Junior dos Santos is a fantastic fighter and a great representative for UFC, but when he takes on Cain Velasquez for the UFC heavyweight championship at UFC on FOX on Saturday night, I think UFC executives will quietly be rooting for Velasquez.
While Jon Jones and Brock Lesnar are probably the two biggest stars in UFC right now, the company is always looking for talent to step up. Jones is on top of his game, but Lesnar seems to be declining, meaning a superstar is needed in the heavyweight division.
Velasquez took a big step forward by decimating Lesnar and winning the title from him last year, but he has missed quite a bit of time with a torn rotator cuff. Now that he is completely healthy, he has a chance to become one of the premier draws in UFC.
Dos Santos has had an extremely successful career to this point, but he lacks the explosiveness and excitement that Velasquez provides. In my opinion, I liken Velasquez to a young Mike Tyson in a lot of ways.
Like Tyson, Velasquez has made quick work of many of his opponents via the knockout. While he isn't the most technically sound fighter, he is extremely powerful and vicious, and that is the type of fighting style that tends to excite fans and keep them interested.
Dos Santos is a very well-rounded fighter, but for the most part, fans would much rather see a lightning-quick knockout than a submission or a fight that goes the distance. Also, Velasquez's nationality has a lot to do with it.
As a Brazilian, dos Santos can only go so far in terms of being a marketable figure. UFC has used foreign fighters in the past to market the brand, but it is much easier to do so with somebody like Jon Jones or Velasquez as they have a full grasp of the language.
Another huge draw with regards to Velasquez is his unblemished record. Regardless of who he has beaten, having an empty loss column ensures that all of his fights will be of interest. The same can't be said for dos Santos, unfortunately, as he has lost in the past.
UFC won't ultimately be crippled if dos Santos were to pull off the win, but Velasquez is far more marketable at this point, and I believe the company will want him to hold the UFC heavyweight championship as long as possible.
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