Randy Couture looks to end losing streak at UFC 105 tonight

“Captain America” Randy Couture is dropping down in weight classes on a mission to stop a two-fight losing streak for the second time in his UFC career this Saturday night, “live” via tape delay on Spike TV, from the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, UK.

 Couture (26-10) is one of the great stories of MMA. A three time Olympic alternate in wrestling, Couture is a two-time heavyweight champion and three-time light heavyweight champion. At the age of 46, he is at the cross roads of his career once again. A win and he is back in title contention, but if he suffers a third loss in a row there will probably be calls for him to retire.

This is the second time that Couture has dropped from heavyweight to light heavyweight after losing two fights in a row. The last time was in 2002 after losing the UFC Heavyweight Title to Josh Barnett (who was stripped of the title after it was announced he had failed drug test before the fight) and then to Ricco Rodriguez in a match for the vacant title.

After losing those two fights, many people thought the then 39-year-old Couture was in the twilight of his career. When he followed those fights by dropping down to light heavyweight, it was an effort on UFC’s part to feed someone with name recognition to the #1 contender for the title, Chuck Liddell.

Couture shocked the MMA world on June 6, 2003, when he stopped Liddell with a TKO victory in the third round of their five round matchup for the interim UFC Light Heavyweight title, and has

“The Natural” went on to unify the title by defeating champion Tito Ortiz, literally spanking him at one point in the fifth round of their fight. A fluke cut to his eyelid cost him the title in his first defense against Vitor Belfort in January of 2004.

Couture regained the title in August of 2004, and the stage was set for a rematch with Chuck Liddell following their appearance as the coaches on the first season of UFC’s reality TV show, The Ultimate Fighter. This set up their rematch in 2005, where Couture suffered the first knockout loss of his career in just two minutes.

Couture lost the rubber match of the series in February of 2006 when he was knocked out in the second round, and shortly there after announced his retirement from the Octagon at the age of 42.

UFC’s weak heavyweight division and their desperation to find someone who could beat the very unpopular champion Tim Sylvia brought Dana White calling just a year later, cajoling Couture to come out retirement and move back up to heavyweight to face Sylvia.

Now 41, Couture controlled Sylvia to win a five round decision and became the first man ever to win five titles in the UFC.

Later that year though, a contract dispute with UFC drove him out of the company and into retirement again. Couture was unhappy about the fact the he was not given a bonus for his title defense against Gabriel Gonzaga, and that UFC had been unable to sign Fedor Emelianenko, which, with his pay being tied to Pay Per View revenues, was potentially the most profitable fight for Couture at the time. 

After a year of dueling lawsuits and press conferences, Couture and UFC settled their dispute and announced Couture’s return to the UFC in September of 2008. Three months later, Couture stepped into the cage to defend his UFC heavyweight title against the mammoth Brock Lesnar.

Lesnar defeated Couture by TKO in the second round, taking the heavyweight title in just his fourth MMA fight, and then 8 months later Couture was competitive but never put his opponent in danger in his fight last August against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria. 

Tonight he takes on Brandon Vera (11-3), tonight. Vera is a muay thai kickboxer, and is on a two fight win streak, last beating Krzysztof Soszynski on the undercard of the Couture-Nogueria show.

The key for Couture will most likely be his takedowns, and his ability to take the fight to the ground. Vera’s strong muay thai skills have a good chance to neutralize Couture’s dirty boxing skills if the fight is standing against the cage, and his kickboxing will pick Couture apart if they box. If Couture is able to take Vera down though, he will control the fight and set the pace, which gives him the best chance at victory.

Will a drop to 205 pounds turn Couture’s career around again, or will tonight be the end of Couture’s title aspirations? Find out tonight at 7 p.m.