Who Will Emerge from This week’s UFC Fight Night 31 & 32?
The UFC is pretty busy this week as they put on their third “Fight for the Troops” event Wednesday with UFC Fight Night 31 and then head to Brazil for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 32. Following a common theme of recent Fight Night events, these two cards are void of any true contender match-ups. What the events do contain though is a combination of prospects looking to move up in the ranks and veterans looking to make a statement.
Tim Kennedy & Rafael Natal [UFC Fight Night 31] – For either man, a main event victory would be a major feather in their cap. An exciting win for Kennedy would further elevate him into the bottom half of the top ten in the middleweight division. Fights with the Machida’s and Belfort’s of the world would certainly be on the horizon. However, if Kennedy were to win another lackluster decision, he would most likely maintain the status quo, hovering just outside the top ten.
Make no mistake about it; this is a major opportunity for Natal. Having mostly handled the dredges of lower portion of the UFC middleweight division, Kennedy will be his toughest test to date. A win over Kennedy would certainly move Natal up the ranks but still leave him on the outer edges of the middleweight top ten.
Liz Carmouche & Alexis Davis [UFC Fight Night 31] - Contender status is never far away in the UFC women’s bantamweight division. String a few wins together and you could very easily find yourself in the title conversation. Another impressive performance from Carmouche and she could be next in line for a shot to take on the winner of Rousey/Tate II, especially if Cat Zingano is still unable to go. Davis has put together a nice three fight winning streak and if she can manage to get by a top fighter like Carmouche, could cement her status as number 1 contender.
Rustam Khabilov [UFC Fight Night 31] – With two octagon appearances and two dominant wrestling performances by the young Russian, Khabilov is certainly an intriguing prospect in the crowded lightweight division. If he is able to get past the durable and versatile Jorge Mazvidal, tougher challenges will certainly await. Wednesday night will tell us a lot about the future holds for Rustam Khabilov.
Dan Henderson needs to get back in the win column against Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort & Dan Henderson [UFC Fight Night 32] - With the fight taking place at 205lbs, Belfort seems to be attempting to hedge his bets. A victory over the legendary Hendo allows Belfort to stay in the spotlight while also maintaining his status as top contender in the middleweight division. However, a loss here, even at light heavyweight hurts his stock tremendously in either division. Henderson on the other hand badly needs a win not only to retain his contender status, but also to remain relevant. At age 43, three losses in a row would likely signal the end of any sort of title hopes for the former Pride champion.
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