Author: By Damon Martin

The grudge match to end all grudge matches takes place at UFC 158 when welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre finally comes face-to-face with Stockton bad boy Nick Diaz to settle the score once and for all.

UFC 158 actually marks the third time St-Pierre and Diaz have been scheduled to fight, but now it’s days away and a reality that two of the best 170-pound fighters on the planet will face off with the gold up for grabs.

In addition to St-Pierre vs. Diaz, there are a host of other top welterweights filling out the main card as well as several undercard fights that come with some intriguing circumstances attached to them. Let’s take a look at a few key elements for the UFC Pick ‘Em game ahead of UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz:

1) Georges St-Pierre is as good as advertised. The UFC’s reigning and defending welterweight champion has been ranked at or near the top of not only his own division’s rankings, but the pound-for-pound rankings for years and there’s a reason why. St-Pierre may be the most dynamic, athletic and explosive fighter in all of MMA, and the stats back it up. He has the most strikes landed, the most takedowns and the highest takedown accuracy in UFC history. St-Pierre’s attacks can come from anywhere, and because he’s quite possibly the best wrestler in MMA today, he’s always got a takedown lurking in his back pocket. Only a few moments in his entire career has St-Pierre even looked vulnerable, much less look weak in a fight. Nick Diaz is as tough as they come and he puts pressure on every opponent, landing more strikes at a distance than any fighter in UFC history by a wide margin. Still, Diaz’s aggression and step forward policy could come back to haunt him in a big way against St-Pierre. The takedowns and control of St-Pierre will make him a very popular pick to win by unanimous decision on Saturday night.

2) Jake Ellenberger faces Nate Marquardt in a pivotal welterweight matchup on Saturday with the winner jumping right into contender status in the division. On paper, these two fighters are as evenly matched as any in the UFC. Both have phenomenal takedowns (Ellenberger the 2nd highest takedown accuracy at welterweight, Marquardt 2nd in the entire UFC in takedown accuracy). Both have knockout power (Ellenberger has the 3rd most knockdowns in welterweight history, Marquardt has the 2nd most knockdowns ever in a single fight). What could separate these two is time – Ellenberger has been preparing for this fight for months while Marquardt took this bout on a few weeks’ notice after a brutally hard fight against Tarec Saffiedine in Strikeforce. Look for Ellenberger to come out strong and put damage on Marquardt early and often to see if he’s truly ready for this fight.

3) One interesting debut fighter that could earn some extra points is Bobby Voelker, who makes his first Octagon appearance after fighting under the Strikeforce banner. Voelker has a tough test in former UFC middleweight contender Patrick Cote, but it is the Canadian’s first time cutting down to 170 pounds, and that can cause issues for a fighter on their initial attempt. Add to that, Voelker has nasty punching power and has faced an equally gifted fighter named Roger Bowling three times (Voelker won by knockout in two of those fights). Voelker has to be wary of Cote’s power, but for a debuting fighter he’s the one to keep an eye on for this card.

4) Darren Elkins is a machine at featherweight. Since dropping down to 145 pounds, Elkins has been all but unstoppable, and while he faces a crafty veteran in Antonio Carvalho at UFC 158, it’s his fight to lose. Elkins is a phenomenally strong wrestler with great top control. The biggest key for Carvalho is stuffing the takedown, which few have done thus far against Elkins.

5) Another heavy favorite to keep an eye on at UFC 158 is former Ultimate Fighter finalist T.J. Dillashaw. The Team Alpha Male fighter is really starting to come into his own at 135 pounds since exiting the reality show and he’s looking for his third win in a row on Saturday. Dillashaw is an explosive wrestler with concrete in his hands and a quickly developing standup game as well. He trains with former WEC champion Urijah Faber and it shows in his fights because Dillashaw really is a close carbon copy to the “California Kid.” Dillashaw faces veteran Issei Tamura, and while he’s no slouch, this is a tough test for him, especially since he’s coming off a loss in his last fight. Dillashaw could be the smart pick and he’s only seen the three round distance twice in his career.

It’s finally time for the last preliminary fight on The Ultimate Fighter 17 before the wild card round, as Team Jones’ final pick, Dylan Andrews, takes on Team Sonnen fighter Zak Cummings.

If there has been a common theme to this season’s cast of TUF, it’s that if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Add both Andrews and Cummings to that list, as they are the latest fighters on the new season that have tried and come up just short of making the final cast of past shows previously.

Not making the show did give both fighters plenty of time and experience to learn and grow, and now two of the most experienced fighters on the show square off for the chance to earn a spot in the quarterfinal round.

On day one of TUF 17, Zak Cummings was pegged as an early favorite due to his record, fight experience and background, and he comes into his fight against Andrews as the favorite.

A veteran of nearly 20 professional fights, Cummings has fought on the big stage before against some tough competition, including a Strikeforce Challengers bout against current UFC middleweight Tim Kennedy. He’s also taken on fighters like Ryan Jimmo and holds a victory over former UFC fighter Terry Martin.

A well-rounded fighter by nature, Cummings has stayed true to his roots, always working out with his home team in Springfield, Missouri, training with a mix of fighters, and it’s shown in his victories. Cummings has eight wins by submission, another four by knockout, and only three have seen the judges’ scorecards.

As for his opponent, Dylan Andrews, he makes his way to TUF 17 after three past attempts to make the reality show without quite getting the final call until this year. A native of New Zealand, Andrews was kind of the runt of the litter that looked good in his preliminary fight to make the house, but slipped under the radar until he was the final pick by coach Jon Jones.

Andrews is a knockout puncher with power in both hands and, just like Cummings, he has faced plenty of top talent in the past to have experience going into the house. Andrews has taken on the likes of Brian Ebersole, former Ultimate Fighter finalist Jesse Taylor, and he holds a win over “Mr. International” Shonie Carter.

The key for Andrews appears to be learning new techniques and defense as he grows up in the sport because of his four career losses, three have come by way of submission. Now that’s not to say he necessarily has a weakness in that area, but as a power puncher by trade, he can leave himself open to the takedown and has shown vulnerability on the ground.

The common theme however to the fights on TUF 17 this season is to expect the unexpected, as numerous high picks and veterans have fallen during the preliminary round matchups. Early favorites like Bubba McDaniel and Tor Troeng are no longer around, and can only hope to earn a wild card slot with underdogs pulling off wins left and right so far on the show. Andrews has to know that going in, because while his fight record is similar to his opponent, Cummings is a decided favorite with a dangerous game to play if he’s allowed to dictate the pace.

Cummings has the ground game and tenacity to give Andrews nightmares if he can’t land a big shot early to set the tone for the entire fight. Still, Andrews knows fights don’t take place on paper and he has a chance to help swing momentum back in his team’s favor as the third member of Jon Jones’ squad to make the next round of the tournament.

A loss would mean Team Sonnen will send five out of seven fighters to the next round with the wild card still looming overhead. Andrews and Jon Jones certainly don’t want that to happen, so expect a wild and strong performance in victory or defeat from the New Zealander in this fight.

Play TUF Fantasy at fantasy.ultimatefighter.com

This season of The Ultimate Fighter has been filled with surprises, especially when looking at the track record for who has been favored to win in the matchups thus far and who has actually come out on top.

Outside of Uriah Hall’s thunderous knockout of Adam Cella, most of the fights thus far have gone the other direction in terms of who was expected to win.

This week’s fight may be no different, as Jon Jones‘ top pick Clint Hester brings his boxing and standup background to a fight against Team Sonnen’s resident grappler Jimmy Quinlan.

Growing up as a football player, Hester has always had a body built for athletics, but when playing with the pigskin came to an end, he decided to try his hand at combat sports instead. Hester went on to become a professional boxer, but then his attention shifted to mixed martial arts instead.

He actually tried out for The Ultimate Fighter on a couple past occasions, but at the time Hester’s record wasn’t up to snuff, so he had to go out and prove himself by picking up a few more wins, and now he’s ready for the next stage of his career by getting his shot on TUF 17.

Hester’s game is no secret because everyone knows his striking background and the fact that he’s got big knockout power in both hands. He’s also a monster at 185 pounds, so assuming he’s got his weight cut under control, Hester has the strength and size to go a long way in this tournament.

Team Sonnen’s Jimmy Quinlan, much like his teammate Kelvin Gastelum, slips under the radar quite a bit, but should not be underrated when it comes to his skills in the cage.

Quinlan is a former state wrestling champion as well as a decorated college grappler, and he’s a very experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor from the northeast. Over the years, Quinlan has worked with the likes of UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon and middleweight Tom Lawlor, while trying to find his own shot at the big time.

The best comparison in raw talent for Quinlan could be UFC middleweight contender Chris Weidman – a wrestler who has dedicated himself to learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to compliment his overall game. Obviously at 3-0 as a pro with no UFC experience to date, Quinlan isn’t on par with where Weidman is now, but they come from very similar backgrounds.

A lot of the fights on The Ultimate Fighter this season have matched up two fighters from very different stylistic backgrounds, and this is one more instance of that happening. Hester wants to keep this fight standing and look for the knockout and Quinlan will look to get this one on the ground and keep it there.

It’s hard to say the word mismatch with either fighter competing in the other’s specialty, but there’s definitely an easy way to see the strategy for both Hester and Quinlan going into this one. Judging by the numbers, Hester will come in as a slight favorite because of his experience, size, and simply by being the No. 1 pick overall. Quinlan, however, is an underdog to watch because he has one of the most dangerous varieties of weapons in the house, and if he can get Hester on the ground, it could be a very hard night for Jones’ top selection.

Play TUF Fantasy at fantasy.ultimatefighter.com

There’s no rest for the weary in the fight game, so just a week after UFC 157 last Saturday, the UFC returns to the Land of the Rising Sun with UFC on FUEL TV 8 from Japan.

There are more than a few tight matchups on this card so picking the exact round or method of victory will be ultra important for this show, not to mention four different fighters making their UFC debuts.

Let’s take a look at a few of the key fights that could mean the difference between victory and defeat in the latest UFC Pick Em’ game for UFC on FUEL TV 8:

1) If you love knockouts, the main event is tailor made for that finish. Both Brian Stann and Wanderlei Silva are artisans of the knockout, with Silva having the most combined KOs and TKOs in UFC / PRIDE history (18), while Stann has finished 10 opponents, with eight of those wins coming by first round KO or TKO. Both of these fighters are finishers, so it’s not likely this one will see the later rounds, but Silva has gone the distance with competitors like Rich Franklin over the last couple of years, so anything is possible. It’s been nearly five years since Stann lost by knockout, but Silva has suffered four KOs or TKOs in his last seven defeats. When big punchers come to fight anything can happen, and Stann and Silva certainly define those roles. This one may come down to who can land the best one shot of the fight, and who has the better chin. The numbers side slightly with Stann judging by recent fights, but never count out the heart and determination of Wanderlei Silva.

2) Diego Sanchez returns to the lightweight division for the first time since 2009 when he takes on former PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi. Sanchez is a machine when it comes to conditioning and his ability to push forward during a fight. Sanchez has the third most takedown attempts in UFC history and the numbers show when he stays busier than his opponents in landing total strikes he’s always victorious. Stylistically, Sanchez is favored in this fight because his wrestling and grappling style could give Gomi fits. Add to that the fact that Sanchez has never been finished in his entire career, and it starts to show that he’s got a great shot of avoiding Gomi’s heavy hands and pulling out a decision or potential submission win.

3) The fight between Dong Hyun Kim and Siyar Bahadurzada is one of the most interesting stylistic matchups on the card. Kim, who has traditionally been a grappler in the past, has worked tirelessly to improve his striking, showing that in his fights against Paulo Thiago and Sean Pierson. His bread and butter however is the ground game, where he’s overwhelmed opponents like Nate Diaz, Amir Sadollah and TJ Grant. Bahadurzada is a vicious, powerful striker who only has one fight in the UFC but a resume that is a highlight reel of finishes. When picking this fight choose wisely because it’s likely either Kim will grind out a decision by putting Bahadurzada on his back, or the Afghanistan native will land another nasty knockout to add to his record.

4) One underdog to keep an eye on for this fight card is bantamweight Bryan Caraway. The former WEC fighter and Ultimate Fighter hopeful makes his second trip to 135 pounds, but he has a very tough test in front of him in former WEC title contender Takeya Mizugaki. Make no mistake, Mizugaki has faced the best of the best at 135 pounds and he’s hung tough with all of them. Still, Caraway’s wrestling and tenacity could give Mizugaki problems in the clinch as he stays away from the Japan native’s knockout power. For an underdog pick, Caraway is solid in this slot.

5) Alex Caceres is another interesting fighter to watch on the UFC on FUEL 8 prelims. Taking on newcomer Kyung Ho Kang, Caceres faces a more experienced fighter in every way except where this one counts – in the UFC. Caceres has looked very solid at bantamweight thus far, and as he continues to develop he’s an interesting star on the rise. Kang is no pushover, but in his UFC debut he faces a confident fighter who has won three out of his last four fights with the defeat coming by way of a controversial split decision.

It was the upset special during last week’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter, as heavy underdog Kelvin Gastelum found a will and a way to finish off Team Jones’ Bubba McDaniel to get a win and hand control back to the bad guys, aka Team Sonnen.

This week, the low key Tor Troeng takes on Team Jones’ very vocal Josh Samman in the next elimination round matchup.

Troeng is not only a fighter; he also happens to be a mathematician in his spare time, so figuring out problems is just part of what he can do.

With 19 fights, plus another six on the amateur circuit, Troeng is another of the veteran competitors comprising this season’s cast. A native of Sweden, Troeng is friends with current UFC light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson, and has trained alongside his fellow countryman at the Alliance Training Center in California, although most of his work stays in his homeland.

Troeng is a well rounded fighter who has faced some very stiff competition throughout his career, including former UFC middleweight title contender Thales Leites. The Swede possesses knockout power, slick ground skills, and a quiet demeanor that reminds everyone he is a mathematics research assistant until he unleashes the beast in the cage.

Facing Troeng will be Team Jones’ Josh Samman, who looks to make the most of his time on The Ultimate Fighter after failing to make the cast in several past attempts.

Samman has not been shy this season in his efforts to not only get a fight, but tell everyone why he will win once he gets there. Along with teammate Bubba McDaniel, Samman has been accused of being a bit of an egomaniac, but with confidence many times comes success.

Throughout his 11 fight pro career, Samman has found victory by both way of knockout and submission, and has taken on two former cast members of The Ultimate Fighter as well, picking up a win over season 13’s Chris Cope and dropping a decision to season 7’s Dan Cramer.

The fight between Troeng and Samman is as evenly matched a bout as we’ve seen this season, and even coach Chael Sonnen admits this could have easily been the final fight on the show.

If there is even a minor edge to pay one of the fighters it leans towards Troeng, who has stayed a silent assassin this season, just biding his time to show what he can do inside the cage instead of out of it. Much like teammate Uriah Hall, he lets his fighting do the talking for him. Josh Samman will be no walkover, and while he may be brash and have a bit of an ego, he’s also got the skill set to back it up.

Samman does have to back up a lot of talk and that can easily come back to bite someone come fight time. Just ask Bubba McDaniel about that one.

This Saturday’s UFC 157 card will go down as one of the most historic events in the company’s history when Ronda Rousey faces Liz Carmouche in the first ever women’s fight since the promotion began all the way back in 1993.

Rousey, a 2008 bronze medalist in Olympic judo, makes her move to the UFC after shattering the competition in Strikeforce over the past year and a half. She shot to stardom after an epic trash talking war earned her a crack at bantamweight champion Miesha Tate in 2012, and now Rousey looks to ply her craft as the main event for UFC 157.

The card also features three other former promotional champions (UFC, Strikeforce, PRIDE and WEC) with plenty of action on the undercard as well, so let’s take a look at some of the fantasy matchups to keep an eye on for this weekend’s show:

1)    Ronda Rousey is the armbar queen. There’s no way to sugar coat this for her opponent Liz Carmouche – Rousey is the destroyer of limbs and six past opponents have fallen victim to her vicious submission maneuver. Rousey has also only had one fight of her six go past one minute into the first round, but even then she still finished by armbar. Liz Carmouche is as tough as they come – she’s a Marine, so toughness is a given – but she’s facing a very tall order taking on Ronda Rousey. If there’s a safe pick on this card it has to be Ronda Rousey by submission in round one.

2)    Now considering Rousey will be one of the most overwhelming picks as the main event, the field of fantasy winners will truly be determined by the remainder of the undercard. Another fighter that’s going to be tough to bet against this go round is former WEC champion Urjiah Faber. He’s coming into his fight against Ivan Menjivar off a loss in his last fight, but in fantasy terms for Faber that’s a good thing. You see, Faber has never lost back-to-back fights in his 32 bout career, and even better every time he’s returned from a defeat he’s won by submission. Now statistics don’t tell every story in a fight, but Faber has to be a solid choice just based on his track record alone.

3)    Perennial welterweight contender Josh Koscheck faces former Strikeforce fighter Robbie Lawler, who is making his return to 170 pounds. It’s been nearly nine years since Lawler saw the welterweight division, but all reports from his training camp say that he’s slim, trim and ready to make the cut. As an underdog he’s a good value that would yield an extra 175 points. Still, Koscheck is the decided favorite for a reason. He’s a phenomenal wrestler that could put Lawler on his back, and despite the love he has for throwing hands these days, the last time Koscheck faced a power puncher like Lawler he mauled him on the ground for the better part of 15 minutes (see his fight with Paul Daley). It all comes down to fighting smart – if Koscheck does that he should win.

4)    Former Ultimate Fighter winner Michael Chiesa finally gets back in action at UFC 157 as he faces Anton Kuivanen. Chiesa is a very talented young fighter with a perfect 8-0 record, including his win over Al Iaquinta at the TUF Live finale in June 2012. Unfortunately, Chiesa has spent the last several months on the shelf and had to cancel out of his last fight due to illness. Now that he’s back, Chiesa gets the chance to prove his win on the show was no fluke and he should do that. Ultimate Fighter winners traditionally have a very good track record with their first fight post reality show (only three have lost outside of Travis Lutter, who went directly into a title fight against Anderson Silva). Chiesa also possesses a great wrestling game and has finished five opponents by submission.

5)    The heavyweight bout between Brendan Schaub and Lavar Johnson looks and feels like a toss up and it really is just that close. Granted, Johnson is a first round knockout artist and Schaub has lost his last two fights by KO, but don’t forget he’s also finished more than his fair share of fights with his fists. It’s likely that whoever wins this one will do so in the first round, so that may be a safe choice – who wins, that’s anybody’s guess.