Day of Reckoning: The Waiting Game

We’re sitting in the lobby, waiting to grab lunch and head over to the venue. Fights start at four, so it’s generally a good rule to get there around three.

Patience is a virtue, I guess, but it’s a pain in the ass.

This night is going to be big, and I don’t want to try and minimize the importance of it for fans of international MMA. Some of the fights are less than interest, some of the name value seems less relevant at this point (fighters like Babalu and Sokoudjou don’t seem as significant as they once did, which makes the matchup less interesting), but there are plenty of fighters that make this card not just worth watching, but worth talking about and, inevitably, will make it worth remembering.

The significance of Fedor vs. Arlovski really needs no explanation, but there are plenty of people who believe that Andrei Arlovski is Fedor Emelianenko’s most challenging opponent in recent memory. More significantly, though, it is a fight with a top ten heavyweight that has explosiveness, technical ability and a substantial understanding of the sport. That seems to be what fight fans think will challenge Fedor.

Barnett vs. Yvel will set up Fedor’s next opponent, and give him an opportunity to fight, inevitably, a top ten fighter (while Yvel is definitely not a top ten guy right now, it’s hard to imagine that he won’t be if he beats Barnett). It also gives us an opportunity to see a top fighter who’s fights are sparatic, at best, and offers us the tentative possibility of another fight against a substantial opponent very soon.

Lindland vs. Belfort is a fight between two veterans, and while Belfort may seem past his prime, Lindland is a warrior, and he’ll fight anyone. If Matt wins decisively, it’s another substantial win against a noteworthy opponent. If he loses, then he’s going to have a hard time making an argument for himself as a top middleweight. Belfort, on the other hand, could use a win over a legitamate guy with some name value, and this fight gives him the opportunity to do that.

The debut of Kiril Sidelnikov gives a lot of fans something to look forward to, and Paul Buentello is no pushover. His UFC career may not seem noteworthy, but his time as a top small-circuit guy and as a solid boxer is always worth mentioning.

On the undercard are some interesting prospects, including Miletich product L.C. Davis and the notable Dan Lauzon. Many people overlook the undercard, but it should be an interesting card, and the top tier matchups on the card, especially among the heavyweights, are going to make the card worth watching.