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Sean “Muscle Shark†Sherk (33-3-1) vs. Frank “The Answer†Edgar (9-1-0)
Sean Sherk is a former UFC Lightweight Champion, who defeated Kenny Florian at UFC 64 to win the title, but was then stripped of the title following a positive steroid test. Since losing his title after the failed steroid test, Sean Sherk returned at UFC 84 in a losing effort to current UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn and then he went onto defeat Tyson Griffin at UFC 90. Sean Sherk started off his MMA career in a truly impressive way, with a seventeen fight undefeated streak. Sean Sherk will be looking to put this fight on the ground, with thirteen career victories coming by submission. Frank Edgar has had an impressive run thus far in the UFC, with victories over Tyson Griffin, Mark Bocek, Spencer Fisher and Hermes Franca, with a lone loss coming to Gray Maynard. Frank Edgar is also a veteran of the Ring Of Combat and Reality Fighting promotions, where he holds a victory over UFC veteran Jim Miller. Before suffering the loss to Gray Maynard at UFC Ultimate Fight Night 13, Frank Edgar was on an eight fight undefeated streak. Frank Edgar is comfortable wherever the fight ends up, with four victories coming by both knockout and submission.
My Prediction: Frank Edgar
UFC Middleweight Division Fight
Dan Miller (11-1-0-1NC) vs. Chael Sonnen (22-10-1)
Dan Miller is currently undefeated in UFC competition, currently holding victories over Rob Kimmons, Matt Horwich and Jake Rosholt. Dan Miller is also a veteran of other promotions like the International Fight League, Ring Of Combat, Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Reality Fighting. While in the International Fight League, Dan Miller defeated Ryan McGivern and Dave Phillips in his two fights in the promotion. Dan Miller will be looking to put the fight on the ground, with seven victories coming by way of submission. Chael Sonnen returned to the UFC in early 2009 after a successful run in the World Extreme Cagefighting promotion, where he holds victories over Paulo Filho and Bryan Baker. Thus far in his two UFC runs, Chael Sonnen defeated Trevor Prangley, with suffering losses to Renato Sobral, Jeremy Horn and Damien Maia. Chael Sonnen has also fought other top MMA fighters like Jason Miller, Akihiro Gono, Forrest Griffin, Jason Lambert, Terry Martin, Tim Credeur and Tim McKenzie. Chael Sonnen will be looking to use his ground and pound skills to gain the victory, with seven wins coming by knockout.
My Prediction: Dan Miller
UFC Middleweight Division Fight
Drew “The Massacre†McFedries (7-5-0) vs. Xavier “Professor X†Foupa-Pokam (20-10-0)
Drew McFedries has had an interesting run in the UFC, with victories over Alessio Sakara, Jordan Radev and Marvin Eastman, with losses coming to Martin Kampmann, Patrick Cote, Mike Massenzio and Thales Leitas. Drew McFedries has also had a run in the Extreme Challenge promotion, having fought UFC veteran Nate Quarry in the promotion. Drew McFedries has also spent some time overseas in the Shooto promotion, where he defeated Rafal Piszczek. Drew McFedries will be looking to use his striking skills to gain the victory, with four wins coming by knockout. Xavier Foupa-Pokam made his UFC debut at UFC 97, losing to Denis Kang by unanimous decision after three rounds of action. That loss to Denis Kang at UFC 97 snapped a seven fight win streak that lasted a little over seven months. Xavier Foupa-Pokam has fought top MMA names like Martin Kampmann, Paul Daley, Murilo Rua and Manny Gamburyan. Xavier Foupa-Pokam will be looking to use his striking skills to gain the victory, with eleven prior wins coming by knockout.
My Prediction: Xavier Foupa-Pokam
UFC Welterweight Division Fight
Matt Hughes (42-7-0) vs. Matt “The Terror†Serra (9-5-0)
Matt Hughes has been considered by many to be the best welterweight fighter in the UFC, even holding the UFC Welterweight Title twice. Matt Hughes has fought all of the top MMA fighters like Dave Menne, Dennis Hallman, Akihiro Gono, Joe Doerkson, Carlos Newton, Hayato Sakurai, Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg, BJ Penn, Renato Verissimo, Georges St. Pierre, Joe Riggs, Royce Gracie, Chris Lytle and Thiago Alves. Matt Hughes was a coach on the UFC Ultimate Fighter 6 opposite of Matt Serra and they were originally scheduled to fight on UFC 79, but Matt Serra got injured. Matt Hughes is a fighter who uses ground and pound to gain victory, with thirty one prior wins coming by knockout and submission. Matt Serra was the winner of the UFC Ultimate Fighter 4, then took that victory and used it to face Georges St. Pierre at UFC 69 and win the UFC Welterweight Title. Matt Serra has fought the majority of his career in the UFC, defeating Yves Edwards, Kelly Dullanty, Jeff Curran, Ivan Menjivar, Chris Lytle and Georges St. Pierre, with losses coming to BJ Penn, Din Thomas, Karo Parisyan and Georges St. Pierre. Besides competing in the UFC, Matt Serra also fought in the Vengeance At The Vanderbilt promotion, where he went undefeated with three victories. Matt Serra will be looking to put the fight on the ground, with four previous victories coming by way of submission.
My Prediction: Matt Hughes
UFC Light Heavyweight Title Fight
Rashad “Sugar†Evans (13-0-1) *Champion* vs. Lyoto “The Dragon†Machida (14-0-0)
Rashad Evans is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, who won the title after defeating Forrest Griffin at UFC 92. Rashad Evans earned the title after getting UFC victories over Brad Imes, Sam Hoger, Stephan Bonnar, Jason Lambert, Sean Salmon, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell and of course, Forrest Griffin, plus he fought Tito Ortiz to a draw. Before coming to the UFC, Rashad Evans fought in the Gladiator Challenge and Dangerzone promotions, where he defeated top MMA prospects Jaime Jara and Hector Ramirez. Rashad Evans became the third UFC Ultimate Fighter alumni to win a UFC title, with Forrest Griffin being a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Matt Serra being a former UFC Welterweight Champion. Rashad Evans will be looking to use his striking skills to gain the victory, with five wins coming by knockout. Lyoto Machida earned his opportunity at the UFC Light Heavyweight Title after a string of victories over Sam Hoger, David Heath, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Tito Ortiz and Thiago Silva. Lyoto Machida even has major victories outside of the UFC over Stephan Bonnar, Rich Franklin, BJ Penn and Vernon White. Lyoto Machida was originally going to face the winner of a Rashad Evans/Quinton Jackson fight at this event, but got his title opportunity a little quicker after Quinton Jackson suffered a jaw injury. In an interesting career note for Lyoto Machida’s UFC run, as four of his six fights in the UFC have gone to a decision. Lyoto Machida will be looking to use his striking skills to gain the victory, with four prior victories coming by knockout.
My Prediction: Lyoto Machida
(Note: I will be doing live coverage of UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida on Saturday May 23rd at 10pm. EST. right here on PWInsiderXtra.com)
You can contact David Tees at bigtees360@yahoo.com
