Chris Weidman: Breaking Free of Anderson Silva

Chris Weidman has now beaten Anderson Silva, the man universally regarded as the greatest of all time, twice. First, to win the UFC middleweight title and then to retain it. So one week on, Weidman has been soaking up the plaudits. Right? Well, not quite.

I know Weidman has a world championship belt and functional limbs but he, too, can be considered rather unfortunate following his duels with Silva.

Bear with me.

Weidman's victories, life changing career-propelling wins, can both conceivably be called flukes. If not flukes, then certainly the results of freak occurrences.

The manner in which his wins were obtained is inescapable. Naysayers will always be able to point to their fluky nature. In many ways, the magnitude of his accomplishments have been diminished and by no fault of his own. 

In the lead up to those defining moments, Weidman was dominating but Silva toyed in the first and then toiled in the second. As a result, everyone was robbed of a conventional result. Most importantly, Chris Weidman was robbed. He was robbed of a definitive win over the greatest of all time, twice.  

The nature of the wins caused the aftermath, on each occasion, to be focused on Silva's shortcomings. The adulation, the praise, it has all been diluted for Weidman.

Which is unfortunate because it can be argued, and argued convincingly, that both wins were as a result of Weidman's competence as a fighter. Perhaps each occasion was merely a case of his skill and preparation being presented with an opportunity. Nevertheless, there will always be an asterisk beside those wins.

As fight fans, we want decisive answers. We dislike what ifs and maybes. It is why we yearned to see Mayweather vs. Pacquiao and why questionable decisions urk us so much. We need closure.

This is something we didn't get and likely never will from Weidman fighting Silva.

So not only does Weidman have to follow Silva's historic reign as middleweight champion, he has to do it with a monkey on his back.

Weidman will have to face a murderers row straight away. Fighters like Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, Jacare Souza and Gegard Mousasi are waiting in the wings.

Luckily, and I use the term lightly, Belfort is up next for Weidman. I say lucky because Weidman needs a guy like Belfort next. He has been on an absolute tear and will provide an excellent litmus test for the champion. 

Following the bizarre nature of the Silva fights, this bout will be pivotal. If Weidman wins then he will have proven himself to the doubters and if he loses many will consider the Silva fights to be flukes.

As Jon Jones has shown, it only takes a couple of years and a string of big wins to forge a legacy. Weidman now has this opportunity and he has to take it if he is to break free and leave the shadow of Anderson Silva.

A Blockbuster End of the Year for the UFC

The UFC has finalized its schedule for the remainder of 2013 and, should the injury bug stay away, it promises to be an impressively prolific spell. 

From now until the end of the year, all nine of the UFC's active champions will defend their belts. This remarkable period of MMA will begin at UFC on Fox 8 on July 27 with Demetrious Johnson vs. John Moraga and climax at UFC 168 on Dec. 28 when Anderson Silva rematches Chris Weidman. Two of the events in this time, UFC 165 and UFC 168, will even feature two title fights, the only other event in UFC history to do so was UFC 100 in 2009. During this time, there will also be some very fine UFC on Fox Sports 1 events. Examples being, Chael Sonnen vs. Shogun Rua, Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann and Michael Bisping vs. Mark Munoz.

Interestingly, Johnson vs. Moraga will be the only title bout to not headline a pay-per-view event, it will instead be shown on Fox. Johnson holds the reluctant honour of being the only champion in the UFC to have never headlined a pay-per-view event. It is, however, an understandable decision, the flyweight division is still relatively unknown and Johnson has little name recognition. At this point in his career he would struggle to carry a pay-per-view, appearances on Fox, with more viewers, should help boost his celebrity.

It has occurred purely by coincidence but as the year moves closer towards its end, the events ascend in both size and star power. Like a good opera, this period of events in the UFC appears to form a rising crescendo until it hits a peak and finishes with a big finale. 

Seven events from now until the end of the year will feature title fights. The first three of these will be headlined by title fights in three of the lighter weight classes, flyweight, featherweight and lightweight. First, it will be Demetrious Johnson vs. John Moraga at UFC on Fox 8 on July 27. Then, José Aldo vs. Jung Chan-Sung at UFC 163 on Aug. 3 and Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis at UFC 164 on Aug. 31. 

The concluding four events will be headlined by light-heavyweight, heavyweight, welterweight and middleweight title bouts. In chronological order, these fights will be Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson and Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland at UFC 165 on Sept. 21, Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos at UFC 166 on Oct. 19, Georges St-Pierre vs Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 on Nov. 16 and Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva and Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate at UFC 168 on Dec. 28.

Historically, events headlined by the lighter fighters are not as financially and commercially successful as their heavier counterparts. So this crescendo begins with events headlined by three of the lighter champions, it then ascends onto the two heaviest and climaxes with events headlined by the two biggest pay-per-view stars in the sport. The final event of the year, UFC 168, the big finale, even has the possibility of being the biggest in UFC history. The rest of 2013 should be a blockbuster period for both the UFC and its fans.

Chris Weidman: The Man to Dethrone the King? Part II

In part I, the reasons why Chris Weidman might be successful at UFC 162 were explored. This second and final installment will focus on what may prevent him from becoming the UFC middleweight champion.

A substantial proportion of the MMA community, relative to previous Anderson Silva fights, believe that the champion will lose his belt on Saturday night. However, those that side against Weidman usually site one reason, his inexperience. 

Weidman's talent is irrefutable. What isn't, is whether or not he is ready for a fight of this magnitude.

With less than ten professional fights on his record, Weidman is still somewhat green in the sport. It is also easy to forget that he basically became the number one contender by default as all potential adversaries for Silva started dropping like flies. Michael Bisping was being groomed for a title shot, all he had to do was get past Vitor Belfort and the opportunity was his. He consequently got knocked out and the UFC had to look elsewhere. With very few viable contenders at middleweight, light heavyweight stand-out Rashad Evans entered the discussion. However, he then suffered a lackluster loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and the chance was gone. With essentially no other options the UFC turned to Weidman.

The step up in competition will be enormous for Weidman, his toughest tests to date have been Demian Maia and Mark Munoz. In an ideal world his title shot would have come further down the line, after he had gained more experience fighting in the upper echelon of the division. Fights with the likes of Yushin Okami and Michael Bisping would have provided a greater test of where he is at. As is he untested against the best in the world, it is difficult to classify him as anything other than a talented prospect. 

If you are about the face the greatest fighter of all time, it isn't exactly ideal to go into the fight with no big fight experience. Weidman has never even fought on the main card of a pay-per-view before and he is about to headline the biggest event of the year, a championship fight in Las Vegas against the pound-for-pound king. That is some jump to make. 

For someone who is used to fighting without much hoopla, participating in an event of this significance could be a bit of a shock to the system. A baptism of fire like this will be a real test of his mental fortitude. The media obligations alone during fight week can be enough to drain a fighter mentally. As well as the pressure and nerves that come along with such a high profile bout. This particular fight, mentally, brings with it a certain x factor. That x factor is his opponent. Silva has a unique aura about him, an aura similar to what Mike Tyson possessed in his prime. When Tyson was at his murderous best, his opponents would be defeated by their own anxiety. The combination of fear and the likelihood of being embarrassed in front of millions would cripple them. The same can be said of Silva. He has the potential to make talented fighters look like clowns. Silva's opponents have to face the fact that they may be romoshopped all over the internet the next day. Just making it to the fight with all his emotions in check could be a herculean task in itself.

As if the challenge wasn't already difficult enough for Weidman, he is going to have to face the greatest fighter of all time coming of a one year hiatus and shoulder surgery. He will also have to beat him twice. Dana White has announced that should Silva lose, there will be an instant rematch. 

Silva has never been beaten in the UFC, he has defended his middleweight title ten times, he is the pound-for-pound king and he is widely considered to be the greatest of all time. Can Weidman defeat that man and overcome all the obstacles presented in this article? Well on Saturday night at UFC 162 in Las Vegas we will find out if Chris Weidman is the man to dethrone the king.

Is There Anything Left for Anderson Silva to do at Middleweight?

For the past seven years, Anderson Silva has been king of the middleweight division. On Saturday night at UFC 162, he will attempt to defend his title for the eleventh time.

Since he acquired the belt by defeating Rich Franklin in 2006, Silva has defeated every single challenger that has been put in front of him. However, Saturday night may very well be the night that he finally runs out of worthy contenders for his middleweight crown. If Silva defeats Chris Weidman, he may have finally cleared out the division. After all, Weidman only became the number one contender by default. After a number of top middleweights suffered losses, he was basically the only viable man left standing.

Trying to pick Silva's next title defense is no easy task, in terms of contenders, it is slim pickings in the middleweight division. Ignoring Weidman, who is the number one ranked fighter in the division, and moving down the list we reach number two and three ranked fighters (Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami), both of whom were knocked out by Silva in 2011. So barring fighting the same guys again, there isn't much left to do for Silva at middleweight if he beats Weidman.

Outside of those top three ranked guys, there just isn't anybody else who deserves a title shot. Michael Bisping is probably the best of the rest but he has consistently fallen at the last hurdle. He has participated in three title eliminator fights in the UFC, against Henderson, Sonnen and Belfort, and lost all three. This is a shame because Silva vs. Bisping could actually be a big event for the UFC if it was to be held in England. It would have the potential to be the sport's breakthrough moment in the UK, a market that Dana White has been desperate to crack for years.

Silva is widely considered to be the pound-for-pound king and the greatest of all time but he is aging and, although he shows no signs of slowing down, he has a limited amount of time left in the sport. He has firmly established himself as the greatest middleweight of all time, there is nothing left to prove in the division and with no real challengers left now would be the time to turn his attention toward super fights before father time catches up to him.

Silva's rhetoric leading up to UFC 162 would suggest that his focus is intensifying on the super fights. I cannot recall a single word being said regarding his next fight at middleweight. Apart from Weidman, the two names to come out of Silva's mouth the most have been Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones. Quite the contrary to his past behaviour on the subject, Silva has actually been fairly vocal on the subject of super fights. 

However, his attitude toward his two potential adversaries has been night and day. When asked about GSP, Silva has been unusually mischievous in his answers. On Monday in an interview with ESPN, Silva made the comment that GSP was "no good" and also insinuated that Pierre was scared to fight him. This is in complete contrast to his answers about Jones, in which Silva has been nothing but respectful and courteous. At a press lunch on the same day, he even went as far as saying "If I fight Jon Jones, I don't think I'm going to win". 

It is always difficult to second guess Silva, notorious for having fun with the media, he seems to enjoy misleading them wherever possible. So it is wise to take what he says, in public, with a pinch of salt. Nevertheless, he seems to have his sights set firmly on a super fight. Which is probably the right move, he is 38 and his accomplishments at middleweight are indisputable, he has a finite amount of time left in the sport and it would be more effectively spent on pursuing fights that would enhance his legacy. 

Chris Weidman: The Man to Dethrone the King? Part I

At UFC 162, just ten fights into his professional career, Chris Weidman will face Anderson Silva for his middleweight crown, a fighter who is universally recognized as the greatest in the sport. 

Due to middleweight contenders falling by the wayside over the last year, Weidman basically got the title shot by default.

Weidman and his progress, for a while now, have carried a sense of excitement similar to that surrounding the early career of Cain Velasquez. Before Velasquez became heavyweight champion or even a heavyweight contender, we would always hear his name mentioned by 'people in the know' who would wax lyrical about an up and coming beast who would be champion someday. The same thing has been happening with Weidman. It seems like the majority of the MMA community believe he is destined to become champion.

Ever since Silva became a seemingly unbeatable demi-god, it feels like his next opponent is always the one who has the tools to beat him. The marketing machine goes into overdrive and we hear all about how this challenger could be the one to finally dethrone the champion, Joe Rogan uses his "if I had to design a fighter in a lab to beat Anderson he would have... (describes the opponents skill set)" bit and some of us fall for it. Then inevitably, Silva brings a ballet of violence to the octagon and we feel foolish for ever doubting him. So we have danced this dance before.

The difference this time is the size of the hype train. Even though all of Silva's opponents are sold to us as having the best chance yet to beat him and possessing the ideal tools to do so, this fight is different. Never have so many fans, fighters and writers picked against the champion. So why is this the case? What makes Weidman different from the rest?

Well the fights with Chael Sonnen showed that Silva's Achilles heel, so to speak, is his wrestling. His two fights with Sonnen were the only in his UFC career where his opponent was able to have continued success. Sonnen proved that Silva can be taken down and kept there. Now considering that Weidman is also a big powerful wrestler, it's easy to see why many believe he is a bad match up for Silva. 

Weidman, like Sonnen, has impressive wrestling credentials, he is a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and had victories over current light heavyweight contenders Phil Davis and Ryan Bader. However, the key difference between the two, and perhaps the reason Weidman is so heavily backed, is that he has much more of a propensity to finish the fight once it hits the ground. 

Along with his accomplished wrestling, he is also somewhat of a jiu-jitsu prodigy. He has taken to the discipline phenomenally quickly. In 2009, after only eight months of training he qualified for and competed at ADCC, known as the Super Bowl of grappling. He lost in the second round to BJJ superstar Andre Galvao, but gained a lot of praise for his performance against the two-time ADCC champion. He is now a brown belt under former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra.

Unlike Sonnen, who uses his wrestling to maintain a dominant position once the contest hits the ground, Weidman utilizes his well rounded grappling skills as a tool to finish the fight. Once he is on top of his opponent, he will constantly be on the offensive looking for a way to finish, usually searching for chokes.  

Weidman's striking, despite not advancing as quickly as his BJJ, is competent. Whilst standing and trading with a master like Silva will obviously not be a part of his gameplan, Weidman will need to use his striking to exchange with Silva and punch his way in to get close enough to complete a takedown. Talented grapplers like Demian Maia and Thales Leites fought Silva and simply refused to strike, instead they limited their attacks to hopeful lunges towards Silva's legs. As we know, that didn't work out to well for them. Weidman's striking, whilst nowhere near Silva's level, is more capable than that possessed by Sonnen, Maia and Leites so there will be no need for desperate lunges, he should at least occasionally be able to work his way in to secure a takedown.

Because Silva has never lost in the UFC, we can only examine the fights in which he was least impressive. Top of that list would be his first fight with Sonnen. Sonnen managed to consistently get the fight to the ground and control Silva there for the majority of the fight. 

Well Weidman is essentially a better version of Sonnen, his game has more dimensions to it. He has the wrestling pedigree of Sonnen as well as the added layers of potent BJJ and more competent striking. He is also younger and more athletic. So if Sonnen and his skill set can have that level of success against the middleweight champion, logic would suggest that a Weidman victory on Saturday night is certainly feasible. One thing is for certain, it will certainly be much more difficult for Silva to submit Weidman off his back.  

In part II, coming in a couple of days, I will look at the reasons why Chris Weidman may not be the man to dethrone the king.

The 'not quite' Super Fights

Super fight is a term that gets thrown around a lot in combat sports. It is also a term that is tricky to define.

In my last post, I discussed super fights in the UFC. I, personally, used the term 'super fights' to describe potential bouts involving the top three pound for pound fighters in the sport. However, a lot of the time it is simply used as a promotional tool to hype up fights that are not really deserving of the label.

Maybe the term has been bastardized over time. Words are often overused to the point where they lose their true meaning. Love, hate and literally hit their saturation points a long time ago, the significance behind them has been diminished greatly. One could argue that this is what is happening with the term 'super fight'. 

The truth is there is no real definition. We just need to decide how we are going to use it.

So which fights do we brand as a super fight? Is it simply champion vs. champion or is it more complicated than that? Maybe legend vs. legend is deserving of the title? What about pound for pound great vs. pound for pound great?

I think the answer is much more subjective.

A true super fight is, in part, determined by the fans. The desire to see those two particular individuals face off must be intense. It is the kind of fight that your mum will know is happening. The kind of fight the mainstream media take notice of. Usually, these fights seem destined not to take place. And that’s why we are fascinated by them, if shooting stars were witnessed every night they wouldn't be as special. A true super fight is generally years in the making, it's the teasing and anticipation that makes it that much more enticing.

On that basis, I would determine that there are only two true super fights to be made in the UFC, George St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva and Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones.

There, does however, seem to be an awkward no man’s land when it comes to super fights. They occupy the area between a run of the mill title fight and a contest that decides who is the pound for pound king. The fights that operate in this space are fights I like to call the ‘not quite’ super fights.

A recent example of what I’m talking about was the Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar fight. This was even talked about as a super fight, but almost half-heartedly. The anticipation and excitement for this fight was higher than that of Aldo’s previous title defenses yet was distinctly lower than what could be expected if GSP was to fight Silva. Maybe this was because Edgar was no longer a champion and was riding a two-fight losing streak. Nevertheless, these were two of the top ten pound for pound fighters in the world doing battle, the featherweight king versus the former lightweight king. There was just a certain something missing, they were not fighting for the right to be known as the greatest fighter on Earth.

There are more of these ‘not quite’ super fights to be made in the UFC. As my previous post discussed, they are plenty of obstacles to overcome in order for a true super fight to go down. The fun part about the ‘not quite’ super fights is that they are much more likely to take place.

Working from bottom to top let’s start with Jose Aldo vs. Benson Henderson. Earlier this year, it was revealed that if Aldo beats Anthony Pettis in August he will move up and face Henderson for the lightweight title.

Next up there is Henderson vs. GSP. In February, Henderson called out the long-time welterweight champ. This was days after Pettis decided to move down to featherweight and fight Aldo instead of fighting Henderson for the lightweight title, for which he was the number one contender. They have previous and Henderson was upset Pettis moved down so maybe his call out of GSP was just a bit posturing. Nonetheless, if Henderson continues winning there could be big paydays for him down the line.

Finally, to complete our list, there is Jon Jones vs. Cain Velasquez. It was pretty much inevitable that Jones will move up to heavyweight at some point, he has even stated that it could be as early as the end of this year. Which means a bout between Jones and Velasquez could conceivably take place in 2014.

These are all big fights. They are fantasy fights. They are champion vs. champion fights. Yet they still fall within that no man’s land. They are more special than typical title fights but not quite as epic as the GSP vs. Silva or Silva vs. Jones super fights would be. They are the ‘not quite’ super fights.

Super Fights: The Obstacles

Super fights, especially lately, have been a much discussed topic in the UFC. Ever since Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva embarked upon their dominant championship reigns, there has been talk of a super fight between the two. A fight to determine the pound for pound king. For the longest time though, this seemed to be a pipe dream. 

The emergence of Jon Jones, however, seems to have reignited life into the subject. It has now become MMA's version of a love triangle.

Lately we have begun to be teased more and more by the UFC. Dana White, in particular, has been very vocal about making super fights between the big three. 

So why does the UFC seem to be pushing the super fights with vigor lately? Maybe it is because they need to strike while the iron is hot. There appears to be a vast number of reasons why the fights won't happen. So why not try to make them as quickly as possible while all the pieces are still in place.

It looks as if we are oh so close to witnessing a combination of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world do battle inside the octagon. Despite it feeling like a very real possibility, there are a number of potential roadblocks.

So. What are the obstacles that could prevent a potential super fight involving Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva and Jon Jones?

Well, for starters, Anderson Silva is the linchpin to this whole concept. As he is in the middle of the trio, any hopes of a super fight rest on him. We have three fighters and two possible fights, both of which Silva is a participant. Luckily, it seems that out of three, Silva is the one most fond of the idea.

Silva is set to defend his middleweight title against Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in July. Now, if he was to lose, would the super fights fall part? The whole reason these super fights are enticing is because they are pitting three, seemingly unbeatable, world champions against each other. The allure would be somewhat lost if Silva is coming of a loss and is no longer a champion. The odds are unquestionably in Silva's favour but it would be foolish to count Weidman. He is a world class grappler who many are tipping for the upset. According to Dana White, Weidman has already apologized for ruining the super fights.

"I talked to Chris Weidman myself. Guy looks me right in the eye and says, 'I'm telling you, I apologize that I'm going to f**k up all your super-fights and I'm gonna be your next champion. What I will do for you is I'll give him (Silva) an immediate rematch in Madison Square Garden as soon as he loses."

Next up is Georges St-Pierre. Who, of the three, seems least keen to engage in a super fight. As he is at the bottom end of this trio, he can only fight one man, Anderson Silva. Now, whenever he is asked a question regarding Anderson Silva and a possible fight, his demeanor visibly changes and he avoids the question like a seasoned politician. It wouldn't be completely unjustified if one was to opine that St-Pierre doesn't want to fight Silva. Which is, ultimately, what matters.

It has been all but confirmed that St-Pierre will fight Johny Hendricks. Which many are predicting will be his toughest test to date. However, it is important to note that this isn't set in stone. Dana White has said on multiple occasions that he hopes to put on a super fight by the end of the year, ideally at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the UFC's 20th anniversary in November. Which is approximately the time that the St-Pierre-Hendricks would take place. So either Hendricks gets his title shot or we have to wait to see St-Pierre-Silva. If we do see St-Pierre-Hendricks before a super fight, which seems the most likely option, then there is the distinct possibility that he gets beat. Which would obviously dampen the desire for a St-Pierre-Silva super fight.

Another issue with St-Pierre is that it was recently announced that he will play Batroc the Leaper in Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It is unclear, at this stage, how this will impact his immediate future. But it is safe to assume that he will be taking some time away from the sport. He is famous for his preparation so it is unlikely he would do it alongside a fight camp. So will St-Pierre even fight again in 2013? Who knows. 

Lastly, we have the final piece of this puzzle, Jon Jones. Now, Jones can only fight Anderson Silva and this fight can only happen at 205 pounds. Which is interesting as it is the only common ground we have in super fight territory because Silva has fought at 205 before in the UFC. He has fought three times in the light-heavyweight division, winning all three bouts via first round knockout. Granted, they were against limited opposition but nevertheless it is the only overlap there is in the Venn diagram of UFC super fights. 

The only issue with a Jones-Silva super fight at 205 is that it doesn't seem like Jones is going to be sticking around at 205 for much longer. A move to heavyweight has been a much touted option for Jones, he is still young and filling out his 6'4" frame. However, this could be happening much sooner than was previously anticipated. In January, Jones suggested that his inevitable move to heavyweight could be happening as early as this year. It seems the window of opportunity for Jones and Silva to face off could be narrowing. 

Another potential obstacle in the way of Jones's involvement in a super fight, is his upcoming fight with Chael Sonnen. Even though this fight is somewhat controversial and many believe that Sonnen doesn't stand a chance, this is MMA and that means that anything can happen. In my opinion, there are a couple of things that Sonnen brings to the table that Jones hasn't experienced in his title reign so far. One is world class wrestling, and the other is the likelihood that he will not be intimidated or in awe of the unconventional champion. Jones possesses the ability to stump world class fighters, his unique style has caused his opponents to almost freeze. I doubt that will happen to Sonnen, he will come to fight. Fighting Chael Sonnen is never an easy task and it is one that Jones shouldn't overlook.

There we have it, the three men in this super fight triangle and the obstacles they face in order to compete against one another. 

So who knows if the stars will ever align. One thing is for certain, for them to do so, an awful lot has to fall into place.

UFC on Fuel TV 8 Predictions

Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann
This has all the makings of a stand-up war. Wanderlei Silva and Brian Stann are two fighters who almost solely rely on their striking. According to FightMetric, Silva and Stann average 0.99 and 0.12 takedowns in every 15 minutes of action. The only likely way that this fight goes to the ground will be if one of them is knocked down. Therefore, the winner of this fight will be determined by who gets the best in the stand-up. Despite his aging years, Silva's power, aggression and muay thai clinch are still potent weapons. However, his willingness to trade and diminished chin will likely be his downfall against a power puncher like Stann. I see Stann fighting at range and being able to get in and out whilst landing his power combinations en route to a decision win or TKO.
Winner: Stann

Mark Hunt vs. Stefan Struve

For me, the most intriguing fight on the card. A sound argument can be made for either fighter. Both Mark Hunt and Stefan Struve have clear methods of winning. What's unusual in this fight is that this is determined by each fighters glaring weakness, rather than their strength. Struve has a questionable chin, his 3 losses in the UFC have all been via 1st round TKO's. Whereas, Hunt has a very limited ground game. 6 of his 7 career losses have been via submission, all in the 1st round. Logic seems to suggest that this fight will end in the 1st. The question is, will Hunt will able to knockout Struve before he is taken down and submitted. This fight is a toss up, but i think Struve has no desire to trade and will look to take this fight to the ground until he gets the submission.

Winner: Struve

Takanori Gomi vs. Diego Sanchez

A return to lightweight for Sanchez. It's easy to forget that his last fight at this weight was for the title against BJ Penn at UFC 107. Barring any significant problems from the weight cut, which he recently tweeted was 50 pounds, i see Sanchez being too aggressive and busy for Gomi. 

Winner: Sanchez

Yushin Okami vs. Hector Lombard

With middleweight contenders falling by the wayside, this fight could very well provide the division with a new no.1 contender. That being said, i believe there is only going to be one victor in this fight, Lombard. His illustrious Judo career means he has incredible takedown defense. Considering Okami has a wrestling orientated game, i foresee him having great difficulty dictating where the fight takes place. Lombard should be able to keep the fight standing and his striking will be too much for Okami.

Winner: Lombard

Mizuto Hirota vs. Rani Yahya

Yahya has only ever lost to elite competition, something Hirota isn't. Yahya's grappling is on another level to Hirota's and i see him using that to either submit him early on or to control the fight.

Winner: Yahya

Dong Hyun Kim vs. Siyar Bahadurdaza

A classic grappler vs striker match up. The Korean has been able to control talented strikers in the past and i suspect he will be able to do the same against the Afghan.

Winner: Kim