Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Mirko Cro Cop (25-7-2) vs. Anthony “The Hippo†Perosh (10-5-0)
Mirko Cro Cop has had a largely unsuccessful run in the UFC, defeating Eddie Sanchez and Mustapha Al-Turk, while suffering defeats to Gabriel Gonzaga, Cheick Kongo and Junior Dos Santos. Mirko Cro Cop entered the UFC after a long run in the PRIDE promotion, where he fought top MMA fighters like Wanderlei Silva, Kazushi Sakuraba, Heath Herring, Igor Vovchanchyn, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Ron Waterman, Kevin Randleman, Aleksander Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Mark Coleman, Fedor Emelianenko and Mark Hunt. It has been widely rumored that a potential loss for Mirko Cro Cop could lead to the fighter getting released by the UFC. Mirko Cro Cop will be looking to use his striking skills to win the fight, with nineteen victories coming by knockout. Anthony Perosh is a late replacement for Ben Rothwell, who pulled out of the fight after coming down with an illness. Anthony Perosh has never achieved a victory in the UFC, suffering defeats to Jeff Monson and Christian Wellisch. Anthony Perosh is also a veteran of the Cage Fighting Championships promotion, where he defeated Carlo Lattore, Bryan Harper, Nate Carey and David Frendin, while suffering defeats to Moise Rimbon and James Te Huna. Anthony Perosh started off his MMA career in impressive fashion, by winning the Spartan Reality Fight 8 Tournament, with victories over Api Hemara, Mal Foki and David Frendin. Anthony Perosh will be looking to put the fight on the ground, with seven victories coming by submission.
My Prediction: Mirko Cro Cop
UFC Light Heavyweight Division Fight
“The Dean Of Mean†Keith Jardine (15-6-1) vs. Ryan “Darth†Bader (10-0-0)
Keith Jardine has had a successful run in the UFC, defeating Kerry Schall, Mike Whitehead, Wilson Gouveia, Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell and Brandon Vera, while suffering defeats to Stephan Bonnar, Houston Alexander, Wanderlei Silva, Quinton Jackson and Thiago Silva. Prior to entering the UFC in late 2005, Keith Jardine fought UFC veteran Travis Wiuff at an Extreme Challenge event in 2002. Keith Jardine entered the UFC after being a contestant on the UFC Ultimate Fighter 2, which was won by both Joe Stevenson and Rashad Evans. Keith Jardine has also fought in the King Of The Cage promotion, where he defeated Allan Sullivan, George Allen and Bryan Pardoe. Keith Jardine will be looking to use his striking skills to win the fight, with seven victories coming by knockout. Ryan Bader is currently undefeated in UFC competition, with victories over Vinny Magalhaes, Carmelo Marrera and Eric Schafer. Ryan Bader entered the UFC after winning the UFC Ultimate Fighter 8, which also was won by Efrain Escudero. Ryan Bader is also a veteran of the Worldwide Fighting Championships promotion, where he defeated Dave Covello and Tim Peacock. Ryan Bader made his professional MMA debut in 2007, winning all six of his MMA fights that year, with only one fight going to a decision. Ryan Bader will be entering the fight riding a ten fight undefeated streak that has lasted nearly three years. Ryan Bader is a fighter who is comfortable wherever the fight ends up, with seven victories coming by knockout and submission.
My Prediction: Ryan Bader
UFC Lightweight Division Fight
Joe “Daddy†Stevenson (31-10-0) vs. George Sotiropoulos (11-2-0)
Joe Stevenson has had a successful run in the UFC, defeating Luke Cummo, Yves Edwards, Dokojonosuke Mishima, Melvin Guillard, Kurt Pellegrino, Gleison Tibau, Nate Diaz and Spencer Fisher, while suffering defeats to Josh Neer, BJ Penn, Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez. Joe Stevenson entered the UFC after winning the UFC Ultimate Fighter 2, which was also won by Rashad Evans. Prior to entering the UFC in late 2005, Joe Stevenson had already fought top MMA fighters like Jens Pulver, Ronald Jhun, Edwin Dewees, Jeremy Jackson and Thomas Denny. Joe Stevenson will be entering the fight riding a two fight winning streak, which has lasted nearly a full year. Joe Stevenson will be looking to put the fight on the ground, with fifteen victories coming by way of submission. George Sotiropoulos has gone undefeated in UFC competition, defeating Billy Miles, Roman Mitchyan, George Roop and Jason Dent. George Sotiropoulos entered the UFC as a cast member on the UFC Ultimate Fighter 6, which was won by Mac Danzig. George Sotiropoulos spent a short time in the Shooto promotion, suffering a defeat to top MMA fighter Shinya Aoki. George Sotiropoulos is a veteran of the Warriors Realm promotion, where he defeated Kelly Jacobs and Kyle Noke, while suffering a lone defeat to Kyle Noke. George Sotiropoulos will be entering the fight riding a five fight undefeated streak that has lasted over two years. George Sotiropoulos will be looking to put the fight on the ground, with seven victories coming by way of submission.
My Prediction: Joe Stevenson
UFC Middleweight Division Fight
Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer†Silva (32-10-1) vs. Michael “The Count†Bisping (18-2-0)
Wanderlei Silva has had a terrible run in the UFC, defeating Tony Petarra and Keith Jardine, while suffering losses to Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson and Rich Franklin. Wanderlei Silva also had a long run in the PRIDE promotion, where he fought top MMA fighters like Guy Metzger, Gilbert Yvel, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Mirko Cro Cop, Quinton Jackson, Yuki Kondo, Mark Hunt, Kazuhiro Nakamura and Ricardo Arona. In an interesting career note, it has been over three years since Wanderlei Silva has won multiple fights in the same year. Wanderlei Silva will be looking to use his striking skills to get the win, with twenty three victories coming by knockout. Michael Bisping has had a very successful run in the UFC, defeating Josh Haynes, Eric Schafer, Elvis Sinosic, Matt Hamill, Charles McCarthy, Jason Day, Chris Leben and Denis Kang, while suffering defeats to Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson. Michael Bisping entered the UFC after winning the UFC Ultimate Fighter 3, which was also won by Kendall Grove. Michael Bisping is also a veteran of the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship promotion, where he defeated Dave Radford, Miika Mehmet, Jakob Lovstad and Ross Pointon. Michael Bisping started off his MMA career in impressive fashion, with a fourteen fight undefeated streak that had lasted over three years. Michael Bisping will be looking to use his striking skills to win the fight, with twelve victories coming by knockout.
My Prediction: Michael Bisping
UFC Heavyweight Division Fight
Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro†Nogueira (32-5-1) vs. Cain Velasquez (7-0-0)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has had a successful run in the UFC, defeating Heath Herring, Tim Sylvia and Randy Couture, while suffering a defeat to Frank Mir. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira had a long run in the PRIDE promotion, where he fought top MMA fighters like Gary Goodridge, Mark Coleman, Heath Herring, Bob Sapp, Semmy Schilt, Dan Henderson, Fedor Emelianenko, Ricco Rodriquez, Mirko Cro Cop, Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and brother Antonio Rogerio Nogueira join both the Miller Brothers and the Lauzon Brothers as a brother combination in the UFC. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira started off his MMA career in impressive fashion, with a six fight undefeated streak that had lasted nearly a year. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will be looking to put the fight on the ground, with twenty victories coming by submission. Cain Velasquez has had an undefeated run in the UFC, defeating Brad Morris, Jake O’Brien, Denis Stojnic, Cheick Kongo and Ben Rothwell. Cain Velasquez also fought in the Strikeforce promotion, where he defeated Jesse Fujarczyk by TKO. Of his seven professional fights, only one has gone to a decision for Cain Velasquez, which speaks to the fighters finishing abilities. Cain Velasquez will be entering the fight riding a seven fight undefeated streak, which has currently lasted over three years. Cain Velasquez also fought once in the Bodog Fight promotion, where he defeated Jeremiah Constant by TKO. Cain Velasquez will be looking to use his striking skills to win the fight, with six victories coming by knockout.
My Prediction: Cain Velasquez
(Note: I will be doing live coverage of UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez right here on PWInsiderXtra on Saturday February 20th at 10pm EST.)
You can contact David Tees at bigtees360@yahoo.com
