UFC 129 will be the promotion's first trip to Toronto since MMA was legalized in Ontario last year and with reports of two high profile match-ups, it seems the UFC plans to build a card that won't disappoint.
As previously speculated, UFC President Dana White confirmed Saturday that Canadian superstar Georges St. Pierre will in fact headline the April 30th event, defending the Welterweight title against top contender Jake Shields.
Shields is currently enjoying a 15-fight unbeaten streak dating back to 2005, with wins over such names as Nick Thompson, Jason Miller, Paul Daley, and Dan Henderson. The former Strikeforce Champion made his UFC debut in October when he defeated Martin Kampann to effectively secure his shot at the Welterweight title and is considered by many to be the last legitimate threat to St. Pierre's throne.
After his recent destruction of Josh Koscheck in December, the possibility of seeing "GSP" in a super-fight with Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva seemed a more realistic option than ever. Riding an eight-fight win streak of his own, St. Pierre seems to have all but cleared out one of the UFC's most talented divisions. With this in mind, Shields may stand as the last remaining obstacle in the way of one of the most highly anticipated fights of all time.
In addition to the Welterweight title clash, reports are indicating that both Randy Couture and Lyoto Machida have verbally agreed to meet at UFC 129.
Couture's last outing came back at UFC 118 when he made quick work of Heavyweight boxer James Toney in what was touted as an MMA vs. Boxing match-up. Following the victory, rumors surrounding the veteran's retirment began to circulate and were amplified by a tweet that appeared to be an announcement of such. However, Couture quickly refuted the claims and expressed a desire to face Machida. If the bout materializes it will mark the 47 year-old's 29th career fight.
No comments:
Post a Comment