The UFC is shaking things up in a big way for their UFC on FOX 2 special. The co-headliner has been changed due to injury and fans will now get a fight they can sink their teeth into as Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping will finally take place with a big reward for the winner.

News broke yesterday that Mark Munoz is hurt and had to pull out of the event. That is terrible news for Munoz who in my opinion, had a great shot of not only beating Chael Sonnen, but actually beating Anderson Silva. What I think doesn’t make a bit of difference here because it will be awhile before we ever find out whether those are true statements, if we ever find out at all.

Now the UFC gets to promote a grudge match with two of the best talkers in the UFC. Bisping vs. Sonnen has been in the cards for awhile and rightfully so. If there is anything that can be guaranteed here it is that these two guys will talk themselves into one of the biggest grudge fights of the year. The two were originally supposed to coach and fight each other on The Ultimate Fighter season but Chael’s legal problems prevented that from happening. Thanks to an injury, it is finally on.

The bigger news here is that Dana White has made it clear that the winner will be the number one contender and next in line to face Anderson Silva. That is big news because the talk of Sonnen vs. Silva 2 if Sonnen wins has been hot and cold depending upon the day. According to the president, the winner will get the next UFC middleweight title fight no matter whose hand is raised.

For the UFC, this is one of the few occassions where the replacement fight winds up better for business than the original (see UFC 133). Not only does the UFC get a more appealing fight for casual fans, the UFC has a guaranteed gold mine with Silva vs. either Bisping or Sonnen in Brazil. I was excited at the possibility of seeing Munoz vs. Silva but let’s face it, the casual fight fan may think differently.

Let’s face it, the guy the UFC wants to win has the clear advantage here. Bisping’s record may be impressive but he has never beaten an elite fighter. He went the distance with Rashad Evans and looked good doing so, but his record is a mirage in my opinion. Sonnen should clean the floor with Bisping. His wrestling is far superior to The Count. I predict a brutal night of ground and pound which results in Bisping’s face looking like raw ground meat when the fight is over.

These guys haven’t wasted any time either in starting the trash talking, which incidentally started last year.

Twitter.com/Bisping – “Unlucky for chael sonnen. I’m now fighting him next week. Tune in, jan 28th, fox tv. Fight of the year mofo’s.”

As for Chael, “”If Michael Bisping ever addresses me in public comments again, I’ll bury him where he stands.”

It’s on!

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