UFC 217 Will Conquer Boxing This Weekend

UFC 217: Montreal Media Day with Georges St-Pierre
UFC 217: Montreal Media Day with Georges St-Pierre

While boxing has long been the standard by which all other forms of violent combat sports have been measured, the UFC and mixed martial arts as a whole have the rare opportunity this weekend to get one over on their squared-circle arch rivals. Here's a look at all the action coming up:


Stiverne v Wilder 2

Deontay Wilder v Bermane Stiverne - Weigh-in
Deontay Wilder v Bermane Stiverne - Weigh-in

In a weekend filled with solid boxing action from across the globe, the headline event is a real let-down.

Yet again, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder is left languishing in the lower stratosphere of this newly developing heavyweight division, with an unavoidable defence against former foe Bermaine Stiverne.

In their first matchup, 'The Bronze Bomber' arguably dominated the action, wobbling a lacklustre Stiverne several times, on the way to a wide points decision victory. Granted, Stiverne did become the first man to avoid getting knocked out by Wilder but considering Wilder was aiming for a more controlled and paced performance than usual, this is no surprise.

Aside from the moments Wilder looked close to finishing the show, this wasn't a very entertaining affair, and with Stiverne looking far from his leanest on the scales, there's a good chance he won't be offering much more of a challenge than last time.

Stick around if you want to see Wilder do what he does best, but nobody would blame you for missing this one. On the plus side, Shawn Porter is on the undercard.

Matchroom & Monte Carlo

Boxing at Wembley Stadium
Boxing at Wembley Stadium

Several thousand miles away from the heavyweight rematch, Eddie Hearn's Matchroom have managed to put together a decent show on the French Riviera with some big names.

British favourite Scott Quigg is looking to make further strides in the Featherweight division, facing Oleg Yefimovic in a title eliminator. Quigg hasn't looked sensational since his surprise KO victory over Kiko Martinez a couple of years ago, but this is more down to awkward opposition and a too-reserved performance against Carl Frampton. But, with Freddie Roach in his corner Quigg has the best chance of making it to the top of the division and to make a name for himself abroad.

Also on the card is Derek Chisora in a match for the European heavyweight title. But, in reality, the only match anyone wants to see Chisora involved in is a rematch with rival Dillian Whyte. Their first 12 round war tore the roof off the Manchester Arena and was an easy contender for 'Fight of the Year.' Hopefully, it won't be too long before we see these two titans share the ring again.

Jamie McDonnell and Trent Broadhurst also feature on the card which is shaping up to be a solid night of action. There is, however, only one event that will be taking the hypothetical grand prize this weekend.

UFC 217: Bisping v GSP

UFC 199: Rockhold v Bisping 2
UFC 199: Rockhold v Bisping 2

To put it simply, the UFC is getting everything right as of late.

The build-up and promotion of their biggest events in recent years have been second to none. The production of top-class vignettes and highlight reels gives their fights a larger than life feel. Add to that some real-life drama between fighters and you've got something that's hard for any fight fan to turn away from.

Bottom line: Michael Bisping and George Saint Pierre don't like each other. In terms of their personalities, they really couldn't be more different. GSP has his reserved, down-to-earth demeanour while 'The Count' exudes brash, loud-mouthed arrogance.

Bisping is coming in as the champion, but GSP is the more well-rounded, respected athlete and is widely regarded as one of the best to ever step in the cage. He is, however, coming back from a four-year hiatus from the sport, creating a juicy sense of intrigue for this one. Right now, there are lots of colliding opinions, but nobody really knows how it's going to go.

UFC 207: Cruz v Garbrandt
UFC 207: Cruz v Garbrandt

Now to the undercard, where Cody Garbrandt is set to square off against T.J. Dillashaw, a match fans have been hankering after for a long time. Again, there has been a little bad blood between these two, but here the real hook is that they are both exceptional fighters with exceptional power and speed. Many feel it's a genuine fifty-fifty fight which in a sport as unpredictable as MMA is always ideal.

On top of this, Stephen Thompson and CM Punk-slayer Mickey Gall are also featured on the undercard and prelims, making this a card that would leave any fight fan watering at the mouth.

It's set to be a monumental show and one which will, no question, blow any other show on Saturday night straight out of the water. Boxing may be winning the war, but this battle goes definitively to the UFC.


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Edited by anirudh.b