UFC 135 Preview: The Main Card

A knee injury has kept Ben Rothwell (top) away from the cage for more than a year. | Photo: D. Mandel

Ben Rothwell (31-7, 1-1 UFC) vs. Mark Hunt (6-7, 1-1 UFC)

The Matchup: Some heavyweight red meat is thrown to the fans in this one, as two reliable sluggers collide. Anybody who watched the International Fight League is familiar with Rothwell, who has good hands for a big man, spotty standup defense and likes to get into brawls. Hunt, one of the best combinations of striking and chin that MMA has ever known, was a legend in the salad days of Pride Fighting Championships and K-1. His transition to MMA has yielded mixed results, as his ground game is eminently suspect, but chin for chin and strike for strike, there have been few in the history of MMA that would ever want to test themselves against the fearsome New Zealander.

There are no matchmaking accidents in the UFC, and this is a solid candidate for “Fight of the Night” based on the styles of both men. Hunt loves to gauge the range, lure opponents into thinking they can hit him and then unload massive bombs that can end matters instantly. Rothwell could probably win this one by playing it smart and hitting a clinch-takedown combination, but he knows precisely why this match has been made, and playing it safe has never been his style. Rothwell will want to test himself against Hunt’s big punches.

The Pick: Hunt wins by second-round knockout in an epic brawl that sees both men hurt at times. Ultimately, Hunt’s power seals the deal.

Jason Probst can be reached at Jason@jasonprobst.com or twitter.com/jasonprobst.