Would You Pay $44.95 to Watch This Man?

Jose Aldo might just be the best fighter in the world you've never heard of.  He's got knockout power in both hands, two feet and his knees.  He's got the kind of killer instinct that the UFC wishes Anderson Silva possessed.  And he, at the tender age of 23, is the top prospect in the game. Don't believe me? Ask UFC President Dana White. Already a fan, when White heard that Aldo asked to defend his WEC Featherweight title in opponent Urijah Faber's hometown of Sacramento, he knew he had something special.

"Pretty nasty, you know? That shows what kind of a fighter this kid is, man," White said.  "To want to go into a guy's hometown - especially, listen, it's not just like walking into any hometown, you're walking into Faber's hometown. Faber is huge there, you know, he knows that he's going to get the support of the people. And Aldo wanted that fight there; love it."

Aldo has finished all six of his WEC opponents on his way to dethroning Mike Brown to win the title late last year. Faber is the promotion's poster boy, a good looking and charismatic kid who just happens to be shorter than the average American woman. Both are fast as a hiccup and willing to engage, often recklessly, in order to make a fight special.

For the UFC, this is the perfect time for a fight like this.  UFC 112 earlier this month in Abu Dhabi left a bad taste in many fans mouths. Silva was happier dancing than he was fighting and White stormed out of the makeshift arena, furious at his champion and best fighter.  One thing is certain-Aldo isn't on Silva's level yet, but he isn't going to spend 25 minutes doing a quick step.

"We couldn't have a better fight following all this crap," White said.  "You know, Aldo and Faber is going to be a sick fight. Like I said, styles make fights. You never know who's going to win, you never know what's going to happen. Aldo's 6-0 in his last six fights, six KOs, Urijah Faber is very motivated and wants to get back on top."

This is the WEC's first attempt at capturing the Pay-Per-View market.  Fans used to watching the dynamic dynamos fight for free on Versus will now be asked to pony up $44.95 for the privilege.  In a crowded marketplace (the show is following both UFC 112 and a star-studded Strikeforce event last weekend) that may be too much to ask.

"These guys are so motivated. For anybody, you know, to talk about this fight and this fight card and say that this thing oh, it's on pay-per-view, why should we buy it? Why should you buy it?" White asked.  "Because you're a fight fan and these guys are great fighters and this is going to be an incredible card on Saturday night. And do you know who's going to show up? The people who are true fight fans are going to show up."

WEC 48: Aldo v. Faber takes place on April 24, 2010 at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. Jonathan Snowden is the author of Total MMA: Inside Ultimate Fighting.