UFC: Cain is able to tame Brock the beast

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This past Saturday, Wladimir Klitschko retained boxings heavyweight crown with a disturbingly one-sided destruction of 38-year-old Shannon Briggs. Such was the extent of the punishment he received, Briggs was taken into intensive care at a local hospital in Hamburg. Klitschkos dominance graphically underlined the long existing drought of talent amongst boxings big boys.

Briggs prime belongs in the previous century, when he was good enough to give Lennox Lewis a scare or two before being halted in five rounds. It was probably that performance, twelve years ago, that got him the call from Klitschkos promoters. He still has the name, if precious little of the ability that he had in 98. And when the alternative is pitting the giant Ukrainian in with one of several not-good-enough no-names, as a promoter, you turn to the not-good-enough name opponent. Im worryingly serious when I say that Evander Holyifield could be next.

Of course, in the UK, we know that there is at least one worthy contender (though technically a champion), David Haye. But attempts to put Haye in a ring with either Klitschko (Wladimirs older brother, Vitali, also holds a heavyweight title), have so far failed to overcome the financial obstacles that are stacked up high in the way of every big boxing bout from actually materialising.

The contrast between boxings and mixed martial arts heavyweight divisions offers a microcosm of what the two sports are currently going through.

This Saturday, UFC Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, pictured, takes on the unbeaten Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 in California. Lesnar finds himself at the top of a division thats in rude health, and unquestionably the strongest it has been during the Ultimate Fighting Championships brief history! .

Moments after Lesnar had come from the brink of defeat to choke out one formidable contender in Shane Carwin, fans were already looking ahead to the next, Velasquez. The fight hadnt yet been officially been made, but with the UFC its never nave to believe that as a fight fan, you are going to get what you want.

The fans have been looking forward to this one for good reason. The fight pits Lesnars size and freakish athleticism, against Velasquezs speed and intense work-rate. The two protagonists both have outstanding wrestling pedigree to compliment their physical attributes. Weighing up the fighters contrasting physicality and skill-sets provides numerous possibilities as to what may happen on Saturday night.

Going on what they weighed for previous bouts, Lesnar should carry a 20 lb advantage with him into the Octagon. This significant edge, has led most observers to believe that his wrestling will come out on top, but Im not so sure.

Looking back at his 2008 meeting with Randy Couture, Lesnar wasnt able to secure takedowns at will, and I expect that to be the case once again on Saturday.

Velasquez will rely on his wrestling to do his utmost to keep the action on the feet, where hell feel his superior boxing will provide the key to victory. Velasquez puts his punches together with good speed, in compact combinations. Defensively he can be hit, as was apparent against Cheick Kongo last year when he was stunned by counter-punches as he eagerly rushed in. Lesnars boxing is rudimentary hes not got the nous to look for sharp counters, but this is a moot point as therell be no rushing in from Velasquez here. Instead, Velasquez will try and spend as little time in the pocket as possible so not to offer up opportunities for Lesnar to grab a hold of him. If the Mexican succeeds in keeping turning the fight into a striking contest, I see little chance outside of a lucky punch of Brock winning.

The if is a big one its hard to imagine that Brock wont succeed at all in dragging Velasqu! ez down to the floor. Once the fight does hit the canvas, Lesnars size really does come into play.

However, it must be remembered that this is a five round fight, something that is to Velasquezs advantage. Hell find himself in bad spots during the first two or three rounds, and he has to simply survive and find a way of getting to his feet as soon as possible. Its a situation that we havent seen Velasquez have to deal with. Without a doubt, his heart and conditioning will be tested like never before.

The longer the fight lasts, one has to feel that Velasquezs chances increase. His endurance is eulogised by all those that work with him at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California. Lesnar himself has shown remarkable fitness for a man his size, as was evident in his aforementioned victory over Shane Carwin in July. But carrying 265 lbs of muscle is not conducive to maintaining intensity for five hard rounds with a tireless workhorse like Velasquez.

I think Velasquez copes with Lesnars blitz for the first three rounds his wrestling will help him keep the fight from hitting the floor for as long as possible, and when that fails him and the fight does go to ground, his mental strength and cardio will help him to gut it out. In between stints on the mat, his striking will prove to be vastly superior and as the fight enters the championship rounds, I envisage Velasquez ending a tired Lesnars championship reign without the judges requiring a say-so.

In a fight with so many variables, itd be nave to believe that events on Saturday will play out exactly like this. But please, allow me one last prediction: Moments after Octagon MC Bruce Buffer declares a winner, fight fans will clamour for the champion to defend their title against the Brazilian banger, Junior Dos Santos. Im hardly going out on a limb in prophesizing that theyll get what they want. Meanwhile, I can only cross my fingers that well one day finally get to see Klitschko vs Haye.

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