411's UFC 80: Rapid Fire Roundtable Preview

Posted by Caleb Newby on 01.18.2008

The UFC is back in action, this time LIVE from England! BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson headline as they battle to crown a new UFC Lightweight Champion! Also, Gabriel Gonzaga faces Fabricio Werdum! 411's MMA experts break down that, and all the rest of Saturday's fights!



Happy January. Right now I wish I wasn't in Minnesota. Boo hoo. Ok, I'm over it. One thing I have to mention though is MMArmy.com. If you are looking to burn a few minutes a day messing around with a fun MMA multiplayer sim, give it a shot. It's becoming quite the rage around these parts.

So the UFC is LIVE from England in another one of those bizarre overseas events. In an effort to never broadcast them the same way twice, the UFC shall be showing it live on PPV in North America, and then again at the standard time on tape delay. Sort of wish that whole UFC on CBS thing worked out.

Fortunately we have one fantastic main event in BJ Penn vs. Joe Stevenson. Unfortunately we have an undercard that hasn't lit the world on fire, though I am interested in Werdum/Gonzaga and some of the others. UFC 79 probably spoiled us.

At least we have our team of MMA writers at 411mania here to preview the event and get you all excited. Then at 3pm ET Mr. Mike Huckaby will be giving you the live play by play incase you can't catch the show yourself. So stay away if you are waiting for the evening broadcast, like yours truly. And finally, Paul Buentello will be providing another edition of Inside the Cage breaking down the fights from a fighter's perspective (And in case you missed it, Inside the Cage gave us a sneak preview UFC 80's main events, which you can find here).

That should do it. In a couple week's we'll do this all over again for UFC 81!


Per Eklund vs Sam Stout

Matt McEwen: Eklund is making his UFC debut here, and will have his hands full with Stout. While the Swede comes in with an impressive 12-2-1 record, this is a big step up in competition for him. If it stays standing, the heavy handed, pinpoint precision striking of Stout will be more than enough to finish the fight. If Eklund is able to get Stout down – and since the Canadian trains at Xtreme Couture, something tells me that won't be easy – he has a big advantage. Eklund is an experienced and explosive submission grappler from what I've seen, but again, the level of competition is questionable. This could end up being a sleeper for fight of the night. Oh, and since it's few months until the World Hockey Championships – GO CANADA GO!
Winner: Sam Stout, TKO, Round 2

Randy Harrison: Stout is Canadian and I can't pick against him. There I said it. Eklund is coming into this fight with an impressive record, but this is his UFC debut, and remember that Octagon jitters have been proven time and time again. Stout is a veteran of the Octagon, and a very skilled veteran at that and in a division that is stacked with talent, both guys will be looking to make this a statement fight. For me though, I think that Stout will be able to make the better statement, just because he's proven to me that he can survive through a war and Eklund I just haven't seen enough out of to confidently pick.
Winner: Sam Stout, TKO, Rd 2

Ken Kobel: Sam Stout goes from headlining a Fight Night card to curtain-jerking one of the least anticipated PPV's in a long time – that's rough. Stout has some of the most impressive striking in the division which makes him dangerous against anyone. A look at Per Eklund's record though will show many submission victories. If Sam shows a complete lack of submission defense like he did against Kenny Florian he will be in trouble. Let's go with the Swede in this one.
Winner: Per Eklund, Submission, Round 2

Jeremy Lambert: PER EKLUND~! He has the most awesome name ever and he's fighting a guy who looks homosexual so I'm pulling for him. Sadly I think Stout will stand up and pick him apart en route to a decision victory.
Winner: Sam Stout, decision

Lotfi Sariahmed: Per Eklund is no easy task for the favored Stout. Going into the fight, Eklund is +245 with Stout at -305. The numbers are kind of surprising if you ask me. Stout's a good fighter. He has a great striking game and you just have to look at his last fight against Spencer Fisher to see that. But he has consistently shown that he has no ground game. Eklund, though new to the Octagon, seems to be tailor made for the upset. He has a nice submission game and at +245 I think he could beat Stout. But while I'd put money on Eklund, I'm going to pick Stout because you can't underestimate what someone's first appearance in the Octagon can do to him.
Winner: Sam Stout

Leland Roling: Per Eklund is a Swedish submission machine, and Stout is a straight one-dimensional fighter straight out of the Chuck Liddell school of never changing his game. The oddsmakers are underdogging Eklund significantly, and I can't wait to cash in on Eklund's skill. Eklund should be able to put Stout down much like Florian did and put him out quickly by submission.
Winner: Per Eklund, submission, round 1


James Lee vs Alessio Sakara

Matt McEwen: I'm not a big Alessio Sakara fan. Boxers who come into the Octagon and haven't developed a full skill set yet annoy me. Since Sakara is 2-3 in the UFC, with each of his losses coming in the first round, he hasn't done anything to break that stereotype. But, after being wrecked by Houston Alexander, he moved to Florida and took up with the American Top Team. That should help him a lot. In spite of not knowing a whole lot about his opponent (damn generic British names!), I'll say Sakara takes the first step towards becoming a decent fighter here.
Winner: Sakara, TKO, Round 1

Randy Harrison: This fight is interesting to me because as much as I just said that Octagon jitters are a very real phenomenon, don't expect any from James Lee. He's been on the big stage before with his impressive victory over Travis Wiuff at Pride 33 and he won't be intimidated by the size of the crowd at all. He's ready for this moment with victories in 10 of his last 11 fights, with that other fight being a No Contest. Sakara is a stand-up guy that is mainly looking to knock someone out with his boxing. He's going to end up on the mat and out of his element against Lee and it's going to end up being his downfall. You don't win almost 80% of your fights by submission, like Lee has, accidentally. He knows his way around the mat and is probably going to make short work of Sakara.
Winner:James Lee, submission, Rd 1

Ken Kobel: It is hard to believe that not that long ago Alessio Sakara was a highly touted up-and-comer in a very thin light-heavyweight division. The times have changed. Sakara has good striking, but has shown a questionable chin and little ability on the ground. James Lee comes into the fight with good wrestling and an abundance of submission victories. He also has the biggest career record discrepancy I have ever seen on Sherdog and UFC.com (13-2 on Sherdog, compared to 25-2 on UFC.com). Anyway look for Sakara to be the new owner of a UFC pink slip after Lee scores a submission early.
Winner: James Lee, Submission, Round 1

Jeremy Lambert: Alessio Sakara will lose because he has no heart. He gets hit, he thinks he's hurt, and he quits. James Lee will probably hit him a few times, take him down, and submit him. If Sakara realizes he's not that bad, he may be able to land a shot and win but the second he gets hit or taken down, he'll call it a night.
Winner: James Lee, Submission, Round 1

Lotfi Sariahmed: Neither is fighter is that amazing hence why they're fighting as part of the prelims. But Sakara has just been so ridiculously overhyped since coming into the UFC and for what? Two wins over Victor Valimaki and Elvis Sinosic? Come on now. If nothing else I'm picking James Lee on principle.
Winner: James Lee

Leland Roling: Alessio Sakara is a gatekeeper... there, I said it. He's also fairly one-dimensional as well, and not a smart gameplanner. In his fight with Houston, he mentioned days before that he would not take the fight to the ground and would stand with him. Playing into your opponent's strength doesn't sound too smart. Unfortunately for Sakara, Lee is going to be tough for him to stop. Sakara is nothing but a standup boxer with some power, and Lee is a phenomenal grappler.
Winner: James Lee, submission, round 1


Paul Kelly vs Paul Taylor

Matt McEwen: I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I'm not all that current on rather obscure British fighters. I know that Taylor was the victim of Marcus Davis' improved jiu jitsu game the last time the UFC was in England, but if I remember correctly, he fought like hell before getting taken out. All I know about Kelly is that he's dropping from 185lbs down to 170lbs, is undefeated against questionable competition and trains with Michael Bisping. So, knowing how Wolf's Lair fighters enjoy banging a bit – I think that's a British trait overall – I'll say we're in for a fun slugfest before someone says goodnight.
Winner: Paul Taylor, TKO, Round 1

Randy Harrison: Two UK fighters are up next in Kelly and Taylor and I thought that I wasn't going to have a lot to say about this one but I was wrong. Kelly is 6-0 and fights out of the same camp as TUF 3 champ Michael Bisping, but this is his first major test outside of the usual smaller shows in England. Taylor is 1-1in the UFC but that could easily be 2-0 had he not proven to be so overzealous against Marcus Davis last September. He had Davis hurt and failed to capitalize which cost him in the end, but he showed that he has the talent to hold his own against the middle level welterweights in the UFC. I have yet to see Kelly fight, but if I'm left to choose between a newcomer making a big leap, and a guy that, barring a few seconds either way, could be 2-0 in the Octagon, I'm going with the latter.
Winner: Paul Taylor, TKO, Rd 3

Ken Kobel: Two of England's finest will do battle here. Paul Taylor came within inches of scoring a huge victory over Marcus Davis at UFC 75, but in the end he fell short. Paul Kelly is a UFC newcomer with an undefeated 6-0 record. Look for this one to be contested on the feet and provide some great action for the Newcastle crowd. Between the two of them they have went 16 straight fights without a decision – so don't blink. Taylor has used his kicks very well in his 2 UFC fight so bank on him scoring with one again.
Winner: Paul Taylor, TKO, Round 2

Jeremy Lambert: Paul will win. Kelly is making his UFC debut and Taylor is making his 3rd UFC trip to the UK. Taylor put up a very good fight against Davis before losing and I think he experience will lead him to a decision victory.
Winner: Paul Taylor, Decision

Lotfi Sariahmed: I don't like lying to the public. I'm just not excited over this bout. Paul Kelly's 6-0 and is in the UFC because he'll get a pop from the home crowd. Paul Taylor blew a chance to beat Marcus Davis in his last bout but in the end he put on a good performance. In these sorts of bouts I always prefer the experience over anything else so I'll go with Taylor.
Winner: Paul Taylor

Leland Roling: I was impressed with Taylor's skills in the Davis fight, even though he eventually lost. He has some solid standup skills and is actually technical in his striking. Kelly is 6-0 and an up-and-comer in the UK, but I haven't had much faith in the brawling tactics of UK fighters. Taylor looks to be a diamond in the ruff in the UK. Taylor should take this.
Winner: Paul Taylor, TKO/KO, round 1


Antoni Hardonk vs Colin Robinson

Matt McEwen: Frank Mir and Justin McCully have shown how painfully one dimensional Hardonk is in his last two fights, but I think the UFC is giving him a bit of a break here. Robinson is a big banger, but he's most likely going to try and stand with Hardonk. Big mistake by Big C. Hardonk's striking hasn't been seen in his last two fights, but if Eddie Sanchez pounded Robinson into a TKO, then Hardonk most likely won't need the "T" in front of his "KO".
Winner: Hardonk, KO, Round 1

Randy Harrison: Another UK fighter makes his presence known on the card as Colin Robinson makes his return to the UFC against a tough opponent in Antoni Hardonk. You never know which Hardonk is going to show up to fight, but I guarantee you if it's the guy that showed up for his last two UFC fights, he won't be around after this one. Robinson is a much better figher than he showed he was against Eddie Sanchez at UFC 72 and I fully expect him to be on point here against a flaky fighter in Hardonk. Robinson favored the submission game early in his career but has since improved his striking to where that has become the most dangerous facet of his game. Look for him to stun Hardonk with a few good shots throughout and avoid any damage the rest of the fight en route to taking a decision.
Winner: Colin Robinson, Unanimous Decision

Ken Kobel: At least this one should be quick. Antoni Hardonk has shown good striking, but has no chance if a fight is taken to the crowd. Lucky for him, there is a good possibility that 39-year-old Colin Robinson will be willing to exchange on the feet. Hardonk will score the victory.
Winner: Antoni Hardonk, TKO, Round 1

Jeremy Lambert: Who really cares? I have no expectations for this fight. Hardonk is a mediocre fighter who got owned by Frank Mir in his last fight and Robinson is a mediocre fighter who lost to Eddie Sanchez in his last UFC fight. I expect this to be a lackluster fight, much like Sanchez/Soa from last month. Robinson will win the decision by throwing and connecting with more punches.
Winner: Colin Robinson, Decision

Lotfi Sariahmed: Antoni Hardonk is the definition of a striker who can't do anything else. On the ground he's about as good as you and I. On the other hand you have Colin Robinson. He lost to Eddie Sanchez in his only UFC bout. Both these fighters are bad. Neither fighter should see a UFC main card anytime soon. So I flipped a coin and it landed on Colin Robinson.
Winner: Colin Robinson

Leland Roling: I'm not interested in this battle whatsoever. Hardonk trains with Ernesto Hoost from time to time, a legend in K-1 and a kickboxing arm breaker. If Hardonk can't win a fight with a typical standup fighter in Colin Robinson, he should stop fighting in the cage and move to K-1. I'll take Hardonk.
Winner: Antoni Hardonk, unanimous decision


Jorge Rivera vs Kendall Grove

Matt McEwen: Grove's rise through the weak middleweight division was put on hold after he got blitzed by Patrick Cote (GO CANADA GO!), so he'll be looking to get back on pace by taking out Cote's TUF castmate Rivera in this one. Rivera is a good, tough fighter, but is past his prime and, like all 185lbers is going to have a hell of time dealing with the freakish reach of Grove. It seems like we always find out a lot about a fighter in how he comes back from a high profile loss, and something tells me Grove is going to respond well.
Winner: Grove, Submission, Round 2

Randy Harrison: The main card starts off with Kendall Grove, looking to make a comeback from his devastating loss to Patrick Cote last year, taking on Jorge Rivera. If there was ever a fight that could be called a "let's get you a win fight" this would be it. Rivera is double-tough but I don't see anything outside of a puncher's chance that would allow him to pick up the win over Grove. Grove will use his reach to dictate the pace of the fight standing up and his slick submission game to control things on the mat. It's not a matter of if in this fight, it's just a matter of when.
Winner: Kendall Grove, submission, Rd 1

Ken Kobel: Kendall Grove was gaining a lot of steam in the middleweight division before he was de-railed by Patrick Cote at UFC 74. He will get back to his winning ways on Saturday. Jorge Rivera has put together a solid MMA career -- but he is on the tail-end of it and hasn't competed in nearly a year. While Grove has showed improved striking as of late, he does his best work on the ground. He will use his reach to keep Rivera at bay in the beginning and then set-up a takedown to score a submission.
Winner: Kendall Grove, Submission, Round 2

Jeremy Lambert: If Grove wants to be considered a top Middleweight fighter, he's got to beat a gatekeeper like Rivera. Rivera has good power but a weak chin. If Grove uses his reach, keeps Rivera back, and finally connects with a big shot, Rivera will go down and Grove can finish him from there. This is obviously a rebound fight for Grove to boost his confidence with a win over a veteran. Hopefully he doesn't screw it up.
Winner: Kendall Grove, TKO, Round 1

Lotfi Sariahmed: Now here's a bout I could get into. Grove's body type at middleweight makes him a very tough fight for anybody. On that same note though he is coming off his first loss since getting into the UFC against Patrick Cote. I'm always interested to see how these TUF guys rebound from these bouts. He's facing a guy in Rivera who could pose him some problems if Grove isn't prepared. But I'd be shocked if Grove was looking past Rivera here.
Winner: Kendall Grove

Leland Roling: Kendall Grove is tall, lanky, and a decent grappler. He'll have good reach on Rivera, but Rivera is very good in his striking game. He have avoided submissions in the past with a good victory over a tough submission grappler in Dennis Hallman, and he has shown great striking with solid wins throughout his career. I'll take the upset pick in Jorge Rivera.
Winner: Jorge Rivera, unanimous decision


Wilson Gouveia vs Jason Lambert

Matt McEwen: This one could be pretty fun. Both guys are somewhere in that second level of 205lbers that are looking to move up closer to the top10 or 15. Lambert's last fight helped him a lot, as he scored the big upset KO over Babalu, but that was almost a full year ago. Gouveia is a tough bugger who puts up a good fight every time he steps foot into the Octagon, and seems to have stepped up his submissions, as he's won three straight by choking out his opponent. The key is going to be how well Gouveia defends against the ground and pound Lambert is sure to use, and if he'll be able to submit from the bottom. Lambert is a beast when he's on top though, so….
Winner: Jason Lambert, Decision

Randy Harrison: The fight that I was meant to see at UFC 76 finally happens here and it looks like it's going to be a really good fight actually. Lambert is looking to capitalize finally on the big win he had over Babalu in March of last year while Gouveia is going to be trying to continue a three-fight winning streak inside the Octagon. With how thin the division is at the top at the moment, this fight and another win afterwards could put the winner on Saturday in title contention. Look for Lambert to get the takedown early and often and use his size to negate the submission skills of Gouveia.
Winner:Jason Lambert, Unanimous Decision

Ken Kobel: Be fair warned – this is going to be a good fight. We were supposed to get this match-up at UFC 76, but will see it Saturday instead. Jason Lambert scored the biggest win of his career when he knocked-out Babalu at UFC 68. He has good wrestling with heavy hand and will look to continue his momentum against Wilson Gouveia. Gouveia is a BJJ Black Belt who also possesses good hands along with brutal leg kick ability. It may be the most played-out saying in MMA – but whoever imposes their will wins this fight. Look for Gouveia to be the person to do this by continually chopping at Lambert's legs and eventually getting the takedown and submission victory.
Winner: Wilson Gouveia, Submission, Round 2

Jeremy Lambert: Gouveia's strength is on the ground but Lambert is no slouch. I think this fight will go much like Lambert/Sobral where Lambert just held him to a stalemate on the ground before finishing him. It's pretty hard for me to pick against my long lost brother so I've got to go with Lambert.
Winner: Jason Lambert, TKO, Round 3

Lotfi Sariahmed: This entire card just teases you all the way up. The fights go from dreadful and slowly make their way up incrementally. Gouveia v. Lambert's a very good bout. It wasn't too long ago that Lambert was on the verge of being a top 10 light heavyweight after he beat Babalu. But that fight was back in March of last year. Injuries delayed this fight with Gouveia from happening but now the fight is on and its a big bout for both guys. Lambert's won nine of his last ten fights and Gouveia's won five of his last six (though he got robbed in the loss to Jardine). Lambert has the strength advantage in this bout but Gouveia more well-versed on the ground. It's a toss-up fight for me but I'm leaning toward Lambert.
Winner: Jason Lambert

Leland Roling: Lambert is one of the forgotten heavyweights in the division, especially after his loss to Rashad Evans. This could be his journey back into the mix. Gouveia is a grappling jiu-jitsu fighter, but Lambert is too strong on top and will use his wrestling to set up strikes with his power.
Winner: Jason Lambert, TKO, round 2


Jess Liaudin vs Marcus Davis

Matt McEwen: The march towards a title shot for Davis continues. I'm not sure if he'll actually get one before the age of 40 given how stacked the division is, and he stands no chance against the top guys at 170, but Davis sure is fun to watch as he develops. The Davis win steak is going move to 11 straight, as I just don't see how Liaudin stands any chance in this one.
Winner: Marcus Davis, KO, Round 2

Randy Harrison: Liaudin has won five in a row but he will be hard-pressed to make it six against "The Irish Hand Grenade" who has seemingly come into his own as of late with big win after big win. I don't expect the fact that Davis hasn't lost since 2005 to change with this fight and I can see him boxing up Liaudin and forcing him into a mistake to set up a submission victory. There's not a lot to say because I don't think Liaudin has much of a chance in this one.
Winner: Marcus Davis, submission, Rd 3

Ken Kobel: What does Marcus Davis have to do to get a shot at one of the upper-level welterweights? For his 6th fight in a row he will battle a journeyman who he must not stumble against as he tries to reach the next level. Davis will have little problems in this fight. He has much better hands than Liaudin, is physically stronger, and can control his opponent on the ground. Marcus will end things early and then hopefully move on to a more high-profile showdown.
Winner: Marcus Davis, TKO, Round 1

Jeremy Lambert: Marcus Davis has been on a tear since losing at the TUF2 finale while I consider Liaudin a middle of the pack fighter. If Davis wants to fight top guys in the division, he's going to have to beat Liaudin and do it decisively. Liaudin's strength is on the ground but I think Davis is just as good on the ground and holds on edge on the feet. This should be a great fight with some good scrambles and if it goes long enough, could earn FOTN honors.
Winner: Marcus Davis, Submission, Round 2

Lotfi Sariahmed: I'm tired of hearing how Marcus Davis is this amazing welterweight. He hasn't fought anyone over what's seemingly become a 100-fight win streak. Talk to me when he has. He'll win here but it won't matter. In the mean time I'm not buying into the "Irish Hand Grenade."
Winner: Marcus Davis

Leland Roling: Marcus Davis is stronger and stronger in nearly every single MMA bout he takes part in. He has excellent hands and some strong wrestling. Jess Liaudin is a cagey veteran who can last in the cage, but he's definitely susceptible to powerful fighters. Davis should overwhelm him fairly easily.
Winner: Marcus Davis, TKO/KO, round 2


Gabriel Gonzaga vs Fabricio Werdum

Matt McEwen: I was pretty excited about Werdum coming to the UFC back in April, but the snoozer against Arlovski took some of the shine off for me. That being said, he's got to be super motivated to avoid going 0-2 and have his UFC career finished before it ever really gets started. He's one of the top submission artists at heavyweight, and working with Cro Cop has improved his striking immensely. There's one big problem though: Gonzaga. If his nose hadn't gotten busted on a headbutt against Randy Couture, Gonzaga very well could be the heavyweight champion right now. He's also a black belt in BJJ, and such a brute that catching him in a submission will be difficult. On their feet, Gonzaga has developed into a very good striker, using good boxing and kicks to their full advantage. He's one of the top all around heavyweights, and still grossly underrated after the loss to Couture. He'll be in line for another title shot soon though…
Winner: Gonzaga, TKO, Round 2

Randy Harrison: A rematch of a fight that took place four years ago between two guys that could be considered the number two and number three heavyweight fighters to come out of Brazil. Gonzaga is looking to avenge his loss to Werdum that came in the fall of 2003 while Werdum is looking to wash the STANK of his UFC 70 fight against Andrei Arlovski off with a good showing here. Gonzaga is a much better and much more well-rounded fighter here while Werdum appears to have regressed to being a straight "possession game" type fighter, happy to do what he can while avoiding anything too outrageous that could end up losing himself the fight. This passive style is going to cost him though against the hungry Gonzaga and I think Gabriel is going to lay a hurting on Werdum.
Winner: Gabriel Gonzaga, TKO, Rd 2

Ken Kobel: Two widely-considered top-ten heavyweights are looking to get back on the winning track. While we know both men have top-level ground games the striking of the two will decide this fight. Werdum has the longer reach and is faster than Gabriel. Gonzaga however, has better kicks and is probably a slightly more heavy-handed. This could be a very good showdown or it could be a snoozer. Time will tell, but whichever way it plays out look for Gonzaga to be the winner.
Winner: Gabriel Gonzaga, Decision

Jeremy Lambert: As I mentioned in this weeks Cardio Freak, I think the first round will be slow with neither man wanting to make a mistake. After the uneventful first round, Gonzaga will turn up the pressure, land a big shot, and put away Werdum with a submission.
Winner: Gabriel Gonzaga, Submission, Round 2

Lotfi Sariahmed: It's a bout that looks nice on the surface but breaking it down further I just don't think Werdum has a shot. Gonzaga is at least as good or better in every aspect of this fight with Werdum. He's a completely different fighter than the first time he fought Werdum. He's bigger. He's better standing. He's just as good on the ground if not better. I like Gonzaga and I like Gonzaga big, whatever that means in MMA.
Winner: Gabriel Gonzaga

Leland Roling: My pick of the night is Fabricio Werdum. He's moved to Chute Box to work out his striking game, and from the interviews I have seen, he looks to be very confident in his abilities to strike with the bigger Gonzaga. Both guys have excellent grappling, so I imagine the striking will be a huge factor. I think Werdum will surprise us all.
Winner: Fabricio Werdum, unanimous decision


BJ Penn vs Joe Stevenson

Matt McEwen: This is the first time in a while this as happened, but this fight features two of my favourite fighters. Penn is a freak of nature when it comes to combat sports, and can beat ANYONE from 155lbs-185lbs if he's motivated and in shape, and could probably do some damage at LHW and HW too. He really is that good, but he's let that natural ability be wasted a bit by not being properly conditioned in a lot of fights. However, getting down to 155lbs for the Pulver fight left Penn in the best shape he's been in years, and he seems pretty motivated to taken any "buts" and "could haves" out of the discussion of his career. For his part, Stevenson is a handful for anyone at 155lbs, Penn included. He's a strong wrestler with good submissions, surprising striking abilities, to go along with a tough chin and a big heart. He's one of the most experienced 24 year olds you'll ever see to boot. His biggest advantage over Penn is going to be brute strength, but Penn's flexibility and Budda-esque body has been proven to hide some surprising strength as well. In the end, I expect a good, competitive fight, but I just don't see anywhere that Stevenson can get a real advantage over a motivated Penn.
Winner: BJ Penn, Submission, Round 4

Randy Harrison: This fight stems from the Sherk steroid fiasco and is actually a fine little title match in its own right and I am glad that it is not for an interim title but for the official title because both of these guys deserve that shot. Stevenson needs this fight to be a stand-up fight because it's the only spot where he has an edge I think, and even at that it's not a very big one.I am completely behind BJ Penn in this one because it's just the smart choice to make. Penn has experience and all of the talent in the world and I expect him to use both to become the UFC Lightweight Champion for a second time.
Winner: BJ Penn, Submission, Rd 3

Ken Kobel: This fight can go one of three ways… 1) B.J. comes to the fight in shape and scores a victory in the later rounds or by decision. 2) B.J. finishes Joe within the first two rounds and his cardio never comes into question. 3) B.J. comes to the fight out-of-shape and is sucking wind by round 3, at which point Joe starts scoring with his takedowns and ground and pounds his way to a decision victory… None of those three scenarios would be too shocking, but for the sake of picking one let's go with option #1.
Winner: B.J. Penn, Submission, Round 4

Jeremy Lambert: BJ Penn is one of the best in the world when properly trained and focussed. I don't think he's fully focussed on Stevenson but I do think he's well trained. I just think BJ is better at all areas than Stevenson and there's nothing Joe can do that BJ won't have a counter for. Unless Penn just gases out, I can't see him losing this fight.
Winner: BJ Penn, Submission, Round 3

Lotfi Sariahmed: Like I've said before, this is a much closer fight than the betting lines would indicate. I understand how good Penn is. But at +225 I'd put money on Stevenson. As for the fight itself outside of wrestling, I don't know where Stevenson has a clear advantage. Like I've said before, he's not that far off in any one area. Conditioning could also work in favor of Stevenson because Penn could gas. But I'm not picking Stevenson just on that one shot alone.
Winner: BJ Penn

Leland Roling: I'm a bit surprised at the Joe Stevenson love fest that I've been hearing these days. The problem is that exactly what skill is Stevenson better at? Breathing? Maybe cardio is the key to winning this fight for Stevenson, but skill-wise, Penn is better in nearly every single area of this fight. I can't bet against that.
Winner: BJ Penn, submission, round 3

Thanks for reading everyone, and remember to keep checking 411mania for continued UFC 80 coverage before, during, and after the event!