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UFC 109 Predictions: UFC 109 Picks, Predictions & Fight Previews

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Pro Fighting Fans is the home of UFC fans across the world and we now bring you the best place to find the latest UFC preview & predictions. UFC 108 has come and gone and we take a look at the UFC 108 results.

The next event for the UFC will be UFC 109, held on February 6, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and our UFC 109 predictions & preview are posted below for UFC fans across the globe to enjoy. Also be sure to check out our popular "A Fans' View from his Couch" column where UFC fan Greg Vorse gives us his take & picks for each major UFC fight, including UFC 109, UFC 110 & more in the coming days and weeks and buy UFC tickets online here through Pro Fighting Fans!

For more UFC events to be held in 2010 and lists of which Mixed Martial Artists are schedule to fight, be sure to check out the future UFC event fight cards.

The UFC returns to Las Vegas with a fight card that is loaded and headlined by two UFC Hall of Famers squaring off for the first time. The UFC 109 fight card also includes a top Middleweight battle as Nate Marquardt faces former WEC star Chael Sonnen and Demian Maia faces Dan Miller in another key 185 pound battle. Also on the PPV main card is a Welterweight battle of Matt Serra vs Frak Trigg as well as Mike Swick vs Paulo Thiago. While it's true that the Couture vs Coleman and Serra vs Trigg fighter may have been better years ago, you have to give the UFC credit as they put together these matchups and sandwich some top contender battles with Top 10 fighters in their respective weight classes in between.

> Buy UFC clothing, hats & merchandise online through Pro Fighting Fans where we now provide fans with the opportunity to rent or buy UFC 2009 Undisputed for Playstation 3 or XBox 360!

UFC 109 Predictions: Preliminary Card

Mustapha Al-Turk vs. Rolles Gracie

Rolles Gracie (3-0) is set to make his UFC debut against London Shootfighters’ Mustapha Al-Turk in a preliminary card bout at UFC 109. Al-Turk is fighting for his life in the UFC after suffering two straight losses in the octagon.

Al-Turk, 36, who was born in Lebanon, debuted in 2002 while fighting in the Xtreme Fighting Championship organization. He lost both fights in the XFC, but went on to win 6 of 7 for Cage Rage, including victories against James McSweeney, Gary Turner, and Mark Kerr. Since debuting at UFC 92 in December 2008, Al-Turk has dropped both UFC fights. He first was dealt a 1 st round TKO defeat by Cheick Kongo at UFC 92 and then a 1st round TKO loss by Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic at UFC 99.

Rolles Gracie, 31, is a Brazilian born mixed martial artist who splits his training time between Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Jackson’s Submission Fighting. He made his debut in September 2007 by submitting Sam Holloway in an IFL match. He also picked up a pair of wins in the Art of War promotion in 2009, defeating Baga Agaev and Peter Graham with 1st round submissions. Gracie also has several accomplishments in both jiu-jitsu and judo.

Prediction – Gracie over Al-Turk via submission

Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer

Tim Hague (10-2) will look to rebound from his August loss when he takes on Minnesota Martial Arts Academy’s Chris Tuchscherer (17-2), a two-time NCAA Division II All-American wrestler who is looking for his first octagon victory. The bout will take place in the heavyweight division on the UFC 109 preliminary fight card.

Hague, 26, an Alberta, Canada native, began his pro career late in 2006 fighting in King of the Cage: Canada, HCF, and Raw Combat organizations. He produced a 9-1 record with victories over notables Ruben Villareal and Sherman Pendergarst before entering the UFC heavyweight ranks. In May 2009 at UFC 98, Hague submitted Pat Barry in his debut, however was on the losing end of a record-setting TKO (0:07) by Todd Duffee at UFC 102 in August.

Chris Tuchscherer, 34, began in June 2004 fighting in several mid-level organizations. He went undefeated through his first 15 fights, defeating the likes of Krzysztof Soszynski, Travis Fulton, and Jimmy Ambriz. His first career loss came in the Yamma Pit Fighting finale when he lost to Travis Wiuff. He rebounded by winning his next three and securing a UFC contract. He debuted in August at UFC 102 where he lost via 1st round TKO to Gabriel Gonzaga.

Prediction – Hague over Tuchscherer via submission

Brian Stann vs. Phil Davis

Brian “All American” Stann (8-2) will try and win his third consecutive UFC fight when he takes on the debuting Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (4-0) in a light-heavyweight bout on the UFC 109 preliminary card.

Stann, 29, is a three-year professional who won his first six bouts including capturing the WEC light-heavyweight title in March 2008 at WEC 33 by defeating Doug Marshall. He dropped back-to-back bouts against Steve Cantwell, in the WEC, and Krzysztof Soszynski in his UFC debut. Stann would recover with a pair of victories, defeating Cantwell at UFC Fight Night 19 and Rodney Wallace at the TUF 10 final.

Davis, 25, a former Penn State wrestler who trains with Team Lloyd Irvin made his MMA debut in October 2008. He has fought four times in four different organizations including No Boundary, Palace FC, UWC, and UCFC. His most recent fight took place in Pittsburgh, PA at UCFC “Rumble on the Rivers” where he easily defeated David Baggett via 1st round submission. All three of his victories in 2009 were 1st round stoppages.

Prediction – Stann over Davis via TKO

Phillipe Nover vs. Rob Emerson

A pair of The Ultimate Fighter veterans will be fighting to stay in the organization when TUF 8 runner-up Phillipe Nover (6-2-1) meets TUF 5’s Robert Emerson (8-8 1 No Contest) in a lightweight bout on the preliminary card at UFC 109.

Nover, 25, fought to a 5-0-1 record with east coast organizations like Reality Fighting, Combat Zone, and Ring of Combat. He then appeared on TUF 8 where he won his first three fights to earn a spot in the finale. At the December 2008 TUF 8 Finale, Nover was outpointed by Efrain Escudero to become the tournament winner. He was back in action five months later at UFC 98 where he was defeated via 1 st round TKO by Kyle Bradley.

Emerson, 28, is a west coast fighter who trains at Ruas Vale Tudo. He debuted in June of 2002 and appeared in a variety of organizations like Ultimate Wrestling, Shooto USA, DEEP, Total Combat, and Pancrase. He came into TUF 5 with a record of 6-6, and although he was defeated in both of his tournament bouts, earned a spot on the finale where he and his opponent, Gray Maynard, were knocked out when they fell to the canvas. His rookie octagon appearance ended in a no contest, but he quickly recovered and put together two consecutive wins in the octagon against Keita Nakamura and Manvel Gamburyan. His 2009 wasn’t as smooth, losing back-to-back bouts, first to Kurt Pellegrino (submission) and then to Rafael dos Anjos (decision).

Prediction – Emerson over Nover via decision

> Find the UFC 109 results after the fights are complete at Pro Fighting Fans, check out the UFC schedule or buy UFC DVDs of past UFC events

UFC 109 Predictions: Spike TV Televised Card

Melvin Guillard vs. Ronnys Torres

Brazilian Ronnys Torres (14-1) will try for the third time to make his UFC debut when he meets experienced UFC veteran Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (22-8-2) in a lightweight bout that is expected to be shown on the Spike TV “UFC Prelims” portion of UFC 109.

Guillard, 26, is a Team Punishment fighter who debuted in 2002 and posted a 16-4-2 record prior to appearing on The Ultimate Fighter 2. He won three out of four in the UFC before dropping back-to-back bouts and earning his pink slip. He picked up a victory in Rage in the Cage in late 2008 to earn his way back to the octagon where he defeated his next two opponents before falling in his most recent fight. In September 2009, Guillard submitted to Nate Diaz via guillotine choke in a UFC Fight Night headlining bout.

Torreys is a fast-paced Brazilian lightweight who trains out of the Nova Uniao fight team. He has fought exclusively in his homeland earning 12 of 14 victories via stoppage since his June 2006 debut. A veteran of Shooto Brazil, Cassino Fight, Jungle Fight and others, Torreys has been rumored to fight in the octagon for some time now. He was originally expected to fight Guillard at UFC Fight Night 18 and then was scheduled to be on the Fight Night 19 card; however injuries kept him off until now.

Prediction – Guillard over Torreys via decision

Mac Danzig vs. Justin Buchholz

After losing three in a row, The Ultimate Fighter 6 winner, Danzig (18-7-1), will take on Justin Buchholz (8-4), a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter who has also dropped three out of four inside the octagon. This 155-pound bout will be featured on the Spike TV “UFC Prelims” card at UFC 109.

Mac Danzig, 30, debuted in 2001 and fought for a variety of different organizations such as Extreme Challenge, Reality Combat Fighting, Gladiators Challenge, and others. He had won 12 straight from June 2004 through September 2006 including capturing the KOTC lightweight title and defending it four times. Although he lost his KOTC title and his PRIDE debut, he still won TUF 6 with a rear naked choke submission over Tommy Speer. He also defeated Mark Bocek at UFC 83 before dropping his last three inside the octagon. His last action was in July at UFC 100 when he lost a unanimous decision to Jim Miller.

Justin Buchholz, 26, is an Alaska-born lightweight who debuted as a pro in 2005 in his home state for the Alaska Fighting Championships where he went 3-1. He put together four more victories while fighting for Icon Sport, Rumble on the Rock, and Elite XC before signing his UFC contract. He lost his UFC debut against Matt Wiman, defeated Corey Hill at UFC 86 in July 2008, and then lost back-to-back fights against Terry Etim and Jeremy Stephens. Stephens defeated him via TKO in September in his most recent action.

Prediction – Danzig over Buchholz via decision

UFC 109 Predictions: Main Card

Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg

Matt “The Terror” Serra (9-6) and Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg (19-7), a pair of New York born welterweights in the twilight of their careers, will try and prove they are still relevant in the UFC by facing off on the main card at UFC 109. Both fighters desperately need a win to stay active inside the octagon.

Serra, 35, was undefeated after only three bouts when he debuted for the UFC in May 2001. He fought to a 4-4 record when he appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 4 “The Comeback” season. He won TUF 4 by getting by Chris Lytle to earn a shot at the WW Title owned by George St. Pierre. He made the most of his opportunity, taking the belt off of GSP at UFC 69 with a TKO victory. He lost his belt in the rematch one year later and then went on to coach the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter against Matt Hughes. He dropped his second straight fight when the two finally met at UFC 98 in May 2009 via decision, although he was awarded a bonus for “Fight of the Night”.

Trigg, 37, debuted in 1997 going on to win 10 of his first 11 prior to his first stint in the UFC. From November 2003 through August 2005, Trigg produced a 2-3 record in the octagon losing a pair of title fights against Matt Hughes. He went 7-2 between UFC stints highlighted by winning the Icon Sport middleweight title with a victory over Jason Miller. It was his recent four-fight win streak that helped him get his return ticket into the organization in September of 2009. He was overwhelmed in his UFC 103 fight, losing to Josh Koscheck via 1 st round TKO.

Prediction – Serra over Trigg via submission

Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller

Top-of-the-line middleweights Demian Maia (11-1) and Dan Miller (11-2) will meet in a UFC 109 main card bout that should help catapult one of them into a possible number one contender position. Both Maia and Miller were rolling before suffering defeats their last time out.

Maia, 32, a member of the Las Vegas-based Wand Fight Team, debuted in 2001 picking up 6 victories without a loss prior to signing with the UFC. Upon his 2007 signing in the world’s largest fight promotion, Maia turned some heads after submitting five straight opponents including Ryan Jensen, Ed Herman, Jason MacDonald, Nate Quarry, and Chael Sonnen. The four-time “Submission of the Night” winner probably only needed one more win to earn a title shot, however lost at UFC 102 in August 2009 via a 21-second KO by Nate Marquardt.

Miller, 28, debuted in late 2005 fighting exclusively in east coast promotions such as Reality Fighting, Cage Fury FC, Ring of Combat, and the IFL. He compiled an 8-1-1 record through the first three-and-a-half years of his career prior to signing with the UFC. He defeated Rob Kimmons, Matt Horwich, and Jake Rosholt in octagon bouts before losing to Chael Sonnen in May 2009 at UFC 98 in his most recent action.

Prediction – Maia over Miller via decision

> Find the UFC 109 fight results after the fights are complete at Pro Fighting Fans, check out the UFC fight schedule online.

Mike Swick vs. Paulo Thiago

Mike “Quick” Swick (14-3) will try and get back in the win column at UFC 109 when he meets dangerous Brazilian striker Paulo Thiago (12-1) in a main card bout. The 170-pound contest will serve as a barometer in sorting out a possible future contender for the welterweight belt.

Swick, 30, a participant on the original TUF, began fighting in 1998 where he produced a respectable 5-1 record in organizations like the WEC and Shootbox. After an injury ruined his chances at the TUF 1 tournament, he got his chances at the finale and didn’t disappoint knocking out Alex Schoenauer in 20 seconds. He went on to win four more UFC bouts before losing at UFC 69 to Yushin Okami, spelling the end of his run as a middleweight. He dropped to the 170-pound division and won four straight to earn a chance at Dan Hardy for the #1 contender position. Hardy dealt Swick his first loss as a welterweight, defeating him via unanimous decision at UFC 105 in November.

Thiago, 28, a Black House fighter, began in July 2005 winning his first ten fights while in Brazilian organizations like Storm Samurai and Jungle Fights. He put his name on the UFC map in his debut when he knocked out Josh Koscheck at UFC 95 in February 2009 and earned “Knockout of the Night” honors as well. His momentum was snuffed at UFC 100 in July when Jon Fitch defeated him via unanimous decision. Thiago has since got back on track with a decision victory at UFC 106 in November over the UFC rookie, Jacob Volkmann.

Prediction – Swick over Thiago via decision

Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen

In a bout that may produce the next challenger for Anderson Silva’s middleweight belt, Nate “The Great” Marquardt (29-8-2) meets Chael Sonnen (24-10-1) in the UFC 109 co-main event. Both are veterans who have put together multiple victories this past year.

Marquardt, 30, is a Jackson’s Submission Fighting member who has been in professional action since April 1999. When he signed with the UFC in August of 2005, he had already compiled a 21-6-2 record and won the King of Pancrase title seven times. He won his first four fights inside the octagon to earn a 185-pound title shot at UFC 73 in July 2007. He lost via 1st round TKO, but has since won four of his last five including three straight to get right back near the top of the division. His most recent fight, an August 2009 UFC 102 1st round KO of Demian Maia, earned him a “Knockout of the Night” bonus.

Sonnen, 32, a member of Team Quest in Oregon, was a former NCAA wrestler who debuted as a mixed martial artist in March 2002. He compiled a 14-6-1 record before signing on with the UFC in 2005. Two losses in three chances sent him packing out of the UFC, but seven wins in eight fights has since earned him a return ticket. He lost to Demian Maia at UFC 95 but earned back-to-back victories over Dan Miller and Yushin Okami to get back on track.

Prediction – Marquardt over Sonnen via TKO

UFC 109 Main Event: Randy Couture vs Mark Coleman

UFC Hall of Famers Randy “The Natural” Couture (17-10) and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman (16-9) meet in the main event at UFC 109. This light-heavyweight bout marks the first time that two active Hall-of-Famers square off inside the octagon. The winner will also get a chance to continue their quest for another run at a title.

Couture, 46, a former NCAA wrestler and founder of his former fight team, Team Quest, and his current fight team, Xtreme Couture, debuted in May of 1997 at UFC 13. He won the UFC 13 tournament and the Heavyweight title within his first four fights as a professional mixed martial artist. After losing a pair of bouts outside the organization, he continued his illustrious career by winning the heavyweight title again at UFC 28 as well as the light heavyweight title at UFC 43. He defeated Tim Sylvia at UFC 68 to win the heavyweight title for the third time, however was defeated at UFC 91 by Brock Lesnar ending his third title reign. After another loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 102 in August 2009, he dropped down to 205 and defeated Brandon Vera at UFC 105 in November.

Coleman, 45, is also a former NCAA wrestler at Miami University and Ohio State and the founder of Team Hammer House fight team. He turned professional in 1996 and won the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments and the first ever UFC heavyweight title within his first six fights. After losing three straight in the UFC, he left for Japan and PRIDE FC. He fought thirteen times over seven-and-a-half years and won the 2000 Open-weight Grand Prix Final while in PRIDE. He returned to the UFC in January 2009 at UFC 93 with a “Fight of the Night” performance. The performance was in a losing effort against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua via 3rd round TKO. His most recent fight was a successful one, defeating Stephan Bonnar via unanimous decision at UFC 100 in July.

Prediction – Couture over Coleman via decision

By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Senior MMA Staff Writer

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