CHECK OUT EXPLOSIVE MATCHUPS YOU CAN’T MISS ON UFC 200. ITS CRAZY!!!

UFC 200 Fight Card

The UFC has put together what is touted to be the biggest card ever for UFC 200. It features a who’s who of MMA’s biggest and brightest stars headlined by 3 current UFC champions in Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones and Meisha Tate; six former UFC champions in Cain Velasquez, Brock Lesnar, Johny Hendricks, Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo and TJ Dillashaw; a former K1 champion in Mark Hunt; a former PRIDE Lightweight champion in Takanori Gomi; and three Ultimate Fighter winners in Diego Sanchez, Kelvin Gastelum and Julianna Peña.

Just reading their names is enough to get any fight fan excited, and with a total of 93 fight bonuses collected among all the fighters on the stacked card, it is definitely a momentous occasion that no fight fan should miss; but if you need any more convincing, just look at some of the fights that are lined up:

1. The Main Event: Cormier Vs Jones 2

UFC Light Heavyweight champion Daniel “DC” Cormier’s only professional MMA loss came at the hands of interim UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones, and at UFC 200, Cormier will finally get his rematch.

They first fought back in UFC 182 but at the time, Jones was the champion and Cormier the challenger. In the weeks leading up to the fight, the rivalry between them was as real as it gets and transcended beyond the Octagon. On fight night, Jones successfully defended his title via Unanimous Decision and made it clear once again that he still does not like DC. Cormier assures that the feeling is mutual.

After Jones was stripped of his belt, Cormier went on to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight champion and establishing himself as the best Light Heavyweight in the world. Since being reinstated, Jones has gone on to win the interim UFC Light Heavyweight title and now, the rematch is set again for UFC 200 where it is time to determine who really is the best in the world.

2. Co-Main Event: Lesnar Vs Hunt

At one point in time, Brock Lesnar was considered to be the toughest man on the planet for his dominant performances in the UFC Heavyweight division. His career though was ultimately cut short by a serious case of diverticulitis leaving many to wonder just how good he could’ve been. UFC 200 is the time to see if Brock Lesnar still has what it takes to become the UFC Heavyweight champion once again.  

His opponent, Mark “Super Samoan” Hunt is gifted with extremely powerful hands and is known specifically for his collection of walk-off knockouts over Stefan Struve, Roy Nelson and Frank Mir. Hunt against Lesnar has the makings of a classic “striker vs grappler” match pitting Lesnar’s decorated wrestling background against Hunt’s legitimate one-punch knockout power.

With both fighters owning hams for hands, we could see another highlight reel knockout.

3. Tate Vs Nunes

Miesha “Cupcake” Tate shocked the world when she submitted Holly Holm to become the UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion. To some, Holm was the next star of Women’s MMA after she knocked out the dominant “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey, but Tate stepped on the brakes of that hype train. In her title fight with Holm, Tate showcased her patented gutsy and tough nature.

Her UFC 200 opponent, Amanda “The Lioness” Nunes is ranked No. 4 in the Women’s Bantamweight division. She expects to have a battle with Tate but believes it is her time and that she has all the tools to beat her after coming off 3 straight victories over Shayna Baszler, Sara McMann and Valentina Schevchenko. Not surprisingly, Tate feels her heart and determination is what will be key to victory, much like all her fights.

Could the next Women’s MMA star be crowned in UFC 200? We shall see.

4. Aldo Vs Edgar 2

Former UFC Featherweight champion Jose Aldo “Junior” and former UFC Lightweight champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar will have a rematch of their UFC 156 fight as they look to claim the interim UFC Featherweight title, determining who is next in line to challenge UFC Featherweight champion “The Notorious” Conor McGregor.

Edgar has continued to show vast improvements in his overall game that have led so many to believe that he has the striking skills to stand with McGregror and the grappling acumen to take him to the ground and dethrone him. He must first get past Aldo though who, although is coming off a knockout loss to McGregor, is still known for his deadly speed and accuracy that has captivated the Featherweight division and kept him undefeated for more than a decade.

Their first fight was a back-and-forth chess match that could’ve gone either way but in the end, Aldo edged out the Unanimous Decision. This time however could prove to be different with Edgar coming off 5 straight victories, 3 of which came by stoppage.

Other exciting fights to watch:

Velasquez Vs Brown – UFC 200 will mark the long-awaited return of former UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. He has been out of competition for more than a year due to injuries but believes it’s time for redemption. To Velasquez, it starts with a win over Travis “Hapa” Brown, who is currently ranked No. 7 in the Heavyweight division.

Zingano Vs Peña – “Alpha” Cat Zingano also makes her return to the UFC after more than a year layoff. She holds wins over the current Women’s Bantamweight champion Miesha Tate and the challenger Amanda Nunes and is determined to earn another shot at the title. Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Peña is a rising contender after winning The Ultimate Fighter Season 18, where her friend Miesha Tate was her head coach. She is currently on a 3-fight winning streak.

Hendricks Vs Gastelum – Former UFC Welterweight champion Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks looks to get back into title contention with a win over The Ultimate Fighter Season 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum. Hendricks is widely popular for his devastating knockout power while Gastelum continues to surprise critics with hearty performances every time he fights.

Dillashaw Vs Assuncao 2 – No. 1 Bantamweight contender TJ Dillashaw will get his rematch against No. 3-ranked Bantamweight Raphael Assuncao. The two previously met in UFC Fight Night: Maia Vs Shields with Assuncao earning a tightly contested Split-Decision victory. Assuncao is currently on a 7-fight win streak but has been nursing an ankle injury, while Dillashaw is looking to bounce back after losing his title to current champion Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz.

Northcutt Vs Marin – Prospect “Super” Sage Northcutt suffered his first career loss via submission against Bryan “Bam Bam” Barberena during UFC on FOX: Johnson Vs Bader. He has since regrouped and aims to continue improving all aspects of his fight game. At UFC 200, he will take on grappling specialist Enrique “Wasabi” Marin.

Sanchez Vs Lauzon (Exclusive on UFC Fight Pass) – Fan favorites Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez and Joe Lauzon will engage in a Lightweight battle fight fans have been waiting for. Sanchez is The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 winner and is known for always bringing high intensity to every fight. Lauzon, on the other hand, owns the record of Most Finishes in the Lightweight division at 11.

Mousasi Vs Santos (Exclusive on UFC Fight Pass) – Former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi is looking to build off his dominating win over Middleweight contender Thales Leites in UFC Fight Night: Silva Vs Bisping. He takes on up-and-comer Thiago “de Lima Marreta” Santos of Brazil.

Miller Vs Gomi (Exclusive on UFC Fight Pass) – A lightweight bout between Jim Miller and former PRIDE Lightweight champion “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi will kick off UFC 200. Another pair of fan favorites, both Miller and Gomi are known for their ability to take punishment and give punishment.

It is almost time for the biggest card ever! UFC 200 will be shown locally on July 10, 2016 (Sunday) with UFC Fight Pass prelims starting at 6:30AM, Fox Sports 1 prelims at 8:00AM and the main card at 10:00AM. Catch the main card live on Hyper (ch. 53) and Hyper HD (ch. 130) on Cignal TV, the exclusive home of the UFC in the Philippines. Stay updated with the latest UFC news by visiting www.ufc.com and follow us on Facebook (UFC Asia), Twitter and Instagram (@ufc).