Live on Monday,  January 11, 2010 The Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia will host UFC Fight Night 20.  On tap for the Main Event we have Nate Diaz (11-4) taking on “The Bully” Gray Maynard (9-0-1). The Ultimate Fighter 8 winner and undefeated Efrain Escudero (12-0) will face fellow undefeated prospect Evan Dunham (9-0).  Then we have another TUF winner Amir Sadollah (2-1) fresh off his victory over Phil Baroni against IFL vet ”Bad” Brad Blackburn (15-9-1)

Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Diaz             (+205)
• Maynard    (-265)

Betus.com Odds

• Diaz            (+210)
• Maynard   (-280)

Efrain Escudero vs. Evan Dunham

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Escudero  (-270)
• Dunham   (+210)

Tom Lawlor vs. Aaron Simpson

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Lawlor      (+200)
• Simpson   (-260)

Amir Sadollah vs. Brad Blackburn

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Sadollah       (-160)
• Blackburn    (+130)

Chris Leben vs. Jay Silva

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Leben  (-175)
• Silva    (+145)

Rick Story vs. Jesse Lennox

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Story      (-270) 
• Lennox  (+210)

Thiago Tavares vs. Nik Lentz

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Tavares  (-240)
• Lentz      (+190)

Mike Guymon vs. Rory MacDonald

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Guymon       (+160)
• MacDonald  (-200)

Kyle Bradley vs. Rafael Dos Anjos

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Bradley       (+260)
• Dos Anjos   (-340)

Gerald Harris vs. John Salter

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Harris         (-295)
• Salter          (+235)

Nick Catone vs. Jesse Forbes

Sportsbook.com Odds

• Catone    (-240)
• Forbes    (+190)  

Check back on fight night as I will have updated Fight Night 20 odds and fight predictions.

If you want to add a little excitement to your fight night, you can bet on this fight at Sportsbook.com Odds.  They allow you to start with as little as $20, and you can bet on all of the fights for the night. Check out my review of Sportsbook here…

205 lbs:  Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva

Odds: (-225 Evans / +185 Silva)

The main event of the evening is a Light Heavyweight matchup pitting recent title challenger Thiago Silva against former Light Heavyweight champion and Ultimate Fighter winner “Sugar” Rashad Evans.  Silva, coming off a dominant win over Rashad’s teammate and friend Keith Jardine, stepped up to replace Quinton “Rampage” Jackson when Rampage decided to pursue an acting career instead of fighting Evans.  Rashad is coming off a brutal title loss, so between that and Silva’s win over Jardine, he will definitely be looking for vindication.

Silva, a Muay Thai stylist with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is a very well-rounded and dangerous fighter.  Despite his pedigree on the ground, though, Silva does his best work with his hands, and has knocked out a vast majority of his opponents inside the first round.  His only career loss came at the hands of current Light Heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida, who outboxed him handily and exposed his questionable footwork.  Of course, Machida did exactly the same thing to Evans and almost everyone else he has ever fought, so that is hardly a black mark on Silva’s record or a disadvantage heading into this fight.

Evans, who captured the Heavyweight crown on Season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter, steadily picked up steam in the UFC.  His first few performances were somewhat uninspiring, and he used his wrestling to earn a string of extremely narrow decisions and a draw with Tito Ortiz that was saved from being a loss only by a point deduction from Ortiz.  As his career went on, though, his standup continued to develop, and he scored great knockouts of Sean Salmon, Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell, and then-champion Forrest Griffin to earn the Light Heavyweight title.  At this point, Rashad is a complete fighter, still possessing the good wrestling skills that got him to UFC to begin with, but also having accurate, heavy-handed boxing and very good head movement and defense.

Stylistically, I would give the edge in this one to Evans.  Silva’s standup is technically better, but Rashad has just as much power, if not a little more, and is notoriously slippery on the feet.  His head movement and the threat of takedowns will keep Silva’s standup a little more cautious than it would normally be, and that will make all the difference.  I expect to see a little of the old Rashad in this fight, only standing with Silva long enough to set up the takedown, which will allow him to control the fight from top position.  Silva has good jiu jitsu, but has never submitted anyone off his back, and it is highly unlikely that Rashad will be his first.  Expect Rashad to confound Silva and earn the unanimous decision nod.

Fight Prediction:  “Sugar” Rashad Evans via unanimous decision.

If you want to add a little excitement to your fight night, you can bet on this fight at Sportsbook.com Odds.  They allow you to start with as little as $20, and you can bet on all of the fights for the night. Check out my review of Sportsbook here…

170 lbs: Dustin Hazelett vs. Paul Daley

Odds: (Hazelett / Daley)

Dustin “McLovin” Hazelett, a top five pound for pound worst nickname contender, will face off with recent UFC acquisition Paul “Semtex” Daley in a competitive Welterweight matchup that will show off their very different styles.  Hazelett, a Jorge Gurgel student and submission expert, will look to bring the action to the mat against Daley, who will be swinging at Hazelett’s head with ruthless aggression.

Paul Daley, one of the many promising stars to emerge from England’s burgeoning Mixed Martial Arts scene, is as dangerous a striker as you will find in the Welterweight division.  He shocked many fans and pundits in his UFC debut, dispatching skilled competitor Martin Kampmann in easy fashion with devastating strikes.  Against Hazelett, Daley will have a huge advantage in speed, technique, and power on the feet.  It is imperative, though, that he keeps the fight to striking, because Hazelett outmatches him on the ground just as bad as he outmatches Hazelett on the feet.

Dustin Hazelett, a shoo-in for submission of the decade with his ridiculous armbar of Josh Burkman, is a very dangerous grappler with an above average ability to finish tough opponents with submissions.  Inactive for over a year, he will look to continue the momentum he built up in the second half of 2008 against Daley.  A whopping five of Daley’s eight career losses have come by way of submission, so if Hazelett can work his game plan and not get drawn into a boxing match with Daley, he might put up an early contender for his second submission of the year award.

Style vs. style matchups like this always come down to which guy is more effective at implementing his game plan.  In general, I think the edge in these types of matches goes to the grappler, and this is no exception.  Daley has a huge advantage on his feet, but is a lot easier to close distance, clinch, run away, and generally avoid strikes than it is to escape a bad position against a skilled jiu jitsu player.  Hazelett will have to be cautious, because if he gets into the kind of war he did against Josh Burkman he is going to get annihilated, but as long as he stays patient and picks his spots, he should be able to take control of this fight and get it to the ground.  Once that happens, it is all elementary, and he will submit Daley with ease.

Fight Prediction: Dustin “McLovin” Hazelett via armbar in round two.

If you want to add a little excitement to your fight night, you can bet on this fight at Sportsbook.com Odds.  They allow you to start with as little as $20, and you can bet on all of the fights for the night. Check out my review of Sportsbook here…

265 lbs:  Junior dos Santos vs. Gilbert Yvel

Odds: (-280 Dos Santos / +220 Yvel)

In a somewhat inexplicable Heavyweight showdown, up and coming Brazilian slugger Junior “Cigano” dos Santos will face notorious rule breaker Gilbert Yvel, finally making his UFC debut after an infamous career of over 12 years.  Dos Santos gained recognition by knocking out the likes of Mirko Cro Cop and Stefan Struve, while Yvel gained notoriety for knocking out a seemingly endless stream of referees.  Dos Santos is one of the top Heavyweight prospects in the world, but Yvel is a wily veteran with some powerful striking of his own, so this is going to be a tough test for the Team Noguiera protégé.

Yvel is a throwback to the early days of the sport.  His striking is technical and he has fight-ending power, but he probably can’t even spell the word takedown, much less execute or stop one.  He has notoriously awful submission defense as well.  Basically, his entire ground game is an execrable mess.  He is also a well-known dirty fighter, poking eyes, grabbing handfuls of tights, ropes, the fence, or whatever else, and he is definitely the most successful fighter of all time at knocking out referees.  At the tail end of an uninspiring career, with a one-dimensional skill set and a reputation for being a classless piece of trash, it is a mystery to reasonable people the world over why this bum got a shot in UFC to begin with.

Luckily for anyone who actually respects the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, Junior dos Santos is well equipped to make sure that Yvel’s stay in the big show is a short one.  A very powerful striker who also has a developing submission game, dos Santos is the worst possible matchup for Yvel.  He has the skill and power to outstrike Yvel, and also has a good enough ground game to keep it standing or to overwhelm Yvel on the mat.  He also has a much better chin that your average NSAC official, making him a nightmare matchup for Yvel, who last won a meaningful fight about five years ago.

This match is disinteresting in every way.  Dos Santos will destroy Yvel on the feet, he will destroy him on the ground, and he will destroy him in the parking lot afterward if it comes down to it.  The only suspense surrounding this fight is whether Yvel will be fined for eye poking, low blows, or assaulting a ringside official. 

Fight Prediction: Junior Dos Santos via second round T/KO.

If you want to add a little excitement to your fight night, you can bet on this fight at Sportsbook.com Odds.  They allow you to start with as little as $20, and you can bet on all of the fights for the night. Check out my review of Sportsbook here…

155 lbs:  Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout

Odds: (-270 Lauzon / +210 Stout)

In a compelling Lightweight matchup that will pit skill and technique against heart and power, skilled technician Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon will square off against dangerous brawler Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout.  Stout has had mixed success in the UFC, but has a ton of determination and heavy hands.  He’s going to have those hands full, though, with Lauzon, an excellent submission artist with pretty good striking of his own.

Stout, most remembered for his two epic wars with Spencer Fisher, is not one of the most skilled fighters in the world, but he is relentlessly aggressive, has a lot of knockout power, and doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit.  What he lacks in technique he makes up for with sheer heart and will, not to mention the granite boulders on the ends of his arms.  His best bet against Lauzon will be to press the issue, keeping the pressure on him with a constant barrage of punches and trying to keep him from working his patient, technical game.

Lauzon is one of the hot young guns in the Lightweight division.  Originally a Team Penn standout on The Ultimate Fighter, Lauzon made a splash in his UFC debut by defeating former champion Jens Pulver by KO in the first minute of their fight.  As impressive as that KO was, though, Lauzon is even more impressive on the ground, where 14 of his 18 total wins have come by way of submission.  Furthermore, Lauzon always makes for exciting fights, having never gone the distance in 22 professional contests.

This is just not a good matchup for Stout.  His best performances come against guys willing to stand and trade with him, where his great chin, punching power, and heart can carry him through to victories.  Lauzon, though, is a much more technical fighter with an excellent ground game, and will take this fight down fairly early and submit Stout in routine fashion.

Fight Prediction: Joe Lauzon via first round via armbar.

If you want to add a little excitement to your fight night, you can bet on this fight at Sportsbook.com Odds.  They allow you to start with as little as $20, and you can bet on all of the fights for the night. Check out my review of Sportsbook here…

155 lbs:  Duane Ludwig vs. Jim Miller

Odds: ( Ludwig / Miller)

In a very compelling Lightweight matchup, submission wizard Jim Miller will face kickboxing master Duane “Bang” Ludwig, a last-minute replacement for the injured Sean Sherk, who was himself a replacement for injured Tyson Griffin.  This is a very dangerous matchup for Miller, who was training for two guys who get the job done with wrestling and their ground games, and who must now face Ludwig, easily one of the most dangerous strikers in the world at Lightweight.

Jim Miller, a wrestler and jiu jitsu expert with an awesome track record of finishing fights by submission, is one of the most underrated fighters in the world at 155 pounds.  With his only UFC loss coming by decision to top contender Gray Maynard and his only other career loss being a decision against another strong contender in Frankie Edgar, Miller’s record is excellent, largely because of his well-rounded skill set, which features good boxing on top of his well-recognized excellent ground work.

Duane “Bang” Ludwig, Miller’s recently named opponent, came by his nickname honestly.  No one in the world at 155 pounds even comes close to having Ludwig’s mix of hand speed, accuracy, technique, and punching power.  Offensively, he is one of the most dominant fighters in the world in the striking game.  Unfortunately, his defense is not on the same level as his offense is.  His chin is notoriously spotty, and he has frequently been knocked out in a fashion just as spectacular as he usually knocks guys out.  He also has a terrible ground game, and has clearly never taken cross-training seriously, being content instead to try his luck with punching and flit back and forth between kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts.

If Ludwig can connect with a solid strike, neither Jim Miller nor anyone else is going to be able to take it.  Unfortunately for Ludwig, though, he has absolutely no chance of stopping Miller’s takedown attempts, which he will execute at will.  On the ground, Ludwig is completely overmatched, and will find himself tapping out in fairly short order.

Fight Prediction: Jim Miller via rear naked choke in round two.

If you want to add a little excitement to your fight night, you can bet on this fight at Sportsbook.com Odds.  They allow you to start with as little as $20, and you can bet on all of the fights for the night. Check out my review of Sportsbook here…

• Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) vs. Cain Velasquez (7-0)  Main Event
• Wanderlei Silva (32-10-1) vs. Michael Bisping (18-2)
• Joe Stevenson (31-10) vs. George Sotiropoulos (11-2)
• Keith Jardine (14-6-1) vs. Ryan Bader (10-0)
• Mirko Cro Cop (25-7-2) vs. Anthony Perosh (10-5)

Preliminary Card:

• Krzysztof Soszynski (19-10-1) vs. Stephan Bonnar (14-6)
• Chris Lytle (37-17-4) vs. Brian Foster (15-4)
• CB Dollaway (10-3) vs. Goran Reljic (8-0)
• James Te Huna (13-4) vs. Igor Pokrajac (21-6)

UFC 110 Fight Predictions