UFC on FOX 1 fight card: Cub Swanson finally makes his Octagon debut against Ricardo Lamas

Admittedly enough, all the spotlight for the UFC on Fox 1 fight card tonight (Sat., Nov. 12, 2011) has centered around the Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos heavyweight championship fight, and for good reason.

It's kind of a big deal.

There are other fights on the card, though, and a few of them may or may not have some far-reaching implications, Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson chief among them.

But the Facebook streamed portion of the undercard also features the UFC debut of one Cub Swanson, an exciting kickboxer who can throw submissions with the best of them.

A veteran of the now defunct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) promotion, Swanson has all the ingredients to be a major player in the UFC. His 15-4 career record is marked only by losses to top featherweight talent, men like current division deity Jose Aldo and the current number one contender to his title, Chad Mendes.

Of course, it's only fair to mention the fact that his list of victims isn't exactly a who's who of the 145-pound weight class. But a solid camp (Greg Jackson's in New Mexico) and a style that earns bonus awards more often than not will go a long way in a division lacking depth.

Who knows, a win here and a win there and before you know it Swanson could get his rematch against Aldo.

Standing in the way is Ricardo Lamas, not necessarily a name you're likely to recognize. He, too, is a WEC veteran who found success albeit in the lightweight division.

Now, though, he's starting to settle in at his new home sans the extra 10 pounds and it could pay huge dividends. If Swanson is just a few fights away from contention, defeating him could very well catapult Lamas straight up the ladder.

Look out, world.

REMEMBER: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC on FOX 1, beginning with the preliminary card bouts on Facebook scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the heavyweight championship bout as it happens later this evening at 9 p.m. ET.