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UFC 109 “Relentless” Preview & Event Coverage By Justin Bolduc
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This weekend the UFC is putting on another pay-per-view card, as well as featuring two preliminary bouts live on Spike TV. The main event features UFC Hall of Famers and former UFC champions Randy Couture and Mark Coleman in a light heavyweight clash. The card also features what is expected to be a number one contender bout between former King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt and uncrowned WEC champion Chael Sonnen.
Former UFC welterweight champion and The Ultimate Fighter 4 winner Matt Serra faces UFC and PRIDE veteran Frank Trigg on the main card, while Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace meets up with hot prospect Dan Miller. The fifth bout on the main card puts American Kickboxing Academy's Mike Swick against Paulo Thiago, who is 1-1 against AKA fighters.
The Spike TV portion of the preliminary card will feature The Ultimate Fighter 6 winner Mac Danzig against Justin Buchholz and Melvin Guillard against Nova Uniao's Ronnys Torres. The preliminary card also features the UFC debut of Brazilian jiu-jitsu stand-out Rolles Gracie, son of Rolls Gracie. Former WEC champion Brian Stann will also compete, facing light heavyweight prospect Phil Davis, and The Ultimate Fighter 8 finalist Phillipe Nover will battle Rob Emerson.
Randy Couture (17-10) vs. Mark Coleman (16-9) Main Event The Story While neither will be making many more major moves in the sport, both fighters have had incredible careers and each deserve consideration as two of the greatest combatants in the early stages of mixed martial arts history. Randy Couture is a five-time UFC champion and the only fighter in the promotion's history to hold titles in both heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions. Mark Coleman is a former UFC heavyweight champion and PRIDE's 2000 Grand Prix Champion.
Both fighters have been credited with mastering specific aspects of mixed martial arts. Coleman is known as the godfather of ground and pound, whereas Couture has been known for clinching with his opponent, grinding them down physically and mentally, and wearing them out with dirty boxing.
Couture enters Saturday's bout at 46 years of age, while Coleman enters at 45. This is the tail end of each fighter's career and while this has the makings of a lackluster main event, there is no reason this bout should not take place.
The Breakdown The main factors of Saturday's fight between Couture and Coleman are who can implement their wrestling better and who can outlast the other. Couture is known for his cardio and can fight for days on end it seems, whereas Coleman is known to gas early. If Coleman can finally get in shape he may be able to give Couture a serious run for his money.
The key for Couture is to stay away from Coleman and box from the outside, utilizing his own wrestling in reverse. Couture should also find success however if he can force Coleman's back against the fence and work on tiring out Coleman. The key for Coleman is to close the distance quickly and put Couture on his back. From there he simply needs to stay busy enough with ground and pound and keep Couture flat.
Intangibles:
Randy Couture UFC Record: 14-7 (7 TKO, 1 Sub) Strengths: Great conditioning, master game planning, 3-time NCAA Div I Greco-Roman All-American Weaknesses: Nonthreatening from his back Key Wins: Vitor Belfort (2), Chuck Liddell, Brandon Vera, Tim Sylvia, Pedro Rizzo (2), Mike Van Arsdale, Maurice Smith, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Jeremy Horn, Kevin Randleman, Tito Ortiz, Gabriel Gonzaga Notable Losses: Chuck Liddell (2), Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Brock Lesnar, Enson Inoue, Vitor Belfort, Josh Barnett, Ricco Rodriguez, Mikhail Illoukhine
Mark Coleman UFC Record: 7-4 (1 TKO, 5 Sub) Strengths: NCAA Div I Wrestling Champion, 7th place at the1992 Summer Olympics in freestyle wrestling, good ground and pound Weaknesses: Poor conditioning Key Wins: Igor Vovchanchyn, Don Frye (2), Dan Severn, Kazuyuki Fujita, Mauricio Rua, Stephan Bonnar, Gary Goodridge Notable Losses: Fedor Emelianenko (2), Mauricio Rua, Mirko Filipovic, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Pedro Rizzo, Maurice Smith, Pete Williams, Nobuhiko Takada
UFC 109 “Coleman vs. Couture” Guest Panel Picks
Josh Barnett – “The fight is going to come down to Coleman's cardio and his ability to control the fight. If Coleman is able to control the fight and keep the action where he wants it than he is good to go. Randy is the same kind of fighter though and he wins his fights via control and keeping his rhythm in the fight. If he gets Coleman on his back and can keep him there successfully, which isn’t impossible but I think it is going to be a tall order for him, he will win. If Randy can keep it on the feet though and tire Coleman out, that will be a real problem for Coleman. Coleman is a strong puncher and he has great takedowns and he is a really good friend of mine so I always want to see him do his best. So it would be safe to say that I am taking Coleman in this fight.”
Pat Miletich – “The fight between Randy Couture and Mark Coleman could actually be a very entertaining fight. Randy continues to give younger fighters problems and is in the hunt for another title shot. People have been picking him to lose fights for the past 5 years, saying he's too old to compete. His wrestling, strength, experience and endurance pay off time and time again.
Mark Coleman, like Couture, is a guy that was part of the first wave of top tier wrestlers that took over the sport in the late 90's. I actually trained Mark when he was invited to compete in the 1st Pride GP. He had lost 2-3 fights in a row and was able to re-dedicate himself and win the GP. What has impressed me most about this particular era of Coleman's career, is he seems to have that same determination and fire again.
This will be one of the few fights where Couture is up against a guy that is his age, but who has equal or better wrestling ability. Coleman's takedowns are powerful and he may have the advantage in this category. Even though Randy is very strong, I also give the punching power edge to Coleman. The ability to transition and flow goes to Couture and he also has better endurance.
If Mark Coleman is going to win, I think it will have to come in the first 7-10 minutes of the fight. If the fight gets past that point, the odds will probably swing towards Couture.
Either way it is a historical fight between 2 guys that are true UFC legends, and I will certainly be watching. I hope both have great performances and come out the other side healthy.”
Paul Daley – “I don’t see this one as that difficult to call, going by what’s on paper, Couture having the tougher fights, the bigger victories, and general being the better, fitter fighter out of the two old guys....he should win.. But who knows this is MMA and this sport has some varied story lines.”
Ben Askren – “I think that Randy has become a much more well rounded mixed martial artist than Mark Coleman and that he always seems to come to his fights in shape. I predict Couture will win by unanimous decision.”
Mike Reilly (Team Bison) – “I remember being insanely excited for Randy Couture to fight Mark Coleman. It was an exciting distraction from the news filled with Stories of Bill Clinton’s tawdry love affair. Those where grand days. People where trading in their beepers for the latest fad, the cell phone. Since the fight that never happened, the UFC has held 92 events (not including Fight nights). Both men forged careers that make them living legends in a sport they helped build. On Saturday they fight to cap off personal histories; to see which gets a better seat on Olympus.
It will be a fight filled with nostalgia; though sadly it will create none. I see a victory for Couture after a brief, explosive assault from the Hammer. The first mistake by Coleman will lead to an advantage by Couture and ref stoppage close behind.
Randy via TKO round 1.”
Scott Casber (Takedown Radio) – “2 really good wrestlers that have met only once. Coleman holds the advantage on the Mat. 2 Aging warriors in the cage. Couture has been the most resilient of the talented twosome. Couture will need to use his boxing and keep it on the feet early. I'm confident that Couture (OKLA St) can wrestle Coleman (Ohio State) and has most probably worked his game more frequently. Make no mistake, this is a good match up but my money is and always will be on Randy Couture. He continues to amaze us all with his durability and growth as a well rounded fighter. Couture wins it in the 2nd.”
Aaron Simpson – “Saturday's UFC 109 main card, Couture vs Coleman, is a fight that many are calling a 'has been" fight. But for those of us who have followed these two's careers dating back to their prolific wrestling career, there is a little more interest. You see, Mark Coleman was an NCAA Champion at the Ohio State University and Randy Couture lost in the finals. Coleman was a World Silver Medalist in Freestyle, whereas Couture was only a World Team Member in Greco Roman and never won a medal. Coleman made the Olympic Team in 1992, Couture did not. From a wrestlers perspective, Coleman was the better, more accomplished wrestler. This is Mixed Martial Arts...not wrestling. Randy Couture may be one the the toughest both physically and mentally that this sport has ever seen. Mark Coleman had a great run over in Japan and is now back in the UFC trying to reestablish himself as a true contender. He is saying all the right things. He knows he has not trained very hard for past fights and is not making excuses. He realizes he is the underdog and says that he has rededicated himself to the sport and to his training. Randy has never been in a fight that he has not prepared for 100%. It is the only way he knows how to fight. Being a freestyle wrestler myself, it is hard to say this, but Greco Roman wrestlers at the highest level of competition are quite possibly some of the toughest SOB's on the planet. In closing, I believe that Randy's toughness, conditioning and overall MMA skill will ultimately be the key factor in his victory over Mark Coleman. I am looking forward to the fight, because I am a fan of both and cannot wait to see who shows up!”
Cole Miller – “It is going to be Couture with a TKO in Round 2.”
Nate Marquardt (28-9-2) vs. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1) Co-Main Event
The Story Both fighters for the most part have been on fire lately. Nate Marquardt has won his last three bouts convincingly in an attempt to get a second crack at Anderson Silva, while Chael Sonnen has dominated his last two opponents en route to his own opportunity for UFC gold. Both fighters have fought extensively and each has found success outside of the UFC, with Marquardt becoming a three-time King of Pancrase and Sonnen defeating former WEC champion Paulo Filho in a non-title bout (due to Filho's inability to make weight).
Both fighters arguable deserve a shot at the title, although Vitor Belfort is next in line. A win here is convincing enough though to give one of these two their chance against Silva. Since losing to Silva over two years ago Marquardt has gone 4-1 with a controversial split decision loss against Thales Leites (Marquardt was deducted two points in the fight) but he had stoppages against Jeremy Horn, Martin Kampmann, Wilson Gouveia, and Demian Maia.
Sonnen had a previously unsuccessful attempt at the UFC in 2005 and 2006 with a win over Trevor Prangley and losses against Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Jeremy Horn. Since the loss to Horn, Sonnen is 7-1 prior to rejoining the UFC. In his return to the promotion he lost by submission to Demian Maia but has since won his last two over Dan Miller and Yushin Okami.
The Breakdown Both fighters are good all-around, are physically strong, and have good cardio. This fight won't be an easy win for either contender and will truly come down to a war of attrition. Sonnen needs to use his boxing to get in close and put Marquardt on his back against the fence. From there he needs to be mindful of submissions and sweeps, but with his active ground and pound that is the best place for him.
Marquardt on the other hand has more ways to win this bout. He can threaten if placed on his back, but would really give Sonnen a fit if he can take down the Team Quest fighter. Marquardt also has a stronger, more varied striking attack and one of the best coaches in the business in his corner.
Intangibles:
Nate Marquardt UFC Record: 8-2 (3 TKO, 2 Sub) Strengths: Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, strong wrestling, good kickboxing Weaknesses: Can become too aggressive Key Wins: Demian Maia, Ivan Salaverry, Joe Doerksen, Wilson Gouveia, Shonie Carter, Jeremy Horn, Dean Lister, Martin Kampmann, Izuru Takeuchi (2), Kiuma Kunioka (2), Kazuo Misaki, Yves Edwards Notable Losses: Genki Sudo, Anderson Silva, Kiuma Kunioka, Izuru Takeuchi, Keiichiro Yamamiya, Ricardo Almeida, Thales Leites, Gil Castillo
Chael Sonnen UFC Record: 3-3 Strengths: Two-time NCAA Greco-Roman champion, NCAA Div I All-American wrestler, improved boxing Weaknesses: Struggles with good submission fighters Key Wins: Paulo Filho, Yushin Okami, Dan Miller, Trevor Prangley, Amar Suloev, Tim McKenzie, Bryan Baker, Tim Credeur, Jason Lambert, Jason Miller Notable Losses: Jeremy Horn (3), Paulo Filho, Demian Maia, Forrest Griffin, Keiichiro Yamamiya, Trevor Prangley, Renato Sobral, Terry Martin Demian Maia (11-1) vs. Dan Miller (11-2, 1 NC)
The Story Saturday's middleweight bout between Demian Maia and Dan Miller is one of the more intriguing match-ups for the division. While Marquardt vs. Sonnen has title implications, the winner of this bout is surely to be in the running soon after.
Maia entered the UFC undefeated with a professional mixed martial arts record of 6-0 with two submissions and two TKO's. Along with his unblemished record he also won his division at ADCC in 2007 and placed second in 2005. Maia won his first five UFC bouts by submission, including his most recent win over Sonnen. In his most recent performance he was knocked out by Marquardt.
Miller enters Saturday's bout coming off a one-sided loss to Sonnen, but has looked impressive in his career otherwise. Miller joined the UFC with a record of 8-1 with one no contest. In 2008 he won the IFL's middleweight championship, and then entered the UFC after the IFL went under.
The Breakdown While Maia has been working hard on his stand-up the real key for him to win this bout is to take Miller down and work his jiu-jitsu game. Maia has shown patience with other strong submission fighters, such as Jason MacDonald, and has come out on top with spectacular finishes.
Miller on the other hand, while competent on the ground, has the clear advantage kickboxing. With solid wrestling he will be looking to stay away from Maia's ground game, whether on top or bottom, and look for the edge on the feet.
Intangibles:
Demian Maia UFC Record: 5-1 (5 Submissions) Strengths: Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, ADCC champion, dangerous guard Weaknesses: Mediocre striking Key Wins: Chael Sonnen, Nate Quarry, Ed Herman, Jason MacDonald, Fabio Nascimento, Ryan Jensen, Gustavo Machado Notable Loss: Nate Marquardt
Dan Miller UFC Record: 3-1 (1 Sub) Strengths: Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, solid kickboxing, freestyle wrestling background Weaknesses: Struggles most when out-wrestled Key Wins: Ryan McGivern, Matt Horwich, Jake Rosholt, John Howard, Rob Kimmons Notable Losses: Chael Sonnen, Mike Massenzio
Matt Serra (9-6) vs. Frank Trigg (19-7)
The Story Matt Serra and Frank Trigg have both have long careers, although Serra has averaged barely more than one fight per year since his professional debut in 1999. Serra emerged as a contender early in the UFC and battled some of the best in the sport, but his real breakout did not come until his appearance on season four of The Ultimate Fighter. After winning the reality show he then had one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history by stopping Georges St. Pierre with strikes inside the first round. Since defeating St. Pierre, Serra has only fought twice, losing a rematch with St. Pierre and losing a decision against Matt Hughes.
Frank Trigg has fought in the UFC and PRIDE, as well as ICON Sport where he defeated Jason “Mayhem” Miller for the promotion's middleweight title. He had a good run early in his career where he challenged for the UFC title, but overall has failed to remain at the top level of the sport. After picking up a four-fight win streak Trigg returned to the UFC where he was most recently stopped by Josh Koscheck in the first round.
The Breakdown While neither fighter has been overly impressive striking, Serra – although at a reach disadvantage, has the heavier hands and cleaner punches. Serra is more than comfortable on the ground though, whether on top or on bottom, but the real key in this fight is stopping Trigg from scoring takedowns.
Trigg on the other hand wants to take Serra down and punish him with ground and pound. If Trigg ends up on bottom it could be a short night, and while he likely won't be out-striking Serra he at least has a shot while on the feet.
Intangibles:
Matt Serra UFC Record: 6-6 (1 TKO, 1 Sub) Strengths: Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, 2001 ADCC finalist, heavy hands Weaknesses: Small for welterweight Key Wins: Georges St. Pierre, Yves Edwards, Jeff Curran, Ivan Menjivar, Chris Lytle Notable Losses: Georges St. Pierre, Matt Hughes, Shonie Carter, Karo Parisyan, B.J. Penn, Din Thomas
Frank Trigg UFC Record: 2-4 (2 TKO) Strengths: NCAA Div I wrestler, Judo black belt, good ground and pound Weaknesses: Struggles when he can't get the takedown Key Wins: Kazuo Misaki, Dennis Hallman (2), Kazuo Misaki, Renato Verissimo, Ronald Jhun, Ray Cooper, Falaniko Vitale, Edwin Dewees, Makoto Takimoto Notable Losses: Matt Hughes (2), Georges St. Pierre, Josh Koscheck, Hayato Sakurai, Robbie Lawler, Carlos Condit
UFC 109 "Relentless" Fight Card
Main Card Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen Mike Swick vs. Paulo Thiago Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg Spike TV Preliminary Card Mac Danzig vs. Justin Buccholz (PDG's Fight to Watch) Melvin Guillard vs. Ronnys Torres Preliminary Card Phillipe Nover vs. Rob Emerson Brian Stann vs. Phil Davis Chris Tuscherer vs. Tim Hague Rolles Gracie vs. Joey Beltran
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