A Fan's View from his Couch: UFC 95 Preview

This fight card is kind of like the San Antonio Spurs, not much flash or high profile athletes, but I think we will be talking about it in the end due to the quality and depth.

However, I have a hard time calling "Nightmare" v. "Daddy" a main event, seeing is how they are a combined 3-4 in their last 7 combined fights. OUCH!  The saving grace for this one is the fact that we have two guys who usually put on a good show, winning or losing.  Heck, at least for the casual fan you should get a lot of blood as these two seem to look more like they are in a horror flick instead of an advanced version of the sweet science.  My prediction, Joe plays daddy and spanks a weak and frail Diego; if Kos can out box him so can Stevenson, 3rd round stoppage due to strikes.

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Nate Marquardt v. Wilson Gouveia could be the UFC's form of slaughter as the winner probably gets to be the next one dissected by the "Spider."  This fight will not go the distance, I repeat will NOT go the distance.  Why, 9 of their last 10 fights have ended early, including 7 straight fights stopped when Wilson is involved and "the Great" is a 7-time king of pancrase; bet you're left arm or right depending on which one you need more that this fight ends early as Gouveia sends Marquardt home and starts his trip back to the states as Anderson's new sacrificial lamb. 

With full discloser I have to admit Josh Koscheck is my favorite fighter.  I was lucky enough to cover him when he trained back in Erie, PA with the Edinboro wrestling squad and he blew me away with his work ethic and desire.  I believe with the right amount of training and growth he is the only 170 pounder who may challenge GSP (I know he already lost to him, but he has grown a lot since).  I digress, this fight may end up winning "fight of the night" as Kos is a decorated wrestler and the 10-0 Paulo Thiago has won 7 of those fights by submission, meaning neither fighter will want to get in the others guard.  Thus, we have a chance to see two guys bang for 15 minutes.  The biggest name that Paulo has beaten is Luis Dutra Jr. so it's hard for me to see him beating a man who has dominated the likes of Yoshida, Lytle, Hazelett and the aforementioned Sanchez.  Josh by TKO in the second as he overwhelms Thiago in his first UFC appearance.

I'd say for a free show on SPIKE we really can't complain as we have a chance to see 4 good fights, as I didn't even mention Demian Maia v. Chael Sonnen which has a chance to be a barn-burner. Maybe we will all get lucky and they will show us Paul Kelly v. Troy Mandaloniz which is a Knock Out waiting to happen.  If I have convinced you to watch let me reiterate its FREE!

> Don't miss our UFC 95 preview of all 10 fights on the card for Saturday night's big event!

By Greg Vorse
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer
A Fan's View from his Couch