UFC 143: Win-Lose Scenarios for Main-Card Fighters

This Saturday, UFC 143 comes to homes around the world live from Las Vegas.

Big name stars such as Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Fabricio Werdum and Josh Koscheck grace this card, all looking to notch another win under their figurative belts.

But, win or lose, what will happen to these fighters following the event? With the star power on this card, is there really a lose-lose scenario for any of the fighters on the main card?

Ed Herman

Ed Herman has won both fights in impressive fashion since returning from a knee injury in late 2009.

He started off by knocking Tim Creduer into another dimension. He followed that up by nearly taking Kyle Noke's leg home with him, when he slapped on an inverted heel hook.

Win: With a win in this fight, Herman will most likely get a Top 15 opponent. Herman has proven his worth since his return, and maybe a fight against the loser of Yushin Okami and Tim Boetsch would be suitable.

Lose: A loss to Clifford Starks would be devastating for Herman, as I believe this fight is a step back from his fights versus Creduer and Noke. Should he lose, he would need to build himself back up against a lower-level talent.

Clifford Starks

In Clifford Starks's UFC debut against Dustin Jacoby, he was not impressive whatsoever. He laid on Jacoby for three rounds, with the crowd voicing their displeasure throughout.

If Starks wants to get in the good graces of the UFC bosses, he will need to do something impressive during this fight, including win. Otherwise, he will definitely be on the outs.

Win: Starks is still a prospect, and a very green one at that. Should he pull off a victory, the UFC brass will most likely continue to have him take fights with guys at the lower end of the division. He needs to continue developing his non-wrestling skills, so that he can become relevant at some point in his UFC career.

Lose: A loss to Ed Herman may spell the end of his UFC run, as his first fight was quite unimpressive. Should they keep Starks, he may face a fate that similar fighter, Shamar Bailey, faced when they fed Bailey to a top guy in the division (Evan Dunham), to rebuild his momentum.

Renan Barao

Renan Barao is riding a 17-fight winning streak, dating back to early 2008. Impressive as that is, he is 4-0 under the Zuffa Banner.

He has submitted Anthony Leone, Chris Cariaso and Brad Pickett, as well as winning a decision over Cole Escovedo. He has looked dominant in those fights, but takes a step up in competition against Scott Jorgensen.

Win: A title shot may be in the cards for Barao with a victory. Jorgensen is definitely in the top five of the bantamweight division, and a victory would go a long way.

Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are set to clash for the title, and Renan Barao could be next in line.

Lose: A loss would not send Barao that far down the ladder. He has proven his ability, especially when he ran through Brad Pickett at UFC 138. Eddie Wineland is another great bantamweight fighter that would test Barao's skills should he fall.

Scott Jorgensen

Scott Jorgensen is probably in the same position as Renan Barao at UFC 143. Should he win, he may have a claim at a title shot.

Since dropping his title bid at the final WEC event against Dominick Cruz, Jorgensen has blasted through Ken Stone and worked a decision over Jeff Curran. He also holds notable victories over Brad Pickett and Takeya Mizugaki.

Win: A win, especially in impressive fashion, should be enough for a title shot, as there doesn't appear to be too many top contenders at this moment. At the very least, he should secure a top contenders fights.

Lose: A loss will definitely hurt, but shouldn't take him too far down. He could find a tough opponent in Mike Easton, should Easton be medically ready in time.

Mike Pierce

Mike Pierce has won four out of his last five fights, but this is a big step up in competition.

Pierce has finished the likes of Kenny Robertson and Amilcar Alves, as well as edging Paul Bradley in his latest fight. His lone loss in the span comes to the talented Johny Hendricks. He will need to bring his best stuff with him to the Octagon, or it will be a long (or perhaps short), night for Pierce.

Win: A win over Koscheck would be huge. That would catapult him into the top ten of the division. He could find himself gracing yet another main card should he come out victorious.

Lose: A loss would not be the end of Mike Pierce. But, it would lead him back to the lower part of the division. He can climb back up, but it would take some time.

Josh Koscheck

Josh Koscheck is in an interesting spot after losing to Georges St. Pierre for the UFC Championship. It is highly unlikely, after the beating he took, that he would receive a title shot for a long time, if ever.

He did get back on the right track by knocking out an aged Matt Hughes at UFC 135. But, Koscheck needs to take this fight seriously, or he could find himself in trouble.

Win: With a win, Koscheck may secure a fight with a top welterweight. He is still a good number of fights away from a title shot, but it's obvious he wants to stay competitive. He could definitely make a case for a top five opponent.

Lose: This would be a huge loss for Koscheck, which may prompt his migration to the middleweight division. At least there, he could build himself up for a title shot against a fighter he hasn't lost to twice (George St. Pierre).

Roy Nelson

Roy Nelson has taken on some of the top talents the UFC heavyweight division has to offer. This fight is no different.

He has knocked out Brendan Schaub, Stefan Struve and Mirko Cro Cop. He has also been easily handled by Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir. It will be interesting to see how he handles yet another big name in Fabricio Werdum.

Win: A win by Nelson could set him up to be two or three fights away from the title. Nelson has shown his toughness, absorbing a huge amount of pain. He is also a fan favorite, which could sway management to give him big fights.

Lose: Here, Nelson falls into a weird place. He has shown he is dominant when fighting mid-tier fighters, but has faltered against top competition. Should he lose, it will be back to the middle of the pack.

Fabricio Werdum

Fabricio Werdum is looking to make a splash when he returns to the UFC after a stint in Strikeforce. The submission whiz will be trying to make quick work of Nelson, and put the heavyweight division on notice.

Before succumbing to a decision loss against Alistair Overeem, Werdum had defeated three tough opponents in a row, including Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva. He will be looking to get back to that form come Saturday night.

Win: A win would be huge for "Vai Cavalo," especially if it is in impressive fashion. Should he finish the very tough Nelson, he could grab a Top Eight, if not Top Five opponent. He will need to impress, following his dismal showing against Overeem.

Lose: A loss here would send him down the ranks. Werdum is talented, but is an import from Strikeforce with a short leash. He would most likely serve as an opponent for an up-and-coming talent.

Nick Diaz/Carlos Condit

Both of these men, win or lose, will be in the same position.

Nick Diaz is on an 11-fight win streak, which includes victories over KJ Noons, Paul Daley and most recently, BJ Penn. He has shown improved skills, which has earned the brash fighter this very shot.

Carlos Condit, on the other hand, has won four straight. He has finished Rory MacDonald, Dan Hardy, and Dong Hyun-Kim, while showing the all-around skills it takes to earn a shot at the company's top prize.

Win: Whoever shall win, will be followed by the obvious. They will become the interim champion, with the chance to face Georges St. Pierre when he returns from injury later this year. Obviously, St. Pierre would rather face Diaz, but a fight against Condit would be just as epic.

Lose: The loser will not slip far down. They will still be competing against Top 10 competition. The welterweight division is competitive, so neither would experience a shortage of fights.

There you have it. UFC 143 is right around the corner, so get ready, or you will miss the fireworks that are certain to occur.