UFC 106: Breaking Down the Fights
Who will come out victorious?
Posted on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 11:50 AM
By Jason Reynolds
When you lose a headlining fight in which your superstar heavyweight champion was set to make another title defense, you had better make up for it with a stellar card. The UFC has filled the void left by Brock Lesnar's bout with an unexpected illness by giving fans a main card headlined by the return of MMA bad boy Tito Ortiz making his return to the Octagon in a rematch against former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.
Co-headlining UFC 106, which will take place in Las Vegas on November 21st, will be a pivotal battle of elite welterweight contenders when world-ranked Josh Koscheck tangles with dynamic prospect Anthony "Rumble" Johnson.
TITO "THE HUNTINGTON BEACH BAD BOY" ORTIZ VS. FORREST GRIFFIN
After spending nearly a year sitting on the sidelines as a free agent, Ortiz ultimately signed with the UFC to make a final push towards the title he once owned. Holding a 15-6 career record, Ortiz is coming off of back surgery that he claims has made him as healthy as he's been since he was the UFC light heavyweight champion.
Since winning a controversial split-decision against Forrest Griffin at UFC 59, Ortiz has gone 2-2-1, with his two wins coming against an over-the-hill fighter in Ken Shamrock.
Ortiz will never be the fighter that once ruled the UFC, but with the love/hate relationship he has with fans, he remains a powerful draw at the gate and on Pay-Per-View.
Most UFC fans have been wondering how quickly Forrest Griffin would run back into the Octagon following his embarrassing first-round KO at the fists of Anderson Silva at UFC 101. After Griffin's display that night, fans were left wondering if his best days were behind him.
Stepping in late to replace an injured Mark Coleman and fight a headlining bout with Ortiz was a move he desperately needed to make. In addition, Griffin has had revenge on his mind since the moment Ortiz's hand was raised at the end of their first fight in 2006.
Since that controversial loss, Griffin has gone a mediocre 4-3 inside the Octagon. Because he has lost his last two fights, he badly needs a win to get his fighting career back on track.
PREDICTION: Ortiz wins by ground-and-pound in the third round.
JOSH KOSCHECK VS. ANTHONY "RUMBLE" JOHNSON
Josh Koscheck needs a dominant win himself as he continues his quest for a welterweight title shot. Koscheck is coming off of a wicked TKO of UFC veteran Frank Trigg early in the first round of UFC 103. During that fight Koscheck employed an aggressive offensive attack that showcased his always improving stand-up.
Koscheck is a 15-fight veteran of the UFC and holds an impressive 13-4 overall record. He is one of the most dominant wrestlers in the sport and is always evolving.
Anthony Johnson is a fast-rising prospect with an 8-2 record. He has improved in each fight, while developing into one of the most versatile and explosive fighters in MMA. His recent destruction of Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 104 saw him blitz the Japanese star a mere 41 seconds into their bout with a rapid-fire striking attack.
There are few UFC fighters with the pure athleticism that Johnson possesses. A win against Koscheck would instantly vault him up the contender's ladder and prove that he is as deadly as advertised.
PREDICTION: Johnson wins by first-round KO.
ANTONIO ROGERIO "MINOTORO" NOGUEIRA VS. LUIS ARTHUR CANE
In a light heavyweight showdown, Cane looks to continue his climb up the ranks when he touches gloves with UFC newcomer Nogueira.
Cane has won three fights in a row, including his most recent hard-fought unanimous decision win against Steve Cantwell at UFC 97. He is a crowd-pleasing striker with eight of his ten career victories coming by KO or TKO.
Nogueira is the twin brother of former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo. Like his accomplished brother, he has been fighting the upper-echelon of competitors since he began the sport.
"Little Nog" competed in Affliction's two U.S. events, earning technical knockouts over Edwin Dewees and Vladimir Matyushenko, as part of his current five-fight win streak.
PREDICTION: Cane wins by unanimous decision.
KARO "THE HEAT" PARISYAN VS. DUSTIN "MCLOVIN" HAZELETT
At only 27 years old, judo black belt and UFC veteran Parisyan already holds a 26-5 career record heading into his welterweight bout with jiu-jitsu ace Hazelett. Both fighters own victories over notable talent, and each is capable of ending the fight at any point by any means.
On paper, this fight is a strong candidate for the "Fight of the Night."
Hazelett is a wizard of the ground with submission victories in four of his last five fights, including recent arm-bar submission wins over talented fighter's Tamdan McCrory and Josh Burkman. He is young and skilled in all aspects of the game, and he has shown the ability to finish a fight at any time.
PREDICTION: Hazelett wins by second-round submission.
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