Speaking to UFC.com, president Dana White said, “I like Chris and I want him to do well, but based on his actions, he’s been suspended for one year,” UFC President Dana White said. “If he needs professional help, we are going to be there for him. We want to see him succeed not only in the Octagon, but in his personal life.”

Leben also released a statement via the organizations website saying, “I would like to make it known that I fully accept this suspension and apologize for embarrassing the UFC, my friends and family, and sport of mixed martial arts. I’m learning that I’m my own worst enemy sometimes. I can’t succeed in the Octagon or in life behaving this way. I’ve got to make some real changes over the next year and I’m going to focus on getting my life and career back on track. Again, I’m sorry to the UFC and fans that’ve supported me since my days on The Ultimate Fighter.”

This marks the second time Leben has been suspended after failing a drug test in England. The first came back in October 2008 when he tested positive for Stanozolol in his loss against Michael Bisping. He was held out of action for nine months and fined 1/3 of his fight purse for that offense.

All other 19 competitors drug tested from the November 5th event passed.

*PHOTO CREDIT – UFC*

Now Chris Leben and Mark Munoz will do their best to give the public a different reason to remember the fifth of November, as the UFC announced earlier today the two talented 185ers have agreed to face off at the event in headlining action.

A highly decorated amateur wrestler, Munoz actually has more strike-based stoppages than outpointings (6/5) including knockouts against Kendall Grove and C.B. Dollaway in the Octagon. He holds an overall record of 11-2 with wins in six of his last seven fights, including three straight, and has only lost once since dropping to 185 pounds (a Split Decision to Yushin Okami).

Leben was last seen delivering a 27-second knockout to Wanderlei Silva earlier this month at UFC 132 and should be more than happy to engage Munoz while standing if allowed to given his past performances in the UFC. In addition to Silva, “The Crippler” has TKO victories in the organization over Jorge Rivera, Aaron Simpson, Alessio Sakara, and Jorge Santiago.

Though UFC 138 is still in the development stages, the UFC also announced Leben vs. Munoz will be under the new five-round format for main events and that the show will be broadcast on Spike TV for fans in America.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Leben, who lobbied for a chance at Silva last year, will be looking to bounce back from a TKO loss to Brian Stann at UFC 125 after racking up a three straight wins prior to the defeat. “The Crippler” has finished nineteen of the twenty-five opponents he’s beaten. Among the names in his win column are Jorge Santiago, Mike Swick, and Yoshishiro Akiyama.

Comparably, the match-up will mark the first for “The Axe Murderer” in nearly eighteen months after sitting on the sidelines since a February 2010 outpointing of Michael Bisping as the result of knee surgery. Twenty-three of Silva’s thirty-three total wins have come via TKO including a pair of victories over former UFC light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson while in PRIDE.

The July 2 card is set to be headlined by a bantamweight title bout between champion Dominick Cruz and fan-favorite Urijah Faber and will also feature UFC icon Tito Ortiz taking on TUF 8 winner Ryan Bader.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of the arrest was reported by Hawaii News Now.

This week’s incident is not the first time “The Crippler” has been incarcerated for DUI. Leben was also put behind bars in Oregon for a little more than a month in 2008 for a charge linked to an earlier case involving the same offense.

The arrest could not have come at much worse a time for Leben, who has won his last three bouts and is currently scheduled to face Brian Stann at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day. However, it remains possible potential litigation or sentencing associated with the case could affect his availability for the event.

Lightweight champ Frank Edgar will defend his strap against the only individual to beat him, Gray Maynard, in the evening’s main event. Edgar lost a unanimous decision to Maynard in April 2008 before going on to win six straight bouts including two consecutive wins over former title-holder BJ Penn. Comparably, Maynard has won five fights in a row over a list of opponents featuring Nate Diaz, Roger Huerta, and most recently Ken Florian.

Also scheduled to see action on January 1st, 2011 in Las Vegas, Shane Carwin and Roy Nelson will settle their personal differences in the cage and help sort out the heavyweight contendership picture in the process. “Big Country” recently poked fun at Carwin’s alleged involvement in a steroid distribution ring with Carwin responding by taking verbal jabs at Nelson’s physique.

In addition to Edgar vs. Maynard II and Nelson vs. Carwin, the other “UFC 125 – Resolution” match-ups confirmed by the company are as follows:

Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi
Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera
Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann

Enter Wanderlei Silva.

In a match-up sounding as much like the title of a horror movie as a MMA bout, “The Axe Murderer” vs. “The Crippler” seems to be a likely possibility down the road so long as the former PRIDE champion gets his way. Silva spoke to MMAFighting
about his desire to fight Leben over the UFC 118 weekend.

“He won’t pass the first two rounds with me,” said Silva of Leben. “I saw his fight with (Yoshihiro) Akiyama. It was a great match, and he beat him in the final round. He’s a tough guy. He had only fought two weeks earlier. I think it will be perfect for my next fight. If he wants me, I’m going to fight him for sure.”

The latter part of the Brazilian’s statement appeared to be in reference to Leben calling him out after defeating Akiyama at UFC 116 last July. Silva was originally scheduled to face the Asian superstar at the event prior to pulling out a few weeks prior with a knee injury.

The thought of Silva and Leben trading shots is one sure to excite fans. Both men are known for their heavy hands and reckless abandon in the ring. In fifty-seven combined victories the two have knocked out thirty-six of the opponents they’ve beaten.

MMAjunkie.com was first to report the new matchup and FiveOuncesOfPain.com has since confirmed the news with a source close to Rosholt.

Rosholt graduated from Oklahoma State University, where he won the 184-pound NCAA title in 2003 and the 197-pound title in 2005 and 2006. Additionally, he was a four-time All-American and a Big 12 conference champion in 2004 while attending OSU.

After making his pro MMA debut in 2007, Rosholt quickly amassed a 4-0 record before signing a multi-fight agreement with the WEC. Making his debut at WEC 36 on Nov. 5, Rosholt improved to 5-0 with a second round TKO over the previously undefeated Nissen Osterneck.

He sustained the first loss of his career at UFC Fight Night 17 against former IFL middleweight champion Dan Miller when he was forced to tap to a guillotine choke at 1:03 of round 1.

He’ll be taking on an opponent in Leben who has not competed since a unanimous decision loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 89 this past October. A veteran from the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Leben was sent to the sidelines by the UFC after the event in response to failing a screening for performance enhancing drugs.

Leben currently operates in own school in Hawaii but has local ties to the Portland area, as he was a long-time member of Matt Lindland’s Team Quest franchise before leaving the camp to become the head instructor at T. Jay Thompson’s ICON Sport gym.

While the UFC has not officially announced UFC 102 or any matches, the event is expected to be headlined by a heavyweight clash featuring former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Randy Couture taking on former PRIDE heavyweight and interim UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

On October 18th Chris Leben, one of the UFC’s most celebrated personalities, will travel to England to headline UFC 89 in a middleweight battle with up and coming star Michael Bisping. It has been a journey full of peaks and valleys for Leben, filled with growth, progress, and life changes that may have the “Crippler” poised to reclaim his spot among the top fighters at 185.

Chris Leben

Fiveouncesofpain.com had a chance to speak with Chris Leben ( 18-4) as he prepares for his upcoming fight with Michael Bisping ( 16-1). The fight will headline UFC 89: “Leben vs. Bisping” on October 18th from the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England. The card will be broadcast on Sentanta Sports in England at 8p.m. BST and on Spike TV at 9p.m. EST.

Leben discussed a number of topics including the pressure of fighting in the main event, his growth as a person as well as a fighter, and his opponent Michael Bisping to name a few.

Fiveouncesofpain.com: You are headed to England to headline UFC 89, do you feel any added pressure being in the main event?

Chris Leben: Added Hype, obviously. Pressure has never been a problem for me. When I enter the octagon what is happening on the outside doesn’t matter, they could surround the cage with a black curtain and it wouldn’t matter, I probably wouldn’t notice. When I am in the cage my opponent gets all of my undivided attention.

Fiveouncesofpain.com: Over the last few years, you have experienced a lot of personal and professional growth, is there one incident you can point to or reference as the turning point in your career?

Chris Leben: There are 3 actually.

First was of course the reality show. It was tough at times watching how other people were viewing me. You are young, in a house, drinking and don’t realize you look like a fool.

Coaching has made me approach things differently. I have a gym full of fighters, and I can say anything I’d like, but in the end you have to walk the walk. You find yourself in small part a role model .
Losing fights would be the third. Losing sucks! I watch a lot of tape, I study all of my fights looking for what worked and what I might have done different. I look back on some of my fights and know I could have been in better shape.

Fiveouncesofpain.com: Can you explain how training your fighters has helped your game?

Chris Leben: It has help tremendously, the major benefit is coaching makes me focus on details. I find myself looking closer to the little things and this makes me better as a fighter.

Fiveouncesofpain.com: There has been talk that if Michael Bisping defeats you at UFC 89, he will be one of the coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 9. If the UFC were to ask you, would you consider coaching on the show?

Chris Leben: I’d love to do it. I have plenty of experience as a coach, and experience on the show, it would be a dream come true.

Fiveouncesofpain.com: Bisping hasn’t fought against a striker with your type of power. You on the other hand haven’t showcased your ground game in a while. Are you going to look to keep the fight standing?

Chris Leben: I’ll be comfortable wherever this fight goes. Bisping is a very talented fighter, but I think he is breathing the hype. He is good but not great, who has he beat?

Fiveouncesofpain.com: How do you feel the two of you match up?

Chris Leben: I think it will be a good fight. He has good foot work and punches straighter, I hit harder. I don’t think he will want to stand in front of me. I’ll have to work hard in this fight, and try and make sure he doesn’t run for three rounds like he did against ( Matt) Hammil. I really need to make sure I win every round in a very decisive way if for some reason I don’t finish him.

Fiveouncesofpain.com: Do you think the winner of this fight is next in line to fight Anderson Silva for the title?

Chris Leben: It will put one of us up there. I don’t know if it would make the winner next, but it’ll put one of us right in line.

Fiveouncesofpain.com: I read a recent quote from you where you had explained, that you are a martial artist, you want to be a champion and not just remembered as a good fighter. What do you think it will take to elevate you to a championship level.

Chris Leben: A LOT! ( laughs) I need to continue to go the the gym everyday and improve, always looking to evolve my game. I need to keep watching tape and breakdown what I did well, and what I can do better. Some guys have physical gifts, I aim to be the fighter with the greatest drive and strongest work ethic.

Fiveouncesofpain.com: Thank you for the interview Chris, is there anyone you would like to thank?

Chris Leben: I’d like to thank the fans that allow us to do what we do. I have to thank ICON Fitness it’s a great gym, and I have to thank the guys at Denaro Sports Marketing for all that they do for me.

When: Saturday Oct 18, 08
Where: Birmingham, UK @ National Indoor Arena
Watch: Spike TV (will be tape delayed)

Here’s the latest on UFC 89:
Main Card

• Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben @ MW
• Brandon Vera vs. Keith Jardine @ LHW
• Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Luiz Cane @ LHW
• Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor @ WW
• Marcus Davis vs. Paul Kelly @ WW
• Shane Carwin vs. Neil Wain @ HW

Undercard

• Akihiro Gono vs. Dan Hardy @ WW
• David Baron vs. Jim Miller @ WW
• Terry Etim vs. Sam Stout @ LW
• David Bielkheden vs. Jess Liaudin @ WW
• Per Eklund vs. Samy Schiavo @ LW

Card subject to change. We’ll update the match-ups as we confirm them.

Since losing to Serra last year, St. Pierre has now recorded three dominating performances against three top fighters in his weight class. Neither Serra, Josh Koscheck, or Matt Hughes were able put St. Pierre in any kind of serious jeopardy in their fights. As such, I feel validated in my decision to proclaim GSP my number one pound-for-pound fighter ahead of UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

St. Pierre was composed the entire time during the fight and displayed a good tactical game plan. He relied on his wrestling to control the fight in order to limit Serra’s opportunities to land the same big overhand right that floored GSP in their first encounter. When the fight went to the ground, St. Pierre widely avoided a jiu-jitsu showdown with the highly-regarded Renzo Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt. That aspect of his game plan was never more obvious then at the conclusion of the fight when St. Pierre chose not to take Serra’s back and instead chose to finish him with brutal knees to the body.

While the main event was terribly one-sided, it was still entertaining. And overall, I enjoyed last night’s show. In fact, last night’s UFC 83 show was much more enjoyable than that of the Ring Magazine light heavyweight title fight between Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe, which I viewed early Sunday morning on HBO during a replay. Being a Philadelphia native, I’ve always supported Hopkins so I was more interested in last night’s bout than I normally am when it comes to boxing these days. But as much as I enjoy watching Hopkins, last night’s bout was not easy to watch.

I find it comical when Jim Lampley climbs a top his soap box to extol the virtues of the “sweet science” of boxing, seemingly making the implication that every boxing match every held is a thing of beauty. There was nothing sweet or scientific about the early rounds of last night’s fight, as the first three rounds resembled a hockey fight. The fight improved once Calzaghe found his rhythm but there was too much clutching and grabbing for my taste.

And I still don’t get the hype surrounding Calzaghe. He’s a good fighter but I don’t see how anyone can consider him great. Outside of Hopkins and Jeff Lacy, who has this guy really fought? Is a victory over a 43-year old Hopkins supposed to validate him? While I believe that Adelaide Byrd dropped the ball and that the win should have been unanimous for Calzaghe, he was unable to dominate Hopkins. If he had fought a 38-year Hopkins or even a 40-year old Hopkins, I don’t think he wins the fight.

Again, I think Calzaghe is good. But great? No way. Fight some more fights outside of the U.K. against some top contenders and maybe I’ll change my opinion.

While GSP delivered in the main event, undercard performers Charles McCarthy, Kalib Starnes, and Travis Lutter all came up short in their respective fights. In light of the rumors that the UFC is planning on scaling back their roster of fighters from 200 to somewhere in the 130-160 range, if I were the manager for either of the three fighters, I’d be expecting a call from UFC Vice President of Talent Relations Joe Silva informing me that my client was no longer property of the UFC.

It’s hard to fault McCarthy too much because it was his first fight back in quite some time after a serious knee injury. However, he was simply over-matched by Michael Bisping, who looked like a completely different fighter competing at 185 lbs. instead of 205 lbs. Bisping looked focused and in incredible shape. It’s amazing how much his physique has changed and his addition to the UFC’s middleweight division is a welcome one.

Bisping looked outstanding in throwing his combinations last night, striking a slight resemblance to Silva in how fluid he was from transitioning from knees and kicks to punches and vice versa. There was just a natural flow to his strikes and he displayed a sweet science of MMA that Lampley selectively ignores. The only issue I saw with Bisping’s performance was a potential lack of power. The operative word is potential, because perhaps McCarthy has an awazing chin? I was just a little surprised that Bisping didn’t put him away sooner.

It should be clear to anyone following last night’s performance that Bisping is on a collision course with Silva. It’s not a question of if, only when. Despite the fact that there really aren’t any obvious money matchups immediately available for Silva, it might be wise for him to fight Yushin Okami next so that Bisping can get at least one-to-two more wins at 185 lbs. under his belt so that a Silva vs. Bisping showdown can be built up properly. You’d have to think that a Silva vs. Bisping title match would do huge business in the U.K.

Lutter managed to disappoint yet again. Just like his non-title fight vs. Silva at UFC 67 last February, Lutter achieved the mount position against his opponent but was unable to finish him. After that, it was the beginning of the end for Lutter, who looked heavily fatigued in the second round. It’s possible Lutter was in tremendous cardio condition coming into the fight and only looked gassed because he was absorbing tremendous knees to the body as well as some stiff punches to the face, but even the normally reserved Franklin felt it necessary to point out after the fight that Lutter is known for his lack of conditioning.

Lutter has all the talent in the world; great jiu-jitsu, better than average wrestling, and underrated punching power. His potential is why the UFC continually has given him chances but he has failed to deliver and I would suspect there’s a good chance that the promotion could be nearing a point where it is prepared to cut the cord.

While Franklin was not completely dominant during the fight, he was still impressive. To be honest, I was surprised he looked as sharp as he did. Prior to the fight, I was wondering how he would be able to motivate himself for Lutter having lost a second time to Silva this past October. There just doesn’t appear to be much upward mobility in the UFC’s middleweight division right now for Franklin. But he prepared for the fight vs. Lutter as if it was a title fight. Franklin also overcame the sudden loss of his father several months ago as well as knee surgery earlier this year. The man is a class act and a consumate professional and it’s a damn shame he’s stuck behind Silva.

What to do next with Franklin isn’t all that obvious. He’s in a holding pattern as long as Silva holds the UFC’s middleweight title. One match I’d love to see is a fight between Franklin and Dan Henderson. It would be a unique match because even though it would feature the second and third best middleweights in the UFC, it would not be a fight to determine a number one contender to Silva’s title. However, it would be a fight to determine who truly is the second best middleweight behind Silva, and possibly the number one contender to the title in the event he ever loses it.

Furthermore, a Franklin vs. Henderson fight might be the only non-title middleweight in the UFC that could headline a UFC pay-per-view event.

Starnes’ performance last night vs. Nate Quarry will possibly go down as one of the poorest historical showings to take place on a major televised MMA card. My wife remarked early on that it looked like a glorified sparring match and that he simply looked like he was trying to survive. Soon after my wife’s remark, the announcers on the broadcast, Mike Goldberg and Kenny Florian, echoed the same sentiments. The blunt assessment of Starnes’ performance was initially surprising to me as the UFC controls its own production but in hindsight, his unwillingness to fight was so blatant that it had to be addressed.

The strange thing was that Starnes appeared to be more feisty after the bout had concluded than he had during the entire 15 minutes of the fight. At one point Starnes challenged one of Quarry’s cornermen, and even resorted to using homosexual slurs on mic. Perhaps if he had shown some of the same aggressive nature during the fight that he exhibited after it, then he might not have been booed out of the building by a crowd that was initially eating out of his hand.

Perhaps Starnes was injured going into the fight but that still makes it tough to overlook the fact that he was literally running away from Quarry during the first round. And even if he was injured, it does not excuse the fact that he made no attempt to win the fight in the third round when it was abundantly clear that he was behind on points. I’ve heard that Starnes is a nice guy and I really do respect his ability as a fighter, but unless he has a valid explanation for his tactics last night, I don’t see how the UFC can justify bringing him back.

While the tape-delayed fight between Kuniyoshi Hironaka and Jonathan Goulet won fight of the night honors, according to UFC President Dana White during the post-fight press conference (best submission went to Demian Maia while best knockout went to Jason MacDonald… and unless I heard incorrectly, it sounded as though White said during the post-fight presser that the bonuses were $75,000), my personal fight of the night was Mac Danzig vs. Mark Bocek (I didn’t see Hironaka vs. Goulet because I had to get to work on my CBSSports.com writeup of the show).

Bocek’s overall MMA skills improve each time out and there were a lot of great back-and-forth exchanges between he and Danzig. The ground fighting was especially high-level and the win has to be considered a strong one for Danzig even though Bocek doesn’t have the biggest name in the sport right now.

The outstanding performances turned in during last night’s card weren’t just exclusive to the fighters that competed. Last night marked the first time Florian provided color commentary for an entire UFC show. Pinch hitting for an absent Joe Rogan, Florian got the job done.

One thing that I think stood out was Florian’s keen insight. He was really on top of pointing out insightful observations (such as Quarry’s improved body movement) and I felt he stole a lot of thunder in what I intended to point out in this writeup. It didn’t seem like Florian missed anything during the fight. Florian was by no means perfect, but he was outstanding for someone in their first full broadcast and clearly has a future as a color commentator if he wants it.

I was also surprised by the performance of Goldberg. I think this was his best effort in a long-time. There are just times where I feel like he’s winging. I don’t know whether that’s truly the case, but that is just how he comes off to me at times. However, he was very sharp last night and it almost seemed like he felt like he needed to step up in Rogan’s absence because he was working with a rookie commentator in Florian. Is it just me, or does it seem like Goldberg relies on Rogan too much as a safety net? I’d like to see him come out with the same authoritative approach he used last night for all of the telecasts that he does.

My only real production-related issue last night was the extended duration between bouts, something that has become a staple of UFC telecasts. I paid more attention to the lags between fights and determined it is because they dedicate too much time to promotion and filler. Yes, a broadcast needs to have those elements but the amount viewers are subjected to by Zuffa is borderline gratuitous. The problem is easily correctable by streamlining and economizing the vignettes that are shown between the fights. I don’t think we needed to see that extended vignette promoting the St. Pierre and Serra fight right before they went on when they had been teasing the main event all night long.

In closing, I’d like to send out a big f— you to DirecTV. For reasons that are still unknown, I lost reception on my HD receiver. After ordering the HD broadcast I called DirecTV at 9:30 p.m. ET and was unable to get the problem resolved. I was subjected to a ridiculously configured automated menu clearly designed to limit access to live representatives (which is bullshit considering the amount of money I pay them each month).

After 25 minutes of waiting on hold, I was then promptly placed on hold again after explaining my problem. At 10:05 p.m. ET, I finally gave up and thankfully had decided to order the standard definition broadcast at 9:55 p.m. ET (if I had waited until 10:00 p.m. ET, I would not have been able to order because DirecTV inexplicably does not allow you to order a live event even a minute after it has started). I was able to watch the SD broadcast on an older TV but am now faced with the task of calling in again today to demand a refund of the HD telecast when they claim orders are non-refundable. The non-service I received last night is unacceptable.

Here’s your UFC 83 Quick Results:

Main Card

• Georges St. Pierre def. Matt Serra via TKO (knees to the body) at 4:45 of round two
• Rich Franklin def. Travis Lutter via TKO (strikes) at 3:01 of round two
• Nate Quarry def. Kalib Starnes via unanimous decision
• Michael Bisping def. Charles McCarthy via TKO (unable to answer bell) at 5:00 of round one
• Mac Danzig def. Mark Bocek via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:48 of round three

Undercard

• Jason MacDonald def. Joe Doerksen via TKO (strikes) at :54 of round two
• Jason Day def. Alan Belcher via TKO (strikes) at 3:58 of round one
• Demian Maia def. Ed Herman via submission (triangle choke) at 2:27 of round two
• Rich Clementi def. Sam Stout via split decision
• Cain Velasquez def. Brad Morris via TKO (strikes) at 2:10 of round one
• Jonathan Goulet def. Kuniyoshi Hironaka via TKO (strikes) at 2:07 of round two

Sherdog.com: And this time around? The circumstances are quite different.

Serra: Well, I still think he’s looking at it … it’s interesting because he’s an interesting guy. Who knows what he’s thinking. He’s been more of the wrestler lately. I think he’s gotten a little gun-shy.

I don’t think Serra’s exactly correct here. Yes, GSP has certainly been more of a wrestler recently but I think that’s with very good reason. If you let your hands and feet fly against wrestlers like Josh Koscheck and Matt Hughes, GSP’s last two opponents, you leave yourself susceptible to takedowns. If there’s one thing that GSP didn’t want during those two fights, it was either of those two guys on top of him. So what does he do? Beat them at their own game. I don’t think it has anything to do with being gun-shy and everything to do with gameplan.

Mo Egger was kind enough to have me on as a guest on his show yesterday on 1530 HOMER The Sports Animal here in Cincinnati. We discussed tonight’s UFC 83 pay per view, Rich Franklin’s future, CBS and EliteXC, and kids’ MMA.

CLICK HERE to listen to the audio. The segment is about 25 seconds in.

Main Card

• Matt Serra (169.5) vs. Georges St. Pierre (169.5)
• Rich Franklin (185.5) vs. Travis Lutter (185)
• Nate Quarry (185.5) vs. Kalib Starnes (186)
• Michael Bisping (185.5) vs. Charles McCarthy (186)
• Marc Bocek (154.5) vs. Mac Danzig (154.5)

Preliminary Card

• Joe Doerksen (184.5) vs. Jason MacDonald (185)
• Rich Clementi (155) vs. Sam Stout (155.5)
• Alan Belcher (185) vs. Jason Day (183.5)
• Ed Herman (185.5) vs. Demian Maia (184.5)
• Brad Morris (225.5) vs. Cain Velasquez (235.5)
• Jonathan Goulet (169.5) vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka (170)

We may have video on this posted later but I’ll just give you a quick breakdown of the entertaining bits.

Bisping looked absolutely shredded at 185 and he had a very heated stare-down with ‘Captain Miserable’. The two butted heads and then when Dana White broke them apart they let some obscenities fly.

The preview they showed before Serra and St. Pierre weighed in was very good. It really raised the tension in the room. It was like the 2nd best preview I’ve seen to a UFC main event. The first being the one between Frank Trigg and Matt Hughes when Frank Trigg said he had a better family than Hughes. Hilarious.

The stare-down between Serra and St. Pierre was also pretty intense. Serra looked ready to kill and when Goldberg interviewed him he seemed very pissed off at the crowd. His best line was, “Hey if you think you’re pissed now, wait ’til Saturday Night”

I’m pretty pumped for tomorrow.

Read more UFC 83 content on FiveOuncesOfPain.com.

Check out more UFC 83 content on FiveOuncesOfPain.com!

Whether you’re a GSP fan or a Serra backer, we’d love to have you. We’ll be talking about the fights and giving live updates as they happen during the event.

Also, bookmark this post because we will be providing results as the event takes place!

WHEN:  Saturday, April 19th 9 p.m. ET

WHERE: Five Ounces of Pain Live Chat and Results! 

Props to RawVegas for sending this to us.

Check out more UFC 83 content on Five Ounces of Pain.

Part 1

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Mad props to BloodyElbow for finding this.

Check out the latest UFC 83 content on Five Ounces of Pain.

Click image to jump to Yahoo! MMA page.

Yahoo! has a high quality video player you should check out, as well as:

• Dave Meltzer picks the winners of UFC 83 HERE.
• Watch Serra KO GSP from their first fight HERE

Check out the latest UFC 83 content on Five Ounces of Pain.

What’s the consensus pick for this weekend’s much-anticipated rematch between Matt Serra and Georges St. Pierre? Does anyone on the 5 Oz. staff believe that Travis Lutter has a chance to upset Rich Franklin? Read on to find out.

Matt Serra vs. Georges St. Pierre for Serra’s UFC welterweight title

Sam Caplan: I don’t want to sell Serra short like I did the first time he faced St. Pierre last year but what am I supposed to do, make a contrived prediction? I have to call it like I see it and I see St. Pierre winning. Serra’s right hand is dangerous but he’s not the versatile and dynamic striker that St. Pierre is. As long as St. Pierre takes that right hand seriously, I think he will be fine and I predict him to win via fourth round TKO.

Adam Morgan: Can Serra do the unthinkable twice in a row? Not likely. GSP is just too well-rounded and too athletic for me to even think about picking Serra. Serra proved last time that any fighter can win on any given Saturday in the UFC, but my job is to make a choice and on paper, that choice is Georges St. Pierre. I think GSP should look to take this fight to the ground, make Serra work, and unleash his ground and pound. It’s highly underrated and extremely vicious, especially his elbows. He throws some of the most effective elbows on the ground in all of mixed martial arts. Don’t let Serra get off with his heavy hands. Take him to the ground and pound him out. Georges St. Pierre via TKO, round two.

Sam Cupitt: Matt Serra must lose this fight but I’m not sure he will. If St. Pierre is victorious then we have very exciting match-ups against Fitch, Alves and possibly Penn and Silva to look forward to, as well as Serra vs. Hughes. If Serra manages to replicate his performance from UFC 69 then Joe Silva has to scramble to find a way to get Hughes another title shot and the line of challengers for the 170 lbs. title will be forever clogged. Moving on to the fight itself, I seriously believe Serra poses more of a stylistic threat to ‘Rush’ than any other fighter in the division. Serra is very confident in his BJJ and because of that he doesn’t have the fear of getting taken down that Fitch, Hughes and Koscheck have. Serra goes into this fight knowing that he can do very little to stop a takedown, so that allows him to throw with reckless abandon while on the feet. Having said all that, if GSP decides to just use takedowns and ground and pound he will most likely win a decision because I doubt he will make a mistake and get caught in a Serra submission. But if St. Pierre keeps this on his feet for long stretches he will have to be very careful to avoid the fearless bombs from “The Terror”. Just for the potential “I told you so” points I will earn, I’m predicting Serra via TKO in round 2.

Mike Huckaby: Something just doesn’t sit right. Haven’t we seen this before? We all acted exactly this same way the first time these two fought. There were crazy betting odds and no one gave Serra a chance. When a friend and I discuss baseball he’s a big sabermetrics guy and I just go on my gut and what I’ve seen in the past. You can feel situations. He’s a numbers guy and he calls me an old grizzled scout. If I’ve seen a situation before I keep it in my memory and that’s why my instincts are always so solid. My point is this happened before. What if Serra beats him in 2 minutes this time? If they fought a third time everyone would pick GSP handily to win again. Look, I don’t actually think Matt Serra is going to win. GSP is focused and should take his head off. On my official pick’em entries I’m taking GSP but for the time being I’m going to be the one guy to give Serra some credit. Matt, we’re sorry…. but you’re kind of a jerk and that doesn’t really help. Winner: Matt Serra, TKO, Rd1

Ram Maramba: I like Matt Serra. He’s good for the sport and is always an interesting interview. If anyone was going to upset my not-so-ambiguous mancrush Georges St. Pierre, I’m glad it was the pudgy yank. “The Terror’s” TKO victory at UFC 69 over GSP was the perfect storm of two fighters at the opposite end of their talent spectrums and meeting in the middle. His dynamic win over the favored GS makes it easy to overlook the fighter Serra really is. He’s small, somewhat one-dimensional and has had a difficult time closing out his opponents. He’s a year older to boot and is coming off injury, but other than that we’re saying all the same things mentioned before their first fight and look how that ended. Still, water has a way of finding its own level and if GSP loses again, I’m saddling up the closest pig and flying to Long Island to congratulate Serra personally. GSP via TKO in the 2nd. Bonus Prediction: GSP still can’t stick that backflip.

Rich Franklin vs. Travis Lutter

Sam Caplan: If this were a different opponent, I might be inclined to predict an upset. As long as Anderson Silva is the middleweight champ of the UFC, how does Franklin get himself motivated? He’s also been dealing with injuries, the death of his father, as well as business commitments. How focused is Franklin for this fight? Lutter is dangerous but hasn’t fought in over a year. His jiu-jitsu is top notch and he showed against Marvin Eastman that he can hurt you on his feet if he catches you. But I just keep coming back to the fact that he hasn’t fought in over a year and has been dealing with multiple injuries. I think Franklin wins this one.

Adam Morgan: Both of these cats last lost to Anderson Silva, but in different fashion. Rich got dominated while Lutter was in a position to take home the victory but failed miserably on a sloppy armbar attempt. For Lutter, it’s about redemption for not making weight that day and for Rich, it’s just about getting some confidence back and putting a W under his belt. Lutter is no joke and arguably the best grappler in the middleweight division right now, so this is no cupcake for Franklin but Franklin has dealt with top level jiu-jitsu and wrestling before and has a serviceable ground game himself. He’ll look to keep it standing and eventually overwhelm Lutter on the feet. Rich Franklin via unanimous decision.

Sam Cupitt: I see this fight going the exact same way Rich Franklin’s fight against Jason MacDonald went. Lutter has better BJJ than Franklin but just like MacDonald if Lutter can’t achieve top position then he isn’t going to win this fight. Franklin will use his good takedown defense to avoid Lutter’s shot and then will utilise his far superior striking to constantly pepper Lutter with shots, eventually scoring himself a first round TKO victory. Franklin via TKO in round 1.

Mike Huckaby: Due to what Anderson Silva does to him on an Octoberly basis, people forget how much better Rich Franklin is than every other middleweight they have. He goes out there and destroys everyone and then it all gets thrown away every October when as a birthday present to himself Rich likes to get his nose broken. Joe Rogan can hype up any fight as much as he wants but Lutter isn’t even in the same league. Franklin will do everything to keep it standing and pick him apart before taking him out. Winner: Rich Franklin, TKO, Rd 3

Ram Maramba: Travis Lutter is going to submit Rich Franklin. Gah, that hurts to even type. Franklin is another long time favorite of mine, but Lutter’s BJJ is that Rain Man-esque skill that gives jack-of-all-trades fighters like “Ace” trouble. Unlike previous grapplers Franklin’s put down, Lutter’s got the mindset and wrestling ability to put him away. As Liddell has proven, longtime fighters who’ve toed the line aren’t going anywhere, even after two losses. Both will come in ready for war, Lutter just needs it a lot more. I’ll go with the upset and pick my hometown boy and Machado student. Lutter via his favorite submissions, good ol’ armbar in the 2nd.

Nate Quarry vs. Kalib Starnes

Sam Caplan: People like to question Starnes’ heart but I am beginning to wonder whether he’s getting a bad wrap. I really like him in this fight in front of a partial crowd. Quarry is a threat to knock him out but I like Starnes’ overall game much better. Starnes via unanimous decision.

Adam Morgan: Starnes impressed me in his last fight against Alan Belcher with an extremely improved standup game. The only problem was that Starnes had very little power in those punches and at one point Belcher was letting him hit him in the face and smiling back at him. His standup is now more technical, but the punches aren’t landing with power. Quarry, on the other hand, has technical standup and power in his hands. If Starnes wants to stand with Quarry it will be a long night. Starnes will get this fight to the ground and work his superior jiu jitsu. Kalib Starnes via submission, round two.

Sam Cupitt: Like Adam said, Starnes showed a much improved standup game against Belcher but that won’t be enough against Quarry. Starnes probably has the superior jiu jitsu but he has limited takedowns and Quarry has very good wrestling which should easily negate any of Starnes’ shots. If the fight stays standing, which I believe it will, I’m looking forward to seeing Quarry pull out a knockout victory in the exact same fashion that Jorge Rivera knocked out Kendall Grove. Quarry via KO in round 1.

Mike Huckaby: Nate might not punch quite as hard as he thinks he does but he certainly punches hard enough to end Starnes. As per usual, it’ll take Nate a round or two to wake up but at the end of the day he’ll put Kalib to sleep. Hopefully he won’t reopen the skull cut. Winner: Nate Quarry, KO, Rd2

Ram Maramba: Kalib Starnes is on the fringe of the UFC, fortunately so is Nate Quarry. Quarry looked uncomfortably slow in his last effort against Pete Sell before landing that one perfect punch. Starnes looked good standing versus Alan Belcher before Belcher opened a cave on his head. His ground game is obvious from his record and will be comfortable wherever this goes. Lighting could strike twice for Quarry, it just isn’t likely. Starnes via UD.

Michael Bisping vs. Charles McCarthy

Sam Caplan: A lot of people are selling Chainsaw short. If Bisping isn’t fully prepared for this fight, McCarthy will hurt him. However, all indications I’ve received is that Bisping trained hard for this fight and handled his first major cut in weight very well. After a couple of rough outings, I think the move to 185 lbs. will pay immediate dividends for Bisping as he makes his middleweight debut a successful one. What’s the over/under on how long until we see Bisping vs. Silva? Oh yeah, Bisping via second round TKO.

Adam Morgan: McCarthy is a jiu jitsu guy who has been sounding a lot like he only wants to rely solely on his ground game. That’s not the right gameplan against a guy like Bisping who has a good all-around game and a much better striking game than McCarthy. If Bisping can keep it standing, then McCarthy will be served some punishment. Bisping’s cut to middleweight will be a successful one. Michael Bisping via TKO, round one.

Sam Cupitt: I find it hilarious that McCarthy has been labeling Bisping as a completely average fighter who isn’t really good in any area of MMA. It’s hilarious to me because that’s how I would describe McCarthy. Sure his jiu jitsu is better than the other areas of his game but I only rank it slightly higher than Edwin Dewees’ jiu jitsu. This should be a fairly easy night for Bisping who will win the striking exchanges with ease while overpowering “Chainsaw” in the clinch. Michael Bisping via TKO, round one.

Mike Huckaby: I don’t understand this fight. On one hand you can see them feeding Bisping someone for his first fight at a new weight but McCarthy has some Chris Lytle in him in the fact he’s not exactly easy to finish. Then again he hasn’t fought in about 11 years so I’m sure he can be rusty enough for Bisping to stop him. I think he’ll drop McCarthy with a little two punch combo and whether he goes for the win with strikes or a choke is up to him. Winner: Michael Bisping, TKO, Rd2

Ram Maramba: Michael Bisping’s abrasive personality makes it easy to cloud opinion, but the fact remains he’s a top-notch standup fighter who’s home-brewed grappling game served him well before he got into a good camp. Charles McCarthy’s camp is better, but he’s being pulled out of the mothballs for this fight. His Jiu Jitsu is big league, but Bisping’s pattycake punches will pack a lot more wallop at 185. Bisping will knock the rust off of Captain Miserable for him. TKO by Bisping in the 3rd.

Mac Danzig vs. Mark Bocek

Sam Caplan: I have a lot of respect for Bocek because he’s such a highly-regard grappler. He’s been training MMA with Team Quest and his overall MMA skills looked much improved during his win over Doug Evans at UFC 79. I think he’s going to make things very interesting vs. Mac Danzig on Saturday but Danzig isn’t your typical TUF alumnus and I think he’s ready to make an impact at lightweight in the UFC right now. Danzig via unanimous decision.

Adam Morgan: Bocek is still too new to the sport of MMA to be able to take on a fighter the caliber of Danzig. His game is just overall too good for Bocek who is mainly a jiu jitsu guy. He’s a great grappler, don’t get me wrong, but Danzig has been able to blend everything together so well. He will eventually overwhelm Bocek. Mac Danzig via TKO, round three.

Sam Cupitt: Danzig could have problems if Bocek takes him down, but that’s a pretty big if. Danzig will use his polished striking to continuously land and redden the face of the Canadian. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Danzig drop Bocek a number of times until Bocek’s corner are forced to stop the fight. Mac Danzig via TKO in round 2.

Mike Huckaby: What a great matchup for Danzig. He’s quite young and much like Nate Diaz they want to bring him along slowly, though I doubt Danzig is going to publicly demand opponents of a better quality. Danzig just isn’t that good yet no matter how you look at it. Yeah, he could beat me up. But so could 3 of the 4 Golden Girls (I’d crush Betty White). Danzig has a very long way to go and Bocek is the exact quality of opponent they need to feed to him to bring him along. Winner: Mac Danzig, TKO, Rd2

Ram Maramba: Mac Danzig is the Emeka Okafor of TUF. No one will argue he was the top dog at the time, but his ceiling is low and he’s probably as good as he’s ever going to be. He’ll make for a great acid test at lightweight, shutting down anyone who’s game is incomplete, but he’ll never contend for the title. Neither will Bocek and Danzig will prove it. Danzig by TKO in the 1st.

Jason MacDonald vs. Joe Doerksen

Sam Caplan: MacDonald doesn’t understand why he has to fight Doerksen again but it’s because he needs some wins under his belt so that he can begin to move back up the middleweight ladder. He’s beaten Doerksen once before and I don’t see a reason why he won’t do it again. MacDonald via second round submission.

Adam Morgan: Why does Doerksen always get booked in rematches? First Ed Herman, now Jason MacDonald. Doerksen is always in shape and always a game fighter, even on short notice like he showed against Ed Herman. MacDonald is a good grappler with an okay standup game, but he always seems to wilt when someone puts a lot of pressure on him, something I think Doerksen will do. Doerksen will put the pressure on MacDonald and have him in bad positions early and throughout the fight. Joe Doerksen via unanimous decision.

Sam Cupitt: This fight is a coin flip for me. MacDonald and Doerksen share a similar sort of game and both have had some negative things to say about each other in the lead up to their bout. I think this will be a spirited affair and will look very similar to Doerksen’s fight with Ed Herman, except I think this one will end courtesy of the judges. After much deliberating I’ll take, Jason MacDonald via unanimous decision.

Mike Huckaby: Or as I said to Adam Morgan as I got word of this Pain Poll, “what the hell do I have to say about Joe Doerksen and Jason MacDonald?” This fight should be much like Herman and Maia in many ways, namely that MacDonald is going to control the action and give Joe a little beating. Question being if he’ll make a mistake and get submitted. I really have an odd feeling about this fight, history just shows a guy like Doerksen seems to win these finds and get the upset. I have to go with my logic and say MacDonald will avoid and get a one sided decision. Winner: Jason MacDonald, decision

Ram Maramba: Crafty may make for long careers, it just doesn’t make for interesting fights. Doerksen is a highly respected guy who beats the guys he should but runs into a wall against guys who are similar or better than him. As highly as MacDonald regards himself, he and his smarmy smirk are firmly entrenched next to El Dirte in the journeyman category. MacDonald wondered out loud why he had to stoop and rematch with Doerksen again. Here’s a hint: look at your passport, homeboy. MacDonald by…default.

Ed Herman vs. Demian Maia

Sam Caplan: Oh how I wish we’d get to see this fight on TV. Maia vs. Herman is a fight that features two of the brightest middleweight prospects in the UFC going head-to-head. People can doubt Herman all they want but his ground game was already good upon entering the UFC and his standup is starting to show signs of improvement. There isn’t a better middleweight grappler than Maia in the UFC so I think Herman is going to do all that he can to keep the fight standing in hopes of winning another fight via knockout. I like both these fighters and have gone back and forth on my prediction, but as of right now, I am picking Herman.

Adam Morgan: Speaking of Ed Herman, he’s fighting Demian Maia in what could be considered the fight of the evening. Maia is the best pure jiu jitsu guy in the middleweight division and Herman is one of the best prospects to ever come out of TUF. He has been steadily rising in the division with slick submission wins and ever improving standup. I think Maia’s MMA game right now is too raw for a well-rounded fighter like Herman who can hold his own on the ground as well. Ed Herman via TKO, round three.

Sam Cupitt: Like the two guys above me, I’d very much like to see this fight on the PPV. This fight should give us a pretty good gauge on Maia’s striking and his ability to set up a takedown. If Herman plays this too defensive he could find himself stuck on the cage where he could have his legs sucked out from under him. That would be very bad for Herman because if Maia gets on top this fight will be over fairly quickly. Actually I’d favor Maia from any position on the ground. Herman has good offensive ground skills but does have a tendency to leave himself open to submission opportunities. We saw in his fights with Grove, MacDonald, Doerksen and even Scott Smith that Herman has a tendency to get careless and leave either his arm or neck exposed in positions he shouldn’t. Maia won’t hesitate to take something if he is given it, so control will be the key for Herman. Herman needs to control the distance on the feet while landing effective punches. Unfortunately for “Short Fuse”, conservatism isn’t one of his strong suits. Demian Maia via submission in round 2.

Mike Huckaby: I love Demian Maia with a passion. I actually saw someone pick Ed Herman by submission yesterday and I was trying to picture exactly how that would happen. Would he knock him out and then put on a submission? That’s possible. But then he’d be knocked out and wouldn’t tap so it wouldn’t be a sub. I love picks like that. You know the kind I mean, Rich Clementi > Melvin Guillard, strikes. What? Anyway, Maia will have his Marcelo Garcia moment at some point in his career but this fight should go much like Diaz/Pellegrino in that Herman will eventually do something he shouldn’t do and Maia will make him pay. Winner: Demian Maia, sub, Rd2

Ram Maramba: This is where we see if Demian Maia is an MMA fighter or a BJJ player in the MMA game. His showed he can adapt his top-shelf submission game when he shut down Ryan Jensen via RNC midway through the first. Questions about his striking and wrestling linger however and Herman will put both to the test. He’s a serviceable wrestler with a nice submission game of his own. “Short Fuse” has an ugly standup game, but his GnP is wicked. Both will want to take it to the ground however and there’s nothing Herman can throw at Maia he hasn’t seen before. In fact, Herman’s over aggressive tendencies may be the final nail in the coffin. Maia by some sort of choke early in the 2nd.

Sam Stout vs. Rich Clementi

Sam Caplan: If Clementi gets Stout on his back, it will be the beginning of the end as soon as they hit the ground. However, if the fight stays standing for an extended period of time then I don’t see how Clementi can win the fight. This is a tossup. I wrote during CBSSports.com’s Head-to-Head UFC 83 preview that I believe Clementi has the cage generalship needed to ground Stout, so I will stick by Clementi via submission as the pick.

Adam Morgan: Sam Stout has the tools to take this fight if it happens to stay standing. Clementi has all the tools to take it if it hits the ground. Stout will have a great gameplan coming out of Xtreme Couture and Team Tompkins and I believe his overall game will be too much for Clementi. Stout will sprawl out his takedown attempts and punish him on the feet. Sam Stout via TKO, round one.

Sam Cupitt: Clementi most recently submitted Melvin Guillard at UFC 79 and I can’t thank him enough for that. Stout is a similar fighter to Guillard in that he likes to keep things standing but Stout is a lot more steady and technical in his approach. Clementi’s style is much more suited to the overtly aggressive fighters like Guillard or Anthony Johnson. When a fighter is overly aggressive they leave holes for technical fighters such as Clementi to expose. However, like I said, Stout’s style is different in that regard as he prefers to pick apart his opponents with well placed power shots. Stout’s improved takedown defense should be enough to fend off Clementi as he methodically works his way through Clementi stand up defense until eventually unloading on him against the cage. Sam Stout via TKO in round 1.

Mike Huckaby: I really like this fight and I really want to believe that Sam Stout will finally have the ground game but I won’t hold my breath. I hate run-in wrestling type jokes but would it really surprise anyone if Melvin dove into the cage hoping to get another fight with Clementi? I mean really if you had to pick one guy that would do something that stupid it’s good old Melvin. Anyway, I’m really liking Clementi’s game more and more and as much as I like Stout I just don’t know if he’ll be able to cope in Clementi’s place of work. Winner: Rich Clementi, sub, Rd2

Ram Maramba: A longtime tool and die maker friend of mine once told me, “I’d rather be old and treacherous than young and fast.” Clementi’s not that old, but he’s definitely treacherous. He’s displayed an ability to handle younger, athletic fighters like Anthony Johnson and Melvin Guillard, and Stout fits that mold. I keep hoping Stout will finally round out his outstanding kickboxing game with some wrestling, but it’s not going to happen in time for a good ol’ Southern boy like Clementi. After more than a few punches to the face, Clementi by submission in the 3rd.

Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. Jonathan Goulet

Sam Caplan: I’m not really interested in this fight and I am typing the writeup under duress. Are we going to see either Goulet or Hironaka remain in the UFC’s crowded welterweight position long-term? I doubt it. With so many fighters under contract, I think you can be rest assured that the loser will be leaving the UFC. This is another tossup but I will pick Goulet via split decision with the hometown crowd making the difference.

Adam Morgan: Both of these guys are little fish in the biggest pond you can find. The welterweight division is extremely crowded and this fight has little impact on the top of the division. Still, they’re fighting, so I must pick a winner. Goulet has good submissions but so does Hironaka. Goulet has zero chin while Hironaka poses some semblance of a chin. Hironaka via submission, round three.

Sam Cupitt: If you remember back to the TUF 6 Finale’s Pain Poll, I wouldn’t even pick Goulet over Paul Georgieff. There’s something about Goulet’s style and personality that just rubs me the wrong way. Even though I don’t like the guy I still wouldn’t pick him in this fight if I did. Hironaka is just better than Goulet in every area and should give the Canadian fits. Kuniyoshi Hironaka via unanimous decision

Mike Huckaby: I give Hironaka the first edge by being semi-competent, a fight quality that sometimes runs over Goulet. There’s no shame in being dealt with by Thiago Alves and Hironaka should rebound finely with active ground work and take this one. I’d love to see Goulet’s contract with the UFC. I almost feel bad for the guy. It seems like after each of his fights Joe Silva makes it clear they’ll be the ones calling him. Winner: Kuniyoshi Hironaka, sub, Rd2

Ram Maramba: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? I’m so disinterested in this fight I didn’t even bother to replace “a tree falls in the forest” with “Goulet wasn’t from Canada” and “it make a sound” with “make it onto this card.” Goulet via ill-advised haircut.

Alan Belcher vs. Jason Day

Sam Caplan: Jason Day got this spot based on his controversial split decision victory over David Loiseau during an Hardcore Championship Fighting show. There are those that believe Loiseau should have won the fight. Day is a solid regional fighter but I have questions whether he’s ready to succeed in a national promotion. Alan Belcher will be a tough test for Day and one that I do not expect him to pass.

Adam Morgan:Day has been ramping up the caliber of his opponents recently and I think he’s ready for his UFC opener. Too bad it’s against Alan Belcher, a great striker with a lot of power and an all-around tough guy. He’s only been finished twice in his career and has big time cage experience having fought in the UFC for awhile now. Day is one of those guys who has big talent but may crumple under the pressure of the big show. Belcher via TKO, round three.

Sam Cupitt: I expect good things from Belcher this year and this fight should be the perfect way to kick things off. Jason Day is tough but he just won’t be prepared for Belcher who appears to be on a mission to prove that he’s for real. I very much expect to see a very violent knockout from Alan Belcher early in the first. Alan Belcher via KO in round 1.

Mike Huckaby: Joe Silva did a masterful job here and I have no idea who to pick, though I do think I would have enjoyed Cote vs Belcher a little more. In fact Day and Belcher are so evenly matched I’m going to have to go with superstition. Day is making his UFC debut AND fighting in front of a rabid fanbase that will be behind him. That’s just tempting fate. I’m going to have to go with Belcher to outwork Day on the feet and look better to the judges. Winner: Alan Belcher, decision

Ram Maramba: I think Alan Belcher is one of the most underrated fighters on the UFC roster. Sure he’s only got one tool on his tool belt, but that tool is a giant f’ing hammer adorned with a little pair of Muay Thai shorts. Day is no slouch, but this fight would’ve been more intriguing if it was David Loiseau instead. Belcher by framing accident in the 2nd.

Cain Velasquez vs. Brad Morris

Sam Caplan: I really don’t want to overlook Morris in this fight but the sky is the limit for Velasquez. As I said in CBSSports.com’s preview, I am picking Velasquez in the battle of former Bodog fighters. That’s not too bold of a prediction so I will go on the record to state that a year from now Velasquez will be fighting for the UFC heavyweight title.

Adam Morgan: If the guys from AKA are talking Velasquez up, I’m inclined to believe the hype. Velasquez has the training pedigree but lacks fight experience. Morris lacks training pedigree but makes up for it with fight experience. He’s not a world beater but should be a good test for Velasquez in his first outing inside the Octagon. Velasquez via unanimous decision.

Sam Cupitt: Despite the hype surrounding Velasquez I feel obliged to stick by my fellow countryman in Morris. We’ve heard Velasquez is an animal but we haven’t really seen much from him. I think all the hype may be to his detriment. I can see this fight ending after Morris locks onto something on the ground after Velasquez gets a little over ambitious with his ground and pound. Brad Morris via submission in round 1.

Mike Huckaby: I grew up with a kid by the name of Brad Morris. He was kind of chubby too but to the best of my knowledge he was not Australian. I have to disagree with a couple members of the Duel who stated Velasquez wasn’t a better prospect than Shane Carwin. The sky is the limit and it will be demonstrated here. I just wish I knew more about Brad Morris so I could better pretend I know what I’m talking about. Winner: Cain Velasquez, TKO, Rd1

Ram Maramba: I normally don’t like heavyweights but the three new UFC HW imports, Velasquez, Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar, are exciting fighters who use their size and speed to their advantage rather than imitating blankets. Pass me the Kool-Aid, Velasquez via UD.