How likely is it that Fabricio Werdum will beat Fedor Emelianenko? What event from the past ten days did you enjoy most from top to bottom? Will Cris “Cyborg” Santos beat Jan Finney faster than her husband beat Marius Zaromskis a week-and-a-half ago? What’s next for newly crowned Ultimate Fighter Season 11 champion Court McGee?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

If you’re reading these lines you’ve made it through another work-week and are back in the friendly digital confines of “Grappling with Issues”, our site’s resident Friday feature highlighting insight and opinion from Adam Tool and myself on six subjects plucked from the Mixed Martial Arts landscape. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column…

Best overall event – “Strikeforce – Los Angeles”, “Sengoku 13″, “TUF 11 Finale”, or “WEC 49″?

Adam Tool: I should probably start by saying that since I have neither a)HDNet or b) insomnia, I have yet to see Sengoku 13. I’ve been trying to track down a copy online but thus far I have been unsuccessful, so I’ll have to make my pick from the other three events which I did see.

Of those three my pick would be WEC 49. In terms of fight quality there was plenty of good stuff to be had on all three cards. While thinking back on those events I can’t point out a single fight which I considered boring, but it was the action in the WEC cage that kept me closest to the edge of my seat. The only knock I can make against WEC 49 would be the unsatisfying result rendered in the evening’s main event, but that only came about as the result of the incompetent judging of Cameron Quwek, the lone judge who scored every single round for Kamal Shalorus. Some blame could also be leveled against referee Josh Rosenthal, as I still can’t understand why he didn’t take another point away from Shalorus for the third low blow delivered in the final frame. Other than that though, WEC 49 was a barrage of non-stop action and tremendous performances from everyone involved.

I would also have to give the edge to WEC 49 in terms of the show’s pacing. During the two and a half hour event we saw seven fights, with what seemed like a minimal amount of commercial interruption. The Ultimate Fighter Finale featured five fights over the course of two hours, with some interminable commercial breaks, endless shilling of upcoming Spike programming, and an extremely dull interview with Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. Strikeforce: Los Angeles was well-done from a production stand-point, but I still don’t understand why the show’s producers chose to air backstage interviews in between rounds of some of the fights. On top of that we saw once again that Strikeforce has no interest in promoting new stars of the sport, as the event ended a half-hour early without a single preliminary fight shown.

Brendhan Conlan: Though each broadcast featured moments of brilliance I tend to side with Tool as far as WEC 49 being the strongest overall show in the bunch. Sengoku’s action was top notch but primarily involved talent 1% of the English-speaking audience could have picked out of a line-up prior to it airing, Strikeforce had some highlight-worthy moments but also had issues related to the card’s E3-specific production and promotion’s continuing trend of going off the air early without promoting undercard competitors, and save for Court McGee’s story and a fun scrap between Keith Jardine and Matt Hamill the Ultimate Fighter Finale was one of the least memorable in recent history. The scoring in Varner vs. Shalorus certainly detracted from the fight’s result but not from the entertaining battle that occurred during the fifteen minutes prior. Other than that, viewers were treated to the continued ascension of Josh Grispi as a top featherweight, late-replacement Danny Downes showing a ton of heart en route to a third-round submission loss at the limbs of Chris Horodecki, an edge-of-your-couch affair between Will Campuzano and Eddie Wineland, and a whole lot more.

True/False – Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will beat Jan Finney tomorrow night faster than her husband beat Marius Zaromskis ten days prior?

Tool: I’ll go with “false,” although I have little reason to justify it. A quick peak at Finney’s record online reveals two things two things: 1) her nickname is “Cuddles” (seriously?) and 2) she’s only had one TKO loss on her record which came in the second round. Despite her unimpressive record and the overwhelming odds against her, I think it’s safe to assume that Finney is not the easiest opponent to put away. Cyborg is clearly the toughest opponent “Cuddles” has faced in her career and it would certainly be no surprise if the Strikeforce Women’s Middleweight Champion finishes this fight in under two minute, but unless Finney makes a crucial error (flying knee anyone?) I believe she’ll last a bit longer than Zaromskis did.

Conlan: Zaromskis lives and dies on his feet, as evident by four of his five career losses coming by way of TKO, so it was inevitable he or “Cyborg” (XY Chromosome version) was going to sleep sooner than later in their bout. That’s not the case with Finney – ahem, “Cuddles” – so I think I’ll also have to go with “false” on this. Granted, Santos is unlike any other striker let alone overall fighter in women’s MMA. However, Finney has been in the ring against a few females with above-average hands (Erin Toughill for example) and remained conscious throughout save for a single loss to Julie Kedzie. Her grappling is good enough to lock onto “Cyborg” if need be and her stand-up is decent, so as long as she avoids going toe-to-toe with the champ she should be able to make it past the 2:38 mark.

Should Cung Le retire from MMA and focus on acting if he loses to Scott Smith a second time?

Tool: To be honest, I’m not really sure. Thus far Le’s acting career has yet to really take off. He’s played smaller roles in some big-screen releases, although his work in the film Tekken has yet to be seen here in America. He would probably have better luck in Asian cinema as a straight-forward martial arts action star, as there’s little call for someone with his particular talents in the current Hollywood system.

While Le took a large chunk of time off from MMA to focus on acting, the loss to Smith seems to have re-lit the competitive fire within him. He certainly believes that he’s a better fighter than Smith (and up until the final seconds of their first fight, he was) and with the (presumably) impending departure of Jake Shields the door could be wide open for Le to try and regain the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. After all, he never lost the belt. Of course he never had a chance to lose it since he didn’t defend it, but that’s beside the point.

Le could very well lose to Smith a second time. It’s unlikely, but certainly possible. He’s pushing 40 years old so he doesn’t have all the time in the world to get better in the sport, and as such retirement from competition probably isn’t too far off anyways. His exciting fighting style and built in fanbase in the San Jose area will allow him the opportunity to continue on as long as he wants, but if he’s trying to be the best in the world then his chances to do so will live or die on Saturday night.

Conlan: I’m a firm believer fighters should hang up their gloves when they are ready to do so unless there are health-related reasons at play. Yes, Le is 38 and power/speed are typically the first thing to deteriorate with increased age. Yes, he’s only been in the ring three times since June 2007. Yes, he’s a one-trick pony as far as being 100% stand-up based. However, losing his rematch with Smith would only drop him to 6-2, and it’s not as if “Hands of Steel” is some out-of-shape, over-the-hill can they plucked from the street. He’s got 3X as many fights as Le and beaten some notable opponents in his career. He has the striking to put any adversary to sleep and a solid jaw of his own to boot as indiciated by Smith’s only career TKO losses coming to Robbie Lawler in 2008 and James Irvin in 2004. If he walks away victor again this Saturday night it should in no way be considered a slight on Le’s talent but rather a credit to his fellow soft-spoken Californian’s. As Tool said, Le is a huge regional draw and possesses an incredibly entertaining style, so as long as he is still interested in stepping into the ring and competing he should be allowed to do so.

Using a percentage, how much of a chance do you give Fabricio Werdum of beating Fedor Emelianenko?

Conlan: 1%. Don’t get me wrong – Werdum is a world-class competitor on the mat and has some solid Chute Boxe-based striking to compliment the skill. He’s beaten a number of ranked opponents and only been finished once in eighteen fights. However, we’re talking about frakking Fedor here. He’s weathered punches that would have dropped most for the count and worked his way out of any tough position he’s ever been put in. He’s gone to decision less than 1/4 of the time he’s fought, is on a ridiculously long win-streak, and…well…I probably could have stopped at “frakking Fedor”, because the reality is if you’re reading this paragraph you already know the Russian phenom’s resume. There will always be a chance Werdum could perfectly time a punch and pull a “Matt Serra”, so he at least deserves “1%”, but beyond that I don’t see there being any way he comes away from the event as the first fighter to legitimately beat Emelianenko.

Tool: I’ll be a bit kinder to Mr. Werdum and go with 10%. Obviously I’m still backing Fedor to win, but Werdum does have at least one avenue to victory. His striking isn’t quite good enough to give Fedor trouble, but there can be little argument that he’s one of the best pure grapplers in the heavyweight division. Fedor has never really been close to being submitted, but then again it’s been a long time since he’s faced anyone that’s on Werdum’s level in BJJ. I still can’t see Fedor tapping out, but if there’s any opponent in the world that can do it I think it’s Werdum.

Do you think that Jamie Varner and Kamal Shalorus should have an immediate rematch?

Conlan: Though I’m typically in favor of immediate rematches when a particularly poor decision is rendered, this situation is different because Varner is going to miss a good deal of time with his broken hand/foot. Shalorus, however, was relatively uninjured after their original bout and isn’t scheduled to sit on the sidelines beyond his regular recuperation/training period. Based on that, it’s likely he’ll be ready for action before Varner is so it doesn’t make sense for him to twiddle his thumbs while waiting for the former lightweight champion to recover. As such, I could see a date with Donald Cerrone at a future event.

However, if WEC is determined to pair him with Varner again, I have a suggestion on how “The Prince of Persia” can kill his new-found time. There’s a new James Bond movie on the horizon that’s certain to need evil henchman and if ever an individual was born with the physical attributes to play a role…

Tool: Let’s also not forget that the recent Prince of Persia film was a resounding success, so perhaps Shalorus could have a role to play in a potential sequel? Shalorus vs. Gyllenhaal: book it!

As for the topic at hand, I believe that a rematch should be made as soon as both fighters are healed up and ready to go. I can point to no less than three reasons why this should happen. First, this bout was intended to determine the next #1 contender for Ben Henderson’s WEC Lightweight Championship. That honor will likely now go to the winner of the upcoming Shane Roller/Anthony Pettis bout, but right now there’s a serious lack of competition for the company’s “Smooth” young champion.

The second reason I would like to see a rematch is due to the decision rendered in the first fight. Clearly a draw does nothing to further either man’s career, but on top of that it’s a decision that has not sat well with a majority of the fanbase. Just about anyone that watched that fight could tell that Varner won, but obviously that’s not the case. Look at it this way; if it hadn’t been for the point deduction in the second round Shalorus would have won a split decision, and the controversy would have been even greater.

Finally I say match these two up again because their first meeting was simply a great fight. Groin shots aside, these two kept things competitive for the majority of the fifteen minutes. Shalorus’ strategy of staying in the pocket and slugging it out with Varner may not have been the best gameplan but it certainly kept things entertaining. I say let’s have rounds four, five, and six.

Who would you like to see Court McGee matched up with for his first post-”TUF” fight?

Conlan: I have a feeling McGee may actually drop to welterweight for his next in-Octagon appearance since he’s only 5′11 and size is crucial in a promotion as deep in talent as the UFC. It also makes sense considering a number of past seasonal champions have done the same thing. The Ultimate Fighter is a great opportunity and often fighters are willing to risk competing against bigger guys to earn a contract, plus it makes maintaining/making weight easier.

As far as when Court will be in session again (you’re welcome Mauro Renallo), there are ton of opponents at 170 pounds for “The Crusher” to, well, crush. He clearly can’t be matched against one of the division’s top fighters but he also deserves better than a “gimme” dubya. Amir Sadollah seems possible based on his status as a former TUF winner himself and the fact that, at 3-2, the master of “Baboo Baby” technique could use a semi-winnable fight. Season 9 champ James Wilks is also in a similar position but ended up on the right side of a decision at UFC 115 instead of the wrong one, as Amir did at UFC 114.

Tool: I’m not so sure that McGee will drop down in weight, since he’s not yet announced any plans to do so. I’m going to try and pick someone at middleweight, and furthermore I’ll try to follow the UFC’s traditional model of giving their “TUF” champs a somewhat “lesser” opponent in their first post-show fight.

With that in mind my pick goes to Joe Doerksen. Doerksen is the very definition of a journeyman fighter, with enough name value to provide McGee a nice little boost with a win. At the same time if McGee comes up short in this fight it’s a bit more understandable given the fact that he’s facing an opponent with such a depth of experience. Stylistically the two match up well, as neither man is technically proficient in striking even though they are willing to stand and trade. McGee would have the wrestling advantage, but Doerksen could present a problem with his jiu-jitsu skills.

If tonight was the last time we see UFC legend Chuck Liddell wage war in the Octagon, the former UFC light heavyweight champion has absolutely nothing to hang his head about.

“The Iceman” may have come up on the short end of the stick in this evening’s clash with UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, but Liddell showed flashes of brilliance in his bout with the revitalized Franklin and never appeared out of the fight until the final 2 or 3 seconds of the contest. Although Liddell managed to score a surprising takedown midway through the opening round, the story of the fight was the popular duo trading punches and kicks for the bulk of the 205 lb. scrap. With just seconds remaining in he first round it appeared as though Liddell had Franklin on the run, scoring with a barrage of punches and elbows on the feet, before Franklin landed a devastating straight right hand that dropped the beloved 12-year UFC veteran to the canvas in a heap.

Liddell and Franklin went to war tonight in the the main event of UFC 115 this evening in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

After the fight Franklin revealed that he had suffered a paralyzing injury in the early moments of round one.

“Early in the fight when Chuck threw that right kick to my body, I could feel it click and I knew my left arm was broken,” revealed Franklin following the war between legends.

When asked what was next on his agenda Franklin  was quick to stake his claim in the 205 pound division, leaving no doubt as to what weight class he hopes to compete at in the future.

“I’m here at 205 now and if my next fight is at 205, that’s where I’ll be,” said Franklin. ”I want to make a run for the title.”

Although we may have seen the final chapter play out in the career of one mixed martial arts legend, fans were also treated to the beginning of a new chapter for another.

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic showed the heart of a champion this evening after being badly battered on separate occasions in the first round of his heavyweight clash with fellow heavyweight knockout artist Pat Barry, coming back to stop the fellow K-1 veteran with a succession of punches on the feet which progressed into some good old fashioned ground and pound before a rear-naked choke signaled the violent end of the electrifying battle between the two late in the third and final round.

Carlos Condit has a long history of rallying back from the brink of defeat and this evening was no exception. “The Natural Born Killer” dug deep in his welterweight clash with the previously undefeated hometown favorite Rory Macdonald, turning the tide in the third round after clearly losing the first two rounds to stop the hard-hitting Canadian prospect with just 7 seconds remaining in the bout.

Macdonald mixed his takedowns with his striking game beautifully for the first two rounds between the two before Condit came out with a sense of purpose in the third and finished the 20-year-old “Waterboy” with a vicious volley of unanswered ground and pound.

“It was a just stoppage,” said Macdonald following the back-and-forth battle. ”He kicked my ass.

“He was hurting me from the start. He hurt me with the first punch he landed and it was all downhill from there.”

Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann put up arguably the most impressive performance of his career against the extremely dangerous Paulo Thiagoin a hard fought three round unanimous decision victory. Kampmann surprised many by dominating the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt at his own game on the ground as well as on the feet for nearly every moment of the 15 minutes contested between the two.

The victory was the second in a row for Kampmann, who improved his UFC record to an extremely impressive 8-2 and his career record to 17-3 with the one-sided beating of Thiago.

A full set of results from UFC 115 are listed below:

Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox via technical submission (triangle choke) - Round 3, 4:44

Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch via submission (guillotine choke)- Round 2, 1:48

James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau via TKO – Round 2, 4:07

Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:45

Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Carlos Condit def. Rory Macdonald via TKO – Round 3, 4:53

Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic def. Pat Barry via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 3, 4:30

Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell via knockout – Round 1, 4:55

In one of the most tragic miscarriages of justice in recent MMA officiating memory, longtime referee Yves Lavigne took the fate out of Matt Wiman and Mac Danzig’s hands this evening during the UFC 115 preliminary card in one of the worst stoppages of the year.

No stranger to controversy with extremely questionable calls in previous UFC bouts such as Kyle Bradley vs. Phillipe Nover and Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell, Lavigne made the decision to stop this evening’s lightweight contest between Wiman and Danzig after coming to the conclusion that Danzig had been rendered unconscious from a mounted guillotine choke early in the opening round.

Danzig had not.

Even before Lavigne had a chance to separate Wiman’s forearm from the former TUF champion’s throat, Danzig threw both hands into the air protesting the stoppage. Upon rising to his feet it was apparent that Danzig was in no danger of being finished as the replay clearly dislayed that Danzig had plenty of room for oxygen to trravel to his brain through a large opening in the submission attempt.

Although Danzig appeared anxious to continue on with the fight following the stoppage, the damage was done and Wiman declared the winner via first round submission. Unfortunately, there was no submission.

Former close training partners at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Evan Dunham and Tyson Griffin went at it for a full three rounds this evening in a  closely contested, technical affair. Surprisingly, Dunham showed that he had a clear advantage in the takedown department over the stocky and experienced Griffin. Dunham took Griffin’s back on multiple occasions during the scrap and controlled the action for the bulk of the contest on his way to a split decision victory.

Also putting up impressive performances this evening during the UFC 115 prelims were Mario Miranda, who rebounded from the first defeat of his career to stop David Loiseau via TKO in the second round; and UFC newcomer Claude Patrick who finished the normally durable Ricardo Funch with a slick first round guillotine choke.

A full list of the results from the undercard action is listed below:

Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox via technical submission (triangle choke) – Round 3, 4:44

Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch via submission (guillotine choke)- Round 2, 1:48

James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau via TKO – Round 2, 4:07

Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:45

Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Tonight’s latest action from inside the octagon, “UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin” will take place at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The first preliminary bout will kick off at approximately 7:30 PM EST (4:30 PM PST), fans get to watch two prelim fights live on Spike TV at 9 PM EST (6 PM PST), with the live pay-per-view card beginning at 10 PM EST (7 PM PST).

The main event has former UFC champions Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin squaring off, while former PRIDE champ Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic takes on heavyweight Pat Barry in the co-main event.

Fans watching Spike TV will see two lightweight bouts featuring Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman and Evan Dunham vs. Tyson Griffin.

The MMA News will provide live result updates for tonight’s event and as always we’ll be keeping the “Live Quick Results” off the main page. To view the full Quick Results click

Main Card (Pay-per-view)

Light heavyweight: Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell via KO (punch) – R1 4:55
Heavyweight: Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic def. Patrick Barry via submission (rear naked choke) – R3, 4:30
Welterweight: Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Heavyweight: Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-28, 29-28)
Welterweight: Carlos Condit def. Rory MacDonald via TKO (strikes) – R3, 4:53

Preliminary Card (Spike TV)

Lightweight: Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Lightweight: Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via submission (guillotine choke) – R1, 1:45

Preliminary Card

Middleweight: Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau via TKO (Strikes) – R2, 4:07
Welterweight: James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-28, 30-27)
Welterweight: Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch via submission (guillotine choke) – R2, 1:48
Welterweight: Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox via technical submission (triangle chole) – R3, 4:44

Once again it’s on and FiveOuncesofPain.com will be here all evening to make sure you keep up to date with all of the live results and happenings from tonight’s “UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin” event.

UFC 115 will take place from the GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

FiveOuncesofPain.com’s coverage will kick off right around 7:30 pm ET (4:30 pm PT) when the first pair of fighters touch gloves. The prelims on Spike TV are scheduled for 9:00 pm ET (6:00 pm PT), and the main card is slated to begin on pay-per-view at 10:00 pm ET (7:00 pm PT).

Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell will be squaring off with Rich “Ace” Franklin in a battle of fan favorites and former champions in the main event of the evening, while fellow heavyweight knockout specialists Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Pat Barry will go at it in the co-headliner.

Enjoy The fights! Results are below…

Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox via technical submission (triangle choke) - Round 3, 4:44

Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch via submission (guillotine choke)- Round 2, 1:48

James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau via TKO – Round 2, 4:07

Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:45

Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Carlos Condit def. Rory Macdonald via TKO – Round 3, 4:53

Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic def. Pat Barry via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 3, 4:30

Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell via knockout – Round 1, 4:55

Like true professionals, every fighter taking part in this evening’s UFC 115 event succesfully made their contracted weight limits.

The weigh-ins took place from the GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – the same venue this evening’s event will take place.

Set to headline the card is a bout between former UFC champions Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin that promises to deliver, along with a co-headliner between to of the most dangerous heavyweight strikers in the history of the sport, former K-1 veterans Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Pat Barry.

A full set of the weigh-in results from the event are below:

Rich Franklin (205) vs. Chuck Liddell (205)

Patrick Barry (248) vs. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (235)

Ben Rothwell (264) vs. Gilbert Yvel (242)

Carlos Condit (170) vs. Rory MacDonald (170)

Martin Kampmann (170) vs. Paulo Thiago (170)

Evan Dunham (155) vs. Tyson Griffin (154)

Mac Danzig (156) vs. Matt Wiman (156)

David Loiseau (185) vs. Mario Miranda (186)

Peter Sobotta (171) vs. James Wilks (170)

Ricardo Funch (170) vs. Claude Patrick (170)

Jesse Lennox (170) vs. Mike Pyle (170)

UFC 115 Liddel vs. Franklin has a main card packed with what appear to be five guaranteed crowd pleasing bouts as all 10 combatants on the PPV card have a history of finishing their fights in dramatic fashion.

We start with the Quick Hit Predictions for the undercard and then on to the five main televised bouts.

Non-Televised Matches

Mario Miranda over David Loiseau
Ricardo Funch over Claude Patrick
Mike Pyle over Jesse Lennox
James Wilks over Peter Sobotta

Spike TV Matches

Matt Wiman over Mac Danzig
Tyson Griffin over Evan Dunham

Welterweight Bout: Carlos Condit (24-5) vs. Rory MacDonald (10-0).

Condit enters his third UFC bout after being on both ends of a split decision in his previous two fights. MacDonald is entering the Octagon for the second time after picking up a submission win in his UFC debut.

Before entering the UFC, Condit had won five straight fights in the WEC and was that promotion’s 170-pound champion before the division folded and was absorbed into the UFC.

MacDonald is hungry and looking to take the next step in his career.

I’m sensing a trend in Condit’s UFC fights though.

Prediction: Condit over MacDonald by decision.

Heavyweight Match: Ben Rothwell (30-7) vs. Gilbert Yvel (36-14-1, 1 NC)

Do not expect anything other than a brawl in this one. Both these guys want to stand and fire away until one of them falls.

Yvel is more famous for hitting guys in the groin from his days in Japan. Rothwell was one of the top heavyweight fighters not in the UFC for a couple of years.

Prediction: Rothwell over Yvel by knockout.

Welterweight bout: Paulo Thiago (13-1-0) vs. Martin Kampmann (16-3-0)

What we have here is the next couple of guys trying to solidify their place in line after the upcoming Welterweight title fight between Georges St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck.

Thiago comes in having won two in a row and three of his four UFC fights. Kampmann has won three out of his last five outings.

Thiago owns a KO win over Koscheck. Kampmann is 3-1 since dropping to 170 from middleweight.

Prediction: Kampmann over Thiago by technical knockout.

Heavyweight Bout: Mirko Cro Cop (26-7-2, 1 NC) vs. Pat Barry (5-1-0)

Two well-traveled kickboxers will meet and don’t make any bets on this one going to the floor for a submission finish.

Cro Cop has more head-kick knockouts on his resume than any 10 fighters anyone can name put together. Barry has ended fights with some of the most vicious leg kicks ever seen.

Cro Cop’s resume is a who’s who of MMA. Barry is taking a definite step up in competition by facing a sure-fire future Hall of Famer.

Cro Cop heads in to this fight with a 2-1 record since returning to the UFC in June 2009. Cro Cop is 3-3 overall in the UFC.

Barry is also 2-1 in his only three fights in the promotion.

Official prediction: Cro Cop over Barry by TKO.

Light-Heavyweight bout: Chuck Liddell (21-7-0) vs. Rich Franklin (27-5-0, 1 NC)

It’s been 14 months since Chuck “THE ICEMAN” Liddell was knocked out by Mauricio Rua in Montreal. It’s been six months since Rich “ACE” Franklin was stopped by Vitor Belfort in Dallas.

Both are certified legends in the sport. Liddell was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame last July. Franklin is pretty much waiting on the call to the hall.

Liddell is a headhunter. Franklin is a technical/strategic fighter who has a few KOs on his highlight reel.

Liddell circles around the perimeter of the cage like a shark and draws fighters into range of his lethal punches. Franklin will break you down with kicks and strikes before he puts you on your back to pound you out.

I think ring rust is real. So who has more?

Official Prediction: Franklin over Liddell by decision.

Until Next Time

I’m Q
CYA

“Words are important, I thank you for hearing my words.” George Carlin RIP.

Rarely are fans privileged enough to see a pair of UFC icons and former promotional champions step into the Octagon and duke it out. June 12th will mark such an occasion, as Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin are squared away to tap gloves and make history at the GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Also set to face off are affable heavyweight Pat Barry and PRIDE legend Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in a bout that is certain to leave viewers’ knees and shinbones aching from the multitude of kicks destined to be thrown. Additionally, the card features Paulo Thiago attempting to lockdown a top contendership spot in the welterweight division against Martin Kampmann and a number of other match-ups with a great deal of entertainment potential like Tyson Griffin vs. Evan Dunham, Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald, and Ben Rothwell vs. Gilbert Yvel.

Before I get into the actual “pick em” part of this article let me preclude the breakdown of bouts by saying one of the things about Mixed Martial Arts I’ve always loved is its unpredictable nature. I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction with a little insight/opinion included in the deal, but readers would be wise to avoid laying down money on my attempts to glimpse into the future. Beyond that, please don’t hesitate to share your own thoughts on any or all of the scheduled fights in the “Comments” section below, and let’s get this show on the road…

PRELIMINARY CARD

Mike Pyle vs. Jesse Lennox

This fight has a “loser leaves town” feel to it, especially in the case of Pyle, so I expect both men to leave it all in the cage on Saturday night and open up the show properly in the process. Pyle is a better grappler with Lennox being the superior striker so the winner should ultimately come down to which of the two will be able to dictate where the fight takes place. I favor Pyle in that equation based on his experience and training partners at Xtreme Couture. He should be well-prepared for anything Lennox brings and have little problem taking him down, if for no other reason to grind out a decision.

Winner – Mike Pyle via Decision

Claude Patrick vs. Ricardo Funch

Patrick should have a ton of support from his fellow Canadians in his UFC debut and will likely send them home happy when things are said and done against Funch. He’s on a ten-fight winning streak with eight of his dubyas coming in the first frame. Funch has been relatively inactive for the last few years, competing only three times since the start of 2008, and will have to rely on Patrick to keep things standing in order to have a decent shot at emerging victor. While Patrick may be known for his submissions he’s also gone three full rounds with the hard-hitting Drew McFedries and has two first-round TKOs on his record as well. I think he’ll be able to go toe-to-toe with Funch if necessary while having a significant advantage on the ground (not to mention a stout guillotine he can use if Funch attempts to shoot in).

Winner – Claude Patrick via Submission Round 1

James Wilks vs. Peter Sobotta

This match-up clearly caters to the international audience brought on by the show’s location as Wilks is originally from England and Sobotta from Germany. Wilks is obviously the bigger name based on winning his division on the ninth season of the Ultimate Fighter but fans shouldn’t discount Sobotta simply because they’ve never heard of him. The 23-year old has a fairly balanced attack and was able to go a full fifteen minutes against respectable veteran Paul Taylor in his UFC debut last June. I’m a bit wary of his year-long hiatus from competition but then again Wilks hasn’t stepped foot in the Octagon since November 2009 so it’s not as if he’s in a much better position where activity is concerned. All that being said, I think Wilks’ stand-up is good enough to bang with Sobotta and his submissions are somewhat slicker so I expect him to get back on the winning track this Saturday.

Winner – James Wilks via Submission Round 2

David Loiseau vs. Mario Miranda

I doubt I’m alone in my excitement regarding Loiseau’s return to the UFC. Though he may not have panned out to be quite the fighter people felt he was 4-5 years ago, “The Crow” is still entertaining to watch and one of the sport’s classier characters. He’s shown an ability to hang with any opponent regardless of their specialty and should be more motivated than ever to get his first win in the Octagon since the late, great Evan Tanner in October 2005. Miranda has solid striking but I don’t think it’s as powerful or diverse as Loiseau’s and he definitely doesn’t have the jiujitsu to finish things on the ground.

Winner – David Loiseau via TKO Round 2

Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman

I have high hopes for this bout in terms of entertainment value. Danzig and Wiman can both bring it in the ring, are experienced competitors, and should be enticed by the proposition of stringing together consecutive wins after each losing a few in a row. I think Danzig’s grappling is better, as is his boxing, but Wiman is more of a threat in terms of kicks and knees. However, I also believe they’re comparable enough that a finishing performance is unlikely. Look for them to constantly engage, even drawing a few “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd, but don’t expect a knockout or submission. In the end I believe Danzig’s overall technique is better and as such he’ll be able to defend on his feet, then take Wiman down and control him long enough in each round to earn the decision win.

Winner – Mac Danzig via Decision

Tyson Griffin vs. Evan Dunham

In this week’s Grappling with Issues I listed this bout as having potential for the biggest upset of the evening for a few reasons. My reasoning is as follows:

“Griffin has struggled to finish opponents in the Octagon, so he leaves a lot of time for his foes to slip in and steal bouts (Sean Sherk and Frank Edgar clearly being the best examples based on their actual success against the Xtreme Couture OG). Dunham is a solid grappler with nice hands and reminds me a bit of a 5′10, stronger, paler version of the 5′6 Griffin. It was hard not to be impressed by his submission of Efrain Escudero at Fight Night 20 last January, and he’s undefeated ten fights into his career, so I won’t be surprised if he walks away with a decision win against Griffin. However, I think a lot of fans will be and I don’t just mean the Zuffa Zombies out there.”

I’m not 100% positive Dunham will win, but there is one thing I am certain of – if either man finishes the other I will be utterly shocked. They’re fairly familiar with each other based on their shared choice of training center and even if they weren’t flying Xtreme Couture’s flag both are relatively skilled in every facet of the game.

Winner – Evan Dunham via Decision

MAIN CARD

Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald

This is by far the most important fight of Condit’s career and that includes his title run in World Extreme Cagefighting. He entered the UFC 14-months ago with a ton of hype behind him, much of it deserved in my opinion, but has been disappointing for the most part since. He’s 1-1 with two split decisions against respectable fighters but hasn’t been close to the same dominating force he was in WEC. A second loss in the Octagon won’t destroy his reputation, especially to an undefeated opponent like the 20-year old MacDonald, but it will definitely bump him a number of spots down the world’s collective rankings and have people questioning whether or not Condit will ever live up to the potential most saw in him. MacDonald, a Canadian, will want to please the crowd in Vancouver, and is facing the biggest “name” in his career, so I suspect he’ll have trained his ass off and won’t be afraid to let it all hang out in the cage. Condit is also fearless in his approach to Mixed Martial Arts, so don’t be surprised if this ends up being a “Fight of the Night” contender. MacDonald can strike and grapple, as can Condit (with an edge in both categories), so I expect there to be a number of evenly matched flurries on their feet and on the mat with the former WEC Welterweight Champion getting the best of his less-experienced adversary enough times to win the judges’ favor.

Winner – Carlos Condit via Decision

Ben Rothwell vs. Gilbert Yvel

Without a doubt Rothwell will attempt to take Yvel down from the opening bell and work his mat-based attacks in hopes of either ground-and-pounding him or procuring a choke hold. “The Hurricane” has 31 TKOs in 36 career wins, and Rothwell has been rocked a few times over the years, so obviously Yvel’s best bet is to throw strikes while fending off takedown attempts. However, Rothwell is a solid wrestler who can also strike in addition to having above-average submissions for a heavyweight. He should be able to control most of the match’s positions, so unless the Dutchman lands a big shot early in the fight I don’t think “Big Ben” will have a hard time coming away victorious and possibly even end Yvel’s recent run in the UFC as a result.

Winner – Ben Rothwell via TKO Round 3

Paulo Thiago vs. Martin Kampmann

I don’t think people are giving Kampmann enough credit in this bout where he chances of success are concerned. Keep in mind his only losses have been by way of knockout while the only strike-based TKO of Thiago’s career came in his shocking upset of Josh Koscheck. Additionally, the Brazilian special forces operative owes eight of his thirteen wins to submissions while the “Hitman” has yet to tap out in nineteen professional fights. Kampmann is well-versed on the ground and is a legitimate striker as well. Both men faced Jacob Volkmann in the last year and where Thiago won a decision the Dane submitted Volkmann in the first round. I’m not a fan of “MMAth” but there’s definitely something to be said when the bouts being compared came in such close proximity to each other (less than 2 months apart). Thiago vs. Kampmann should be a hotly contested fight and is one of the many match-ups on the card worthy of a proverbial coin-flip when it comes to picking a winner. However, the more I think about it the more I feel Kampmann will open some eyes on Saturday night so I’m going to simply put my money where my keyboard-stroking fingers are and say…

Winner – Martin Kampmann via Decision

Pat Barry vs. Mirko Filipovic

I know I’m supposed to be unbiased as a journalist but in full disclosure I have to say Barry is one of my favorite fighters based on both in-ring style and overall character. Fortunately, objectivity won’t need to be shelved in this instance, as I think “Cro Cop” is also an outstanding individual with a list of accomplishments worth respecting and a terrific personality rarely associated with him based on the seriousness with which he approaches fighting. It’s a tough match-up to pick based on their in-ring similarities and knockout power each produces. One kick to the head or a series of shots to the thigh/midsection could end the night for either man, while jiujitsu and wrestling are almost certainly going to be thrown out of the cage-door before it closes and the action begins. I believe Barry will win based on age/athleticism as long as he doesn’t become too emotionally involved in the fight, and thereby distracted, based on his admiration of Filipovic. He’s faster and fresher than “Cro Cop”, and in that regard I think he’ll be first to the punch and ultimately shed a few tears in front of the camera before heading home to his momma.

Winner – Pat Barry via TKO Round 1

Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin

I can see this fight going a number of ways though of course none of them involve submissions. Neither fighter will have to worry about clinching or getting taken down and worked on unless deciding to sneak in a shot or two with hopes of winning a particular round in the mind of a ringside judge. Both men appear to have questionable chins and have made their living with strikes so expect that to be the target of choice for each. However, Franklin mixes in kicks with a great deal of success and would be wise to do so against the “Iceman”. If he stays active, opting for more lateral than forward movement, he has a good chance of taking home a decision or eventually catching Chuck on the button. However, if he spends more than a few seconds exchanging blows at any point or makes the mistake of rushing in there’s a good chance he’ll be put to sleep.

Winner – Chuck Liddell via TKO Round 2

Today’s weigh-ins for “UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin” takes place at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Saturday’s pay-per-view show begins at 10 PM EST (7 PM PST).

Headlining the event is a bout between two former UFC champions Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin. The co-main event sees former PRIDE champ Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic taking on Pat Barry in what is sure to be an exciting stand up war.

The full weigh-in results for UFC 115 are as follows:

Main Card (Pay-per-view)

Light heavyweight: Rich Franklin (205) vs. Chuck Liddell (205)
Heavyweight: Patrick Barry (248) vs. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (235)
Heavyweight: Ben Rothwell (264) vs. Gilbert Yvel (243)
Welterweight: Carlos Condit (170) vs. Rory MacDonald (170)
Welterweight: Martin Kampmann (170) vs. Paulo Thiago (170)

Preliminary Card (Spike TV)

Lightweight: Evan Dunham (155) vs. Tyson Griffin (154)
Lightweight: Mac Danzig (156) vs. Matt Wiman (156)

Preliminary Card

Middleweight: David Loiseau (185) vs. Mario Miranda (186)
Welterweight: Peter Sobotta (171) vs. James Wilks (170)
Welterweight: Ricardo Funch (170) vs. Claude Patrick (170)
Welterweight: Jesse Lennox (170) vs. Mike Pyle (170)

James Wilks doesn't like making excuses for his first octagon loss.

But "The Ultimate Fighter 9" welterweight winner, who looks to rebound from a UFC 105 TKO defeat to Matt Brown on this weekend's UFC 115 preliminary card, certainly could.

He could take his pick from dehydration issues to a drastic weight cut and "over-cut" to a broken orbital bone and muscle fatigue.