The UFC is back in England on Saturday for UFC 105, with Randy Couture taking on Brandon Vera in the main event. We've got a full preview and predictions below.
What: UFC 105: Couture vs. Vera
When: The undercard starts around noon ET Saturday, with the tape-delayed Spike TV broadcast starting at 8 PM ET.
Where: Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England
How: Watch on Spike and follow along with our coverage here at FanHouse.
Predictions on the five televised fights:
Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera
Could this be the end for Randy Couture? He's 46 years old and hasn't won a fight since he beat Gabriel Gonzaga in August of 2007, and if he loses to Vera we'll start to hear calls for him to hang up the gloves. I think he's going to use his superior wrestling to grind out a decision win over Vera, though -- and even if he loses, I don't think he's ready to walk away just yet. Pick: Couture.
Dan Hardy vs. Mike Swick
This fight will determine the No. 1 welterweight contender, with the winner likely facing Georges St. Pierre in March or April. I like Hardy's fighting style, but I think Swick will show that Hardy isn't quite ready to face elite competition. Pick: Swick
Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang
I've gone back and forth on this one, and I might go back and forth again a couple times before they step into the Octagon. But I think Kang -- who admittedly hasn't looked all that impressive in his two UFC fights -- will show that he's a more talented fighter than most UFC fans realize and pick Bisping apart in Bisping's home town. Pick: Kang.
James Wilks vs. Matt Brown
It's Wilks' first UFC fight since winning the welterweight tournament on Season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter, and they're giving him a tougher fight than I would have thought with Brown, who's coming off a couple of very impressive wins in his last two outings. But I think Wilks will show that he's one of the more talented recent Ultimate Fighter winners and pull out a decision. Pick: Wilks.
Ross Pearson vs. Aaron Riley
Pearson was the lightweight winner of Season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter, and like Wilks, I think he'll start his UFC career on a winning note. Pick: Pearson.
We'll have full UFC 105 coverage on Saturday, and you can follow all the action by following my UFC Twitter updates.
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