Marquardt to England? Faber vs Bowles

  Two big Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) stories broke out during the later part of the week, so it is time to take a look at them and try to figure out the overall impact on MMA as a whole from each story.

Marquardt

   The big news of the week regards former UFC Middleweight contender Nate Marquardt (31-10-2).
   After being released by the UFC in late June due to failing a medical physical  (low testosterone levels) on the day of the weigh-in for his first fight at welterweight against Rick Story, Marquardt has finally found a new home; across the pond.
   Marquardt officially signed a deal to fight for the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts (BAMMA).
   When I read this, I was extremely surprised, because I really expected Marquardt to end up fighting for Bellator, but when it was announced Bellator would not sign Marquardt; the BAMMA was his best option.
   Marquardt, who is ranked as being one of the top five middleweights by many and has notable wins over Demian Maia, Dan Miller, and Martin Kampmann, will now fight in the UK's largest MMA Company.
  I did not know anything about the BAMMA so after looking up some information, this is not a bad move for Marquardt at all.
   If all goes well, he could eventually be signed by the UFC again or at least its sister company, Strikeforce.
   The BAMMA is very similar to the typical United States MMA rules. Each fight is three rounds, with each round being five minutes long. Notable fighters have taken part in BAMMA events including: Bob Sapp, Seth Petruzelli, James McSweeney, Frank Trigg (Middleweight), and Murilio Rua (Middleweight, Shogun's brother). Three of the five weight classes in the BAMMA (Lightweight-Heavyweight) have no champion, however the BAMMA Middleweight Champion is Tom Watson (no not the golfer).
   I expect Marquard to stay at his traditional 185lb weight (Middleweight) and if he does, he could have it good in the BAMMA.
   I would love to see Marquardt fight Rua right away in his BAMMA debut, then take on the winner of Watson vs Trigg, which is for the BAMMA Middleweight Title on September 10. He has better talent than either fighter, so I could see him winning the championship after two fights.
   Just after two fights Nate Marquardt could be on top of the BAMMA Middleweight world.
   I would like to see him defend the title once, then Strikeforce or UFC should be calling, because if all goes planned he would be on a three fight win streak against better than average talent. Strikeforce would be a better fit for him after the BAMMA because he could come back and get some good preparation fights immediately and be ready for the big time.
   First however, he has to do well in the BAMMA.
   Marquardt made a fantastic move by signing with the UK organization, which offers good fights against exceptional talent. This is the first step in the right direction for Marquardt's comeback.

   The other news-worthy story is that the drama in the UFC Bantamweight Division is finally settled.
  Sadly, there will not be a third fight in the rivalry between champion Dominick Cruz (MMA 18-1, UFC 1-0) and Urijah Faber (MMA 25-5, UFC 1-1) just yet.
   Cruz and Faber headlined UFC 132 in which Cruz defended his UFC Bantamweight Title in an extremely close fight that could be a candidate for fight of the year. I, along with many others, demanded an immediately rematch, but I guess we will have to wait, as both fighters have been scheduled fights with different opponents.
   Cruz will defend his championship against Demetrious Johnson (MMA 10-1, UFC 1-0) on October 1 at UFC on Versus 6 in Washington DC. This will be the first time in UFC History where a championship fight will be broadcasted on a non numbered card.
   Johnson is coming of a great win over Miguel Torres (MMA 39-4, UFC 1-1) and is deserving of a title shot, but expect Cruz to retain his title.
   The fight between Faber and Brian Bowles (MMA 10-1, UFC 2-0), which will take place at UFC 139 on November 19, in San Jose, California, is more appealing at least to me.
   Faber is an exciting fighter, who just does not stop pushing in a fight, and does whatever it takes to win. Matching him up with a versatile fighter like Bowles who is just as deadly on the ground with submissions as he is with his knockout power, will make this a very entertaining fight.
   Whoever wins is next in line for a title-shot, and either fighter will be a tough opponent for Cruz, but I would love to see Cruz vs Faber III.