Johnny "Wildfire" Rage
Consequences: Both fighters are coming off rather impressive wins and are looking to make some headway in the UFC Middleweight Division. A win could result in a step up in competition for both fighters, but a loss could very well mean a demotion to the WEC as both fighters have been hit-or-miss recently in their bouts.
On the other side of the Octagon will be Ultimate Fighter veteran Kalib Starnes. One of many up-and-coming Canadian stars, Kalib Starnes rose to fame on The Ultimate Fighter; he defeated Mike Stine by TKO in Episode One but fell victim to eventual winner Kendall Grove later in the season. The keys to victory for Starnes are much the same as they were in his last fight in the UFC: win the fight in the clinch and get the fight to the ground as much as possible. Early in his career Starnes trained with Gracie Jiu Jitsu and I believe his superior ground skills will pay off in a big way.
Prediction: Kalib Starnes by Unanimous Decision
Consequences: This bout shouldn’t hold much value in the UFC Light heavyweight Division. However, a win for Schafer might earn him a fight with someone along the lines of Jason Lambert. Bonnar, on the other hand, could be staring down someone like Tito Ortiz if he wins this fight.
Since returning from suspension for using horse steroids, Stephan “The American Psycho” Bonnar has been up to his usual tactics. This of course means being a huge smart-ass and submitting fools. Bonnar holds the advantage in striking and Jiu Jitsu and this should be a quick night of work if he uses his tools in this fight and doesn’t just play to the crowd like he did against Rashad Evans. Bonnar must get his opponent in the clinch and use an active guard while on the ground.
Prediction: Stephan Bonnar 1st Round Submission (Kimura)
Consequences: This fight took on a whole new meaning recently when Randy Couture quit the UFC and vacated the Heavyweight Title. The winner in this fight more than likely will go on to face the winner of the Big Nog/Kongo fight for the now-vacant title. This fight has more importance for Sylvia though, as he needs a win to regain momentum in this division. Vera could stand to lose this fight, as he has other options, including dropping down to the Light Heavyweight Division.
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia returns to the Octagon for the first time since losing the title last March. This fight is extremely important for Sylvia and you have to believe that he will come into it with great conditioning and a renewed hunger to finish his opponent. He’s got a rather significant height and size advantage over his opponent; look for him to use his jab to keep Vera at bay. You could compare this fight to the Sylvia/Monson fight in which Sylvia L-N-P’ed his way to unanimous decision. Sylvia must keep this fight standing, as Vera is a better ground fighter, so look for Tim to make it as boring as possible. Sylvia must also avoid crapping his pants again as we were all treated to a disgusting display of turd-stained undies back at Ultimate Fight Night 3.
Prediction: Brandon “The Truth” Vera by Unanimous Decision
Consequences: A win for Franklin would obviously set up the rubber match between the two. It will also go to show that the last fight was a fluke and that he’s better than most people give him credit for. If he loses, you have to think that Franklin will move to the Light Heavyweight Division or possibly the WEC to face their Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho. For Anderson Silva, a win means he should get a shot at Dan Henderson and unifying the PRIDE and UFC Middleweight Titles.
Rich “Ace” Franklin is trying to get his title back from the man who defeated him. The cards are up against Franklin in this fight, as he was dominated by Silva in the previous matchup. But, don’t under estimate a man who’s fighting in his hometown and who’s hungry to regain his gold. Franklin will look to keep the fight standing and wait for Silva to get wild as he did against Travis Lutter. Rich should be advised to keep the fight standing regardless of the previous outcome between the two. They both will fight left-handed and this means that leg kicks will be there for the taking. Keith Jardine showed that a strong commitment to leg kicks can open lanes for punches and Rich should use the same strategy. The determining factor in this match will, of course, be Rich’s ability to get past his previous loss and not be scared in the pocket. If he can do that, he might have a puncher’s chance of dethroning the pimp suit-wearing Silva.
Prediction: Anderson “The Spider” Silva 2nd Round TKO
Yushin Okami 2nd Round TKO , Jason Black 1st Round Submission (Guillotine) , Jorge Gurgel Unanimous Decision , Josh Burkman 2nd Round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) , Demian Maia 1st Round Submission (Triangle Choke)