UFC Fight Night 66 preview: Five burning questions for 'Edgar vs Faber' in Manila

Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans have been teased super fights for years, and while boxing fans were finally granted Mayweather vs Pacquiao after five years of waiting, Dana White and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rarely deliver bouts of that caliber.

This is certainly a step in the right direction.

For the first time ever, UFC will travel to Pasay, Philippines on Saturday morning (May 16, 2015) for an action-packed UFC Fight Night 66: "Edgar vs Faber" event, live from the Mall of Asia Arena, featuring a historic bout pitting two of the greatest MMA fighters of all time against one another in the main event.

That's where former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will take on former WEC featherweight kingpin Urijah Faber. The co-main event features an intriguing middleweight clash as Costas Philippou looks to break into the top-10 by defeating No. 7-ranked Gegard Mousasi.

With a historic FOX Sports 1 event slated for a special morning time slot, MMAmania.com pondered "Five Burning Questions" heading into this weekend.

5. Who in the world are these fighters on the UFC Fight Night 66 "Prelims?"

I would reckon about 90 percent of MMA fans have absolutely no idea who exactly is competing on the UFC Fight Night 66 "Prelims" this weekend.

Nothing in MMA is ever guaranteed, but I think it is safe to say that none of these fighters will ever be vying for a UFC title by the end of 2015. Of course, that doesn't mean there isn't some quality talent to watch early Saturday morning.

Of all 12 fighters on the "Prelims," I am most interested in witnessing Levan Makashvili's UFC debut.

"The Hornet" is yet another Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) import, boasting an impressive 6-1 record with three knockout victories.

The former CFFC featherweight champ is a very well rounded fighter, and with Mark Eddiva standing in his way on Saturday morning, fight fans could witness a big performance from the New York native.

Other than Makashvili, fight fans will probably look out for Dhiego Lima and Jon Tuck.

At this point, it is painfully clear that Lima is nowhere near as talented as his brother -- Bellator welterweight champ Douglas Lima -- and a loss on Saturday to Li Jingliang could mark the end of his Octagon career.

As for Tuck, the MMA Lab product is 2-2 in the Octagon, but he has been improving leaps and bounds in each successive fight. Taking on the always-exciting Tae Hyun Bang in the "Prelims" main event, fight fans could be in for a "Fight of the Night" contender.

4. Phillipe Nover returns for the first time in five years, but can he keep his UFC roster spot?

Remember way back in 2008 when Phillipe Nover passed out on the first episode of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8?

Well, Nover got the last laugh by making it to the live finale before losing to Efrain Escudero. Unfortunately for "The Filipino Assassin," he could not pick up a victory inside the Octagon in three tries, getting cut in late 2010.

Once deemed the next Anderson Silva, Nover could not live up to expectations, and struggled over the next several years to string wins together.

Finally, Nover has seemingly got his wits about him and has put together an impressive three-fight winning streak. With UFC heading to Manila, Dana White and Co. opted to give the former touted prospect one more shot in the big show.

Nover won't have it easy though, as he takes on the dangerous Yui Chul Nam on the main card. The South Korea native has not lost in over three years, but it is not like his competition has been world class.

It is do-or-die time for Nover in what will likely be his last chance to pick up a UFC victory. Will he seize the moment, or fail once more at the pinnacle?

3. Is Neil Magny a legit welterweight contender?

Neil Magny can continue to be stashed away and not promoted by UFC, but wherever he is placed, the TUF product continues to steal the show.

In what has to be one of the great turnarounds in recent UFC history -- in similar vein to fellow TUF veteran Matt Brown -- Magny has gone from the brink of being released at 1-2, to reeling off six straight victories against tough opponents.

In his last fight, Magny handed Kiichi Kunimoto his first loss in three years and he dominated him, to boot. Among his other impressive wins are a decision victory over the incredibly tough Tim Means, and another over the highly touted Alex Garcia.

Magny, who is now ranked No. 15 in the stacked welterweight division, is being forced to fight yet another tough prospect in Hyun Gyu Lim this weekend.

It won't be easy to put the South Korean away, but if Magny can pull out his seventh straight victory, UFC brass can not deny him anymore.

It is time Magny faces off against a top-10 opponent, and shows what he is truly capable of.

2. In Mark Munoz's final fight, will he channel the crowd's energy into a victory, or falter for the fourth straight time?

Of all the personalities in MMA, Mark Munoz is consistently in the conversation when bringing up the "nice guys" in a sport of brutes and barbarians.

Whether it was his hilarious "Wrecking Ball" parody that made you a fan of the "Filipino Wrecking Machine," or simply watching him rise up the middleweight ladder with humility, it is hard not to like Munoz.

With that being said, his days as a top-level fighter are long gone.

Most fighters who have lost three straight via finish in the first round would either hang up the gloves for good, or get cut by UFC altogether.

But with Munoz being the longtime face of the UFC in the Philippines, they just had to give him one shot to fight in front of his avid fan base.

It has been over two years since Munoz did an open workout in the Philippines with thousands of fans in attendance, and this weekend he will have the opportunity to actually compete for them.

With the Reign training center being sold, and his retirement inevitable, Munoz has one last chance in his 20th career bout to pull off a victory in front of his adoring fans.

With a hungry and desperate Luke Barnatt standing across the cage from him, nothing is guaranteed.

Can the "Filipino Wrecking Machine" turn back the clock for one more historic evening?

1. Urijah Faber vs Frankie Edgar: Who takes home the victory in Manila?

No Anderson Silva vs Georges St-Pierre? No Jon Jones vs Anderson Silva? No Jon Jones vs Cain Velasquez?

No problem!

Urijah Faber vs Frankie Edgar is absolutely a super fight, and I personally cannot wait for this bout.

I am going to full on mark out here, but the magnitude of this fight is just so enthralling and captivating at the same time. Two legends of the sport will throw down in what has to be an epic battle.

Faber, the former WEC champion, has long been the face of the sub-155 pound fighters, and his ability to stay at the top of the heap in both the featherweight and bantamweight division for over a decade is nothing to scoff at.

Edgar is one of the great fighters of this generation, with a no-quit attitude that has made "The Answer" beloved by a huge legion of MMA fans.

The former UFC lightweight champ has defeated the greatest lightweight of all time thrice, and honestly, BJ Penn never made the fights even close.

Both Faber and Edgar's highlight reels are nearly unrivaled. Edgar's wars with Gray Maynard are absolutely legendary, he took Jose Aldo to the brink, and his complete dominance over the likes of Cub Swanson, Charles Oliveira, and Sean Sherk have been something to behold.

Faber has literally never lost a non-title fight. Think about that for a second before continuing to read on. All seven of his career losses have come in title fights in UFC, WEC, and one regional title fight loss to Tyson Griffin way back in 2005.

While "The California Kid" has been unable to reach the apex in UFC, he has lost to only the best of the best in Renan Barao and Dominick Cruz. In eight UFC bouts where he has not fought for the title, Faber has defeated the likes of Eddie Wineland, Michael McDonald, Iuri Alcantara, and more.

The list of accolades for both of these men is basically endless, and almost any MMA fan will tell you they are die-hard fans of both men. For the first time in five years, the Team Alpha Male captain will return to the featherweight division where he will take on the No. 2 ranked 145-pound fighter in the world.

Will "The California Kid" earn another UFC title shot, or is "The Answer" going to make the former WEC kingpin regret moving up?

Whatever the outcome, this should be a historic battle that won't soon be forgotten.

Strap in, and get ready for a wild ride.

For more information on UFC Fight Night 66, including the full fight card, results, news, and more, click here.