ROUNDTABLE (pt. 2): Outside of the UFC 205 main event, what fight are you most looking forward to at UFC 205 and why?

Outside of the UFC 205 main event, what fight are you most looking forward to at UFC 205 and why?

FRANK HYDEN, MMATorch columnist

I’m most looking forward to UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk defending her belt against Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Joanna has been a great champion and I love watching her fight, so I think this will be one of the most exciting fights on the card. Obviously there will be plenty of exciting fights on the card, but this one should be one of the best.

JASON AMADI, MMATorch columnist

UFC 205 is easily the greatest card ever put together. If you want to exclude the main event from a question like this, the co-main event is just as intriguing, if not more intriguing. Stephen Thompson is the betting favorite and offers an incredibly unique challenge to most welterweights because of his unique skillset. He’s fast, has displayed solid defensive wrestling, and has displayed a keen ability to control distance. Tyron Woodley is fast, explosive, a tremendous wrestler, and is probably the biggest one-punch knockout threat in the division. Thompson is probably bringing the more complex game to the table, but Woodley’s athleticism and punching power could render a lot of Thomspon’s technical advantages moot. This is the kind of fight that can be intriguing even if it isn’t exciting and gets my vote for that reason.

MICAHEL GROCKE, MMATorch contributor

Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero – Middleweight 185: For me, this is the fight I’m most looking forward to. Chris Weidman comes into this fight looking to redeem himself after losing his UFC Middleweight Title to Luke Rockhold in a lopsided affair. I’m still not sold on Weidman, but a win here would prove he deserves to be talked about as one of the division’s best fighters. Yoel Romero has yet to fight in 2016 due to a failed drug test back in December. I don’t think the time off matters as I feel Romero is a live dog coming into this one. The latest odds have him as a +145 underdog. Entering his late 30s, Romero knows his window is closing and a loss here would be a huge setback. We all know Romero is a freak athlete, but his stamina has always been a question. Will he be able to handle Weidman’s pressure? Will Weidman avoid the big left hand of Romero for three rounds? The winner will get his shot at the Middleweight Title.

MATT ECOCHARD, MMATorch contributor

The next most intriguing bout besides the main event at UFC 205 is definitely the title fight between Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson. The hype isn’t as high for this fight because there is not too much trash talk or selling for the bout, but technically this should be a very entertaining bout. The heavy hands of Woodley and the style of Thompson will lead this bout to be one of the most entertaining of the entire 205 card. The chance for a brand new champion in Thompson creates some very exciting matchups at welterweight, so this fight can really change the landscape of that entire division.

ROBERT VALLEJOS, MMATorch contributor

I really feel that Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Karolina Kowalkiewicz will have a “show-stealing” fight. I’m not sure the dominance of Jędrzejczyk has been fully appreciated by anyone outside of the MMA bubble. My guess would be that most casual UFC fans are not aware that the UFC has a female division outside of the Bantamweight Division. Unlike the men’s Flyweight Division, I think the masses will be very intrigued by what they see from these two women. This is the type of fight where the animosity seems to go beyond the normal promotion for a title fight. That type of animosity tends to cause fighters to go outside their game plan. I get the feeling these two will go for broke on the big stage.

MATTHEW PETERSON, MMATorch contributor

Outside of the main event, it’s all Woodley versus Thompson.  It’s just such a difference in approach, with Woodley being the wrestler with the huge punch and Thompson being the precision striker.  Thompson had one of the best fights of his career against Rory MacDonald, whom you all remember outpointed Woodley decisively.  I’ll be watching closely to see who can implement their style first and what gameplan each of them bring to the table.

NOW CHECK OUT PART ONE OF THIS ROUNDTABLE TOPIC: Outside of the UFC 205 main event, what fight are you most looking forward to at UFC 205 and why? (pt. 1)