How did we go this long without seeing Matt Brown vs. Ben Saunders?
When I first heard this fight was scheduled, I went on to Brown’s Wikipedia page to figure out when they had previously fought. I mean, they had to have, right? They’re both longtime welterweights. They have a combined 71 pro fights. Brown (21-16 MMA, 14-10 UFC) has been with the UFC since 2008 and Saunders (22-12-2 MMA, 9-9 UFC) in his third UFC stint. The cross-pollination of common opponents on their ledgers is as strong as you’ll see between two fighters. I didn’t recall them fighting in the UFC, but they must have crossed paths on their way up, yeah?
No, as it turns out. Somehow Saturday night’s main card opener is a first-time meeting between the two. Now, this fight might have been more consequential had it happened several years ago, and we’re not going to pretend these guys are at their peak. But they’re still two gamers, still two guys who love what they do, and still capable of ridiculously exciting fights. So let’s just kick back and enjoy the fact we’re finally seeing these two guys lock up, in and of itself.
[jwplayer XevJ84KO-RbnemIYZ]