Much to my surprise there was a spot with Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan breaking down the big news and analyzing the fight. However, something just didn’t seem right. Why after all this time is ESPN not using its own team to provide independent coverage of MMA events? Giving free air time to paid employees of the UFC to supply pre and post-fight content just doesn’t make sense. It would be like ESPN running post-game analysis from the NFL Network following its own games.

Look, league-sponsored outlets such as MLB.com and the NFL Network have their place and do a good job in their own right. But the conflict of coverage that exists is plain for the world to see and people can judge how much stock they want to put into a league-sponsored source of news and analysis. However, giving the UFC a pulpit to spin post-fight scenarios unfettered just doesn’t feel right. Hasn’t the sport grown large enough where it warrants more independent coverage from ESPN? I mean, are Goldberg and Rogan going to speculate on Evans’ place in the world light heavyweight rankings and talk about how he stacks about against 205′ers that might not be under contract to Zuffa? Of course not.

After a major boxing event is over, we’re treated to analysis by Dan Rafael, not paid employees of Golden Boy Promotions. MMA is just as big as boxing, if not bigger. So why doesn’t ESPN hire a Dan Rafael for MMA?

The reason why the “Worldwide Leader” is relying on the UFC to cover its own events is easy to figure out: it’s about saving money. Right now ESPN wants the male 18-34 demographic that MMA can bring to its telecasts. However, they don’t think the audience is big enough yet to warrant a major investment. I say that’s ridiculous because ESPN doesn’t allow the size of an audience’s demand to dictate what gets coverage; it allows the size of ownership to dictate coverage.

The NHL has ceased to exist because it decided to take more money to sign a TV deal with VERSUS. NASCAR’s popularity has grown but ESPN didn’t decide to significantly expand their coverage until it brought stock car races back to its airwaves. And the coverage and attention that the Arena Football League receives on SportsCenter is a mystery question of life even though ABC and ESPN are part owners in the league because the ratings are a joke. Nobody watches Arena Football but you’d never know it by all of the airtime it gets on ESPN.

MMA is no longer a niche sport. It’s left garage and basement training centers and has arrived in the suburbs in the form of well-lit super training centers. The stigma of being a hardcore MMA fan while living in mainstream society isn’t what it once was. This isn’t a redneck sport; smart, educated people people with good jobs are investing lots of money into this sport as a hobby.

It’s time ESPN acknowledges this demand for more coverage and gives the sport of MMA and its fanbase what it deserves: to be treated as the seventh biggest sport in the United States behind the NFL, Major League Baseball, College Football, NASCAR, the NBA, and College Basketball. How ESPN can justify devoting more coverage to Extreme Sports, Golf, Tennis, Boxing, the NHL, competitive eating, non-stock car racing events (more Gina Carano and less Danica Patrick, please?), and Arena Football than MMA is beyond me.

The question is, does he belong there?

While Franklin was impressive in finishing Matt Hamill with a swift kick to the liver in round three, he hardly looked dominant up to that point. Franklin is a well-rounded fighter who is clearly capable of holding his own in the UFC’s 205 division. But why settle for mediocrity when you can be the second best fighter in the world at the weight class below? At 185 pounds, Franklin is one of the masters of the middleweight domain. But at 205 pounds, I think he’s going to tread water in the UFC’s stacked light heavyweight division.

After his second loss to Anderson Silva, it was clear that something had to change for Franklin. Facing the likes of Travis Lutter at 185 pounds is a low-risk but even lower reward situation. The risk is that after having faced some of the world’s best at middleweight and defeated most of them, Franklin could possibly lose to a lesser opponent if he’s unable to feel properly motivated while training.

But is a move to light heavyweight the answer to the UFC’s Rich Franklin problem?

Timing is everything and the time for him to move to 205 isn’t now but was two years ago when he was the middleweight champion and there didn’t appear to be anyone left for him to beat at 185 until Silva waltzed into the UFC and demolished Chris Leben on Spike TV. Not to mention, the depth at light heavyweight in the UFC at the time was nothing like it is now.

While Franklin can beat the Matt Hamills of the world at 205, how would he do against the likes of Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson, Chuck Liddell, Rashad Evans, Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and current champion Forrest Griffin? We already know he’s lost to Machida so how is he going to survive in the UFC’s stacked light heavyweight division? Franklin said he doesn’t want to be a middleweight gate keeper but if he starts taking somewhat winnable fights against the likes of Keith Jardine, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Jon Jones, Andre Gusmao, and Thiago Silva, doesn’t he essentially become a gate keeper at light heavyweight?

He turned in a solid performance last night and defeated a credible opponent, yet I am just not excited about Franklin competing at 205 pounds. It seemed like a cool idea a couple years back, but not now. No, a third go round with Silva is not an option but I’d still love to see Franklin stay at middleweight and participate in big fights against the likes of Dan Henderson, Nathan Marquardt, and Michael Bisping. There’s also always Thales Leites and Demian Maia if they can get a few more wins.

A big reason for the move to a new weight class is to get away from Silva. But guess who just competed at 205 in July and guess who might return to light heavyweight if he’s able to defeat Patrick Cote at UFC 90 on Oct. 25? The idea of both Franklin and Silva graduating from 185 at the same time makes little sense since their undisputed status as 1-2 at middleweight is the cause for stagnation when it comes to the UFC middleweight title picture. Silva is the one who cleaned up 185, not Franklin. If anyone should make the move, it should be Silva. And if the flirtation between Silva and the UFC’s light heavyweight division continues, the need to vacate the middleweight title might arise. At that point, who better to challenge for the vacated title than Franklin?

Other UFC 88 thoughts:

- I felt it was a good show from top-to-bottom. Aside from Rashad Evans’ incredible knockout, there was nothing really amazing, but there was nothing terrible either and every fight was entertaining. Kudos to the UFC for getting the Tim Boetsch vs. Mike Patt and the Jason MacDonald vs. Jason Lambert fights on the air for a total of seven-of-nine fights making the telecast.

- Some people might question Hamill for going down because of a kick to the body but a kick to the liver is no ordinary kick to the body. I’ve only received one kick to the liver and it was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced. First, I was glad I was sparring on an empty stomach because I lost all control of my bowels. Had I eaten that morning, I would have wasted a perfectly good pair of MMA shorts. My lower body felt paralyzed and a jolt of pain went up through the center of my chest all the way into my brain. Matt Hamill, I feel your pain.

- Matt Brown was robbed against Dong Hyun Kim. There was no gray area: Brown won that fight. Usually when Cecil Peoples goes against the other two judges in a fight he gets it wrong. But Atlanta must be bizarro world because last night he got it right and the other two judges got it wrong. Usually Doug Crosby is on the money so I’d love to know how he saw that fight. But just because he’s right quite often doesn’t mean he got it right last night. What MMA needs is an independent organization that evaluates judges on a regular basis and reports back to the commissions. A judge is going to make mistakes and isn’t going to get every call right. But if there is a repeated pattern of poor judging, there is no mechanism in place for a commissioner to make the call to remove a judge that he is responsible for hiring. Nobody wants to make themselves look bad. If there was an organization that graded officials then commissions could determine which judges were best qualified to preside over major matchups and which judges need to be replaced.

- Martin Kampmann and Rousimar Palhares are two middleweights who belong at welterweight. Kampmann has said in the past he has no intention of dropping to 170 but he’d be a force there. He’s a great technical striker but he doesn’t have the power needed to make it to the top at 185. He had to go to the ground against Drew McFedries after he started eating bombs and it was more of the same vs. Marquardt last night, except that Kampmann couldn’t get it to the ground this time. Drop him a weight class and suddenly he starts knocking guys out and justifying the nickname “The Hitman.” Personally, I think a Kampmann vs. Georges St. Pierre fight could be amazing. As for Palhares, he is only 5’8” and has a lot of upper body bulk that I am not sure is doing him any good. At 185, he’s a middle of the road guy. At 170, he’s title contender material.

- If Palhares stays at middleweight, one fight I’d love to see is Palhares vs. Maia. I think if it went to the ground it would look like a WEC fight, except at 185 lbs. Another fight I want to see is Henderson vs. Marquardt. Joe Silva, if you’re reading this, please make it happen?

- Lambert’s hard luck continues and with a drop in weight failing to produce a win, the UFC may decide to allow him to fight outside the promotion. It was the body triangle by MacDonald that really did Lambert in. Once you lose the ability to move your hips, you have no chance to turn into your opponent’s guard. But Lambert giving up his back was a mistake in the first place. You never want to be mounted but I’d rather be mounted than give up my back. There are so many more ways to defend the mount than your back and the odds of having a fight stood up in mount are much higher than when your opponent has your back. But not giving up your back in MMA is easier said than done. When you eat a few shots while your opponent is mounted it’s human instinct to protect your face and turn over.

- When the ABC passed a bunch of rules in July, one of the new ones recommended be adopted by commissions across the country was banning the use of “smothering,” which is the act of taking your hand and putting it on the mouth of your opponent while in their guard or in mount in order to disrupt their breathing. It’s a great tool to use in a street fight and like Mike Goldberg said, it’s definitely “old school.” But the sport we watch now is referred to as MMA and is no longer known as “No Holds Barred.” I say it’s high time to get rid of such an unsportsmanlike maneuver.

- Thank you Joe Rogan for properly explaining to Goldberg the difference between a teep in Muay Thai and a straight heel kick in Kung Fu/Karate.

- I really enjoyed Henderson’s low stance employed during his fight vs. Palhares. His takedown defense was almost impeccable. It was the kind of performance that other fights are going to study and copy.

- The UFC needs an opponent for Machida at UFC 89 in October and the the perfect off-roster candidate was in the building last night in Ricardo Arona. Arona has the balls to take the fight on short notice but the problem is that he’s going to expect to be paid. The UFC apparently feels his fighting style doesn’t justify his asking price.

- I am at a loss for why Evans decided to incessantly play with his nipples during ring introductions prior to the start of the main event vs. Liddell. My wife mentioned that St. Pierre apparently did the same thing before his last fight, except not as much. I don’t know, maybe Evans was lactating?

- Where does Karo Parisyan go from here? How about some time off and then a trip to the WEC?

Well, in the immortal words of Will Smith: Aw, hell no!

As arrogant as it sounds, I’m sorry folks but I’m not going to be eating anything today after Chuck Liddell’s devastating loss last night at UFC 88 in which he ate a huge overhand right by Evans.

The truth of the matter is, outside of Mauro Ranallo and David Andrest, I don’t know anyone who thought Evans had a shot. And in the case of Ranallo and Andrest, even a blind squirrel catches a nut sometimes. I kid, I kid. But a lot of the people who are going to respond to this thread and say “I told you so” are the some of the same people who felt Evans was going down in the first place.

To classify last night’s upset a shock would be an understatement. This was Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga all over again; as the underdog not only won, but he did so by stealing his opponent’s signature move.

Liddell’s loss last night angered many fans and those frustrations are on display in many message forums right now. Many of these fans likely lost big money on Liddell and were already frustrated they couldn’t take advantage of the Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Karo Parisyan moneyline. Gamblers gripe. But that’s a story for another time.

But the angry mob doesn’t want to give Evans his just due because of the evasive nature he exhibited for much of the first round and first half of the second round. They are claiming Evans didn’t deserve to win. Well, I think that’s a bunch of hogwash. That’s the nature of fighting. Evans earned last night’s victory and deserves credit because he not only put his overhand right on Liddell’s chin, he left him sprawled out on the canvas. And in doing so left no doubt about whether the fight had reached it’s conclusion.

So I fully acknowledge Evans deserved to win last night. However, at the risk of sounding like Georges St. Pierre, aside from that overhand right, I was not impressed with his performance. What we saw last night was a page ripped out of Lyoto Machida’s playbook. It was counter-fighting at its finest without the countering from Evans until Liddell opened himself up like the red sea and granted safe passage to Evans’ right fist.

Sorry, but I’m supposed to acknowledge that Evans is a threat as a striker after one high kick executed on Sean Salmon and one overhand right in which Liddell not only gift-wrapped his chin for Evans, but presented it to him on the proverbial silver platter? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed last night’s show and the main event made for great theater, but Liddell should have won that fight. Liddell gave it away much like he gave the fight away to Evans’ teammate, Keith Jardine, last September.

There are those who are going to claim “Liddell is overrated” or “Liddell is finished and needs to retire” but I am not subscribing to those theories. I have a much different explanation for what happened last night and I’m sure I will take heat for it. As someone who has never fought professionally, I supposedly don’t have the fighting credentials to play “Sunday Morning Quarterback.”

Oh well, I don’t care.

The conclusion I have come to is that Liddell doesn’t need to retire but instead needs a new camp. He needs a new approach that John Hackleman and “The Pit” can’t provide him. A lot of the mistakes we saw from Liddell last night are the same mistakes we saw in losses to Randy Couture, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and Jardine. Why Liddell has not improved as a fighter in recent years is partially his fault and partially the fault of his trainer.

By UFC fighting standards, Liddell does not have the best chin in the world. I wouldn’t go so far as to say he has a glass jaw, but I don’t see how anyone can deny the fact that Liddell has proven to be knockout prone at times. With that said, why does he keep exposing his chin so much? Yes, anytime you throw a power shot you’re going to expose your face, but it just seems like Liddell telegraphs what’s coming and that an attentive fighter that’s willing to watch hours of tape can easily spot Liddell’s tell and time him up. I’d like to call Evans’ shot heard around the world last night a lucky punch, but I am willing to wager he knew what was coming. What happened last night wasn’t pure luck, it was good scouting.

While Evans didn’t mimic Jardine’s gameplan, it looked like Greg Jackson installed some of the same ideas such as attacking Liddell’s lead leg and focusing on foot work in order to control the distance between the two. You would think that Liddell’s camp would anticipate this and make some adjustments? But while Liddell looked to be in great physical condition last night, I just don’t feel like he was tactically prepared for the fight. Why does Liddell continue to expose his lead leg to cut kicks more than any fighter in existence? If someone walked into an MMA camp and exhibited such a wide base in their stance such as the one exhibited by Liddell, they would be corrected right away. But Liddell continues to not only give up his leg, he refuses to check kicks.

Listen, Liddell doesn’t need to hang it up, he just needs a good Muay Thai instructor.

And while we know that Liddell might be able to hit harder backpedaling than any human known to man, he might not be the fighter we think he is when it comes to fighting forward. Evans’ back last night was against the cage two times and instead of advancing and applying pressure, Liddell allowed him to circle out of range. Again, that’s where a good Muay Thai instructor would have done Liddell some good. He could have shot the gap and tried to clinch up with Evans and put his back on the cage and delivered knees and maybe a couple of uppercuts or hooks that might have put Evans on Queer Street (is there such a street?).

The secret on how to fight Liddell is out and while my little essay earlier in the week breaking down the fight has proven to be a total joke, I was right about one thing: the way to beat Liddell isn’t by trying to take him down and burning yourself out, it’s by standing with him and testing his chin. Evans acknowledged this in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan and it was almost as if he read what I had written verbatim. Am I clairvoyant? No. I just pointed something out that’s become obvious to a lot of people. But instead of staying one step ahead, Liddell is one step behind and has not made a single alteration to his awkward punching style in which he throws shots from crazy angles that makes it difficult for him to bring his hands back and protect his chin.

Liddell needs to evolve as a fighter and adjust. I’m likely wasting my breath as it would be be naive to think someone as loyal as him would just up and turn his back on “The Pit” after all these years. And at 38, Liddell is probably set in his ways. The style he is using now at one time earned him a UFC light heavyweight title and made him one of the most feared punchers alive. Success breeds content. Finding a winning formula in life isn’t easy and when you do find the recipe for success, there can be a fear of trying to deviate what got you where you are today. But to use another cliche, you can either change with the times or allow time to pass you by. Randy Couture is 44 and isn’t the same fighter he was four years ago, let alone 10 years ago. He is constantly changing his strategy and implementing new technique instead of being stubborn.

In martial arts, there are no more masters. You don’t reach that mythical place where you reach an apex and mastered all there is to know. Martial arts has evolved more in the last 15 years than it had in the previous 100. Things are changing constantly in martial arts thanks to MMA, as competitive fighters are always looking for an answer to a problem.

Even the best must continue to push themselves and continue to learn in order to stay on top. Liddell needs to make some changes and while I am sure I’ll experience a backlash from some for questioning his training, I’m just calling it like I see it. I’m not suggesting “The Pit” isn’t a great place to train; I’m just suggesting that Liddell might want to broaden his horizons and incorporate some new ideas into his routine before he’s no longer relevant in this sport.

“(UFC CEO) Lorenzo (Fertitta), (UFC V.P. of Talent Relations) Joe (Silva) and I got together and thought yeah, he deserves the title shot,” MMA Junkie quotes White as saying. “How could you say, ‘No, he doesn’t deserve the shot’ after [that]?”

Despite the pronouncement that Evans will receive the next title shot at 205, White stopped short of say when and where the fight between he and Griffin would take place. Speculation had indicated that with a win over Evans, Liddell would receive a title shot vs. Griffin during the UFC’s annual New Year’s Eve weekend show in Las Vegas on Dec. 27. All signs point to Griffin vs. Evans taking place on that date, but nothing has been confirmed.

Both Griffin and Evans are former winners of Spike TV and the UFC’s hit reality television show “The Ultimate Fighter.” A matchup between season one and two winners could make for an intriguing storyline.

UFC awards $60,000 bonuses to Evans, MacDonald, Pellegrino, and Tavares

The UFC also announced during the post-show press conference for UFC 88 that four of its fighters had received $60,000 bonuses. Those fighters include Evans, Jason MacDonald, Kurt Pellegrino, and Thiago Tavares.

Evans was rewarded on top of his guaranteed salary and his win bonus with a third payoff in the form of a “Knockout of the Night” bonus thanks to a one-punch knockout of Liddell at 1:51 of round 2.

MacDonald was compensated for his rear naked choke victory over Jason Lambert at 1:20 of round 2 that garnered “Submission of the Night.” The bout was the second of the night and occurred live during the preliminary card but still was shown during last night’s telecast on a tape-delay basis.

Pellegrino and Tavares were awarded $60,000 each for their respective role in what the UFC determined was “The Fight of the Night.” Pellegrino won the fight via unanimous decision in the final live fight before the pay-per-view went live. Unfortunately, the Pellegrino vs. Tavares fight was only one of two fights last night that did not make it to air. However, the fight is now available free of charge on UFC.com.

UFC 88 attendance figures are strong

According to published reports, UFC 88 at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta drew 14,736 fans for a total gate of $2.6 million.

A proposed main event between two of the most beloved fighters in UFC history during the promotion’s biggest show of the year went up in smoke last night, possibly costing Zuffa tens of millions of dollars in the process. And they have Rashad Evans and his camp, Greg Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., to thank for that last night.

In a wise but boring strategy of refusing to pressure Liddell on his feet or attempt takedowns – which prompted fans at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta to boo on occasion – Evans circled Liddell frequently in order to stay out of range and avoid a knockout that the vast majority of MMA fans felt had been inevitable. In typical Liddell fashion, he did not take Evans’ bait and remained patient instead of wearing out his 38-year old body by chasing down his much younger opposition.

The two exchanged glancing blows briefly at times with each fighter catching the other on the way out as they disengaged. However, for the most part, the fight lacked any real action until Evans and Liddell both opened themselves up at 1:51 of round 2 with each prepared to unload. But it was Evans’ superior hand speed that allowed him to beat the former UFC light heavyweight champion to the punch, plastering Liddell’s chin with an overhand right that turned his head and sent him straight to the canvas.

Evans followed up the right hand by attempting to hit Liddell after he had fallen but referee Herb Dean jumped in and prevented what appeared to be an unconscious Liddell from absorbing any more damage. After the fight had been called to a stop, Liddell looked to have remained unconscious for several seconds afterwards, as he was laying on the mat completely motionless.

The knockout was about as undisputed of a conclusion to a fight as you will find. There was no way for even the most loyal Liddell fan to claim a flash knockout or a premature stoppage.

The result of Evans vs. Liddell coupled with the nature in which the fight came to an end will allow the main event for UFC 88 to join fights such as Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga and Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra to go down as one of the most stunning upsets in the history of the UFC.

In shocking Liddell last night, Evans earned himself a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title. However, whether he’s actually granted that shot is hardly a given. The bottom line is that Griffin vs. Evans on the marquee of the UFC’s biggest event of the year doesn’t have the same ring to it as Griffin vs. Jackson II or Griffin vs. Silva (pick a Silva, any Silva). But even the most ardent Evans critic must acknowledge that the UFC has put many hurdles in front of Evans and he’s cleared them all.

High-profile wins over Liddell, Michael Bisping, Stephan Bonnar, along with a draw over Tito Ortiz have greatly enhanced Evans’ resume, which also includes a 12-0-1 record and the title of the heavyweight winner of season two of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

The concept of having winners from the first two seasons of the UFC’s greatest marketing vehicle face each other for the most prestigious title in MMA carries a lot of intrigue but it still might not have the gusto the promotion is seeking for its biggest show of the year.

With Liddell out of the picture for now, the UFC will have to choose an opponent for Griffin from a list that includes Lyoto Machida, Wanderlei Silva, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Machida had been scheduled to face Thiago Silva at UFC 89 and appeared at least one more win away before being granted a light heavyweight title shot. Silva’s decision to pull out with a back injury is hardly cause to grant Machida a shot that the UFC essentially said he wasn’t already deserving of.

Having only made one single title defense before losing the belt to Griffin, Jackson does not have an obvious case for an immediate rematch.

And while Silva has had a remarkable career and has seen his profile in the U.S. increase greatly following a win over Keith Jardine in May at UFC 84, the fact of the matter is that he has still lost three of his last four fights and has just one win in the UFC since 1999.

Last night’s unplanned outcome could force the UFC to look at two unconventional options for Griffin on NYE weekend; one could involve Anderson Silva returning to 205 pounds if he’s able to beat Patrick Cote at UFC 90 on Oct. 25 and not take too much damage.

Bringing Silva back on such short notice might seem like a long shot, but the lure of a title shot might be too much to ignore and the fact that he would not have to cut a lot of fight makes a quick turnaround feasible. Knowing the UFC, they usually like to have more of a window to promote their main events than the turnaround between UFC 90 and NYE weekend would allow.

Of course, Tito Ortiz remains unsigned and holds a controversial win over Griffin. While he’s coming off a loss to Machida, Griffin vs. Ortiz II has a lot of marketing appeal. The chance to get Griffin a win over Ortiz should have some appeal to UFC President Dana White. And if Ortiz were to win the title, having him as champion would not be the worst thing in the world as it would create a possible rematch with Wanderlei Silva and a first-time matchup against friend and former training partner, Jackson.

However, when you break it all down, the least complicated scenario of them all might just be to match Griffin with Evans on Dec. 27. Whether Evans gets a light heavyweight invitation to the UFC’s annual New Year’s Eve weekend bash remains to be seen, but he certainly forced his way towards the front of the line with last night’s victory.

Is Chuck Liddell done?

Is he done fighting? No, not by any stretch of the imagination. Chuck loves to fight, he’s very exciting, and he will do this until his body tells him that he can’t do it anymore. But one would certainly have to think that he’s done competing for the light heavyweight championship. With as stacked as the 205 lbs. division is in the UFC right now it’s highly unlikely that he’ll be able to work his way back into a situation where he gets a crack at the title. He would have to win at least two, if not three fights in a row, and they would have to be against legitimate contenders. That is, unless the UFC fast tracks him back to a title shot which is entirely likely (see: Brock Lesnar). Chuck’s knockout loss ruined a big money fight with Forrest Griffin in December but I don’t think he’s done fighting by any means. For Liddell now, it’s all about pride.

We were all wrong about Rashad Evans.

Every one of us was mistaken about Rashad Evans. He used a perfect gameplan, frustrating Liddell and making Liddell engage instead of the other way around. And when Evans finally picked his spot, he knocked Liddell out cold. Every “expert” in MMA called this one for Liddell and it couldn’t have gone worse for the former champion. Rashad Evans is very, very legitimate. He is now 17-0-1, extremely athletic, possesses big knockout power, and can wrestle with the best of them. He is a very legitimate threat to Forrest Griffin’s title, whether we want to admit it or not. Sorry for underestimating you, Rashad. By shocking the world tonight you have assured that we won’t do it again.

Rich Franklin’s future is at 205 lbs.

185 lbs. should no longer be a thought in Franklin’s mind. The matchups at 205 lbs. are so much more intriguing for him at this point in his career. That’s where the money matchups are right now for him. At 185 he has nothing to do but be the gatekeeper for who gets to get the piss beat out of them by Anderson Silva next. That’s a role that he obviously doesn’t cherish. He proved tonight that he can hang with and beat a big, strong, 205 lbs. wrestler with a good chin and heavy hands and that should be enough to convince him to stay at that weight class. Obviously he’ll do whatver Zuffa tells him to do but it’s evident that 205 lbs. is where he belongs right now, not because that’s the best weight for him but because that’s where his talents and his marketability is best used right now. Fights with Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson, a rematch with Lyoto Machida, Wanderlei Silva, the list goes on. Those are big money fights and fights that will sell PPVs. Even the fight with Dan Henderson can still take place at 205 lbs. as that is the weight that Henderson prefers to fight at. After tonight it should be clear to everyone that Franklin’s future is at 205.

What’s next for Dan Henderson?

Dan Henderson did what he needed to do to survive against Rousimar Palhares tonight. Palhares was about as tough of an opponent as you could give Henderson in his third fight since returning to the Octagon. Especially considering that his first two fights were against Quinton Jackson and Anderson Silva. Rousimar Palhares was no cupcake for Henderson and he had Henderson in trouble a couple of times throughout the fight. Henderson didn’t look overly impressive tonight and almost got caught a couple of times but he did what was needed to get the win and keep afloat in the UFC. The question now becomes where does he go from here? I don’t see Henderson beating Anderson Silva even if he does want the rematch. A fight with Franklin makes sense but at what weight? Now that Henderson has that win under his belt he’s sort of at a crossroads as to where to go with his career.

Nate Marquardt looked fantastic.

Marquardt absolutely steamrolled Martin Kampmann tonight and didn’t waste any time doing it. Kampmann is known for his striking and Marquardt never even let him get started in that regard, taking it to the Dane from the time the bell rang. Marquardt is a very solid fighter with strong standup and a very good ground game. The problem with him is, just like Franklin, there’s a ceiling at the top of the division and his name is Anderson Silva. There’s only so far for him to go and I don’t think anyone’s interested in seeing a rematch between he and Silva. A rematch with Thales Leites, however, is in order.

Did Matt Brown get screwed?

I don’t know. It was an awfully close fight with both fighters having their moments throughout the fight. Kim definitely took round one and Brown definitely took round two. But round three was where it got really interesting. Kim had the two takedowns but was unable to do much from his position while Brown seemed to be the much more aggressive fighter and got the best of the standup. From a pure position standpoint you can make a case that Kim rightfully won the fight. I don’t think Brown got screwed. He certainly fought very valiantly, proved that he belonged in the cage with Kim, and will most certainly be back for future fights. For what it’s worth, Cecil Peoples was the only judge who had it scored for Brown.

When: Sept. 6, 2008
Where: Phillips Arena; Atlanta, GA

UFC 88 Results:

Main Card

• Rashad Evans def. Chuck Liddell via Knockout Rd 2.
• Rich Franklin def. Matt Hamill via TKO (Kick to the Body) Rd 3.
• Dan Henderson def. Rousimar Palhares via Unanimous Decision
• Nate Marquardt def. Martin Kampmann via TKO (Strikes) Rd 1.
• Dong Hyun Kim def. Matt Brown via Split Decision

Undercard

• Kurt Pellegrino def. Thiago Tavares via Unanimous Decision
• Tim Boetsch def. Mike Patt via TKO (Strikes) Rd 1.
• Jason MacDonald def. Jason Lambert via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Rd 2.
• Ryo Chonan def. Roan Carneiro via Split Decision

Check out more UFC 88 content on Five Ounces of Pain

Palhares made his UFC debut at UFC 84 this past May thanks in large part to his impressive 3-0 record while competing for Brazil’s Fury Fighting Championships. Facing veteran Ivan Salaverry in his Octagon debut, Palhares did not disappoint after he notched a first round armbar submission.

While the fight with Salaverry was not featured during the live portion of the PPV broadcast, the performance was still strong enough to spark some fans to suggest that Palhares could be an eventual challenger for current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Based on the UFC’s decision to match Palhares against former PRIDE middleweight and welterweight champion Dan Henderson in just his second UFC match during tonight’s UFC 88 event, it’s safe to say that the promotion things highly of him as well.

In spite of Palhares’ upside potential, there is relatively little know about him. We decided to touch base with him for an exclusive e-mail interivew that was translated by former UFC middleweight champion Murilo Bustamante.

Gary Ibarra: How old were you when you began training?

Rousimar Palhares: I started when I was 15 in Karate and then later started jiu-jitsu when I was 18.

Gary Ibarra: When did you know that this was something you wanted to pursue as a career?

Rousimar Palhares: When I watched UFC 3, I got crazy with that. It was at that moment that I realized what I wanted to do: to be an MMA fighter. I was 17 or 18 at the time.

Gary Ibarra: Was there a moment when you knew you were able to compete on a professional level?

Rousimar Palhares: When I started I could see I could be a professional. It became my dream after watching the UFC on video.

Gary Ibarra: According to your bio on the UFC’s website you used to work on a farm? How did you end up training Jiu Jitsu?

Rousimar Palhares: Yes, I worked all day on a farm. My family is really poor. Now we are doing a little better but every keeps working really hard there. When I trained in Karate, I arrived at an academy to train but the class was empty. Nobody showed up. Then I jumped inside the jiu-jitsu class, which was inside of the same academy.

Gary Ibarra: The bio on the UFC’s website is really short and it doesn’t shed much light on you as a fighter or how you came to where you are in your career now, was that intentional?

Rousimar Palhares: No, I just answer the question in my own way.

Gary Ibarra: Can you take me through a typical day of training for you before a fight?

Rousimar Palhares: I wake up every day at 7 a.m. At that time I study or I run. After that I have breakfast, then go to the Brazilian Top Team Academy to train at around 10 a.m. By 1 or 2 p.m. I am finished and then go have lunch. I start my second training session of the day around 6 p.m. and I train until 8 p.m. There are times where I train three times a day, but not often. I train jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing, and a little bit of Muay Thai. I end up going to bed around 10 p.m. every night. I do this routine Monday through Saturday and on Sunday, I rest.

Gary Ibarra: Are you doing anything different in your training for this fight since Dan Henderson has said he intends to try and keep the fight standing up?

Rousimar Palhares: No, everything is the same (for this fight).

Gary Ibarra: Henderson seems to think that all you have is submissions, he also said “I see myself knocking him out, I am not going to lose” A lot of statements like these can been disregarded as an attempt to hype an upcoming fight but how do you feel when you hear a statement like that from an opponent?

Rousimar Palhares: I think he can say whatever he wants. The fight will be decided inside of the Octagon.

Gary Ibarra: Dan Henderson has beat fellow Brazilian fighters such as Wanderlei Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Renzo Gracie, as well as the man who’s translating this to you, Murilo Bustamante, is there any measure of revenge your looking to exact?

Rousimar Palhares: No, I am just doing my job. Of course he is between me and my dream; which is a title shot.

Gary Ibarra: Dan Henderson is 37 years old, almost 38, he’s coming off a loss to Anderson Silva that was preceded by a loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, some people would see all these things as the signs of a fighter who’s prime of their career is ending, does that have any effect on your confidence coming into this fight? and do you think he’ll be coming out in this fight trying to prove he’s still a capable fighter?

Rousimar Palhares: No, the fact that he’s coming off losses doesn’t change anything for me. My confidence is the same, which is really good. I think he knows his situation right now and maybe it will make him want to prove that he is the same fighter as he was before.

Gary Ibarra: The UFC recently announced its going to be adding the fighters in the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions of the WEC to their stable of available fighters, there Is there anyone in the UFC or WEC that you would want to fight especially?

Rousimar Palhares: No, I just want to fight whoever is between me and the belt.

Gary Ibarra: What would a win against one of the best, most well known fighters in the UFC’s history do for you and your career?

Rousimar Palhares: It would be a very important step in my career because it takes me closer to a title shot.

Editor’s Note: In addition to being a contributor for FiveOuncesOfPain.com, Garry Ibarra is also the owner of his own MMA clothing line, Graffight Apparel. Graffight has established sponsor-based relationships with several fighters. You can click here to access the list.

In the past I have been very guilty of underestimating the abilities of Matt “The Hammer” Hamill. For far too long I viewed him as nothing more than a one-dimensional wrestler relying heavily on his grappling and athletic ability. But over the course of the last year I have gained a lot more respect for him as a true mixed martial artist.

CBSSports.com has its staff members offer predictions prior to every major UFC event and tonight’s UFC 88 was no different. When it came time to offer a prognostication for the light heavyweight attraction between Hamill and former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, it was not an easy call to make.

After some deliberation, I ultimately chose to go with Franklin as my pick. That being said, it would not shock me entirely to see an upset. For a man going up in weight for the first time in a long time, Franklin has accepted an ambitious challenge against Hamill.

The last time Franklin competed at 205 pounds was against 41-year old Ken Shamrock in the main event of the live season finale of the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Shamrock struggled just to keep his balance in that fight and was a shadow of the man who was once known as “The World’s Dangerous Man.”  Franklin would go on to TKO him at 2:42 of round 1.

Franklin fought in another high profile non-middleweight fight prior to the Shamrock win where he wasn’t anywhere near as successful. He made his UFC debut in 2003 at UFC 42, where he was victorious via first round TKO over Evan Tanner (which was a win that meant something at the time). However, because the UFC wasn’t running monthly shows at the time, it was common for younger fighters to compete outside the promotion in order to accumulate as much fighting experience as possible. Franklin moved up in weight for an Antonio Inoki New Year’s Eve show in Japan later that year and dropped a second round TKO to Lyoto Machida.

While Franklin has no desire to be a gate keeper at middleweight, the reality is that 185 pounds is his best competitive division. Moving back up to 205 pounds might prove to be the challenge he’s looking for, but the light heavyweight division in the UFC is a shark tank. Many of his attributes at 185 such as his punching power and size evaporate once he makes the move up.

Shamrock is really Franklin’s only notable win at 205 and against Hamill, Franklin is fighting a true light heavyweight who is not on the decline, but who is working his way up. Hamill’s cardio is still a question but it has improved since his stint on the third season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” He has also appeared to be in much better condition for his recent fights, showing more definition in his physique. But Hamill’s greatest attributes are his wrestling and his raw strength. The guy is as strong as an ox and that strength has made his hands more of a threat than many had predicted.

While Hamill will never be confused with a K-1 caliber striker, he compensates for a lack of technique with a lot of punching power. He rocked Michael Bisping several times during their controversial fight last September at UFC 75. And at UFC Fight Night 13, it was against Hamill’s fists that did the talking as he ground and pounded his way to a TKO victory over Tim Boetsch in the second round.

It’s Hamill’s ground and pound that Franklin must be the most concerned with. Franklin’s sprawl is good, but if Hamill gets on top of him, his size and strength advantage coupled with his wrestling technique could put Franklin in no-man’s land if he winds up on his back. It won’t be easy for Hamill to get the fight to the floor but he only needs to hit one takedown attempt in order to put Franklin in a dangerous spot.

Franklin was a knockout artist at times at middleweight, but his punching power will not have the same impact moving up a class in weight and Hamill has a strong chin. While Franklin is a good combination puncher, combinations could be what opens him up to a takedown from Hamill.

Despite my new-found respect for Hamill, I still predicted Franklin to win the fight. One major question I have about Hamill that has yet to be addressed is his jiu-jitsu. Franklin is a brown belt under Jorge Gurgel and his submissions are really underrated. In a new weight class and against a fighter with a different style than he’s accustomed to facing, I believe we’re going to see a different Rich Franklin tonight.

While I expect Franklin’s face to be battered and bruised at the conclusion of the fight, I still expect him to walk away victorious thanks in large part to the size-able advantage he’ll have when it comes to his jiu-jitsu.

The decision was necessitated after welterweight bout between Karo Parisyan and Yoshiyuki Yohsida was scratched from tonight’s UFC 88 pay-per-view telecast due to a back injury sustained by Parisyan.

After spending years on the regional scene competing on smaller shows through the Midwest, East Coast, and down South, Brown got his big break at exposure when he was selected to appear on the seventh season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

The respect Brown commanded from the other members of the cast was a strong theme during the course of the season and it helped establish him as a favorite of many regular viewers of TUF. Despite losing to eventual TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah in the quarterfinals, Brown caught the eye of UFC officials and was scheduled to fight in the live season finale of the show this past June against Matt Arroyo.

Returning to his regular weight class of 170 pounds, Brown was able to finish the fellow TUF alum via TKO at 3:40 of round 1 in a non-televised fight.

Kim, who is a native of South Korea, is undefeated in his professional MMA career with a record of 10-0-1. After debuting in the Korean-based Spirit MC promotion in 2004, Kim found himself competing in Japan’s DEEP promotion by 2006. On May 24 of this year at UFC 84 he made his UFC debut by defeating Jason Tan via TKO at 0:25 of round 3.

Main Card:

• Rashad Evans (205) vs. Chuck Liddell (204)
• Matt Hamill (205) vs. Rich Franklin (204.5)
• Dan Henderson (185) vs. Rousimar Palhares (184.5)
• Nate Marquardt (185) vs. Martin Kampmann (184.5)
• Matt Brown (170) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (170)

Preliminary Bouts:

• Thiago Tavares (155) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (156)
• Tim Boetsch (205.25) vs. Michael Patt (205.25)
• Jason Lambert (185) vs. Jason MacDonald (185)
• Ryo Chonan (170) vs. Roan Carneiro (170)

Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans

Caleb Newby: This is pretty easy. As numerous MMA pundits have said, Evans is the perfect stylistic matchup for Liddell. The only way Evans wins is either A) Liddell’s age catches up with him or B) Rashad runs the same gameplan as Jardine did to a tee without Liddell adjusting. Frankly, I don’t see it happening. This has the perfect makings for a setup fight for Liddell to get back into the title picture. Not a bad idea from Zuffa’s perspective. Get their money man into the limelight ASAP with about as safe a fight as they can book. While there are no gimmies at this level, this is about as close as one can hope for. Winner: Liddell – TKO, Rd2.

Adam Morgan: As Sam detailed in his article yesterday, Rashad Evans doesn’t stand a chance in this fight. As good a fighter as he is and as good as his wrestling skills are, he will not come close to putting Liddell in trouble. Liddell has made a living in the UFC off of beating the piss out of grapplers, some better than Evans. Liddell’s sprawl is top notch, he won’t be taken down, and if he does get taken down he will get right back up. He is so hard to get down and keep down. Evans will have a very tough time doing either. That will force him to stand and trade with Chuck and that is a losing battle. Chuck Liddell via TKO, round one.

Gary Herman: Rashad Evans is tailor made for Liddell. He is not a threat on his feet, and his only real strength is his wrestling. But Liddell’s wrestling defense is among the best in the game. The people that gave Liddell trouble: Wanderlei Silva, Keith Jardine, and Rampage Jackson all did so on the feet. The mat fighters like Randy Couture, Babalu Sobral, and Jeremy Horn all were beaten soundly by Liddell. I don’t see how Evans wins. Therefore, Liddell does. Liddell by 2nd round KO.

Rich Franklin vs. Matt Hamill

Caleb Newby: I have to hand it to Matt Hamill. He has impressed far more and exceeded all expectations I had of him. I am a bit Bisping guy, but Hamill was all over him in that fight and should be sporting a slick, undefeated record. That being said, people are too quick these days to get all over Franklin as a mediocre fighter or some such nonsense. Franklin still possesses one of the most well rounded skillsets in all of MMA. Franklin’s striking prowess and lack of weaknesses in wrestling and jiu-jitsu will cause problems for Hamill all night, handing the popular fighter his first legitimate loss of his career. Winner: Rich Franklin – TKO, Rd3.

Adam Morgan: This has to be the toughest test of Hamill’s career so far. Rich Franklin is no pushover at 205 lbs. even though it’s not his normal weight class. Hamill’s only option to come close to winning the fight is to put Franklin on his back and lay on him for a good while. I have a feeling that he’ll get Rich down a couple of times but won’t be able to hold him there or won’t be able to do much from there and will have the fight stood up. When it’s standing it’s all Franklin. I expect Franklin to expose Hamill’s weakness standing with a big overhand right and put Hamill to sleep. Rich Franklin via TKO, round two.

Gary Herman:The Hammil vs. Franklin fight is an intriguing match-up. Hammil is a gutsy fighter who will stand with Franklin even though his stregnth is wrestling. Franklin’s going to look to bang it out as well. That could make this an exciting fight. However, when the going gets tough, Hammil will use his size and wrestling skill to control Franklin. More importantly, I hope Hammil comes out to “Born in the U.S.A. again”. Nevertheless, Hammil by unanimous decision.

Karo Parisyan vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida

Caleb Newby: I *really* want to take Yoshida here, but I don’t think I can, and here’s why. For years, all we heard about from Karo was how he is the best fighter ever, every one of his fights he won or was screwed in therefore didn’t really lose, and that he is SO good that he doesn’t need to train or try… ala BJ Penn. Karo, I trained with BJ Penn. I know BJ Penn. BJ Penn is a friend of mine. Karo, you’re no BJ Penn. If he needs to train and take this sport seriously you certainly do. So with Karo singing a new tune now that he realizes he needs to take this seriously and he is focused, I tend to think we’ll see a better and more dominant version of “The Heat” than we ever have. And while I’d love to see Yoshida spoil this party, I just can’t take him to win in good faith. Side note: I actually never have met or trained with BJ Penn. Winner: Karo Parisyan – Decision.

Adam Morgan: Two world class judokas going at each other inside the cage? This has Fight of the Night written all over it. Parisyan has supposedly rededicated himself to training and preparing for a fight the right way and I truly hope that’s the case. He has a ridiculous amount of talent and if he puts the work in he could be one of the best welterweight fighters in the world. That being said, Yoshida is one of the best Japanese talents the UFC has and will be a serious test for Parisyan in his return. This should be a battle but I expect Karo to be the more aggressive fighter and look for him to eke out a decision. Karo Parisyan via unanimous decision.

Gary Herman: Should be a very technical match-up. Parisyan can be very exciting when his throws hit their mark. Yoshida looked awesome in quickly finishing off War Machine (by the way, I wonder if War Machine will refer to Brock Lesnar as just another “fake wrestler” like he did Rhyno – somehow, I think we know the answer to that). This should be a fun fight but I’ll take Parisyan as he knows it’s a must-win if he has any title aspirations at all. Parisyan by unanimous decision.

Dan Henderson vs. Rousimar Palhares

Caleb Newby: This fight is ten shades of interesting. Can Palhares submit the near unsubmitable Henderson? Will Henderson be able to stop his recent skid and end his losing streak? How will Henderson’s change of his training camp affect his performance? Will Palhares be able to take this fight to the ground? What does his striking look like? This is a very tough one to call. When pressed to the wall, I have to take the veteran Henderson in a tight, close fight. Henderson knows this fight is huge to him as he is yet to record a win in the UFC. A three fight losing streak, even one that includes losses to Rampage and Silva, isn’t going to go over well when it comes to negotiations for a new contract. I’ll take Henderson to use his wrestling to keep it standing and win via his slightly underrated striking. Winner: DECISION DAN – Decision.

Adam Morgan: Rousimar Palhares is being considered the “next big thing” in the middleweight division but I’m not buying it right now. Palhares is talented and one of the best jiu jitsu fighters in all of MMA but he has not faced anyone the caliber of Dan Henderson. Henderson will be hungry, looking for his first win in the UFC, and has the wrestling and the standup prowess to contend with whatever Palhares throws at him. The only reason Henderson was submitted by Anderson Silva was because he was rocked. Palhares won’t be able to touch Dan’s rock hard chin and Henderson should be able to defend his takedowns, keep it standing, and put Palhares to sleep with his granite right hand. Dan Henderson via TKO, round two.

Gary Herman: What a great fight this is. The submission specialist against one of the toughest fighters on the planet. Palhares is going to look to take this fight to the ground early and often. Henderson’s been around long enough to know how to defend against that. When Palhares gets frustrated, Henderson will connect with the right hand. Palhares will eventually have his time in the spotlight, but his lights will be turned out on Saturday. Henderson by 2nd round KO.

Martin Kampmann vs. Nate Marquardt

Caleb Newby: What can I say, I am still of the opinion that Marquardt is a top 5-6 in the world at middleweight. That Leites fight was all sorts of bizarre and I would welcome a rematch as I still believe Marquardt to be the better fighter. Still, that is not here or there as Kampmann is back and on fire. This is one of those fights I am struggling with, but leaning towards Marquardt. A quick check in with Adam Morgan shows he is taking Kampmann, making my pick of Marquadt seem a little bit better. Still, I’m going to wimp out and go without a definitive pick using ye ol’ decision. Winner: Marquardt – Decision.

Adam Morgan: Martin Kampmann is highly underrated going into this bout. Marquardt might be able to give him trouble in the wrestling category but Kampmann’s jiu jitsu is strong enough to defend his submissions. If the fight stays on the feet then it’s Kampmann’s game. Marquardt has recently taken a liking to showing people that his standup is improved. If he does the same against Kampmann, Kampmann will turn his lights out. Martin Kampmann via TKO, round three.

Gary Herman: This is a very even fight. Kampmann’s been largely overlooked in the UFC while Marquardt has established himself as a top 5 middleweight. Kampmann’s got a chance to really make his mark with a win. The way he can do that is by beating Marquardt standing with good technical striking. One factor that cannot be overlooked is that Kampmann’s now training with Randy Couture. No one – absolutely no one – gameplans better than Couture. Kampmann by unanimous decision.

Thiago Tavares vs. Kurt Pellegrino

Caleb Newby: This should be a good one that hopefully we will get to see later on the card. Both Thiago and Kurt have been impressive in their UFC run despite having a few losses along the way. Still, I find Thiago to be more impressive with his jiu-jitsu and pace. Winner: Tavares – Sub, Rd2.

Adam Morgan: Thiago Tavares is a fighter who has been so hot and cold, so inconsistent, that you don’t know which Tavares is going to show up. The Tavares who fought Matt Wiman and Omigawa? Or the Tavares who fought Tyson Griffin? Pellegrino is sort of the same way. He was mauling Nate Diaz for the majority of their fight before getting caught in a triangle. Tavares seems to fold when he faces the better competition and Pellegrino presents a serious challenge in all areas of the game. Pellegrino via unanimous decision.

Gary Herman:Tavares could really use a win after dropping two of his last three (Tyson Griffin & Matt Wiman). Pellegrino is basically a gatekeeper that puts on good fights. I don’t see how Pellegrino wins the fight. Tavares is better in pretty much every area of the game – including size. Size matters. Tavares by 2nd round submission.

Tim Boetsch vs. Michael Patt

Caleb Newby: I admit I am making this pick solely based on what I want to see. That’s because I barely know who Michael Patt is. He’s one of those guys I’ve seen fight, but can’t remember much of anything about. Really, I’ll just be happy if Boetsch manages a chokeslam, powerbomb, or some such ridiculous maneuver again. Winner: Boetsch – TKO, Rd1.

Adam Morgan: Tim Boetsch vs. who? Patt is being brought in to build the Boetsch mystique back up. Boetsch is like Houston Alexander in the fact that he ragdolls David Heath and then everyone is on his bandwagon, picking him to beat Matt Hamill. Well that’s just not right. Boetsch is a manchild and he’ll beat Michael Patt but don’t expect him to contend for the 205 lbs. title any time soon. Boetsch vs. Alexander. Make it happen. Boetsch via vicious ragdolling, round one.

Gary Herman:Has anyone seen Mike Patt fight? Has anyone even seen anyone that Mike Patt ever fought against? … waiting… I’m sure someone has. Well, if there’s one thing we’ve learned from watching the UFC it’s that they don’t bring in no-name stiffs (see Tim Boetsch & Houston Alexander). Regardless, it’s hard to pick a fighter that I’ve never seen him. The fight is basically Boetsch against someone wearing a mask. I’ll take Boetsch. Boetsch by 2nd round tko.

Dong Hyun Kim vs. Matt Brown

Caleb Newby: Here’s the thing, Dong is pretty much a super hero in South Korea (and maybe North Korea too, but how are we supposed to know) and the UFC needs to milk that as much as possible. Step in Matt Brown. For as much as we heard about how Brown was terrifying during The Ultimate Fighter, knowledge of the business end alone should lead one to pick Dong. Then arm yourself with a bit of knowledge about the fighters and there is no way not to pick Dong. Winner: DONG – TKO, Rd1.

Adam Morgan: Dong Hyun Kim is a massive 170 lbs. fighter and I don’t think Matt Brown is ready for the Korean. We all know Brown is aggressive and tough as nails but he’ll go the same route that Jason Tan did which is Kim’s elbows in his face all night. Matt Brown is a mediocre fighter who puts on exciting fights. Kim is a great fighter, a top foreign talent, and is going to be climbing the welterweight ladder to more high profile fights. Dong Hyun Kim via TKO, round two.

Gary Herman:Kim is a good fighter. Brown’s a guy with a little notoriety coming off the Ultimate Fighter show. Kim put on an awesome display in brutalizing Jason Tan at UFC 84. I hope Matt Brown doesn’t watch the footage of that fight, or this fight will never take place. Kim by 1st round KO.

Jason Lambert vs. Jason MacDonald

Caleb Newby: Finally, Lambert decides to shed some poundage and move to 185. Unfortunately, MacDonald is a fantastic competitor trying to smash through to the upper echelon of the 185 pound division. While he is still unsuccessful in that quest, he is a dangerous and game opponent for anyone. Lambert needs this and is better than your casual fan may think, but I can’t go against MacDonald here. It sure isn’t going to be easy, but I think he’s game for this one and hungry to rebound. And hey, who’s to say how the cut will treat Lambert? Winner: MacDonald – Decision.

Adam Morgan: Jason Lambert via unanimous decision.

Gary Herman: Crazy to see Lambert coming all the way down to middleweight – he was a pretty big light heavyweight. MacDonald’s a very talented fighter that hasn’t been able to breakthrough to the upper echelon of fighters. Lambert’s style is very opposite of MacDonald’s – Lambert will be looking to stand and brawl. If the fight goes to the third round, I think Lambert’s massive weight cut will deplete his stanima. MacDonald will make sure it does. MacDonald by third round submission.

Roan Carneiro vs. Ryo Chonan

Caleb Newby: I pretty much can’t pick against Ryo Chonan here, the man known pretty much to most fans as Mr. Flying Heel Hook. It’s hard to feel overly convicted one way or another as this is a tough call, so I feel the need to take the guy I want to see win and make it to TV. Sorry, but that’s all I got for this one. Viva la Piranha! Winner: Chonan – Decision.

Adam Morgan: Roan Carneiro surprised all of us in his submission loss to Kevin Burns and he’ll certainly be looking to get back on track after being embarrassed by the blue belt. Ryo Chonan hasn’t fought since his decision loss to Karo Parisyan but he looked very sharp in that fight against a tough opponent in Parisyan. I don’t think we’ve seen the best Ryo Chonan yet in the UFC and I think we’ll see the real Chonan come out in this fight. Ryo Chona via unanimous decision.

Gary Herman:I haven’t seen too much from Chonan over the past few fights that has impressed me much, but the same can be said about Carneiro. I think Carneiro’s on the way up and Chonan’s heading down. Carneiro by unanimous decision.

With only slightly more than 24 hours before the card is scheduled to take place in Atlanta at the Phillips Arena, the UFC has scrapped the bout entirely and will not find a replacement for Yoshida. UFC 88 will now go on as a nine bout card as opposed to the previous ten scheduled bouts.

It is believed that the Parisyan vs. Yoshida fight had been one of the five fights scheduled to appear on this weekend’s pay-per-view portion of the card. The UFC did not immediately announce which bout from its preliminary card it intended to promote to the main card but the most logical candidates would be a welterweight bout between Matt Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim or a lightweight bout between Kurt Pellegrino and Thiago Tavares.

Parisyan’s late removal from the card will no doubt fuel much speculation on Internet forums. He has been accused in the past of not training properly for his fights and he has admitted in recent interviews that he recently sought treatment for panic attacks.

Based on Parisyan’s recent revelation and his reputation for coming into fights with less than ideal preparation, several pundits had been picking Yoshida to upset him.

Yoshida made his UFC debut at UFC 84 in May, where he won via technical submission against Jon “War Machinda” Koppenhaver just 56 seconds into their fight after applying an anaconda choke. The victory extended his win streak to nine.

Looking at the current roster of UFC middleweights – is there really a top contender out there? Of course, one of the main reasons there isn’t a top contender is that Anderson Silva has convincingly beaten most of them.

Patrick Cote gets the next shot, but does anyone give him much of a chance? After that, there’s Yushin Okami or possibly Paulo Filho and that’s only if Filho would ever agree to fight his training partner and friend.

Therefore, Kampmann finds himself in a pretty good spot. With a big victory against Marquardt and possibly one more (maybe against Filho if the WEC and UFC middleweight divisions come together), Kampmann could get a match with the UFC’s top fighter in Silva. Of course, those are two very difficult fights for Kampmann to win.

Nevertheless, Kampmann hopes to get in the cage with the middleweight champion.

“I’d love to fight Anderson Silva. He’s very good, but everyone can be defeated,” said Kampmann.

Kampmann has little doubt that a match-up with Silva would be a very difficult one.

“I think I’d win, but I know it’s a very tough fight.”

He’s also going to lose in brutal fashion this weekend at UFC 88 against Chuck Liddell via first round TKO.

Evans fans will be up in arms when they read this but I’m not suggesting he’s not a good fighter. I’m simply making the case that he doesn’t have what it takes to defeat the former UFC light heavyweight champion.

Style-wise, Evans is tailor made for Liddell. During Liddell’s seven fight win streak that lasted from 2004-2006, he was matched up primarily against ground-based fighters that couldn’t pressure him in the standup. Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Renato “Babalu” Sobral, and Jeremy Horn are all capable on their feet but they are all clearly better when it comes to the ground. Liddell not only handled them, but he handled them with relative ease.

Evans might be a good wrestler, but he’s not a great one. It’s also important to note that Liddell wrestled in college as well and while I am sure he hasn’t kept up with his mat skills, his wrestling-base was a big reason why he was able to perfect a sprawl that has made him nearly impervious to takedowns.

During Liddell’s big run, many experts felt the way to beat him was to get him off his feet and to put him on his back; that the way to end his reign of dominance was to expose his jiu-jitsu. Many fighters tried to take him down and many failed. Even if you look beyond Liddell’s two-year win streak and look at his entire career, he has only been submitted just once and that was way back at UFC 19 in 1999 vs. Horn.

Couture, Quinton Jackson, and Keith Jardine have shown us that the way to beat Liddell isn’t by trying to take him off his feet, it’s by pressuring him in the pocket and literally beating him to the punch. Personally, I am not sold on Evans’ striking. One well-timed, well-placed highlight reel high kick against Sean Salmon does not make you a lethal striker. Evans’ standup has improved, but not to the extent that he’s ready to trade shot-for-shot with Liddell.

And I’ve heard all the stories: Evans has worked harder than ever for this fight and is going to look leaner than we’ve ever seen him. Having a more impressive physique isn’t going to compensate for the reach disadvantage he’ll have when it comes to the standup. And Liddell showed us vs. Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79 last December what happens when you have shorter arms than him and try to slug it out.

What’s going to happen is that if Evans attempts to take Liddell down, he will find that his wrestling is not high-caliber enough to solve “The Iceman’s” sprawl. Liddell will keep it standing and at some point Evans will have no choice but to engage in the striking aspect of the fight. At that point, he will come up on the short end of the stick and find himself helplessly staring up at the lights towards the end of the first round courtesy of a Liddell overhand right.

It’s going to be Chuck Liddell circa 2006.