The UFC’s first card in Boston, Massachusetts could feature a blockbuster light heavyweight bout. Fighters Only Magazine first reported today that a fight pitting legends Randy “The Natural” Couture and James “Lights Out” Toney is in the works for UFC 118 on August 28th.
Rumours have circulated for weeks that listed Couture as Toney’s first opponent in his UFC (and MMA) debut. The 41-year-old Toney, who signed with the UFC in early March, is one of the most decorated boxers in the sport’s history and has held numerous titles throughout his career.
Couture (18-10-0 MMA), who turns 47 in June, is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and is one of the most popular fighters to ever compete in the Octagon. The former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion recently dropped back down to 205 pounds and has since picked up victories over Brandon “The Truth” Vera and fellow Hall of Famer Mark “The Hammer” Coleman. Known for his excellent wrestling and clinch control, Couture has shown that he can still compete in the division, but he would face a very interesting test should the fight with Toney be confirmed.
Toney (72-6-3, 2 NC Boxing) is a former WBA Heavyweight Champion and has held IBF titles in the Middleweight, Super Middleweight and Cruiserweight divisions. With 44 knockouts to his credit, Toney’s career in boxing has been an exceptional one, but a pair of suspensions for positive steroid tests and increasing age have seemingly signalled the beginning of the end for Toney as a world-class boxer. After signing with the UFC on March 3rd, speculation immediately began as to whom Toney would face in his mixed martial arts debut.
While the fight has not yet been signed, a potential bout between Couture and Toney would be an intriguing clash of styles between two legends from different sports. Couture’s wrestling could lead to a one-sided and embarrassing defeat for Toney, but a single punch from the hard-hitting boxer could end Couture’s night in a split second. How Toney’s style will fare in MMA remains to be seen, but he has worked on takedown defence and basic ground skills with respected trainer Juanito Ibarra.
UFC 118 is rumoured to be taking place on August 28th at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The card will likely feature a pair of lightweight bouts, as Kenny “KenFlo” Florian and Gray “The Bully” Maynard battle for number one contender status while Frankie “The Answer” Edgar faces “The Prodigy” BJ Penn for a second time in a UFC Lightweight Championship rematch.
(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)
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