headlined by a five-round title fight between UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo and challenger Conor McGregor. The co-main event is a five-round title fight between UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler and challenger Rory MacDonald. As well, featherweights Dennis Bermudez and Jeremy Stephens clash, and Gunnar Nelson returns to take on John Hathaway in a welterweight bout. Brandon Thatch, Alex Garcia, and Cody Garbrandt are also scheduled to compete at the event, with more exciting bouts expected to be added to the event in the coming weeks.
