PREVIEWING THE UFC 87 SEEK AND DESTROY TELEVISED CARD
By David Tees on 8/8/2008 3:04 PM
UFC Middleweight Division Fight
Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald (20-9-0) vs. Demian Maia (7-0-0)
Jason MacDonald has been on the verge of becoming a top contender to the UFC Middleweight Title twice, but losses to Rich Franklin and Yushin Okami put those plans to a halt. Early in his UFC career, Jason MacDonald was known as the “TUF Killer” due to defeating former UFC Ultimate Fighter alumni Ed Herman, Chris Leben and Rory Singer. Prior to entering the UFC, Jason MacDonald has fought top MMA talent like Bill Mahood, Marvin Eastman, Shonie Carter, Joe Doerkson, Kalib Starnes, Patrick Cote and Gideon Ray. Jason MacDonald will be looking to put this fight on the ground with sixteen of twenty career victories coming by submission. Demian Maia is a rising fighter in the UFC Middleweight Division, with victories over UFC veterans Ed Herman and Ryan Jensen. Early in his career, Demian Maia won the Super Challenge 1 Middleweight Tournament, defeating Fabio Negao, Gustavo Muchado and Vitelmo Kubis Bandeira. Like Jason MacDonald, Demian Maia will be looking to put this fight on the ground with four of seven career victories coming by submission.
My Prediction: Jason MacDonald
UFC Lightweight Division Fight
Rob Emerson (7-6-0) vs. Manny Gamburyan (8-2-0)
Rob Emerson could be in a must win situation against Manny Gamburyan, because the UFC doesn’t keep fighters with losing records on the roster. Rob Emerson was involved in one of the craziest finishes in UFC history at UFC Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale, where himself and Gray Maynard fought to a double knockout after a takedown attempt gone wrong. Prior to his time in the UFC, Rob Emerson has fought UFC veterans Jens Pulver and Melvin Guillard, with the Jens Pulver fight being his MMA debut. Rob Emerson is known for taking the majority of his fights to a decision, with ten of thirteen career fights going to decision. Manny Gamburyan is also known for a crazy finish in the UFC at the UFC Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale, where he lost to Nate Diaz after separating his shoulder after a botched takedown attempt. In his ten fight MMA career, Manny Gamburyan has fought Sean Sherk, Jorge Santiago, Sam Morgan and Nate Mohr. Manny Gamburyan will be looking to put this fight on the ground, with four of eight career victories coming by submission.
My Prediction: Manny Gamburyan
UFC Lightweight Division Fight
Kenny “Ken-Flo” Florian (9-3-0) vs. Roger “El Matador” Huerta (20-1-1)
It has been long rumored that the winner of this fight will get a title opportunity at UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn. Kenny Florian was a finalist of the UFC Ultimate Fighter 1, before losing to Diego Sanchez in the finals. In his MMA career, Kenny Florian has fought Drew Fickett, Diego Sanchez, Kit Cope, Alex Karalexis, Sam Stout, Sean Sherk, Din Thomas and Joe Lauzon. At UFC 64, Kenny Florian lost to Sean Sherk to crown the first UFC Lightweight Champion in nearly three years. Kenny Florian will be looking to ground his opponent to gain victories, with six of nine career victories coming by submission. Roger Huerta is a very experienced fighter who has fought MMA elite like Ryan Schultz, Melvin Guillard, Matt Wiman, John Halverson, Leonard Garcia, Doug Evans, Alberto Crane and Cay Guida. Roger Huerta has gone undefeated in the UFC, competing in six fights in just over a single year from September 2006 to December 2007. This could become the biggest fight in Roger Huerta’s UFC career, after he blasted the UFC in an interview with Fight Magazine. Unlike Kenny Florian, Roger Huerta will be looking to keep the fight on the feet, with ten of twenty career victories coming by knockout.
My Prediction: Roger Huerta
UFC Heavyweight Division Fight
Brock Lesnar (1-1-0) vs. “The Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13-0)
This is a make or break fight in Brock Lesnar’s MMA career, because a loss by Brock Lesnar could see his exit from the company. Brock Lesnar started his MMA career in fine fashion by defeating Min Soo Kim at K-1 Hero’s Dynamite USA before losing to Frank Mir in his UFC debut at UFC 81. Brock Lesnar will want to use his wrestling ability to ground Heath Herring and win the fight, with his only career victory thus far coming by submission. Heath Herring is a well traveled MMA veteran who has fought in such promotions as the Bas Rutten Invitational, World Vale Tudo Championships, Super Brawl, PRIDE, K-1 and UFC. Along with the list of promotions, Heath Herring has fought MMA elite like Evan Tanner, Vitor Belfort, Mark Kerr, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko Cro Cop, Gan McGee, Gary Goodridge, Jake O’Brien, Brad Imes and Cheick Kongo. Heath Herring will be looking to submit Brock Lesnar to achieve victory, with sixteen career victories coming by submission.
My Prediction: Heath Herring
UFC Welterweight Title Fight
Georges “Rush” St. Pierre *Champion* (16-2-0) vs. Jon Fitch (17-2-0)
Georges St. Pierre is one of the most dangerous fighters in MMA today, having already fought against Pete Spratt, Karo Parisyan, Jay Hieron, Matt Hughes, Jason Miller, Frank Trigg, Sean Sherk, BJ Penn, Matt Serra and Josh Koscheck. Georges St. Pierre won the UFC Welterweight Title twice by defeating Matt Hughes (UFC 65) and Matt Serra (UFC 83), plus his UFC Interim Welterweight Title by defeating Matt Hughes (UFC 79). Despite a really good ground game, Georges St. Pierre will be looking to keep the fight on the feet, with seven career victories coming by knockout. Jon Fitch is currently on the biggest winning streak in the UFC right now, with fifteen straight victories lasting from July 2003 till now. In his lengthy MMA career, Jon Fitch has fought top MMA stars like Mike Pyle, Wilson Gouveia, Solomon Hutcherson, Kyle Jensen, Shonie Carter, Brock Larson, Josh Burkman, Thiago Alves, Luigi Fioravanti, Roan Carneiro, Diego Sanchez and Chris Wilson. Jon Fitch was long considered to be the most underrated fighter in the UFC because most of his fights took place on the UFC preliminary card. Jon Fitch has won most of his fights by decision, which goes to show how well his conditioning plays into a fight.
My Prediction: Jon Fitch