EliteXC takes place this Saturday night, and Joe breaks down the big fights.

This Saturday night, EliteXC will showcase its ninth installment of their mixed martial arts brand. Their main card features an impressive array of talent with three UFC veterans, an international welterweight title fight, a streetfighting legend and "the face of women's MMA." Let's take a look at each of the five bouts.

Main event - Kimbo Slice (3-0) vs. Ken Shamrock (26-13-2)

The evolution of Kimbo Slice will be front and centre as he takes on "The World's Most Dangerous Man." While many are pegging this fight as a mismatch for Kimbo, I would throw caution to the wind as Shamrock has the ability to surprise all those critics out there who say the UFC Hall of Famer should have retired years ago. Don't get me wrong, on paper, I see Kimbo Slice winning this fight easily without even breaking a sweat. His punching power will just be too much for Shamrock who hasn't won a fight since defeating Kimo Leopoldo at UFC 48 in April 2004.

If Shamrock plays his cards right and does not let his ego get in the way of an effective strategy, he may just be able to pull off a huge upset here. If Shamrock can protect his chin while taking Kimbo to the ground early, his legendary leg lock submission game can end this fight quickly, ala Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar. Shamrock cannot allow Kimbo to set his feet to punch and must engage as soon as possible, with either a single leg or double leg takedown. Clinching with Kimbo may be a bad idea, so the quicker he gets to Kimbo and the quicker he changes levels, the better.

I may be asking too much of Shamrock in this bout, but the longer it goes, the better for Kimbo. When I spoke with Kimbo's trainer Bas Rutten on Sunday afternoon, he stated that Kimbo needs to be patient in order to be successful. If he executes the strategy they have worked on for the past several weeks, this fight will not make it out of the first round.

EliteXC welterweight title fight - Jake Shields (21-4-1) vs. Paul Daley (18-6-2)

This USA vs. UK Championship fight has "fight of the night" written all over it. American Jake Shields will defend his EliteXC title against England's Paul Daley, the current Cage Rage 170-pound champion.

Shields is the favourite in this fight, if not solely for the competition he has faced and defeated. He is a submission wizard who trains with Nick and Nate Diaz, Gilbert Melendez and many others, all under the tutelage of Caesar Gracie. Shields has spent time training with UFC veterans Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck and Mike Swick. His MMA acumen is second to none, and he's the best welterweight outside of the UFC. Looking at his list of past opponents, he should be able to dispatch Daley fairly quickly.

For those who are underestimating Paul (Semtex) Daley in this bout, you may want to consider his quick hands, his precision and his aggressive nature. He is tailor made for a shocking upset of Shields. He has knockout power in both hands and will be looking to get underneath Shields' reach advantage with hooks and overhands. Don't be surprised if you see some jumping knees as well, as he'll be looking to time one or two if Shields gets too close.

I see Shields taking this in a war for the ages but I will not be surprised at all if on Saturday night, Paul Daley is the new EliteXC welterweight champion.

Gina Carano (6-0) vs. Kelly Kobold (16-2-1)

Gina Carano has enjoyed the wave of stardom since being heavily promoted by the EliteXC organization. She has been showcased in many different fitness magazines while being a star on the American Gladiators TV show as "Crush," the rough-housing female destroyer. There are those who believe the celebrity status may have gotten to her head as she had a difficult time making the 140-pound weight limit on a few occasions. But I chalk it up to a full schedule that took away from her training, decreasing the time needed to properly prepare.

Carano is tough, kicks like a mule and punches hard. In general, her timing is very precise, especially when she plays the role of counter puncher. But in opponent Kelly Kobold, she will have her hands full, as the Minnesota native has paid her dues in the sport of MMA since 2002.

Kobold may not have the looks and charisma that Carano has, but what she may lack in beauty, she makes up for in heart, determination and a willingness to fight like no other. Her cardio is generally one of her strongest assets, something she has gained from training with the likes of Sean Sherk, a machine when it comes to pace, wind and fight rhythm.

Carano is in for the fight of her life here, so if she does not suck the will to fight out of Kobold, we may see a serious upset here. Carano will have to pepper Kobold with leg kicks and counterpunch her aggressive style until the right moment comes. Of Kobold's 16 victories, eight have been by submission, so for Carano, it may be best to stand and trade.

Andrei Arlovski (13-5) vs. Roy Nelson (13-2)

Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei (The Pitbull) Arlovski was added to this card less than a week ago. The folks at Affliction Entertainment are looking to not only work with EliteXC, but also showcase Arlovski to a national American audience. They want to build him up for a potential title shot against their heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. This will be Arlovski's coming out party in front of the mainstream fan, in addition to adding to his popularity amongst the hardcore fan base.

With that being said, I hope Affliction isn't counting their chickens before they hatch, as Roy (Big Country) Nelson is no joke. Yes, for those that have seen his rotund belly and how he rubs and pats it to get the crowd cheering, this is a fighter with serious punching power and a desire to hurt people. He's defeated some tough competition by submission and TKO'd his last two opponents, Brad Imes and Fabiano Scherner, two UFC veterans.

Nelson will have no qualms going toe to toe with Arlovski and with his punching power he can drop Arlovski with both hands. If this fight goes to the ground and Big Country can get top position, Arlovski could be in for a long night. I see this bout as a three-round judges' decision, most likely NOT to the fighter Affliction may be hoping for.

Benji Radach (18-4) vs. Murilo (Ninja) Rua (16-8-1)

Now here's a fight that is a true pick 'em. Radach has some serious ground and pound, sharp striking and a submission game to boot. His boxing skills are tight, his kicking is precise and his submission experience is fairly extensive. His training is all done under the scrutiny of Rutten, who told me to pay very close attention to Radach on Saturday night. There is obvious favoritism there, but in Radach, I've always admired his willingness to put on a great show.

The same can be said for Rua, the older brother of the UFC's Mauricio (Shogun) Rua. Ninja is a relentless fighter, cut from the same cloth as. Wanderlei Silva and Anderson Silva. All four of these Brazilians plied their trade at the famous Brazilian Chute Boxe Academy while formulating a vicious Muay Thai striking game for MMA and educating themselves in some of the most aggressive jiu jitsu the sport has ever seen. Rua's ground and pound, transitions and finishing skills are ruthless and when you add in the fact he may be in line for a title shot after this fight, Radach better be ready for a war.

Radach will need to frustrate Rua, keeping the Brazilian at bay while using his footwork and timing. If he engages Rua head on, he may fight himself stuck in a web that Rua spins on his opponents. Rua knows only one direction, and that's forward, so if Radach can use angles, he may be able to land a knockout blow. If he doesn't, Rua may just get the title shot he has been yearning since his lost to Robbie Lawler in September of 2007.