Let me start with two things. First off, I see Brits winning seven bouts on this card because they are just that energized usually by the home crowd. And second, it is a shame the Demarques Johnson fight got pulled because I really wanted to see him get boo'd from the building.
UFC Predictions (100-102, 104): 14-30 - last card: 6-5
PRELIMS
Andre Winner def. Rolando Delgado
2nd Round TKO
Alexander Gustafsson def. Jared Hamman
Unanimous Decision
Paul Kelly def. Dennis Silver
Unanimous Decision
Nick Osipczak def. Matthew Riddle
2nd Round TKO
Shannon Gugerty def. Terry Etim
Split Decision
Paul Taylor def. John Hathaway
3rd Round Submission
MAIN CARD
Ross Pearson vs. Aaron Riley
Riley has finally gotten over the Shane Nelson hump, but will find a much better Ultimate Fighter alum in Pearson, one of the winners of the the dominating UK team...not that Riley himself is a pushover. What will make all the difference here are two things: 1. Riley overcame Nelson to avenge an earlier loss, so he is currently in a moderately satisfied state while Pearson is one of the most hungry current UFC young guns...and 2. Just like all these Prelim matches beforehand, there is never a bigger home crowd than the Brits and this could pull them to 5-1.
-Pearson by 3rd Round TKO
James Wilks vs. Matt Brown
If the last match was not enough of a grind, these two are going to have one. While yes, Wilks won TUF with a rear naked choke, I expect this to be ONE OF the best slugfests since Griffin/Bonner. Not as good of a match, but these are just two work horses who are going to slug it out for a win.
-Wilks by Unanimous Decision
Denis Kang vs. Michael Bisping
If a loss to Dan Henderson qualifies someone to be "on the verge of losing his contract with another loss," then we should start asking Zuffa to can some people now. I am not sure why people are allowing ONE punch in ONE fight to sway them from Michael Bisping. The man has lost just two fights IN HIS CAREER. And both of those have come to former UFC champions in Henderson and Rashad Evans. He went from being the next possible contender to the Middleweight crown to a guy on the verge of getting cut? Give me a break. Let's not forget who the real Michael Bisping is. Before that last to Henderson, he was a gritty, smart, full of wit, agile fighter who always took his opponents out of their game plan to play into his hands. There is NO legit reason to believe that has changed. They say his chin will never be the same? Well to know that, someone would have to get close enough to test it, not something he has allowed a lot of in his career. Bottom line is this, that yes with a loss maybe the UFC should cut Michael Bisping, but only because Denis Kang, skilled as he may be, is not in The Count's league. There is a reason the UFC didn't let Bisping headline in the UK...because they gave him one of the most powder opponents he has had since TUF3. I love the Bisping head game decision wins, but I hope he makes a statement here just to shut people up.
-Bisping by 2nd Round KO
Mike Swick vs. Dan Hardy
I don't have as much to say here but this: Mike Swick is right. He has worked harder, longer, and fought more people. Dan Hardy doesn't deserve this spot or a potential shot at GSP. That said, I have never liked Swick since his original TUF days and I do enjoy Hardy; I just think he is in over his head here with a more intelligent fighter.
-Mike Swick by 2nd Round Submission
Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera
Any idea what to think heading into this one? Anybody?.....Hello?....yeah, me too. Fact is that the loser here takes a HUGE step backward and it is unlikely either could ever come back from that big of a drop off. The Natural's career is winding down and every loss makes it look shorter and shorter. He looked ok against Lesnar and manageable against Big Nog. But he hasn't, in those fights, looked like the Hall of Famer that he is. So why keep embarrassing yourself? Vera, he is damn lucky he gets to fight someone the calibar of Captain America. So a loss will possibly just throw him back into semi-retirement. It's a hell of a tossup, but Couture is so hard to go against with his back against the wall. Hope he comes out swinging.
-Couture by 3rd Round TKO
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