I thought I would offer some of my insight to tonight’s UFC pay-per-view card. Keep in mind, I am a boxing journalist but I am an avid MMA fan and follow the sport closely.

Here are my predictions for tonight’s card.
Edgar vs. Maynard II It is hard to go against a fighter who won the first bout however I feel Frankie Edgar is riding high on momentum and with two victories over BJ Penn it can be argued that he has an advantage. I look for Edgar to win a hard fought contest by decision.

Leben vs. Stann This might be a sleeper in terms of actual entertainment value… Chris Leben has been quite active recently so I give him an a slight edge based on activity however, Brian Stann has shown the ability to be a one punch knockout artist and he has a pretty good left hook. I look for an explosive slugfest in this one.

Vera vs. Silva, I think Brandon Vera will be out to make a statement since losing recently to Randy Couture and if he is successful in this bout Vera could very well be right back in the title picture. The key I feel will be if Thiago Silva will be able to avoid Vera’s brutal Muay Thai knees and if he can avoid being caught in Vera’s Thai clutch where he can do damage with combinations on the inside. No prediction for this one but it will be interesting to watch.

Diaz vs. Kim Nate Diaz has the advantage here in terms of big fight experience however Dong Hyun Kim is an undefeated fighter and it is hard to go against a fighter who has not been defeated however, Kim is definitely in for a significant test in this fight and the key will be how Kim will respond to the big fight atmosphere. Look for Diaz to apply pressure early.

Guida vs. Gomi Clay Guida without a doubt is one of the most exciting fighters in all of MMA. However the downside to a fighter who is all action and neglects defense is that those types of fighters although leaving their mark on the sport do not have long careers.


The key will be if Takanori Gomi can establish his pace and make Guida fight his fight as opposed to an all action type of contest which we’ve seen Guida succeed in on numerous occasions. I expect a wrestling based contest here but would not be shocked if both fighters elect to stand and trade punches.


It looks to be a solid card for the first MMA pay-per-view of 2011.