Lavar Johnson (17-5) vs. Stefan Struve (23-5)

Something tells me there is no real winner in a bout with Struve. Sure, the kid is young, always improving, etc., but does anyone ever say “Wow! He beat Stefan Struve!” or “Whoa, Struve looked awesome”..? No. The only guaranteed thing is entertainment. Struve can easily win this by submission, but, he has ZERO wrestling skills and Johnson is a huge dude. As such, “The Rock” wins this with fists.

Winner – Lavar Johnson defeats Stefan Struve via Knockout Round 1

Stipe Miocic (8-0) vs. Shane del Rosario (11-0)

In a bout that pits two awesome undefeated heavyweight prospects, the latest Strikeforce import, Del Rosario returns after 15 long months away from the cage. He faces a really tough challenge in Miocic, and unfortunately for Shane ring-rust is a bitch. As such, I think Miocic rocks him and beats him down for fifteen straight minutes.

Winner – Stipe Miocic defeats Shane del Rosario via Unanimous Decision

Dave Herman (21-3) vs. Roy Nelson (16-7)

What a terrible match up for Herman in terms of style! Nelson gets a much needed win here, using his beard to throw off the near hairless Herman, and walking through Herman’s three minutes of offense, to take a very, very ugly Unanimous Decision.

Winner – Roy Nelson defeats Dave Herman via Unanimous Decision

Cain Velasquez (9-1) vs. Antonio Silva (16-3)

Velasquez is not the kind of guy you want to make your UFC debut against. “Bigfoot” has a hell of a jaw, and he can handle himself against some of the best fighters in the division, without a doubt (See: Fedor Emelianenko), but I just see things going all sorts of wrong for him in this bout. Cain is hungry, healthy, and goddamn does he look angry. I fully expect a violent finish here.

Winner – Cain Velasquez defeats Antonio Silva via TKO Round 1

Junior dos Santos (14-1) vs. Frank Mir (16-5)

Mir hates being punched in the face. Good for him he doesn’t have to worry about that against Juni.. oh, damn. Well, it was a good run, Frank. Junior is going to make poor Mir look like he did after he fought Shane Carwin, that is to say, face down counting sheep in the center of the cage. However, I don’t see Mir gutting his way through the adversity like Carwin did. Can Frank pull off some miracle and submit JDS? Yes. Will he? Hell no.

Winner – Junior dos Santos defeats Frank Mir via Knockout Round 1

The main card goes down at the usual 10:00 PM EST on PPV. If you like violence and bad tattoos, then seriously, don’t miss this card. Enjoy the fights!

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Mike Brown (25-8) vs. Daniel Pineda (17-7)

Brown is an old man in MMA terms. The young lion Pineda will be out for his third straight win inside the Octagon, and for both men a win could mean big things in terms of placement in the division. I expect Brown to take Pineda to the mat, and from there Pineda will be in all kinds of trouble.

Winner – Mike Brown defeats Daniel Pineda via Submission Round 1

Paul Sass (12-0) vs. Jacob Volkmann (14-2)

Sass has had one of the best runs in British MMA history. Being undefeated and having eleven submission wins is no easy feat. He faces the most dangerous man in America though – the enemy of Obama i.e. Volkmann. Sass has some fancy tricks, but Volkmann has no time for, or interest in, such folly.

Winner – Jacob Volkmann defeats Paul Sass via Unanimous Decision

Glover Teixeira (17-2) vs. Kyle Kingsbury (11-3)

Glover walks through Kingsbury. It’s going to be violent, ugly, and not competitive.

Winner – Glover Teixeira defeats Kyle Kingsbury via TKO Round 1

Duane Ludwig (21-12) vs. Dan Hardy (23-10)

Two men who desperately need a win are almost destined to put on a damn good show, and I suspect that’s what we’ll see here. Look for Hardy to shock everyone with a slightly more well-rounded game, and while he will be technically outclassed, he will either knockout or steal a decision over Ludwig.

Winner – Dan Hardy defeats Duane Ludwig via Unanimous Decision

C.B. Dollaway (11-4) vs. Jason Miller (23-8)

With excuses aside, Miller looked absolutely horrid against Michael Bisping. He faces a considerably easier challenge in Dollaway who has him beat in the wrestling department but doesn’t offer too much that I can see beyond that. I expect Dollaway to take him down, get careless, Triangled, and tapped.

Winner – Jason Miller defeats C.B. Dollaway via Submission Round 2

Jamie Varner (19-6-1) vs. Edson Barboza (10-0)

Welcome back Varner! Enjoy your stay since it won’t be a long one. Coming in as a late replacement for Evan Dunham, that poor fella has to fight Barboza, an unenviable task. I fully expect Barboza to kick Varner’s legs off en route to a unanimous decision win.

Winner – Edson Barboza defeats Jamie Varner via Unanimous Decision

Diego Brandao (14-7) vs. Darren Elkins (13-2)

In the final and perhaps most violent preliminary bout, Brandao is going to kill Elkins. Elkins has some solid wrestling, and yeah, I don’t doubt that he could but Brandao on his back, but even then what can he do from there other than get submitted? Good luck surviving an absolute firestorm of fists to get Brandao on his back. I don’t see it happening.

Winner – Diego Brandao defeats Darren Elkins via Knockout Round 1

Check out the preliminary bouts starting at approximately 6:30 PM EST on the UFC’s Facebook page with the FX card starting at 8:00 PM EST. Also, don’t forget to check back later today for my look at the nearly 2500-pound main card.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

James Terry defeats Bobby Green via Unanimous Decision
Quinn Mulhern defeats Yuri Villefort via Submission Round 3
Gian Villante defeats Derrick Mehmen via Unanimous Decision
Virgil Zwicker defeats Guto Inocente via Knockout Round 1
Gesias Cavalcante defeats Issac Vallie-Flagg via TKO Round 2

Now it’s time to show some love to the main card…

Nah-Shon Burrell (8-1) vs. Chris Spang (4-1)

I’m surprised this bout made the main card, especially with Cavalcante/Vallie-Flagg out there for the picking. However, it should be a damn good fight, as Burrell is a tough and very solid prospect, while Spang brings a lot to the cage as well. Spang will likely pressure Burrell early, but in the end Nah-Shon is getting a TKO win and a boost in that hilariously structured Strikeforce welterweight division.

Winner – Nah-Shon Burrell defeats Chris Spang via TKO Round 2

Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (11-3) vs. Mike Kyle (19-8-1)

A rematch from an early Strikeforce bout features former champ “Feijao” taking on the hard hitting, hard headed Kyle. While both men are more than capable of stopping an opponent violently, as Kyle did to “Feijao” in their first meeting, Feijao is likely the better striker. Not to take anything away from Kyle, but Cavalcante looked terrible in that bout, and since then, he has taken training more seriously, and if he’s fully prepared, he’ll exact his revenge.

Winner – Rafael Cavalcante defeats Mike Kyle via Knockout Round 2

Gilbert Melendez (20-2) vs. Josh Thomson (19-4)

In the rubber match, “El Nino” and “The Punk” finally determine once and for all who is the better fighter. While both have improved since their previous meetings, it comes down to a question of just who is the better fight. Expect Melendez to take control early, and maintain that control for a full 25 minutes. Thomson is a fantastic fighter, and likely UFC bound in the future, but he won’t have much to offer Gil.

Winner – Gilbert Melendez defeats Josh Thomson via Unanimous Decision

Josh Barnett (31-5) vs. Daniel Cormier (9-0)

There are so many factors in this bout that could play out tonight. Will the explosiveness and speed of Cormier lead him to victory? Will the experience of Barnett give him the advantage? Who will have the better gameplan, and will it even matter? I see Cormier putting the pressure on early, but I can’t imagine Barnett fading. Josh will use his deceptive strength to trip Cormier from a clinch late in the fight, and from there, it’s all Barnett. Cormier is the future at heavyweight, but Barnett is likely just too good.

Winner – Josh Barnett defeats Daniel Cormier via Submission Round 3

Catch all the action tonight at 8:00 PM EST on Showtime Extreme for the preliminary card, and 10:00 PM EST for the main card on Showtime. Enjoy the fights!

Truth be told there are some intriguing match-ups on both the main card and the undercard which will be televised on Showtime Extreme. Gesias Cavalcante will take on the Greg Jackson-trained Isaac Vallie-Flagg and Virgil Zwicker will drop down to the light heavyweight division when he faces Guto Inocente of The Blackzilians. Known as “Rezdog”, the Native American Zwicker is fighting for the first time in over a year.

Judging by the excitement in Zwicker’s voice during a recent conversation with Five Ounces of Pain it seems it could be a long night for Inocente.

Bryan Levick: For those fans who aren’t all that familiar with you can you give us a little insight into your background both athletically and personally?

Virgil Zwicker: I played a lot of basketball and football while I was growing up. I played Pop Warner and during high school. My older brother John was fighting and he had gotten injured. He called me up to see if I was interested in replacing him and I took the fight with no training as I just needed the money. I wound up knocking the guy out in 43 seconds. I took my first few fights under similar circumstances. I had no experience what so ever I just went in there and used my hands.

Bryan Levick: I know you had spent some time in prison, can you tell me a little bit about that time in your life?

Virgil Zwicker: I was living on the reservation and got into it with the sheriffs. There was a problem on the mad and they told me to leave and when I didn’t react right away they started beating me with their Mag Lights. One of the Sheriffs swung and missed and by doing so he fell and was injured. I took off running ten miles barefoot and wound up losing all of the skin off of my feet. I went through all seven layers on the bottom of my feet. When it was all said and done I was charged with assault and battery as well as making terroristic threats.

Bryan Levick: Where are you currently training in preparation for this fight?

Virgil Zwicker: I am training with Team Quest in Temecula, CA. I train alongside Jesse Taylor, Dave Herman and Bryan Harper. The gym has a lot of great grapplers which has been a huge help to me. Ovince St. Preux recently came out and helped me get ready for this fight. He’s good to work with because of his size. We had fought in the past and now we are good friends, it’s weird how MMA is. You can beat the hell out of each other one minute and be friends the next. That’s what great about the sport, the respect that you have for one another is always evident.

Bryan Levick: How would you describe your fighting style?

Virgil Zwicker: My strengths are definitely when I am on my feet, but I have really worked a lot on my wrestling over the past couple of years. It’s really gone through the roof and that comes from working day in and day out with such an outstanding group of grapplers. It’s been a lot of fun to see myself progress. I am really enjoying putting the work in and seeing my hard work pay off. These fights aren’t going to get any easier so I know I need to keep working harder and harder.

Bryan Levick: What can you tell me about your opponent Guto Inocente?

Virgil Zwicker: He’s a real tough guy who is really big and tall, he’s going to be a tough opponent. I don’t know that much about him other than he’s a World Kickboxing Champion and he has a blackbelt in Jiu-Jitsu. He seems to be very well rounded and although he doesn’t have too much experience inside the cage he works with a very good camp in the Blackzilians.

Bryan Levick: How have you adjusted to the drop from heavyweight to light heavyweight?

Virgil Zwicker: My first few fights were at 205 and then I moved up to heavyweight until the fight with OSP. I went back up to heavyweight after that fight so this will be my first back at 205 in a few years. Right now I’m only three or four pounds away from where I need to be, I am feeling really good now. I am working with my friend Norm Johnson who works with Elite Fitness and he has really helped me with my diet. He has helped me prepare both mentally and physically, he is the reason why I feel so good.

Bryan Levick: How are you enjoying your time fighting for Strikeforce? How do you see the main event between Cormier and Barnett going?

Virgil Zwicker: It’s been awesome; they really are a great organization. They have really taken care of me and they are really respectful of my career. I am so excited to be on this card because I have been a huge fan of Barnett since I was a kid. He came down to train with us a couple of weeks ago. It was an awesome experience to be able to train with him for just one day. Cormier is just an absolute beast and it says a lot about him being in a fight of this magnitude so early into his career. I’m hoping that Josh pulls it out, but Cormier is no joke. I just hope that they put on a great fight and bring some positive attention to Strikeforce.

Bryan Levick: How did you hook up with Alchemist?

Virgil Zwicker: My striking coach Billy Scheibe was good friends with Nima Safapour and we went and lunch a couple of years ago and I’ve been with them ever since. At the time my wife and I were going out and getting sponsors on our own and I needed someone to help me out in that regard so I could concentrate on training. With Alchemist I have all the support I need they have done an amazing job for me. It’s like one big happy family with Nima, Lex McMahon, Jeff and MC Hammer; they really know how to take care of their clients. It’s a huge relief knowing that I can call them and know that they will take care of what I need; I have total faith and trust in them.

Bryan Levick: Do you have anyone you’d like to thank?

Virgil Zwicker: Definitely I’d like to thank my coaches Billy Scheibe, Bryan Harper and all of my training partners at Team Quest. I want to thank my mother, my father and my brothers and sisters. I’d like to thank Uei Water, TapouT, Pala Braves, Team Kupa, Baad Medicine, Rod Brothers, Fast Track Insurance and The Jalapeno Bar & Grill. I also have to thank Alchemist for all they do for me. Last, but not least I’d like to thank all the Native American fans who have supported me. If anyone wants to know what I am up to you can follow me on Twitter @VirgilZwicker as well as on Facebook. I’d also like to thank Kevin Duenas who is my strength and conditioning coach.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

Also, if you’re a fighter out there whose beloved mom doesn’t make the cut, keep in mind this list is completely subjective as are all rankings and it’s not a slight on how wonderful she undoubtedly is.

1.) Ronda Rousey / Ann Maria DeMars

There is no question Rousey would not be who she is today without the influence of her mother. DeMars is a decorated judoka and fierce female, raising “Rowdy” Ronda as a single-parent for most of her life after the untimely death of her father. She introduced Rousey to judo at an early age, developing both her skills on the mat as well as strengthening her character. Rousey recently recounted a story where she was eleven year old, broke a toe in a match, and was then made to run laps after crying about it. The lesson imparted – “Sometimes you have to fight when you’re injured. You need to know you’re capable of that.”

Today Rousey is an arm-snapping, ass-kicking machine whose personality (and genetic blessings) have earned her a spot at the top of the MMA food chain as the face of woman’s MMA.

2.) B.J. Penn / Lorraine Shin

I don’t know a lot about Shin but what I do know is that she is a constant presence in the crowd when her baby – Baby Jay more specifically – fights. She also penned a passionate letter to the NSAC after his second bout with Georges St. Pierre, complaining of GSP using a grease-like substance to gain a competitive advantage in the cage.

Wrote Shin, “I have and continue to support my four sons who have earned their black belt status in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I have also had the opportunity of attending many Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments as well as MMA fight events in Hawaii, Guam, Japan, England and the U.S. Mainland. I am no stranger to the MMA fight world…During the rounds that followed, I was shocked to see that B.J. appeared to be helpless, as well as defenseless in his attempts to grasp and hold Georges St. Pierre while on the ground. I silently kept screaming and asking myself, ‘What is wrong? Why can’t B.J. defend himself?’ I was horrified with fear. My son was going to be seriously hurt because he could not defend himself…Although still in shock and fearful for my son (in the locker room), it then made sense to me why B.J. couldn’t defend himself. Georges St. Pierre used a greasy substance on his body, therefore giving St. Pierre an unfair advantage over my son, B.J. Penn…While in the locker room, I couldn’t understand why the fight was not stopped by the UFC’s referee or the Nevada State Athletic Commission for the unfair advantage by St. Pierre and his cornerman after they realized the foul. How could this happen? Why was it allowed?”

That, my friends, is a mother’s love.

3.) Carlos Condit / Camille Prevost

I have always had a soft spot for Condit’s mother since his days in WEC. She walks him down to the cage and often works in his corner since she’s a registered nurse. There’s something inherently sweet about a mom supporting her son to the point she helps fuel his fire to compete in a sport he loves even if it means he could get hurt.

Runner Up – Urijah Faber / Suzanne Faber

I’m not fully familiar with Mrs. Faber but as the lone matriarch on the list to have stopped a robbery while wielding a gun she deserves a little recognition from those outside her family.

“Happy B-day to my beautiful mom Suzanne today,” posted Faber on his Twitter a few weeks back. “Still feisty, just caught a burgler /w a pellet gun. Held him off till the cops arrived … he thought she was using a real gun … She was house sitting & found this High powered pellet gun. Looks dangerous enough.”

Faber may have the Hollywood chin but it sounds like his mom is the real action hero.

On that note, stop reading this article and go give your mom a call to tell her how you feel! Happy Mother’s Day!

Let’s get down to business, shall we?

Don Carlo-Clauss (8-6) vs. Jacob Kirwan (9-4)

The New York based bearded wonder, Carlo-Clauss looks for his second straight win in his Bellator debut. Unfortunately for him, he takes on “The Hunter”. Although he lost his last bout, Kirwan showed how tenacious he can be and his grappling-heavy attack will be too much for the New Yorker.

Winner – Jacob Kirwan defeats Don Carlo-Clauss via Submission Round 2

Marcin Held (12-2) vs. Derrick Kennington (6-2)

20-year old Polish fighter Held returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since a controversial November victory over Phillipe Nover. The well-rounded youngster has a lot of hype behind him. His opponent, the grappling-friendly Kennington, hasn’t been really tested yet in his career and this bout should be just that. However, I doubt he’ll be exiting the cage with an “A+” in tow.

Winner – Marcin Held defeats Derrick Kennington via TKO Round 1

Claudio Ledesma (6-2) vs. Anthony Leone (10-5)

Renzo Gracie-trained Ledesma looks for his second Bellator victory and third straight overall. The Ring of Combat veteran is a solid bantamweight and if he keeps up his string of victories, he could very well find himself in the next 135-pound tournament. He takes on former Strikeforce/WEC fighter Leone. While he hasn’t had much luck in his last few bouts, going 2-5 in his last seven, the Team Bombsquad fighter possesses some good ground skills, and of his ten victories half of them have come by submission. I see the bad luck continuing for Leone, as Ledesma will likely roll through him.

Winner – Claudio Ledesma defeats Anthony Leone via Unanimous Decision

Francois Ambang (1-3-1) vs. Gregory Milliard (2-2)

I’m just not going to even bother talking about this fight, simply because, it does not interest me in the slightest. Prelims, postlims, whatever, sometimes, I just don’t want to bother watching a fight and this is one of them. I kind of like Milliard though, as he beat up one-time Strikeforce fighter (and registered sex offender Brandon Saling), so there’s that.

Winner – Gregory Milliard defeats Francois Ambang via Unanimous Decision

Aung La Nsang (9-7) vs. Jesus Martinez (6-2)

Looking to rebound from two straight losses, Crazy 88 BJJ fighter Nsang makes his Bellator debut tonight. The skilled grappler may lack consistency, but he’s a hell of a fighter as shown in his five Ring of Combat appearances. He takes on “Chavo”, a Semper Fi MMA product, who may be best known for being destroyed by Karl Amoussou back in November. I suspect this bout is fairly exciting, but I don’t see any other likely result than a decision win, likely for Martinez.

Winner – Jesus Martinez defeats Aung La Nsang via Unanimous Decision

Marius Zaromskis (16-6 1 NC) vs. Waachim Spiritwolf (9-9-1 1 NC)

After a false start in their initial bout, former DREAM welterweight champ Zaromskis finally gets to go toe to toe with Spiritwolf. Spiritwolf is a scrapper who leaves it all in the cage whenever he fights. Zaromskis is a technically proficient striker, who has some nasty kicks, the kind of kicks that remove ears from heads.

I expect this to be an awesome opening to the televised card, with the more technically skilled fighter, Zaromiskis, taking home the TKO win.

Winner – Marius Zaromskis defeats Waachim Spiritwolf via TKO Round 3

Carmelo Marrero vs. Seth Petruzelli

In what will likely be my favorite fight of the night, the Kimbo Slice-slayer Petruzelli looks for his second straight Bellator victory after he murdered Ricco Rodriguez in August. Going up against him is the crafty grappler, Marrero. Marrero is a handful for anybody on the ground and is notoriously difficult to finish.

This bout is kind of a toss-up. Petruzelli has disgusting power and can end a fight quickly, but tends to slow down as the fight goes on. Marrero is generally able to throw down throughout the full fifteen minutes and is moving down in weight slightly, for this catch-weight bout, whereas Seth is moving up, so there will be a bit of a size difference. The smart money is on Marrero getting the submission and that’s where mine is as well.

Winner – Carmel Marrero defeats Seth Petruzelli via Submission Round 2

Travis Marx vs. Marcos Galvão

Galvão is a man on a mission after all the BS decision losses he’s suffered. He is very clearly out for blood as we saw when he took out Ed West in the quarterfinals. Marx shocked many when he defeated Masakatsu Ueda in his last bout. He has some serious wrestling chops and can easily grind out a decision.

Marx has a clear cut path to victory, and that is take Galvão down and lay on top of him. Having said that, Galvão is a Nova Uniao black belt who also possesses some serious striking ability. He will be too much for Marx to handle, and he’ll be booking his ticket to the finals.

Winner – Marcos Galvão defeats Travis Marx via Unanimous Decision

Marlon Sandro vs. Daniel Straus

Sandro is ready for revenge and the last thing standing in his way is Straus. Sandro, long considered one of the best featherweights in the world, enters his second tournament final bout, and hopes this time things go his way. after coming up short last season. Straus, the solid wrestler, has had a hard road to the finals in taking out Jeremy Spoon and Mike Corey, both via decision. Straus also enters his second tournament final, and much like Sandro he believes tonight is his night.

Only one man can take home the Bellator tournament crown and become the #2 contender in the division. That man will be Sandro. His loss to Pat Curran will not haunt him much longer, as he will use his technical striking, violent power, and excellent grappling abilities to stifle to the attacks of Straus en route to a late stoppage or decision victory.

Winner – Marlon Sandro defeats Daniel Straus via Unanimous Decision

You all know the drill by now. As always, Bellator airs live on Spike.com at 7:00 PM EST with some preliminary bouts with the main card going live at 8:00 on MTV 2, TheScore.com in Canada, or on Spike.com. Tune in early so Jimmy Smith and Sean Wheelock can call you hardcore fans.

PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR

Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller – UFC on FOX 3:

The winner of this bout will more than likely go on to face the winner of the Benson Henderson-Frankie Edgar rematch for the lightweight title. Miller, the hometown favorite, rebounded nicely from his loss to Henderson in August with a convincing first round submission victory over Melvin Guillard in January. The loss to Henderson snapped a seven-fight wining streak and derailed his title aspirations, but if he defeats Diaz in May he will be right back on track.

Speaking of Diaz, the move back to the lightweight division has certainly been the right one for the Stockton native and younger brother of UFC welterweight contender Nick Diaz. In his first fight at 155 pounds in 18 months, Diaz made short work of former PRIDE lightweight champ Takanori Gomi, winning a Submission of the Night bonus. Diaz and Donald Cerrone won Fight of the Night when they hooked up at UFC 141 with Diaz walking away the winner by unanimous decision. A third win in a row should put him in line for a shot at UFC gold and, given the quality of this bout, maybe even another bonus as well.

Josh Koshcheck vs. Johny Hendricks – UFC on FOX 3:

Koscheck has won his last two fights but hasn’t looked all that impressive in doing so. He won a split decision over Mike Pierce at UFC 143 in a bout where he looked slow and uninterested. Before that he defeated UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes via first round knockout , but in the early part of round one Hughes was able to target and land on Koscheck’s surgically repaired eye. This was the same eye that GSP jabbed repeatedly for 25 minutes in their title bout at UFC 124.

Hendricks on the other hand is coming off the biggest win of his career over Koscheck’s former AKA teammate Jon Fitch. It took the Oklahoma State All-American all of twelve seconds to hand Fitch only his second loss in nine years. A win here for Hendricks could see him either face Jake Ellenberger for the right to face the winner of the Carlos Condit-Georges St. Pierre unification bout tentatively scheduled for the end of this year or, if spectacular enough, it could see him jump over the winner of Martin Kampmann-JakeEllenberger and go straight to the head of the line. Comparably, Koscheck is in a tough spot as no one wants to see him face GSP again meaning a win here for him would cement either Ellenberger/Kampmann in the #1 contender’s spot.

Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung – UFC on Fuel 3 (5/15):

With so few contenders available to challenge UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo, Poirier finds himself in a great position here to challenge for the title should he defeat “The Korean Zombie” on Fuel TV. Hatsu Hioki and Eric Koch are the only other featherweight fighters who have been talked about as possibilities for Aldo though neither has emerged as a true frontrunner. As far as Jung he would need another big win or two before he would be given any consideration as a viable challenger for Aldo’s title. If not Aldo, Poirier will almost certainly face Hioki with a win here.

Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier – Strikeforce: Grand Prix Final (5/19):

Barnett seems to finally have gotten his career in order and is looking to not only win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix but also force the UFC’s hand in giving him another shot at fighting inside the Octagon. A win over the undefeated and dangerous Cormier would go a long way in helping him achieve all of his goals. Barnett has had his hand raised in eight fights in a row but this would be by far his biggest win.

Cormier is coming off a dominating first round knockout victory over Antonio Silva in September and has a solid scrap with Roy Nelson on his hands (also in May). The AKA standout is 9-0 and a win over the tough veteran Barnett would send him in to the UFC on one hell of a roll. He defeated Jeff Monson before Silva and is gradually facing tougher competition while certainly answering the call. Either way expect to see him fight in the UFC whether in his next bout or after the one-off the Grand Prix will be booked for to close out Strikeforce’s heavyweight division.

Junior Dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem – UFC 146 (5/26)

Assuming by some miracle Overeem gets licensed, Dos Santos will defend his title for the first time against the former Strikeforce, DREAM, and K-1 title-holder who retired former UFC champion Brock Lesnar when the two met at UFC 141 in December. This bout has fireworks written all over it as both men will look to stand and bang, likely meaning Las Vegas will be treated to two hard-hitting machines battling it out for the sport’s most coveted prize if Overeem’s drug test doesn’t get in the way.

JDS has the edge in boxing while Overeem holds the advantage with devastating knees and in being nearly 25 pounds heavier than “Cigano”. Overeem has shown that he can be hurt, but it’s been a long time since anyone has put him down. In fact, it’s been almost five years. Dos Santos has shown that he is tenacious and can keep a steady pace when necessary.

Frank Mir vs. Cain Velasquez – UFC 146:

Velasquez suffered the first loss of his career in September when he lost his title via first round TKO to Dos Santos. He will be looking to show the world that loss was an aberration and he wants his title back. He fought Dos Santos after being out of action for nearly a year and it showed as he seemed hesitant and slow. He can ill afford not to be prepared when he faces Mir because he will be facing of the most intelligent fighters to have ever graced the Octagon. He faces a man who has overcome injuries and adversity to wear UFC gold on two separate occasions.

Every time people want to count Mir out he comes back and proves everyone wrong. No one expected him to fight again after suffering serious injuries in a horrific motorcycle accident back in 2004. He was forced to relinquish his title and suffered some losses because he came back too soon. He became the first man to finish Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, also capturing an interim championship along the way in 2008 when no one gave him a chance. He lost to Shane Carwin at UFC 111 via first round KO and people said he was done, but he has since reeled off three straight wins and finds himself one win away from fighting for the title for the third time. Do not count Mir out against Velasquez. He has made a career out of doing what people say can’t be done.

UFC 146 has three other heavyweight bouts that are sure to excite the masses too with Mark Hunt vs. Stefan Struve, Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Shane del Rosario, and Nelson vs. “Bigfoot” Silva rounding out the first ever UFC PPV card consisting of all heavyweight bouts.

May should prove to be extremely exciting and June should be just as fun beginning with The Ultimate Fighter Live Finale on June 1. That card will be headlined by the flyweight rematch between Ian McCall and Demetrious Johnson. On June 23 from Brazil we will finally get to see the long awaited rematch for the middleweight title as Chael Sonnen enters very hostile territory to take on Anderson Silva. Additionally, after nearly fourteen years Vitor Belfort gets his shot at going 2-0 against Wanderlei Silva on the same card after each serves as a coach on TUF Brasil. All that and more will set pace for a fantastic summer of MMA. The heat is just beginning!

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The limit for T/E ratios is 6-to-1 and Overeem’s “A” sample exceeded 10-to-1, massively over that maximum. Of course, the former Strikeforce heavyweight champ will be granted the right to request the “B” sample be screened and if that comes up negative he will still be given a license to fight. However, chances are this epic heavyweight collision will not be taking place as planned.

Certainly the situation is an unfortunate and frustrating one, but given Overeem’s reputation it is astonishing how few people saw this coming. Listen, Overeem can talk about his horse meat diet all he wants, but unless he is devouring an entire stable of horses and a couple of small ponies on a daily basis, his Godzilla-esque physique is coming from something else he is putting into his body.

The positive drug test is unfortunate but it isn’t something that comes completely out of left field. Pundits have accused “The Reem” of utilizing PEDs for years. He may have gotten away with it up until this point but now that he foolishly got caught it is going to be very difficult for Overeem’s reputation to recover from this.

I’m not saying Overeem is a bad guy but a majority of the MMA audience is going to look at the man in a much more negative light. The ones who claimed Overeem was using performance enhancers all along now have more ammo to belittle him and the ones who clung to his bandwagon will quickly hop off.

Of course, like any fighter of his status he will always have a handful of dedicated followers that will ride with him no matter the circumstances but it seems even some of his most loyal fans are put off by this news.  Though it is going to be tough for Overeem to bounce back it’s not necessarily impossible either.

For starters, Overeem needs to be honest when discussing this incident in public. If he comes out and blames the positive test on tainted supplements, like almost every fighter that gets caught does these days, it is not going to help his reputation at all. At the end of the day, fans appreciate honesty so it is very crucial for Overeem to admit his mistake and give a sincere apology.

Think back to 2003 when former UFC heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia tested positive for steroids and publicly admitted he was using the banned substance to shed excess body fat. Sylvia recovered quite well and eventually reclaimed the heavyweight title three years later without being referred to as a “cheater”.

I also believe it would help Overeem’s public image if he admits that he does not deserve to fight for the championship in the midst of all of this. Sure, it sounds absurd, but if he says that he wants to earn his way back into the title picture and start from scratch the audience will be completely blown away and respect he may have lost will start coming back. Obviously, judging by Dana White’s recent comments on the issue he isn’t going to put Overeem back into a main event spot right off the bat anyway so the smart approach on Overeem’s part is to talk about building himself back to the top from the ground up. Realistically he may only need one more fight to earn another title shot, but if he convinces the audience that in light of his mistake he is going to fight his way through the gauntlet and earn the respect of the organization and fans back it will go a long way.

At the end of the day what Overeem did is inexcusable but there is no sense in beating a dead horse… because chances are Overeem already did and is about to throw it up on his grill. In all seriousness, everyone makes mistakes and we all get caught, but it’s what you do next that counts. Let’s see how “The Demolition Man” bounces back and if he can shake off the negative labels that now stick to him. He just has to be the one to take the first step towards that goal.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

After recently speaking with Evans it became apparent very quickly that he is fiercely loyal and steadfast in his beliefs. While many will say MMA is an individual sport most of those people haven’t had the opportunity to spill blood, shed tears, and sweat alongside a teammate day in and day out. Evans values his relationships amongst his teammates more than he does a championship or a paycheck. That’s not to say he doesn’t desire to hold the UFC light heavyweight title or make a good living and be able to support his family. It just means he isn’t willing to sacrifice the relationships he has forged along the way and alienate the men who have helped get him where he is today.

Evans and Jardine quickly developed a bond when the two men were contestants on the Ultimate Fighter 2 back in 2005. They actually fought on the show with Evans winning by decision. As soon as taping was over Evans joined Jackson’s gym and quickly strengthened that bond with Jardine, one that is still going strong today. As the two fighters slowly but surely climbed the light heavyweight ladder talk began to grow that they could possibly face one another if their success continued. Beginning with his fight with Tito Ortiz at UFC 73 in July of 2007, Evans started to fight a higher level of competition. After the Ortiz bout he would go on to defeat Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and then Forrest Griffin at UFC 98 in December of 2008. With his ensuing knockout over Griffin, Evans became the new light heavyweight champ.

Jardine on the other hand was going through a period of inconsistency and because of this talk of him fighting Evans seemed to temper off a bit, but that doesn’t mean that White would forget that both men publicly refused to fight one another. If Jardine had continued on with the success he had after the show had ended both he and Evans would have found themselves in a very difficult position. Jardine had defeated both Griffin and Liddell before Evans did, but lost to Houston Alexander and Wanderlei Silva after those wins. While those losses may have spared the two friends and training partners the headache of either fighting one another or risk losing their position with the UFC it remained in the back of White’s mind and would rear its ugly head the minutes Jones started making a name for himself.

Evans has gone on record as saying that he was not comfortable with Jackson bringing Jones in to the camp. He felt as though it would ultimately lead to the same drama that he and Jardine were forced to deal with. Eventually Evans gave in and agreed to train alongside Jones. It didn’t take long for the two men to develop a strong bond in and outside of the cage. Evans took Jones under his wing and didn’t hold back when it came to helping Jones become the best fighter he could be. Somewhere along the way they made an agreement not to fight one another or allow White to come in between them. Jones seemed to value his relationship with Evans in the same manner Rashad did with Jardine.

After beating Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 114 the UFC announced Evans would go on to face then champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua once the champion had recovered from knee surgery. The bout was to take place at UFC 128. As it turned out, while training for the match-up Evans injured his knee and was forced to pull out of the fight. In a surprise move, White awarded Jones the opportunity to face Rua after he defeated Ryan Bader at UFC 126. The move in itself wasn’t what upset Evans as he knew the UFC needed to find a replacement; it was the fact that Jones spoke out in an interview during the promotion for his fight with Rua and stated he would face Evans if the UFC offered him the fight. Obviously upset with Jones, Evans left Jackson’s camp and moved south to Florida.

Stung by Jones betrayal and for what he perceived to be a lack of support from Jackson, Evans needed to pull himself together quickly and regroup. He and a team of Brazilian fighters who used to train with American Top Team joined forces with some respected fighters to create The Blackzilians and began training under the tutelage of Mike Van Arsdale at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton. Since he began working there Evans has defeated Ortiz and Phil Davis. These days “Suga” seems to be more at peace, and although he is still hurt by what went down he is forced to deal with the fact that this is a business; that not everyone abides by the same values he does.

In just six short weeks Evans will get the opportunity to punish Jones for stabbing him in the back and in the process he can win back the belt he lost to Lyoto Machida. The veteran has a chance to prove to the young lion that he made a colossal mistake by breaking the pact they made. Evans also gets to show Jackson that he chose to stand behind the wrong fighter. There is much more at stake here than the UFC title. Everything Evans believes in is on the line. Never has a fight been more personal and never before has a fight created such controversy. As if fighting Jones wasn’t difficult enough, Evans also has to fight the naysayers who have criticized him for taking this too personal. None of us know what went on behind closed doors between Jones and Evans, but we will get to see the fallout from it all come April 21.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

If Alves-Kampmann wasn’t thrilling enough then the introduction of the flyweights had to get your attention. Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall laid it all on the line for fifteen minutes and were it not for a scoring error fans would have gotten to witness the first ever “sudden victory” round during a live UFC event. Fans and both of these great fighters were robbed, but the UFC will more than make up for it given some of the action to come. Let’s take a look forward and see what lies ahead in the world of Mixed Martial Arts.

For this particular article I am only going to cover the UFC. The next installment will go over what they have going on in May, as well as feature the fantastic fights that Bellator has lined up in April including the Eddie Alvarez-Shinya Aoki rematch.

Papy Abedi vs. James Head – UFC on Fuel TV 2:

Abedi headed into his UFC 138 match-up against former welterweight contender Alves undefeated in eight bouts. I realize he was choked out, but he was making his debut at 170 pounds and there was something about him that caught my attention. I could be totally wrong, but I have a feeling we will see some special things from the Zaire native. Head also lost his UFC debut back in June at UFC 131 against Nick Ring though he had tasted defeat before. With seven finishes in his eight wins I am looking for Abedi to make a statement here.

It should also be said the bout between Alexander Gustafsson and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira would have made the cut though Nogueira has since been replaced due to injury.

Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres – UFC 145:

Torres is back in the UFC after being fired for a few weeks based on some outlandish remarks he made via Twitter. Torres does not appear to be the same fighter he was when he was the WEC bantamweight champ, or maybe it’s just the fact that the competition has gotten that much better. Case in point with McDonald, the 21-year-old has won his last seven fights and looks better in each one of them. This could be his breakout fight and vault him towards title contention. Then again, perhaps it’ll be Torres who has a rebirth and makes a run towards the top of the division. Either way it’ll be fun to watch.

Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills – UFC 145:

MacDonald is the future of the UFC welterweight division. The man has one loss and that was to current UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit. He trains alongside Georges St. Pierre and, similarly to his friend/mentor, has been steamrolling over his opponents. Who can forget the way he manhandled Nate Diaz at UFC 129? The sky is the limit for the British Columbia native. Meanwhile, Mills is on a five-fight winning streak and won his UFC debut against Chris Cope at UFC 138. No disrespect to Mills, but this is MacDonald’s fight all the way. I would expect to see Rory in title contention by the spring of next year.

Matt Brown vs. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson – UFC 145:

Thompson certainly lived up to his hype at UFC 143. He nearly kicked Dan Stittgen’s head off with what he calls “The Moneymaker,” and earned himself the Knockout of the Night bonus in his UFC debut (lending credit to the move’s nickname). Firas Zahabi and GSP both have said Thompson has the best striking of anyone in combat sports. However, don’t sleep on his ground game as his brother-in-law is former world masters champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Carlos Machado. Brown is definitely a step up in competition, but his striking is nowhere near the level of Thompson’s and his ground game is not evolved enough to the point where he could possibly try and take advantage of Thompson’s inexperience on the ground. In my opinion, another breakout performance for Thompson is in store for the fans in Atlanta.

Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans – UFC 145:

This one has been in the works for over a year, though after speaking to Evans I know he is tired of the talking and ready to get inside the Octagon to fight. Jones has looked unbeatable and up until this point no one has even hurt him. Lyoto Machida landed a nice punch in the first round of their UFC 140 bout, but all that seemed to do was wake up a sleeping giant.

Evans is coming off of wins against Tito Ortiz at UFC 133 and the previously undefeated Phil Davis in January at UFC on Fox 2. Not many are giving this former champion a chance simply because no other fighter has been able to break “Bones”, but don’t sleep on Evans. He is a very proud man and feels he was wronged by not only Jones but by former trainer Greg Jackson as well. I think this fight will be the first time that we see Jones with his back against the wall and in some trouble. I’m not saying Evans will win, but rest assured he will gain some payback come April 21 in Atlanta, the very place where he knocked Chuck Liddell out cold.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Prior to the fight, Tate believed the superior amount of time she had training in MMA would easily trump Rousey’s single year inside the cage. A good percentage of fans and media shared Tate’s belief Rousey did not belong in the main event with a world champion so early in her MMA career and ran their mouths about it on social networking sites for the past few months.

Those individuals were proven wrong last night and it is because they all downgraded a high-level Olympic pedigree in favor of 4-5 more years of MMA experience. This is a mistake typical of the MMA community that seems to be oblivious to the fact the sport is not the highest level of martial arts in the world. MMA is still evolving and has not yet reached that technical milestone there we can start comparing the athletes to those who are mastering a specific art on the Olympic level.

Rousey only had four MMA fights to her name before besting Tate for the title but she competed at a high-level in Judo for many years prior to even thinking about stepping foot inside the cage. At the young age of 17, Rousey won a gold medal at the 2004 World Judo Junior Championships in Budapest, Hungary. In 2006, Rousey became the first female athlete from the United States to win an A-Level tournament taking home the gold at the Birmingham World Cup in Great Britain.

“Rowdy” Ronda was merely 19 years old when she captured the Bronze Medal at the Junior World Championships and she became the first American athlete ever to win two Junior World medals. The pinnacle of her Judo career was in 2008 when she was awarded a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China becoming the first American to win an Olympic medal in women’s Judo since its inception as an Olympic sport in 1992.

Tate, fans, media, and even other fighters failed to respect Rousey’s abilities and are mpw all enjoying a piping hot piece of humble pie for their efforts. Rousey is the perfect example of what a young Olympic martial artist having competed at a high-level can accomplish in MMA. This isn’t to say that every Olympic judoka, wrestler, or boxer could dominate in the cage because obviously there are many variables that come into play in an MMA fight that these athletes are not used to dealing with in their specific art.

An Olympic wrestler would put MMA fighters on their backs with relative ease but defending submissions would be a new ball game to them. The same goes for an Olympic boxer, as their punching technique and footwork would be far superior to the average MMA fighter but would find themselves flopping around like a fish out of water if action hit the mat. Even a phenomenal Olympic judoka could be in a tremendous amount of danger if they are stuck in a striking exchange with a well-rounded fighter in the cage.

MMA is a sport dominated by athletes who are good at all areas meaning even if you excel at one specific art you can still be defeated by an average fighter. On the contrary, a world-class Olympic competitor who has dedicated themselves to MMA will have a higher percentage of becoming a world champion than any other fighter in the world. Again, I point to the new Strikeforce bantamweight champ as the example; Rousey evolved herself from a Bronze Medal Judoka into a well-rounded MMA fighter without losing touch with her base.

Also, you may have heard of a few other Olympians who have done well in the cage – Daniel Cormier and Dan Henderson for example. Rising star Sara McMann, a silver medalist wrestler in 2004 who is 5-0 in MMA, is also another name to consider.

That is the key – to develop an understanding of all aspects of MMA and learn how to tie those puzzle pieces together to further strengthen your base. Rousey has done that and she is only going to improve with time. Hopefully this will cause an influx of more Olympic caliber competitors to jump into the cage to help the sport evolve even more from a technical standpoint. Tate was a great champion and is a fantastic fighter but it was foolish to overlook an Olympic medalist and likely a mistake few fighters will ever make again.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

Her opponent, Strikeforce bantamweight champ Miesha Tate, has made it known on numerous occasions \she doesn’t feel that Rousey is worthy of challenging her for the title. Rousey has only been competing professionally in MMA for a year, and, while she has finished all four of her opponents with an Armbar in the first round, she hasn’t tested herself against the elite of the division.

It took Tate thirteen fights to get what Rousey received in four – a shot at the Strikeforce title, and thus Tate feels Rousey has essentially talked her way into their bout, disrespecting women’s MMA with her mouth along the way.

It is undeniable Rousey’s brash behavior in addition to her good looks is what has put her in this position faster than the norm but that doesn’t mean she is not a worthy challenger. An Olympic bronze medalist in Judo, Rousey poses many difficult challenges to the champion, and, despite her relative lack of MMA experience, could upset Tate when it is all said and done.

Tate is a phenomenal competitor and a fantastic role model for the sport but deep down inside she should be thankful of Rousey. Without Rousey, this fight would not be in the main event and would not be getting the tremendous amount of press that it has. Just imagine if Tate were fighting Sarah Kaufman instead. It would still be a very compelling collision but would also be positioned much lower on the card, even for a title fight, and it would not be talked about in the press very much.

Think about this – Josh Thomson and K.J Noons who are two of the most exciting lightweights that Strikeforce has to offer are competing on this card and nobody is talking about it. Everyone is mesmerized with the Tate-Rousey match-up and this is something that hasn’t been seen in the sport since Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos ended Gina Carano’s run in 2009.

If it is a good fight with the winner emerging as a star, but if it is a great fight they both could become household names meaning female fighters will be highlighted more often on the main card. It seems that Tate, many female fighters, and even fans fail to understand this concept because a majority of the female audience is against Rousey and believe she is a horrible representative of the sport.

Maybe it just boils down to the fact that certain women can be very jealous people in nature and will downgrade anyone who is accomplishing something faster than them, or maybe Rousey really is such a horrible person and I’m just not seeing it. Either way, she is helping launch women’s MMA to higher levels whether the rest of the audience wants to admit it or not.

Not taking anything away from Tate, as the champion has been a class act throughout her entire career and is truly one of the best ambassadors of the sport for both males and females, but every good girl needs a bad girl to spark the flames. We have seen many male fighters play the role of the heel or villain in their fights and fans have loved it so why is it so wrong when a woman promotes herself that way? I’ve seen people on Twitter verbally attack Rousey in Tweets and then sing the praises of fighters like Chael Sonnen. Where’s the sense in that?

If you are going to dislike someone because they talk a lot of trash but call yourself a fan of another fighter who does the exact same thing on a much higher level, you are a compulsive hypocrite and the MMA community does not need people like that.

Tate’s experience and championship pedigree might be too much for Rousey tonight, or the bronze medalist could shock the world, but regardless of the outcome women’s MMA is on the front line and this is a big moment for female fighters across the globe. “Rowdy” Ronda shouldn’t be criticized for her behavior – she should be praised for it.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE (Austin Hargrave)

Roger Bowling (10-2) vs. Brandon Saling (8-5)

Longtime Strikeforce fighter Bowling welcomes newcomer Saling to the promotion to open up the Showtime Extreme portion of the card. Bowling is coming off a quick knockout of Jerron Peoples in December and looks to make it two in a row here. A Chuck Liddell-lookalike, Saling already has two knockout victories this year. Unfortunately for Saling, Bowling is just a better fighter and will likely overwhelm him.

Winner – Roger Bowling defeats Brandon Saling via TKO Round 1

Ryan Couture (3-1) vs. Conor Heun (9-4)

The son of “The Natural” Randy Couture, Ryan steps into the Strikeforce cage for the fifth time looking for his first victory over mid-tier competition. The test he must pass is that of one Heun. Despite his “tough as nails” attitude, The “Hurricane” hasn’t had much luck in Strikeforce, and looks to build his first winbubg streak inside the Strikeforce cage. Let’s be real here, Couture just isn’t very good, at least not yet so expect Heun to beat him standing and on the ground en route to a Unanimous Decision victory.

Winner – Conor Heun defeats Ryan Couture via Unanimous Decision

Caros Fodor (7-1) vs. Pat Healy (26-16)

An exciting prospect, Fodor enters the cage on Saturday on the strength of a five-fight winning streak and most recently blasted Justin Wilcox into orbit in thirteen seconds. “Bam Bam” Healy has done it all. With victories over Dan Hardy, Paul Daley, Carlos Condit, and most recently Maximo Blanco, Healy is looking for his fourth consecutive win. While Fodor may be “The Future”, I think the crafty veteran Healy gets the win here though I expect it will be a very close fight.

Winner – Pat Healy defeats Caros Fodor via Split Decision

Sarah Kaufman (14-1) vs. Alexis Davis (11-4)

In the main event of the preliminary card, we’ll find out who gets the next shot the the 135-pound champion. The former title-holder Kaufman will be looking to prove that she was overlooked for the title shot after dominating Liz Carmouche at Strikeforce Challengers 17 while Davis looks for her fourth straight win as well as her first Strikeforce title-shot with a win over Kaufman. Although it was nearly five years ago, Kaufman has already defeated Davis. While they’ve both grown since, I believe Kaufman is the better fighter and will have an easy night here, taking a decision and being first in line for the winner of the main event.

Winner – Sarah Kaufman defeats Alexis Davis via Unanimous Decision

Scott Smith (17-9) vs. Lumumba Sayers (5-2)

Smith needs to win, badly. Coming off of three straight losses to Cung Le, Paul Daley, and Tarec Saffiedine, the heavy-handed Smith is likely fighting for his job, maybe even career. Smith can just about knock out anyone and he tends to make these miraculous comebacks that are the stuff of legend. Smith returns to middleweight for this bout.

Sayers, who made short work of Antwain Britt in November, is hoping to build off of that win and get his second straight victory. Known for his submissions above all, Sayers has lead-laden fists and may very well be ready to to make the move from mid/upper-tier middleweights with a victory here.

Smith doesn’t have much of a chin, but Sayers has suffered a quick knockout in his career as well. While most seem to favor Sayers in this fight, I feel as if he’ll get pulled into a brawl here. Someone will likely go to sleep, and I have a feeling that Smith will be the one landing a big counter that ends the fight.

Winner – Scott Smith defeats Lamumba Sayers via Knockout Round 1

Ronaldo Souza (14-3) vs. Bristol Marunde (12-6)

“Jacare”! The former middleweight champion is looking to bounce back from his title-loss to Luke Rockhold. The grappling ace has victories over Jason Miller, Tim Kennedy, and Robbie Lawler, and undoubtedly wants his belt back. A victory here would be a step in the right direction, though a defeat would be devastating so and “Jacare” has a lot to lose here.

Making his Strikeforce debut,Marunde is seeking his fifth straight win. The biggest challenge of his career, a victory over Souza would be a huge statement, and Marunde has absolutely nothing to lose in this fight. With nine wins in his last ten fights, Marunde is more than capable of taking home the “W” and his well-rounded fighting style could take him far.

I expect a very aggressive Marunde in this fight. I imagine him throwing leather with blatant disregard for his (or Souza’s) safety. Unfortunately for him, Souza outclasses him on the feet, likely hurts him, and follows up on the ground with his specialty.

Winner – Ronaldo Souza defeats Bristol Marunde via Submission Round 1

Paul Daley (29-11-2) vs. Kazuo Misaki (24-11-2)

Returning to Strikeforce for the first time since July of last year. “Semtex” is on the hunt for a third straight victory and expects to get back into title contention in Strikeforce with a victory tonight. The hard-hitting striker has worked hard on improving his ground game, as we’ve seen in his last few fights, but his bread and butter is still and always will be his sledgehammer-like fists.

The Japanese Misaki returns to Strikeforce for the first time in three years. The PRIDE, Sengoku, and Pancrase veteran has fought some of the best in the world including Dan Henderson, Jake Shields, and Jorge Santiago. With 15 finishes to his credit, the Haleo Top Team fighter looks for his third straight victory and is more than capable of getting it against Daley.

This has “Fight of the Night” written all over it. While Misaki may not be the fighter he used to be, he still can hold his own against anybody. The most likely scenario sees the veteran Misaki engaging Daley on the feet, but that will probably be as far as he gets. His desire to engage in a brawl will be his downfall as Daley lands one or two huge shots and puts Misaki away within the distance.

Winner – Paul Daley defeats Kazuo Misaki via TKO Round 2

K.J. Noons (11-4) vs. Josh Thomson (18-4)

The fast-moving boxer Noons returns to the cage less than three months removed from his decision victory over Billy Evangelista. With success against much of the lightweight division, Noons is a handful for anybody and his striking, movement, and speed can cause a lot of problems for his opponents.

Looking for his second straight victory following two losses, Noons faces a tough challenge in Thomson. “The Punk” returns after over a year away from the sport due to injuries. The lightweight standout undoubtedly wants a rubber match with champ Gilbert Melendez, and a victory over Noons could be the start of his climb back to the top. The former champion believes he should be in the main event, and he’ll look to put on a great showing in the co-main event on Saturday to prove it.

The possibility of ring rust aside, Thomson is a versatile fighter with a fantastic skill-set. If Thomson can stay out of a slugfest and work the fight to where he is stronger, which is everywhere else, he should be able to overwhelm and confuse Noons. One of the closest fights on the card, this could go either way, but I give the slight edge to Thomson.

Winner – Josh Thomson defeats K.J. Noons via Unanimous Decision

Miesha Tate (12-2) vs. Ronda Rousey (4-0)

The main event pits the 135-pound champion Tate against fast-rising challenger Rousey. Tate, who defeated Marloes Coenen to take the belt home last summer, makes her first defense of the title in the headlining contest on Saturday. The Team Alpha Male fighter, Tate tends to use her powerful wrestling and excellent submissions to dictate the pace of fights. She has the gas tank to go for five rounds, and is proficient in the ground and pound.

The undefeated Rousey fights for not only a title, but also respect. While many within the division have criticized Rousey for essentially talking her way into a title fight, she has the experience in combat sports, the athleticism, and the technical prowess to make short work of anyone. Having not had a fight get out of the first minute, Rousey is clearly a fast starter and a great finisher, who will look to continue her streak of collecting limbs.

It goes without saying that we could very well have a new champion here. While Rousey lacks experience in MMA, she has been grappling her whole life and that may play into her favor. Both fighters want this fight to hit the ground, as that’s where their strengths are, but Rousey may have the edge in that regard. Tate’s striking isn’t anything spectacular, and she can’t win the fight just standing with “Rowdy” Ronda. She does have dominate top control, and if she can score takedown after takedown, she could dominate the fight, especially in the later rounds. In the beginning of the fight, I heavily favor Rousey, but if the fight gets out of the first one or two rounds Tate will continuously take Ronda down and grind out a decision. I like Rousey a lot, but I believe Tate retains the belt here.

Winner – Miesha Tate defeats Ronda Rousey via Unanimous Decision

No matter how the fights play out, Saturday’s Strikeforce card will round out an awesome weekend of fights, and features perhaps the best fight of the weekend in Tate vs Rousey. After this event, hopefully we’ll have a better idea of how Strikeforce’s divisions will progress, and have a better idea of the future of women’s MMA.

Enjoy the fights! Things start on Showtime Extreme at 8:00 PM EST with the main card firing up at 10:00 PM EST.

Below is my look at what to expect from the main card:

Court McGee (14-1) vs. Constantinos Philippou (9-2 1 NC)

Following a ho-hum decision victory over Dongi Yang, Ultimate Fighter 11 winner McGee looks to continue his inspiring life story and score yet another UFC win. While “The Crusher” may not be known for his exciting fight style, he’s a hell of a fighter and has never been finished in his career.

Philippou underwhelmed fans in his first two UFC appearances, but he followed up nicely by laying an absolute beating on Jared Hamman in his third outing. The Serra-Longo Fight Team fighter has heavy hands and showed a new level of explosiveness in that particular pairing. He works best in the early portion of a fight and has the tools to put away his opponents violently.

While McGee may take some punishment, as he sometimes has been known to do, I expect he’ll recover while dictating the pace and location of the fight. Once McGee gets into a dominate position, and he will, he will control Philippou, ground and pound him, and grind him out for the duration of the bout.

Winner – Court McGee defeats Constantinos Philippou via Unanimous Decision

Demetrious Johnson (14-2) vs Ian McCall (11-2)

The first flyweight bout in UFC history features the former bantamweight title challenger Johnson making his divisional debut inside the Octagon. Johnson is an exceptionally fast fighter with very dominant wrestling skills. The 25-year old closes the distance quickly and tends to put pressure on his opponents. Explosive on the ground, he is hard to deal with, and at 125 pounds he should find considerably more success.

The #1 ranked flyweight in the world, McCall certainly has an advantage in the moustache department. The former Tachi Palace Fights flyweight champ has fought under the Zuffa banner before, going 1-2 in the WEC but faced stiff competition and, to be fair, had trouble with drugs at the time and hadn’t put much focus into his training. Since being legally dead and coming back to life, McCall has turned his life around and gotten back on track. He makes his debut on the grandest stage of them all and looks to live up to his #1 ranking in this bout.

I’m biased. I have been a fan of Ian for a long, long time, and I’m hoping he wins this fight. “Mighty Mouse” has a clear advantage in the wrestling, and if (and likely when) this fight hits the ground, Johnson should be able to scramble out of any unfavorable positions and control the fight. However, “Uncle Creepy” is always dangerous. He has excellent Muay Thai, solid BJJ, and his size/speed will almost certainly negate Johnson’s normal speed advantage. Johnson’s the favorite, for good reason, but I’m going with McCall based on his familiarity with the division and overall skill-set.

Winner – Ian McCall defeats Demetrious Johnson via Split Decision

Joseph Benavidez (15-2) vs Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6)

“Joegun Rua” is basically the uncrowned king of the flyweight division. Widely regarded as the favorite in this tournament, the Team Alpha Male fighter has defeated some of the best 135ers out there and looks to continue his streak of dominance at 125. Benavidez loves to stand and bang, but when he gets into his groove he takes the fight to the ground and puts the pressure on.

Shooto veteran Urushitani draws the short straw in this tournament. While being very successful in Japan, he faces a very stiff challenge in Benavidez to say the least. With most of his victories coming by decision, there’s no question that Yasuhiro can go the distance and control the pace/location of a fight. He is a solid counter-striker and often relies on a point fighting style to take him to victory.

I don’t like to underestimate fighters, but Urushitani needs a miracle here. Benavidez is an unstoppable force, and at 125 he should be a monster. I expect he dominates in the clinch and on the ground, doesn’t gas, dictates every aspect of this fight, and scores a submission late in the fight.

Winner – Joseph Benavidez defeats Yasuhiro Urushitani via Submission Round 3

Thiago Alves (19-8) vs Martin Kampmann (18-5)

“Pitbull” needs consistency. 2-3 in his last five, Alves made short work of Papy Abedi in his last fight and looks to continue his rise back to the top by defeating Kampmann. A powerful striker and dangerous fighter in general, Alves takes a step up from his previous opponent but such a step is necessary as he looks to get back into the mix at 170 pounds.

Kampmann gets robbed all too often. Following questionable and controversial decision losses to Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez, the polished Dane bounced back and made people forget who Rick Story was back in November. “The Hitman” frequently uses crisp and accurate striking inside the Octagon and unquestionably has the advantage on the feet against most of his colleagues.

This fight likely stays on the feet where Kampmann undoubtedly has the technical advantage. However, Alves is always dangerous and has violent power in his hands. If Alves can keep his wits about him, not gas, and keep the fight on the feet, he should be able to get the victory. If the fight hits the ground, Kampmann has a whole arsenal of submissions at his disposal that not many have seen based on his love of kickboxing. I wish this fight was five rounds, because it seems likely to go the distance and perhaps be very close, but alas it is one of the few three-round headliners left on the UFC’s schedule. I was even tempted to go out on a limb and say Alves knocks Kampmann out, but after much deliberation I think Kampmann takes a very, very close decision. However, I won’t be surprised if Alves does finish him.

Winner – Martin Kampmann defeats Thiago Alves via Split Decision

All in all, the flyweight tournament, as well as the main event, should deliver the action-packed night of fights that we’ve all come to expect from the UFC. It all goes down at 9:00 PM EST on FX in the US and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada.

Throw a shrimp on the Bar-B, crack a cold Fosters, and, as always, enjoy the fights!

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Before the fast-paced four fight main card gets started, the preliminary card will feature seven fights featuring several UFC veterans, a few newcomers, and a hell of a lot of submission specialists. Here’s my breakdown of the fights:

Oli Thompson (9-2) vs. Shawn Jordan (12-3)

Opening up the preliminary card on Facebook, the Brit, Thompson makes his UFC debut after a solid run overseas. The former Strong-Man competitor is currently riding a five fight win streak, having recently captured the UCMMA heavyweight championship. Originally expected to debut at UFC 138 against Philip De Fries before an injury scrapped that bout, Thompson is a legitimate threat with a relatively good grappling game.

Across the cage from him will be Strikeforce import Shawn Jordan. Fresh off of his Strikeforce Challengers 19 victory over Lavar Johnson, the former college football player is an exciting prospect with heavy hands. Fighting out of Jackson’s MMA, the big man has both the skills, and coaching, as well as the athleticism, to take him far in the heavyweight division. If only he was a little taller…

Not much is known about how far Thompson can go in his MMA campaign. Largely untested in his career, he has not faced nearly the level of competition as his opponent. Furthermore, his striking leaves a lot to be desired. With speed and athleticism in his favor, the more likely outcome sees the stone-fisted Jordan finding the Brit’s chin in an entertaining brawl that goes less than five minutes. As with much of the heavyweight division, if it goes much longer than that, it’ll be ugly, but I don’t think it will.

Winner – Shawn Jordan defeats Oli Thompson via TKO Round 1

Mackens Semerzier (6-3 1 NC) vs. Daniel Pineda (16-7)

“Mack Da Menace” looks to get back on track after his most recent bout, a loss to Robert Peralta, was changed to a no contest due to the two fighters clashing heads. Originally scheduled to be a rematch of the two, Peralta was forced to withdraw, and Semerzier now takes on Pineda. Semerzier is a great grappler with nearly all of his wins coming on the mat.

Pineda has been around the block and back. Having finally made his UFC debut in January after compiling a five-fight winning streak, he made short work of Pat Schilling. Pineda is strong finisher with every one of his victories coming by TKO, KO or submission. Pineda steps in on short notice, replacing Peralta, and a win here would certainly make a statement.

These two men are very evenly matched. Both have sufficient striking and solid ground games, and this fight very well might be a toss up. I don’t expect this fight to last long, but I do expect it to be one of the more exciting fights on the card, with Semerzier having the slight edge. It really could go either way though.

Winner – Mackens Semerzier defeats Daniel Pineda via Submission Round 1

T.J. Waldburger (14-6) vs Jake Hecht (11-2)

23-year old Waldburger makes his fourth UFC appearance on this card. Having only suffered one loss under the Zuffa banner to top welterweight Johny Hendricks, Waldburger holds victories over Pat Healy, Pete Spratt, and Mike Stumpf. A submission specialist with 11 of his 14 wins coming that way, Waldburger has never been tapped himself. He is hard to handle for anyone who wants to take him to the mat and is always a threat.

Following elbowing Rich Attonito into a figurative coma, the wrestler Hecht steps into the Octagon on Friday night as a man on a mission. With four straight opponents used as stepping stones to where he is now, the first of two “Hitmen” on the card relies heavily on his wrestling and looks to dominate all of his opponents.

I expect this fight to hit the ground, as that is where each man is strongest. To Hecht’s credit, he has never been submitted, but he has also never faced a grappler quite like Waldburger. I see this fight hitting the mat, likely with Hecht on top, but I think in the end Waldburger gets his hand raised thanks to a slick submission. If I had to call it, I’d go for an Armbar.

Winner – T.J. Waldburger defeats Jack Hecht via Submission Round 1

Kyle Noke (19-5-1) vs. Andrew Craig (6-0)

Well known Australian fighter Noke returns home this Friday night and hopes to put on a hell of a show. The former bodyguard of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, Noke has been in the cage with some great fighters, having fought to a Draw with Hector Lombard, making extemetly short work of Chris Camozzi, and defeating surging welterweight Brian Ebersole. Noke, nicknamed “KO”, favors submissions more often than not but can win a fight just about anywhere.

Stepping in on short notice for Jared Hamman, undefeated Craig has plenty of hype behind him. While relatively unknown, Craig has competed for both Bellator and Legacy Fighting Championship. Less than two years into his professional career, Craig is well-rounded, but seems to favor keeping the fight on the feet.

The biggest factor in this fight, in my opinion, is the ground games of the respective combatants. Noke can make short work of many on the ground, although he sometimes falters against strong wrestlers. Comparably, Craig is no wrestler and his takedown defense is not really that great. I expect Noke to get this fight to the ground, and although Craig is no slouch, he just doesn’t have the grappling chops to compete with Noke on the floor.

Winner – Kyle Noke defeats Andrew Craig via Submission Round 1

Cole Miller (18-5) vs. Steven Siler (19-9)

Longtime UFC fighter Miller returns to the cage for the first time since an August victory over T.J. O’Brien. In what seems to be a recurring theme on this card, Miller is a submission specialist with 13 of his 18 wins coming by way of a tap-out. With solid victories over Ross Pearson and Dan Lauzon to his credit, “Magrinho” looks to build another winning streak inside the octagon and doesn’t care who he has to beat to get it.

“Super” Siler fought his way into the UFC by defeating Josh Clopton at December’s Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. Siler has done very well for himself as of late, losing only twice in official competition since 2007 (and once in an exhibition on TUF). While Siler doesn’t have many signature victories or career-defining moments to his credit, he is more than capable of finishing a fight, as he is (of course) a submission specialist, and a win over Miller could be the biggest win of his career.

Almost straight out of professional wrestling, an interesting storyline accompanies this fight. Siler defeated Cole’s brother Micah Miller during TUF 14, and Cole is most certainly gunning for redemption here. On the flip side, Siler looks to join his teammate Roland Dulorme in defeating two brothers. A considerably tall featherweight, Miller will have a slight reach advantage and should be able to avoid the strikes of Siler. If this fight hits the ground, as I expect it will, we’ll all be treated to what just may be an excellent grappling clinic. That said, I expect Miller wraps his limbs around the neck of Siler at some point, and gets the finish.

Winner – Cole Miller defeats Steven Siler via Submission Round 2

Anthony Perosh (12-6) vs Nick Penner (11-1)

Australian grappling wiz (my god these submission specialists) “The Hippo” looks to build on his two fight winning streak in the UFC. Following a terrible performance against Mirko Filipovic, Perosh decided to drop down in divisions and put together back-to-back Rear Naked Choke victories over Tom Blackledge and Cyrille Diabate. While not necessarily the most consistent of fighters, Perosh is not afraid of fighting on the feet or on the mat and will take the fight to anyone that gets matched up with him.

The Canadian Penner looks to take advantage of his momentum coming into his UFC debut. With an eight-fight winning streak behind him, the well-rounded Canuck has not really gone against any significantly great opponents, but he has the skills to finish fights and has often done so in the first round. It was relatively difficult to find relevant footage of Penner, but the opposition he’s faced leads me to wonder if he’s ready for the big stage.

Having faced higher level opposition, having more experience, and having great grappling skills, I expect Perosh to have the advantage. While he does lack the striking necessary to compete at the higher level of the division, he has beaten dangerous strikers with disregard for their abilities as a whole. While the mystery of Penner’s game may carry him to victory, I expect his winning streak is halted, as he ends up on the wrong end of a submission.

Winner – Anthony Perosh defeats Nick Penner via Submission Round 1

James Te Huna (13-5) vs Aaron Rosa (17-4)

Rounding out the preliminary card, the New Zealander Te Huna looks to extend his win streak to two in this light heavyweight battle. A violent striker with wins over Igor Pokrajac, Perosh, and Ricardo Romero, Te Huna has lightning fast hands and can hold his own on the ground as well, although he clearly prefers to keep it standing. Looking to make a climb up the division, Te Huna will look to put his opponent to sleep on Friday and make the home crowd happy.

After an embarrassing performance against Joey Beltran, Rosa returned to light heavyweight and scored a decision victory over Matt Lucas in November. The well-rounded Rosa loves to scrap, has submissions in his game, and is relatively hard to finish. The tough Texan will look to build his own two-fight streak here and will likely rely on his power and durability to guide him to victory.

Looking at this fight, I do like Rosa’s chances. His toughness and well-roundedness are assets for him, and he can be a headache for Te Huna, as well as many others in the division. Having said that, I don’t feel like he really excels at any aspect of MMA, and that might be his downfall. He tends to get hit, and you just don’t want to be on the wrong end of Te Huna’s fists. Ultimately I think that will be the difference here.

Winner – James Te Huna defeats Aaron Rosa via TKO Round 3

Getting underway on Facebook at about 5:30 PM EST, and moving to Fuel TV thirty minutes later, the preliminary card should be a hell of an exciting few hours of fights. Tomorrow, I’ll post my breakdown of the four-fight main card, as well as a look at the preliminary card for this Saturday’s Strikeforce: Tate vs Rousey lineup.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The reason the interim title was created in the first place was because of the severity of the knee injury GSP had suffered. Surgery would force the Canadian to be out of action until late fall of this year. By having Diaz or Condit become interim champion the UFC could keep the title active until St. Pierre was healthy enough to face whoever was champion at the time of his return. It’s not like there was a shortage of competent challengers waiting to face the winner of the UFC 143 match-up.

After what many felt was a controversial decision that went in Condit’s favor the talk turned to having the two rematch sometime in the middle of the year. This would allow the title to be defended at least once before GSP was ready to unify the championship. As luck would have it Diaz was popped for smoking pot and is facing a lengthy suspension. There goes a high profile rematch between the two, but does that mean Condit should remain on the shelf for the next 9-10 months?

I can name a few legitimate challengers to Condit’s title beginning with Jake Ellenberger. Back in September of 2009 Condit narrowly defeated “The Juggernaut” in his UFC debut. During the first round Condit was floored three times but came back to win a Split Decision. Ellenberger has since won six fights in a row highlighted by a first round knockout over Jake Shields and last night’s thrilling unanimous decision victory over a dangerous Diego Sanchez.

Not only is the story line already in place, but Ellenberger is a legitimate threat to both Condit and St. Pierre. Fans and media are both clamoring for the match-up not only to see the title defended but to see what could be a potential fight of the year. Both fighters have been on a tear since they fought and a case could be made that Ellenberger has improved greatly; that if not for some Octagon jitters would have walked away the victor that night in Oklahoma City.

If not Ellenberger why not the winner of the Josh Koscheck-Johny Hendricks bout scheduled for May in New Jersey? Koscheck has been near the top of the division for years now and would give Condit all he could handle should he be able to get by the man who knocked out Koscheck’s former teammate Jon Fitch in just twelve seconds. Hendricks is 7-1 in the UFC and 9-1 overall under the Zuffa umbrella. He is a dynamic fighter with power in his hands and an ever growing legion of dedicated fans.

Assuming the winner came away injury free they could be ready to face Condit in August or September. That would set up a bout between the winner and GSP for the New Year’s Eve card in Las Vegas. Not only would the UFC be giving fans a great fight between Condit and anyone of the three contenders I have mentioned, but they would allow GSP to be fully prepared to face the winner on a card that has historically been a very successful show.

No matter who Condit faces it is completely unfair to ask him to sit on the sidelines for nearly a year while waiting for St. Pierre to rehab his knee. It also is a slap in the face of the fans that paid good money to watch Diaz and Condit vie for a title that will never be defended. What sense does that make? It’s not like everyone is dying to see Condit take on “Rush” anyway. In all likelihood GSP will out-wrestle “The Natural Born Killer” on his way to another dominating decision.

Against Hendricks or Ellenberger he would face two very good wrestlers who can use their grappling both offensively and defensively all the while having the ability to land that one punch knockout to the long reigning champion. Obviously the only drawback to having Condit face the Hendricks-Koscheck winner is the possibility of GSP having to face “Kos” for a third time. If that’s the case let Ellenberger and Hendricks go at it with the winner facing Condit. The timing makes sense and so do the match-ups, make it happen Dana!

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Tim Means vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov

Both are very experienced fighters, both recently made their successful debuts inside the octagon, so let’s match them up together and get a better idea of the pecking order moving forward.

Jonathan Brookins vs. Mark Hominick / Eddie Yagin

The Ultimate Fighter 12 winner rebounded from his first loss at featherweight with a quick knockout of Vagner Rocha. While he has a long way to go, a match-up against the winner of Hominick vs. Yagin could be a good start for him, as whoever wins the upcoming UFC 145 bout, will be rebounding from a loss as well.

T.J. Dillashaw vs. Ivan Menjivar

Both bantamweights picked up impressive wins. Barring injury, both could be looking at a quick turnaround, and given the timeline, this match makes perfect sense. Dillashaw needs to test himself against an experienced fighter, and Menjivar needs to test his great jiu-jitsu against a wrestler with the chops of Dillashaw.

Dave Herman vs. Matt Mitrione

Two heavyweights with heavy hands coming off losses? I’d like to see Herman maybe work on that whole stamina issue before this fight is made, but I see no reason why this fight shouldn’t happen. Fireworks.

Stipe Miocic vs. Stefan Struve

Miocic needs a step up in competition, but not a giant leap. Struve matches the criteria, and with the two competing on the same card, the timing couldn’t be better. Perhaps the two could throw down this summer with the loser staying in the mid-tier of the division, and the winner moving up.

Ronny Markes vs. Tim Boetsch / Yushin Okami

Although it would be a step up in competition, Markes needs to face a larger middleweight to see where he really stands. He used his size to stifle the wrestling of Aaron Simpson, and I’d like to see how he fairs against the larger 185ers. With Boetsch and Okami fighting in just over a week, I’d like to see the winner fight Markes while the top of the division sorts itself out.

Diego Sanchez vs. Jon Fitch

Both fighters had neared the top of the welterweight division before a better fighter knocked them back down. To work their way back up, this rematch is necessary. The two met before at UFC 76 in 2007 with Fitch getting the nod via Split Decision, and the timing for the rematch is perfect. Both men have name recognition and can easily open up a PPV card or take the co-main spot on an FX or Fuel TV card.

Jake Ellenberger vs. Johny Hendricks / Josh Koscheck

While Ellenberger could campaign for a rematch with interim champ Carlos Condit, it appears as though Carlos will be deciding to wait to unify the titles against Georges St. Pierre. It makes sense that the winner of Hendricks/Koscheck would be right at the top of the pack with Ellenberger, so let’s have the two top contenders fight to see who gets the next shot at whoever the welterweight champion will be at the end of 2012.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Here are my picks and my breakdown of the six main card bouts…

Ivan Menjivar (23-8) vs John Albert (7-1)

The “Pride of El Salvador” looks to build on his successful UFC campaign with his third fight in less than a year. After making the move from the WEC, Menjivar walked through Charlie Valencia and went the distance with Nick Pace in 2011. A twelve-year veteran of the sport, Menjivar is in his prime, and with eight submissions and nine KO/TKOs to his credit he is more than capable of finishing a fight.

Coming off a strong performance against Dustin Pague in his UFC debut in December, Albert returns to the cage looking for his eighth victory. Having never gone the distance in any of his professional or amateur fights, Albert is no stranger to finishing foes off. He has sufficient striking and can hold his own on the ground if need be.

A majority of Menjivar’s losses come by decision, but I just don’t see him being outpointed, knocked out, or submitted in this fight. The crafty veteran will likely pierce “Prince” Albert’s defense (get it? har har) with his striking, use his superior grappling to get this to the ground, and get his pick up submission victory #9.

Winner – Ivan Menjivar defeats John Albert via Submission Round 1

T.J. Dillashaw (4-1) vs Walel Watson (9-3)

Dillashaw may have not faired too well in his UFC debut against John Dodson but he shouldn’t be dismissed. Fast and technically adept on the ground, Dillashaw is a good wrestler with a dominant top game. His ground and pound can cause problems for many, plus his stamina and constant pressure are a major asset in the bantamweight division.

Watson, who has put together a 1-1 record in his UFC campaign, is an excellent grappler in his own right. The lanky submission specialist combines his strong BJJ game with his oft-flashy striking acumen. Watson’s long limbs usually give him a reach advantage, as well as give his opponents much to be concerned with when the fight hits the ground.

While Watson is more than capable of submitting Dillashaw, I suspect T.J to take this fight to the ground as quickly and as often as possible. The Team Alpha Male fighter should be able to defend the wily submission attempts of Watson and impose his will, using top control in conjunction with ground and pound. While Watson is always dangerous, I expect Dillashaw to make this a long night for him.

Winner – T.J. Dillashaw defeats Walel Watson via Unanimous Decision

Stipe Miocic (7-0) vs Philip De Fries (8-0 1 NC)

An exciting heavyweight prospect, Miocic is looking to remain undefeated in his career and go 2-0 in the UFC. With his most recent appearance, a one-sided beating of Joey Beltran, he proved that he can dictate the pace of a fight as it goes the distance. Prior to that fight, the NAAFS heavyweight champ had scored five knockouts and one submission.

Also undefeated in his career, the Englishman De Fries went the distance in his UFC debut as well, a Unanimous Decision over Rob Broughton. The submission specialist has earned all of his other victories using his bread and butter – fantastic grappling. An exciting prospect in his own right, De Fries lacks the striking ability required to hang with the top of the division but has the BJJ chops to make anyone reluctant to hit the ground with him.

In what can best be described as a striker vs grappler match, with each having a distinct advantage over the other in their perspective areas of expertise, the difference may come down to the wrestling. While De Fries will be looking to take this fight to the ground, Miocic’s wrestling experience should allow him to keep it standing, where he will be able to punish the Englishman.

Winner – Stipe Miocic defeats Philip De Fries via TKO Round 1

Aaron Simpson (11-2) vs Ronny Markes (12-1)

At 37 years old Simpson still fights like a young man. Continually evolving as his career progresses, the wrestler-by-trade has proven himself to be a dangerous striker as well, a fact he exhibited in his last fight against Eric Schafer. Going the distance in five of his last six fights, Simpson is no stranger to going into deep waters,and more often than not the decisions go his way.

The Brazilian Markes makes his middleweight debut on the strength of a five fight winning streak, which includes decision victories over Karlos Vemola and Paulo Filho. Always dangerous, Markes is more than capable of finishing a foe with strikes, submissions, or even going the distance if need be.

Although Simpson may have to weather an early storm from Markes, the weight cut may prove to be detrimental for the Brazilian. As the fight goes on, Simpson’s stamina, wrestling prowess, and clinch game should help him in getting the nod and moving up the middleweight ladder.

Winner – Aaron Simpson defeats Ronny Markes via Unanimous Decision

Stefan Struve (22-5) vs Dave Herman (21-2)

Struve, the 6’11″ European fighter, has had quite the run in his nine UFC fights. His success in the Octagon has ebbed and flowed since his debut at UFC 95 where he suffered a TKO loss to Junior Dos Santos. Since that fight he has managed to put together six wins and two losses. While Struve has shown his toughness and heart in his victories, his defeats have been violent and disappointing.

Herman, who now calls Team Quest home, made his UFC debut with a victory over the always tough Jon Olav Einemo in what would be a Fight of the Night winner. After a bout with Mike Russow scheduled for last year was scratched, Herman finally makes his way back to the Octagon for the first time since June 2011. Formerly known as “Pee Wee”, the now Sasquatch-esque Herman comes into this fight with 15 of his 21 victories coming by KO/TKO and undoubtedly will look to make it 16.

Struve has a reach advantage and continues to look more technically sound every time he steps into the cage. The only problem with Struve appears to be his suspect chin, and he seems to get hit more often then a man of his stature should. Herman, on the other hand, is known for having an excellent chin, great submission defense, and ape-like power. While many seem to have this fight as a pick ‘em, I see a clear advantage for Herman. If Herman can continue his “jiu-jitsu doesn’t work” campaign and avoid a submission, he should be able to drag Struve into a brawl and make quick work of the Dutch striker.

Winner – Dave Herman defeats Stefan Struve via Knockout Round 1

Diego Sanchez (23-4) vs Jake Ellenberger (26-5)

Finding religion, dropping drugs and alcohol, and changing your nickname. If you’ve done all of these recently, you may be Sanchez. “The Dream” comes into this bout after a controversial decision victory over Martin Kampmann nearly a year ago, a fight many believe he should have lost. The former lightweight title challenger is hoping for a big win to remain relevant in the crowded welterweight division.

While Diego is fighting to be in the mix, Ellenberger may be fighting for something more. With Georges St. Pierre out until November or December, and Nick Diaz facing a possible suspension for his positive marijuana test, “The Juggernaut” may find himself on the cusp of a title shot. With a five fight winning streak behind him, his last loss coming to current interim welterweight champ Carlos Condit, Ellenberger is aiming for a rematch against the “Natural Born Killer” with a win on Wednesday night.

With seventeen knockouts to his credit, it’s no question that Jake has the power to stop just about anyone, as he showed against Jake Shields back in September. On the other hand, Diego has never been knocked out, his one TKO loss coming via doctor stoppage. I expect this fight to stay mostly on the feet, with Sanchez likely trying to engage in his usual brawling style, which is almost certainly a bad idea. Diego has the stamina and ability to push the pace, which may show as Ellenberger slows late in the fight. If Diego can survive an early onslaught, he should be able to take this fight the full three rounds, however, I expect Ellenberger to clearly win the first two rounds, and possibly the third, en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Winner – Jake Ellenberger defeats Diego Sanchez via Unanimous Decision

Wednesday’s fight card looks to be an explosive one that will show the full gamut of what MMA offers and should be a treat to diehard and casual fans alike. The preliminary card gets underway at about 6:15 PM EST on the UFC’s Facebook page with main card match-ups starting at 8:00 PM  EST on Fuel TV in the United States and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada.

Fans without Facebook access or simply wanting to brush up on some great fights can also watch Sanchez in some of his most-memorable scraps on Spike TV starting at 7:00 PM EST.

Enjoy the fights!

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Diaz would go on to defeat Penn via Unanimous Decision and called out St. Pierre in a profanity laced attack claiming that GSP wasn’t really injured and instead was ducking a potential fight with him. At the UFC 137 post fight press conference White claimed that GSP was as angry as he had ever seen him and demanded his next fight be against the Stockton, CA resident as opposed to Condit. White also stated that Condit was okay with the situation and instead would face a yet to be named opponent at UFC 143 in the co-main event. As we would learn later on, Condit was not happy with the situation.

Of course, as luck would have it, GSP’s knee injury would turn out to be much more severe than anyone first thought and he would require surgery keeping him out until the fall of 2012. The natural thing to do for the UFC was to match-up Diaz and Condit which was scheduled for the main event of UFC 143 and would be for an interim title. The winner would then face “Rush” once he was healthy for the right to become the undisputed 170-pound champion.

The anticipation for Diaz-Condit was incredible as the UFC marketing machine was in full effect. White was telling anyone who would listen that this bout could be one of the best the UFC had ever seen. Based upon both fighters’ histories he wasn’t off as both men liked to stand and bang. They also brought a lot of intensity, toughness, and heart into every one of their fights. GSP felt uncomfortable rooting against the fellow Greg Jackson trained Condit, but still harbored a lot of ill will towards Diaz and made no secret of who he was pulling for.

The much anticipated tilt took place this past Saturday night and did not go anywhere near as well as planned. Condit fought a methodical, well-planned fight. He avoided Diaz’s pressure by keeping his feet moving at all times and landed a great deal of leg kicks and seemed to be ahead on the judges scorecards. When Bruce Buffer announced “The Natural Born Killer” as the winner it did not sit well with Diaz or his legion of fans who felt that Condit was awarded for avoiding Diaz at all costs and doing the bare minimum to take home the victory. As Joe Rogan interviewed Diaz after the fight he went into full tantrum mode and claimed he was done with MMA; that he no longer needed to be part of the sport.

It seems as though his threats and promises have worked to his advantage once again as word leaked out yesterday that Condit had not only agreed to, but asked for a rematch with Diaz before his scheduled bout with St. Pierre. Apparently Diaz was able to get under the skin of Condit in much the same way he did with GSP. The entire thing just goes to show you that self promotion is just as important as the fight you put on inside of the cage. The real story here is whether or not the UFC is hoping for a Diaz win so they can finally get the money bout everyone wanted in the first place, but has been canceled on two separate occasions – St. Pierre vs. Diaz.

Diaz lost the bout on all three judges’ scorecards. He won just one round on two of the judges’ cards and was awarded two rounds by the third judge. No one is arguing the fact that Condit fought a safe fight, but is there really a need for an immediate rematch based upon the outcome of the first fight? However, to be honest, this is the best call the UFC could make. Without trying to placate Diaz who seems to know how to push White’s buttons along with his opponents, if this fight doesn’t take place there is a potential nine-month gap between fights for Condit. If that is the case then what was the need to create the interim title in the first place if it was just going to be held up for nearly a year anyways?

The fight was close enough to get these two guys back in the cage as soon as possible. As we have learned in the past the judges aren’t always the most educated, responsible people in the arena at any given time. It’s certainly not fair to ask Condit to wait a minimum of nine months before GSP is ready to fight. This fight will kill three birds with one stone, it keeps Diaz happy, even if it means bowing down to his demands once again, it keeps Condit fresh and it gives more meaning to the interim title. For once the UFC is making the right call.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Interim Welterweight Title Fight: Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit

If nothing else, Condit’s preparation will be rendered easier by the fact that he, along with everyone else, knows what Diaz will be looking to do in this fight. The far more complicated problem of course, is actually finding a way to counter it.

As ever, Diaz will move forward, throw his trademark “peppering punches”, put together plenty of combinations, and go to the body repeatedly. This is the way the older of the Diaz brothers has always fought, and he has done remarkably well to improve upon it in recent times. While his approach and strategy remain the same, his technique has gotten significantly better. That is not to say that Diaz will ever be mistaken for a technical striker, but he has displayed glaring improvement in his boxing — namely his ability to sit on his punches and produce extra power.

Many of Diaz’s opponents have found themselves helpless against the sheer volume with which he throws, and the Stockton native will look to overwhelm Condit the same way he did to many of his previous adversaries. He will try to take advantage of his reach by establishing his jab, get his lead right hook working, and follow it up with the left — most likely to the body. In fact, Diaz’s single most dangerous punch is his left hook to the liver, and if he is to have a real chance of stopping the otherwise extremely durable Condit, the left hook to the body is the shot he will bank on.

However, for all of Diaz’s offensive improvements, his defense has remained typically shaky. His flat-footed stance means he is always a still target, which, coupled with his lack of head movement, makes him extremely susceptible to getting lit up by a talented counter-puncher. Additionally, while Diaz does well to utilize his reach effectively, he is often all too content to stand inside the pocket and trade. This almost cost him dearly against Paul Daley, and had it not been for his otherworldly chin and recovery, Diaz  would have likely been separated from consciousness.

Nevertheless, Diaz remains MMA’s embodiment of the old adage: “the best defense is a good offense.” Despite the aforementioned defensive flaws, his offense is often too overwhelming for that to matter. Because of his iron chin and unlimited gas tank, Diaz can afford to keep moving forward, throw with abnormal volume, while simultaneously absorbing shots that would have been enough to stop most humans. Bizarrely, those defensive holes can at times work in Diaz’s favor, as upon seeing how open he is, opponents are often all too tempted to engage in ill-advised fire fights with him, and pay a dear price in the process. Diaz simply has a way of forcing opponents to fight his fight.

Condit needs to avoid falling victim to that trap. “The Natural Born Killer” needs to use a lot of footwork, circle away, and crucially, stay away from being trapped with his back to the fence, where Diaz could unload on him with trademark combinations. Concurrently, Condit would be wise to throw kicks liberally. He will likely look to fight “long” by utilizing plenty of body kicks (namely push kicks) from the outside to keep his opponent at bay. Most importantly however, leg kicks should be the backbone of Condit’s offense, as Diaz’s stance and unwillingness — or inability — to check them make him particularly vulnerable to getting his legs chomped on, as witnessed in his bout with Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos.

Condit will have the luxury of being the more diverse striker, as in addition to his kicks and improved boxing, he possesses some lethal knees. If he is to put Diaz away, the latter is going to be the most likely method. As such, the clinch battle could prove vital, as Diaz is sneakily good at landing short punches from close-quarters, while Condit’s knees are not something the Cesar Gracie protege wants any part of.

Against Dan Hardy, Condit displayed a brand of crisp boxing on the inside that he seemed to lack prior to that. He was able to stand inside the pocket, beat “The Outlaw” to the punch, and land clean, powerful counters, the last of which being a left hook that turned the Brit’s lights out. Should he be able to replicate that sort of counter-punching against Diaz, the bout could be his for the taking. However, doing so while absorbing minimal damage will be substantial, as Condit will inevitably slow down if he is to take too many of Diaz’s shots to the body.

Diaz’s historically iffy takedown defense could result in Condit taking the fight to the ground at some point. Diaz is guilty of being too comfortable off of his back, as he isn’t urgent enough in his attempts to get back to his feet and instead relies on throwing submissions from the bottom. However, Diaz does make up for it with excellent scrambling. Condit’s top game is often too aggressive, and Diaz could well use that to his advantage if he finds himself on the bottom. As such, the Team Jackson product needs to be more methodical in his attempts to pass the guard — something he is unlikely to have too much success with against a grappler of Diaz’s caliber to begin with — and perhaps be a bit more content to stay tight, and land short elbows from inside the guard.

Diaz holds an edge in cardio over most fighters in the division, but Condit’s stamina has never been an issue, and he has repeatedly proven that he is more than able to go the distance, and at times get stronger as the fight progresses. That however, could change if his opponent is able to put it on him early, as Diaz’s style has a tendency to take a toll on his foes.

If Diaz is to win this fight, he needs to pile up the pressure, tag Condit continuously, avoid the incoming counters, and wear him out. On the other hand, Condit needs to take Diaz’s legs away early and take over the fight from there. Which is more likely to happen is anybody’s guess, but it is just difficult to pick against Nick Diaz at the moment, least of all in a five-round fight.

Official Prediction: Nick Diaz to defeat Carlos Condit by Decision

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC