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Headlining this card is a UFC Light Heavyweight Title fight as Mauricio “Shogun†Rua (19-4-0) defends against Jon “Bones†Jones (12-1-0). Mauricio Rua won the title after defeating Lyoto Machida in their second encounter at UFC 113 in May 2010. Jon Jones only fought six weeks ago, destroying Ryan Bader at UFC 126 to earn the title opportunity as a replacement for the injured Rashad Evans. While I could understand while most are favoring Jon Jones, Mauricio Rua is just too good when he is on top of his game to lose the fight.
The co-main event will be a bantamweight fight as “The California Kid†Urijah Faber (24-4-0) takes on Eddie Wineland (18-6-1). Urijah Faber made a successful bantamweight division debut at WEC 52 when he choked out Takeya Mizugaki. Eddie Wineland has won four straight fights entering UFC 128, including victories over George Roop and Manny Tapia. This fight will be crowning a top contender to the UFC Bantamweight Title and Urijah Faber will be that top contender.
A pair of lightweights will be doing battle next as Jim Miller (19-2-0) takes on WEC import “The Prince Of Persia†Kamal Shalorus (7-0-2). Jim Miller could be a victory or two away from a UFC Lightweight Title shot and has won six straight fights in the UFC. Kamal Shalorus will be making his UFC debut in this fight, but ended his WEC run on a high note with a victory over Bart Palaszewski. This fight will get Jim Miller one step closer to a title shot as he outwrestles the very game Kamal Shalorus.
Up next is a middleweight attraction fight as Nate “The Great†Marquardt (30-10-2) does battle with Dan Miller (13-4-0). Nate Marquardt is coming off a loss to Yushin Okami at UFC 122, in a fight that determined the top contender to the UFC Middleweight Title. Dan Miller enters the fight as a late replacement for Yoshihiro Akiyama, who pulled out of the fight after the earthquake/tsunami in Japan last week. While this is going to be a pretty even fight, Nate Marquardt is the more well rounded fighter and will walk away victorious.
Kicking off the evening will be a heavyweight fight as Mirko Cro Cop (27-8-2) will do battle with Brendan “The Hybrid†Schaub (7-1-0). Mirko Cro Cop hasn’t found much success in the UFC, suffering a defeat to Frank Mir by knockout at UFC 119. Brendan Schaub has won three straight fights in the UFC, last defeating Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 121. This fight should be nothing but a slugfest and this will be a slugfest that Brendan Schaub is going to win.
You can contact David Tees at bigteesps3@yahoo.com
