UFC 110

I know I haven't made fight picks in a while, but I'm back with it. I have missed 2 UFC's & 2 Strikeforce cards but I haven't been this excited since UFC 107.

UFC 110 - Nogueira vs. Velasquez , February 20, 2010 , Acer Arena, Sydney, Australia

Matchups:

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (No. 4 HW) vs. Cain Velasquez (No. 9 HW) - This is easily the toughest fight to call on the card and also the most exciting. I'm not really pulling for either guy & I think whoever the winner will be a big task for Lesnar (or Mir/Carwin). It would be nice to see Nog pull off a big victory and get one last stand for the heavyweight title but I have a feeling its gonna be Velasquez getting his hand raised. Even if Cain is bested by Nogueira I still consider him & Dos Antos to be the future of the heavyweight division. I think Velasquez will use his great wrestling skills to put Nog on his back, stay on top, pound away and stay out of submission trouble to win a decision. Cain is younger, stronger, and faster than Nogueira but if Big Nog pulls out a submission I won't be the least bit surprised. I just really hope we get to see a great fight. Velasquez by decision.

Wanderlai Silva vs Michael Bisping - 2 or 3 years ago, nobody in the world would pick Bisping but Wanderlai has lost 5 of his last 6 fights, & I can't picture him coming out on the winning end of this matchup. Silva's chin isn't quite what it used to be and he is very hittable, so I have to take Michael 'the Count' Bisping for a round 2 TKO.

Joe Stevenson vs. George Sotiropoulos - The Australian, Sotiropoulos has a solid BJJ game but Stevenson's grappling chops and experience should prove too much the hometown boy. Stevenson by TKO, rd. 1.

Ryan Bader vs. Keith Jardine - Ryan Bader has big power in his hands. He hasn't been doing it, but if Bader let's his hands go Jardine tends to throw back with reckless abandon, dropping his hands to his waist and Bader will most likely get a vicious KO, rd. 1. I think even if Bader gasses, like he did in rd 2 of his fight with Eric Shaeffer, I still think he can use his superior wrestling to get takedowns and 'lay-and-prey' which is usually enough to convince judges that he should get the decision. Bader by TKO, rd. 1.
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Anthony Perosh - Ben Rothwell dropping out of this fight last minute will save Cro Cop another embarrassing loss. I don't know much about fill-in Perosh but I've heard he's not great and he is a true light-heavyweight. Crop Cop TKO, rd. 1.

Goran Reljic vs. C.B. Dollaway - Reljic is good but he is coming back after a long layoff, and Dollaway is a solid test. I'm not sure how much 'ring-rust' will factor in but I'll still take Reljic by decision.

Stephan Bonnar vs. Krzysztof Soszynski - Bonnar stinks. Soszynski isn't great either but I think he can get past Bonnar, with a decision.

Chris Lytle vs. Brian Foster - Lytle is tough as nails but he seems to want to win a Fight of the Night bonus more than he wants to win. Foster is solid, young & eager to prove himself and will really put it on Lytle. Lytle SHOULD beat Foster but I think they will stand and trade for 3 rounds and Foster will get the better of the exchanges. Foster by decision.

James Te Huna vs. Igor Pokrajac - I really don't care for either guy so I'll flip a coin and go with Te Huna by decision.