James Toney vs Randy Couture almost set for UFC 118 in Boston

UFC 118 is bringing back memories of the single digit UFCs in the early '90s, which featured specialty matchups such as "boxers versus wrestlers" and other bouts of that nature. I'm referring to the close to being signed fight between Randy Couture and James Toney.

Couture is of course a legend in the game, and still going strong in the latter half of his forties. Toney himself is one of the better boxers the game has seen, who will be 42 by the time this proposed fight takes place in August. And will be looking to make his MMA debut in bout in Boston.

The whole situation seems super-strange. Toney making his debut in the sport against one of the greatest fighters MMA has seen; and taking on a fighter who has over a dozen years of MMA experience under his belt. The UFC deciding to put on a fight is itself quite bizarre. UFC president Dana White has prided himself and his organization for not putting on spectacle-type fights, but this one does lend itself to be a bit of spectacle. White is of a boxing background himself and has stated he has tremendous respect for Toney, so that has also most likely played a big part in facilitating this deal apparently come to fruition.

On the plus side of the equation, this fight is likely going to draw some interest from boxing fanatics, who will be curious to see how one of their bigger names in the game does in the MMA scene. And the fight might draw in some more fans into the game.

As far as proving anything, I don't think the fight will do much in that department. If Couture wins, he's definitely suppose to come out victorious against an MMA rookie. If Toney KOs Couture (I can't imagine a submission or decision win from Toney), that's just another homage to the classic MMA statement that "anything can happen" in the sport. We witnessed a 48 year old Ray Mercer knockout Tim Sylvia in 9 seconds, it what was Mercer's first fight against a former 2-time UFC heavyweight champion.

Couture will definitely have to be careful with not tagged with some big punches, but anticipate the former UFC champ to taken down Toney and from there get the mount. After that he'll either be scoring a TKO win or choking out Toney if he gives "The Natural" his back. I'd really love to see this fight be a fantastic war, and witness Toney sprawl and avoid takedowns from Couture. And if Toney does get taken down, use some incredible scrambling ability against Couture (a-la Chuck Liddell) and get back to his feet and use his boxing game. That'd be a wonderful fight that would make for a highly intriguing matchup. But for an MMA rookie to pull off that kind of stuff against an MMA fighter with the knowledge, experience, talent and determination of a Randy Couture, seems very unlikely.

But then again, I guess, in MMA, anything can happen..

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James Toney vs Randy Couture almost set for UFC 118 in Boston

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