UFC 132 Fight Card: Bleacher Report MMA Staff Predictions

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to make history with a star-studded UFC 132 card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.

The main event features the anticipated rematch between Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. In March 2007, Faber successfully defended his WEC featherweight title against Cruz. Now, Cruz will get his chance for redemption as he attempts to put forth his first ever UFC bantamweight title defense.

This will be the biggest bantamweight fight in MMA history, as it's the first 135-pound bout to ever headline a major UFC card.

In the co-main event, fans will be treated to a possible standup war involving heavy-handed sluggers Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben.

The card also features a light heavyweight tilt between Tito Ortiz and Ryan Bader in what could be "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy's" final UFC appearance.

Additionally, a title eliminator bout between welterweight contenders Carlos Condit and Dong Hyun Kim will also be included.

The time has come once again for you to feast on some manly induced knowledge in preparation for the upcoming fights. Snatch a cold beverage out the fridge and get comfortable. It's prediction time.

The Bleacher Report MMA Staff will be represented by yours truly, Jordy McElroy (7 for 13), John Heinis (11 for 18), Dana Becker (11 for 18), Dale De Souza (7 for 13), Sean Smith (6 for 8), and newcomer Dwight Wakabayashi (0 for 0).

Matt Wiman Vs. Dennis Siver

Jordy: Matt Wiman and Dennis Siver are just a couple of sharks amongst many in the lightweight pool.

Coming off a convincing win over George Sotiropoulos, Siver definitely has a leg up on Wiman as far as the title picture is concerned.

This is a great bout to kick off an exciting card. As in the majority of his fights, Siver will have a significant advantage on the feet. His ability to utilize kicks and punches in such an unpredictable fashion has baffled the likes of Sotiropoulos, Paul Kelly and Spencer Fisher.

While Wiman's striking has improved, he'll have to be careful not to overstay his welcome on the feet. He needs to use his striking to setup takedowns on the outside, but Siver isn't an easy man to put on the floor.

His Sambo background has helped him develop the hip strength and knowledge of leverage to fend off most wrestlers. If forced to stand, Wiman isn't equipped to deal with the deep arsenal of standup offense Siver will throw his way.

The man known as "Handsome" may need a plastic surgeon after this one, as Siver hands out another three-round drubbing for the unanimous decision.

(Dennis Siver by Unanimous Decision)

John: While these are not two household names in the 155 pound division, casual fans should be pleasantly surprised with this one. Although Siver is outside of the top 10 at lightweight, he is a devastating striker with a very competent submission game.

Siver is a black belt in Tawkwondo and is also a pretty solid kicboxer. He's one of the only fighters you'll see that has two TKO victories via spinning back kick and punches. His purple belt in BJJ has also given him nine submission wins, so in 18 victories, Siver has seen it go to the judges scorecards just four times.

Like Siver, Wiman is outside of the true contenders in the division, but is still a tough matchup for almost any lightweight competitor. Since dropping decisisons to Jim Miller and Sam Stout, Wiman has begun to climb the ladder with three straight victories over Shane Nelson, Mac Danzig and Cole Miller.

Wiman is a good wrestler, so we could see some nice grappling exchanges on the ground in this one. These guys match up well with one another, so I am hard pressed to pick a winner at first.

However, Siver's recent victory over George Sotiropoulos shows me that he is the more well rounded fighter, so I think he gets the nod here.

(Siver by second round TKO)

Dana Becker: Wiman (13-5) has faced the likes of Mac Danzig, Sam Stout, Shane Nelson and Jim Miller, putting together a nice run of three straight victories since late 2009.

For that streak to continue, though, he will have to watch out for the skilled kicks of Dennis Siver.

Siver (18-7) is also on a three-fight win streak, having scored a huge upset over George Sotiropoulos in Sotiropoulos' home country of Australia earlier this year.

That decision victory was unanimous, as Siver delivered constant punishment to the body of his opponent. Since a 2008 loss to Melvin Guillard, Siver has lost just once—to Ross Pearson.

While the names of the fighters in his bout are not as well known, this match up has all the makings of a great fight, as both feel like they are on the upswing in terms of climbing the ladder towards a title shot.

(Siver via split decision)

Dale: Let's face facts: You HAD to be a Dennis Siver fan to know that his UFC 127 bout with George Sotiropoulos was going to turn out the way it did.

Nobody denied that Siver could do it, but few gave him a chance to actually do it, and now Sotiropoulos is on the Spike prelims while SIver has to deal with Matt Wiman.

Wiman is well-rounded as a fighter, with some good striking, good takedowns and some durability to boot, and above all else, he's not afraid to be aggressive when he has to be, but he is not elite in any one area of the game, and that's a problem against the striking and takedown defense of Siver.

Expect Wiman to easily be put in trouble early, as he finds it difficult to get Siver on the ground and is forced to stand with him, where he gets dropped and disposed of by the German, who moves a step closer to the upper echelon.

(Siver def. Wiman by R1 TKO)

 

Sean: Still, Wiman's best chance at defeating Siver will likely be to use his wrestling and grind out a decision victory.If Siver is able to keep this fight standing, it will most certainly not be good news for Wiman. Siver has an accomplished kickboxing background in his home country of Germany, while Wiman is much more of a one-dimensional wrestler.

Although Sotiropoulos has less power in his takedowns, Siver's ability to completely shut down Sotiropoulos' attempts to take him down suggests that he should be able to keep this fight with Wiman standing long enough to execute his game plan and take one step closer to a title shot.

After upsetting George Sotiropoulos, many expected a more high-profile opponent for Siver than Wiman. However, having defeated Cole Miller in his last bout, Wiman is a more worthy opponent than he is being given credit for.

(Siver defeats Wiman by unanimous decision)

 

Dwight: Dennis Siver is coming off the most surprising and most impressive win of his career beating George Sotiropoulos in Australia with a unanimous decision this past February. He beat George with an all around powerful game, and he will be looking to bring that game to Matt Wiman as well. Since his time on The Ultimate Fighter, Matt Wiman has never backed down from a challenge.Dwight:

Wiman is a veteran of many UFC wars, and after a couple of tough losses to Sam Stout and Jim Miller, has gone on a nice three win run against some very tough guys such as Shane Nelson, Mac Danzig and Cole Miller. He is just coming into his own as a fighter and is always ready to test his opponent.

This is a swing fight for both fighters with huge implications. Keep their respective trains going right up to contender status, or once again have to climb back up the ranks, against smaller names for less money.

This is another tough one, but I am taking Siver based on power ruling the day. He will control Wiman wherever they go.

(Siver by split decision) 

Carlos Condit Vs. Dong Hyun Kim

Jordy: Outside of the bantamweight title fight, this could be the most important bout on the entire card. Carlos Condit and Dong Hyun Kim are both a win or two away from a welterweight title shot.

What better way to prove your position in the division than on a major pay-per-view card against an upper-echelon opponent?

Since losing to Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut, Condit has rebounded with three straight wins over Jake Ellenberger, Rory MacDonald and Dan Hardy. His win over Hardy was particularly devastating, as he punched the Brit's snooze button and took home honors for knockout of the night.

Meanwhile, Kim's professional record remains spotless. He is coming off a unanimous decision win over Nate Diaz.

While Condit is definitely the more efficient fighter on the feet, Kim's Judo, wrestling and relentless top control will give the former WEC welterweight champ all he can handle. If Condit has one weakness, it has always been his ability to defend the takedown.

MacDonald was able to exploit this weakness for the first two rounds of their bout before a third round collapse. Condit is a gritty fighter with an incredible gas tank. Kim better be prepared to go three hard rounds. Regardless of the circumstances, Condit won't roll over for anyone.

With that said, styles make fights, and this match-up favors Kim considerably. This bout could be a sleeper for fight of the night. Look for Kim to ride out the split decision.

(Dong Hyun Kim by Split Decision)

John: "The Natural Born Killer" Carlos Condit has proven time and time again that he is the real deal at 170 pounds. Convincing UFC wins over Jake Ellenberger, Rory MacDonald and Dan Hardy have proved the former WEC champions worth.

Dong Hyun Kim has proved to be a solid grappler with his Judo and wrestling, and comes into this one undefeated with a record of 14-0-1(1). While Kim may be a legitimate threat at welterweight in a year or two, I am just not sold on him right now.

He barely beat an extremely inconsistent and unimpressive Matt Brown and lost to Karo Parisyan in 2009, well after Parisyan was past his prime. While the fight was ruled a no contest when "The Heat" tested positive for painkillers, this makes me wonder how good Kim actually is right now.

That, coupled with the fact that his biggest win was a tight decision over Nate Diaz, shows me that there is no way Kim stands a chance against Condit. Condit will destory Kim on the feet, and will frustrate his opponent on the ground with superior BJJ. I actually think Condit will finish.

(Condit via third round TKO)

Dana Becker: Carlos Condit (26-5) has worn gold before, as he was the final WEC champion before the class was absorbed by the UFC. Now, with three straight wins over Jake Ellenberger, Rory MacDonald and Dan Hardy, Condit has his eyes on a title shot.

Outside of a split decision defeat to Martin Kampmann in 2009, Condit has went 10-1. For his career, he has earned 12 KO wins and 13 submission victories, proving he is a true mixed martial artist.

Dong Hyum Kim (14-0-1) is feeling just as confident as Condit entering his match up, as his lone blemishes are a no-contest with Karo Parisyan (a fight he originally lost, but was changed due to a positive test sample by Parisyan) and a draw with Hidehiko Hasegawa.

Since entering the UFC, Kim has claimed wins over Nate Diaz, Amir Sadollah, T.J. Grant, Matt Brown and Jason Tan. He owns six career knockout victories.

While Kim's record looks better on paper, the talent level that Condit has went up against is just unmatched. Look for Condit to control the action on the feet before clinching in a submission to take the victory.

(Condit via Second-Round armbar)

Dale: Both Carlos Condit and Dong Hyun Kim know that they've been on tears recently, they know that they might have to keep the fight standing to win on Saturday, and they know that a win over the other might put them somewhere close to a shot at the winner of Georges St-Pierre vs Nick Diaz.

The only thing they don't know is how many people are expecting the finish of the fight to be what it will be, but I for one do.

You see, Kim has a reputation for having a sort-of similar style to St-Pierre—not so much in Wrestling as much as it emphasizes dominating from the top and more-or-less smothering fighters in the process at times.

Everyone calls it lay-and-pray, but if it gets him past tough guys like Amir Sadollah and Nate Diaz and still classifies as "a good ground game," then maybe Kim is doing something right.

Against Condit, however, the ground will be the wrong place to take the fight, and delivering short shots from the top will be his downfall as he maintains control of one of Kim's arms and looks for a Triangle Choke.

Will he get it?

No, but what he does get will nab him a nice "Submission of The Night" bonus.

(Condit def. Kim by R2 Gogoplata)

 

Sean: This matchup pairs two of the fastest rising contenders in the welterweight division and neither fighter has made it a secret that they feel a title shot should be in order for the winner.It's no secret what Kim will try to do in this fight.

The judo black belt is going to look to take Condit down early and often, and it is likely that he will succeed more often than not.The challenge for Condit will be staying active off of his back to make Kim feel uncomfortable as possible in his guard.

Kim has shown to be excellent at avoiding submissions, though, so this fight could come down to how much credit the judges give Kim for his takedowns. In one of the rare exceptions to judges favoring top control over damage, Condit's aggression will give him the slight edge on the scorecards.

(Condit defeats Kim by split decision)

 

Dwight: Even on a card with Silva vs. Leben, this fight has the making of fight of the night as both of these men are making a final push into top ten and contender status in the welterweight division.

Thanks to an upset loss by Rick Story, this match up could go a long way in determining the next No. 1 contender to Georges St.-Pierre and the welterweight title.

Condits fights are never cookie cutter, and you know he will be right in the center of the cage and his opponent will not have to look to find him. He is coming off a beautiful knock out over Dan Hardy, but Kim will pose a much different style match up and Condit will have to fear the take down all night in this one.

Kim will be looking to grind on Condit once he gets him to the ground, and three straight victories proves his game plan can be successful. He controlled Amir Sadollah and Nate Diaz that way, but Condit is a different animal.

I see this fight being a tough one for both fighters, with both going for it to cement themselves as top in the division.

(Condit by split decision)

Tito Ortiz Vs. Ryan Bader

Jordy: Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz have always been considered as the pioneers of modern day MMA in the UFC.

With Liddell and Couture already enjoying post-MMA endeavors, one has to wonder about the future of Ortiz. If he loses to Ryan Bader, this could be the last time fans ever see Ortiz step into a UFC octagon.

With Bader, Ortiz faces a younger version of himself, a strong wrestler with decent standup chops. The majority of Bader's takedowns are secured by an explosive outside double.

Cardio issues have plagued Bader in past bouts. If Ortiz can nab an early takedown, it could really provide for a major momentum shift. It wont be easy though. Ortiz isn't the dominant wrestler he used to be. Matt Hamill secures the majority of his takedowns from the clinch, but his ability to shoot from the outside and put Ortiz on his back seemed effortless at times.

Bader is simply younger and more explosive. Unless he wilts from a major cardio meltdown, he should be able to engage Ortiz on the feet and setup takedowns. Fans will be forced to say goodbye to another legend as Bader picks up a convincing unanimous decision.

(Ryan Bader by Unanimous Decision)

John: Ugh, is this seriously happening??? We've all heard the tale how Ortiz begged Dana White for his job after losing to Matt Hamill at UFC 121. For whatever reason, "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" requested for the fight with Bader and guaranteed a victory.

It is really baffling how delusional Ortiz is at this point, as while Bader is probably not on the same level as Lyoto Machida or Rashad Evans, he is hands down better than Matt Hamill. Also, Bader's strong point is his wrestling, which used to be Ortiz's strong suit as well.

I'm not going to waste a lot of time on this prediction. Ortiz should have retired at best two years ago, and Bader is 12-1 with his only loss coming against Jon Jones. You do the math.

(Bader by third round KO)

Dana Becker: What a perfect opportunity for Ryan Bader to forget about that loss to Jon Jones and put himself right back in the thick of things in the light heavyweight division.

Bader (12-1), who won the title of The Ultimate Fighter, was riding high on a 12-fight win streak before current champion Jones stopped him with a guillotine choke in the second round of their fight.

And while the loss put a damper on the shine of Bader's back-to-back wins over veterans Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Keith Jardine, he can right the ship by stopping another known name in Tito Ortiz.

Ortiz (15-8) is a former champion who defended the light heavyweight title five times—the most in that weight class. But, the 'Huntington Beach Bad Boy' hasn't had his hand raised in victory since a 2006 clash with Ken Shamrock.

This is a do-or-die bout for Ortiz, who is all but promised to be cut from the organization with a loss.

While that will definitely put him in an all-or-nothing approach, I just don't think Ortiz has it left to stand and trade with Bader and his combination power punches and strong wrestling.

(Bader via unanimous decision)

 

Dale: Only one man has exposed any resemblance of a flaw in Ryan Bader's game, and that's UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.

Ortiz has claimed that there are other holes in Bader's game that he will expose, but Ortiz is not a flawless sort either.

Ortiz can deliver heavy blows from the top, but on its own, his stand-up has never looked that great.

Compare it to Bader's striking, which has been proven to be lethal and effective but not diverse, and it's no wonder why you have to either be a huge Tito Ortiz supporter or a laissez-faire MMA fan to believe that Ortiz can beat Bader without the judges making a horrible call.

However, it's easy to give Ortiz's skills a chance over Bader's before fight night—it's another to see it unravel on fight night.

Either way, Ortiz is going down in a disappointing way. It MAY take the full 15 minutes for Bader to get the job done, but he will get the job done.

If Ortiz wins a decision I won't be surprised, but I will admit this:

While Ortiz winning the decision won't shock me, him making short work of Bader will.

(Bader def. Ortiz by KO)

 

Sean: Bader asked for Ortiz and now he will have to prove he deserved this fight with a legend of the sport. At the same time, Ortiz will be looking to prove he deserves a spot in the UFC, as he has not won a fight since October 2006.

Which of these fighters has the edge on their feet will likely be irrelevant, as this fight between two powerful wrestlers will be won or lost with takedowns. Although he is winless in his last five fights, Ortiz still has the ability to give any light heavyweight a tough fight.

This fight will be much closer than the betting lines suggest, but Bader will still come away with the victory.

(Bader defeats Ortiz by unanimous decision)

 

Dwight: Tito Ortiz is being counted out and left for retirement by fans, oddsmakers and the organization itself, and is there a better way to motivate a man than the risk of being washed up for good?

Ryan Bader is looking for a bounce back and return to status with this win over the mixed martial arts legend. Tito asked for this fight and Bader happily accepted, knowing that if he is as good as advertised, then he should stomp the aging and broken down Ortiz.

I am not calling a lunar eclipse on this one, and I will tow the line that Bader should rule in this one

(Bader by unanimous decision)

Wanderlei Silva Vs. Chris Leben

Jordy: The fourth of July will come early for MMA fans when Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben step into the octagon. These two middleweight sluggers pack enough dynamite to light up an entire city.

Since taking a unanimous decision over Michael Bisping, Silva has been sidelined for well over year with multiple injuries. Leben, on the other hand, had his three fight win streak snapped at UFC 125 in a first round TKO loss to Brian Stann.

While both fighters have been known to engage in full-on games of "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots," Silva sets himself apart as the more technical striker in this bout. Leben is as tough as they come, but any fighter with a decent striking I.Q. should be able to sift through his thin defense and crack his chin.

Silva will have to avoid getting overzealous. Leben packs more than enough power to put the Brazilian to bed. Fans should expect a great fight, but Silva's superior technique will shine as he bests the standup exchanges and finishes Leben off with vicious knees from the clinch.

(Wanderlei Silva by Round 2 TKO)

John: If you aren't pumped up for this fight, you must be watching MMA for the first time this weekend. This one has essentially zero chance of going the distance, as both guys are noted brawlers who love to slug it out. This fight will not be any different.

Both guys have looked like middle of the back fighters recently, as Silva is just 2-5 since September of 2006, while Leben was soundly defeated by Briann Stann back at UFC 125.

While neither guy looks like they will hold a major title ever again, Leben definitely has more gas in the tank left between these two veterans. Leben's comments leading up to this fight have been curious at best, but he doesn't strike me at the type of fighter that will not be mentally ready on fight night.

Wandy will go lights out once again and seriously have to mull over when he is going to retire from the sport.

(Chris Leben via first round KO)

Dana Becker: Due to injuries and other outside-the-cage problems, it has been over a year since we last saw Wanderlei Silva inside the Octagon.

Now, the "Axe Murderer" returns for a slugfest with Chris Leben in the co-main event.

Silva (33-10) stopped a two-fight losing streak by taking a decision victory over Michael Bisping in early 2010. In fact, since 2006, the win marked just the second time in seven fights that Silva had his hand raised.

Yet, the fans and, more importantly, the UFC brass love Silva because he always puts on a show, as evident by his 23 career knockout victories and five career KO losses.

Those numbers are the reason this match up with Leben (25-7) has been talked about so much in the press by fighters and media members this week.

Leben owns 13 career KO wins and has asked for this fight for quite some time. He is also trying to get back on track after falling to Brian Stann in January by TKO.

With both fighters having said they will stand and pound with each other, you would have to think that if Leben can survive in the initial onslaught by Silva that he has a good chance to wear down the older fighter.

(Leben via Second-Round TKO)

Dale: If you honestly think this fight is going to suck, you should stop watching MMA and invest some time in another sport...perhaps like the one with the lockout and the ball.

When you look at a Chris Leben, you'd think a guy with his striking and Jiu-Jitsu might actually be a smart fighter who would try and pull guard at every turn, but if you watch every fight he's ever been in, the picture looks a bit different.

Some guys have looked to destroy Leben on the feet, and his face has looked like it just survived a meat grinder on more occasions than anyone cares to count, and yet you never saw him flop and pull guard.

He's a guy that will take a beating to deliver a beating, and it's made for some of the UFC's most exciting Middleweight fights, especially the one he has Saturday night against Wanderlei Silva.

If you don't know anything about Wanderlei Silva, Youtube him up. He is by far the pound-for-pound best intimidation artist in MMA, almost like "The Randy Couture of Staredowns", and he can also destroy people with some of the sport's most intense display of Muay Thai.

Add both styles together with the fact that neither man will be willing to go down on one punch or one knee, and there's no possible way that this fight can leave you anywhere except on the edge of your seats.

It will be close, but...

Wanderlei Silva def. Chris Leben by Split Decision (Two Judges score it 29-28 Wandy; one judge scores it 29-28 Leben, but nobody complains about the decision)

 

Sean: The initial thought when you hear that Silva and Leben will be fighting each other is that the bout will be a mindless slug-fest.

However, Silva has become a much more technical fighter in recent years.That is not to say this fight won't be exciting, though. Expect a carbon copy of Leben's fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama, minus the late submission win for Leben.

Silva and Leben will get into their fair share of exchanges, but Silva will be able to steal each round with a late takedown and some ground-and-pound. Unlike Akiyama, Silva won't tire late in the fight, though.

(Silva defeats Leben by unanimous decision)

 

Dwight: This fight is one of those match ups that gets the fight fan giddy with anticipation of two men meeting in the middle and throwing until one man hits the canvass face first.

I will admit, I love the submission game equally, as I feel that there is a deeper element to it, and any joe on the street can stand and throw. Not to the level of Silva and Leben, but you get the drift. That being said, I would not trade this match up for anything, and I applaud Silva for taking this fight against the lesser name.

I believe Silva holds a clear edge in speed and technique in his stand up, I do feel like Leben has the better head and chin and will be able to absorb a lot of what Silva throws. The real question is, will Leben's barrage of straight and looping shots be precise enough to hit the sweet spot. If he lands one close to the button, will the lights go out on The Axe Murderer?

I can't wait.

(Silva by unanimous decision)

Dominick Cruz Vs. Urijah Faber

Jordy: The bantamweights finally get there day in the limelight in what is without a doubt the biggest 135-pound bout in MMA history.

Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber first met in March 2007, where Faber caught Cruz with a guillotine choke to retain his WEC featherweight title.

The roles are reversed this time around. Cruz is the champion looking to defend his newly-acquired UFC title for the first time.

Since their first meeting, both fighters have made improvements in their overall game, but it is Cruz that has come the furthest along. His world class grappling, awkward punching angles and evasive skills have led to his ascension to the top of the bantamweight ranks.

After struggling to put Eddie Wineland on the ground, Faber is in for a nightmare against Cruz, who has shrugged off world class wrestlers like Joseph Benavidez and Brian Bowles. As long as Cruz mixes up his offense, he should have a definitive advantage in the standup exchanges.

Nevertheless, fans can expect an exciting back and forth bout. These two should display more energy than an entire room full of toddlers on a sugar binge. Cruz takes a close unanimous decision.

(Dominick Cruz by Unanimous Decision)

John: It is rare that fight fans get excited for a bantamweight fight, but this is certainly an exception. Even most casual fans know about Faber and Cruz, and this promises to be an exciting match up.

Faber handed Cruz his sole loss amidst a 17-1 professional career back in 2007. Cruz maintains that Faber got lucky, and that he is a much better fighter now. For what it's worth, also consider that their first meeitng was at featherweight.

That is fairly significant since this is Faber's bantamweight debut. Some fans have questioned if Cruz will perform well at 135, since he already looked to be in tremendous shape at 145.

I don't forsee this being the issue, as I don't think Faber is the type of guy to make a weight cut he couldn't handle. Faber is an awesome grappler who knows how to finish, while Cruz is more of a grinding wrestler with some slick hands when he chooses to use them.

Given that more of half of Faber's 25 wins have come by submission (13), I think his submission prowess will still be the difference, four years later.

(Faber via fourth round submission)

Dana Becker: I don't know what it is, but I just can't see Urijah Faber not walking away from UFC 132 without the bantamweight strap around his waist.

Don't get me wrong, as I think Dominick Cruz has the ability to be one of the best lightweight fighters in the history of MMA, but Faber's time as the top-dog in the WEC left him always wanting to be cast in that spotlight of the UFC.

Now, with a chance to compete in the main event of the pay-per-view, for a championship no less, I just can't see the "California Kid" coming up short.

This is not the first meeting between these two, as Faber (25-4) handed Cruz (17-1) a loss by way of submission in 2007. Since that match up, Faber has lost twice to Mike Brown and once to current champion Jose Aldo.

Cruz, on the other hand, has won his last eight fights since that meeting, picking up the bantamweight title in the WEC along the way. His toughest fight was a split decision victory against Joseph Benavidez, who is a teammate of Faber's Team Alpha Male crew.

Due to Faber's age, this could be his one and only chance at claiming UFC gold. With his vast knowledge of submissions, I think Faber will be able to lock on one and claim his 14th victory by tap-out.

(Faber via Third-Round rear-naked choke)

Dale: You can tell by their respective demeanors and their pre-fight trash talk that Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber will likely be the ones to top Silva-Leben, and for good reason:

They both do not like each other...at all.

Breaking the fight down, Faber's wrestling and submission game is going up against the striking of Cruz, although Cruz is expecting this second fight with Faber to turn out similarly to his fights with Joseph Benavidez.

That could be a mistake, especially considering how different Benavidez and Faber are from a stylistic point, but if Dominick has been rolling around with black belts ever since the first loss, and I suspect he has, this fight will play out more like his last fight with Scott Jorgensen, although less decisively as the Jorgensen win.

Faber will come close, but he will not walk out the victor or the new champion, but mark my word, he will have pleaded a strong case for the win.

At the end of the day, however, Cruz will even the score, and although the beef might be squashed, the rivalry will not end with the champ retaining his crown.

There will be a third, and after Saturday, we'll all be calling for it.

Cruz def. Faber by Unanimous Decision (49-46 x2, 50-45)

 

Sean: The grudge between Cruz and Faber will finally be settled on Saturday, as the two will meet in Cruz's first ever defense of the UFC Bantamweight Championship.

In their first meeting, Faber earned a submission win with a one-armed guillotine choke.It won't come nearly as easily this time, but Faber should be able to defeat Cruz with his superior ground game once again.

Cruz has vastly improved since the last time he fought Faber, but "The California Kid" will also be his biggest test since the last time he fought "The California Kid."Faber has had an outstanding career to this point, but he will take it one step further by cementing his legacy with his first UFC championship.

(Faber defeats Cruz by unanimous decision)

 

Dwight: Dominick Cruz is the newly crowned king of the bantamweight division and he is motivated by revenge for his only loss in his career. Urijah Faber is the previous king of the bantamweight and featherweight divisions of mixed martial arts, and he is trying to hold his elite fighter status for just a little while longer.

Faber is an extremely popular fighter and will have many opportunities in this sport post fight career, but I believe he needs this win to stay relevant for a title in the division he has decided to make his home. His fight with Jose Aldo showed that his days as the featherweight champ could surely be over. Faber will need his whole arsenal of wrestling and submissions to pull off a win.

Cruz is an extremely dedicated fighter, who is just coming into his prime in mixed martial arts, and he will be looking to mix his awesome footwork and boxing, as well as his solid take down defense to keep this in his world. He got caught quickly last fight by Faber's famed guillotine choke, but he is a much more prepared fighter this time around.

(Cruz by fourth round TKO)