411’s MMA Roundtable Preview: UFC 109 - Relentless

Posted by Dan Plunkett on 02.05.2010

A bout more than a decade in the making, Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman, finally takes place! In other action, Nate Marquardt and Chael Sonnen battle to determine the next middleweight title contender and Mike Swick and Paulo Thiago look to get back in the welterweight title mix. Plus, a ground battle is sure to ensue when Demian Maia battles Dan Miller, and former welterweight champ Matt Serra takes on Frank Trigg. Check out the full column for details!



WELCOME:
February has arrived and so has the long awaited Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman bout! In other action, Nate Marquardt and Chael Sonnen battle to determine the next middleweight title contender and Mike Swick and Paulo Thiago look to get back in the welterweight title mix. Plus, a ground battle is sure to ensue when Demian Maia battles Dan Miller, and former welterweight champ Matt Serra takes on Frank Trigg! Let's meet the staff!
THE STAFF:

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

From the Takedown MMA News Report, Daniel Bonnizzio!

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

From the Juggernaut MMA News Report, Jonathan Solomon!

From The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Scott Kuczkowski!

From the MMA Legacy, Bill Wannop!

From The Rear Naked Column, Samer Kadi!

And from The Greatest MMA News Column, Dan Plunkett!



THE PRELIMINARY CARD:
Heavyweight Bout: Rolles Gracie vs. Joey Beltran

Todd Bergman: Rolles Gracie, Submission, 1st Round
Daniel Bonnizzio: Rolles Gracie, Submission, RD 1
Jeffrey Harris: Rolles Gracie, Submission, RD 1
Jonathan Solomon: Rolles Gracie, Submission, Round 2 (big surprise)
Scott Kuczkowski: Gracie, Submission, Round 1.
Bill Wannop: Rolles Gracie, Submission, Rd 2
Samer Kadi: Rolles Gracie, Submission, Round 1
Dan Plunkett: Gracie, Submission, Round 2
The staff picks Rolles Gracie, 8-0.

Heavyweight Bout: Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer

Todd Bergman: Chris Tuchscherer, TKO, 1st Round
Daniel Bonnizzio: Tim Hague, TKO, RD 2
Jeffrey Harris: Tim Hague, TKO, RD 1
Jonathan Solomon: Tim Hague, Decision
Scott Kuczkowski: Tuchscherer, Decision.
Bill Wannop: Tim Hague, TKO, Rd 2
Samer Kadi: Chris Tuchscherer, TKO, Round 2
Dan Plunkett: Tuchscherer, Decision
The staff calls it down the middle, 4-4.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Phil Davis vs. Brian Stann

Todd Bergman: Phil Davis, Submission, 2nd Round
Daniel Bonnizzio: Phil Davis, Decision
Jeffrey Harris: Brian Stann, Decision
Jonathan Solomon: Brian Stann, TKO, Round 2
Scott Kuczkowski: Stann, TKO, Round 1.
Bill Wannop: Brian Stann, TKO, Rd 2
Samer Kadi: Brian Stann, Unanimous Decision.
Dan Plunkett: Davis, Decision
The staff picks Brian Stann, 5-3.

Lightweight Bout: Rob Emerson vs. Phillipe Nover

Todd Bergman: Phillipe Nover, Submission, 3rd Round
Daniel Bonnizzio: Phillipe Nover, Submission, RD 2
Jeffrey Harris: Phillipe Nover, Submission, RD 1
Jonathan Solomon: Phillipe Nover, Decision
Scott Kuczkowski: Nover, Decision.
Bill Wannop: Rob Emerson, KO, Rd 2
Samer Kadi: Phillipe Nover, Unanimous Decision.
Dan Plunkett: Nover, Decision
The staff picks Phillipe Nover, 7-1.

THE SPIKE TV CARD:
Lightweight Bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Ronys Torres

Todd Bergman: Guillard recently stated that he upped his training by joining Greg Jackson's camp. I really think that this will do wonders for Guillard's fighting abilities, but it won't cure his fragile mental game. Melvin has all of the physical tools but his mental outlook has nearly cost him every fight in the UFC. His biggest weakness is submissions and, in this fight, he draws BJJ expert Ronnys Torres. The question of a long lay-off is my only real problem with picking Torres in this fight. However, I think that his ability to get the fight to the ground, and Melvin basically quitting once the fight hit's the ground, proves the ultimate outcome.

Winner: Ronys Torres, Submission, 1st Round

Daniel Bonnizzio: Everyone knows Guillard has one of the most physically gifted physiques in the UFC's lightweight division in addition to having some of the more astounding gifts of strength and speed. What he lacks is the ability to come back after one tough break, and in this case that may be his arm as Torres is going to look to exploit Guillard's lack of a ground game after taking him down early and breaking down Guillard's spirit before submitting him.

Winner: Ronys Torres, Submission, RD 2

Jeffrey Harris: Torres is definitely no joke making his UFC debut here. He's a BJJ practitioner from Brazil that actually has quite a few KO's to his record as well. Guillard's weakness more often than not is submission defends and making some really bad errors that will cost him the fight. I like Torres coming out on top in this one.

Winner: Ronys Torres, Submission, RD 1

Jonathan Solomon: Torres is finally healthy and prepared to make his UFC debut against Guillard. Torres is 14-1 and on an eight fight winning streak in Brazil. This is his first fight outside his homeland and the submission fighter will have a tough test. Guillard recently joined Greg Jackson's New Mexico camp and hopefully that means he is ready to be serious about his career. In his last fight, he was submitted by Nate Diaz so obviously, that is not a great confidence getter heading into this one. What Melvin does have his good wrestling and some power in his hands. While Torres is a dangerous opponent and Guillard has been prone to losing by submission, he should be able to dish out some damage with his hands.

Winner: Melvin Guillard, TKO, Round 2

Scott Kuczkowski: I can't believe Guillard is still employed by the UFC. Then again, if Mac Danzig still has a job I guess nothing should surprise me. It's no secret that Guillard will want to keep this on the feet and go for the knockout, which he is more than capable of doing. Torres has been bitten by the injury bug quite a bit in the past, so ring rust might be a factor. Add to that the fact this will be his first UFC fight, and you can understand why I'm skeptical he will find success during this outing.

Winner: Guillard, KO, Round 1.

Bill Wannop: Torres is a submission fighter, but has been inactive due to injuries for two years. I see Guillard beating him on his feet.

Winner: Melvin Guillard, KO, Rd 1

Samer Kadi: Melvin Guillard returns to the Octagon after a disappointing performance against Nate Diaz. With Guillard, his problems outside of the cage have always affected his outings inside the cage. By moving to Greg Jackson's camp, you'd think Guillard is taking things seriously and is looking to improve as a mixed martial artist. His stand up has always been pretty solid, and he's one of the few lightweights with serious knockout power. Torres is the kind of opponent to expose Guillard's ground game, which has always been his downfall. With that said, Feijao aside, Torres has yet to face tough competition in his career. If it goes to the ground, Torres will have a distinct advantage, but I see Guillard using his natural strength to stuff the takedowns and get the knockout victory.

Winner: Guillard, TKO, Round 2.

Dan Plunkett: Torres hasn't fought in about a year-and-a-half, and I don't usually feel comfortable picking guys coming off of long layoffs. Like many of his fights, Guillard will be at a disadvantage on the ground, but I think he ends it before the fight gets there.

Winner: Guillard, KO, Round 1

The staff picks Melvin Guillard, 5-3.

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Lightweight Bout: Mac Danzig vs. Justin Buchholz

Todd Bergman: This fight is win or go home for Mac Danzig. The talk of Danzig loosing his fighting edge has gotten considerably louder with his last three performances inside the Octagon, which is crazy when you think about the dominant performance that Danzig had against Canadian upstart Mark Bocek back at UFC 83. Danzig's opponent Justin Buchholz was once a promising talent who also has fallen on hard times. I'm going out on a limb here and thinking that Danzig will use his wrestling to hold off any offense that Buchholz might be able to muster up. It's a long and boring fight as Danzig lives to fight another day.

Winner: Mac Danzig, Decision

Daniel Bonnizzio: How far Mac Danzig has fallen from being the winner of TUF6. Sure we all know it was kind of the weakest pool of talent in TUF history but he still won. Outside of his masterful win at UFC 83, we haven't really seen Danzig do anything of note. That being said, if Danzig is at the lowest in the 155 division, Buccholz is below him. This is as gimme a fight as he can get without fighting a ghost, but he's still going to have to earn the 'W'. I expect him to lay and pray his way to the decision hard as he waves goodbye to Buccholz.

Winner: Mac Danzig, Decision

Jeffrey Harris: This is really a do or die fight for Mac Danzig. And this is actually quite a bone UFC is throwing at him in Justin Buchholz, for all intents and purposes, a gimme fight for Danzig. I mean no offense, but Buchholz has been more or less a jobber in the UFC. And this could very well be a loser leaves town match. But not only is Danzig getting a less experienced fighter he should beat, he's getting a Spike TV prelim spot. So potentially a lot more people could be watching Danzig's fight than the actual PPV. I think this will be a tenative brawl with both guys probably fighting not to lose, but Danzig will come out on top. And really, I like Danzig despite his lack of success so far and I hope he keeps his job.

Winner: Mac Danzig, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Is this a loser leaves town match? Danzig is 0-3 in his last three fights and Buchholz is 1-3 in his last four fights. Danzig is a grappler out of Xtreme Couture while Buchholz is more of a jiu-jitsu fighter. I cannot say with great confidence that one man over the other will outright win this fight. I do think Danzig is a better fighter than he has shown recently and for his sake, I hope he proves it here.

Winner: Mac Danzig, Decision

Scott Kuczkowski: Boy, do one of these guys need a win. Let's be honest; a fourth loss in a row for Danzig or a third loss in a row for Buchholz will most likely spell their release from employment. Danzig has been absolutely terrible during his last few outings, looking outmuscled and outworked by each person that's defeated him. Buchholz was stopped via cut in his last fight. While neither fighter will be setting the 155 pound division on fire, I hope Danzig can at least show why he won the Ultimate Fighter.

Winner: Danzig, Decision.

Bill Wannop: Both fighters are coming off loses, but I feel Danzig has more to lose, so I see him taking this one.

Winner: Mac Danzig, Submission, Rd 3

Samer Kadi: Simply put, Danzig needs to win this fight. A loss here and he'll find himself out of the UFC. Coming off possibly the worst season of the The Ultimate Fighter (talent wise), Danzig has failed to live up to the expectations and is riding a three fight losing streak. His opponent isn't doing much better, as Buchholz is 1-3 in his UFC career and quite frankly he seems to be brought in to get Danzig back in the winning column. Mac is the more talented fighter with a superior ground game, and I expect him to use that to control Buchholz, where he will probably look to take the back and finish the fight via submission.

Winner: Mac Danzig, Submission, Round 2.

Dan Plunkett: Danzig is simply a better, more well rounded fighter than Buchholz. I don't know if he'll finish it, but the TUF 6 winner should get back on the winning track here.

Winner: Mac Danzig, Decision

The staff picks Mac Danzig, 8-0.

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THE MAIN CARD:
Welterweight Bout: Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg

Todd Bergman: I was surprised by the lack of performance that Frank Trigg gave in his last fight against Josh Koscheck. If you talk to Trigg, he will tell you that he was injured and that was the main cause for concern. I'm not buying the whole "injury" excuse from Trigg, and I don't think that he will have an easy time in this fight either. Matt Serra should've been awarded the Hughes fight, and the recent trash talk between him and Trigg is only going to fire him up even more. Trigg's best chance to win this fight is to hold Serra down and pray for a decision. While a takedown or two will eventually happen, I think that more times than not Serra is going to land one of those GSP-stoppers, and it's going to be lights out for Twinkle Toes.

Winner: Matt Serra, TKO, 2nd Round

Daniel Bonnizzio: Matt Serra should have beat Hughes. There got it out. Now, Serra is a world-class grappler who would have won the 2002 ADCC (but for some BJJ politics threw his match). That being said, Trigg is definitely the better wrestler of the two, but not as good as Hughes was (and we saw how well Serra was able to defend against Hughes's wrestling). Trigg has the more technical striking for sure, but Serra packs some serious KO power in his right hand that could put Trigg out at any time, but for old time's sake I am going with the classic pick.

Winner: Matt Serra, Submission, RD 2

Jeffrey Harris: This is another do or die fight where losing might not only mean getting the UFC pinkslip, but losing could also very well mean retirement from MMA for good. Trigg was ready to call it quits if he was gone from the UFC after his last loss. And Serra lost his big moment in the grudge match against Matt Hughes. Trigg definitely comes off as the more knowledgeable and hungry fighter. And since I'm a huge fan of Twinkletoes, there is no way I will bet against him.

Winner: Frank Trigg, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Trigg is the taller man (I think) and will need to use his wresting to cancel out Serra's superior jiu-jitsu skills. Whether he can actually pull that off or not is a different story. Serra has more power between the two in his striking and I doubt he will ever be dominated in this fight. If Matt Hughes had trouble against Serra, I cannot imagine Trigg will win this in easy fashion. I see Serra keeping Trigg at bay with his power and on the ground, I see no reason not to have confidence in Serra.

Winner: Matt Serra, Decision

Scott Kuczkowski: While I like his attitude, Matt Serra may be one of the most overrated fighters on the UFC roster. He milked his fluke win over GSP for all it was worth and hasn't even looked like he belonged in the octagon since. Trigg is also on the downside of his career but should still have enough in his tank to defeat Serra. Serra is a ground wizard, but Trigg isn't a slouch there either, so I don't think we'll see Serra submit him. On the feet Trigg will have a size and reach advantage, so I expect to see him kickbox throughout the majority of the fight. Though he didn't look good against Koscheck, I think we'll see Trigg come alive in this fight (or at least enough to take a decision).

Winner: Trigg, Decision.

Bill Wannop: Trigg thinks that this is a do or die fight for both of them, but I think he is the only one in that boat. If Serra loses I can see him dropping back down to lightweight, where if Trigg loses, he is pretty much retired. Serra recently lost a close fight to Matt Huges, and Trigg is a poor man's Hughes, so I see Serra taking this fight by utilizing Trigg's worst enemy, the rear naked choke.

Winner: Matt Serra, Submission, Rd 2

Samer Kadi: Two veterans battling for relevancy square off as former champion Matt Serra takes on former two time number one contender Frank Trigg. Trigg looked completely outclassed in his fight with Josh Koscheck, and quite frankly he seemed nervous on his feet. Serra may not possess the same punching power that Koscheck does, but he still packs up a heavy punch that's easily capable of ending Trigg's night. Trigg is the better wrestler and he should look to play to his strength. Serra has a very good guard although it is more of a defensive guard. He's unlikely to catch Trigg with a submission from the bottom but he can lock him up and avoid sustaining serious damage. If Trigg does take the fight down, expect many referee stand ups. Serra's ground game is superior, but he'll need to gain top position. While his BJJ has never translated too well to MMA, he's still an expert. If he can sweep or take Trigg's back in the scrambles, I see him catching Twinkle Toes with a rear naked choke. I think the fight will be similar to Serra's fight with Hughes, only this time the decision will go in his favor.

Winner: Matt Serra, Unanimous Decision.

Dan Plunkett: Trigg is bigger, stronger, and has the wrestling advantage. I would give Serra the edge on the ground, and in punching power. I think it will be a competitive fight, but Serra will finish in the final round.

Winner: Matt Serra, Submission, Round 3

The staff picks Matt Serra, 6-2.

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Middleweight Bout: Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller

Todd Bergman: Dan Miller was recently awarded his BJJ Black Belt and that's a tremendous honor. With that said, none of this is going to stop Maia from choking him silly in this fight. You really have to look no further than Miller's fight with Matt Horwich in which Horwich consistently took Miller down and locked in a crazy submission. Granted, Horwich wasn't able to finish Miller and ultimately lost the fight, but Maia won't make the same mistake. For those of you who need a reason to order this card, this fight will be for you as it shows off the true landscape of MMA as the fight should take place everywhere. A back and forth battle on the ground ends in the 2nd round as Maia stops Miller for the first time in his career.

Winner: Demain Maia, Submission, 2nd Round

Daniel Bonnizzio: Dan Miller is the kind of guy you can count on to always bring it whenever he straps on the 4 oz gloves. That said, Maia is just a different kind of monster when it comes to the mat game (which is where the fight will take place for sure). Miller is going to be able to fight off the relentless submission attempts coming from Maia in the first but the BJJ expert is going to eventually be too much, and barring a flash KO a'la 102, I think Maia takes this one in a surprisingly competitive bout by a submission.

Winner: Demain Maia, Submission, RD 3

Jeffrey Harris: Both guys are black belts in BJJ, while Maia has proven to use it much better so far in the UFC. This fight should be interesting since both guys are coming off a loss. I'm liking Maia here in what will hopefully be a strong ground battle.

Winner: Demain Maia, Submission, RD 2

Jonathan Solomon: This fight comes down to how dangerous Maia can be on the ground. Otherwise, this fight belongs to Dan Miller. Both are BJJ black belts although it may be fair to say Maia is more advanced. As we saw in his last fight, Maia may be a fish out of water if it's a striking battle (although that was not a battle, to be technical). Miller is more technical a striker and it will be interesting to see how he will be able to defend Maia's takedown attempts. Hey, he has to better than Chael Sonnen, right?

Winner: Dan Miller, TKO, Round 1

Scott Kuczkowski: Maia will look to try and get back on the horse after being smashed by Marquardt, while Miller will want to get back on the winning track after being beat by Sonnen. Maia will take this to the ground, though I'm not sure he has to worry very much about Miller's standup. While MMAth doesn't typically work, (Sonnen lost to Maia but defeated Miller), I think it does in this case. I just hope they keep the groundwork exciting.

Winner: Maia, Submission, Round 3.

Bill Wannop: Dan Miller has never lost by submission, but he has never faced anyone the caliber of Maia. Miller is more of a wrestler, which plays right into Maia's hands. While Maia has weak skills on his feet, he should be able to withstand Miller's strikes, long enough to get this to the ground and finish the fight.

Winner: Demian Maia, Submission, Rd 1

Samer Kadi: I'm happy this fight ended up making the main card. Demian Maia is looking to rebound from his brutal knockout loss to Nate Marquardt. That fight exposed severe flaws in Maia's stand up and he looked to rectify them by working on his boxing with the Nogueiras. The fight is a tricky one for the BJJ wizard, as Miller is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt himself (albeit not on the same level) and he possesses better wrestling. However, Maia's takedowns are underrated and he sets them up rather well with his strikes, provided he doesn't get hit first. Miller has never been much of a powerful striker, so Maia will likely not pay a similar price to the one he did against Marquardt. I think the fight is bound to hit the ground at one point or another, even if it means Maia pulling guard. Miller does have good top control, but he's never faced someone as skilled as Maia from the bottom. Maia's sweeps are excellent, and once on top, he's even more dangerous.

Winner: Demian Maia, Submission, Round 2.

Dan Plunkett: Dan Miller is a black belt in BJJ, but Maia is on another level. Miller's best chance to win this one is on the feet, but I think Maia makes it a ground battle that he will win.

Winner: Demian Maia, Submission, Round 2

The staff picks Demian Maia, 7-1.

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Welterweight Bout: Mike Swick vs. Paulo Thiago

Todd Bergman: This is an insanely dangerous fight for Mike Swick. Paulo Thiago is an incredibly talented fighter who really doesn't have any weakness. Swick will want to keep the fight standing, but that may not be wise considering Thiago's boxing abilities that finished Swick's teammate, Josh Koscheck, back at UFC 95. When looking for a game plan on how to defeat Thiago, Swick only needs to consult his other teammate, Jon Fitch, who did so back at UFC 100. The problem with using that logic is that Swick doesn't posses the wrestling ability that Fitch does. Thus, it's going to be a long night for "Quick." I like Thiago's ability to control the action and ultimately steal the fight in the 2nd and 3rd rounds as Swick begins to tire out from the tremendous weight cut that he goes through.

Winner: Paulo Thiago, Decision

Daniel Bonnizzio: Mike Swick is coming off of his #1 contender's bout against Dan Hardy and people are talking about him like he was never even a good fighter. He is going to need to be able to beat Thiago quickly and decisively to net the win, but Thiago has a hell of a chin and the better cardio of the two, so while Swick may come out 'Quick', he won't be able to keep the onslaught up and when that happens, Thiago is going to take over. Swick's losses inside the Octagon have come from people who can either counterpunch well or control and bully him, and I think that Thiago fits that bill well.

Winner: Paulo Thiago, Decision

Jeffrey Harris: Swick's title hopes were destroyed by Dan Hardy and now he's facing another journeyman in Thiago. Thiago had an impressive debut, knocking out Josh Koscheck but then proceeded to have two boring and unimpressive fights with Jon Fitch and Jacob Volkmann. Thiago seems to have decent standup and ground skills, but seems to be lacking an exciting killer instinct in his most recent fights. I think Swick will have the superior standup and quickness in this fight and will outpoint Thiago to the victory.

Winner: Mike Swick, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Will AKA finally get the much desired win over Paulo Thiago? I'm not sure. Swick is obviously a dangerous striker but can he survive on the ground with a BJJ black belt? Granted, Thiago has not shown many submission skills in the UFC, but something has to give. Thiago is dangerous on his feet as well but if the fight turns into a boxing match, he would probably be best suited to try and take the fight to the mat. Thiago is on a nice run (besides the Fitch loss), and I'm not sure that Swick will be able to overpower Thiago on his feet.

Winner: Paulo Thiago, Decision

Scott Kuczkowski: While I like Mike Swick, I think we all saw him peak in the welterweight division when he lost to Dan Hardy. This tells me he's not going to have more success against Thiago, whom I think will be a tougher test than Hardy. Thiago has a great ground game and will probably overpower Swick. While I like Swick's standup, Thiago has shown a good chin, so I don't see him losing on the feet. Fitch defeated Thiago with strong wrestling, which Swick doesn't have. In the end I think Thiago will frustrate and outmuscle Swick and walk away with the win.

Winner: Thiago, Decision.

Bill Wannop: Swick is trying to bounce back from the loss to Dan Hardy against a tough opponent in Thiago. I think Thiago will have similar trouble that he had with Jon Fitch, in that the constant takedowns of Swick will be too much and he will ultimately lose a decision.

Winner: Mike Swick, Unanimous Decision

Samer Kadi: Paulo Thiago continues his trial by fire in the UFC by taking on yet another AKA standout. Mike Swick was on the verge of a title shot when he ran into Dan Hardy. Swick was surprisingly flat in that fight, and never quite settled into his rhythm. Thiago does not possess the same boxing prowess that Hardy does although he does have some decent hands and power. I think Swick will be smart to play it safe and adopt a similar strategy to the one Jon Fitch did, as opposed to Josh Koscheck. The good news is, this is part of Swick's game, as he has recently shown the tendency to close the distance, get the underhooks and secure the takedown. Thiago is pretty scrappy and he does well in the scrambles, and Swick needs to be aware of that. I see this one ending up being a rather uneventful fight, where Swick will run out with the decision.

Winner: Mike Swick, Unanimous Decision.

Dan Plunkett: Thiago is very dangerous on the ground and, as he showed against Josh Koscheck, he can also end the fight standing. I give Swick the advantage in this fight, I think he's the better striker and can survive on the ground.

Winner: Mike Swick, Decision.

The staff calls it a draw, 4-4.

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Middleweight Bout: Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen

Todd Bergman: Sonnen comes into this fight talking a lot of shit about current UFC Middleweight Champ, Anderson Silva, instead of focusing on his opponent, Nate Marquardt. In my eyes, that's a huge mistake on Sonnen's part. The only chance that Chael has of winning this fight is to hold down Marquardt and to hope for a decision victory. While Sonnen has had that luxury in his most recent fights, he definitely won't in this fight. Something also to consider is the fact that while Sonnen's last victory over Yushin Okami was impressive, Okami lacked the real ability to throw strikes that would neutralize Sonnen's wrestling. Marquardt has recently developed that ability, and it should be on display in this fight. Nate won't finish Sonnen but he will take the fight on the judges' cards. Ultimately, Nate earns a title shot against the winner of the Silva vs. Belfort fight.

Winner: Nate Marquardt, Decision

Daniel Bonnizzio: Sonnen's performance against Yushin Okami was impressive, no doubt, but Nate Marqurdt is by far the better fighter. Sonnen may have been able to use his Greco background to keep control over Okami but Nate has some good wrestling of his own and he is a tough bastard which is a huge advantage when dealing with wrestlers. That said, Nate is a black belt in BJJ (and uses it!) along with having striking that looks like I should be pressing some combination of X, Triangle and Square to see. I think Nate is going to overwhelm Sonnen en route to a late stoppage to net his fourth win in a row.

Winner: Nate Marquardt, TKO, RD 3

Jeffrey Harris: Come Saturday, it will be Chael Time yet again. Marquardt might very well be the best middleweight fighter in the world not named Anderson Silva, but Sonnen just seems to have this controlling and dominant instinct. I'm betting all the chips on Sonnen to somehow pull it out again for this one. Sonnen's attitude is quite humorous and refreshing.

Winner: Chael Sonnen, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Nate Marquardt is one the verge of getting his second title shot in the UFC. All he needs to do is make quick work of Chael Sonnen who has recently decided to trash talk champion Anderson Silva. To be honest, I think most of Sonnen's strengths are not favored over Marquardt's strengths in this fight. "The Great" is a better striker and a stronger wrestler. Sonnen may be a better pure grappler but I cannot discount the man who trains with GSP and Rashad Evans on a regular basis.

Winner: Nate Marquardt, TKO, Round 2

Scott Kuczkowski: Why Marquardt has to fight Sonnen is beyond me, but I guess that's life in the Middleweight division these days. Unless he's able to take Marquardt down and hold him there for an obscene amount of time, I don't see Sonnen doing well at all in this fight. Marquardt has all the tools to defeat Sonnen and should be able to roll this win into a title shot.

Winner: Marquardt, TKO, Round 3.

Bill Wannop: A fight between two fighters who have very similar styles. While Sonnen may be the better wrestler, I think Marquardt is the better striker and overall athlete. I see Marquardt stuffing the takedowns and working over Sonnen on his feet for the TKO victory. Hopefully he will get his title shot.

Winner: Nate Marguardt, TKO, Rd2

Samer Kadi: Chael Sonnen surprised everyone with a dominant display against perennial top 5 middleweight Yushin Okami. Not only was Sonnen able to muscle Okami around and take him down with ease, but he did show some much improved striking. With that said, he was tagging Okami with the same combination over and over, and that won't be enough against Marquardt. Greg Jackson's camp is notorious for studying tape and coming up with gameplans accordingly, and I'm sure Nate will be prepared for that. Marquardt seemed to have finally found his killer instinct in his past few fights, as he's put on one highlight reel finish after the other. While Marquardt is a very good wrestler himself, the edge probably goes to Sonnen in that area. However, I don't see it being nearly enough, as Sonnen won't be able to hold Nate down, who despite not posing a serious submission threat from the bottom, is more than capable of scrambling back up to his feet. Standing up, Marquardt possesses more power and far superior striking. Eventually, he's bound to catch Sonnen with something, whose predictable striking pattern while get him in trouble.

Winner: Nate Marquardt, TKO, Round 2.

Dan Plunkett: Marquardt has better striking and is a better submission fighter. Sonnen will probably have the wrestling advantage. There was a time when I thought about taking Sonnen in this fight, but I don't think there's anything he can throw at Nate Marquardt that he hasn't already seen before.

Winner: Nate Marquardt, TKO, Round 3

The staff picks Nate Marquardt, 7-1.

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Light Heavyweight Bout: Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman

Todd Bergman: Couture dubbed this fight "The Geezer's at Caesar's" and that's pretty fitting considering the fact that both guys are 40-years-old. Outside of the Lesnar and the Josh Barnett fight, Couture has never been dominated by another wrestler. Couture will need to keep his back off the mat, and this fight will be his. While Coleman is an insanely talented wrestler, his cardio and lack of real striking ability will cost him this fight. I don't think that it's outside the realm of thought to think of Couture finishing Coleman late with strikes or even a chance submission like Randy did to veteran wrestler, Mike Van Arsdale back at UFC 54. Most likely this one will probably go to decision and should be a 30-27 victory for Couture. I'm hoping that Couture gets the winner of the Ortiz vs. Liddell fight next instead of a title shot, but I guess you never know. Maybe Couture will challenge Lil Nog just so that he can say that lost to both the Nogueira brothers.

Winner: Randy Couture, Decision

Daniel Bonnizzio: In this battle of the "Geezers at Caesar's" we are going to see some high level wrestling displayed, no doubt about that. Mark Coleman has the best pure wrestling for MMA by far, and Randy has the ability to just murder people in the clinch. In the end, we are going to see another 15 minutes of Randy pushing Mark around and all around controlling him while he defends a million takedown attempts from an increasingly gassing Coleman. In the rare event we see them at arm's length apart, Randy's ever improving boxing and head movement will be more then satisfactory to keep Coleman at bay until he can once again resume the clinch-bullying.

Winner: Randy Couture, Decision

Jeffrey Harris Despite all the hype, I'm not expecting a whole hell of a lot out of this one. I've never been that big of a fan of Coleman, and Randy Couture seems to finally be showing his age in the cage. Still, I think this was a good matchup to make while both guys were still fighting and under contract. It's a very easy fight to market because normally Coleman really should not be in a PPV main event at this point. I'm expecting lots of hugging and clinching and some lay and pray, but I think Randy will probably control enough to get the decision victory.

Winner: Randy Couture, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Boom goes that damn dynamite~! If this fight goes the distance, which is very likely, does anyone think Mark Coleman will not be gassed? Obviously we know Randy Couture will be ready to go in that third round. Both men are known for their wrestler although Couture's striking has come some way. Coleman's game is getting his opponents to the mat and pounding them out. I doubt he can pull that off against Couture who has fought bigger men in the past and decisively beaten them. I do not see one clear way for Coleman to realistically win this fight.

Winner: Randy Couture, Decision

Scott Kuczkowski: If this fight isn't sponsored by Geritol, then some advertising executive has sorely missed an opportunity. We all know the spiel, both are wrestlers and both are Hall of Famers…blah bah blah. The key to this fight will be cardio, which Couture has in spades and Coleman hasn't ever had. While Mark might be the more powerful guy, I think Couture will take this fight in the second and third rounds with speed and better striking. This won't be a barnburner, but it should be an O.K. fight and make two in the row for Randy.

Winner: Couture, Decision.

Bill Wannop: The fight that is 12 years in the making, sees the innovator of ground and pound going against the master of dirty boxing. This fight can be broken down with one word, conditioning. Couture has plenty of it, while Coleman has none. I see Coleman taking couture down a couple times in round one, but not doing much damage. By the start of round 2 Coleman will be exhausted allowing Couture to pick him apart and gain the submission victory.

Winner: Randy Couture, TKO, Rd2

Samer Kadi: In the main event of the night, two UFC hall of famers face off as Randy Couture takes on Mark Coleman. While many view this fight as being Coleman's freestyle wrestling against Randy's Greco-Roman, I don't think this is where the fight will be decided. Coleman knows his bread and butter and sticks to it in pretty much every fight he's involved in. But even if he does take Couture down, Randy has shown a fantastic ability of creating openings to regain his feet. He's done it against the much bigger Brock Lesnar as well as against Brandon Vera, and I don't see why he won't do it against The Hammer. Couture also possesses the more technical striking, and he has shown the willingness to improve in that area throughout his career, whereas Coleman has pretty much stayed one-dimensional. Training with Shawn Tompkins, Coleman's striking is bound to improve, but his best chance remains a power punch on Randy's cracked down chin. Only Coleman's never been much of a power puncher himself. While Coleman often gets dissension for his submission defense, the fact is, he's only been submitted by Fedor and Nogueira. But cardio will play a big factor and needless to say, that has never been Mark's strong suit. Coleman rarely sets up his takedowns, and if Couture stuffs his early attempts, as you'd expect him to, Mark will end up wearing himself out, allowing The Natural to pretty much have his way for the rest of the fight. What Couture must do however, is finish the fight. He needs an impressive showing and not being able to finish a gassed out (although admittedly very tough) Mark Coleman won't bode well for Randy.

Winner: Randy Couture, Unanimous Decision.

Dan Plunkett: I really like Couture in this fight. "The Natural" will have the striking and cardio advantage. Coleman's wrestling may be good enough to take Couture down early on, but he doesn't have the gas tank to keep it up for three rounds. Look for Couture to really take over the fight and finish.

Winner: Randy Couture, TKO, Round 3.

The staff picks Randy Couture, 8-0.

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The 411 staff decided to keep score on these roundtables. At the end of the year, we will finally find out who is the best fight-picker on staff. The number of fights picked perfectly will also be included, but will not count for anything. After one event, here are the current standings:

Jeremy Lambert: 24-8, 9 perfect.
Daniel Bonnizzio: 15-7, 3 perfect.
Dan Plunkett: 29-13, 10 perfect.
Jeffrey Harris: 27-15, 5 perfect.
Samer Kadi: 27-15, 8 perfect.
Larry Csonka: 21-11, 9 perfect.
Todd Bergman: 6-4, 2 perfect.
Jonathan Solomon: 21-21, 7 perfect.
Bill Wannop: 7-13, 2 perfect.


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