Whilst recent UFC cards have been headlined by the title defences of Brock Lesnar and Anderson Silva, perhaps the most far reaching clash of the Summer will take place on the 28th of this month in the famous fight town of Boston.
By Brian Mallon
Randy Couture's collision with James Toney is quite simply must see tv, as it presents a throwback to the marquee style vs style match-ups which peppered the organization's iconic early days.
Whilst it isn't purely a grappler against striker match-up, never before has boxing met MMA in such a high profile face-off. The two combat sports have been adversaries for a number of years but now they will face off inside the octagon in a bout with huge mass appeal.
When this scribe caught up with Randy Couture at UFC 105 in Manchester, for an in depth interview, I noted all the usual Couture characteristics; a chiseled, charismatic MMA pioneer who was media savvy and ambitious in equal measure.
What I also noticed whilst interviewing the 22 fight veteran was an intelligence and vision which may be unparalleled in the fight game today. Couture knows that by literally picking a fight with former world boxing champ Toney, that he is garnering an audience (and in all probability a fan-base) from an entirely different spectrum of fans.
He also knows that a loss to the vociferous, past his peak "Lights Out" would herald a chorus of "I told you so" from those who delight in repeating the same old mantra about MMA being a poor man's sweet science.
However, this is the type of pressure and expectation upon which the Oregon native thrives. When you read Couture's autobiography you realise that this talented, much travelled athlete had to overcome many of life's challenges far away from the Octagon or wrestling mat.
It is this grinding, "find a way to win" attitude which defines Couture. By surpassing all known expectations well into his forties the former UFC heavyweight champion has inspired a new generation of MMA hopefuls.
Indeed many fighters currently in the UFC fold have re-examined their careers in light of Couture's example. By looking after his body and evolving his training Couture has re-written the combat rule-book.
"Captain America" has been involved in some of the most memorable and pivotal Octagon battles.
When he first battled Vitor Belfort I for one dusted off an imported VCR of UFC 15 and fully expected the solid but unremarkable wrestler to be dismantled by the surging Brazilian phenom.
Couture for the first time, but not the last, proceeded to confound the pundits and handed Belfort a lesson in "dirty boxing". Again after crushing losses to Josh Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez I expected Chuck Liddell to sound the death knell on Couture's career at UFC 43. Wrong again.
Yet again I was proven incorrect at UFC 68 as I worried for the elder statesman's safety as he stepped up to the heavyweight division to battle 265lb giant Tim Sylvia. In each instance Couture out-thought the opposition.
Against Belfort he dragged the lightening fast Brazilian into a close quarter war of attrition. Against Liddell he out-struck the vaunted stand-up artist long enough to set up the take-down and pound his way to victory.
Similarly he studied Sylvia's striking style and had the Miletich product second guessing his own fight strategy throughout the fight. It is also no coincidence that Couture's protégés Tyson Griffin, Gray Maynard and Forrest Griffin also display astute game plans and adhere to them impeccably. Couture is a thinking man's fighter.
As a pioneer of the sport of MMA, Hall of Famer and former multi divisional champion Couture will have taken Toney's wild criticism of MMA fighters and media bravado to heart. He knows how hard the modern day mixed martial artist works in order to be ready for fight night.
He has heard the criticism leveled at the sport from various quarters, right from its inception to the present day. One can't help but wonder if this is payback time for Couture. Whilst he will remain professional and usher away any claims of an inter-sport grudge match, I for one remain sceptical.
Toney's bravado is incomprehensible. If he views Couture as being "garbage" (which he blurted out last week), he quite simply must never have taken the time to study MMA and its relatively short history.
Boxing peers Mike Tyson, David Haye and Bernard Hopkins, who have taken the time to absorb the sport of MMA and its various facets, have expressed concern for Toney in entering the Octagon.
Conversely, Toney may be trash talking in order to promote a fight which quite simply doesn't need it. Either way this was not a match-up which the UFC or its president Dana White actively pursued. Instead White was openly goaded by Toney at every opportunity into the type of match-up which may need to be consigned to the history books if the sport is to progress to the next level of mainstream acceptance.
Regardless of the boxing vs MMA theme, the posturing by Toney and the variation in audience demographic this remains a fifteen minute MMA fight where, as experience tells us, anything can happen.
Come fight time I believe that Couture will respect Toney's abilities and wait for the elite striker to commit himself with a punching combination before attempting a takedown. This will clearly be the most dangerous aspect of the fight for the Greco-Roman wrestler as Toney will remain formidable at distance.
I believe that the takedown will be followed by an inevitable ground and pound barrage resulting in a first round stoppage win for the man dubbed "The Natural".
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