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The Ultimate Fighting Championship heads to Japan as Mark Hunt takes on Roy Nelson in a heavyweight showdown. Join The Roar for live round-by-round updates of all the action from 5:00pm (AEST).
The UFC separated themselves from the sport of boxing by promising the fans the fights that they wanted to see. On Saturday they have certainly lived up to this expectation.
When the two hardest punchers in the heavyweight division and the two best chins in the business reside in two men – it is a fight-fan’s dream that they eventually meet for a showdown.
Like a monster movie these two will collide on Saturday and, most fittingly, it will happen in Tokyo.
Australian based and Auckland raised Mark “Super Samoan” Hunt (9-8-1), ranked six takes on Roy “Big Country” Nelson (20-9) ranked eight, in a fight that fans have been screaming for for years.
Both men are top ten fighters looking to step up the rankings for a shot at the seemingly peerless Cain Velasquez – so even from a ranking point of view the fight has validity.
Rankings aside this will have fans split down the middle as to how it will progress. Both these men are used to fighting people much taller with longer reach and chopping them down. There is little height or reach advantage between the two.
Hunt is a very technical striker and an intelligent tactician. He often draws fighters into telephone booth styled brawls in which he reigns supreme. His explosiveness has not diminished with age and he has shown in his last three fights that he has the conditioning and heart to go to war for five rounds.
Nelson is not nearly as technical a fighter as Hunt on his feet. However he has an incredible overhand right that has a way of finding its mark in a majority of his fights and ending them immediately. Nelson is also an extremely accomplished grappler with a BJJ blackbelt.
One of his signature moves that had him walk out winner of Season 10 of the The Ultimate Fighter was his ability to take his opponent down into a crucifix and hammer fist them into submission. This is exactly how he disposed of PRIDE legend and former Mark Hunt foe, Mark “Cro Cop” Filopovic.
Hunt is weak on the ground. He knows it and so does Nelson. Nelson has however promised to make this fight exciting for the fans. This would also endear him to UFC brass – who he has always had a tenuous relationship with.
Nelson has always struggled in the later rounds and usually gets picked apart if his overhand right has not found its mark by the end of the second round.
Hunt has shown a capacity to lift as the fight progresses.
If this fight does make it to the fourth round, expect to see Big Country try and take Hunt down and finish him on the ground.
Hunt escaped such situations against Stefan Struve and Bigfoot who had superior ground games and conditioning to Nelson, so the fallout will be interesting if no one has fallen over by the end of Round 3.
Mark Hunt has been reported as having a very difficult weight cut with 19 lbs (8.5kg) still to lose with 24 hours before the fight. This may effect his endurance significantly for the clash.
The main cards other attractions are local heirs stacked against all action fighters.
The undefeated Myles Jury (14-0) will be fighting PRIDE legend Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi (35-9).
Womens Bantamweight challenger and former Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate (14-5) takes on Japans undefeated “Queen of Pancrease” Rin Nakai (16-0-1).
Australian Welterweight Richie Walsh (18-1) from TUF Nations will also fight Kiichi Kunimoto’s six-fight winning streak.
Join The Roar at 5:00pm (AEST) for live coverage and analysis of all the action.
I will be joined by MMA professional fighter and BJJ Black Belt, Dave Brooksbank, to provide tactical insight into some intriguing match ups on what looks to be the best free fight card that the UFC has served up this year.
Let’s get ready to rumble! Pick a fighter and place your bets with PlayUp for great odds. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.