411’s MMA Roundtable Preview: UFC 108

Posted by Dan Plunkett on 01.01.2010

The UFC comes home to Las Vegas to kick off 2010! In the main event, Rashad Evans takes on Thiago Silva. Also, Paul Daley goes for a knockout against Dustin Hazelett, Junior dos Santos and Gilbert Yvel do battle, Joe Lauzon returns against Sam Stout, and much more! Check out the full column for all the details!



WELCOME:
The UFC kicks off 2010 with seven fights guaranteed to be aired, 2 of which free on Spike TV. Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva will look to move one step closer to a rematch against champion Lyoto Machida when they meet in the main event. Also, submission wizard Dustin Hazelett takes on devastating striker Paul Daley, Junior dos Santos takes on Gilbert Yvel, Joe Lauzon returns against Sam Stout, Jim Miller takes on Duane Ludwig, and much more! Before we meet the 411 staff and get onto the picks, it should be noted that this will be the first event where their picks will count. At the end of the year the staff member with the best record will be crowned champion and receive a basket with an assortment of fruits as their prize.

THE STAFF:

From the Cardio Freak MMA News Report, Jeremy Lambert!

From 411 Movies/TV, Games, and multiple MMA interviews, Jeffrey Harris!

From the Juggernaut MMA News Report, Jonathan Solomon!

You know him from TBerg's Top 10 and Tapping out with TBerg, Todd Bergman!

From The Rear Naked Column, Samer Kadi!

From the MMA Legacy, Bill Wannop!

And from The Greatest MMA News Column, Dan Plunkett!



THE PRELIMINARY CARD:
Lightweight Bout: Rafaello Oliveira vs. John Gunderson

Jeremy Lambert: Oliveria, Submission, Round Two
Jeffrey Harris: Oliveria, Submission, Round One
Jonathan Solomon: John Gunderson, Decision
Todd Bergman: Rafaello Oliveira, Decision
Samer Kadi: Rafaello Oliveira, Unanimous Decision.
Bill Wannop: Gunderson, Submission, Rd 2
Dan Plunkett: Oliveira, Submission, Round 3
The staff picks Rafaello Oliveira, 5-2.

Welterweight Bout: Mike Pyle vs. Jake Ellenberger

Jeremy Lambert: Ellenberger, Decision
Jeffrey Harris: Ellenberger, Decision
Jonathan Solomon: Mike Pyle, Submission, Round 3
Todd Bergman: Mike Pyle, Submission, 2nd Round
Samer Kadi: Jake Ellenberger, Unanimous Decision.
Bill Wannop: Pyle, Unanimous Decision
Dan Plunkett: Ellenberger, Unanimous Decision
The staff picks Jake Ellenberger, 4-3.

Middleweight Bout: Mark Munoz vs. Ryan Jensen

Jeremy Lambert: Munoz, Decision
Jeffrey Harris: Munoz, Decision
Jonathan Solomon: Mark Munoz, Decision
Todd Bergman: Mark Munoz, Decision
Samer Kadi: Mark Munoz, Unanimous Decision.
Bill Wannop: Munoz, TKO, Rd 3
Dan Plunkett: Munoz, Decision
The staff picks Mark Munoz, 7-0.

THE SPIKE TV CARD:
Lightweight Bout: Cole Miller vs. Dan Lauzon

Jeremy Lambert: Dan Lauzon is making his UFC re-debut in this fight while Cole Miller is coming off a tough loss to Efrain Escudero. Both of these fighters specialize in jiu-jitsu, which means this thing could turn into a stand up battle. If it does, I give the edge to Miller because he's the overall striker and his size and reach gives him an advantage on the feet. If it hits the ground things could turn into a wash although I once again favor Miller because of his length. This fight has the potential to resemble Miller vs. Gurgel from UFC 86 and that wouldn't be a bad thing.

Winner: Miller, Submission, Round Two

Jeffrey Harris: A definitely good looking fight on paper, and Lauzon doesn't have to fight a guy who has a street style called "Hood" this time. I strongly favor Miller's submission work in this fight and think he will pull it out in the third round.

The Winner: Miller, Submission, Round Three

Jonathan Solomon: Cole Miller is back after having been knocked out by Efrain Escudero (ironic since Junie Browning knocked Escudero on TUF 8 for being a "boring wrestler" and Browning was choked out by Miller). Dan Lauzon is back in the UFC and looking to improve after losing to Spencer Fisher as an 18-year old. Lauzon is a good striker but will be dealing with an experienced Jiu-Jitsu practitioner that may give him problems. After seeing Miller get blasted in his last fight, part of me thinks Lauzon can repeat history. However, Miller is a dangerous fighter who is fighting a man who has had just one fight against a big name opponent and he did not do well. I'll go with the Brothers Lauzon being victorious to kick off 2010.

Winner: Dan Lauzon, Decision

Todd Bergman: Up until his last fight, I would've listed Cole Miller as the favorite in this fight; however, his KO loss has me worried about the fighting future of the former Tapping Out With TBerg guest. Even though Dan Lauzon usually finds himself wrapped up in some sort of submission, he always finds a way out. This fight goes to the 3rd round, but ultimately Lauzon claims another KO victory as Cole Miller finds his way to another fighting company.

Winner: Dan Lauzon, TKO, 3rd round

Samer Kadi: Dan Lauzon makes his return to the UFC to take on Cole Miller, coming off a knockout loss to Efrain Escudero. Lauzon relies on his ground skills and top game to dominate opponents while his striking is kind of sub par. Unfortunately for him, not only is Miller better on the feet, he is more dangerous on the ground and will likely neutralize anything Lauzon will bring to the table. While Lauzon is riding a big winning streak, all of those wins came against mediocre competition while Miller is proven against some of the upper echelon of lightweights.

Winner: Cole Miller, Unanimous Decision.

Bill Wannop: Well Cole Miller lost earlier in his career to older brother Joe Lauzon, and I don't see Dan faring any different. Dan Lauzon has been on a roll defeated his last 8 opponents by submission or TKO, so look for him to continue that here with a TKO of Cole Miller.

Winner: Lauzon, TKO, Rd 1

Dan Plunkett: I think this will be a close fight that can go either way. I'm going to give a slight edge to the BJJ brown belt Cole Miller though.

Winner: Miller, Submission, Round 2

The staff picks Cole Miller, 4-3.

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Welterweight Bout: Martin Kampmann vs. Jacob Volkmann

Jeremy Lambert: Both fighters are looking to rebound after losses with Kampmann getting destroyed by Paul Daley and Volkmann losing a decision to Paulo Thiago. Kampmann is primarily a striker who is very technical, can take a hell of a punch, but lacks power. His ground game is also very good with half his UFC wins coming by submission. Kampmann's biggest weakness is Volkmann's biggest strength though and that's wrestling. Kampmann's takedown defense is mediocre at best so anytime Volkmann wants to try and put him on his back, he shouldn't have too much trouble in doing so. I think Kampmann catches Volkmann on the feet early, possibly with a knee or uppercut as Volkmann comes in, and this one ends quick.

Winner: Kampmann, TKO, Round One

Jeffrey Harris: Volkmann made his UFC debut recently against Paulo Thiago and did show some raw impressive skills, and some good wrestling and ground work, but he failed to really pull it all together. He was strong enough to give Thiago problems, and I think it will be similar in the case of Kampmann who has been training with some good wrestlers and submission artists for this fight. I think the fight will go similarly to the Thiago fight, but Kampmann will dominate and grind it out.

The Winner: Kampmann, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Volkmann is a grappler through and through, his striking leaves a lot to be desired. He has never won a fight due to strikes as his 9-1 record is due to six submissions with three decisions. Kampmann is a good, well-rounded fighter with superior striking and solid grappling. He went up against noted BJJ ace Thales Leites in 2006 and won a decision. Kampmann should be able to control the fight and take Volkmann apart on their feet.

Winner: Martin Kampmann, TKO, Round 2

Todd Bergman: This isn't the most favorable bounce-back fight for Kampmann because Volkmann can wrestle and Martin's wrestling can be suspect at times. In his last fight with Paulo Thiago, Volkmann was strong in the beginning but his conditioning failed him toward the end of the fight. The same thing will happen in this fight as Kampmann slowly begins to work his game plan of big strikes mixed with takedowns. Those things will be enough to score a decision victory for "The Hitman."

Winner: Martin Kampmann, Decision

Samer Kadi: Following a close decision loss to Paulo Thiago, Jacob Volkmann returns to the Octagon on short notice to take on Martin Kampmann. While Volkmann is undeniably talented, I can't help but feel this bout is a little too soon for him, and the fact that he's taking it on short notice does little to help his case. Volkmann does hold the edge in wrestling, something that historically has been a problem for Kampmann. He will also be the more explosive fighter and should be able to put "The Hitman" on his back at one point or another. And while Kampmann's submission skills are underrated, they all have come from top position. With that said, I don't see Volkmann holding him down for a significant period of time as Kampmann knows how to scramble back up to his feet, where he holds a big edge. Paulo Thiago managed to drop Volkmann in their fight, and Kampmann's striking is far more dangerous. After two competitive but decisive rounds for Kampmann, I see him putting Volkmann away with strikes in the third.

Winner: Martin Kampmann, TKO, Round 3.

Bill Wannop: This should be an action packed fight but it seems like Kampmann seems to get caught up in the excitement of the fight and leaves openings. I look for Volkmann to exploit one of those openings and submit him

Winner: Volkmann, Submission, Rd 3

Dan Plunkett: Volkmann showed a lot of holes in his striking game against Paulo Thiago, I think Kampmann knows this and will capitalize on it during the fight.

Winner: Martin Kampmann, TKO, Round 1

The staff picks Martin Kampmann, 6-1.

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THE MAIN CARD:
Heavyweight Bout: Junior dos Santos vs. Gilbert Yvel

Jeremy Lambert: This should be an explosive striking battle with both fighters having a kickboxing background and KO power. Dos Santos has proven himself to be for real after KO'ing Fabricio Werdum in his UFC debut while Yvel is a fight veteran who is making his UFC debut. I give a slight edge to dos Santos on the feet just because he's less likely to gas himself two minutes into the fight and Yvel has a suspect chin. If the fight hits the ground then dos Santos has a big advantage as he trains with the Nogueira Brothers and Rodrigo Nogueira claims that dos Santos gives him fits on the ground. I think dos Santos will show off his ground skills in this fight, knowing Yvel is very weak on the ground, and submit Yvel.

Winner: Junior dos Santos, Submission, Round Two

Jeffrey Harris: On paper this is definitely a fun fight, despite Yvel being seriously outmatched here against the Nogueira protege, dos Santos. Yvel's a hard striker, but he's really only looked good against weaker competition in my humble opinion like a very over the hill Pedro Rizzo. I think this could be a nice little scrap in the first round before dos Santos takes care of business in the second. Yvel's got an interesting cult following and a lot of experience in MMA, but he's more or less a journeyman than a true heavy hitter.

Winner: Junior dos Santos, TKO, Round Two

Jonathan Solomon: Yvel is known as one of the most infamous fighters in the sports history, and rightfully so. His behavior in the past was downright despicable. The UFC needed to fill out the card and was willing to give Yvel a chance. Junior dos Santos will not be as a gracious. While he may not have a black belt in BJJ, dos Santos supposedly does well against Big Nog when training together. That tells me, the man is talented well beyond what we have seen from him in his young UFC career. Yvel is no pushover, but he is not anywhere near the list of top contenders in the heavyweight division. This should not be a tough fight for the Brazilian.

Winner: Junior dos Santos, TKO, Round 1

Todd Bergman: I have to question the idea of including Yvel in the UFC due to his past transgressions. Gilbert does have a puncher's chance and he could greatly influence the UFC's Heavyweight Title future, but, frankly, I don't see that happening in this fight. Yvel will be looking for the big one-punch that won't come in this fight as dos Santos uses his superior boxing to control and frustrate Yvel for the entire fight. Junior should be challenging for the title within the next two fights. If he doesn't, it's going to be a huge mistake, the likes only Werdum could understand.

Winner: Junior dos Santos, Decision

Samer Kadi: In a battle between two truly elite level strikers, at least by MMA standards, Gilbert Yvel makes his UFC debut against Brazilian sensation Junior Dos Santos, fresh off his destruction of Mirko Cro Cop. For those unfamiliar with Yvel, he possesses devastating Muay Thai and 31 of his 36 victories have come via (T)KO. His ground game on the other hand, is severely lacking. Training with the Nogueiras, Dos Santos could take the safe road and take Yvel down but given his confidence in his striking, I doubt we'll see that happen. Dos Santos is younger, faster, more explosive and has better hands. Not only that, but he did display some great clinch work in his fight with Cro Cop. With Yvel, it's always a case of where his mind is. I doubt that we'll see him knocking referees out, but taking the fight on short notice, I question both his mental and physical preparation. If he performs to the best of his abilities, we could have quite a compelling battle on our hands. I don't see that happening however, and I think Dos Santos will use his superior boxing on his way to a second round stoppage.

Winner: Junior Dos Santos, TKO, Round 2.

Bill Wannop: This fight should be a slugfest, but I am not sure I believe the hype behind dos Santos. He has beaten some name opponents in Werdum and Crocop, but I am not sure if that is because of the skill of dos Santos or the overlooking or decline of skills of Werdum and Crocop respectively. Gilbert Yvel is a veteran of the sport and simply knocks people out and has shown that he has amazing heart. I see another nice KO for Yvel.

Winner: Yvel, KO, Rd 1

Dan Plunkett: This is one of the fights I'm most looking forward to on this card. While Dos Santos has the advantage on the ground, I think this will be a stand-up battle that will leave one of the fighters' unconscious on the canvas. I give a slight edge in the striking to Yvel, so I'm going with him here.

Winner: Gilbert Yvel, KO, Round 2

The staff picks Junior dos Santos, 5-2.

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Lightweight Bout: Jim Miller vs. Duane Ludwig

Jeremy Lambert: "The Little Operation" Jim Miller takes on a returning Duane Ludwig in a very winnable fight. We know what to expect from Duane Ludwig. He's nicknamed "Bang" because he'll stand and bang with anyone and because his ground game isn't so hot. Miller on the other hand is a very well rounded fighter with a very good ground game and wrestling. Miller would be foolish to stand with Ludwig given his wrestling background and Ludwig's striking power so I expect him to take this fight to the ground immediately. On the ground Miller will work some ground and pound and submissions. Ludwig has been around long enough to know how to survive but Miller will just be too much for him on the ground

Winner: Jim Miller, Submission, Round One

Jeffrey Harris: This fight is a huge opportunity for Miller to make a statement in the lightweight division in going 3-0 since his decision loss to top contender, Gray Maynard. Ludwig won't get Miller into title contention, but Ludwig's experience and list of opponents is definitely impressive and notable. Ludwig's advantage is standing up, while Miller on the other hand is good standing up, on the ground, and with wrestling. Ludwig likes to bang, but Miller also has a good chin and his only losses in his pro MMA career come from decision. I think this will be a good fight, but Miller will grind it out and ultimately take the whole thing.

Winner: Jim Miller, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Duane Ludwig is back in the UFC and has his furious punches with him. He has had some success in the past but he has always failed against top competition (he has lost to Tyson Griffin, Josh Thomson, Takanori Gomi, B.J. Penn and Paul Daley). Jim Miller may not be all that talented in boxing, but he is a strong wrestler, something Ludwig is not. In fact, Ludwig's major weakness is his ground game, because he has a limited one. Although Ludwig should do well if the fight stays standing, I would expect Miller to be able to take him down and grind out a victory.

Winner: Jim Miller, Decision

Todd Bergman: This will be Ludwig's first fight in the UFC since his brutal and embarrassing loss to Jonathon Goulet. He won't have much luck in this fight either as Jim Miller should put on a wrestling clinic. Buckling under the pressure is something that Ludwig has done in the past, so look for Miller to secure a textbook rear naked choke toward the end of the 1st round.

Winner: Jim Miller, Submission, 1st Round

Samer Kadi: Surprise surprise, another bout taken on short notice. This time, it's Duane Ludwig who steps in on two weeks' notice to take on the always game Jim Miller. The match couldn't have been worse for Ludwig, whose heavy hands make him a constant threat at any time in the fight. Of course, his ground game is almost non-existent. And given the fact that it will likely take seconds before Miller puts him on his back, this won't be ending well for Ludwig. On top of being a great wrestler, Miller is a well versed grappler with respectable submission skills. He should hold his own in the stand up as long as the fight stays vertical, but once he takes it to the ground, it becomes a matter of seconds.

Winner: Jim Miller, Submission, Round 1.

Dan Plunkett: This is Miller's fight to lose. I think he should be able to control "Bang" on the ground and finish him there.

Winner: Jim Miller, Submission, Round 2

The staff picks Jim Miller, 6-0.

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Lightweight Bout: Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout

Jeremy Lambert: Joe Lauzon returns to action after almost a year lay off and major knee surgery to take on the dangerous Sam Stout. Stout has a big advantage on the feet as he's one of the most well rounded strikers in the division and has a hell of a chin. Lauzon should be able to hold his own on the feet but he won't want to be stay standing long with Stout. On the ground the fight belongs to Lauzon. He's been training with BJ Penn and has even been labeled as Penn's protege in the fight game, which is a high expectation that Lauzon seems ready to try and live up to. I'm worried about Lauzon's explosiveness and cardio given that this is his first fight back from the layoff and injury but if he can get inside then he'll be able to get the takedown and put Stout away from there.

Winner: Joe Lauzon, Submission, Round Two


Jeffrey Harris: Many fans have trashed this card and say it should be put down, but this remaining fight still intrigues me. Lauzon and Stout have both been very impressive as of late, and I think this fight has a lot of potential to be great. Lauzon hopefully has had time to properly heal and bone up on things in training. Long layoffs can have a negative affect on returning fighters. Stout is extremely tough and a good standup fighter. Lauzon's major advantage will be on the ground. I see Lauzon taking this by submission.

Winner: Joe Lauzon, Submission, Round Two

Jonathan Solomon: Sam Stout is 2-2 in his last four UFC fights, all of which have gone the distance. Stout prefers to strike and does not offer much else on the ground. His best bet will be to stay standing as long as he can and if he's pulled into Lauzon's guard, let the punches fall like the Berlin Wall. Lazuon prefers to fight a ground battle, as the majority of his recent fights have been fought on the ground. Three of his past four wins have come by submission and I'm not sure that Stout can defend his submission attempts long enough to return to his feet and get a knockout.

Winner: Joe Lauzon, Submission, Round 2

Todd Bergman: I don't understand why people would select Sam Stout to win this fight. While he does have KO power, his ground game won't hold up in this bout. Lauzon is the type of fighter that always makes you play his game. Sam is so afraid of the ground game, and one only has to look no farther than his pre-fight comments about Lauzon's awkward style and his submission ability. It becomes only a matter of time before Lauzon enacts that style. Just for the hell of it, I'm going with Lauzon locking on a rear naked choke in the 1st Round.

Winner: Joe Lauzon, Submission, 1st Round

Samer Kadi: In another striker versus grappler bout, Joe Lauzon makes his return after a long layoff to take on Sam Stout. A gifted kickboxer, Stout has shown some deficiencies on the ground, although he now makes up for it with his recently acquired takedown defense. With that said, Lauzon is a fighter who will do anything to take it to the ground, and will not hesitate to pull guard. I think Lauzon can afford to take a few punches on his way in if it means taking it to the mat. From there, it will be a continuous onslaught of submission attempts. While he does go for one too many leg lock attempts that often come at the expense of a position, Lauzon is crafty enough on the mat to recover and transition. At one point or another, Lauzon will be able to take the back or get the mount, where he should be able to end things without too much trouble.

Winner: Joe Lauzon, Submission, Round 2.

Bill Wannop: The older Lauzon takes on Sam Stout here, in what should be another exciting fight. Lauzon is coming off two impressive victories over Kyle Bradley and Jeremy Stephens. While I think Stout is the better striker, and Lauzon the better ground fighter, the winner will be determined by who controls where the fight takes place. I feel that Lauzon will be able to get the fight to the ground and from there he should be able to lock in a submission.

Winner: Lauzon, Submission, Rd 2

Dan Plunkett: Despite this being Lauzon's first fight in nearly a year, I really like him in this fight. I think his ground game, simply put, better than Sam Stouts, which isn't saying very much.

Winner: Joe Lauzon, Submission, Round 2

The staff picks Joe Lauzon, 7-0.

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Welterweight Bout: Dustin Hazelett vs. Paul Daley

Jeremy Lambert: Dustin Hazelett is another fighter returning from a long lay off and major knee surgery to take on Paul Daley who looked like a killer at UFC 103 against Martin Kampmann. I don't worry as much about Hazelett's explosiveness and cardio compared to Lauzon because Hazelett has been through a proper training camp and was ready to fight in November before Karo Parisyan pulled out two days before the fight. Daley's biggest strength is on the feet. He's a very technical and creative striker with KO power in every limb. Hazelett can hold is own on his feet but doesn't have the power to crack Daley's chin and obviously doesn't want to stand too long with Daley due to his power. On the ground, Dustin Hazelett is one of my favorite fighters to watch. He's not technically the best like say BJ Penn or Shinya Aoki but creatively he's certainly in a league of his own. Daley is very weak on the ground as all of his loses have come by way of submission or ground control. If the fight hits the ground, Daley won't last two minutes with everything Hazelett will throw at him. Hazelett doesn't have the wrestling to takedown Daley, who has a decent sprawl, but all he has to do is get inside and get a trip takedown or pull guard. I'll be pulling for Hazelett in the fight but I think Daley catches him on the feet before Hazelett is able to get things to the mat.

Winner: Paul Daley, TKO, Round One

Jeffrey Harris: Just goes to show you how injuries and people flaking out of fights can create even more interesting matchups. Daley made an impressive debut in the UFC by taking out Martin Kampmann. And now he faces rising welterweight, Hazelett. This fight is a very good test to see where Hazelett is, much like the Maia/Marquardt fight was for Maia. Maia, an extremely incredible BJJ artist, got taken out by the more experienced and well rounded veteran workhorse and top middleweight in Marquardt. Hazelett's done very well for himself in the UFC so far, pulling off some impressive submission victories. But is his excellent ground game going to be enough against a banger like Paul Daley? I think it will be, and while I like Daley, I'm not sure about his submission defense since he has five losses coming by way of submission including Jake Shields and Kitaoka. I think if Hazelett works from the ground and his toughness and good chin is in play, he can pull out the victory.

Winner: Dustin Hazelett, Submission, Round One

Jonathan Solomon: Simply put, either Daley will be submitted or Hazelett will be knocked out. There is no in between and I would be surprised if the opposite results came to fruition. Paul Daley is a strong striker with a background in Muay Thai. Whatever he did to Martin Kampmann in September, he battered him to win in his UFC debut. His weakness is his ground game as he may offer some takedown defense but he is in no way, shape or form, a Jiu-Jitsu fighter. "McLovin" Hazelett is back for his first fight since tearing his ACL. He has won just one of his 12-wins by knockout, with nine submissions and two decisions. If Hazelett tries to stand and trade, he will be knocked out. The issue for him will be to get the fight to the ground without taking substantial punishment. If he can, he should win. I am counting on Daley to land a big combination before Hazelett has that opportunity.

Winner: Paul Daley, TKO, Round 1

Todd Bergman: The addition of Hazelett to this fight makes it a better bout. Daley looked awesome in his fight with Martin Kampmann, but one has to wonder how seriously he took Daley coming in. That won't be a problem in this fight as Hazelett brings a lot of problems to the table for Daley. Five of Daley's eight total defeats have come via the submission. The thought of being tapped out is consistently going to be on Daley's mind, so he's going to try to end the fight early. With that said, "McLovin" is one of those rare fighters that can get a submission from almost anywhere, and that is the difference maker in this fight. 2010 will be the year that "McLovin" becomes a huge star in the UFC.

Winner: Dustin Hazelett, Submission, 2nd Round

Samer Kadi: This is without a doubt the bout I'm looking forward to the most. The big question coming in is how much will ring rust affect Hazelett, who's been out for over a year. Daley showed surprising takedown defense in his destruction of Martin Kampmann, which will be key for him here. If Hazelett gets on top, he will tap him out, just like Jake Shields was able to do. Daley's striking looked vicious in the Kampmann fight and Hazelett, who's somewhat of a slow starter, could pay dearly if he makes any mistakes early. Hazelett should avoid getting into unnecessary striking exchanges. As long as Daley can keep it standing, it's his fight to win. And how serious is Semtex's newly found takedown defense remains to be seen, but Hazelett is someone who will not hesitate to pull guard. Once the fight goes to the ground, there's only going to be one winner.

Winner: Dustin Hazelett, Submission, Round 2.

Bill Wannop: Another grappler vs. striker fight here, as Hazelett is a submission wizard and Daley is a power puncher. If Hazelett can survive the opening minutes and get Daley to the ground he should be able to easily submit him as Daley has a weak ground game. I don't think he will be able to survive however, as Daley's striking is just too much

Winner: Daley, KO, Rd 1

Dan Plunkett: It's no secret how Hazelett and Daley plan to approach this bout. Daley will try and keep it standing to go for the KO, and Hazelett will attempt to take it to the ground so he can pull off another ridiculous submission. History has told me that the grappler usually beats the striker, so I'm picking Hazelett here.

Winner: Dustin Hazelett, Submission, Round 1.

The staff picks Dustin Hazelett, 4-3.

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Light Heavyweight Bout: Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva

Jeremy Lambert: Rashad Evans looks to rebound from his first loss and a brutal KO against Thiago Silva who is coming off a victory over Evans' best friend and training partner Keith Jardine. Everyone expects this fight to stay on the feet given the power of both men but I'm not so sure about that. If it does stay on the feet, it's really a toss up as to who wins. Silva seems to have the more natural power as he knocks out guys with punches that don't look like that should knock out fighters but Evans has scary power that is fight changing and can come seemingly at anytime. Silva is the more technical striker as he throws more elbows, kicks, and knees but Evans is the quicker of the two and has very good boxing. I think Evans gets back to his wrestling roots in this fight. Silva doesn't have the takedown defense to stop the takedowns of Evans. On the ground Silva is a black belt in jiu jitsu but Evans has good submission defense and I don't think Silva is slick enough to catch him with anything off his back. If Silva is able to sweep over Evans then Rashad is in trouble because Silva's top control is excellent. Everyone seems to believe that this fight will end via TKO and if it does I think it will be from ground and pound and not one shot on the feet but I have a sneaky feeling that Evans plays it safe and just grinds out a victory.

Winner: Rashad Evans, Decision

Jeffrey Harris: There are rumors of Silva going into this fight with a knee injury, but that's not really going to color my opinion of this fight very much. This is an intriguing matchup because both these guys are hard and dangerous strikers. Evans has shown great patience and evolution in recent years, the Machida fight aside. Silva came back looking very strong against Keith Jardine. We know Silva has a strong BJJ game. We know Evans is also a great wrestler and boxer even though he hasn't used much wrestling as of late. I think Silva will come out being more aggressive in this fight, and Evans will play it a little cooler and while he might start a little slow like in the Liddell and Griffin fights, he will come through in the later rounds. I think it would be interesting to see this fight go to the ground. But I think Evans will avoid getting the stankie leg and KO Silva in the second.

Winner: Rashad Evans, KO, Round Two

Jonathan Solomon: This may be the worst potential match-up for Rashad Evans outside of Lyoto Machida. Evans is a wrestler with improved boxing although he may have the Josh Koscheck issue where he prefers to stand and strike these days. Thiago Silva is a fierce striker with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Thus, Evans may not have a strong advantage in any aspect of this fight. Evans will have to stick and move and use his wrestling to try to control the fight on the ground. Can he control a black belt on the ground? Rashad's best opportunity to win this fight will be with the knockout. Ironically, both men have only been knocked out once (and lose one fight), both by Lyoto Machida. This fight won't go the distance and it is a more even fight than any UFC main event I can think of in a long time.

Winner: Thiago Silva, TKO, Round 2

Todd Bergman: It comes as no surprise that I can't stand either guy in this fight. I genuinely think that Silva is overrated, and he will be exposed in this fight. Silva has knockout power in his hands but his technique is awful and his stamina is equally as bad. Evans should be able to expose his shortcomings in technique and cardio. While I can't stand Evans, I have to respect his vastly improved boxing. One would be crazy to think of comparing Evans to Machida, but Silva struggled with the speed of Machida. Rashad would be wise to play that same game as he could get in and out without being hit with a Silva bomb. It will take Evans a while to finish Silva, but it will come in the 3rd round as Silva's cardio lets him down again in a big fight.

Winner: Rashad Evans, TKO, 3rd Round

Samer Kadi: In a fight that miraculously managed to stay intact since its announcement, Rashad Evans returns for the first time since losing his title to Lyoto Machida. He will be hoping to avenge his teammate Keith Jardine's loss to Thiago Silva. After knocking out Chuck Liddell, Rashad seemed to have fallen in love with the counter punching game. And while that worked well against Forrest Griffin, it cost him dearly against Machida. Silva does not possess Machida's speed, so that gameplan might seem less risky for Rashad in this bout, but what happens if Rashad can't land that counter? He lost the first round to Chuck Liddell and he lost the first two rounds to Forrest Griffin. Given that this is not a five rounder, it would be a very risky strategy for Evans to wait for that big punch. Rashad's wrestling is most effective against the fence, and he should look to utilize it to keep Silva guessing. Thiago is a BJJ black belt but he's most dangerous when he secures top position. His mount is deadly although I question if he could get there against Evans, who's very good at creating scrambles and regaining his feet. If Rashad fights smart and makes Thiago worry about the takedown, he won't have too much trouble putting the slower Silva away, whose aggression has gotten him in trouble against a good counter striker before.

Winner: Rashad Evans, KO, Round 2.

Bill Wannop: This fight was originally supposed to take place at UFC 84, but due to injuries to their fight The fighter where pulled and used as replacements. Rashad has great wrestling and quick precise striking, but he seems to get caught up in the moment and cocky, leaving many openings. Thiago Silva is a power puncher with a dominating ground game which he rarely shows; if he manages to get mount on you it is all over. We know how this fight will go, Thiago will continually stalk forward, and it depends how Rashad handles that constant pressure whether he will win or lose. If he uses quick punches and movement to stay at distance from Thiago and mixes in some takedown he will win. If he tries to stay and slug it out with Thiago he will lose. I think Rashad is too cocky and will try to slug it out with Thiago, which will end his night very quickly

Winner: Silva,TKO, Rd 1

Dan Plunkett: I still don't love Thiago's striking. Rashad is a counter puncher and I think that is a good style to beat Thiago Silva. Having said that, Thiago does only have one loss on his record and if Rashad decides to use his wrestling, Thiago could very well pull off a submission. I'll still go with my original statement though.

Winner: Rashad Evans, KO, Round 1

The staff picks Rashad Evans, 5-2.


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