UFC 97

The UFC comes in with a killer card and... I will be in OKC looking at houses. Fun.

Anyway:
Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman (Lightweight)
Stout lost his last fight by decision to Terry Etim.
Handsome Matt Wiman lost his last fight to Jim Miller by decision.
Look for Wiman to take Stout down almost immediately. From there Wiman's better wrestling and BJJ should get him the win. Matt by decision.

Ryo Chonan vs. T.J. Grant (Welterweight)
Chonan beat Brad Blackburn by decision his last time out.
Grant is a new comer to the UFC. He is a submission factory pumping out all kinds of awesomeness going 13-2 with 12 of his wins by submission. I like to see that!
Despite his resume, I don't think that Grant is going to beat Chonan, the last guy to beat Anderson Silva, on the ground. This should be a technical ground battle with lots of sweeps and position changes. In the end I think Chonan will come out on top. Chonan by decision.

Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden (Lightweight)
ATT fighter Bocek won his last fight over Alvin Robinson by decision.
Bielkheden (how do you pronounce that? I don't like to perpetuate the stereotype of the American mush mouth with unfamiliar names, but holly crap) a BTT fighter, beat Jess Liaudin by decision his last time in the cage.
Again we have two BJJ guys going at it. The weird thing is that these guys could have the exact same style. Both guys use position to pound out their opponents, and both guys seem to fold under more aggressive opponents. Tough call... Bielkheden does have the cooler name, but I think that Bocek has been training with the better team. Bocek by decision.

David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman (Middleweight)
The Crow is back in the UFC!! The man with the elbows won his last fight in an other organization, against UFC vet Solomon Hutcherson by KO.
Ed Herman... This guy is still around? Ed lost his last fight by Split Decision to Alan Belcher.
Herman has floundered in the UFC lately and Loiseau will feel like he has come home... well I guess he is home, this UFC is in Canada. Anywhoo, this shouldn't be much of a contest. Loiseau by KO second round.

Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry (Middleweight)
After being embarrassed by Wilson Gouveia in his last fight, Jason MacDonald tries to regain some respect.
Nate Quarry was choked out by Demian Maia his last time out, BUT since Damian Mia is a damn superhero, we really can't blame Nate for loosing.
This should be a very entertaining fight. MacDonald will try to get the fight to the ground. He has to. That is the only place where he can win. All Nate has to do is avoid the takedown. I think that he is up to the task. Nate's pinpoint accurate standup style will frustrate, dominate, then destroy Jason as the fight progresses. Nate by KO from strikes on the ground mid third round.

Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam (Middleweight)
Kang... so much potential, so disappointing. Kang came in to the UFC, gassed out, then was easily choked out by Alan Belcher. Kang competed in a Pride tournament, and fought his last fight one armed, and didn't gas. He couldn't last two rounds in the UFC???
Xavier Foupa-Pokam easily wins the coolest name in the universe prize. This will be Foupa-Pokam's first fight in the UFC after he tore through competition in Europe. He won his last fight by flying knee to the body over Kyacey Uscola (I don't know who that guy is either...)
Ok, let's face facts. Kang trains with the better team, has more experience, fought in bigger shows, and has faced better opposition than Foupa-Pokam. After his last performance, Kang should be looking to redeem himself. It looks like the UFC wants him to redeem himself, because they gave him a n00b out of Europe. Most likely Foupa-Pokam will come flying out of his corner and attempt to land a flying strike of some kind. Kang should be able to counter and exploit. Kang by KO first round.

Eliot Marshall vs. Vinny Magalhaes (Light Heavyweight)
Marshall won his debut in the UFC over Jules Bruchez by RNC.
Magalhaes called Nog's BJJ old then got his ass handed to him by Ryan Bader. Oh yeah, he supposedly is one of the best BJJ fighters in the universe. I remain skeptical.
Vinny should be the bigger fighter in this contest, he normally fights at 220lbs. That advantage should allow him to control the fight on the ground, it will go to the ground, and get the win. Vinny by armbar first round. If it is a flying armbar I will dance naked around my house.

Steve Cantwell vs. Luis Arthur Cane (Light Heavyweight)
Catwell beat Razak Al-Hassan by armbar last time out.
Cane knocked Sokoudjou in to last week in his last fight.
Bad bad bad match up for Catwell. On the feet Cane has lots of power and good placement. On the ground Cane is BJJ black belt. I don't see where Cantwell has any advantage. I hope we get to see the open palmed slap again... Cane by KO second round.

Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk (Heavyweight)
Kongo beat Mustapha al Turk by KO last fight.
Hardonk beat Mike Wessel by KO last fight.
It is easy to see why the UFC made this match up. Both guys throw leather. If you want to see KOs, this is the fight you make. Heavy kicks. Heavy hands. Everything heavy. I think that Hardonk actually has the advantage though. He is slightly heavier and has a big reach advantage. That reach edge will be the edge in this fight, if Hardonk doesn’t get stupid and try to take Kongo down. Hardonk by KO late second/early third.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann
Krzysztof won his last fight by Kimura over Shane Primm.
Former WEC Lightweight Champion Stann lost by KO to Steve Cantwell.
This is a bad match up for Stann. Stann is still very new to the MMA game and tends to rush his opponents in an attempt to overwhelm them. This worked well against most opposition in the WEC, but really won't do well for him in the UFC. Krzysztof is a better version of Shane Primm, the guy who took Stann's belt in the WEC. Krzysztof has great striking, excellent submissions and solid game planning. Stann just wades in and tries to bash your head in. If he is smart Krzysztof will take Stann down and finish him on the ground. Krzysztof by triangle first round.

Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua (Light Heavyweight)
Chuck was nearly decapitated by Rashad Evans in his last fight.
Rua kind of beat an old man that the UFC found looking for change outside of the Hard Rock Las Vegas in his last fight.
If Rua looks like he did in Pride, this fight won't go more than 3 minutes. If Rua comes out and looks like he did in his last two UFC fights, this fight won't go more than three minutes. I am guessing that Chuck will be in good shape and ready to go. Chuck by KO first round.

Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites (Middleweight Championship Fight)
Silva "won" against Patrick Cote in his last fight. Cote hurt his knee, giving Silva the win.
Thales Leites choked out Drew McFedries his last time in the cage.
This is an interesting fight. If it goes to the ground I think that Leites has the advantage there. On the feet, obviously Silva has the advantage.
Against Travis Luter, Anderson really did not try to stuff any takedown attempt and was content to fight off of his back. I don't think that is a good game plan against Leites. As dominate he has been, I think that this is a fight that Silva could loose, but only if Leites plays the right game. If he comes out and tries to aggressively manhandle Silva, Anderson will knock him out. If Leites stays to the outside and throws the double leg after a right hand feint he could get Anderson to the ground and win the fight there. Good fight, tough call... My gut tells me Anderson by KO in the second.