> UFC 118 Quick Picks

Past Predictions (UFC 100-102, 104-111, 113-114, 117, UFC on VERSUS 1-2): 89-80-1
Last Card: 7-4

PRELIMS
Mike Pierce def. Amilcar Alves
Nick Osipczak def. Greg Soto
Dan Miller def. John Salter

SPIKE PRELIMS
Andre Winner def. Nik Lentz
Gabe Ruediger def. Joe Lauzon

MAIN CARD
Nate Diaz def. Marcus Davis
Kenny Florian def. Gray Maynard
Demian Maia def. Mario Miranda
Randy Couture def. James Toney
Frankie Edgar def. BJ Penn to retain UFC LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

>UFC 109 Quick Pics

UFC Predictions (100-102, 104-108) 38-47-1 - last card: 5-5

Rolles Gracie vs. Joey Beltran
~Gracie by 1st Round Submission

Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer
~Tuchscherer by 2nd Round TKO

Brian Stann vs. Phil Davis
~Stann by 2nd Round TKO

Rob Emerson vs. Phillipe Nover
~Emerson by Split Decision

Melvin Guillard vs. Ronnys Torres
~Guillard by 2nd Round KO

Mac Danzig vs. Justin Bucholz
~Bucholz by Unanimous Decision

Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg
~Serra by 2nd Round Submission

Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller
~Maia by 1st Round TKO

Paulo Thiago vs. Mike Swick
~Mike Swick by 2nd Round TKO

Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen
~UPSET SPECIAL: Sonnen by 2nd Round Submission

Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman
~Randy Couture by 2nd Round KO

>UFC 105 Predictions

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

> UFC 102 Predictions

Prediction record (UFC 100 and on): 6-16

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Randy Couture
This will probably be one of the historically most boring UFC main events ever, though it will remain close for the same reason: they are too old. Unless something was randomly and crucially wrong with Nogueira in his last fight, a loss to Frank Mir, then he's done long before he ever steps in the cage with Couture. Randy is out of heavyweight title contention in my mind and this should be his last fight in the division. The big guys are just too big for The Natural at this point and he can still draw in some never before seen fights at 205. Couture/Griffin? Couture/Rampage? A loss could end Big Nog's UFC career officially, but I for one think it is already long over.
-Couture by split decision

Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
One of the most tempramental fighters in terms of his consistency, Jardine needs another highlight reel finish in order to possibly ever get a 205 title fight. Silva can climb several rungs on the ladder with a win while Jardine could establish himself as one of the next contenders in the Division behind Rampage and Rashad Evans. Silva's danger comes in the fact that he really does not have as much to lose as Jardine, but just as much to gain.
-Jardine by Round 2 KO

Jake Rosholt vs. Chris Leben
If Leben wants to remain relevant, he needs this win. He will always be a name because of his Ultimate Fighter time and a bigger name because of those outrageous TUF exploites. But as a UFC fighter, he has been super inconsistent. Leben runs the risk of getting frustrated and caught or frustrated and decisioned if Rosholt wants to just lay around in guard. Leben's best hope is to take the relative UFC newcomer out of his game plan and have Rosholt stand and slug. With Leben's iron chin, this would be Rosholt's worst idea ever.
-Leben by Round 2 TKO

Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia
Snorefest potential here if Maia is too worried about getting to the ground and won't stand with Nate at all. However, he can't stand long or he will get knocked out. I think Maia is just too versed, best BJJ fighter in UFC or not. My hope is that Maia wouldn't go straight to Anderson Silva with a win and would instead face Dan Henderson in a contender fight. Maybe then we'll see Marquardt/Bisping?
-Maia by Round 2 Submission

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brandon Vera
The only time Soszynski has not been underrated is when he was on The Ultimate Fighter and was considered a favorite before an upset loss. Being an underdog suits him so much better and he's stronger when fighting for something, not expected to succeed. And Vera packs a much bigger talk than punch. Forget what we all may think, Vera believes he has this wrapped and that is what will get him caught. Vera stronger throughout but not in the crunch.
-Soszynski by Round 3 Submission

Gabe Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer
Chris is another debuting heavyweight who is no joke. He is 17-1 and trains with Brock Lesnar. But really, let's not forget that Gonzaga is a legit former world champ. This isn't exactly a crapshoot, but it will be a barn burner.
-Tuchscherer by Round 2 TKO

Mike Russow vs. Justin McCully
The heavywight division is getting thick quick, as seen with the debuting Russow, a winner of his last seven, and veteran McCully. Another crapshoot that will end up showing what experience against the biggest and best can do.
-McCully in Round 3 by TKO

Tim Hague vs. Todd Duffee
I admitedly know little about Hague but Duffee, making his UFC debut, is a beast. In a semi-recent Fight! Magazine article, he was highly praised by one of his trainers Rory Singer and has never dissapointed in his four fights. Quick and painful end to Hague's night ahead.
-Duffee by Round 1 KO

Nick Catone vs. Mark Munoz
This contest could be very boring or highly intense. These two former Division I wrestlers will get boo'd out of Portland if they go to the ground. But in this scenerio, some wrestlers by trade will swing for the fences just for a change of expectation. This is one of the most evenly matched fights on the card.
-Catone by Unanimous decision

Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham
Is Aurelio going to be on his game? That is the deciding factor here because he is more experienced and plain better than Dunham. If he's not on, I still doubt that Dunham, a finisher by trade, will actually finish him.
-Aurelio by 2nd Round TKO

Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson
Quick and easy for me here. I was never THAT impressed with Ed Herman and he is far from even the same fighter he was during his Ultimate Fighter days.
-Simpson by unanimous decision