There are a couple of great matches scheduled that I'll be really looking forward to. Georges St Pierre vs Jon Fitch should be pretty interesting. I'm a huge fan of GSP, but I like Fitch a lot too. I would of course love for GSP to win, but this match could go either way. I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat and yelling at the TV for this one. I'll be pretty bummed if GSP loses.

The other great matchup is Florian vs Huerta. Again, I like both of these guys. It'll be a good fight and I think I'll be happy whichever way it goes. I'm leaning a bit towards Florian though.

Lesnar vs Herring will be interesting too I guess. I've been pretty annoyed with Herring's performance in the UFC. He really seems to be inhibited by the fact that you can't throw knees to the head on the ground. His fights have been going to the ground but he doesn't really do anything there, and then he apologizes for having a boring fight. I expect Lesnar to come out with both guns blazing like he did in the Mir fight. Herring is known for surviving a lot of punishment though, so we'll have to see what happens.

Here is Miss Rara dancing on stage with Rampage Jackson on her birthday! We love you girl!

Here is one more video from the night...the Bisping "Bubble Bath"

How can you not understand how to negotiate a contract?  Why on GOD's green earth would you talk shit about the company you work for, before the BIGGEST fight of your life?  Especially considering that if you win this particular fight, you have ALL the POWER when it comes to negotiating a new contract.  Why are all these stupid ass fighters clamoring to goto an organization that's about as stable as two elephants trying to have sex on a tight rope?  YOU SIGNED THE CONTRACT TO BEGIN WITH...IT'S YOUR FAULT...NOBODY PUT A GUN TO YOUR HEAD TO SIGN THE DOTTED LINE.

Ok, you've seen what happened to Randy Couture for being an idiot.  Why not learn from that situation and just keep your mouth shut and do your damn job?  Yes, I know fight promotions are full of shit sometimes...but, you already knew that beforehand.  YOU decided to be a MMA fighter, if you don't like how the system works...fulfull the contract you signed and THEN say what you wanna say afterwards.

I like Roger Huerta...he's got MADD heart...and is exciting in EVERY fight.  Hell I wouldn't mind seeing him win this weekend at UFC 87.  But for Christ's sake, don't take the emotion you fight with...and let it come out in your frustrations with whom you work for.  Not in an interview for a magazine at least.

Don't get me wrong, he has some great teachings but TIMES are changing.  Everything is electronic...why not put our budget in the electronic age?  Why not INVEST $3500 to have a proven software product handle your money so that YOU won't mess up or lose one of those envelops full of cash?  If it takes me 10 years to pay off my mortgage and other consumer debt...doesn't that mean that I will be investing $30 a month for a Money Management Program that is guaranteed to keep my on track?  I spend more then that on cable!  Who knows, maybe I will want  to upgrade my house after that 10 years....which means...another mortgage!  The Money Merge Account software program will transfer right along with me.  There goes another 10 years of using the program.  Wow, now my cost is only $14.50 a month!  WHY in the world would I NOT do THAT???

I don't understand why people make a big deal about the price of the software.  We, as Americans, usually pay for things that make our life simpler.  If you think that you can run the "system" on your own and save the $3500 upfront cost, then go for it!  Unfortunately, 10 years is a long time to do EVERYTHING  right  with your finances, a very long time to keep track of your credit cards, and their float time so that you are always paying the least amount of interest or which bill should be paid first to increase your interest savings.  I just get confused writing about it!

No thank you....I do not need anymore THINGS to keep track of.  Give me something simple and I will follow it.  How about you?

The semifinal matches have been set and they are:

• Gegard Mousasi Vs. Melvin Manhoef
• Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza Vs. Zelg Galesic

We'll have more Dream 6 updates when they become available.

Get more Dream 6 content at Combat-Hooligans.com

• Luke Cummo (-140) Vs. Tamdan McCrory (+110)
• Cheick Kongo (-500) Vs. Dan Evensen (+350)
• Andre Gusmao (-215) Vs. Jon Jones (+175)
• Chris Wilson (-330) Vs. Steve Bruno (+260)
• Ben Saunders (-260) Vs. Ryan Thomas (+200)

If any see dramatic shifts before the show I may revisit this event.

Get more Betting Odds and UFC 87 content at Combat-Hooligans.com

With the popularity of MMA betting increasing with each event the
sportsbooks are forced to look even further ahead to compete.
Currently you can bet on the following events at selected
sportsbooks: UFC 87, UFC 88, UFC Fight Night 15 and UFC 89 if you
find the right book. The variety of betting options are also
increasing. Books like 5Dimes and BetUS are starting offer
proposition bets like the length of each fight, how the fight will
end and if the fight will be a draw.

For all the latest MMA lines and betting trends keep an eye on
this page .

Get more Betting Odds content at Combat-hooligans.com

On this weeks show:

*Recap of WEC 35
*Further news reagarding Rampage Jackson and exclusive analysis by Barrister Wandering Euan.
*Previews of this weekend's shows inlcuding UFC 87 and TNA Hard Justice.
*The reason Casey may never sleep again and much more

You can listen to past shows in our radio archive. As always, please vote for us at Podcast Alley, subscribe via iTunes, Digg us on Digg.com and visit www.combat-hooligans.com for all the latest news and insanity from the world of Pro Wrestling and Mixed Martial Arts. Also please visit our new site at www.darksideofthehooligans.com for all things except combat sports.

Donate to the show and website via Paypal(we like money and it keeps the servers up) donate@combat-hooligans.com
Direct download: Combat_Hooligans.com_Show_Episode_50_6th_August_2008.mp3

As Ric points out we'll see how much of the contract talk is hyperbole, but again like Ric let me offer my congratulations to the couple.

Get more Tito Ortiz content at Combat-Hooligans.com

Adrenaline, which debuted in June and is hoping to be the Midwest's version of Strikeforce is hoping to run the company's second show in October.

According to MMAJunkie.com the promotion had originally planned to run on Sept. 6 but UFC 88 was scheduled for that date. They wanted to move to Sept. 13 but there was a conflict with an Iowa Vs. Iowa State football game and they were afraid that would impact ticket sales.

They are targeting Oct. 18 and Oct. 25 and both of those dates feature UFC events. But the fact of the matter is that we're getting to the point where you can't wait to run unopposed because there's always going to be something on head-to-head. Not quite there yet and if some more companies die off from huge money losses running unopposed might get easier again but right now the market is really crowded.

Get more Adrenaline content at Combat-Hooligans.com

World-Ranked Middleweight And Long-Time New Mexico Resident Will Make First Start
In Front Of Hometown Fans In More Than Five-And-One-Half Years;
Opponent For "Smokin Joe'' To Be Announced In Near Future

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 6, 2008) – “Albuquerque is and has always been a great fight town. For sure, it is an accomplishment and especially an honor for me to fight before all my friends, family and fans. I am very excited about Sept. 20. This is going to be a great night for EliteXC, mixed martial arts and for this city.’’

The classy young man doing the talking is popular Joey Villasenor, aka “Smokin’ Joe,’’ who’ll be featured against an opponent to be announced on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Pit in Albuquerque, N.M.

“I have heard a few names being tossed around, but I do not care who I fight,’’ said the talented, world-ranked middleweight (http://joeyvillasenor.proelite.com/), who will be making his first appearance in Albuquerque since he registered a first-round TKO over Joe Merit on June 14, 2003.

Villasenor, who registered a 1:11, first-round TKO (strikes) over Phil Baroni in his last start on May 31, has won three straight and four of five. Villasenor (26-6) has lived in New Mexico the last 25 years (first in Albuquerque, then Farmington and, for the last seven years or so, back in Albuquerque).

“For sure, the Pit will be rocking on Sept. 20,’’ Villasenor said. “Seriously, I can’t wait.’’

A limited number of $20 tickets are available for UNM attendees (first come, first served), who will sit in a special “student section.’’

Other tickets, priced at $30, $50, $65, $100, $150, $200 and $500 (VIP) can be purchased at the UNM/PIT box office (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday), online at http://www.unmtickets.com/ and by phone at (877) 664-8661 or (505) 925-5858. The pre-sale for tickets began Wednesday, Aug. 6.

The event is presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC. The remainder of the card, including the fights to be televised on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast), will be announced in the near future. The first live fight will begin at 6 p.m. MST.

For more information on EliteXC and other MMA-related stories, including bios, video-on-demand, photos, stats, Fantasy Fight Game TM and more, please visit ProElite.com and EliteXC.com. For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video, photo galleries and complete telecast information, please visit http://www.SHO.com/Sports.

About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite Inc., the parent company of EliteXC, delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, network television programming on CBS Television Network, cable television programming on Showtime Networks Inc., and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite embraces MMA on the highest levels of honor, integrity, discipline and self-esteem, all the while remaining inclusive for fighters, fans and schools. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters.

About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

CONTACTS: Mike Adams, (505) 610-8770
John Beyrooty, EliteXC/BZA (562) 233-7477
Chris DeBlasio/Annie Van Tornhout, Showtime Networks Inc., (212) 708-1633/1663

Georges St. Pierre (16-2) has too much skill to lose this fight. Jon Fitch (16-2) has a stronger chin and has the edge in mental toughnes but he can't match tools with St. Pierre.

155 lbs. - Kenny Florian [10] vs. Roger Huerta [14]

Kenny Florian (9-3) is going to have to neutralize Roger Huerta's (20-1-1) tenacity to win this fight. Huerta is quicker and more powerful than Florian but he's going to have to avoid Kenny's notorious elbows and his great submission game for 3 rounds to take home the win.

HVY - Heath Herring [10] vs. Brock Lesnar [43]

Brock Lesnar (1-1) is super powerful and is going to come right after Heath Herring (28-13) with a barrage of strikes and some heavy ground and pound. But Heath is a survivor. He will take a beating and keep on coming no matter how far behind he is. My guess is Lesnar will either gas or Heath will take him apart on the feet with repeated leg kicks.

155 lbs. - Manny Gamburyan [37] vs. Rob Emerson [65]

Manny Gamburyan (8-2) is a bulldog. He's going to come out and clinch with Rob Emerson (7-6) early. From there, he will throw Emerson to the mat and work his submissions. Emerson must keep the fight standing to win because Manny appears to be virtually impossible to submit.

185 lbs. - Jason MacDonald [30] vs. Demian Maia [31]

Jason MacDonald (20-9) must keep this fight standing. Demian Maia (7-0) is one of the best submission experts in the world and way beyond MacDonald in terms of grappling skill. If Maia can get past an established veteran like MacDonald, he will be one step closer to Anderson Silva.

170 lbs. - Tamden McCrory [44] vs. Luke Cummo [59]

Tamden McCrory (8-1) is too much for Luke Cummo (6-5). Cummo is hanging on by a thread to his UFC contract. If he loses here, I would be very surprised to see him back in the octagon. McCrory is young and talented. This should be a showcase fight for him.

HVY - Cheick Kongo [11] vs. Dan Evensen

Cheick Kongo (11-4-1) is arguably the 2nd best striker in the UFC, behind Anderson Silva. Dan Evensen (10-2) is a veteran kickboxer with good strength and agility. He is an unknown fighter right now so it would be imprudent for me to overlook him in this fight. I will say that a win over Kongo would vault him into the upper echelon of the division.

205 lbs. - Andre Gusmao [38] vs. Jon Jones

Andre Gusmao (5-0) Jon Jones (5-0)

170 lbs. - Chris Wilson [38] vs. Steve Bruno

Chris Wilson (13-4) Steve Bruno (11-3)

170 lbs. - Ben Saunders vs. Ryan Thomas

Ben Saunders (5-0-2) Ryan Thomas (9-1)

“Donald Trump, myself and Tito engaged in a conversation,” said Cohen about the potential deal with Ortiz. “There was nothing substantive that was discussed other than that we are interested in sitting down with him, which we are planning on doing in the very near future, to discuss with him the opportunity to join the family of Affliction fighters.”

Apparently Tito is all talk.  What else is new?  Let's what and see how this one unfolds, it could be interesting.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=6844&zoneid=2

Rumors spread across these good ol' internets that Aleksander Emelianenko was denied his license to fight for Affliction in California because he had Hepatitis B. I hesitated posting anything on this because they were just rumors. While nothing conclusive has come to light because of privacy issues, Bill Douglas of the California State Athletic Commission has said
"The one thing that I can absolutely say is that he (Aleksander) was not and will not be cleared to fight in California. He is officially licensed denied and that will stand for all of the United States of America".
With no solid reason as to why this is, forums are ablaze with crackpot theories. Some of which are:

"Hep B was just a cover story, the CSAC won't license him because he used to do jobs for the Russian Mafia."
"He got a visa to come in the states. Why would he not get a liscense to fight? He has Hep B."
"His armed robbery conviction is the most likely reason."

My opinion? Well I bumped into Fedor at the airport and he confided in me that Aleksander made an attempt on Superman's life. The Man Of Steel is recovering from a kryptonite enema but The United States cannot forgive him and he has been effectively banned from the country.

Here's an idea internets. Save your breath until some credible information comes up.

“UFC 87: St. Pierre v. Fitch”

Sometimes, I can’t help but think that UFC matchmaker Joe Silva hates Georges St. Pierre. How else do you explain the plethora of world-class fighters St. Pierre is continually pitted against? In the past two years, the easiest fight St. Pierre had was against Matt Serra. Yes, his easiest fight was against the welterweight champion. I can only imagine that GSP dreads Silva’s phone calls:

“Hi, it’s Joe Silva, is Georges there?”

“… sigh. Hi, Joe. It’s Georges. Who do you want me to fight now? BJ Penn? Matt Hughes? Josh Koscheck? Maybe Frank Trigg?”

“Oh, no. Nothing like that. Look, I know you just won the welterweight championship for the second time, and you’ve probably been really enjoying life, but would you mind fighting Jon Fitch in August?”

“You mean the former Purdue wrestling captain? Undefeated in his UFC career, with wins over guys like Diego Sanchez, Josh Burkman, and Thiago Alves, a black belt in jiu-jitsu, and respectable striking skills. THAT Jon Fitch?”

“He’s also one of the biggest 170 lb fighters on the planet, don’t forget that. But, yeah, that guy.”

“… Oui. I’ll do it.”

And he will, cause that’s what Georges St. Pierre does. He just goes out and fights some of the most ridiculously awesome fighters on the planet without batting an eye. Matt Hughes on short notice? No problem for the Canadian superstar. What’s more is that St. Pierre makes it look easy, almost every time. St. Pierre's dominance even begins to undercut his impressiveness because fans start to dismiss those he beat as not having been that great. Hughes did this for years, but St. Pierre is taking the concept to a new level, making freakishly talented fighters look like amateurs.

And make no mistake, Fitch is another one of those uber talented welterweights. The guy can truly do it all. He TKO’d Thiago Alves, tapped out Roan Carneiro, and grounded and pounded Diego Sanchez. He’s as difficult a challenger as St. Pierre has faced and if people think this is a cakewalk for GSP, they should think again.

Or, should they? On paper this is tough as hell for St. Pierre. Fitch has a great wrestling base, excellent submissions, and a tight boxing game that might be enough to make St. Pierre uneasy on his feet. Despite his run of success following his April 2007 knockout loss to Serra, GSP still hasn’t really answered the criticism that he’s gun shy on his feet. Granted, it’s hard to say he’s been anything but awesome, outwrestling Koscheck and Hughes, and out grappling Serra, but what happens if St. Pierre doesn’t get the takedown? Will he have confidence in his standup? Or will he wilt when Fitch presses forward? If Fitch can sprawl effectively, maybe he’ll be able to answer – for all of us – whether St. Pierre’s shy on his feet.

To Fitch’s advantage is the fact that his teammate, Josh Koscheck fought St. Pierre. Though Koscheck lost, he should be able to provide insight into what makes St. Pierre so dangerous when it comes to takedowns. St. Pierre surprises wrestlers by going right at them and immediately taking them to the mat. I don’t think Fitch will be surprised to see a St. Pierre shot on Saturday. (If he is, then the man is an idiot.) Koscheck can “speak wrestler” to Fitch, letting him know what St. Pierre’s tendencies might be, giving Fitch the ability to prepare for the Canadian’s wrestling. It might be to no avail, as there may be nothing Fitch can do to stop the St. Pierre express, but at least he’s got notice of when the train’s arriving.

If Jon Fitch wins, it’ll be a surprise. Not because Fitch is a bad fighter, but because St. Pierre has established himself as so dominant that anything besides a fluke punch or a mental mistake seems improbable. For a long time, I’ve been wowed by St. Pierre. Not anymore. I now expect nothing more than a game changing performance from him every time he fights. I was surprised to see him manhandle Koscheck and Hughes, but I won’t make that mistake again. If St. Pierre goes out, blitzes Fitch on his feet, gets the takedown, and finishes the man with a 15-fight winning streak, I’ll sit in my press seat, look at him, and realize that making the impossible come to life is what St. Pierre does.

Mike Coughlin is the host of Five Star Radio, found right here at the new f4wonline.com/wrestlingobserver.com. A weekly look at all things MMA, 5SR~! is your one-stop for non-stop MMA. This week’s show will have an in depth preview of this weekend’s UFC. Mike was in Canada once. In the two hours he was there, Canadian security managed to rip his luggage apart, destroying the bag to the point where it had to be thrown away. At least they had the courtesy to duck tape it up before loading it on the plane. Really.

Brian Stann - Steve Cantwell: watched this one first as I have an interest in it, owning both guys in the 2+2 draft, Cantwell surprised most with better standup than expected, being more effective than Stann in the first half of the first, coming in with solid combinations. Stann was able to exploit a slip late, but didn't do enough to deny Cantwell the round imo. Second was quite even early prior to an inadvertant low kick from Stann. Caldwell is again able to come out better of the standup following that, rocking Stann with further combinations, forcing Stann to clinch. They trade shots again following a break. Cantwell shoots for a takedown, but fails, however he is able to score two big knees from a clinch position. He rains down further punishment, knocking Stann to the mat and it is stopped shortly after.

Jamie Varner - Marcus Hicks: They clinch very quickly and Hicks is able to get some takedowns, but not able to keep the fight on the ground as Varner is quickly up each time. Varner looked far superior in striking, with Hicks doing superbly well to keep going as long as he did, taking a couple of huge knees which incited Varner to attack and pour on a disgusting amount of punishment, Hicks miraculously staying on his feet for the most of it. Eventually it's stopped.

Carlos Condit - Hiromitsu Miura: Please see this fight if you haven't done so already, it's being mentioned as a fight of the year candidate already. First round sees Condit have slightly the better of early standup exchanges, then Miura hits a good throw to get to side control. Can't do much with it, and eats a big cross when they get back to the feet, but nails another throw again. After a while, Condit is able to get Miura to the ground and GNP with some nasty short elbows. Condit tries an armbar, but Miura slips it and throws Condit down again. 10-9 Condit but very close. Second round sees Condit with the superior striking, and is able to ground and pound from Miura's guard following a slip. Later, Condit has an extended period in the half guard, and passes to full mount for a short while. He is looking for the back, or an armbar, but Miura powers out and into Condit's guard. In a standup exchange, Miura misses another throw attempt, and has to give up his back, and does well to get to guard at the end of a much clearer 10-9 Condit round. Third sees Condit try a guillotine early but cannot lock it in, Miura is however forced to give up the mount. More ground and pound ensues, with an armbar attempt always a risk, but Miura powers out and gets to top position. Miura is able to land some shots of his own, but they are stood up and Condit gets a big shot, and is able to get Miura's back with more than a minute to go in the round. Miura sees it out, avoiding a rear naked choke attempt, but it is another 10-9 Condit round. Fourth sees more early trading, and following a takedown, Miura sweeps to Condit's half guard. Condit looks for a kneebar but fails, with Miura reverting to full guard. They are stood up and Condit mounts Miura far too easily with both fighters looking tired, but is unable to capitalise, and Miura rolls and ground and pounds himself. It's all over when Miura eats a huge knee and is unable to offer any defence late in the round.

UFC 87 is this Saturday. Main event sees GSP defend the 170 title against Jon Fitch. St Pierre is rightly a solid favourite, and I can't see any obvious advantages that Fitch has. GSP by TKO in 3. We also see Brock Lesnar return against Heath Herring. To be honest I can't see any way that Herring can win this, and forecast a Lesnar TKO win in the first, the betting line still looks off and it was even worse when it opened. There is also an intriguing matchup at 155 between Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta, with the 155 title picture being a huge mess, a winner here could well be in line for a shot at BJ Penn, depending on whether or not he continues at the weight or wants to shoot at 170. Florian is a small favourite but I think this fight is very close and there may be slight value in Huerta at +115. Rest of the card is pretty underwhelming.

We have returned to Chicago after a kick ass weekend in Cali! How can you go out to So Cal and not want to stay? The IMMAE event was outstanding. All the major MMA brands where out in full force. We were right across from our good buddies over at Throwdown. It is always good to see Justin! Warrior Wear had Tim Sylvia and Sean Sherk at their booth. I have to admit---it was a funny site seeing one of the largest and one of the smallest fighters walking in at that same time. We where introduced to BJ Penn's Mom....a super nice lady, and I told her that her son was my favorite fighter! We also ran into our good friends Mika, Sarah and John from MMA Warehouse. For those who don't know---mma warehouse is THE online retailer for all your MMA needs and mostly wants:)

The events promoters Brian, Steve and Miss Rara did an UNREAL job with putting together one of the most professional well run events we have attended. The list of fighters there was awesome...Tito Ortiz, BJ Penn, Sean Sherk, Tim Sylvia, Joe Stevenson, Cung Lee, Josh Barrnet, Urijah Faber, Michael Bisbing and TONS more! And of course the MMA rock stars where on hand as well---the TapouT Crew, who have always been cool with us, and the "hotdog" Ryan Loco from Triumph United.

We will be posting a video soon but check out photos on Tracy Lee's combatlifestyle.com and dont forget to grab some of the new FIGHT CHIX gear

Looks like Dana lost another one. Tito is set to be the HIGHEST paid MMA fighter in the history of the sport. And from this photo, he got the suit to prove it, LMOA

I guess doing a spot on the Celebrity Apprentice has its perks! It is not an accident that this dude get in good with the Don (Donald Trump) and now his ass it PAID!!!

After being signed to an 11 year contract with the UFC, Donald and Tito signed the deal yesterday for what is being touted at the Biggest deal in MMA.

I think the Shamrock vs. Ortiz fued will heat up once again folks. I am begining to love Affliction vs UFC. The games done changed!

(12-pack) Men's Asst. Pin-Stripe Bikini Briefs (Size XL) $49.95 Now $14.95

(12-pack) Men's Animal Print Bikini Briefs (Size XL) $49.95 Now $14.95

(12-pack) Men's Animal Print Bikini Briefs (Size L) $49.95 Now $14.95

Nevertheless, we have new fights this weekend! The Ultimate Fighting Championship presents UFC 87: Seek and Destroy. I am a cynical fellow, but even I cannot dismiss that this is a genuine triple main event. The three advertised main fights on this card all have the potential of being wildly exciting. The three fights are: Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian, Heath Herring vs. Brock Lesnar and Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch for the Welterweight title (170). The first two fights' winners will most likely be the number 1 contenders for their respective divisions: Lightweight and Heavyweight. The third fight is the most popular belt owner in the UFC, Georges St. Pierre, defending his title for the first time (again). Should be wild, here are the breakdowns- badum badum badum badum Go!:

Kenny Florian vs. Roger Huerta (155)

Out of these three fights, this one has the highest percentage chance of being "fight of the night". The word "stacked" is thrown around a lot in terms of how much talent is in a given division and the Lightweight division is "stacked", more so than any other division by far. There are almost too many great fighters weighing in at 155 that it is hard to keep track of who should be fighting for BJ Penn's belt next, on the other hand there will be no more deserving of a number one contender than the winner of this match-up. Right off the bat, I'm picking Roger Huerta to win. Right off the bat, I want Roger Huerta to win. Right off the bat, I'm not a fan of Kenny Florian. I just want to get that out of the way.

Kenny "Ken-Flo" Florian is a despicable man. I have never met him nor plan on meeting him, but his nickname is the first three letters of his first name hyphened with the first three letters of his last name. He needs to be stopped. I have problems looking at myself in the mirror from all the guilt that already lays on my soul (for killing Jesus), but if I admitted to rooting for an athlete who has that as their nickname then I would never be able to look at myself or anyone else in the eyes ever again. But I digress; Florian had an immediate rise to fame from The Ultimate Fighter once starting in the UFC. He wrapped up three solid victories leading to a title shot against former Lightweight champion Sean Sherk. After 5 rounds of bloody lopsided action on Sherk's part, Florian was back to square one. He has since rededicated himself to the idea of "finishing fights". I'm not sure where the rumor came from that he could not finish fights because only one of his professional fights went to decision and that one was the one he lost. Either way, Kenny has won four straight and finished each of his opponents.

"Ken-Flo" trains at Sityodtong in Boston, MA with Marc Dellagrotte which means one thing "Muay Thai". Florian's fighting style has changed over the past few years fairly dramatically. Entering the TUF house, he was primarily a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu submission fighter, but now his striking may be his strength. He is long and lean for 155 at 5'10" which works perfectly for his solid leg kicks and body kicks. Florian is also "boney". That sounds gay and that's cool, nevertheless the guy has elbows like straight razors. One of his scariest weapons is while on his back and with his opponent in his full guard, Kenny will rain down elbows right on the top and/or forehead of his opponent who is trying to work their own ground and pound. This is deceptively brilliant. Not many other fighters strike from the bottom let alone with such violent intent as "Ken-Flo". This motion of him elbow striking from the bottom looks sadistically similar to the shower stabbing in Psycho. Add a great submission defensive and offensive game and sadly I have to admit that Florian is a dangerous opponent.

Roger "El Matador" Huerta is, for my money, the second most attractive man in the UFC. I fully believe Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is the best looking guy in MMA (not just the UFC, but in the world of fighting, I'll include boxing as well), but number 2 is most likely Huerta. He is just a good looking dude. He is the Brad Pitt of MMA, you kind of want to hate Brad Pitt because he is attractive, but at the same time how can you hate on Seven, 12 Monkeys, Babel and, of course, FIGHT CLUB? Some may want to be mad that "El Matador" could easily steal your girlfriend and/or wife from you with just a wink and a smile, but, God damn it, he is one hell of an entertaining fighter. Not only does Roger sport an impressive 21-1-1 record, but he has been apart of some of the most gritty, dramatic and down right awe inspiring fights as of late. His fight versus Leonard Garcia was one of the best fights from 2007, his fight versus Alberto Crane was a huge fan favorite as well and his last fight versus Clay Guida is easily in my top 10 favorite fights of all time.

Roger's strength comes from his work ethic in the cage. He definitely has power in both hands to knock you out, he definitely has enough strength and technique to out wrestle you, he has great submission defense and he can certainly choke you out, but this is nothing compared to his never take a second for a breather style of constantly producing. He is always striking, he is always moving on the ground, he is always shifting from offense to defense. His cardio is just incredible. A staple for any Huerta fight is the infuriated look on his face when his opponent isn't in a position for a single second where he can't beat them with his fists. A key example of this was during the Alberto Crane fight, both men on their knees with Crane on Huerta's back. Crane is trying to get a breather in from getting his ass kicked. Huerta looks up to the TV screens in the arena and begins to use them like a rearview mirror to blindly throw elbows into the sides of Alberto Crane's head. The guy just won't stop.

Huerta relies a lot on his punching and his wrestling to win most of his fights and both are top notch. Florian is generally bigger than his opponents and in this fight that will be the same case, but not by much. Huerta is big for 155 as well. Also Huerta has great posture when on top so he may be able to nullify Florian's elbows by keeping out of his reach. I think this will be bloody, I think this be wild and I think Huerta comes out on top. Either way, both of these men will be destroyed by BJ Penn.

Heath Herring vs. Brock Lesnar (206-265)

From one end of the spectrum to the other, here are some Heavyweights. Brock Lesnar is 6'3" and cutting weight to get to 265 pounds and Heath Herring is 6'4"250 pounds. These guys are massive. Most may know Brock Lesnar from one of two things: real wrestling or fake wrestling. Lesnar was in 2000 the NCAA National Champion while at University of Minnesota. Shortly after success in America's martial art (wrestling), Lesnar began wrestling in the now WWE. You may remember his finishing move the F-5, which was a fireman's carry into a spinning DDT. As it was in the WWE, I think if he hits Herring with that then it is game over.

Lesnar has had two professional fights meanwhile Herring has had 43. Experience will be the deciding factor in this fight for Herring if he were to win. Lesnar's first fight was against a grossly undersized opponent who he defeated in seconds and his second opponent was former UFC Champion Frank Mir who submitted him in seconds. Lesnar came out like a house on fire and landed some hard shots on Mir. They went to the ground briefly where Lesnar almost won the fight by ref stoppage from a barrage of hammer fists on Mir's head, but Mir rallied himself and got a hold of one of Lesnar's uneducated feet and submitted him. It didn't take long, but that is generally what happens when a person with a complete dearth of BJJ knowledge goes into the cage with a guy who has built his career on BJJ. This may or not be the case for Herring/ Lesnar.

Seemingly, Herring is taller, but he is certainly not bigger than Lesnar. Brock is a mountain of a man. Heath "The Texas Crazy Horse" Herring is a wilily veteran who has shown a lot of improvement recently especially in his fight versus Cheick Kongo. Apparently, Herring is finally taking MMA seriously and training as if he was a professional athlete. He has solid stand-up, solid BJJ and has shown in his UFC fights that he has great submission defense. Herring's experience and versatility will be his main assets going into this fight. His Achilles' heel will be not taking Lesnar as a serious threat. The man is fast, huge, powerful, and he has something to prove. Brock has a ton of hype behind him and he got beat in 68 seconds, this is his second shot at looking like a hero and transitioning from fake fighting to real fighting. Also it is rumored that if he wins the UFC will give him a title shot. I don't know how true that it is, but that right there is reason enough for him to go for the jugular.

Both of these men are fighting for a place in the division. Everyone always says your most important fight is your next one. For Herring, this would solidify his place in his new employer's company at being 3-1 in total and 2-0 against top name opponents. Herring is getting older and with 43 fights he must have some wear and tear. At 3-1 he will have a lock on staying in the UFC's Heavyweight division, but if he losses at 2-2 he may have to really question where he stands in this company. For Lesnar, 0-2 in the UFC would be damn near irreconcilable for his career. Lesnar does not have youth on his side to be losing and he is in the main spotlight not to be winning. He is representing professional wrestling when he steps into that cage and he needs to represent that they may play a fighter on TV, but that does not mean they cannot fight for real. It should be exciting to see these titans collide.

I really see either man winning this fight because I think so much rides on it for their future. I think Lesnar has more riding on it than Heath and that will be a deciding factor. If I had to pick with my head, I would pick Herring because he has the tools and the experience to dispatch of Lesnar. It will be a really sad moment for Lesnar if he loses. Not that Herring isn't a worthy loss, but he needs a victory so badly to prove to himself, the UFC, and the fans that he can do this. And for that reason, I cannot stop envisioning Lesnar winning. If he loses, he might as well give up on MMA altogether. Herring was "the gatekeeper" for PRIDE and he could do it again for the UFC, so I think he has job security.

Georges St. Pierre (C) vs. Jon Fitch - Welterweight Championship (170)

You will not find a more popular champion than Georges "Rush" St. Pierre. He is young, fast, powerful, good looking, charismatic, French Canadian and, in fact, a great champion. He is seen as the tip of the spear for the "new generation" of MMA fighters. He is one of the most skillful and powerful multi-dimensional fighters in all of MMA. He is a dangerous striker, he has great submissions and defense, he has fight ending ground and pound and recently he has become a world class wrestler. His strength was his lightning fast dynamic striking, but now his wrestling is unbelievable. One comment that will be made over and over again by Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg throughout this pay-per-view is that Georges is "an enormous 170". They will repeat that a lot. One could easily create a drinking game solely on how much Joe and Mike will mention how big of a 170 Georges is and you will die playing that game from alcohol poisoning.

Georges St. Pierre is an enormous 170 (drink!). He has a huge back and powerful legs and not an ounce of fat on him. His past three victories have shown his physical dominance via wrestling he can have on an opponent. He took down at will both of the UFC's top wrestlers: Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck. This should be even more paralyzing of a thought for Jon Fitch in particular because he trains with Koscheck at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) and he should know first hand how amazing Kos is at wrestling and it was Georges who dominated him. I really think Fitch deserved a title shot not because he has much of a chance to win, but because he has certainly done enough in comparison to other number 1 contender's to warrant a title shot. Fitch is 8-0 in the UFC and after that many victories in a row you have to give him a title shot or fire him. Seriously, something has to change at that point. If you won't give a guy a shot at 8-0 then you won't give it to him at 11-0 or 15-0. Nevertheless, I don't think Fitch has much of a chance to defeat Georges barring unforeseeable craziness.

MMA is classified as a sport where anything can happen at anytime to any fighter, but one cannot reasonably analyze a fight thinking in that vein. When comparing Fitch vs. St. Pierre, the only thing that Fitch has over St. Pierre is apparently a height advantage of a couple inches. Georges is certainly stronger and faster than Fitch, he has better striking than Fitch, better wrestling, better BJJ, better cardio and better experience. Fitch has fought more fights, but not against as good of opponents and definitely not in pressure situations like GSP has. When that cage door closes, GSP will be starting his 5^th 170 title fight (technically 6 if you include the "vacant" title fight versus Matt Hughes last year). Fitch will be starting his first. Not only will he be starting his first, but he will be across the cage from who is seen as the most dangerous 170 fighter in all of MMA.

There are crazy upsets in MMA and Georges was apart of one of the biggest (GSP losing to Matt Serra by KO last year), but there is no logical way to choose for that to happen. Matt Serra has gorilla like arms and cement blocks as fists. He swung haymakers that connected, but that isn't how Fitch fights. Jon Fitch is a grinder. He has great wrestling/BJJ and he has decent stand-up. He outworks most of his opponents and beats them in scrambles and so forth. You will not beat GSP in that way. Georges lost via Serra's huge upset KO and from not fighting through a round with Hughes and getting caught being lazy in an armbar. Fitch will not be able to accomplish either of these. Also, Georges has looked more dominant since the Serra loss than he did before it and I cannot imagine that changing. Matt Serra KOed GSP with a puncher's chance, Georges has been grounding his opponents and subjecting them to merciless beatings since. There is no puncher's chance when you are on your back eating elbows. Fitch is losing this fight and Georges will be celebrating another victory at McDonald's.