UFC 90 hits the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Ill. on Saturday, Oct. 25, airing live on PPV at 10 p.m. ET. In the main event, UFC middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva takes on Patrick "The Predator" Cote. Also on the card, Josh Koscheck fills infor the injured Diego Sanchez to fight Thiago Alves in a welterweight showdown.
To help you get ready for UFC 90, CBSSports.com gives you a complete look at each fight on the card, with analysis from our knowledgeable MMA writers. Take a look, and then discuss your own predictions on the message board at the bottom of this page.
Fighter photos courtesy of UFC and Getty Images.
UFC Middleweight Title Bout:
ANDERSON SILVA
vs.
PATRICK COTE
"The Spider"
Nickname
"The Predator"
33
Age
28
6-2
Height
5-11
22-4-0 (7-0-0 UFC)
Record
14-4-0 (4-4-0 UFC)
13 (5 UFC)
KO/TKOs
6 (2 UFC)
4 (2 UFC)
Submissions
3 (0 UFC)
8 wins
Streak
5 wins
def. James Irvin Fight Night 14 7/19/2008
Last Fight
def. Ricardo Almeida UFC 86 7/5/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Anderson Silva's current run of dominance is among the most impressive streaks in UFC history. Assuming Silva is healthy and focused -- and there is no reason right now to think otherwise -- Cote is in big trouble. Cote's strength is his striking, but Silva has never been KOed and is more likely to KO Cote if he dares to take that approach. A submission won't happen either, since better submission fighters than Cote have already attempted that with Silva and come up short. Silva wins, KO, Round 1.
Sam Caplan: Does Patrick Cote have a puncher's chance against Anderson Silva? Sure. But the same can also be said about anyone born with at least one fist. The only way Silva loses this fight is if he took Cote lightly during training, or is injured. Otherwise, I don't have any reason to believe we're going to see anything unexpected in this fight. Cote is a good fighter, but everything he does well, Silva does better. Silva via first round TKO.
Gregg Doyel: Anderson Silva might be the best MMA fighter in the world. He might be the best MMA fighter of all time, and I mean in any weight class. But this is MMA, and nobody goes unbeaten forever in MMA. The sport is too violent, too unpredictable. And so it is today, with a heavy heart, that I predict Anderson Silva will lose for the first time in a long time, and maybe for the last time ever. He has to lose some day, right? Today's the day. Cote's the fighter. Knockout's the way it happens.
Todd Martin: Patrick Cote has a strong chin and a powerful punch. He has momentum and confidence. Anyone can be knocked out if they’re caught with the right shot. Okay, there’s my token defense for why Cote has a chance. But the truth is, as Sean Combs once said (and I’m paraphrasing), Cote’s dealing with a fighter on a higher something something level. This has all the makings of a brutal beatdown.
Ben Fowlkes: The fact that Cote is challenging for Silva’s title right now says more about the state of the UFC’s middleweight division than anything else. The ranks are thin, mostly because Silva has beaten everyone else already. Cote is only the number one contender by process of elimination, and his chances in this fight reflect that. Silva is going to punch a hole in his face, probably some time in the first round, but it definitely won’t go past the second. Cote has never fought anyone this good, let along beat anyone this good, and he isn’t going to start now. “The Spider” by TKO.
Welterweight Bout:
JOSH KOSCHECK
vs.
THIAGO ALVES
"Kos"
Nickname
"Pitbull"
30
Age
25
5-10
Height
5-9
11-2-0 (9-2-0 UFC)
Record
15-3-0 (8-2 UFC)
2 (2 UFC)
KO/TKOs
10 (7 UFC)
4 (3 UFC)
Submissions
1 (0 UFC)
2 wins
Streak
6 wins
def. Chris Lytle UFC 86 7/5/2008
Last Fight
def. Matt Hughes UFC 85 6/7/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Very interesting fight, and calling it striker vs. wrestler is a little too simplistic. Koscheck is a dominant wrestler and a strong ground fighter, but in order to utilize that skillset, he'll need to take down Alves. Maybe Alves has a good enough sprawl, maybe he doesn't. But what Alves definitely has is lethal kicks and knees. If Koscheck eats one of those while shooting, it could make him think twice about going for takedowns. If that happens, the fight is Alves' to lose. If not, Koscheck could win convincingly. This could go either way, but I like Alves to TKO Koscheck in Round 3.
Sam Caplan: Koscheck's wrestling makes him a much more dangerous opponent than Diego Sanchez. However, Alves has great athleticism and probably has learned a thing or two about takedown defense while training with American Top Team. I think Alves keeps the fight standing and allows his striking to just overwhelm Koscheck. I am predicting Alves to win via second round TKO.
Gregg Doyel: Koscheck won't win this, and my reason is Dustin Hazelett. Until Koscheck landed the head kick from hell, Hazelett was beating him in a stand-up battle -- and Alves' stand-up is a lot better than Hazelett's stand-up. So unless Koscheck takes Alves down and lays on top of him -- and his ego won't allow him to do that -- Alves will eventually land a knee that knocks Koscheck into next week.
Todd Martin: You’ve got to hand it to the UFC. When a big match has to be cancelled, more often than not they come up with an even better replacement. Diego Sanchez vs. Thiago Alves was an interesting fight, but Alves against Josh Koscheck is better. Koscheck’s wrestling will put Alves’ takedown defense to the test, and standing we will see how far along Koscheck’s standup has come. This is a really important fight for both men. I favor Koscheck to ground and pound his way to a win. He doesn’t need to be playing around with Alves’ muay thai.
Ben Fowlkes: As great an athlete as Koscheck is, he’s not a finisher. His striking has improved greatly, but considering where he started from that’s not saying much. He’s still just a wrestler/ground-and-pound specialist, albeit a good one. I don’t think that’s enough against Alves. He’s too big (though he needs to make weight this time) and has too many tools. As long as he doesn’t let Koscheck suffocate him for three rounds, I like Alves for the decision or late TKO finish.
Lightweight Bout:
RICH CLEMENTI
vs.
GRAY MAYNARD
"No Love"
Nickname
"The Bully"
32
Age
29
5-9
Height
5-8
32-12-1 (5-3-0 UFC)
Record
5-0-1 (3-0-1 UFC)
10 (0 UFC)
KO/TKOs
1 (1 UFC)
14 (3 UFC)
Submissions
0
6 wins
Streak
3 wins
def. Terry Etim UFC 84 5/24/2008
Last Fight
def. Frankie Edgar Fight Night 13 4/2/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: It's been 36 fights and nearly eight years since Clementi has been beaten via TKO. Why that matters is that Maynard's best chance of finishing Clementi is via ground and pound, using his great wrestling to control Clementi on the mat and striking to score points. Clementi is highly experienced and favors the submission game, so Maynard will have to be careful with his positioning on the ground and avoid getting caught. I think Maynard can handle that, and he wins this fight via decision.
Sam Caplan: Clementi has the advantage when it comes to experience and overall MMA skills, but Maynard is starting to evolve as more than just a wrestler. He's absolutely huge for the weight class and can control the fight thanks to his wrestling. I just see Maynard's athleticism proving to be too much for Clementi, with Maynard winning a unanimous decision.
Gregg Doyel: Gray Maynard is one of the most promising fighters in this division. He's the future. Clementi is one of the more underrated fighters in this division -- he's part of the present. And present beats future every time. Just like experience overcomes inexperience, and Clementi has knocked out more people than Maynard has fought. Clementi also has submitted more guys than Maynard has fought. Clementi has even decisioned -- yes -- more guys than Maynard has fought. Clementi will catch Maynard unaware and submit him.
Todd Martin: Following four straight UFC wins, Rich Clementi asked for tougher competition. He got it. Clementi typically does better against strikers than he does against grapplers, and Maynard will be looking to put him on his back and bully him around. I think Clementi has a better chance of catching Maynard standing than subbing him from his back, but I don’t think either will happen. Maynard via decision.
Ben Fowlkes: Maynard is all about power. By itself, that’s not enough to beat everybody, but it is enough to beat most people. Clementi – wily though he may be – is one of those people. He has a more diverse bag of tricks, but ultimately he’ll spend most of this fight on his back eating elbows. In this manner Maynard will add another decision victory to his record.
Heavyweight Bout:
FABRICIO WERDUM
vs.
JUNIOR DOS SANTOS
"Vai Cavalo"
Nickname
"Cigano"
31
Age
24
6-4
Height
6-4
11-3-1 (2-1-0 UFC)
Record
6-1-0 (UFC debut)
4 (2 UFC)
KO/TKOs
4
5 (0 UFC)
Submissions
2
2 wins
Streak
1 win
def. Brandon Vera UFC 85 6/7/2008
Last Fight
def. Geronimo Dos Santos Demo Fight 3 5/24/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: This fight is not only Dos Santos' UFC debut, but it's also his first fight outside of Brazil. His only loss in seven pro fights came via submission, which is right up Werdum's alley since he's a BJJ black belt. Werdum has fought some of the best in the world -- Arlovski, Nogueira -- and has never been finished. Dos Santos won't beat Werdum on points, so my pick is Werdum via submission, Round 2.
Sam Caplan: I'm really not sure why this fight is on the broadcast. Well, I guess because Werdum is in line for a future shot at the title but he's not known for having the most exciting fights and Santos isn't the most exciting fighter. I predict Werdum wins this one via unanimous decision.
Gregg Doyel: Werdum has come a long way as a fighter, adding exceptional striking to his world-class ground game. One or the other will be too much for Junior Dos Santos, who has been submitted once in his professional career, a number that will be doubled after this fight.
Todd Martin: Fabricio Werdum is in line for a UFC heavyweight title shot, but he is going to have to wait for a four man tournament with Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir to play out first. This fight is basically just to keep him busy, and he’s probably going to have to take another one before his title shot. Luckily, he isn’t in there with a particularly dangerous opponent. Werdum should win via submission.
Ben Fowlkes: This is busy-work for Werdum. He knows it and the UFC knows it, but he might as well stay active while he waits for the heavyweight “tournament” to play out. Dos Santos is a huge underdog and for good reason, but that means he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. If it wasn’t his first trip into the Octagon, I might be tempted to pick him for the upset, but Octagon jitters are for real. So is Werdum. First round TKO.
Lightweight Bout:
SEAN SHERK
vs.
TYSON GRIFFIN
"The Muscle Shark"
Nickname
n/a
35
Age
24
5-6
Height
5-6
32-3-1 (6-3-0 UFC)
Record
12-1-0 (5-1-0 UFC)
8 (1 UFC)
KO/TKOs
5 (0 UFC)
13 (1 UFC)
Submissions
3 (1 UFC)
1 loss
Streak
4 wins
lost to B.J. Penn UFC 84 5/24/2008
Last Fight
def. Marcus Aurelio UFC 86 7/5/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: As talented as Tyson Griffin is, I believe this is a bad fight for him. Sherk could very well take a page out of Georges St. Pierre's playbook and beat Griffin by dominating him at his biggest strength, which is wrestling. Griffin's only loss was a decision to another strong wrestler in Frank Edgar. Griffin can hold his own with Sherk on the ground, but Sherk will at least neutralize Griffin's wrestling, if not clearly beat him at it. From there, Sherk will score more points and frustrate Griffin en route to a split decision win.
Sam Caplan: Sherk's wrestling can be stifling at times but Griffin was also a standout wrestler while in college. Sherk has the clear edge when it comes to experience but Griffin's well-rounded abilities gives him an advantage. I don't see one fighter finishing the other. This will go to a decision and because Griffin is usually aggressive in his fights, I believe that he will walk away the winner via unanimous decision.
Gregg Doyel: The only fighters to beat Sherk are named Penn, St. Pierre and Hughes -- the best of the best, and also bigger men. Griffin doesn't have their size or their name -- or their game. He can't beat Sherk, and he certainly can't outlast him in a decision. His only shot is a flash knockout of some sort, and again, since his name isn't St. Pierre, Penn or Hughes, I don't like his chances of that. But I do like Sherk to ground-and-pound him into oblivion.
Todd Martin: The greatest struggles of Tyson Griffin’s career have come against fellow wrestlers. Enter Sean Sherk, maybe the most effective wrestler in the lightweight division. I don’t discount Griffin’s skill as a fighter at all, but I see him being put on his back and having trouble threatening Sherk from that position. This is likely to be an anti-climactic, clear decision win for Sherk.
Ben Fowlkes: Hope you’re not expecting a fast-paced slugfest. The only thing less thrilling than watching one these two fight is watching them both fight. Expect a lot of takedown attempts, a lot of sprawls, and probably some booing from the crowd. Sherk has the edge in experience and that will probably be enough for him to notch a decision victory.
Middleweight Bout:
THALES LEITES
vs.
DREW McFEDRIES
n/a
Nickname
"The Massacre"
27
Age
30
6-1
Height
6-0
13-1-0 (4-1-0 UFC)
Record
7-4-0 (3-3 UFC)
2 (0 UFC)
KO/TKOs
4 (3 UFC)
8 (2 UFC)
Submissions
1 (0 UFC)
4 wins
Streak
1 loss
def. Nate Marquardt UFC 85 6/7/2008
Last Fight
lost to Mike Massenzio Fight Night 15 9/17/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: McFedries is probably very eager to erase the memory of his last fight, a loss to UFC newcomer Mike Massenzio. But in his haste to get another W, McFedries may have set himself up for a second straight loss by accepting Leites on short notice. Leites has one loss on his record, a decision to Martin Kampmann. McFedries is going to look for the KO here, but he's going to have a hard time keeping up with Leites, who will submit him in the first round.
Sam Caplan: McFedries deserves credit for taking this fight on short notice, but Leites is no joke. While McFedries has a lot of power in his hands, he's not the most well-rounded middleweight currently on the UFC's roster. If he gets taken down, he will be in trouble. McFedries lost his last fight in September to wrestling standout Mike Massenzio, but Leites doesn't possess Massenzio's takedown ability. That said, I still see Leites getting the fight to the ground somehow and winning via second round submission.
Gregg Doyel: This fight has a decent chance of being the knockout of the night -- in favor of McFedries -- and yet I'm picking against him. Leites has unreal ground skills, and McFedries doesn't. Usually that's a bad matchup for McFedries, who wears himself out going for the KO of the night and then finds himself at the mercy of a more versatile fighter. Leites by submission. Make it an arm bar.
Todd Martin: This is a gutsy fight for Drew McFedries to take. McFedries has succeeded in UFC based on his powerful standup, but he has also been submitted twice in the first round. His last loss was to Mike Massenzio, and Thales Leites is a significant step up in competition. Plus, McFedries is coming in as a very late replacement. All this adds up to serious trouble and a likely Leites win by first round arm triangle.
Ben Fowlkes: McFedries looked surprisingly bad on the ground against Mike Massenzio at Ultimate Fight Night 15, and Leites has a much better submissions game than Massenzio. That spells trouble for McFedries, who is quickly entering journeyman territory. I see Leites locking up an early submission in the first round.
Lightweight Bout:
SPENCER FISHER
vs.
SHANNON GUGERTY
"The King"
Nickname
n/a
32
Age
26
5-7
Height
5-10
21-4-0 (6-3-0 UFC)
Record
11-2-0 (1-0-0 UFC)
11 (3 UFC)
KO/TKOs
3 (0 UFC)
7 (1 UFC)
Submissions
8 (1 UFC)
1 win
Streak
8 wins
def. Jeremy Stephens TUF 7 Finale 6/21/2008
Last Fight
def. Dale Hartt Fight Night 14 7/19/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Fisher's last two losses were to Frank Edgar via decision and Hermes Franca via TKO. Otherwise, he's got a nice resume and a strong enough skill set to build on it. Gugerty will look for a submission here, which would make him the first fighter to beat Fisher that way. Not happening. Fisher via TKO, Round 2.
Sam Caplan: Gugerty is looking to make a point in this fight but Fisher has a huge edge on experience. He also has a significant advantage when it comes to the standup. I just don't think this is a great matchup for Gugerty and I expect Fisher to grind out a unanimous decision victory.
Gregg Doyel: What did I say for the Clementi-Maynard fight? I'm saying the same thing here. Fisher is Clementi. Gugerty is Maynard. Which means, in my view, Fisher simply too wily to lose this fight. Methinks Fisher will soften up Gugerty with strikes and finish him with a choke.
Todd Martin: This is a good style matchup for Fisher. Shannon Gugerty has a solid submission game, but Fisher is likely the better striker and wrestler. And even if Gugerty gets Fisher to the ground, Fisher has never been submitted. I expect Fisher to land the better strikes and win via TKO.
Ben Fowlkes: It would be great to see Fisher get back to his old dynamic self after struggling some recently. Gugerty is a talented kid with a lot of potential, but his lack of big time experience makes me think he could be just the opponent Fisher needs to get back on track. It won’t be easy, but Fisher should take this via second-round TKO.
Middleweight Bout:
DAN MILLER
vs.
MATT HORWICH
n/a
Nickname
"Suave"
27
Age
30
6-1
Height
5-11
9-1-1 (1-0-0 UFC)
Record
22-10-1 (UFC debut)
1 (0 UFC)
KO/TKOs
2
6 (1 UFC)
Submissions
18
2 wins
Streak
1 win
def. Rob Kimmons Fight Night 15 9/17/2008
Last Fight
def. Joey Guel IFL 5/16/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Miller and Horwich are a pair of very welcome additions to the UFC fold, both coming from the IFL. Both have good submissions, but Miller's are probably better. Horwich might keep it standing for that reason, but I still predict Miller via submission in a fight that should be fun to watch.
Sam Caplan: Miller, the final reigning middleweight champ in IFL history, is matched up against a fighter in Horwich that he likely would have had to defend his belt against at some point had the IFL continued operations. After defeating Rob Kimmons in his UFC debut this past September, Miller faces a much tougher test in Horwich. Horwich is unique in and out of the cage and is a welcome addition to the UFC middleweight division. He causes matchup problems for a lot of fighters and I see him giving Miller fits as well. Horwich via unanimous decision.
Gregg Doyel: Past fights and common opponents don't tell a complete story -- the matchup is the key -- but I can't ignore this one. Miller submitted Ryan McGivern. Horwich also fought McGivern -- twice -- and lost to him both times. Horwich might yet win this fight, but I can't go against that history. Miller by decision.
Todd Martin: I have an awful track record for picking which former IFL stars will have success in the UFC, so all bets are off with two former IFL guys in the same fight. The Miller brothers have been successful thus far on the big stage, so I’m going with Dan to continue that trend against the solid pro Horwich.
Ben Fowlkes: Two excellent submissions fighters in this one, it’s just a shame it probably won’t make the broadcast. Trying to knock Horwich out is a fool’s errand, and Miller must know that, so expect this one to go to ground via mutual consent. Once there, Miller is just a tad better, though this will be closer than most people think. I like Miller for the submission, but it probably won’t come until the third and even then only after many failed attempts.
Lightweight Bout:
HERMES FRANCA
vs.
MARCUS AURELIO
n/a
Nickname
"Maximus"
34
Age
35
5-6
Height
5-10
18-7-0 (5-4-0 UFC)
Record
16-6-0 (2-2-0 UFC)
6 (2 UFC)
KO/TKOs
3 (1 UFC)
11 (2 UFC)
Submissions
10 (1 UFC)
2 losses
Streak
1 loss
lost to Frankie Edgar Fight Night 14 7/19/2008
Last Fight
lost to Tyson Griffin UFC 86 7/5/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: This is actually a legit grudge match of sorts, stemming from both mens' initial jump to American Top Team from Brazil. Franca reportedly ruffled some feathers by granting Kurt Pellegrino a BJJ black belt, and subsequently left ATT for the Armory. Drama aside, this is a pair of BJJ black belts with added personal reasons for wanting this win badly. Franca is known for his unusual striking as well, with heavy fists coming from odd angles. If Franca can stave off Aurelio's jiu-jitsu, those fists will make the difference in Franca winning via decision.
Sam Caplan: If you want to know which fight from the undercard I'd replace the Werdum vs. dos Santos matchup with, this is it. Both fighters are very similar in style, as both are excellent grapplers. However, on the feet, I am going to have to give the nod to Franca. While Franca's standup isn't technical, he has heavy hands and throws punches from unorthodox angles. I am getting a feeling he's going to catch Aurelio with something and win via second round TKO.
Gregg Doyel: Great ground matchup here, which is why it'll be decided by a knockout. Typical. Very few things happen as planned in MMA, and Aurelio surely is planning not to be knocked into next week by his former disciple and current nemesis. But that's Franca, with his long reach and superior striking, will do to Aurelio. Knock him senseless.
Todd Martin: Keep your fingers crossed for this one. Aurelio and Franca are tremendous jiu jitsu practitioners, and a ground war between the two could be fight of the night. Unfortunately, all too often when you have a pair of jiu jitsu standouts you end up with neither wanting to risk getting tapped out and instead you get a sub-par kickboxing match. I really hope that doesn’t transpire here, but I suspect it will. I give the narrow edge to Franca, then, on the strength of his standup game.
Ben Fowlkes: Everyone loves a good bad blood match. Nothing fuels a fight quite like acrimony that is more real than manufactured for a change. Franca has more ways to win this fight, no doubt. Aurelio has one – submission – and those odds aren’t good against Franca. Unless he’s woefully off his game, Franca should earn a late TKO or a decision victory.
Welterweight Bout:
JOSH BURKMAN
vs.
PETE SELL
"The People's Warrior"
Nickname
"Drago"
28
Age
26
5-10
Height
5-11
18-7-0 (5-4-0 UFC)
Record
7-4-0 (1-4 UFC)
4 (1 UFC)
KO/TKOs
0
8 (1 UFC)
Submissions
3 (1 UFC)
2 losses
Streak
3 losses
lost to Dustin Hazelett TUF 7 Finale 6/21/2008
Last Fight
lost to Nate Quarry Fight Night 11 9/19/2007
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Burkman has lost three of his last four fights. Sell has lost four of his last five, including the three most recent. Needless to say, the loser of this one will be in a real tough spot. Sell is cutting to 170 here, which is another monkey wrench in the equation. I think Burkman is too quick and will come with better submissions and takedowns, keeping Sell on his heels for three rounds en route to a Burkman win via decision.
Sam Caplan: This could be do or die for both of these fighters. Welterweight is a big cut for Sell and I am wondering if he'll be tired come fight day. Burkman, on the other hand has been competing at 170 for quite some time. He is also a superior athlete and his wrestling base will allow him to put a lot of pressure on Sell and control the temp of the fight. I expect Burkman to win a unanimous decision.
Gregg Doyel: Burkman is beatable, but he only loses to really good fighters (not counting one loss to, ahem, Matt Horwich). Sell isn't a really good fighter. Sell has a huge heart and won't quit, unlike some other members of his camp, but he's overmatched by Burkman, who will make like Scott Smith and Nate Quarry (twice) and knock Sell out.
Todd Martin: Fighting in the UFC is not easy. Both Sell and Burkman have lost three of their last four fights, and it’s not like either man is a pushover. I do, however, feel that Burkman is the stronger overall fighter. Given that he really needs to win, expect Burkman to employ a conservative game plan and grind out a clear but unspectacular decision victory by relying on his wrestling.
Ben Fowlkes: I almost forgot Sell was still in the UFC, but here he is. How about that. Burkman was once such a promising prospect, but has since floundered, at times in baffling fashion. He ought to figure out a way to beat Sell, however. If not, time to look for a new career. I’ll take Burkman via TKO.
Writer's Prediction Records for 2008:
Ordered from best to worst -- records through Oct. 22, 2008.
Sam Caplan: 105-48 (69%)
Denny Burkholder: 108-57 (65%)
Todd Martin: 107-58 (65%)
Ben Fowlkes: 96-59 (62%)
Gregg Doyel: 95-59 (62%)
About the writers: Denny Burkholder is the MMA and boxing producer and staff writer for CBSSports.com. Sam Caplan is an MMA contributor for CBSSports.com and the publisher of FiveOuncesOfPain.com. Gregg Doyel is a CBSSports.com national columnist and sparring partner for various pro boxers and MMA fighters in the Cincinnati area. Todd Martin has covered mixed martial arts for the Los Angeles Times, Wrestling Observer, SI.com and CBSSports.com. Ben Fowlkes is an MMA contributor for SI.com, CagePotato.com and CBSSports.com.
I'm a big fan of dos Santos but an even bigger fan of Mirko. That being said, I don't see Mirko being able to defend against Cigano's pressure and strikes. This could very well be it for any consideration of Cro Cop as a viable contender.
Kampmann/Daley - I think Kampmann has enough of a chin to get the fight to the ground and submit Semtex, but there's a decent chance Daley puts Kam
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Am I the only one that sincerely hopes that someone...anyone really...puts an end to Gray Maynard's unbeaten run in the UFC? I mean, I have nothing personally against the guy, but he is one of those fighters that puts a crowd to sleep. He's certainly not the only fighter that employs the lay-n-pray style of fighting, but fight after fight, we're given the same thing. Tonight's fi
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Pretty much every realistic look at this fight has Couture winning, which is why I haven't found one "expert" who has picked Nog. The fight is in Couture's hometown, he's fighting a guy who has apparently dropped off in ability, Randy can use dirty boxing and clinch work to tie up Nog near the cage and grind out a decision, Randy is unlikely to make a stupid mistake that leads to a sub,
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Overall the card is pretty thin with two potentially classic battles closing the broadcast. I think Forrest has an excellant shot at shutting down Silva. Silva's quick no doubt about it but after seeing his weigh photos I have to say he looks soft and doesn't appear to have taken his cardio seriously. I'm sure he spent most of time trying to bulk up to deal with the much heavier
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Great to see the Head-to-Head preview on this Strikeforce card!
Interesting perspective by Martin on the Babalu/Mousasi fight. Even though I often disagree with Martin's picks I respect the risks he takes.
I still think Mousasi wins, but he moved up in weight for this fight and immediately faces Sobral, who isn't a pushover. I could envision Babalu forcing Gegard to the
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Yep Gina is hot. She does have the skills to hang in there but I can't see it lasting too long. Cyborg in 3 by TKO I think, maybe outright KO. Gina has to tie her up to have a chance, Cyborg just has to be Cyborg. BTW, I don't think i've ever seen a set of gams like Cyborgs. She really has a set of legs, don't you think?
This is going to be a very good card on Sat. Gina is soooo hot, i hope she wins so bad. I love watching her fight. My next favorite fight is Werdum vs. Kyle. Werdum is very good and will def. get the victory. Then he fights the winner of Overeem and Fedor. Which will obv. be Fedor. Then Fedor beats Werdum and then gets to fight Rogers. Strikeforce is putting together a very impressive group of fig
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(POLL)
Who wins each of the two main events at UFC 101? What combination of Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Forrest Griffin, and Kenny Florian will emerge victorious? Can the Spider continue his historic run or will Forrest Griffin derail him? Can BJ Penn continue his dominance of the lightweight division or will the very hungry KenFlo succeed where he failed in the past?
I was watching the UFC 100 prewiew on MTV 2. They watched the first Lesnar-Mir fight with Brock and he commented. There he is talking about how beat up Frank's face was....like he shoud have won if he didnt make that one dumb mistake! Hey Brock do you understand the concept of Brazillian Ju-jitsu? Have you ever seen a Royce Gracie fight by any chance? BJJ fighters take punches(an
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We are now less than 10 hours away from the completion UFC 100. In less than half a day we’ll have an undisputed heavyweight champion, a man worthy of claiming the world’s #2 ranking in the ultimate weight class; the second toughest human alive. Will it be Brock Lesnar? A freak of nature, 6’3” and a fit 280 pounds, bent on revenge on the onl
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This is the fight i am looking fowards to the much.I think it is going to be the fight of the night. I really don't know who would win this one. People are writing off alves but he is a top notch fighter. The next fight i would be see is hollywood and bisping. Hollywood is going to take he down and just grin him out. The third fight which might not even been shown is the jon jo
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This card looks like Dana White wants to keep his wallet F-A-T. Anyone following UFC knows all the complaints about low-end payouts for the fighters and a few of these matches look like guys needing money and willing to bleed for the crumbs they will get. Kaplan, Roop and Bradley ??? These guys could probably kick my @$$, but I'm ancient and better suited to a game of flag football or a
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This is not an elite level fight. I never thought Franklin was any good to begin with but the first fight with Anderson Silva took anything he had out of him. He left that fight a lesser man. The second fight with Anderson took more out of him. In boxing when you take a bad beating, often you are never the same. Your chin goes, your reaction goes, your spring, everything. You become flat, and its
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Denny Burkholder: Anderson Silva's current run of dominance is among the most impressive streaks in UFC history. Assuming Silva is healthy and focused -- and there is no reason right now to think otherwise -- Cote is in big trouble. Cote's strength is his striking, but Silva has never been KOed and is more likely to KO Cote if he dares to take that approach. A submission won't happen either, since better submission fighters than Cote have already attempted that with Silva and come up short. Silva wins, KO, Round 1. 
Sam Caplan: Does Patrick Cote have a puncher's chance against Anderson Silva? Sure. But the same can also be said about anyone born with at least one fist. The only way Silva loses this fight is if he took Cote lightly during training, or is injured. Otherwise, I don't have any reason to believe we're going to see anything unexpected in this fight. Cote is a good fighter, but everything he does well, Silva does better. Silva via first round TKO.
Gregg Doyel: Anderson Silva might be the best MMA fighter in the world. He might be the best MMA fighter of all time, and I mean in any weight class. But this is MMA, and nobody goes unbeaten forever in MMA. The sport is too violent, too unpredictable. And so it is today, with a heavy heart, that I predict Anderson Silva will lose for the first time in a long time, and maybe for the last time ever. He has to lose some day, right? Today's the day. Cote's the fighter. Knockout's the way it happens.
Todd Martin: Patrick Cote has a strong chin and a powerful punch. He has momentum and confidence. Anyone can be knocked out if they’re caught with the right shot. Okay, there’s my token defense for why Cote has a chance. But the truth is, as Sean Combs once said (and I’m paraphrasing), Cote’s dealing with a fighter on a higher something something level. This has all the makings of a brutal beatdown.
Ben Fowlkes: The fact that Cote is challenging for Silva’s title right now says more about the state of the UFC’s middleweight division than anything else. The ranks are thin, mostly because Silva has beaten everyone else already. Cote is only the number one contender by process of elimination, and his chances in this fight reflect that. Silva is going to punch a hole in his face, probably some time in the first round, but it definitely won’t go past the second. Cote has never fought anyone this good, let along beat anyone this good, and he isn’t going to start now. “The Spider” by TKO.
