5 Reasons to Watch: UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Faber
The UFC embarks on an ambitious first trip to the Philippines this weekend for UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Faber with a special morning show time for the card in the United States.
Frankie Edgar meets Urijah Faber in the main event as two of the best fighters to ever compete in the lighter weight divisions meet in the Octagon for the first time.
Edgar is gunning for a potential title shot with a win while Faber looks to pick up a huge win in the featherweight division -- a weight class he ruled with an iron fist for several years during his days in the WEC.
Also on the card, Gegard Mousasi meets Costas Philippou in a clash of top strikers at 185 pounds while Mark Munoz says goodbye to fighting with a final bout inside the Octagon as he faces former "Ultimate Fighter" competitor Luke Barnatt.
There are plenty of reasons to tune into UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Faber, but here are five good reasons to make sure to catch the entire card airing live from the Philippines this Saturday morning.
A REAL SUPERFIGHT
The idea of a superfight has permeated the UFC landscape for years, but none of the matchups ever really came together. Anderson Silva never fought Georges St-Pierre nor did Silva ever meet Jon Jones in the Octagon. Given the current atmosphere, we may never see Jones at heavyweight either, testing himself against the likes of current champion Cain Velasquez.
However, this weekend, UFC fans will be treated to a special main event that pits former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar against former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber in the closest thing to a superfight this sport is going to get for now.
Edgar has been a top-three fighter in two divisions and Faber joins him with similar accolades decorating his resume as well.
Edgar is seemingly one fight away from a title shot right now and Faber always seems like he's right on the cusp of a title fight -- especially considering he's never lost in any non-title fight during his entire career.
No titles are on the line, but this is a rare occasion where two of the best lighter weight class fighters in the history of the sport are about to meet, and it's a snapshot worth capturing. Edgar and Faber didn't get to the top of their respective weight classes for the better part of the last five years by accident, but when they meet in the Octagon, only one of them can come out unscathed.
It's a superfight by every definition of the words and given the history of these kinds of bouts happening, enjoy this one because it may not come around again soon.
MIDDLEWEIGHT SLUGFEST
Gegard Mousasi meets Costas Philippou in the co-main event from this weekend's card in Manila with both fighters well known for highlight-reel knockouts and a love of striking.
Mousasi and Philippou combine for less than two takedowns on average per every 15 minutes spent in the cage, so chances are neither of these guys will be trying to drag this one to the mat.
Mousasi is a highly-regarded striker with powerful hands and feet who just recently knocked out MMA legend Dan Henderson in just 70 seconds. Meanwhile, Philippou needed just a little more time than that to take out former Strikeforce contender Lorenz Larkin with a massive KO of his own.
Mousasi also possesses a near 90-percent finishing rate throughout his 43 fight MMA career.
Chances are one of these guys is going to get put away by strikes before the final horn sounds and if it does manage to go all three rounds, Mousasi and Philippou will definitely put on a show for the crowd.
SWAN SONG FOR MUNOZ
Former UFC middleweight contender Mark Munoz will officially call it a career this week on what will be his 20th professional fight and 15th overall in the UFC. Munoz has decided that it's time to dedicate more time to his family and according to the former NCAA wrestling champion, this is a course that's been plotted ever since he signed his first contract with the promotion.
Munoz was never able to reach the peak of the sport, but he was always a welcome addition to the middleweight division where he took on a murderer's row of top fighters over the years. Munoz was the first ever fighter to compete in a non-title, five-round main event when he took on Chris Leben in 2011 and he has been one of the most well-traveled fighters on the entire UFC roster as he's accepted fights in Abu Dhabi, England, Germany, and now in the Philippines.
It's that last destination that also makes this final fight so special for Munoz, whose nickname just happens to be "The Filipino Wrecking Machine". Munoz is proud of his heritage from the Philippines, so the chance to go out on his own terms in front of his native country fans will be a special moment for the veteran fighter.
Munoz was truly one of the good guys in the sport of fighting and this will be your last chance to see him compete before he retires on Saturday following his bout with Luke Barnatt.
MAGNY-FICENT SEVEN?
Former "Ultimate Fighter" competitor Neil Magny has quietly amassed quite a win streak recently with six victories in a row as he tries to tackle the top 15 in the UFC welterweight division. It's a rather daunting task considering the level of competition that exists in the division, but Magny seems up to the challenge as he's picked up finishes in three of his last four fights inside the Octagon.
Magny has been itching for a chance to step up the level of his competition and he'll get the chance this weekend when he faces Hyun Gyu Lim in Manila.
Lim may not have a ranking next to his name, but this gigantic fighter from Korea is just as dangerous as anyone currently occupying a spot in the welterweight top 15. Lim has some of the nastiest strikes in the division, not to mention three knockout or TKO finishes in four fights since joining the promotion in 2013.
If Magny finds a way past Lim then the next stop is the top-15 welterweight fighters in the world. He'll also begin climbing towards Jon Jones, Chris Weidman and Demetrious Johnson, who are all currently ahead of him in terms of overall win streaks in the UFC.
BREAKFAST WITH THE UFC
It's probably a given no one really enjoys getting up early on a day off, but what better way to wake up than to watch some hard-hitting UFC fights?
Set your alarm, get your coffee and pancakes ready and then prepare to see some top-notch MMA, first thing in the morning.
Rarely does a UFC show ever start before the sun is about to go down, but this week it's the reverse. The sun will be rising as the UFC kicks off the show from the Philippines on Saturday with complete coverage from start to finish on FOX Sports 1.
The pre-show kicks off at 7 a.m. ET followed by the first fights at 8 a.m. and the main card at 10 a.m.. Six fights will make up the featured card on FOX Sports 1 all leading to the five-round headliner between Edgar and Faber.
And the best part about breakfast with the UFC?
When it's all over, there's still plenty of time to go enjoy the rest of Saturday wherever you are in the country. It's a win-win for everybody!
