UFC 109 Relentless Predictions: My Main Event Card Picks

It seems like forever since we had a UFC card to go over. By the time UFC 109 rolls around it will have been almost six weeks since UFC 108 and over four weeks since UFC Fight Night 20.

This card has a little bit of everything. We have the battle of UFC Hall of Famers, a bout between two of the best trash talkers in MMA, and we have Paulo Thiago hitting the trifecta as he battles Mike Swick, the third member of the American Kickboxing Academy’s vaunted group of welterweights.

So as a world famous referee likes to say, “Let’s get it on”

Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman—Light Heavyweights:

This contest is the second of two bouts discussed on the first ever Bleacher Report Roundtable started by Robert Gardner and myself.

I don’t want to ruin what we discussed there but I will still give my prediction here Couture may only be 18 months older than Coleman much physically he is probably five years younger.

Couture via unanimous decision.

Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen—Middleweights:

This was the other bout that Mr. Gardner and I went over. Sonnen seems to be more concerned with Anderson Silva’s ability to speak English and where Coleman is currently training than the giant task he has at hand.

Marquardt is simply too much for Sonnen and will use him to show just how much he wants another shot at Silva.

Marquardt via second round TKO.

Mike Swick vs. Paulo Thiago—Welterweights:

You have to hand it to Thiago, he came into the UFC against one of the best welterweights in the world in Josh Koscheck and by the time his bout with Swick is over, he will have fought three of the top welterweights in the UFC.

He has attacked his MMA career much like he has his job with the Brazilian Elite Special Police. There is nothing he will see inside the octagon that is scarier than he sees everyday in Brazil.

Swick is coming off a disappointing loss to Dan Hardy at UFC 105. What is to be made of Swick? He is versatile, strong and very athletic, but he has yet to defeat a top tier fighter. His biggest win as a welterweight has come against Marcus Davis.

Jon Fitch and Koscheck will certainly help Swick game plan for Thiago, but I am not sure it will be enough. Something keeps telling me that Swick is in for a long night. Thiago makes it two out of three against the AKA welterweights.

Thiago via unanimous decision.

Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller—Middleweights:

Here you have two fantastic grapplers, but only one truly outstanding submission artist. Neither man is known for their striking so we can scratch that out. Miller may have the slight edge in wrestling, but to be honest it isn’t enough in my opinion.

The two share one common opponent, which would be Sonnen. Maia tore through Sonnen like a hot knife through butter at UFC 95 last February. Sonnen on the other hand bruised battered Miller for 15 minutes at UFC 98 in May.

What does that mean? Absolutely nothing, we all know how MMA math goes, just when you expect something to happen it usually doesn’t, but that will not apply here. Maia is just too much for Miller, he himself a newly crowned jiu-jitsu black belt, too handle on the ground.

It won’t take long for Maia to get Miller into an advantageous position and quite possibly earn his fifth submission of the night award. Maia has something to prove after his loss to Marquardt, he will make an example out of Miller.

Maia via first round submission.

Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg—Welterweights:

This may be the bout I am most looking forward to. It’s not just because Serra is a fellow NY native or the fact that I just can’t stand Trigg. This has fight of the night written all over it.

Both men like to do their work on the ground. Trigg utilizes his wrestling background to take his opponents down and punish them with a variety of elbows and punches.

Serra looks to use his striking to get the fight to the ground where he can finish up with a slick submission. He does possess some of the best BJJ in MMA today.

I can totally see a slugfest here, with Serra eventually getting the upper hand somewhere in the third round. Punish him with striking, finish him with a choke.

Serra via third round submission.
The undercard has some exciting matchups as well. The UFC debut of Rolles Gracie, wow! That has not been given nearly enough attention. Phil Davis is also making his UFC debut, the former NCAA wrestling champion is considered one of the sports brightest prospects.

Phillipe Nover will look to rebound from a controversial loss to Kyle Bradley at UFC 98. He is looking to show that the fainting spell he suffered before his scheduled bout with Sam Stout at UFC Fight Night 19 is in the past and he is ready to show the world why Dana White anointed him the next Georges St. Pierre.

Check out Joe Schafer’s awesome interview with Nover, you can’t help but get excited about him.

So enjoy another exciting night of action, and get ready for UFC 110 which is just three short weeks away.