UFC 109: Fight Predictions and Analysis

UFC 109: Fight Prediction and Analysis

To make a prediction or analysis one must look at a few categories based on the Fighters to be competing.

Discipline: What Martial Art is being used? How effectively has it been used in past competition? Styles make fights.
Strength: Over-all physical strength is based on the fighter's size and physique. How strong is this fighter compared to the Division?
Cardio: Based on past performances, what level of Cardio does the fighter have?
Speed: Based on past performances, what level of Speed is used during competition?

Prediction: Simple, who might win?


Randy 'The Natural' Couture v. Mark 'The Hammer' Coleman

Discipline: Both fighters enter the Octagon with incredible Wrestling skills. Couture's is based on Greco Roman Wrestling and with such he controls and dictates the pace of each fight by controlling and draining his opponents against the cage, and hurting them with some world class 'Dirty Boxing'. Coleman's wrestling involves the best Double-Leg Takedown in all MMA that will place you flat on your back and soon be witness to his brutal Ground and Pound that made him the first ever Heavyweight Champion in the organization. Their over-all wrestling skill seems to be equal. Couture's boxing has improved drastically over the years and will hold the edge when these fighters start on their feet, every fight and round does. Coleman's strength is his Ground and Pound, he will have the edge in dealing pain everytime it hits the mat, which it surely will at one point with two wrestlers. Coleman's few submission wins have come against fighters with an edge in the stand-up game, and Randy has never been submitted inside the Octagon (less one verbal tapout against Ricco Rodriquez due to a brutal elbow that broke Couture's Orbital bone) and only has two Submission wins inside the Octagon. With both fighters being wrestlers I see this being a Stand-Up battle with one taking the other down when pressured with good boxing combinations as both fighters don't usually throw a kick. A submission finish might not be too farfetch'd here.
Strength: Despite their age (Couture 46, Coleman 45) both competitors have Super Human-like strength. Coleman was the larger and more natural Heavyweight, but Couture has been able to press his opponents against the cage with ease for years, no one has really had an answer to his Greco strength. Then again no one has had an answer for Coleman's Ground and Pound. Coleman is still the larger fighter at Lightheavy weight but he will be cutting a few extra pounds come weigh-in. For the first round, Coleman is stronger then any in the Octagon.
Cardio: Age again doesn't play too much of a factor for these two fighters when it comes to cardio. Couture none the less clearly gets the edge when it comes to cardio as we have seen what happenes to Coleman in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Coleman's heart however is un-breakable and he will have the willpower to battle Couture's cardio and pace.
Speed: Coleman is the naturally larger fighter, carrying with him alot more muscle mass and a larger weight cut. Couture has had this 'art' mastered for years and rarely shows fatigue in competition. Advantage Couture.


Prediction: This fight will come down to execution of gameplan. Both have incredible wrestling abilities that taunt the other. Couture has to stay away from Coleman's double-leg and Coleman has to keep his back off the cage. More than likely the majority of this fight will take place on the feet with both fighters trading mostly in punches, Couture has the speed, but Coleman has the power. Coleman is too strong in my opinion for Randy to be successful with a Submission, he will simply power out of any attempt if this fight hits the canvas.

I see this fight going the distance:

Randy Couture by Unanimous Decision.

Marquardt v. Sonnen to come soon.

Battle of The Legends

Mandalay Bay Event Center will be the place to host the UFC's next star-studded card on Saturday February 6th. Two Legends of the sport finally clash after 10 years of waiting when UFC Hall of Famer's Randy "The Natural" Couture squares off against Mark "The Hammer" Coleman in a Light-Heavy Weight match-up. On tap for UFC's 109 event will also include #2 Ranked Middle Weight Nate "The Great" Marquardt facing off against Chael Sonnen, Mike "Quick" Swick is back in action against the durable Paulo Thiago, and Frank "Twinkle Toes" Trigg fights in a pivotable match-up against Matt "The Terror" Serra in what could be a "Loser Leaves Town" battle. As well as another Gracie, Rolles Gracie, steps into the Octagon for the first time against Mostapha Al Turk, in what could be a very technical grappling battle, will be on the Undercard of UFC 109 alongside with the explosive Melvin Guillard when he fights UFC newcomer Ronys Torres, as well as the return of Phillipe "The Filipino Assassin" Nover when he fights Rob Emerson.

UFC 109 will feature the first time ever that two active UFC Hall of Famer's, Randy Couture (17-10-0) and Mark Coleman (16-9-0), as they meet inside the Octagon at The Mandalay Bay Events Center next Saturday evening and do battle.

Mark "The Hammer" Coleman was the first ever UFC Heavyweight Champion, Pride Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion, and the Grandfather of the style we call "Ground and Pound". Mark Coleman has accomplished as much as you possibly can in MMA, he's won world titles and fought some of the best in the world, so why keep fighting at the age of 45 with all of these accolades? No one was watching. Mark Coleman had obtained success for himself in a Sport that was still trying to find its place amongst other Mainstream Media. Wether the current fans of MMA know him or not, Mark Coleman just wants to compete, he wants to fight, and at age 45, the first ever Heavyweight Champ still has that fire burning inside for the love of the sport. His return fight in the UFC against "Shogun" may not have been his best performance, but showed just the kind of heart Coleman has, when clearly he had no cardio the entire fight. His absolute destruction of Stephan Bonnar leaves no doubt that Coleman still has what it takes to compete in the upper echelon's of the UFC's dynamic 205lb Division. Coleman's opponent for the scheduled Main Event, "The Natural" is clearly his toughest test in his MMA Career, and he needs the Win for the sake of his future in MMA.

Randy Couture first entered the Octagon back in 1997 at UFC 13, a year after Coleman's UFC 10 Tournament Win. Couture entered the Octagon and won his first 7 bouts with the UFC, his 4th being Maurice Smith (who bested Coleman in their Heavyweight Championship fight) for the Heavyweight Championship, until talented striker Josh Barnett (tested positive and was stripped of his title win over Couture) ended Couture's winning streak by TKO in the second round at UFC 36. Another loss the same year (2002) by tapout due to strikes under the name of Ricco Rodriguez for the vacant title, forced Couture to test the waters at 205lbs, where he eventually became Champ once again, and had some legendary battles with Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, and Chuck Liddell. After 2 losses to Liddell, Couture decided he had enough and that possibly Father Time had caught up with the Greco Wrestler, and retired. Not a year later, Couture had made his return back into the Heavyweight Division where he became Heavyweight Champion once again by dismantling the giant in Tim Sylvia, destroying Gabriel Gonzaga, and now after two more Heavyweight losses to Lesnar and Nogueira, Couture is once again on a quest for the Light-Heavy Weight Belt after a technical win over young prospect Brandon Vera.

Both men will step into the Octagon with Legendary status next Saturday evening and will gaurentee to be a fight for the ages. In their previous fights, both men have bested younger competition and still look to have plenty of gas left in their tanks. The winner of this match-up will move one giant step closer to a claim at the 205lb Throne currently owned by Lyoto Machida, the loser however, one step backwards.

Wether one man makes a clear statement in next weeks Main Event or not, these two Legends will be fighting with all their Heart and Honour for the Sport they have both helped build to be what it is, and will be a classic match-up between two true Modern Gladiators.

Check Back Soon for Fight Predictions and Analysis for UFC 109: Couture v Coleman, Marquardt v Sonnen, Serra v Trigg, Nover v Emerson, and Guillard v Torres