This looks like a solid fight card. Two have title implications. There’s a  few up & comers looking to take down an established opponent to show they belong in the upper echelon of the UFC. If you’re a fight fan, you should definitely check this one out.

Steve: 138 - 94 (32 perfect picks)

Josh: 134 - 98 (37 perfect picks)

Minotauro Nogueira vs Cain Velasquez

Steve: I think this is one of the toughest fights to call.  Velasquez is definitely a solid fighter and possibly the future of the division.  But Nogueira has looked great in virtually every fight he has had, aside from Frank Mir.  Cain showed that he can tire out as he did in his fight with Kongo… I see Nogueira wearing him out and getting the 3^rd round submission.

Josh: When Nogueira fought Mir, he looked like crap. I’d written him off to being too battle weary. Then I find out he was coming off of an illness and he looked amazingly solid against Randy Couture. So what do I take out of that? Noguiera is still a force to be reckoned with. Valasquez is good, but he’s not ready. Noguiera by 2^nd round submission.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Michael Bisping

Josh: Bisping has been impressive, but he hasn’t fought a maniac like Silva. I think Silva overwhelms Bisping quickly and wins this in the 1^st round by KO.

Steve: Wanderlei may not have won many fights lately, but he is still on a level above the stick and move Bisping.  Don’t get me wrong, I have always thought Bisping was a good fighter… he just isn’t on Silva’s level.  Silva, by decision.

Joe Stevenson vs. George Sotiropoulos

Steve: Sotiropoulis is a good fighter, but just hasn’t fought on the same level as the well rounded Joe Stephenson.  I see Joe Daddy winning in a 2^nd round submission.

Josh: This one’s a tough call for me. Sotiropoulos is a tough fighter and he’s been on a tear while Joe Stevenson hasn’t had much luck his last couple times out. I think this is a big fight for George and he may psyche himself out allowing Stevenson to win by decision.

Keith Jardine vs. Ryan Bader

Josh: Bader is a BMF with an undefeated record. Jardine is awkward and is susceptible to being overwhelmed early on. I think Bader is ready to step up to be big leagues. Bader by 1^st round TKO.

Steve: Keith Jardine vs Ryan Bader could be the most interesting fight of the night.  I think Bader is a well rounded fighter, but Jardine has gone the distance with the best in the world and has only lost to the best strikers around… Thiago Silva, Wanderlei Silva, Houston Alexander.  Bader doesn’t possess that kind of power.  Jardine, 3rd decision.

Mirko Cro Cop vs. Anthony Perosh

Steve: Crocop has not looked good lately, even in victory.  I think if Rothwell takes this, it is time for him to retire.  That being said, I am looking for a first round Crocop KO.  edit… for some reason, Rothwell is out?  I still go Crocop.

Josh: Last minute replacement against one of the most dangerous kickers in the world. How do you think this’ll work out? Crocop by KO in the 1^st.

Stephan Bonnar vs. Krzysztof Soszynski

Josh: This is do or die for Bonnar. I really hope he pulls this out. I’m rooting for Bonnar by decision.

Steve: I really like Bonnar.  I do.  But his last two fights he got manhandled by wrestlers.  So, who is up against now?  A solid wrestler.  You gotta go with The Polish Experiment, decision.

Chris Lytle vs. Brian Foster

Steve: Fight of the night!  Lytle vs Foster!  I hope they show this one.  I love whenever Lytle fights, but I think this time, he has his hands full.  Foster, by decision.

Josh: I’ll just pick the opposite of Steve and say Lytle by decision.

CB Dollaway vs. Goran Reljic

Josh: CB is a tough guy and fights well, but he’s had some stumbles. Goran might be in to upset CB. Goran by submission in the 1^st.

Steve: The old Goran would manhandle Dollaway… but after his back surgery, he just isn’t the same fighter.  I am going to guess Dollaway 2^nd submission.

James Te Huna vs. Igor Pokrajac

Steve: I really don’t know Ta Huna… but Pokrajic is a training partner of CroCop… which tells me… he will lose.  Ta Huna, 2^nd KO.

Josh: I actually like Seve’s logic on this. Ta Huna by 2^nd round submission.

Supposedly there’s some big sports event this weekend. I’m guessing that event would be tomorrow night’s UFC: 109. After all, who isn’t interested in seeing 46 year old Randy Couture take on 45 year old Mark Coleman?

If you’re not interested, you are either not a fan of the sport itself or you don’t know you’re history.

These two guys are two of the most important figures in UFC history. Both have not only been champions but they’ve actually influenced major portions of how the men who step into the cage fight.

It’s not like these two guys are in wheelchairs. Yes, they are past their prime, but they are still strong in their areas of expertiese. They still have the passion to win. The only difference is, they’re both smarter fighters than they were when this match was supposed to happen 10 years ago.

I can’t wait for this one.

Oh, yeah, the rest of the card looks pretty good too.

Steve: 135 - 86 (32 perfect picks)

Josh: 127 - 94 (35 perfect picks)

Randy Couture vs Mark Coleman

Steve: I hate this fight!  Two of my all time favorite fighters.  This is really tough.  If it goes to decision, judges seem to always favor Couture. Randy has better conditioning, better gamesmanship, more well rounded. They both have great heart. Coleman is a better wrestler and is definitely stronger. Coleman finishes most of his fights, Randy does not. I hate this.  But I am going to go for the underdog, and go Coleman, 3rd KO.

Josh: Really? Coleman has better wrestling? I’ll give Coleman the advantage in the strength department. That’ll help for the first round of the fight, then Coleman will be completely gassed and Randy’s superior conditioning will steer him to the victory. I see this fight going to a decision and ending with Randy’s hand raised.

Nate Marquardt vs Chael Sonnen

Josh: Nate Marquardt is one of those guys that I’ve overlooked until his last few fights. The man is just a dominant fighter. I think he’s way to much or Chael to handle. Marquardt gets the decision.

Steve: Chael is a good wrestler… but not as good as Nate.  And with his size, power, submission and now knock out advantage, I don’t see Chael having a chance.  Nate, 2^nd KO.

Mike Swick vs Paulo Thiago

Steve: Thiago has never been that impressive. His knock out of Josh Koscheck was a fluke. I see Swick making a return to old form… I see Mike “Quick” Swick KO in the 1^st. He needs to bounce back to the contender’s section.

Josh: This one’s tough for me. Maybe it’s because I’m buying into the Thiago hype; maybe it’s because I never bought into the Swick hype. Either way, this is a tough call for me. I’ll go against my instinct and say Swick overwhelms Thiago with a KO in the 1^st.

Demian Maia vs Dan Miller

Josh: This is tough. I have a couple friends who train with the Miller brothers and they’re always talking up how great those guys are. I’d love to side with them every time, but Maia is on a level when it comes to submissions that few have even seen. Demian Maia with a 2^nd round submission.

Steve: This is an intriguing match up… wrestler vs jui-jitsu master.  I see Maia winning this one via 2^nd submission.

Matt Serra vs Frank Trigg

Steve: Another intriguing match up.  Serra is close to retirement, Trigg wants a comeback.  In theory, Serra is better in all aspects aside from wrestling, but I really think Trigg needs this, and he will fight to the end.  Trigg, by decision.

Josh: In my opinion, Matt Serra beat Matt Hughes. He also had a pretty good showing against GSP considering how tough GSP really is. I think Serra is one of those guys that people will never give enough credit to. I’m picking Matt via 2^nd round RNC submission.

Mac Danzig vs Justin Buchholz

Josh: Danzig bores me and he’ll probably bore me again as he grinds his way to a decision win. Don’t get me wrong, he’d completely kick my ass in a fight, but I’d probably yawn half way thru it.

Steve: Mac has definitely been the biggest bust in TUF winners.  He has lost so many of his recent fights, I believe the UFC is giving him whoever they think he can beat.  Mac, 2^nd submission.

Melvin Guillard vs Ronys Torres

Steve: Melvin is a solid performer, but it all depends on which Melvin shows up.  If his heart is in it, he will win just about every time. Guillard, 2^nd sub.

Josh: I’ve never been impressed by Melvin Guillard. He’s fun to watch, but I enjoy it even more when he’s tapping out. I’m thinking he’ll be tapping from a RNC by Torres in the 1^st.

Phillip Nover vs Rob Emerson

Josh: Yeah…Torres’s record idn’t so good. I’m going to have to pick Emerson by…some well placed punches. TKO. 2^nd.

Steve: Nover needs to get back on track and Emerson is just the type of guy who will give him a reasonable test without overwhelming him. Nover, 2^nd submission

Brian Stann vs Phil Davis

Steve: I really don’t know Phil Davis.  Stann is a slow and plodding ex-Marine who does an adequate job but never really impresses.  I give it to Stann, decision.

Josh: Phil Davis by surprise TKO in the 1^st. Why? I have no idea who the hell this guy is, but he looks like the kind of guy who would do that.

Tim Hague vs Chris Tuchsherer

Josh: Haven’t seen much from Tuchsherer. His only fight in the UFC was a losst to Gonzaga. Tough to gauge from that.  I say Tuchsherer by decision. I realize that’s risky, but accept full responsibility.

Steve: This is a fight that could go either way.  Hague is the guy who was destroyed by Todd Duffee in the record breaking fastest KO in UFC history.  I believe if he gets beat, he will be out of the UFC. Because of that, I will give it to him, by decision.

Mustapha Al Turk vs Rolles Gracie

Steve: Rumor is, Mustapha is out.  Regardless, how can you go against a Gracie returning to the Octagon… especially one in the Heavyweight division?  Rolles Gracie, 3^rd submission.

Josh: How could I not pick Rolles Gracie? How could I not pick him to win by submission in the 1^st? What kind of Jiu Jitsu guy would I be if I said any different?

Steve: 131 - 80 (31 perfect picks)

Josh: 121 - 90 (34 perfect picks)

Wow, I am now down by 10, but for some strange reason, it doesn’t seem as far behind as when I was when Steve was 6 fights ahead very early on.

I have no idea what to say that will hype up UFC 108. This card definitely isn’t the best, but as I’ve said before, it’s often times those events that turn out to have the most exciting fights.

Shuffle on down to Hooters and watch it for a pitcher of beer and 20 wings.

Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva

Steve: Thiago Silva, 2^nd KO. Thiago is a thug.  True, Rashad has fought and beat tougher guys and they both got knocked out by the master, Lyota Machida.  But I definitely think Rashad is over-hyped.  He beat Forrest, true… he got caught.  But he lost to Tito though it was ruled a draw and he lost to Bisping, though he was given the victory… Silva DEMOLISHES people, and I expect the same.

Josh: I really expected to disagree with Steve on this one. Thiago is a brutal fighter. I also agree that Rashad is overrated. His biggest win, not knocking Forrest Griffen, was when he KO’d Chuck Liddell who in retrospect seemed over the hill. I don’t think Rashad’s fought a guy who will really come at you like Thiago will. Silva with a KO in the 1^st.

Dustin Hazelett vs. Paul Daley

Josh: This is the guy who beat Tamdan McCrory and sent him out of the UFC. I’ll never forgive him for that. Dustin Hazelett by 2^nd round submission.

Steve: Hazelett, 2^nd sub. Daley is a tough dude… but he has ZERO ground game.  Jits is what Hazelett knows, and he is the best at it in his division.  This should be a fun fight.

Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout

Steve: Joe Lauzon, decision. Both these guys like to bang.  If it came down to it, Lauzon has the advantage on the ground… I see this being a stand up war, possibly fight of the night, with Lauzon getting the nod.

Josh: Joe Lauzon is one of my favorite lightweight fighters. I couldn’t pick against him unless he were fighting the man himself, BJ Penn. But that probably wouldn’t happen since him and BJ are pretty close. Joe Lauzon by 1^st round submission.

Jim Miller vs. Duane Ludwig

Josh: The Miller brothers are bad dudes. Plus I happen to know a couple guys who train with them, so I have it on good authority that he has an amazing training camp. Miller gets the decision.

Steve: Jim Miller, 1^st sub. Ludwig is a tough dude, fighting on short notice, against a solid wrestler who has great submissions… although he has had a lot of decisions lately, I think he can finish this one, and finish it quick.

Junior Dos Santos vs. Gilbert Yvel

Steve: Junior Dos Santos, 2^nd KO. Yvel is a tough dude who’s claim to fame is being a dirty fighter.  He is also a shell of his former self.  Dos Santos is one win away from being a contender for the heavyweight title… a technical fighter with knock out power.  Gilbert doesn’t have a chance.

Josh: Dos Santos, 2^nd KO. Yvel is a tough dude who’s claim to…oh, that’s been said already?

Martin Kampmann vs. Jacob Volkmann

Josh: Kampmann has more experience on the big shows. He’s also got some big wins under his belt. This should be a stellar performance from him ending in Martin’s hand raised after a 2^nd round submission.

Steve: Kampmann, 1^st KO. He has been derailed from his title shot, but he is still a force to be reckoned with.

Cole Miller vs. Dan Lauzon

Steve: Cole Miller, 2^nd KO. He is coming off injury, but I still think Dan is not the same fighter as Joe.  I think Cole’s experience wins this one out.

Josh: Ditto what Steve said. I think Cole’s too tough for Dan. Miller by decision.

Mark Munoz vs. Ryan Jensen

Josh: Ryan Jensen’s UFC record isn’t very impressive. Munoz on the other hand has one lone loss against Matt Hamill. Munoz by 2^nd round KO.

Steve: Ryan Jensen loses to Jiu jitsu guys.  Fortunately for him, Munoz is not that guy.  I see Jensen grinding out a third round TKO.

Mike Pyle vs. Jake Ellenberger

Steve: Styles make fights, this is an interesting submission guy vs striker match up.  I am going to go subs on this, and give it to Pyle, 1^st sub.

Josh: Pyle by 1^st round submission. His record is full of them, so why not add one more?

Rafaello Oliveira vs. John Gunderson

Josh: No idea who to pick here. I’ll go Oliveira by decision.

Steve: Gunderson is the underdog.  He can submit guys.  Lets give it to him, 2^nd sub. Why not?

If you’re one of my friends who is on the fence about the UFC, do yourself a favor and find somewhere to watch this Saturday’s UFC 107. The main event alone could sell the entire PPV, but the match makers have been kind and given the fans several fights that will either be exciting, interesting, or a combination of both.

Seriously though, BJ verses Sanchez will be a fight that will be in the top 5 fights of the year. Youll be doing yourself a disservice by not watching it live.  Just saying…

Steve: 121 - 79 (28 perfect picks)

Josh: 115 - 85 (31 perfect picks)

BJ Penn vs. Diego Sanchez

Josh: BJ vs Diego, O-M-G! I know, sounds gay, but it’s the only way I can describe the excitement I feel for this fight. O-M-G! These two guys are very similarly matched to the point where it’s almost meaningless to compare. This looks like it’ll be a competition between BJ’s natural ability and Diego’s positive thinking. I want BJ submit the Nightmare in the 3^rd round.

Steve: Diego vs BJ is a very intriguing match up to me.  I thought Florian was going to beat BJ for the same reason I think Diego has a chance– never been finished, good striking, solid cardio.  I promised to never doubt BJ again, unless he was fighting Georges Rush St. Pierre.  So, I am going to go BJ by decision… though I hate voting against the Nightmare!

Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo

Steve: Mir vs Kongo is another fight that is intriguing because if he gets caught, Frank goes down.  But I think Mir’s boxing is improved enough that he can counter, get the takedown, and then it is only a few moments until the sub takes place.  Mir, 1^st round submission.

Josh: This one should be a no brainer. Mir has the far superior ground game and the power to break limbs. The only way Kongo wins this fight is if he knocks Mir’s head off before it gets to the ground. Mir with a 1^st round armbar.

Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce

Josh: John Fitch is the most dominant guy at welterweight that isn’t named George St. Pierre. Fitch will, as he always does, impose his will on his opponent and win by decision.

Steve: Fitch vs Pierce… not even sure why the number 2 welterweight in the world is fighting this guy at all… unless the UFC is trying to hand him a fighter he could finish.  But he won’t.  John Fitch, with the decision.

Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida

Steve: Florian vs Clay Guida is a fun, fun fight.  It will set up the inevitable rematch of Florian vs Diego, once Diego loses to BJ.  Florian will finish Clay via 2nd round submission, something Diego could not do.

Josh: This should be a scrap. Guida goes full bore the entire fight. Against Florian, that could be a mistake. I see Kenny stopping this fight with a TKO at the hands of a nasty cut in the 2^nd round.

Paul Buentello vs. Stefan Struve

Josh: Struve is a tough fight for anyone on the feet just because he’s so tall. He’s a good striker too, so that only compounds the problem. This fight will most likely stay on the feet and Struve should be able to keep peppering his way to a decision.

Steve: Paul Buentello vs Stefan Struve is an interesting match up.  Buentello is a much thicker guy, but Struve is a giant with great reach and amazing knees.  I see Struve knocking him out in the 2^nd.

Alan Belcher vs. Wilson Gouveia

Steve: Belcher vs Gouveia— I really like Belcher and think he beat Sexyama at UFC 100.  So I am going Belcher via 3^rd round ground and pound KO.

Josh: This is a tough fight to call. Both have fought some tough guys and walked away with wins. I’m going to give Gouveia the edge and say he can catch belcher with a submission in the 2^nd.

Matt Winman vs. Shane Nelson

Josh: It’s going to be Hawaii night, so Nelson by decision.

Steve: Wiman vs Nelson– why not give it to Wiman, 2^nd round KO?

Johny Hendricks vs. Ricardo Funch

Steve: Hendricks vs Funch– the way I see it, the UFC is trying to legitimize Amir Sadollah’s loss to Hendrix (albeit an early stoppage) by handing him someone who seems legitimate (undefeated) who he can beat soundly.  Hendrix, 1^st KO.

Josh: I know nothing about Funch, so I’m picking Hendricks, a powerful puncher, to win by KO in the 1^st.

Rousimar Palhares vs. Lucio Linhares

Josh: Palhares by decision is probably the smart bet, but I’ll go with Lucio by TKO stoppage in the 2^nd.

Steve: Palhares is a very talented Jui-jitsu fighter who I believe will out grapple the debuting Linhares via 2^nd round submission.

DaMarques Johnson vs. Edgar Garcia

Steve: Demarques Johnson looked good on TUF.  Edgar Garcia is no joke, but I would like to believe Johnson can get him to the mat and sub him in the 3^rd.

Josh: No, he won’t. Garcia by KO in round 1.

Kevin Burns vs. TJ Grant

Josh: Tough call. Burns isn’t that good. His win over Anthony Johnson should have been ruled a DQ, but Grant isn’t much either. I’ll give Burns a slight edge because he’s been in the Octagon a couple more times than his opponent. Burns by decision.

Steve: Burns vs Grant.  Both of these guys are fun to watch, if not too amazing.  I am going with Burns via decision.

The finale for season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter is tomorrow night. It completely snuck up on me because this has to have been the worst season of the show my TiVo has ever recorded. I think at one point a message popped up asking if I was sure if I wanted to continue recording the show.

Boing! Clearly this show sucks. Are you sure you don’t want to cancel the season pass?

Two teams of heavyweights, coached by light heavyweights Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, bored the tears out of me to where I fast forwarded thru the hour long show in about three minutes.

The only reason to watch was for the dynamic between the coaches. They had some great verbal exchanges that turned into chest bumping and threats. Good stuff, to hype up a fight between the two. Unfortunately, shortly after the show began, Dana White and Rampage had a falling out and the fight between the two coaches was canceled. That means, all of the tension that was there was completely let out because I knew there would be no payoff. Why even watch?

Now, it’s announced that Jackson says he will return to fight Rashad. Great. Well, I just don’t care now. I’ve already given up on that one.

As bad as this show was, Dana White was out there hyping it as the most insane season of the show ever. No, not really. It did turn out to be the highest rated though, but the answer for that is simple.

Kimbo Slice.

Kimbo came on the show to prove he was the real deal. Well, he got eliminated very early on in what was the highest rated episode for the show ever. In order to keep pumping the Kimbo audience, every episode ended with “On the next episode of The Ultimate Fighter, Marcus sneezes three times in a row. Will he be cleared to fight or will Kimbo get a second chance?”

No, Kimbo won’t. Even if he did, he’d lose.

With that said, the finale actually looks pretty good. Any time you get to see Jon Jones or Houston Alexander, you know it’s going to be a highly entertaining night. If the fights on the card didn’t look like an apology to those of us who hated the season, I might have thought about skipping this one even though it is free. I will be tuned in.

Steve: 117 - 73 (27 perfect picks)

Josh: 110 - 80 (31 perfect picks)

Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub

Steve: Brendan Schaub, 2^nd KO. I really thought Big Baby was going to tear him a new ass, yet he perservered in great fashion.  I expect him to do the same with Roy Nelson.  I can’t stand Big Country and I think Brendan can avoid the crucifix, which seems to be his only weapon.

Josh: I’m picking Nelson by TKO in the 2^nd. Roy Nelson might rub people the wrong way, but he’s also a very experienced fighter who won’t be feeling the pressure like his opponent.

Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones

Josh: Jon Jones is the future of this division. I expect him to confuse and overwhelm Hammil and possibly, Jones will walk away with a KO in the 3^rd.

Steve: Jon Bones Jones, decision. I like Matt Hamill a lot, but I haven’t seen anyone with as diverse and unorthodox strikes as Jon.  This guy is amazing to watch, and I think he is on his way to be a superstar.

Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander

Steve: Houston Alexander, 1^st KO. I love Houston, and he finally has an opponent that won’t take him to the ground.  I expect Houston to knee his way to victory.

Josh: Houston Alexander will but the definitive nail in Kimbo’s MMA coffin with a big KO in the 1^st. Kimbo is overrated in every aspect except for his ability to draw in viewers.

Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach

Josh: Frankie Edgar will take this decision. He’s relentless and has fought bigger fights than this one. No problem for Frankie.

Steve: Frankie Edgar, decision. These are two similar fighters with similar records, just that Frankie has fought more top tier guys.

Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione

Steve: Marcus Jones, 2^nd KO. My pick for this season was Big Baby.  I see him knocking the crazy guy out once he wears him down.

Josh: Marcus Jones was the only fighter this season that really impressed me. He’s got a good ground game and KO power in his fists. So for me, the only question is “how” this fight will end. Jones by 1^st round submission.

Darrill Schoonover vs. James McSweeney

Josh: McSweeny by decision. Just a question, is the titty twister a legal hold in the UFC?

Steve: McSweeny, 3^rd KO. Though I am bittersweet about this… we really don’t need a third Hammer in the UFC.  Come on, people… can’t we have an Anvil?  Or a vice grips?

Jon Madsen vs. Justin Wren

Steve: Justin Wren, 1^st KO. He was impressive on the show… I think he takes this one.

Josh: I hope Justin Wren has his cardio in order. He could have beaten Roy Nelson if he’d not gassed out so fast on the show. Wren by KO in the 2^nd.

Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace

Josh: Stann by KO in the 1^st round. I can’t pick someone who’s nickname is “Shonuff The Master”.  Just can’t.

Steve: Brian Stann, 2^nd submission. I just can’t vote for a go I don’t know whose nickname is “Sho Nuff the Master”.  Fuck that guy.  Plus, Brian needs a win.

John Howard vs. Dennis Hallman

Steve: Hallman, 1^st submission.  This is the only guy that Matt Hughes can’t seem to beat.  He is a wily veteran with tons of fights under his belt, back in the UFC after years… they brought him back for a reason.

Josh: Hard to pick against Hallman when he’s got almost five times the experience of his opponent. Hallman by decision.

Mark Bocek vs. Joe Brammer

Josh: Bocek by decision.

Steve: Bocek, decision. I don’t know the Southside Strangler.  They have similar records, but Bocek has some decent fights under his belt.

I don’t have much to say about this one. There’s fewer interesting fights to me on this card than on last week’s, which was free on Spike. Of course, every time I say that, it winds up being a night of spectacular fights.

When am I ever going to trust Joe Silva?

I recommend going to Hooters with some buddies, splitting a couple draft beers and wings and watching the fights there.

Steve: 110 - 71 (26 perfect picks)

Josh: 105 - 76 (30 perfect picks)

Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffen

Josh: Not to take anything away from Forrest (I really like the guy), but I think Tito is just better. If Tito’s claims are true and his last few UFC performances have been hampered by a bad back which is now 100%, he should have an impressive showing in his return to the Octagon. I also wonder if Forrest is over the complete tooling that was his last loss. I’m taking Tito with the decision.

Steve: I have debated this one ad nauseam.  My gut tells me Tito is back… but it is Tito’s back that is the problem for me.  Tito beat Forrest the first time, and he beat Rashad, who beat Forrest (even though it was judged a draw).  Tito almost submitted Machida, and all that with a bad back.  However, he hasn’t really fought and hasn’t trained like Forrest has.  Forrest has fought Anderson Silva and Rashad since Tito last had a fight.  Forrest does not want to lose 3 in a row.  So, I am going Forrest, by decision.

Josh Koscheck vs. Anthony Johnson

Steve: Another fight that is hard to pick!  Kos is susceptible to a good hard hit, and few hit harder than Rumble Johnson.  That being said, Kos is a better wrestler and once Rumble is on his back, he is at a disadvantage.  I go Kos 3^rd KO.

Josh: Anthony Johnson is a gigantic welterweight with great striking. Koscheck has been rocked by fighters with similar attributes. If Rumble Johnson can use his size to defend the takedown, I think he can KO Kos in the 2^nd.

Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah

Josh: I’m so glad the UFC brought Baroni back into the fold. He’s a showman and puts all his has into his performance. With that said, he also hasn’t evolved his game to remain competitive. Amir should be able to sink in a submission late into the 1^st round.

Steve: Another good styles-make-fights line up!  Amir’s UFC debut was ruined by an early stoppage.  It shows that Amir is susceptible to fast, hard punches… the one thing that Baroni is good at.  That being said, Baroni gases 40 seconds into the fight.  If Amir can cover well, tie him up… I see Amir in the 2^nd via submission.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Luiz Cane

Steve: I was against the UFC bringing this Nogueira in.  He is the twin brother of the OTHER Nogueira, the one beat by Mir and who beat Randy.  The only difference in these two guys is a slight weight difference, THIS Nogeira hasn’t been in as many wars, and the bigger Nogeira has a small dent in back from being run over by a truck as a child.  I like Cane, but I think Nogueira is too much for him.  Nogueira, 2^nd submission.

Josh: As Steve just pointed out, the Nogueira brothers are virtually identical. Not only in appearance but also ability. I think the reason that Little Nog hadn’t achieved as much as his brother is because the heavyweight divisions aren’t as stacked with competition. Nogueira by 2^nd round submission sounds good to me.

Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan

Josh: Karo’s last performance was disappointing. I really hope he’s got his problems behind him and we see the return of The Heat. I hope to see Karo win with the decision.

Steve: I think Hazelett is extremely under-rated and Parisyan still suffers from panic disorder.  I go with Hazelett by decision.

Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders

Steve: Killa B looked so good in his last outing, destroying with those flying knees.  It is hard to go against him.  But Davis is SO experienced and crafty enough to avoid the clinch.  I say Marcus 2^nd KO.

Josh: I’m going to go with Saunders by decision. I think he’ll use his reach to keep Marcus from getting inside and landing any real damage. I don’t have a ton of confidence in this one because Davis is a tough guy who’s fought a lot.

Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann

Josh: I’ll pick Thiago with a 2^nd round KO.

Steve: I would be surprised if this went out of the 1st round.  I will say Thiago 1^st KO.

Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt

Steve: I am really surprised this is an undercard fight.  It could be a fight night headliner.  Grove is inconsistent, and Rosholt is a beast…. but I think the limbs of Grove get this one.  Grove, decision.

Josh: Tough call. I don’t have much faith in Grove, but he’s looked a lot better lately. I’ll take Rosholt with the decision.

Brock Larson vs. Brian Foster

Josh: Larson is a scary guy. Brock by a 1^st round submission.

Steve: I have no dog in this fight, though I have enjoyed watching Brock in the past, and since the ‘other” Brock is out indefinitely… we will go Larson 1^st KO.

Caol Uno vs. Fabricio Camoes

Steve: Uno used to be one of the most impressive 155ers out there.  He has had some setbacks, but I expect him to take this one, in exciting fashion.  Uno 2^nd KO.

Josh: Uno by decision. Sure he’s past his prime but he’s still a handfull.

Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos

Josh: Sotiropoulos has been training with 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu, which, if you don’t know is a bit different from your standard BJJ. Certain positions are perplexing to people who’ve not experienced the 10^th Planet system before. I say George come out with a submission in the 2^nd.

Steve: Another cool fight, not sure why it is being buried.  Lets go Sotiropoulus 1^st sub.

This Saturday, UFC 105 will take place from England. This card is loaded with great fights, and the best part? It’ll be free on Spike.

Randy Couture is in the main event. At 46 years old, he’s an inspiration. This guy gets sharper and sharper with every year that passes. I love watching Randy because he’s constantly knocking down the of age.

Maybe he’s a genetic freak who’s an exception to the rule, but I’m choosing to believe that he’s an example of what can be done when you don’t stop pushing to improve.

On to the picks:

Steve: 104 - 66 (22 perfect picks)

Josh: 96 - 74 (27 perfect picks)

Randy Couture Vs. Brandon Vera

Steve: Randy, decision. Randy doesn’t knock a lot of people out or submit too many people… he ground and pounds out a decision.  I think Brandon puts up a good fight, but gets smothered by the Natural.

Josh: Randy is a brilliant game planner and has the ability to pick apart the weaknesses of his opponents. Vera’s best asset is his striking, but he doesn’t have the power punch that guys like Brock or Chuck have which have been able to put Randy down. I think Randy will drag Vera to the ground and use superior wrestling to grind out a decision.

Mike Swick Vs. Dan Hardy

Josh: I’ve been backing Dan Hardy for a while now. This is probably the toughest fight to choose him, but I’m going with Dan Hardy by decision. He just has to be able to avoid the initial flurry of Mike Swick…I’m probably going to be so wrong on this.

Steve: Swick, 3^rd KO. I really like Hardy, but Swick has the speed, the size the experience to win this one.

Michael Bisping Vs. Denis Kang

Steve: Bisping, 2^nd KO. Bisping always wins when he fights in England.  Plus, he really needs a comeback after his embarrassing knock out by Henderson.  He is going to take this one.

Josh: Tough call. Bisping’s first loss was at the hands on one of the best, so I can’t tell if he’s truly overrated or not. Kang is a tough guy who’s not looked to be in his top shape. I say this could go to the decision, which if it does, I think Bisping edges out.

James Wilks Vs. Matt Brown

Josh: Matt brown was a beast in his last fight. Look for this monster to come out on top with a dominating first round KO.

Steve: Matt Brown 2^nd KO. Matt has been pretty impressive lately.  He should be able to manhandle Wilks and show who is boss.

Ross Pearson Vs. Aaron Riley

Steve: Aaron Riley 2^nd KO. I think Riley has the experience again and has been looking pretty good lately.

Josh: Ross by TKO in the 1^st. Ross isn’t as tested as Riley, but Riley’s record in the UFC isn’t that great either.

Paul Taylor Vs. John Hathaway

Josh: I’m going with Hathaway in a 1^st round submission. Vegas odds are on my side.

Steve: Paul Taylor 1^st KO. I have always liked Paul Taylor… Hathaway is undefeated, but is more of a jiu jitsu guy… I don’t see Paul letting him take him down.

Terry Etim Vs. Shannon Gugerty

Steve: Terry Etim, 2 sub. Etim is another English fighter who I thought has looked pretty good.  I think his reach advantage makes the difference.

Josh: Terry’s looked good in the past. I think he’ll take this one fairly easily. Terry by 2^nd round submission.

Nick Osipczak Vs. Matthew Riddle

Josh: Matt Riddle is a huge favorite and rightfully so. Riddle with a 1^st round KO.

Steve: Matt Riddle, 1^st KO. Matt hasn’t learned how to lose yet…he is a big, young guy who enjoys beating people up.  I think he makes quick work of Nick.

Paul Kelly Vs. Dennis Siver

Steve: Paul Kelly, decision. Kelly is another hard hitting battlin’ brit… he generally takes his opponents to decisions, though, so that is my choice.

Josh: Paul Kelly is hugely tough and this should be a fairly solid fight for him. Kelly by decision.

Alexander Gustafsson Vs. Jared Hamman

Josh: I’m not up on these guys. Gufsafsson via 2^nd round submission.

Steve: Gustafsson, 1^st KO. I don’t know either of these guys… I look at experience or height… I am going for height in this one.

Andre Winner Vs. Rolando Delgado

Steve: Andre Winner, decision. Winner may have lost his bid to be an ultimate fighter, but I think he will take out the much larger Crazy Cuban.

Josh: Winner by submission in the 1^st. Why? I don’t know.

When I was a kid, I really loved karate. I felt like I was pretty good at it, but after a while I started to become disillusioned with it. It was really a snowball of things that started with the very first UFC in which pretty much every karate guy got his ass handed to him and ending with me getting my ass handed to me while sparring with a less than competent boxer one day.

I felt as though I had been spending that time, not only learning how not to fight, but also instilling myself with enough confidence in my skills to ensure that if I were to get into a brawl, I’d really get my ass kicked.

Why don’t we focus more on combinations? One punch almost never ends the fight.

Why am I spending all of this time on kata (it’s like karate line dancing)? Unless you have instructed your assailant exactly where and when to strike, a Shuto block is going to fail miserably and even if it didn’t, the scripted reverse punch that follows probably won’t connect.

Perhaps the biggest thing to me was that even my sparring was teaching me to get beat. We’d point spar, so as soon as you got a clean hit, you’d stop the action and be recognized to that. So when it came time to spar with that boxer, I’d hit him, one time and stop while he wore my head out with punch after punch.

To say the least, I was pissed and I thinking karate is garbage.

Enter Lyoto Machida. He’s the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion who has spent his entire life studying karate under his father. Sure he has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as well, but his base is karate. Aside from being a champion, he also holds the record for taking the least amount of damage in his fights and is the second highest in strike accuracy. In other words, he’s showing that karate can work.

So now, I’m even more pissed because I now see what I was missing in the instruction I was getting growing up. Mental training and practical application.

I’ll let the mental side slide because I’m sure you’d need more than an hour twice a week for forge a strong warrior mind. Practical application however is different.

Give me the how and why.

Step this way because…

Throw in combinations because…

Be ready for….

This Saturday, Lyoto Machida takes on a tough challenger in Mauricio Rua. If you’re like me and spent time as a kid learning karate only coming to think you would have been better off learning Jedi magic, I highly recommend you check this fight out.

Now the picks:

Steve: 97 - 62 (21 perfect picks)

Josh: 89 - 70 (25 perfect picks)

Lyoto Machida Vs. Mauricio Rua

Josh: Machida 3^rd KO. I have a feeling that Shogun will try to take this fight to the ground. Machida is comfortable there, but I think he’s also on a mission to show how good his style is by forcing the action to stay on the feet.

Steve: Machida 2^nd KO. Believe the hype. Machida has looked flawless lately and  Rua has not looked impressive.  A loss, a near loss and a shallow victory over the iceman leads to another loss for Shogun.

Cain Velasquez Vs. Ben Rothwell

Steve: Cain by decision. Rothwell is a solid performer with some big wins under his belt, and some bigger losses.  Cain has been bulldozing through the division and is expecting to be the next contender for the belt.  I see him taking him down for some lay and pray.

Josh: Ben Rothwell by 2^nd round KO. Rothwell has a record of 30-6. That’s an impressive. While Cain is undefeated, he only has as many fights as Rothwell has losses. I think experience plus Big Ben’s desire to make a statement will win out.

Gleison Tibau Vs. Josh Neer

Josh: This is a tough cal. For some reason I just have a hard time picking Neer, but I think I’ll side with him winning the decision.

Steve: Neer by decision. Tibau is a pretty solid fighter who doesn’t lose easily.  Josh is a good striker, but rarely knocks out his opponents.  Most of his recent fights have gone to decision and i expect that to be the case this time.

Joe Stevenson Vs. Spencer Fisher

Steve: Stevenson, decision. On paper, Stevenson is a bad match up for Fisher.  Fisher is a solid fighter who rarely loses, but he also has only been knocked out once (his other three loses were decisions).  Stevenson is going to work his way back up the ranks.

Josh: I think Joe Stevenson comes out with an agressive game plan to show that he’s still a force to be reckoned with. I see Joe winning by submission in the 2^nd.

Anthony Johnson Vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida

Josh: Johnson is a monster in that division and he’s been on a tear. I expect him to win this by KO, maybe in the 3^rd.

Steve: Rumble Johnson 2^nd KO. I have not been impressed with Yoshida, and Rumble is a solid puncher.  I predict a nap time for Zenko.

Ryan Bader Vs. Eric Schafer

Steve: Bader 3rd decision. Red is a solid submission guy, but Darth has never lost, shows solid wrestling and I think he will grind out a decision.

Josh: Bader can win this fight in any number of ways. He’s got KO power, he’s got submissions, he’s got the ability to grind out a decision like a typical wrestler. I say he gets the KO in round 2.

Antoni Hardonk Vs. Pat Barry

Josh: I say Hardonk by 3^rd KO. I think he’s just a bit better.

Steve: Hardonk 2^nd KO. Both are coming off losses.  Barry lost to Hague, who got knocked out in 7 seconds.  Hardonk’s losses are more reasonable.  Plus, I love watching that guy fight.

Yushin Okami Vs. Chael Sonnen

Steve: Okami by decision. Sonnen has not been impressive in the UFC and Okami is one of the best middleweights in the world.  He rarely finishes fights, however… expect a snoozefest, with Okami pressuring him against the cage until the final bell rings.

Josh: Okami is a guy who should have fought Anderson Silva by now. He’s a tough guy who might not be exciting, but he’s relentless and he wins. I say Okami gets the decision.

Jorge Rivera Vs. Rob Kimmons

Josh: I don’t particularly care about this fight. I’m just not a fan of his, but Rivera by decision.

Steve: Rivera 2^nd KO. Kimmons has lost to every name fighter he has faced… this will be just the next in line.

Kyle Kingsbury Vs. Razak Al-Hassan

Steve: Razak by decision. Both are coming off losses.  I think Al-Hassan has the chops to win this one, but honestly, it could go either way… they are pretty evenly matched.

Josh: Kindsbury by decision. Just to have some differences here.

Stefan Struve Vs. Chase Gormley

Josh: Struve is an odd guy because of his height and I see him using that to take out Chase with a 2^nd round KO.

Steve: Struve 2^nd submission. It is very hard to fight a guy who is almost 7 feet tall.  And Struve has a lot more experience than the 6-0 Chase.

UFC 103

Rich Franklin Vs. Vitor Belfort

Josh: Vitor looked tremendous in his last few fights. If that man shows up again, Rich Franklin will want to schedule another appointment to have his nose reset. Vitor by 1^st round KO.

Steve: Rich Franklin has proven he can hang with the big boys.  He split decision lost to Henderson, and split decision won vs Wanderlei.  Vitor is good,  but I feel his return to the Octagon will be a rough one.  I see Rich sapping Belfort will and eeking out a 3rd decision.

Mirko Cro Cop Vs. Junior Dos Santos

Steve: This should be a slugfest!  I see CroCop 2^nd round KOing himself into title contention.

Josh: I just don’t see Cro Cop being a serious contender in the UFC. Junior Dos Santos by KO in the first.

Martin Kampmann Vs. Paul Daley

Steve: Paul Daley comes in with a lot of hype, but Kampmann was supposed to meet Mike Swick for contender status.  Daley last minute replacing will be a fun fight, but Kampmann KO in the 1^st.

Josh: Kampann is tough, has been preparing for the fight and Daley is a last minute replacement who is looking to make a statement. Kampmann with a 2^nd round KO.

Josh Koscheck Vs. Frank Trigg

Josh: Koscheck is great, but for some reason, I think Trigg will pull out a miracle and win with a crafty submission in the 3^rd.

Steve: Koscheck needs the win, and Frank is past his prime.  This is too tough of a battle for twinkle toes.  Koscheck, 2^nd sub (rear naked choke!)

Tyson Griffin Vs. Hermes Franca

Steve: Tyson Griffin Vs. Hermes Franca Griffin, decision.

Josh: This fight goes to a decision, no way around that. The winner is a toss up to me. Franca.

Efrain Escudero Vs. Cole Miller

Josh: Winning TUF doesn’t mean much to me anymore, I’m picking Miller with a submission in the 2^nd.

Steve: Tough match that could go either way.  Efrain won the Ultimate Fighter, but hasn’t fought since.  Can he take Miller?  We’ll see.  I am giving him the benefit of the doubt; Escudero 2^nd submission.

Drew McFedries Vs. Tomasz Drwal

Steve: McFedries loses to subs when he loses; Drwal is not that guy.  McFedries, by decision

Josh: I should’ve picked McFedries last time and I didn’t. Ill make up for that and say McFedries decisions this one.

Jim Miller Vs. Steve Lopez

Josh: I don’t know anything about Lopez, but I feel like gambling on an unknown. I say Lopez by decision.

Steve: Jim Miller and his brother are both solid fighters in the lightweight division.  Lopez hasn’t fought anyone of note. I go Miller, 1^st submission

Rafaello Oliveira Vs. Nik Lentz

Steve: This is a battle of nicknames… Carny should take down  the tractor, even though tractor trains with BJ Penn.  I go with Letz, decision.

Josh: Meh, Oliveira by 1^st round submission.

Rick Story Vs. Brian Foster

Josh: Foster by decision.

Steve: Rick Story, decision... I really don’t know either of these guys

Eliot Marshall Vs. Jason Brilz

Steve: Brilz has beat some quality guys, and lost only once.  He also has tons more fights than Eliot… who has a significant height advantage.  Still, I am going Brilz decision

Josh: Brilz for the same reasons as Steve’s, but by KO in the 2^nd.

Vladimir Matyushenko Vs. Igor Pokrajac

Josh: I like Matyushenko by decision.

Steve: Both these guys are almost the same… I will go Igor by 2nd KO?

Rob Emerson Vs. Rafael Dos Anjos

Steve: I will go Emerson, 2^nd KO on this one.

Josh: I will go Emerson, 2^nd KO on this one. Copy. Paste. Done.

I’m starting to feel some UFC Burnout. I love the fights still, but I just don’t seem to get as excited as I once did. I blame this on there being too many PPV events.

Every few weeks fans have to decide whether it’s worth the ever increasing pay per view price to watch that particular card. It’s all a guessing game and many times a card that didn’t look that good on paper turned out to be fantastic. It’s also happened more often that a card that looks amazing turns out to be a boring decision fest.

After a while, you start to lose interest because at $50 a pop, it’s difficult to get amped up.

Thankfully, the UFC does throw it’s fans a few free shows as bookends to their Spike TV show, The Ultimate Fighter.

Wednesday night the UFC has a Fight Night to kick off their 10^th season of the popular reality show.

So, Steve and I go at it in the picks department once again and I’m edging closer, but Steve is still the picks champ. I’m thinking of a way to shake this up a bit and make it more fun to me, but until then, this stays the way it is.

The Standing

Steve: 85 - 52 (19 perfect picks)

Josh: 79 - 58 (20 perfect picks)

UFC Fight Night

Nate Diaz Vs. Melvin Guillard

Steve: This is a tough call.  Nate has lost a lot of decisions to Wrestlers, and Melvin is definitively a wrestler.  On the other hand, most of Melvin’s losses have been to submission specialists… which is Nate’s game.  Height advantage goes to Diaz… and he desperately needs this win.  But I am going to go with Guillard, decision.

Josh: Nate Diaz is a smarter fighter than Guillard. I expect a 1^st round submission from Diaz followed buy a mush mouthed victory speech.

Gray Maynard Vs. Roger Huerta

Josh: I’ll pick Maynard by decision. I don’t know if Huerta even cares anymore but I don’t think Gray can finish him.

Steve: Another tough call.  Maynard has the nickname bully for his powerful wrestling, controlling the match.  Maynard is considered a top ten lightweight, probably next in line for the belt after Diego Sanchez.  Huerta is fighting his last fight on his UFC contract after declining to resign, as he is pursuing an acting career.  I a going to go with Maynard grinding out a decision and cementing his next in line status.

Carlos Condit Vs. Jake Ellenberger

Steve: Carlos went the distance with Jake Shields and beat Frank Trigg.  Jake has lots of experience but not the calibre of opponent.  I say Condit, 1^st submission.

Josh: Condit is a step up for Carlos Condit with a 1^st round submission.

Nate Quarry Vs. Tim Credeur

Josh: Big step up for Credeur, but I don’t think he’ll be able to stop Nate. Quarry by 2^nd round KO.

Steve: Tim has not lost in the UFC.  This will be his first.  Nate Quarry, 1^st KO.

Steve Cantwell Vs. Brian Stann

Steve: Cantwell went the distance with Luis Cane.  Stann lost to The Polish Experiment.  They both won and lost to each other.  Stann needs it more, coming off of two loses… but I think this one goes Cantwell 3rd decision.

Josh: Cantwell’s done this before and so has Stann. Just to pick differently on a few I’ll say Stann by 1^st round KO.

Chris Wilson Vs. Mike Pyle

Josh: Wilson by decision.

Steve: I like Chris Wilson.  CW, submission in the 3rd.

CB Dollaway Vs. Jay Silva

Steve: CB is someone who the UFC is trying to groom for title contention.  I see him taking Silva by submission in the first.

Josh: CB wants to comeback from his last loss and make a statement. CB by 1^st round submission.

Sam Stout Vs. Phillipe Nover

Josh: Stout with the decision, only because his record is LOADED with decisions.

Steve: I really liked Nover when he was on TUF but he has disappointed me in his two UFC appearances.  I see Stout knocking him out in the 1st round.

Jeremy Stephens Vs. Justin Buchholz

Steve: Stephens is a tough dude, but he has lost three of his last four fights.  He needs to make it back to the win column and he will with this fight.  Stephens, KO in the first.

Josh: I’ll say Buchholz wins via 2^nd round choke.

Brock Larson Vs. Mike Pierce

Josh: Larson is the second toughest Brock in the UFC. I expect Larson to win by 1^st round TKO.

Steve: Brock Larson is on a hot streak, having lost only once in his last 15 fights and winning his last 5 in a row.  Pierce is also on a 5 fight win streak. I am going to go Larson 1^st submission

Ryan Jensen Vs. Steve Steinbeiss

Steve: Ryan Jensen is cool.  I go RJ, decision.

Josh: Jensen, KO, 2^nd.