Vs.

Jon Fitch (Challenger)

Vs.

Heath Herring

I remember first hearing the term “gatekeeper” when I was commentating for the event ‘formerly known as Pride’. It was used to pay tribute to a fighter who was tough, entertaining and popular, but after multiple failed attempts, was no longer relevant or in contention for a championship. The implication was that a new fighter had to pass through the ‘gatekeeper’ in order to move into the elite section of the roster. The difference between being a gatekeeper and being an “opponent” is that no one usually cares about an opponent.

Heath Herring may currently be hovering in UFC gatekeeper purgatory. After an ‘almost’ against old foe/buddy/nemesis Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 73), when Herring had the Brazilian all but out via a picture perfect head kick, he hesitated, which caused the fight to swing the other way (Nogueira got the decision). I doubt Heath intentionally let Nog off the hook. But the result was that he lost and as popular and likable as he is, it had to have hurt him on the inside.

Brock Lesnar, like Kimbo Slice, is famous from exploits outside of MMA (WWE), headlined a major TV broadcast with less than a handful of MMA fights to his credit (when he fought Frank Mir at UFC 81) and is trying to make up for lack of MMA experience without losing momentum. I’m sure the pro wrestling industry in the US dreaded when Lesnar stepped into the fight game. In Japan when pro wrestlers like Nobuhiko Takada and Yuji Nagata fought and lost high profile bouts against high caliber MMA opposition (Rickson Gracie and Mirko Filipovic respectively), it hurt the image of pro wrestling.

Brock’s loss to Mir wasn’t as damaging to him or his buffed brethren because he was smashing the former champion quite handily before the fight was restarted after an errant Lesnar punch connected to the back of the turtled up Mir’s head. Getting beaten by a former champion in your UFC debut, in your second pro MMA fight, is not humiliating to an athlete with the amateur wrestling credentials of Lesnar (two-time NCAA All-American, two-time Big Ten Champion, and the 2000 NCAA heavyweight champion). If anything it motivated him.

So how will this clash of the big boys play out? Herring needs to do damage quickly with punches to the face Lesnar, while using side-to-side movement. He cannot stand in one place and prepare to sprawl or stuff the takedown of the wrestler. A Lesnar takedown is a sure thing and Heath has to be smart when this happens and tie up Brock’s arms with overhooks and maintain guard. Otherwise he will find out what Mir did; Brock Lesnar hits really hard.

Brock Lesnar by TKO in the first.
 

Vs.

Roger Huerta

Now THIS is a great matchup. Kenny Florian is another example, along with Forrest Griffin and Diego Sanchez, that men who endured the tedium and claustrophobia of The Ultimate Fight television series can make the leap and be taken seriously in the upper echelons of the UFC. While a black belt in jiu-jits has earned ‘KenFlo” a good deal of ‘hespect’, it’s his razor sharp Muay Thai (under Kru Mark Dellagrotte/Sityodtong USA), particularly his elbows, that have put him the ‘top lightweight striker’ runoffs.

While Roger Huerta (pronounced ‘where-tuh’) may have the nickname “El Matador”, his fighting style almost cries out “Raging Bull, since half of his wins have come by TKO. But his come from behind, rear naked choke victory over always-tough Clay Guida, proved he is also adept at seizing the edge at the turn of the moment.

My gut says that this will be epic, maybe a better fight than the main event, maybe a candidate for...etc., etc., etc. How could it not be a great fight? This is going to be the equivalent of one of those old cartoons where there is a cloud of smoke with fists, feet and grunts popping in and out. Unfortunately someone is going to get hurt in this. Jay Hieron once told me in an interview that we are in the “hurting business.” And Florian/Huerta is one of those kinds of fights that will typify this point. I pray both athletes have continued good health after this one.

One could lean toward Kenny Florian for two reasons: 1) he faced and beaten arguably tougher (on paper) competition, like Din Thomas, Joe Lauzon, Sam Stout, Dokonjonosuke Mishima and had moments in his decision losses to Sean Sherk and Drew Fickett (Diego Sanchez stopped Kenny) and 2) he’s technically more accomplished in the two areas where finishes occur – striking and submissions. But Huerta has beaten Guida, Alberto Crane and Brad Blackburn convincingly, using his combined skills, rather than one set or the other. So this won’t be a cakewalk either way. Still I’ll go out on a limb and pick Florian in a superb match.