Set to air on the VERSUS network beginning at 8PM Texas time, the main event features hard-hitting British slugger Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy and multiple-time FOTN awardee Chris “Lights Out” Lytle in a pivotal matchup for both men as they look to rebound from losses.
With three losses in a row, Dan Hardy is faced with a “must-win” situation in this bout. Looking to stay alive in the UFC, Hardy recently moved out to Las Vegas to hold his training camp for this fight and work with such talents as Roy Nelson and Gilbert Yvel. “I know it’s a cliché but it’s the best training camp so far,” Dan mentioned on the pre-fight media conference call. “When I’m in the UK I do a lot of traveling around to go to different gyms and train with different guys. Whereas over here I have everything I need right at the same gym. It’s right around the corner from my house. So I get a lot more time to rest, a lot more time to refuel and rehydrate and you know, great talent around me as well that keeps me pushing forward.”
As for Chris Lytle, he’s expecting his opponent to come out guns blazing. “I’m expecting a great fight and I know that’s what it’s fixing to be,” he says. Heading into the fight, Lytle has had to balance his upcoming fight with other priorities on his plate – including his four children, his full-time job as a fire fighter, and another recent priority for him, a possible run for political office in the state senate. “I’d like to try and help out and make a difference if possible. You know, I guess I’m going to have to just take it after the fight. I’m going to reevaluate and see what I want to do. That’s kind of how I feel about it right now.”
With “Lights Out” Lytle worried about possibly winning political office and Dan “The Outlaw” worried about winning to keep his job, it sure sounds like both men are on two different wavelengths heading into the Sunday night’s main event. Could that have a bearing on their respectable performances? We’ll find out on Sunday night but the safe money is on these two putting on yet another exciting performance regardless of what weighs on their minds.
Up next is a potential #1 contender match at 155 as 20-2 tough man Jim Miller takes on former WEC champion Ben Henderson.
Winner of seven straight bouts (including two in a row over Texans Kamal Shalorus and Charles Oliveria), New Jersey’s Miller has been knocking on the door for a title shot for quite some time. Despite the fact that he could be in line to face the winner of Edgar versus Maynard III at UFC 136 in Houston, Miller has refused to look past Henderson on the way there. “It’s a tough fight and that’s where my eyes are locked,” he says. “I’m just preparing for that fight and nothing else.”
As for his opponent, Ben Henderson has his own questions to answer in this bout – including whether he belongs on the same level as his opponent who’s questioned the former WEC fighter’s place among the top contenders in the UFC.
“I don’t necessarily take it personally but I definitely remember the quote. I remember watching that interview where Jim said that. It’s definitely in the back of my mind. For sure this is the toughest fight in my career. I did have a setback a couple fights ago but since then I’m back on the winning track, back to where every fight is bigger than the last fight, the opponent is tougher than the last guy. So Jim definitely is the toughest guy, him being a wrestler. I know he’s going to bring that wrestling mentality. I’ll just grind him out and do whatever it takes to get your hand raised.”
With the top two bouts matching up four exciting fighters, one of expect the top of the card to be the strongest. Not so with this one folks. The bout with third billing may just be the most exciting of them all with big-time fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone taking on Macaco-pupil and Gold Team representative Charles “do Bronx” Oliviera.
At just twenty-one years old and one of the brighest young stars in all of MMA (as featured in our recent article featuring MMA’s top young stars), Charles “do Bronx” has it all. Already with four UFC fights to his credit, Charles has shown it all – from dynamic unpredictable striking to a relentless attacking ground game. The scary part about this is that he’s only improving. This patchp with “Cowboy” will be pivotal in gauging exactly where that development lies.
Facing “one of the top young prospects in MMA,” Donald Cerrone will be walking into the octagon this Sunday night looking to be no man’s pushover. Winner of his last four, including a steady if not punishing decision against another prospect in Vagner Rocha this past March, Cowboy is also a dynamic fighter equally proficient in all ranges from Muay Thai to the ground. In fact, his five ‘Fight of the Night’ awards are a testament to that ability.
Pedigree coupled with potential. That’s what has swirled into this matchup and it’s for that reason that we estimate this one to be the likely candidate for matchup of the evening this coming Sunday.
Closing out the main card and opening up the televised draw is a pairing of strikers in The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 winner Amir Sadollah taking on Duane “Bang” Ludwig in a matchup of two fighters looking to climb up the welterweight ladder into contention. As winner of his last two bouts, Sadollah in particular has a lot at stake in this one as he looks to validate the potential that allowed to win the UFC’s hallmark reality show in the first place.
See below for the full slate of fights scheduled for this Sunday night in Milwaukee, including the return of Saekson Janjira fighter and Dallas representative Edwin “El Feroz” Figueroa. More on his return later this week on TXMMA.com.
UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle – Main Card
- Welterweight Bout: Dan Hardy vs. Chris Lytle
- Lightweight Bout: Jim Miller vs. Ben Henderson
- Lightweight Bout: Charles Oliveira vs. Donald Cerrone
- Welterweight Bout: Amir Sadollah vs. Duane Ludwig
UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle – Preliminary Card
- Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Jared Hamman
- Bantamweight Bout: Joseph Benavidez vs. Eddie Wineland
- Middleweight Bout: Ed Herman vs. Kyle Noke
- Light Heavyweight Bout: Karlos Vemola vs. Ronny Markes
- Featherweight bout: Alex Caceres vs. Jimy Hettes
- Lightweight Bout: Cole Miller vs. T.J. O’Brien
- Lightweight Bout: Jacob Volkmann vs. Danny Castillo
- Bantamweight Bout: Edwin Figueroa vs. Jason Reinhardt
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