A couple of big bouts on tap as Ultimate Fighting Championship heads to Birmingham, England.
Saturday afternoon in Birmingham, England, UFC 89 will answer a variety of questions as to which fighters deserve to stay with the big show or be relegated to the smaller MMA circuits.
UFC 89 will be broadcast live at 3 p.m. ET on Rogers Sportsnet, the only station in North America not showing it on tape delay. (Check you local listings for the start time in your area.)
Main Event
Middleweight bout: Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben
Many MMA pundits are writing off Leben in this fight and I do not agree with their assessments. I do not believe Bisping has the advanced tools to knockout or submit his opponent. Bisping is relentless with his striking and ground and pound, but I believe he lacks the power required to damage Leben’s concrete jaw. Bisping's submission game is not on par with Leben's, so I cannot foresee a submission. Unless this is Bisping's coming-out party for his jiu-jitsu skills, I see this bout going the distance.
I'm not sure Bisping can overwhelm Leben like he did with Charles McCarthy and Jason Day, but I do believe he will outpoint him on the score cards. Leben will try to turn this into a brawl but Bisping is smart enough to 'stick and move' while picking and landing his strikes at will. Now, if he chooses to go toe-to-toe with Leben, he will go to sleep.
Co-Main Event
Light Heavyweight bout: Keith Jardine vs. Brandon Vera
This is arguably the toughest fight to break down as both of these fighters are coming off sub-par performances and have the ability to return with a vengeance. For Vera, one would hope that making weight will be an easier experience this time around, as opposed to the war he endured cutting down for his bout against Reese Andy in July. He told me on "The Showdown" that it was the reason why his performance was terrible that evening and that this time around, he will correct the mistakes he made.
Jardine is looking to rebound from a devastating loss suffered at the hands (and fists) of Vanderlai Silva in May, where he lay motionless on the mat for an extended period of time. In speaking with his trainer Greg Jackson and his training partners Rashad Evans, Nate Marqaurdt and Georges St. Pierre, each and every one of them were more than confident "The Dean of Mean" will be ready to surprise those who are doubting his chance at winning on Saturday.
It may sound strange, but the intangible of Jardine’s teammates and the legendary game plan that Greg Jackson puts together for his fighters may be what makes the difference in this fight. Considering Jackson told me that he took full responsibility for Jardine’s loss to Silva, the preparation for this fight was personal and one he will use to measure his own ability as one of the best coaches in the game.
Vera will come in to this fight looking to push the pace but Jardine will be more than ready to keep him at bay. This is a fight I also see going the distance but much closer than the main event. I look for Vera to start strong but fade, giving Jardine the last round. It’s a toss up in my eyes, and I believe Jardine will win the judges over.
Light Heavyweight bout: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Luis Cane
All eyes are on the "African Assassin", Rameau Sokoudjou to begin separating himself as one of the elite fighters in the UFC’s stacked light heavyweight division. These same eyes are sleeping on Brazilian Luis Cane who I believe will shock all of pundits by stopping Sokoudjou in the second round with a referee stoppage.
While Sokoudjou has beaten some of the best in the game, Cane is a tough customer who likes to stand and trade with precise punches; just ask Jason Lambert. Cane is an underrated fighter and on Saturday afternoon, I believe he will be the talk of UFC’s Light Heavyweight division, raising many eyebrows with a dominant victory over his opponent.
Welterweight bout: Marcus Davis vs. Paul Kelly
This is a candidate for fight of the night and one I cannot see going the distance. Look for Davis’ experience to get the better of the hometown Kelly as the Brit will most likely fade in the third round while Davis hammers him into a referee stoppage.
Welterweight bout: Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor
Lytle will always be one of my favourite fighters but I believe his time has passed and the torch will be passed to the next generation. Taylor, another hometown product, will go toe-to-toe with his American counterpart and will get the best of him in the exchanges. Lytle has problems with cuts and I see another affair where the past will come back to hurt him and another doctor stoppage due to cuts.
Preliminary card
Heavyweight bout: Shane Carwin vs. Neil Wain
Carwin is another heavyweight prospect who will not bother to stand and trade with Wain, an English version of Tank Abbott. Look for Carwin to take this fight to the ground within the first minute, en route to a quick victory via referee stoppage.
Welterweight bout: Akihiro Gono vs. Dan Hardy
While Japan’s Gono is often referred to as a journeyman, he still has the skills to get over the rough and rugged Dan Hardy. Hardy is a gamer, but will not be able to prevent Gono from taking this fight to the ground, nor will he be able to defend all of the submission attempts. He’ll eventually get caught and submit to Gono’s arsenal, somewhere in the middle of the second round.
Lightweight bout: Jess Liaudin vs. David Bielkheden
This is your prototypical style vs. style match-up. Liaudin, a native of France, is the better stand-up fighter whereas the Swedish-based Bielkheden is the superior grappler. This fight will eventually hit the mat where Bielkheden will lock in one of the many submissions he has perfected courtesy of former UFC Middleweight Champion Murillo Bustamante. While in Atlanta for UFC 88, I asked Bustamante about Bielkheden and he raved about the youngster’s submission game. He mentioned his striking has come a long way, but the ground is where he shines, often giving fits to many high-level black belts. We talked strategy for this fight and from what he told me, Liaudin is in for a grappling clinic.
Lightweight bout: Samy Schiavo vs. Per Eklund
Both fighters are coming off UFC debut losses; Schiavo to Clay Guida and Eklund to Sam Stout. With Schiavo being a generally-aggressive fighter and Eklund more of a counter-puncher when the fight doesn’t go his way, I see Schiavo taking Eklund for a ride, winning three rounds to none in a unanimous judges’ decision.
Lightweight bout: Sam Stout vs. Terry Etim
Canadian Sam Stout finally gets an orthodox fighter to trade with as each and every one of his previous UFC opponents have been southpaws. Stout will have his hands full with England’s Terry Etim, but look for the London, Ontario-native to work the body, use inside leg kicks and punish Etim at will. This is another fight I see going to decision with Etim winning round one, and Stout winning the rest.
Lightweight bout: David Baron vs. Jim Miller
This bout is a difficult one to call and can go either way. Miller is an IFL veteran while Baron is a veteran of Pride and of Shooto, one of my favourite MMA organizations. Baron recently submitted the legendary Hayato Sakurai which says a lot about how far his game has come. This victory alone should prove to himself and everyone watching that he may just be too much for Miller. While Miller possess an incredible ground game, Baron should be able to sneak in a surprise submission as his opponent begins to fade in the third round. Either guy can pull off the victory, but I see Baron sneaking by late in the third round.
