Which heavyweight veteran will triumph?

It feels like just yesterday UFC 196 rocked all of our worlds with some of the biggest upsets in the sports history. The winners are celebrating a job well done while the losers are licking their wounds and chomping at the bit to get back to training and awaiting their next chance to enter the octagon and get a much needed victory. But as the shock wears off it’s time to look forward to the next UFC event. UFC Fight Night 85 will feature a main event showdown between former K-1 kickboxer Mark Hunt and former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir It’s easy to claim that this is simply just a striker versus grappler match, and though that may be true for the most part, it doesn’t do the fighters justice. Both men have spent years working on the deficiencies in their respective games, meaning more jiujitsu and wrestling for Hunt and striking for Mir. Both men have improved their game and are dangerous in all areas. Mark Hunt has been able to improve his wrestling to a point where taking him down seems to be a futile option for grappling centric opposition. At this point your wrestling must really be on point if you’re hoping to get the kickboxer to the ground. Hunt has focused on more of a boxing approach to his game rather than a kicking centric game. This allows him to be considerably dangerous on the feet while still having the option to dig underhooks and thwart his opponent’s takedowns. He has to remain cautious though as over zealousness has seen him drop fights to both Fabricio Werdum and Stipe Miocic. Where Frank Mir is concerned his career seems to be on a bit of an upswing. He may have lost his most recent bout against Andre Arlovski in uneventful affair, but the two bouts before that, namely the Todd Duffee match, showcased Frank Mir’s improved striking. The problem with Mir however is a tendency to get a bit too wild in the striking exchanges which he’ll want to avoid against Hunt. Seeing as how he’s more of a grappling oriented fighter, and the fact that he’ll be the taller man in the cage, it would do Mir some good to use his kicking to his benefit rather than remaining in boxing range for extended periods of time. Unfortunately for both of these veterans only one man can leave the cage victorious and it’s looking very likely that it’ll be Hunt. Though older than Mir, Hunt appears to have more left in the tank and has been great at defending takedowns from fighters with a superior wrestling game. Look for Hunt to frustrate Mir on the feet, producing a KO in the third round. Who do you got in the UFC Fight Night 85 main event? Follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter. Also, be sure to share, like, and comment to show your support. Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter to keep up with his antics.