Here's the card for this weekend's UFC 95 event in London (Saturday 2/21 @ 9PM ET "free" on Spike)... Main card Lightweight bout: Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson Middleweight bout: Nate Marquardt vs. Wilson Gouveia Middleweight bout: Demian Maia vs. Chael Sonnen Welterweight bout: Dan Hardy vs. Rory Markham Welterweight bout: Josh Koscheck vs. Paulo Thiago Preliminary card Lightweight bout: Brian Cobb vs. Terry Etim Heavyweight bout: Junior dos Santos vs. Stefan Struve Heavyweight bout: Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Neil Grove Lightweight bout: Per Eklund vs. Evan Dunham Welterweight bout: Troy Mandaloniz vs. Paul Kelly I'll be pulling for Nate "the Great", Sonnen, Cobb, Struve and "Telly" Kelly.
Rory Markham was a very impressive striker in the International Fight League. I look forward to seeing how he does in the UFC. Nate Marquardt and Chael Sonnen have the skills to both be UFC champions one day but both have tough fights on paper this weekend.
Predictions: Sanchez Marquardt Sonnen Markham Koscheck I do think the winner of Maia-Sonnen might be the second best at 185. I'd love for one of our guys (Maia is a white Brazilian)to take down Anderson Silva.
Maia has outstanding sub-skills/ground game, but I'll pull for Sonnen. I guess I'd prefer Joe "Daddy" to Sanchez...as Diego came out with the Mex Mariachi band that one fight.
Maia looks like a young Jared Taylor. But I still think Sonnen will rough him up and take a decision. Will cheer loud and hard for either brother to beat Anderson Silva.
Didn't see the fights yet but saw the results: ************SPOILER ALERT************************* 1. Glad to see Koschek get KTFO. 2. Maia is a real threat to A. Silva after beating a very good Chael Sonnen. If it goes to the ground Maia will win. 3. Marquardt deserves another shot at Silva as well. But I think White will match Marquardt and Maia first. In which case I'd go with Maia.
Nice KO of Koscheck, and good stoppage by the ref regardless of what the nuthuggers say. Marquardt still doesn't seem to have what it would take to beat Silva in my opinion. Maia would get out struck on the feet by Anderson, too. He'd have to jump on him and pull guard or something. I don't think Sonnen is anywhere good enough to challenge Silva for the title. Diego looked good, but he doesn't have enough power in his hands to be a threat to Penn.
But he has enough stamina to tired him for 3 rounds, and win the laters rounds. Because that would be a 5 round fight, and its enough to make gass penn.
Marquardt's finish of Gouveia. Only thing he doesn't throw is an elbow. TKO by lethal video game combo!
Here's the run down of the UFC 95 card... Preliminary card Welterweight bout: Troy Mandaloniz vs. Paul Kelly Kelly defeated Mandaloniz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-28). This bout was not aired on the broadcast. Heavyweight bout: Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Neil Grove Ciesnolevicz defeated Grove via submission (Heel Hook) at 1:03 of round 1. This bout, although preliminary, was aired on the broadcast. Lightweight bout: Per Eklund vs. Evan Dunham Dunham defeated Eklund via TKO (strikes) at 2:14 of round 1. This bout, although preliminary, was aired on the broadcast. Heavyweight bout: Junior dos Santos vs. Stefan Struve Dos Santos defeated Struve via TKO (strikes) at 0:54 of round 1. This bout, although preliminary, was aired on the broadcast. Lightweight bout: Brian Cobb vs. Terry Etim Etim defeated Cobb via TKO (strikes) at 0:10 of round 2. This bout, although preliminary, was aired on the broadcast. Main card Welterweight bout: Josh Koscheck vs. Paulo Thiago Thiago defeated Koscheck via KO (uppercut) at 3:29 of round 1. Middleweight bout: Demian Maia vs. Chael Sonnen Maia defeated Sonnen via submission (triangle choke) at 2:37 of round 1. Middleweight bout: Nate Marquardt vs. Wilson Gouveia Marquardt defeated Gouveia via TKO (strikes) at 3:10 of round 3. Welterweight bout: Dan Hardy vs. Rory Markham Hardy defeated Markham via KO (punch) at 1:09 of round 1. Lightweight bout: Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson Sanchez defeated Stevenson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). Best performance by Nate "the Great"!
