The stakes are high at the next UFC event.

This weekend features a fight with two of the best Welterweights in the division. UFC Fight Night 89 is a pretty big card for not being a pay-per-view event. Rory MacDonald versus Stephen Thompson is a monster of a fight with both men having advantages over the other. MacDonald is a tactician with killer instinct, mixing things up nicely in much of his bouts. Thompson is a striking wizard with laser-beam accuracy, blistering punches, and deadly kicks. But whole the breakdown is certainly one any MMA fan would and could enjoy, this article isn’t about how these two men match up. No, this is much deeper than that. The stakes are high in this match up and both men have much to lose. But who will lose the most if they can’t get a win this Saturday? Stephen Thompson is no spring chicken despite looking like he’s in his early twenties. The karate based fighter has a wealth of experience in kickboxing and decided to pick up MMA late in his life, much to the pleasure of many UFC fans. But his age may be the biggest factor in this fight as far as a loss would go. At 33 years of age Thompson doesn’t have a ton of time left in his prime and he’ll need to make the most of it come June 18. If Thompson were to lose at UFC Fight Night 89 you can bet that his stock will take a major hit. Thompson would be bumped back in the title picture and would have to once again climb up the mountain to prove he’s worthy of a title shot. Rory MacDonald is an entirely different story. While MacDonald may have put on one of the greatest fights of all time last summer against Robbie Lawler, the fact of the matter is that he lost the match and hasn’t fought since. To make your comeback against Stephen Thompson is a rough out for anyone looking to get back in the win column. But besides losing the bout, MacDonald has some other things to consider as well. Like the fact that this is the last fight on his UFC contract and that he hasn’t been on the best of terms with the company. MacDonald wants more money as he thinks he’s worth more which is fair to say. After UFC Fight Night 89 would could see MacDonald test free agency in order to get some more cash. But a loss to Thompson on the way out would drastically harm his bargaining ability. Though losing to Thompson isn’t exactly the worst fate for a fighter, it would mean that MacDonald would either have to take what the UFC is offering or move on to another promotion in hopes of receiving the payday he believes he deserves. Make no mistake, Rory MacDonald has the most to lose at UFC Fight Night 89. He knows it, the UFC knows it, the fans know it, and probably most important of all, Stephen Thompson knows it. Who do you think has the most to lose at UFC Fight Night 89? 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 and Facebook to keep up with his antics.