UFC 93 travels to Dublin, Ireland on Saturday, Jan. 17, airing live on PPV in the United States at 3 p.m. ET. In the main event, former UFC middleweight champion Rich "Ace" Franklin takes on former PRIDE double champion Dan Henderson in a fight many years in the making. Also on the card, UFC Hall of Famer Mark "The Hammer" Coleman makes his long-awaited return to the Octagon to take on fellow PRIDE veteran Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
To help you get ready for UFC 93, 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.
Nate Mohr photo: CBSSports.com. All other fighter photos courtesy of UFC.
Light Heavyweight Bout:
RICH FRANKLIN
vs.
DAN HENDERSON
"Ace"
Nickname
"Hendo"
34
Age
38
6-1
Height
6-1
24-3-1 (11-2-0 UFC)
Record
23-7-0 (3-2-0 UFC)
13 (8 UFC)
KO/TKOs
10 (0 UFC)
9 (1 UFC)
Submissions
1 (0 UFC)
2 wins
Streak
1 win
def. Matt Hamill UFC 88 9/6/2008
Last Fight
def. Rousimar Palhares UFC 88 9/6/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Dan Henderson is among the very, very best in terms of total MMA skills and flat-out toughness. Franklin gets a lot of credit for his striking, but the fact is, his ability to keep fights standing is what allows him to showcase that. It's not like he'll be a lame duck if Henderson takes him to the mat, nor would Henderson necessarily lose if the fight stays upright. Henderson has yet to be KOed, and for a guy that's fought Rampage, Wanderlei and "The Spider," that is saying something. This is a very hard call, but I'm picking Henderson by split decision.
Sam Caplan: Henderson had a big first round against Anderson Silva last year and then fell a part. Even though the former PRIDE middleweight and welterweight champion bounced back against Rousimar Palhares, I still can't get that image out of my head. I also can't help but wonder whether Henderson is going to try and stand with Franklin. If he does, I think that could be a mistake. Henderson has knockout power in both of his fists, but Franklin is the more technical striker. Henderson needs to get the fight to the ground but I think Franklin's takedown defense is good enough that he will keep the fight standing. Franklin via unanimous decision.
Todd Martin: This is one of those fights where if they fought 10 times, each man might win five. It’s a close, even matchup between two very solid fighters. Both are good strikers. Henderson has the edge in pure wrestling, but Franklin is a very good MMA wrestler. Both are very hard to submit. If this fight goes to a decision, it is likely that there will be some very hard rounds to score. Ultimately I favor Franklin because throughout his career he has found ways to pull out wins while Henderson has dropped fights that he shouldn’t have.
Ben Fowlkes: People forget that Rich Franklin hasn't been beaten by anyone not named Anderson Silva for over five years, and even then the loss came against Lyoto Machida. The point here is that "Ace" is still a very skilled and extremely well-rounded fighter. As long as he can avoid being outwrestled for three rounds I like his chances to pick Henderson apart on the feet and earn a clear-cut decision victory.
Gary Herman: Had this fight been made a few years back, the match-up would have been a blockbuster rather than a main event on a forgettable card. Franklin and Henderson both have had some recent losses, but they still remain at the top of the light heavyweight (or middleweight) rankings. Franklin’s got a slight advantage striking, and Henderson has never been afraid to stand and trade with anyone. The big advantage is if (when) the fight goes to the ground. Franklin is underrated but still not at Henderson’s level. Henderson has never been knocked out, and Franklin will not break the streak. In a close fight, I’ll take Henderson by unanimous decision.
Light Heavyweight Bout:
MARK COLEMAN
vs.
MAURICIO RUA
"The Hammer"
Nickname
"Shogun"
44
Age
27
6-1
Height
6-1
15-8-0 (7-3-0 UFC)
Record
16-3-0 (0-1-0 UFC)
4 (2 UFC)
KO/TKOs
13
8 (4 UFC)
Submissions
1
1 loss
Streak
1 loss
lost to Fedor Emelianenko PRIDE 32 10/21/2006
Last Fight
lost to Forrest Griffin UFC 76 9/22/2007
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Father Time is pounding at the door for Mark Coleman, and I'm not sure that cutting to 205 will provide the usual speed and agility boost that it often does for other fighters. Rua's loss to Forrest Griffin was not his finest hour, but unless Rua gasses out or eats one too many hard fists in a ground-and-pound scenario, this is his fight to lose. We have not seen the best of "Shogun" yet, especially not in the UFC. I look for Rua to beat Coleman via submission in Round 1.
Sam Caplan: Coleman's win in their first fight at PRIDE 31 was somewhat of a fluke. The rematch comes at a time when Coleman, a former UFC heavyweight champion now attempting to make his debut as a light heavyweight, is three years older. It's been almost over a year and a half since Rua last fought and I expect to see some rust, but Coleman hasn't fought since losing to Fedor at PRIDE 32. I see Coleman being outgunned in this fight (no pun intended -- I swear) and losing via second-round TKO.
Todd Martin: Mark Coleman, even at 44, is a powerful man and a great wrestler. Thus, he has a chance to hold down Shogun and wear him out over three rounds. But Shogun has so many more ways to win. He’s younger, faster, and has much better finishing ability both standing and on the ground. I expect a dominant and impressive victory for Shogun.
Ben Fowlkes: Coleman deserves his place in the UFC Hall of Fame, but at 44 years old and without a real win in over three years he probably doesn't still belong in the Octagon. His power and athleticism may allow him to get away with it to some extent, but I just don't see how he beats Rua if the Brazilian shows up looking anything at all like the "Shogun" of old. Rua by TKO, Round 1.
Gary Herman: Does Coleman really think that he legitimately beat Rua in the first encounter? Rua suffered a freak arm injury defending a Coleman takedown and had to stop the fight. But the bigger question will be how is Coleman even going to make 205 pounds? Coleman was a legitimate heavyweight at over 230 pounds in Japan. The only drama for this fight will take place when Coleman weighs in. Rua’s all-around skills and age advantage will be far too much for Coleman. This fight is clearly meant to showcase Rua. Rua starts his comeback with a dominating first round KO.
Middleweight Bout:
ALAN BELCHER
vs.
DENIS KANG
"The Talent"
Nickname
n/a
24
Age
31
6-2
Height
5-11
13-5-0 (4-3-0 UFC)
Record
31-10-3 (UFC debut)
7 (2 UFC)
KO/TKOs
12
4 (1 UFC)
Submissions
15
1 win
Streak
2 wins
def. Ed Herman Fight Night 15 9/17/2008
Last Fight
def. Marvin Eastman Raw Combat 10/25/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Kang needs no introduction to hardcore MMA followers, despite this being his UFC debut. The American Top Team standout has experience all over the world, including PRIDE and K-1 Hero's, and will be a very tough opponent for Belcher if Kang brings his "A" game. Belcher is certainly no pushover as a striker. But in general, he should be somewhat overmatched in this bout. Kang wins via Round 2 TKO.
Sam Caplan: Belcher's time in Thailand has really paid off. You could see the improvement in his standup at UFN 15. He is going to pose a dangerous threat to Kang, who was once a consensus top ten middleweight before going through a period where he lost three of four fights. If the old Denis Kang shows up, we could see a first-round TKO victory. But if Kang doesn't bring his A game, we could see a first-round TKO defeat. I am betting that we will see the old Kang so my official pick is Kang via first-round TKO.
Todd Martin: It’s nice to see the tough and well-rounded Denis Kang in the UFC. I think he’s going to be considered a relatively heavy favorite by many because he has a greater international reputation than Alan Belcher, but this is close to a pick’em fight for me. I give Belcher the edge standing and Kang the edge on the ground, but I expect a standup fight which plays into Belcher’s game. As such, I’m taking Belcher to win.
Ben Fowlkes: Kang is a great acquisition for the UFC and their choice of Belcher for a first opponent tells me that they have big future plans for him and want to ease him into competition in the Octagon. Not that Belcher's a gimme, but neither should he be a real challenge for a fighter of Kang's caliber. Assuming he shows up prepared and in good shape, it shouldn't take more than two rounds for Kang to put "The Talent" away via TKO.
Gary Herman: Kang finally makes his UFC debut. He’s been up and down over the past few years, but Belcher is not likely to pose much of a threat. Kang’s been brought in to give the UFC a Korean fighter should they decide to have a card there. Kang’s a better striker, and he’s better on the ground. So how does Belcher win? He doesn’t. Kang finishes Belcher by second-round TKO.
Middleweight Bout:
JEREMY HORN
vs.
ROUSIMAR PALHARES
"Gumby"
Nickname
"Toquinho"
33
Age
28
6-2
Height
5-8
80-18-5 (6-6-0 UFC)
Record
8-2-0 (1-1-0 UFC)
19 (3 UFC)
KO/TKOs
1 (0 UFC)
49 (2 UFC)
Submissions
6 (1 UFC)
2 losses
Streak
1 loss
lost to Dean Lister TUF 7 Finale 6/21/2008
Last Fight
lost to Dan Henderson UFC 88 9/6/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Jeremy Horn is one of those highly-respected, battle-tested fighters that will continue to find work as long as he's active in MMA. But he's got too many miles on him at this stage (add up his overall record), and he's no longer seen as unbeatable with submissions. Palhares could probably beat Horn standing or on the ground, but I'll call it a Round 2 submission victory for Palhares.
Sam Caplan: Palhares is one of the best submission fighters in the UFC and Horn has been tapped three times in his last four fights. Horn likely needs to win here in order to remain with the UFC but I don't see that being the case, as I believe he will be submitted at some point in the second round.
Todd Martin: Jeremy Horn for years had the reputation of being very hard to submit. But he has now been submitted three times in four fights, and Palhares is as dangerous with submissions as any of those opponents. I think Palhares will get the best of Horn on the ground, with the key being Palhares’ strength advantage.
Ben Fowlkes: Horn's greatest weapon has always been his submissions game, but that will not be near enough against Palhares. There are few guys in the UFC as tough and resilient as Horn, and there's no one with his experience, but he's in for a rough night in Dublin. Palhares via submission, Round 2.
Gary Herman: Horn has had over 100 professional fights. Although if you ask him, he’s had a lot more than a hundred. Horn’s got a ton of all-around skills, but the constant battles have worn him down. He’s lost three of his last four, and all three losses have been by submission. Palhares is one of the best ground fighters in the game. Horn’s only chance is to keep the fight standing, but there’s no reason to think he can do that for fifteen minutes. Palhares will beat Horn by third -round submission.
Welterweight Bout:
MARCUS DAVIS
vs.
CHRIS LYTLE
"The Irish Hand Grenade"
Nickname
"Lights Out"
35
Age
34
5-10
Height
5-11
15-4-0 (7-2-0 UFC)
Record
26-16-5 (5-8-0 UFC)
5 (2 UFC)
KO/TKOs
4 (1 UFC)
8 (4 UFC)
Submissions
17 (3 UFC)
1 win
Streak
1 win
def. Paul Kelly UFC 89 10/18/2008
Last Fight
def. Paul Taylor UFC 89 10/18/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: With the exception of a loss to Mike Swick, Davis has been ripping through the competition for years. Both Lytle and Davis are strikers at heart, and neither has ever been knocked out. I'd give Lytle the advantage on the ground, but I'm not sure the fight will go there. They'll both be confident on their feet, so this could turn into a decision win for whomever lands the most clean shots in 15 minutes. I'll take Lytle, unanimous decision.
Sam Caplan: Davis has said he wants this fight between two former pro boxers to be the second coming of Bonnar vs. Griffin. That's setting the bar too high, but on paper, this matchup looks great. Both Lytle and Davis have solid ground skills but with all the talking they've done, I think it's safe to say that both will make a concerted effort to keep the fight standing. If that's the case, I've got to give the slight edge to Davis and pick him to win via third-round TKO.
Todd Martin: This has all the makings of a very exciting fight. Davis and Lytle are excellent standup fighters with boxing backgrounds. Each man has a solid chin and is willing to bang. I’m expecting a back and forth, three round war. If you look at the records, you would conclude Davis has the better shot at winning. But I’ve got a feeling Lytle will eke out a decision victory on the basis of greater aggression.
Ben Fowlkes: Ah, the epic stand-up war we've been hearing about for weeks now. Honestly, if there are two guys who can make good on the big promises they've made for this fight, it's probably Davis and Lytle. They'll both come in swinging for the fences and expecting the same from the other guy. When the dust clears though, it will be Lytle who's still standing. TKO, Round 3.
Gary Herman: Both fighters made it clear after their last performances that they want the fight of the night here. Expect both fighters to stand and throw bombs. With the fighters wanting the extra bonus, I don’t expect it to end early though. Lytle is virtually impossible to stop (see: the Josh Koscheck fight), and Davis has looked great against lower tier competition, but Lytle fits into the middle tier. Lytle and Davis wage a classic, but I’ll take Lytle by third-round TKO.
Welterweight Bout:
MARTIN KAMPMANN
vs.
ALEXANDRE BARROS
"The Hitman"
Nickname
"Baixinho"
26
Age
32
6-0
Height
5-9
13-2-0 (4-1-0 UFC)
Record
13-5-0 (UFC debut)
6 (0 UFC)
KO/TKOs
4
5 (3 UFC)
Submissions
3
1 loss
Streak
9 wins
lost to Nate Marquardt UFC 88 9/6/2008
Last Fight
def. Udi Lima WOCS 2 9/25/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Barros makes his UFC debut after a decade of experience elsewhere, including losses to Matt Hughes and Aaron Riley years ago. Kampmann moves down to welterweight after Nate Marquardt handed him his first UFC loss in September. Look for this fight to hit the ground rather quickly. From there, a reinvoigorated Kampmann will submit Barros in Round 1.
Sam Caplan: As a middleweight, Kampmann didn't have the power to put away the division's top fighters. As such, he displayed a surprisingly good submission game that caused a lot of people to forget that he's one of the best strikers currently in the UFC. Now at welterweight, Kampmann can afford to take some more chances and get into slugfests. For Barros, this is simply a bad matchup for him. If he gets the fight to the floor, Kampmann will be good enough to hand with him. And if he doesn't get the fight on the ground, he's going to get smoked. Kampmann via first-round TKO.
Todd Martin: Following a quick and devastating loss to Nate Marquardt, Martin Kampmann is moving down in weight to welterweight. Kampmann is much better than he showed in that fight, and he’ll be doubly motivated to avenge that loss and establish himself in the new weight class. That spells trouble for Barros, who is 14-1 in fights in Brazil but 0-3 outside his home nation. Kampmann will make it 0-4.
Ben Fowlkes: It's good to see Kampmann at welterweight where he doesn't have to worry so much about being outmuscled and can really put his athleticism to good use. Barros is making his UFC debut, and the track record of Octagon newbies isn't so great. Kampmann will make a statement at 170 pounds by TKOing Barros in the first round. If he can stay healthy, expect big things from Kampmann down the line.
Gary Herman: After achieving moderate success at middleweight, Kampmann drops down to welterweight. Barros will be making his UFC debut, but he has been around a while. Early in his career, Barros lost to both Matt Hughes and Aaron Riley. In the past four years, Barros has run off nine straight victories including five decisions. On the other hand, Kampmann is an excellent kickboxer with a pretty good submission game. Kampmann is much more tested, and he should be the heavy favorite. There’s no reason to pick against him. Kampmann wins the fight by second-round submission.
Light Heavyweight Bout:
ERIC SCHAFER
vs.
ANTONIO MENDES
"The Red"
Nickname
"Samuray"
31
Age
27
6-3
Height
6-3
10-3-2 (2-2-0 UFC)
Record
15-3-0 (0-1-0 UFC)
1 (0 UFC)
KO/TKOs
7
7 (2 UFC)
Submissions
4
3 wins
Streak
1 loss
def. Houston Alexander Fight Night 15 9/17/2008
Last Fight
lost to Thiago Silva UFC 84 5/24/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Schafer dropped off the UFC radar after consecutive losses to Michael Bisping and Stephan Bonnar in 2006-07, but returned last September to submit Houston Alexander. He takes this fight on a month's notice, replacing originally-scheduled Andre Gusmao against Mendes, who recently started training with American Top Team. Mendes may have a striking advantage, but I like Schafer to take him out on the ground with a Round 3 submission.
Sam Caplan: Schafer's mild upset victory over Houston Alexander at UFN 15 gave him a confidence boost and a second shot at life in the UFC. However, he will need to win to stay in. The same could be said for Mendes, who was squashed in his UFC debut against Thiago Silva. Mendes' only meaningful win is against Kirill Sidelnikov, the 20-year-old protege of Fedor Emelianenko. Schafer has fought a much tougher schedule over the years and has vastly more experience inside the Octagon. I expect Schafer to win via unanimous decision.
Todd Martin: Mendes showed solid standup in his UFC debut against Thiago Silva, but quickly buckled under the pressure of Silva when the fight went to the ground. Schafer isn’t as aggressive on the ground as Silva, but he is extremely dangerous in that element. I look for Schafer to take the fight to the ground and secure a submission win.
Ben Fowlkes: Schafer showed his toughness against Houston Alexander, and he's already been in and out of the UFC once and knows that consistent victories is what it takes to stick around. Mendes didn't look good in his only UFC outing, and might be in for another bruising against Schafer. These two seem fairly evenly matched, but I'll go with Schafer via TKO, Round 2.
Gary Herman: Schafer against Mendes pits two guys against each other with completely different styles. Schafer is a submission fighter while Mendes likes to stand and bang. Schafer is coming off a high profile victory over Houston Alexander while Mendes fell to the hard charging Thiago Silva. This fight will not stop the trend. Schafer wins by second-round submission.
Light Heavyweight Bout:
TOMASZ DRWAL
vs.
IVAN SERATI
"Gorilla"
Nickname
"Il Terribile"
26
Age
34
6-0
Height
6-1
14-2-0 (0-1-0 UFC)
Record
10-2-0 (UFC debut)
8
KO/TKOs
7
4
Submissions
2
1 loss
Streak
4 wins
lost to Thiago Silva UFC 75 9/8/2007
Last Fight
def. Claudio da Silva No Limits MMA 8/30/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: A native of Poland, Drwal drew the short straw in his UFC debut in Sept. 2007, getting paired up with Thiago Silva for a fight he lost via TKO. Serati makes his UFC debut in this bout, which should turn into a slugfest early, as both fighters' records are heavily decorated with first-round KO/TKO wins. That kind of fight can go either way, but I predict Drwal, with superior cardio, will win by TKO in Round 2.
Sam Caplan: Tough call here as this is pretty much an even matchup. Anyone who bets this fight and doesn't have the last name Serati or Drwal is probably the same kind of person who bets preseason hockey. Both Drawl and Serati like to bang but being that Serati boxed professionally in Italy, I am going to give him the slight edge. Then again, Alessio Sakara boxed professionally in Italy and we all see how far that's gotten him. Serati via second-round TKO.
Todd Martin: Drwal was given a tough UFC debut opponent in Thiago Silva, and now he’ll get a bit of an easier challenge. Assuming Drwal’s knee injury is fully recovered, he should finish Serati with strikes.
Ben Fowlkes: Neither one of these guys has a ton of high-level experience, but at least Drwal has set foot inside the Octagon before, even if it was in a losing effort. He must know that he can't afford to lose another, and I like him to pull out a victory over Serati.
Gary Herman: Drwal knocked out six of seven opponents before losing his UFC debut to Thiago Silva (another Silva victim). Serati has not fought any top caliber opponents yet in his career. However, he is from Italy. And Drwal is from Poland. The fight takes place in Ireland. Any questions as to why the fight is on this UFC card? I’ll take Drwal by first-round KO since he’ll be better prepared for the UFC cage.
Welterweight Bout:
TOM EGAN
vs.
JOHN HATHAWAY
"The Tank"
Nickname
"The Hitman"
20
Age
21
5-11
Height
n/a
3-0-0 (UFC debut)
Record
9-0-0 (UFC debut)
2
KO/TKOs
4
0
Submissions
3
3 wins
Streak
9 wins
def. Jonny Shiels The Colliseum 9/7/2008
Last Fight
def. Jack Mason Cage Rage 28 9/20/2008
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Somebody's "0" must go here, as both fighters make their UFC debuts with spotless records. That cancels out the "Octagon jitters" factor to an extent, but England's Hathaway still has triple the MMA experience of Ireland's Egan, whose first pro bout wasn't even a year ago. Egan has a puncher's chance, but I like Hathaway to exploit his experience edge and win via first-round TKO, to the chagrin of Egan's hometown crowd.
Sam Caplan: I am not going to fake it, my exposure to both Egan and Hathaway has been very limited. Both fighters are undefeated and from what I've been told, both were discovered in London during tryouts for the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter -- which begs the question: why are they advancing directly to the UFC? If you're looking for a technical breakdown, I've got nothing for you. However, I am picking Hathaway based on the fact that he's vastly more experienced and will be competing in his home country.
Todd Martin: It’s England vs. Ireland in Dublin, and one wonders why UFC doesn’t make these sorts of matchups in the UK more often. The fans will likely be in Egan’s corner, but Hathaway is further along as a mixed martial artist. I expect Hathaway to score an exciting decision victory.
Ben Fowlkes: Even Egan is surprised to find himself, with only four pro fights to his credit, in the UFC. Hathaway is more experience but still far from a veteran, though between two fairly green fighters it could make all the difference. Hathaway by TKO, first round.
Gary Herman: Egan has been professionally active for less than one year. Hathaway is a three-year veteran that has fought almost exclusively for Cage Rage. Like Drwal against Serati, this is a fight of two Europeans. The UFC loves to stock the international cards with international fighters. Egan hasn’t let a fighter out of the second round, and Hathaway will be no exception. I look for Egan to score the first-round KO.
Lightweight Bout:
DENNIS SIVER
vs.
NATE MOHR
n/a
Nickname
n/a
29
Age
25
5-7
Height
5-9
12-6-0 (1-3-0 UFC)
Record
8-5-0 (1-2-0 UFC)
3 (1 UFC)
KO/TKOs
5 (0 UFC)
7 (0 UFC)
Submissions
2 (0 UFC)
1 win
Streak
1 loss
def. Chas Jacquier Tempel Mix Fight Gala VII 10/25/2008
Last Fight
lost to Manny Gamburyan UFC 79 12/29/2007
Writers' Picks
Denny Burkholder: Mohr hasn't stepped into the Octagon in over a year, having suffered a knee injury in his loss to Manny Gamburyan at UFC 79. Mohr is historically susceptible to submissions. His strength is striking, and with Siver's kickboxing background, this fight will go one of two ways: They swing until someone drops, or Siver attacks Mohr's weakness on the ground for a submission. I predict the latter. Siver via tapout, Round 2.
Sam Caplan: Siver is getting a second shot at the UFC after going 1-3 during his first tour of duty. Siver was a standout wrestler in Germany but the wrestling circuit in Europe pales in comparison to the level of competition in other parts of the world. Mohr hasn't fought since UFC 79 due to injury but as a member of Team Curran, he will be well prepared for his comeback fight. I just see Mohr as a more well-rounded fighter and expect him to win a unanimous decision.
Todd Martin: Neither man is really a UFC caliber fighter, as their collective 2-5 UFC record suggests. Siver holds the narrow edge because Mohr has shown a vulnerability to submissions and Siver has a good submission game. A Siver win will likely mean no more of Mohr in UFC.
Ben Fowlkes: Neither of these guys has had much luck in the UFC. It's got to be do-or-die for both of them, considering that you can't fall much farther than the bottom of an undercard that features so many newcomers and still stay in the UFC. That said, I think Siver has more potential and will prove to be the better fighter. Let's say Siver by second-round submission.
Gary Herman: Mohr’s last fight ended when Mohr suffered a brutal leg injury at the hands of Manny Gamburyan. Mohr is almost strictly a stand-up fighter, and he is very vulnerable to submissions. All of Mohr’s five losses have been by tap out. Unfortunately for Mohr, Siver is a submission fighter. I look for the Siver victory by first-round submission.
Writer's Prediction Records for 2009:
Records through Jan. 9, 2009.
Denny Burkholder: --
Sam Caplan: --
Todd Martin: --
Ben Fowlkes: --
Gary Herman: --
2008 Records:
Includes every predicted fight of 2008.
Denny Burkholder: 147-67 (68.69%)
Sam Caplan: 138-64 (68.32%)
Todd Martin: 143-71 (66.82%)
Ben Fowlkes: 126-68 (64.95%)
Gregg Doyel: 126-77 (62.07%)
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. 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. Gary Herman is an MMA contributor for CBSSports.com and other publications.
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Denny Burkholder: Dan Henderson is among the very, very best in terms of total MMA skills and flat-out toughness. Franklin gets a lot of credit for his striking, but the fact is, his ability to keep fights standing is what allows him to showcase that. It's not like he'll be a lame duck if Henderson takes him to the mat, nor would Henderson necessarily lose if the fight stays upright. Henderson has yet to be KOed, and for a guy that's fought Rampage, Wanderlei and "The Spider," that is saying something. This is a very hard call, but I'm picking Henderson by split decision.
Sam Caplan: Henderson had a big first round against Anderson Silva last year and then fell a part. Even though the former PRIDE middleweight and welterweight champion bounced back against Rousimar Palhares, I still can't get that image out of my head. I also can't help but wonder whether Henderson is going to try and stand with Franklin. If he does, I think that could be a mistake. Henderson has knockout power in both of his fists, but Franklin is the more technical striker. Henderson needs to get the fight to the ground but I think Franklin's takedown defense is good enough that he will keep the fight standing. Franklin via unanimous decision.
Todd Martin: This is one of those fights where if they fought 10 times, each man might win five. It’s a close, even matchup between two very solid fighters. Both are good strikers. Henderson has the edge in pure wrestling, but Franklin is a very good MMA wrestler. Both are very hard to submit. If this fight goes to a decision, it is likely that there will be some very hard rounds to score. Ultimately I favor Franklin because throughout his career he has found ways to pull out wins while Henderson has dropped fights that he shouldn’t have.
Ben Fowlkes: People forget that Rich Franklin hasn't been beaten by anyone not named Anderson Silva for over five years, and even then the loss came against Lyoto Machida. The point here is that "Ace" is still a very skilled and extremely well-rounded fighter. As long as he can avoid being outwrestled for three rounds I like his chances to pick Henderson apart on the feet and earn a clear-cut decision victory.
Gary Herman: Had this fight been made a few years back, the match-up would have been a blockbuster rather than a main event on a forgettable card. Franklin and Henderson both have had some recent losses, but they still remain at the top of the light heavyweight (or middleweight) rankings. Franklin’s got a slight advantage striking, and Henderson has never been afraid to stand and trade with anyone. The big advantage is if (when) the fight goes to the ground. Franklin is underrated but still not at Henderson’s level. Henderson has never been knocked out, and Franklin will not break the streak. In a close fight, I’ll take Henderson by unanimous decision.
