UFC 146 set to go into disarray

Junior dos Santos thought he would be defending his heavyweight
title against Alistair Overeem at UFC 146, but that might change on April 25.

The UFC has some of the best talent mixed martial arts has to offer and boasts of the deepest weight divisions in the sport. They take any chance they can to showcase the depth of talent on their roster and UFC 146 on May 26, 2012 is such a showcase for the heavyweight division.

For the first time ever all fights on the main card are heavyweight bouts. The card, which takes place at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, is scheduled to be headlined by UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos defending his title against former K-1 Champion and Strikeforce Heavyweight Alistair Overeem.

However, that main event is now in question after Overeem tested positive for raised testosterone levels, several names have been thrown about as replacements to face the champion dos Santos.

New Zealander Mark Hunt has been a fan favorite to be in the title fight as has MMA legend Dan Henderson. The most sensible choice would be Frank Mir who has won three straight fights. Mir, however, is already scheduled to face former champ Cain Velasquez in a No. 1 contender’s bout on the 146 card.

With so many viable options, let’s take a look at five possible choices to face JDS at UFC 146:

Frank Mir – Mir is former heavyweight championship, holds the UFC record for most wins in the heavyweight division and will head into 146 riding a three-fight win streak. Mir can be a tough challenge for JDS as he uses a mixture of strikes to go along with his grappling and wrestling ability. He is scheduled to fight Cain Velasquez, but his camp has said that Mir will be training to fight a five-round fight.

Mark Hunt – Hunt has become the fan’s choice to challenge JDS for the heavyweight title. He does have the credentials having won his past three fights, but his only notable win was a TKO victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 144. His stand-up can cause problems for JDS, but dos Santos’s speed will make Hunt’s KO power obsolete. Hunt is currently slated to face Stefan Struve at 146.

Cain Velasquez – Velasquez, who fights out of AKA in San Jose, is a former champion thanks to JDS. It was dos Santos that defeated Cain via first-round KO last November. Velasquez began his MMA career an impressive 9-0 before being stopped by JDS. Cain has to work his way back into title contention and a win in his match with Mir, which UFC President Dana White has said WILL happen, will do just that.

Alistair Overeem – Yes, I know he tested for high testosterone levels and is likely out of the fight but stay with me for a second. Overeem is the most-deserving of any heavyweight currently under the Zuffa umbrella to have a shot at JDS and the UFC title. He is on a 12-fight unbeaten streak, with 11 wins and one no-contest. He’s defeated some of the top heavyweights in MMA and if the UFC wants to prove their heavyweight division is the best in the sport they need Overeem to become champion or constantly be in title contention.

Dan Henderson – The man they call Hendo, who’s 41, is one of the greatest fighters to ever call the UFC home. He’s held titles in PRIDE FC and Strikeforce, but has never worn a UFC belt. Hendo has won titles as a middleweight and light heavyweight, he’s also fought at heavyweight and welterweight. He’s riding four-fight win streak against highly touted opponents.

He has (T)KO wins in Strikeforce over Renato Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante and Fedor Emelianenko as well as an unanimous decision victory over Mauricio Rua at UFC 139. His win over Rua, which was his return to the UFC, was the 2011 Fight of the Year and has been rated the #1 fight in UFC history. Hendo is awaiting a title shot with the winner of the Jon Jones and Rashad Evans light heavyweight title fight at UFC 145, but has said he will take the JDS fight if asked.

No official announcement from the UFC on any changes to the UFC 146 main card has been made and won’t be made until after Overeem meets with the Nevada State Athletic Commission on April 24. If Overeem is suspended and removed from his title fight, it could cause the 146 card to change drastically.

Follow me on Twitter @NiteshDutt.