Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

The Bottom Line: Nogueira fans should start practicing their cringing, as Couture is going to turn this into a one-sided dirty boxing display that the Brazilian won’t be able to do much of anything about. No miracle submissions this time around, as Nogueira ends up getting saved by the referee’s sense of compassion but not before taking two rounds worth of Couture’s old-school bullying.

Thiago Silva vs. Keith Jardine

The Bottom Line: My personal betting favorite for "Fight of the Night," expect a wild one, with Jardine loading up on the leg kicks and Silva answering with his underrated clinch game. Eventually, Silva’s struggle for the takedown will tax his cardio and leave him gasping for air as Jardine starts finding a home for his unorthodox arsenal. Do not expect Silva’s chin to be up to the punishment, as Jardine scores an impressive third-round technical knockout and immediately goes into Techno Viking mode.

Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt

The Bottom Line: This will be Maia’s toughest fight yet, but not even Marquardt busting out the pile driver again will be enough to save him from getting ensnared in the Brazilian’s web of tangled limbs and blocked airways. The difference maker this time around will be Maia’s wrestling, as Marquardt struggles to keep him at bay before learning the same lesson Chael Sonnen learned against Maia -- some of these jiu-jitsu guys have that wrestling stuff pretty well figured out.

 

Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt

The Bottom Line: Leben will keep it close early by frustrating Rosholt on the mat before leveling him with his trademark overhand right late in the second round. If you listen closely, you can hear the Rosholt bandwagon clearing out.

Brandon Vera vs. Krzysztof Soszynski

The Bottom Line: After years spent as a highly touted blue-chipper, Vera will complete his slow slide into bust status, as "The Polish Experiment" dissects him with a memorable ground-and-pound assault.

Now this post is just a light hearted piss-take,for picking winners in any sport is a difficult proposition.  It was just amusing that they got every single one wrong, and quite hilariously so in a few cases.  Moreover, their picks were also quite deliberately inflammatory, and they certainly went out on a limb on a few occasions, leaving themselves open to some pointing and laughing.

Gareth Davies has the scoop:

UFC 100 will be 9-hour live tv marathon free to all in the UK

I can reveal that UFC 100, from the Mandalay Bay Resort, will be live and free on UK television - it  will show free to air on satellite channel 433 and ALSO will be streamed free onto UFC.com on Saturday night for 9 hours, a marathon stint, between 9pm and 6am

Update: Official confirmation.

Finally!

After multiple delays in the announcements, we at last get confirmation.  This is a one time deal with Sky though it seems, Channel 433 is a racing channel that was owned by the now defunct Setanta.   Its a shame that it wont be available on free television though.  Will be interesting to see how/where this is advertised.

I imagine that a longer term deal is being worked on with other broadcasters (Virgin1, Bravo and Five have all been rumoured).

July 18th at the MGM  Grand on HBO PPV.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (39-0, 25 KOs) vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs)

via ffightnews.com

He's made noises about being ready to return to  the fight game.  Whether it be for the love of the sport, or the fact that he can sniff a huge pay day in the offing should Pacquaio beat Hatton, one thing for sure is that this is hardly an easy tune up fight.

You know I was in the sport for 11 years and I was World champion for 10 years. When it comes July 18th, I don’t have to tell you guys what I’m going to do cause you already know what I’m going to do. He’s going to bring his ‘A’ game and I’m going to bring my ‘A’ game.

Once again, a small man will never retire me. You all know that. I’m the king. I’m here to stay. I left on the top and came back on the top, and you know I’m here to fight and reclaim what’s mine. I’m the king and nobody has ever taken my thrown, so how am I not the king if nobody has ever took my thrown? And so you have all these fighters out there claiming to be the best. I have fans coming up to me all day and night lately asking me who think is going to win (tonight’s bout between Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao). Well, I to me any many can win. It’s a gamble. But when you bet on Floyd Mayweather, that’s for sure money. So when you ask me, I say put your money under your mattress and wait until July 18th, and then pull it out.

Promoted (and slightly edited) to the front page from the FanPosts by Luke Thomas.

You may well have missed this upon initial viewing, I know I did, but after reading Gross' PBP, went back and had a look.  And right he was really:

12:18 a.m.: The champion enters the cage after a coat of Vaseline is slathered on his face. I'm sorry to say this, but it was pretty obvious that Silva took his hands, wiped down his face and rubbed his chest and arms. Something to remember if Silva easily, and repeatedly, slips out of Leites' grasp.

Now if I'm honest, I hardly doubt SIlva was doing it to gain an upperhand on Leites, but it's disappointing nonetheless.