411’s MMA Roundtable Preview: UFC 90 – Silva vs. Cote

Posted by Larry Csonka on 10.24.2008

For the second straight week the UFC is back with a PPV offering, and the question everyone is asking is, “Does Patrick Côté actually have a chance against Anderson Silva?”



WELCOME:
Welcome back kids to another MMA Roundtable Preview! Does it feel like we just did this last week? Seriously. But yes kids we are back and back again to break down another UFC PPV! Will UFC 90 deliver and make up for the mediocre offering that was UFC 89? Can Josh Koscheck earn a Welterweight Title shot? Will Sean Sherk piss clean? Can Thiago Alves make weight? Does Patrick Côté actually have a chance against Anderson Silva? Let's get to work and find out!


THE STAFF:

The MMA Rankings Guru, Dustin James!

He claims to write the "Greatest MMA Column," so I destroyed him in Fact or Fiction, he's a newcomer so be kind, he is Daniel Plunkett!

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

Another newcomer, get ready to Tap Out with Tberg, it's Todd Bergman!

The MMA Juggernaut, Jonathan Solomon!

The Cardio Freak himself, Jeremy Lambert!

Video reviewer and the man behind the Fightin Stance News Report, Adam Tool!

And finally I am your humble editor, Larry Csonka!



UFC 90 – Silva vs. Cote

THE UNDERCARD:
Lightweight Bout: Spencer Fisher (21-4) vs. Shannon Gugerty (11-2)
Dustin James: Many people may not know this but...this has the potential to be a great fight. Fisher is a UFC veteran with a lot of experience. His record is 21-4, but he is 6-3 in the UFC which includes losses against Frankie Edgar, Hermes Franca, and Sam Stout. Gugerty is 11-2 and is riding an 8-fight win streak which includes his UFC debut win over Dale Hartt at Fight Night 14. Gugerty won't finish Fisher with a submission here. I also honestly think if he is unable to knock Fisher out, Fisher will take this fight via decision.

Winner: Spencer Fisher, Decision

Daniel Plunkett: Gugerty looked good in his UFC debut win over Dale Hartt, but he'll run into one of the UFC's best lightweights in Spencer Fisher. Fisher comes from a great camp and is a complete fighter. While Gugerty may be able to keep it competitive on the ground, I think Fisher's stand up may be slightly better, even with Gugerty's muay thai skills. We could see an upset, but I'm not picking it.

Winner: Spencer Fisher, TKO, Round 2

Scott Kuczkowski: Spencer Fisher has been bouncing back and forth between wins and losses as of late and is going to have to win this handily if he hopes to ascend the lightweight ladder. I don't know much about Gugerty other than that he has some good Muay Thai skills (5-0 record) and a brown belt in BJJ. Fisher is going to have to try and out hustle Gugerty and keep this fight standing where he can use his hands. Gugerty will probably want to take this to the ground and work for a choke of some sort. I'm going to go out on a limb and pick Gugerty

Winner: Gugerty, Submission, Round 1

Todd Bergman : What a nice little match up here in the Lightweight Division. Spencer Fisher will look to keep this fight standing as his opponent, Shannon Gugerty, will look to finish it on the ground. In the past, Fisher has had troubles with strong wrestlers who can get him down and hold him down. He shouldn't have this problem in this fight as Gugerty lacks the strong wrestling to get Fisher down and keep him there. Fisher picks Shannon apart as he avoids the takedowns and finally tires out Gugerty midway through the 2nd with his crisp boxing.

Winner: Spencer Fisher, TKO, Round 2

Jonathan Solomon: Gugerty comes from a boxing camp but has several submission wins on his record. He defeated Dale Hartt in the summer in his UFC debut and takes a big step up in competition here. Fisher is the definition of the word fighter. He's tough to put away and has only be finished once in his career. Fisher is looking to get back into the mix of the UFC Lightweight division after losses to Hermes Franca and Frankie Edgar last year. Another win here is essential to doing just that.

Winner: Spencer Fisher, TKO, Round 2

Jeremy Lambert: Spencer Fisher is almost becoming a Lightweight gatekeeper as he'll beat most guys but lose to top guys or future top guys. Shannon Gugerty isn't really a top guy. He's fairly well rounded although Fisher has a distinct striking advantage. Gugerty is solid on the ground but I don't think he's good enough to tap out Fisher. I think Fisher keeps the fight standing and gets the TKO victory.

Winner: Fisher, TKO, Round 2

Adam Tool: Did we ever find out why Melvin Guillard isn't fighting Fisher? I mean, I know he got arrested but that was after he was pulled from the card. Not that it really matters to me, since I can't stand the guy. Anyways, Gugerty has a little bit of hype following him at the moment, but Fisher will certainly represent the toughest opponent he's had to date. Fisher has outstanding striking and some pretty good ground skills to boot, although lately he seems to be fighting a lot more conservatively. With that in mind, I have a feeling this one will end on the judges' scorecards.

Winner: Fisher, decision

Larry Csonka: Gugerty has some hype heading into the show, but I wasn't impressed with him the last time I saw him. Also I wasn't very impressed with Fisher's last bout. I figure that this will go to the cards, and let's hope for an exciting fight.

Winner: Fisher, Decision

---

Middleweight Bout: Matt Horwich (22-10-1) vs. Dan Miller (9-1)
Dustin James: Matt Horwich, who hails from the beautiful state of Oregon, will finally be making his UFC debut here. Horwich is an IFL veteran with an overall record of 22-10-1 and is great at submissions. His opponent, Dan Miller, just made his UFC debut in what seems like yesterday at UFC Fight Night 15 where he defeated Rob Kimmons via a quick rear naked choke. The key for me in this fight happens to be a little MMath. Both fighters fought Ryan McGivern while in the IFL. Miller defeated McGivern with a kneebar in Round 1 while Horwich lost via decision. If MMath is correct, Miller will win this fight via first-round submission....but be warned, MMath doesn't always work.

Winner: Dan Miller, Submission, Round 1

Daniel Plunkett: Is this fight for the IFL Middleweight Title? Horwich has knockout power and trains with Team Quest. Dan Miller will likely have the advantage on the ground. This could be a very good fight.

Winner: Dan Miller, Submission, Round 2

Scott Kuczkowski: Horwich's record kind of indicates he is a hit and miss type fighter. Miller on the other hand has only one loss on his record from 2006. Horwich will probably try and out strike Miller, while Miller will try to take it to the ground. I think Miller will follow his brother's lead and pick up a win here.

Winner: Miller, Submission, Round 1

Todd Bergman : Matt Horwich brings his crazy hair style to the Octagon against the very game Dan Miller. Horwich is a vastly experienced fighter who will be making his Octagon debut in Chicago. Miller, on the other hand, is coming off a very quick victory over Rob Kimmons at Ultimate Fight Night 15. The deciding factor in this match is going to be Miller's wrestling versus Horwich's ability to control the pace and stop the takedown. I think that Miller will be able to get in close on Horwich and take him down and work his submissions while avoiding big strikes from Horwich in route to a Unanimous Decision victory.

Winner: Dan Miller, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Horwich is fresh out of the IFL and ready to make his UFC debut against a fellow IFL alum in Dan Miller. Horwich has a ton of experience, fighting since 2003 with wins over Josh Burkman, Jason MacDonald, Krzysztof Soszynski, Vernon White, Mike Pyle, Benji Radach and Joey Guel, among others. Hardy made Rob Kimmons tap out back in September and continues his streak of not leaving the first round (since April 2007).

Winner: Matt Horwich, Decision.

Jeremy Lambert: Matt Horwich makes his UFC debut against another IFL standout Dan Miller. Horwich is really good on the ground and Miller isn't too shabby either. This could end up being a really fun grappling contest and if it comes down to that, I think Horwich takes it. Interesting note, Dan travelled with his brother Jim to England for UFC 89 so you have to wonder if the trip will somehow affect him. I don't think it will but I still don't think he wins the fight.

Winner: Horwich, Decision

Adam Tool: October could be a very nice month for the Miller family. Jim got a big win last weekend at UFC 89, and Dan will try and improve his UFC record to 2-0 this weekend. Horwich has some decent wins on his record, and a good percentage of those came via submission. In the end I'm going with the guy that applied what Bas Rutten called, "the tightest guillotine I've ever seen." That would be Miller.

Winner: Miller, submission, round 1

Larry Csonka: This one has a chance to be a great little submission battle if it goes long. Matt Horwich is a good fighter, and has more experience, which could be the key. Part of me wishes that this could be on the main card, because I dig good ground battles. They may need to call this the night of decisions, because I have a feeling that this one could go all the way as well.

Winner: Horwich, Decision

---

Welterweight Bout: Josh Burkman (18-7) vs. Pete Sell (7-4-)
Dustin James: I'm just glad that this fight isn't on the main card. To be honest, I don't really care for either guy in this contest. Sell is 1-4 in the UFC with his only win coming against Phil Baroni. Woop de doo. Sure Sell can put on a good show, but it's hard for me back a guy who keeps losing. However it's been over a year since he fought last so he should be pretty healthy. His opponent is Josh Burkman who sports an unimpressive UFC record of 5-4. In Burkman's last fight he was caught in a vicious arm bar by Dustin Hazelett in Round 2 and was forced to tap out. To me, this fight just screams decision.

Winner: Josh Burkman, Decision

Daniel Plunkett: Drago's back, again! This is a must win for both fighters. Sell has lost four consecutive fights in the UFC, while Burkman has lost two in a row. Sell is a black belt in BJJ under Matt Serra, while Burkman brings good wrestling. Pete Sell is due for a win, so I'll take him.

Winner: Pete Sell, Submission, Round 3

Scott Kuczkowski: This fight means absolutely nothing on the grand scheme of things and I'm surprised it is even happening. Pete Sell is 1-4 in his last 5 fights while Burkman is 2-3. I guess this is a "winner gets a second chance while loser goes the way of EliteXC" type of match. A true stinker of a fight and something that will probably put the entire audience to sleep, I think Burkman will man-hump his way to a decision victory.

Winner: Burkman, Decision

Todd Bergman : Nothing makes a fight more interesting than adding the "Loser Leaves Town" stigma to it. That's exactly the moniker for this showdown between Burkman and Sell. Consistency is something that both fighters are looking to achieve in this fight, but I think that only one fighter has shown some sort of ability to do that in the past. The most constant fighter has been Josh Burkman. "The People's Warrior" should be able to avoid the huge arm punches of Drago while working his leg kicks that will slowly tire out Sell. This will be Sell's first attempt at the Welterweight Division, so look for him to get tired late which will allow Burkman to outwork and outpoint Sell.

Winner: Josh Burkman, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Both former TUF competitors have not had a lot of success recently. "The People's Warrior" (yeah) has lost to Mike Swick and Dustin Hazelett in 2008. Sell has not won since the spring of 2006. These guys will be going balls to the wall because who knows if they will receive another opportunity to fight inside the UFC.

Winner: Pete Sell, Decision

Jeremy Lambert:This better be a loser leaves the company fight because these guys bring nothing to the table. Pete Sell has a job because he's Matt Serra's boy and Josh Burkman has a job because....I really don't know why. I hope Josh Burkman gets knocked out quick because I can't stand him and he's boring.

Winner: Sell, TKO, Round 1

Adam Tool: Here we have what is likely a "loser leaves town" bout. Burkman's lost his last two while Sell hasn't had a win in the octagon since beating Phil Baroni at UFC 51. I'm not all that interested in the outcome of this one but since I've got to pick a winner, let's go with Burkman. He's got some good punching power and Sell's chin is questionable at best.

Winner: Burkman, TKO, round 2

Larry Csonka: To say that Sell needs a victory here is an understatement. Losing his last three fights here in the UFC doesn't bode well for him. Burkman has lost his last two fights, and this now looks to me a loser leaves town match so to speak. I am not exactly a fan of either guy, and I could see this being slow and boring. Hopefully I am wrong because both guys should be busting ass to keep their job.

Winner: Josh Burkman, Strikes, RD3

---

Middleweight Bout: Thales Leites (13-1) vs. Drew McFedries (7-4)
Dustin James: To his credit, McFedries took this fight on a really short notice once Goran Reljic was removed from the bout due to an injury. I don't think it matters as I feel that Leites would destroy McFedries either way. Leites is no joke and he proved that when he took that ass beating from Nate Marquardt and still came away with a controversial decision win.

Winner: Thales Leites, Submission, Round 1

Daniel Plunkett: Leites has very good submissions, which is McFedries weakness. Drew desperately needs to keep this fight standing, but I don't see that happening.

Winner: Thales Leites, Submission, Round 1

Scott Kuczkowski: Thales Leites is coming off a somewhat controversial victory over Nate Marquardt, while McFedries is coming off a submission loss to Mike Massenzio. While McFedries is a solid striker, he's never had success when going against anyone considered a "step-up" in competition. I don't think he'll be successful here either, as I think Leites will take him down and submit him rather easily.

Winner: Leites, Submission, Round 1

Todd Bergman : Leites is the favorite coming into this fight and for good reason. His strong grappling mixed with his under-appreciated striking has him keeping his eye on the prize: a title shot down the road. Thales must work the game plan of taking this fight to the ground if he wants to win. If he is able to do that then it should be an easy night of work for him. However, if he refuses to take this fight to the ground, then he could be left looking up at the lights due to McFedries's incredible KO power. I'm confident in Thales's ability to take down Drew and submit him midway through the 1st round.

Winner: Thales Leites, Submission, Round 1

Jonathan Solomon: Leites is on a four-fight win streak inside the middleweight division. McFedries lost via quick kimura submission in September, after making Marvin Eastman fall in love with the canvas in June. On paper, this fight looks pretty clearly in favor of Leites who could earn a title shot next year inside the heated 185-division. Can McFedries avoid the submission attempts from Leites and his Jiu-Jitsu skills? Me thinks not.

Winner: Thales Leites, Submission, Round 2

Jeremy Lambert: Thales Leites is good on the ground, Drew McFedries isn't. McFedries is a guy that hits hard but looks completely lost on the ground. Leites stand up isn't great but it's decent enough to survive with McFedries before he can get the fight to the ground and tap out McFedries.

Winner: Leites, Submission, Round 1

Adam Tool: I was really looking forward to the Leites/Reljic fight, but now with Goran out we have the so-so McFedries taking his place. It's your basic striker versus grappler match-up, and it'll be interesting to see how much punishment Leites can take should McFedries decide to let his hands go early. Should Leites weather the early storm, I think he'll be able to lock in a submission for the win.

Winner: Leites, submission, round 1

Larry Csonka: McFedries is 3-3 in the UFC and is taking this fight on short notice. Doing so is earning him some good will with the company, even if he loses here. I expect him to lose here, but would not be surprised to see an upset just because we've seen a lot of guys take a fight on short notice and surprise the other man.

Winner: Thales Leites, Submission, Rd 2

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Lightweight Bout: Hermes Franca (18-7) vs. Marcus Aurelio (16-6)
Dustin James: Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for a war. This one will almost definitely be a "Fight of the Night" nominee. These two will battle until the end of the third round and it should be a war. If not, I totally will eat some humble pie.

Winner: Marcus Aurelio, Decision

Daniel Plunkett: Franca is undersized for the division, and has dropped 2 straight, including one against then champion Sean Sherk. Both of their strengths are on the ground, and I feel Aurelio has an advantage standing.

Winner: Marcus Aurelio, Decision

Scott Kuczkowski: Both of these guys are coming off tough losses. Franca dropped his last two fights to Sean Sherk and Frank Edgar while Aurelio dropped his last bout to Tyson Griffin. I don't know if we will see the Hermes Franca of old in this fight, as he didn't look the same in his fight with Edgar. I look for Aurelio to out hustle France and take the decision.

Winner: Aurelio, Decision

Todd Bergman : Do you enjoy watching fighters with small gas tanks? If you answered yes, then do I have a matchup for you. To be honest, I used to be extremely impressed with Hermes Franca and his crazy striking ability. Then, of course, he got caught up in steroid use, and I lost a lot of respect for him. His opponent, Marcus Aurelio, was suppose to be a huge pickup for the UFC and, in turn, became a bigger bust than Sam Bowie. The key to victory for Hermes is his ability to stop the takedown. This lack of ability has cost him dearly in the past and while it is his downfall, I don't think that Aurelio is going to exploit that. Marcus always seems content on trying to submit his opponent from the bottom instead of trying to work for the takedown. He can't do that against Hermes but conventional wisdom usually doesn't work inside the Octagon. I look for Hermes to pepper Marcus with huge shots while avoiding the ill-fated takedowns and riding out the fight to a much-needed decision victory.

Winner: Hermes Franca, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Ironically, Franca has lost his last two fights, on cards headlined by ANDERSON SILVA. Coincidence? I think so. In his last fight with Frankie Edgar, Franca could not put him away and lost a decision. Aurelio had trouble with the powerful Tyson Griffin, also losing a decision. Aurelio may use his striking early on but will have to rely on his submission game to win this fight. Franca can pull out a wacky submission in a lot of situations so this could end at any point.

Winner: Marcus Aurelio, Decision

Jeremy Lambert: I really hope there's time to show this one because it has the potential to be a really fun grappling contest. Both guys are world class on the ground although I think Aurelio holds an ever so slight advantage. Franca is better on the feet because he's got a great ability to time shots with knees and he throws heavy hands from different angles. If the fight hits the ground, it's going to come down to whomever is on top because neither guy is catching the other with a submission from the bottom. Both guys are tough to finish so I don't expect either guy scoring a submission or TKO. I'll say Aurelio wins it just because I think he'll be on top more.

Winner: Aurelio, Decision

Adam Tool: This is an intriguing fight. You've got two guys that were very close from their days together at American Top Team. More importantly, both men are desperately in need of a win. Franca was a title contender before his positive steroid test and recent loss to Frank Edgar. Aurelio was on top of the world after beating Gomi in PRIDE, but since then he has gone 2-4 in his career. These guys are fairly even in most categories, but Franca is the superior striker. I think that will be the difference maker leading to Franca getting the win.

Winner: Franca, decision

Larry Csonka: Both men are coming off of decision losses in July, and need to get back on the winning track. If Franca loses, I could see him gone from the company, but more than likely down to the WEC where he could drop weight and down a division. I think Aurelio will have the advantage here, and look for the submission victory.

Winner: Marcus Aurelio, SUB, RD2

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THE MAIN CARD:
Lightweight Bout: Gray Maynard (5-0-1) vs. Rich Clementi (32-12-1)
Dustin James: Clementi has been on a roll since September of 2007 and brings a 6-fight win streak into his fight with "Ultimate Fighter" veteran Gray Maynard. Maynard is undefeated in MMA so far, but has only been fighting since 2006. Clementi has been fighting since 1999. Will Clementi's experience pay off here? Honestly, I see this fight reaching a decision and I'm picking the guy who is training with Xtreme Couture in that case.

Winner: Gray Maynard, Decision

Daniel Plunkett: The first fight of the main card is an interesting one. A win from either man could put them in contention for a top 10 spot. Maynard will put Clementi on his back all fight, and it will pay off.

Winner: Gray Maynard, Decision

Scott Kuczkowski: This should be a good fight, but I'm thinking neither guy is going to be able to finish the other. Clementi brings a lot of experience into the fight while Maynard has some of the best wrestling in the division (just ask Frank Edgar). Clementi is going to have to try and finish this early before Maynard starts to get off or he is going to be in for a long night of vicious slams and takedowns. I don't think Clementi can finish Maynard, and Gray showed he has a heck of a gas tank in his fight with Edgar. I think Maynard will grind out a decision.

Winner: Maynard, Decision

Todd Bergman : The main card gets off to a good start with this exciting match up. Maynard has been on a roll with his recent, upset victory over Frankie Edgar. Rich Clementi has also been on a roll recently winning his last six consecutive fights. Something has to give in this match up, and that give is Maynard's wrestling ability. No one has been able to stop it, and I don't think that Clementi will be either. Look for Maynard to take Clementi down and beat him up in route to a decision victory.

Winner: Gray Maynard, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Both men are putting together some nice winning streaks in the UFC. Maynard has won three in a row (damn that awesome double KO with Rob Emerson) while Clementi has won four straight in the UFC (six straight if you include fights elsewhere). Maynard still only has six fights on his record but is developing into a fine fighter with the help of Team Couture. There is no doubt, Clementi has tons more experience (over forty fights). This should be a fun fight between a powerful wrestler and a crafty veteran who will not lost his cool, well, at least not here.

Winner: Gray Maynard, Decision

Jeremy Lambert: Rich Clementi is good on the ground but I don't think his bottom game is all that great. He's going to need a great bottom game against Gray Maynard, who will likely be on top most of the fight. I think Maynard hits harder on the feet but Clementi may be the more technical of the two. In the end though, Maynard will use his size and strength advantage to hold down Clementi en route to a decision.

Winner: Maynard, Decision

Adam Tool: "No Love" has been getting plenty of love from the online community these days, as he's been fighting (and winning) an awful lot. Maynard is still undefeated and is coming off the biggest win of his career over Frank Edgar. Maynard's got the power and ability to dictate where this fight takes place, but I'm not sure if he'll want to go to the ground with someone that has the submission skills to end this fight in a flash. I wouldn't be surprised to see this turn into a good old fashioned slugfest, and I like Maynard to come out ahead.

Winner: Maynard, decision

Larry Csonka: The Fight Night King Gray Maynard makes his PPV debut! Gray Maynard's win against Edgar was a big win for him, and while I think that he has a bright future, I am not sure he'll hang with Clementi. I just have a feeling here, and I have to give some love to "No Love."

Winner: Rich Clementi, Decision

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Lightweight Bout: Sean Sherk (32-3-1) vs. Tyson Griffin (12-1)
Dustin James: Boy will this fight impact the lightweight rankings. Sherk is usually ranked in the top 10, while Griffin is sitting "on the bubble" in most people's rankings. If Griffin is able to pull this win off, we may finally have to talk about him being a serious threat for BJ Penn's UFC Lightweight Title. Sherk is 32-3-1 with his 3 losses coming at the hands of BJ Penn, Georges St. Pierre, and Matt Hughes. Will we be adding Tyson Griffin to that impressive list? This one will indeed be a great fight, but it's my opinion however that Griffin is just a little over-matched here.

Winner: Sean Sherk, Decision

Daniel Plunkett: Sean Sherk's first fight after losing to BJ Penn is no cake walk, Tyson Griffin has won his past 4 fights in the UFC. Both fighter's strength is wrestling, which I give the advantage to Sherk in, but will he be able to hold Griffin down? If he can't, I think he has better stand up anyway.

Winner: Sean Sherk, Decision

Scott Kuczkowski: This will be our wrestling match of the night. Sherk should try to keep things on the feet and work his hands, where he should have the reach advantage. I also think he'll be stronger than Tyson. I think this is a bad fight for Griffin, and I don't know if he has anything in his arsenal that he can use to beat Sherk.

Winner: Sherk, Decision

Todd Bergman : Which fighter can out wrestle the other in this lightweight showdown? The answer is simple, really. While Griffin possesses some improved striking, he's showed a vulnerability to takedowns. Guida, Edgar, and Tibau were all able to take him down and exploit that weakness in his game. While Griffin was able to get back up and work around those takedowns, he can't afford to do that against Sherk, who is much bigger and more skilled than the aforementioned opponents. Sherk will do his 3 moves of doom in this match. The punch, takedown, and smother technique for a decision victory.

Winner: Sean Sherk, Decision

Jonathan Solomon: Wrestler haters be damned, this is going to be one hell of a ground battle. Sherk is back from his Penn beating and gets a shot against Griffin who happens to be on a four-fight win streak. For Sherk, this will be the first time he will fight twice in the same calendar year since October 2006...does it matter? I will be pulling for Griffin in this one but the guy has not finished a fight since 2006. I can tell you one thing, I hope wherever he is, Junie Browning isn't watching.

Winner: Sean Sherk, Submission, Round 3

Jeremy Lambert: Everyone is off the Tyson Griffin bandwagon because his last two fights haven't live up to his bouts against Edgar and Guida. I still think Griffin is an exciting fighter, I just think maybe he's trying too hard to finish with a big KO. One guy who doesn't finish is Sean Sherk. Sherk is a guy who will take you down, pass to mount, and then do nothing. I think Griffin will use his wrestling to stay on the feet and then pick apart Sherk much like BJ Penn did back in May. I hope he knocks him out in the first round so the threat of Sherk laying on him for 15 minutes is gone but Sherk is a tough guy to finish.

Winner: Griffin, Decision

Adam Tool: Griffin has developed a stigma amongst UFC fans, because he always goes to a decision. Ironically enough, he had never seen the judges' scorecards until his first fight in the octagon. We know Griffin wants the big finish on a UFC show, but he's not going to get it against Sherk. In his long and storied career, Sherk has only been finished by two people: Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn. This is going to be a tough fight for both guys but I think Griffin has a big place in the future of the lightweight division. He'll need the win here to prove he belongs in the upper levels at 155.

Winner: Griffin, decision

Larry Csonka: Honesty time. I like Griffin, and I hate Sean Sherk.

Winner: Griffin, Decision

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Heavyweight Bout: Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) vs. Junior dos Santos (6-1)
Dustin James: Junior dos Santos is making his UFC debut against a guy who many think should be fighting for the UFC Heavyweight Title. Werdum got a bad break when Randy Couture decided to return to the UFC. Werdum was mentioned as the possible #1 contender to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship. However, now that Couture is back and the winner of Couture/Lesnar & Nog/Mir will fight next year to unify the titles, Werdum will have to wait possibly another whole year just to get a chance at that title. However, in his mean time he looks to continue to want to fight instead of wait for a title shot opportunity. dos Santos has only been fighting since 2006 but is 6-1 as a pro. Werdum has tons more experience that dos Santos and that could be the deciding factor here. If Werdum can't win this fight, he won't get a shot at the UFC Heavyweight Title, so how's that for pressure?

Winner: Fabricio Werdum, Submission, Round 2

Daniel Plunkett: Junior dos Santos is good, he trains with the Nogueira's, and he may be a title contender one day. One day, is not October 25. Werdum is on another level compared to Junior. He'll take this one and sit out until his title shot against the winner of the heavyweight tournament.

Winner: Fabricio Werdum

Scott Kuczkowski: Dos Santos says he likes to work off his back. That's good, because he might just have Werdum on his chest while he does it. Barring a fluke submission on the part of Dos Santos, I think this is just a fight to keep Fabricio active until the heavyweight title picture clears up. I see Werdum trying to a submission victory, but Dos Santos is a BJJ purple belt, so Werdum will probably have to settle with a TKO.

Winner: Werdum, TKO, Round 1

Todd Bergman : Werdum is really getting screwed over here. He really should be fighting a Top 10 Heavyweight instead of Junior the Plumber. Since his debut loss to Arlovski back in April of '07, Werdum has been on a rampage in the Heavyweight division. His hot streak won't stop here as he gets a favorable match up. Big strikes lead to a takedown with Werdum locking on an armbar for a victory. Can we please have Werdum fight a Top 10 fighter in his next fight!?!

Winner: Fabricio Werdum, Submission, Round 1

Jonathan Solomon: The one heavyweight everyone has forgot. Werdum will try to keep winning and ensure himself a shot at the UFC Heavyweight Champion around this time next year. Can he do it? Well, Santos makes his UFC debut after going 6-1 around the world. His win's have come by TKO and submission so he sounds like a dangerous fighter who will seek out submissions. Werdum has TKO wins over Brandon Vera and Gabriel Gonzaga and submission wins over Aleksander Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem (among others). He's fought the best and has won most of the time...he did lose a decision to Andrei Arlovski. Werdum has never lost by submission and he will not be caught in one here, mark my words.

Winner: Fabricio Werdum, TKO, Round 2

Jeremy Lambert: Junior dos Santos is really good against really bad competition. Fabricio Werdum is a legit top 10 Heavyweight whose striking continues to improve and who is world class on the ground. Unless Werdum is just over looking Santos, he's going to submit him pretty early in this fight.

Winner: Werdum, Submission, Round 1

Adam Tool: This is a dangerous fight for Werdum. He's practically guaranteed a title shot if he can win here, but he's facing a giant question mark. Dos Santos has yet to see a fight go past the first round, and he could make quite a name for himself if he beats Werdum in his octagon debut. Both fighters do just fine with submissions, but as Werdum has shown in his last two bouts, he's perfectly comfortable throwing leather as well. I don't know enough about dos Santos to give him much of a chance, so I'll be taking "Vai Cavalo" here.

Winner: Werdum, TKO, round 2

Larry Csonka: I think this will come down to the experience factor here, and that is where Fabricio Werdum has the clear advantage. Dos Santos will likely put up a good fight, but I feel he gets overwhelmed here.

Winner: Fabricio Werdum, SUB, RD2

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Welterweight Bout: Thiago Alves (15-3) vs. Josh Koscheck (11-2)
Dustin James: Just when I heard that Diego Sanchez had to pull out of this fight and I got depressed, I was picked back up by the announcement that Koscheck would be replacing Diego. Now, don't me wrong. I think Kos is a little bit of a douche bag due to his actions from season 1 of "The Ultimate Fighter" (which I re-watched recently). But he is also a damn good fighter. He is 9-2 in the UFC with one of his losses a decision loss to Georges St. Pierre. The big key in this fight is the fact that Alves loves to throw those gloves, however Kos has never been knocked out. This one will be a fun one, but I honestly can't see Kos wanting to stand with Alves for too long. If Kos can avoid that KO power of Alves, he should win this one.

Winner: Josh Koscheck, Decision

Daniel Plunkett: This is the hardest fight to predict on this card. Alves looked very good against Matt Hughes, and is a huge welterweight. Koscheck is a very strong wrestler, which is a huge advantage as Alves wasn't training for a strong wrestler. It will be a very tiring fight, with Alves making a huge weight cut and trying to defend take downs, while Koscheck has to try and take down a bigger fighter while watching out for knees at the same time. I wouldn't be surprised if either man wins.

Winner:Josh Koscheck, Decision

Scott Kuczkowski:Alves handled Hughes' wrestling and remained calm while fighting one of the greatest welterweights in the world, so I'm not certain Koscheck will be able to spring anything on Alves that he hasn't seen or prepared for. Koscheck should have faster hands, but I would give the edge to Alves in the kicking department. If Koscheck can't dominate in the clinch or with takedowns, I see this being a long night for him. We'll probably also see Alves' flying knee again.

Winner: Alves, TKO, Round 2

Todd Bergman : This fight will be the best fight of the night. Alves was originally scheduled to fight Diego Sanchez, but Sanchez got hurt and was replaced by Josh Koscheck. The game plan for Alves remains the same: avoid the take down and use powerful strikes to cut down his opponent. While Koscheck is a better wrestler than Sanchez, Alves has the advantage because he was already gearing up a plan to take out his opponent. This should be a back and forth fight with both fighters splitting rounds one and two. I think that Koscheck will get a little too cocky with a shot and will end up getting clipped and stopped midway through the 3rd round. Alves gets a huge win and a title shot for this spring.

Winner: Thiago Alves, TKO, Round 3

Jonathan Solomon: Koscheck steps in for buddy Diego and will take on one of the rising stars in the division. Alves looked great against Matt Hughes, the uber-wrestler so you have to question whether Koscheck will be able to control the fight. Since we have seen Alves take Hughes apart, logic says no. On their feet, Alves is the better striker although I'll never underestimate Koscheck's stand-up game. If Alves slips up, he'll be taken to the ground and look out for the ground and pound. This should be a crowd pleaser either way, especially if Koscheck takes a punch square on the chin.

Winner: Thiago Alves, Decision

Jeremy Lambert: This fight will prove a lot about Thiago Alves. We know he's great on his feet and will outstrike Koscheck if it stays standing but I'm still not completely sold on his takedown defense. He was able to stuff Matt Hughes but that may have been because Hughes is just past him prime and isn't as strong as he once was. Koscheck is in his prime and is a much more explosive wrestler than Hughes. Plus there's at least the threat of striking with Koscheck when compared to Hughes. I think the size of Alves will just be too much for Koscheck to handle and the short notice may play a factor as well but I do think Alves is the real deal and he'll be able to stuff the takedown enough times to keep it standing and score a TKO.

Winner: Alves, TKO, Round 3

Adam Tool: This is probably the hardest fight on the card to pick. Alves has had trouble against wrestlers in the past, most notably against Jon Fitch. Sure he beat Hughes, but he beat a Matt Hughes that is at the tail end of his career. Koscheck is just hitting his prime, and he seems to get better with every fight. The stakes are pretty high too, with the winner here becoming the next #1 contender for the welterweight belt. I see Koscheck have some success with his takedowns, before getting caught by the big knee late in the third.

Winner: Alves, TKO, round 3

Larry Csonka: Thiago Alves destroyed Matt Hughes en route to his 6th straight victory. Koscheck slowly dissected Lytle over three rounds in their last fight and looked good doing it, but his lack of finishing ability is a concern for me. I think that Koscheck can take the fight into the later rounds, but I don't think he can finish Alves or completely survive the onslaught.

Winner: Thiago Alves, Decision

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Middleweight Championship Bout: Anderson Silva © (22-4) vs. Patrick Côté (13-4)
Dustin James: I will keep this one short and sweet. Anderson Silva is arguably the best "pound for pound" fighter in MMA right now. He has amazing KO power and can submit you before you know what hit you. The one thing Cote has going for him is the fact that he's never been knocked out. Well guess what guy, that's because you have never faced anybody like Anderson Silva. This one should be quick...

Winner: Anderson Silva, KO, Round 1

Daniel Plunkett: Hmmmm...I wonder who everyone is going to pick to win this one. I have a feeling that Côté will make this relatively competitive, but I'll ignore it.

Winner:Anderson Silva, TKO, Round 1

Scott Kuczkowski: No one is giving Cote a chance in this fight, and I think it is that type of opponent that might be able to dethrone Silva. For that to happen though, Silva would have to underestimate his opponent as well and fail to properly train for the fight, which I don't think he will do. Really, the only question going into this fight is if Silva will get the KO in round 1 or round 2. I think Cote will try some things though and maybe even shoot in for takedowns in order to prolong the inevitable.

Winner: Silva, KO, Round 2

Todd Bergman : The question coming into this fight is if Anderson Silva is overlooking Cote. It would be extremely easy for Anderson to do with possible match-ups against GSP and Chuck Liddell in his future. However, this hasn't been a problem for Silva in the past, so we shouldn't think that it would be a problem in this fight. Cote does possess something that an opponent of Silva's hasn't before: the true, one-punch-fighter-changer punch. Many would say that Dan Henderson does, but Henderson is more of a grinder whereas Cote can turn the lights out with just one swing. Anderson will need to use his good footwork and speed to move around that big punch along with working his jab in and out of danger. I think that Anderson should push Cote up against the cage and limit his ability to push forward into his power punches. From there he could score a takedown and use his underrated submission game to claim yet another victory.

Winner: Anderson Silva, Submission, Round 1

Jonathan Solomon: I have said it before and I will say it again, the only people who believe Cote have a legit shot here at people named Cote and those who helped train the kid. Sure, this is fighting and anything can happen once that cage door closes...but it won't. Anderson Silva's biggest weakness in recent times has been those who could take him down (Lutter). Cote will not be that successful to get "The Spider" down. Highlight reel, welcome Mr. Patrick Cote.

Winner: STILL The Best Anderson Silva, KO, Round 1

Jeremy Lambert: The only way Silva loses this fight is if he just overlooks Patrick Cote. Simply put, a pure power striker just isn't going to beat Anderson Silva. His movement is too fluid and his chin is too strong. Cote may have a strong chin as well but so did Chris Leben and although it took him multiple shots on the button, Silva dropped Leben. Cote is getting dropped in whatever round Silva decides that he's bored and he's ready to go party.

Winner: Silva, TKO, Round 1

Adam Tool: The ads for this show have been promoting Cote as a big-time striker with an iron chin. Cote may have heavy hands, but he's going to be in there with the greatest striker in the sport today. Cote does have a good chin, but let's not forget about the iron chin of the champion as well. If Cote does follow through with his plan to stand and trade with "The Spider," it will be a short night for him. There's a reason he's considered the best fighter in the world people.

Winner: Silva, TKO, round 1

Larry Csonka: Côté is riding a five fight winning streak, and has looked good heading into the fight. While I think Anderson Silva has the ability to KO just about anyone in less than a minute, I just don't see it happening here. Sure he killed Irvin, and that's because Irvin is a straightforward fighter that is used to dominating and jacking jaws. And then Silva killed him. I fully expect Silva to defeat Cote, I also expect this to be competitive, for a short time at least.

Winner: Silva, STRIKES, RD2

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