The Heavyweight battle between Travis Browne and Derrick Lewis, originally planned for UFC 208, will now be the main event of UFC Halifax on February 19th.
Junior Dos Santos vs. Stefan Struve, an anticipated rematch, was originally scheduled to headline the event in Canada however, following an injury to Struve, the UFC struggled to find a replacement for Brazilan Dos Santos.
When in doubt, call upon “The Black Beast”.
Browne vs Lewis is a fight which carries weight, both physically and in terms of significance to the division. In one corner we have the 34-year-old Browne, looking to awake from his slumber and put aside his recent poor performances. In the other is Lewis, whose victory over Shamil Abdurakhimov in December was his 5th in a row.
Another lacklustre performance from the 34-year-old Hawaiin could bring about an end to his time in the UFC but a win Hawilan over a surging Lewis has the potential to rejuvenate his career.
On the other hand, beating Browne will be Lewis’ biggest victory to date and should open the door to more big fights, especially when coupled with his impressive unbeaten run.
One important Heavyweight encounter replaces another. Though it won’t please all of the Canadian fans, it makes sense under the circumstances. Meanwhile, whilst UFC 208 loses out, some new marquee additions have made things looks more promising for the first PPV event of the year.
As for Halifax, becoming the Main Event means Derrick Lewis vs Travis Browne will be 5 rounds. We all like more rounds. But the cardio problems displayed by both in the past makes this very interesting. Still, I wouldn’t bet on this one going the distance.
It’s hard work being a Heavyweight.
