UFC 143 Bleacher Report MMA Full Main Card Staff Predictions

Fight fans have been licking their chops for weeks in anticipation for UFC 143, and with two high octane fighters with plenty of skills headlining the card, it's no secret as to why. 

The main even fight features former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz taking on former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit to determine the Interim UFC Welterweight Champion while Georges St-Pierre is on the shelf with an ACL injury. 

The co-main event is another welterweight bout between two scrappy wrestlers in Josh Koscheck and Mike Pierce, and the third fight on the main card pits two of the best jiu-jitsu fighters in the heavyweight division against one another in Roy Nelson and Fabricio Werdum. 

In a bantamweight bout that promises fireworks, Renan Barao takes on Scott Jorgensen in a match where the winner will easily become a top-five fighter at 135 pounds. 

The main card action begins with a middleweight battle between a wily veteran, Ed Herman, when he takes on an undefeated prospect in Clifford Starks. 

Bleacher Report MMA Featured Columnists Adam Osterkamp, Dwight Wakabayashi, Jordy McElroy, Dale De Souza, Jeffrey McKinney, and myself, John Heinis. 

Take a look inside to see who will get their hand raised on Saturday night. 

Lead image courtesy of MMAValor.com.

Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks

John Heinis: I know I'm not the only one scratching my head as to why this is on the main card.  Anyway, Ed "Short Fuse" Herman is coming off an impressive submission one over Kyle Noke in August, utilizing a rarely seen inverted heel hook to secure a tap out. 

While Herman has looked totally average in his past six fights (3-3), the BJJ black belt is a fairly well rounded fighter with notable wins over Brian Ebersole, Nick Thompson and for whatever it's worth, a win over Scott Smith at UFC 72. 

Fans were anything but impressed when Clifford Starks made his UFC debut at UFC 137, when he used lay and pray to a tee to defeat Dustin Jacoby by unanimous decision. 

However, he deserves some leeway for taking the Jacoby fight just two weeks after defeating Artenas Young in a Shark Fights bout.

Starks is a big strong, wrestler who brings an 8-0 record to the Octagon when he takes on a 26-fight veteran in Herman. 

I'm on the fence on this one, but given that Starks has no jiu-jitsu credentials to speak of, I'm going with the veteran. 

Ed Herman via unanimous decision (29-28)

Adam Osterkamp: Ed “Short Fuse” Herman is a veteran of the UFC, although we haven’t seen much of him in recent years since his injury back in August of 2009. But he’s looked good in his two most recent fights since returning.

Herman’s opponent, Clifford Starks, is a newcomer to the UFC, although he is sporting an undefeated record in his mixed martial arts career.

If he can get the fight to the mat, Herman would certainly have an advantage over Starks, but don’t expect the NCAA Division I wrestler, Starks, to go down without a fight.

Neither of these fighters is a slouch in the stand up department, each man having several KO victories.

This will be the first time Starks faces a higher caliber opponent in the UFC, and on the main card no less. This will be a great fight to watch, but in the end Herman will walk away with the victory after three rounds.

Ed Herman by unanimous decision

Dwight Wakabayashi: TUF Alum Ed Herman has salvaged his spot on the UFC roster with two impressive wins in 2011 after being out over a year due to a serious knee injury.

He now faces undefeated fighter and UFC newcomer Clifford Starks.  

Starks is in only his second fight in the UFC and it is a bit of a step up from Dustin Jacoby to Ed Herman. I am not sure Starks will be able to handle the heat in this one.  

Herman has a very formidable submission game and when he fights at a high pace he is a very dangerous striker as well.

I hoped for a bigger name fight for him on this card, as the 31-year old isn't getting any younger.

Herman has never been able to deliver in that big fight, but Starks is not a big fight, and Herman should be able to use his strength, experience and overall game to gain a victory.  

Ed Herman via unanimous decision   

Jordy McElroy: Ed Herman is a lucky man. He seems to always find his way on the televised portion of UFC cards. This is definitely an awkwardly placed bout, considering the strength of the rest of the card.

With that said, Herman has done it again, and this time he takes on undefeated grappler Clifford Starks. Records can be a bit misleading when trying to breakdown fights.

Starks has never faced an opponent as tough as Herman. This is a major step up in competition for the former wrestler out of Arizona State University.  

It seems like Starks’ only chance for success is constantly securing takedowns and wearing Herman down from top position.  

All of the other factors lean in Herman’s direction. He is the grizzled veteran with the more well-rounded skill set.  

This is a tough spot for Starks. If he rises to the occasion and defeats Herman, it would be a major statement for Starks as a potential prospect in the middleweight division.  

With that said, this journalist is banking on the veteran to capitalize on a late mistake and latch on a submission.  

Ed Herman by round 3 submission (Rear Naked Choke)

Dale De Souza: Clifford Starks made his debut against Dustin Jacoby in a very excit—uh—entertain…no, that’s not the word for it…

Alright, I guess I’ll just call a spade a spade here…Clifford Starks' UFC debut might have impressed someone, but for the most part, his debut was anything but impressive enough to make people think he’s going to be a player at 185.

Ed Herman, on the other hand, did look good in his UFC debut against Kendall Grove—and he’s looked better than he ever looked on Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter in the course of his past two fights.

Herman returned to action at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, defeating Tim Credeur and following that up with a solid submission win over Kyle Noke.

Starks has a lot to prove come Saturday night, and if he cannot implement his wrestling or any of his stand-up against Herman, he can expect Herman to put the pedal to the metal and pour on the punishment—with the likelihood of a TKO or a full-on knockout shot with his name on it.

If Starks’ debut was any indication, Herman may have less to worry about than some want to believe.

Ed Herman by 1^st round TKO

Jeffrey McKinney: In the opening bout of the night, Ed “Short Fuse” Herman will take on Clifford Starks.

Herman has been with the UFC ever since his stint on Season three of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2006.

Herman has gone through ups and downs in his career. But after battling back from a knee injury he is on a two fight winning streak.

Starks, on the other hand, is still relatively new to the UFC. He’s currently 8-0 which includes his UFC debut win over Dustin Jacoby back at UFC 137.

Starks is a former Arizona State University teammate of Cain Velasquez and brings in a great wrestling advantage.

But even if he is able to get Herman down, he will have to worry about Herman’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Herman can also be a threat on his feet, and has never been knocked out cold.

I believe Herman’s experience will be his best asset in this fight, but Starks won’t go out easily.

Ed Herman by decision or submission

Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen

John Heinis: Anyone who doubted Barao's 26-fight win streak heading into UFC 138 was silenced when they saw him submit Brad Pickett with a rear naked choke in the first round.

The 25-year old BJJ ace, who hasn't lost since his professional debut in April 2005, is a big favorite in this fight.

Still, Scott Jorgensen is no chump.  He comes into this fight winning seven of his last eight, with his sole loss coming at the hands of then WEC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz in December 2010. 

While Jorgensen is a skilled grappler, his hands are pretty poor and will be no match for Barao's lightning quiick Muay Thai skills. 

Not to mention that Jorgensen's purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will be no match for a very skilled BJJ black belt in Barao, so this one should be pretty easy to call. 

Renan Barao via second round submission (rear naked choke)

Adam Osterkamp: Renan Barao has a great record with 27 wins and only one loss, but Scott Jorgensen is his toughest opponent yet.

After his decision loss to current champ Dominick Cruz, Jorgensen will certainly be looking to prove that he isn’t going to turn into a gatekeeper at bantamweight. A victory against Barao would be the third victory in a row for Jorgensen.

Barao, however, isn’t going to give that victory to Jorgensen without putting up a fight. This fight stands a great chance of winning Fight Of The Night honors, and will most likely stay standing.

Barao has the tools to put Jorgensen away if the fight goes to the mat, but getting the former wrestler down might be difficult for Barao to accomplish. Expect this fight to be a great stand up battle.

In the end it will be Barao’s height and reach advantage that will help him put Jorgensen away.

Renan Barao wins by 3rd round TKO

Dwight Wakabayashi: This fight has the potential to be a dandy.

If you consider the hype and game surrounding Brazilian star Renan Barao, as well as the grit and experience of Scott Jorgensen, this one will place the winner right in line for a shot at the title.

Barao has an explosive game that can pop off at any moment on the ground and on the feet, and he has not lost a fight in seven years. He quickly submitted veteran Brad Pickett in his last fight, his second victory in the UFC.  

Jorgensen is the more experienced fighter and has also beaten Pickett by decision. At 29 years of age he is looking to make his move right now, and he has already fought Dominick Cruz to a five round decision loss in his career.  

I think Jorgensen will take Barao into the deepest waters that he has ever been taken, but in the end Barao's magnificent submission game will get the best of him.  

Renan Barao via 3rd round submission 

Jordy McElroy: Renan Barao faces Scott Jorgensen in what should be the toughest test of his MMA career.  

Currently riding a 26-fight win streak, Barao is poised to make a run at the UFC bantamweight title, but Jorgensen—a former title contender and NCAA Division I wrestler—represents a major roadblock in his way.  

Barao’s coming out party was at UFC 138, where he made quick work of top-10 bantamweight contender Brad Pickett. Meanwhile, Jorgensen is coming off back-to-back wins over Jeff Curran and Ken Stone.  

This bout will come down to Jorgensen’s ability to secure takedowns and ride out top position.

When it comes to striking, Barao is on a completely different level in comparison to Jorgensen. The fluidity in his footwork and his ability to utilizes versatile attack of kicks, punches and elbows is textbook.  

Jorgensen has to stay out of unnecessary exchanges and use his striking to setup takedowns in the open. Even if he gets the takedown, things could get dicey against Barao, an accomplished Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert.  

This should be a fun fight.

Look for Barao to outland Jorgensen on the feet and utilize an effective guard to neutralize the former Boise State Bronco’s wrestling. The upper-echelon portion of the bantamweight division will have a new face as Barao does enough to take a close decision. 

Renan Barao via split decision

Dale De Souza: If it wasn’t for Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit, Renan Barao and Scott Jorgensen would be my front-runner for Fight of The Night.

Truth be known, Jorgensen is an aggressive wrestler who runs on “go” until his foes want no more, and his Boxing is improving with each bout—but it’s his dirty Boxing that is probably his top weapon when he gets in an opponent’s face.

Barao is a Nova Uniao prospect with an insane 27-1 record with one no contest,  including six wins by a form of KO and 13 wins by submission—including the UFC 138 submission win over Brad Pickett. On top of being unbeaten since his pro debut, the man blends a black-belt level Jiu-Jitsu game with the tutelage of Andre Pederneira and a deadly intensity inside of his Muay Thai and Boxing regiment.

Jorgensen is a threat to Barao because, as Jeff Curran will tell you, Jorgensen implements his wrestling game with the intention of making world class Jiu-Jitsu specialists look as though they have no ground game.

Still, one of the questions that has to answered is whether or not Jorgensen can keep Barao down without getting caught in a submission.

Jorgensen may be a good wrestler with an outstanding pedigree, but Barao is on a roll as of late, and part of the reason for that is the fact of his Jiu-Jitsu. Jorgensen’s wrestling is also always a question mark before any fight against a Jiu-Jitsu master, because he runs the risk of leaving his neck out.

If Jorgensen should not protect his neck, Barao is going to put his lights out the only way he knows how.

Renan Barao by second round submission (Brabo Choke)

Jeffrey McKinney: Two of the Bantamweight divisions best will meet in a bout that could determine the next man that will face the winner of Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber.

Barao comes into this fight with a 27-1 (1) record. This includes his UFC victories over Brad Pickett and Cole Escovedo.

Barao has six knockouts to his credit, but 13 of his wins have come by submission.

Jorgensen comes into the bout winner of seven of his last eight fights. The only loss during this run came to Dominick Cruz at WEC 53.

Jorgensen brings into the fight a great wrestling background. He’s no slouch on the ground either, as four of his 13 victories have come submission.

This is a close fight to call.

Although Barao brings an impressive record into this match, Jorgensen is a tough guy to stop and has been in bigger fights.

Both guys are comfortable on the ground, so it could be interesting to see what happens if the fight goes there.

This fight could go either way and I could see it going the distance in a very close fight.

Renan Barao by split decision 

Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce

John Heinis: Koscheck has won four of his past five fights, with his sole loss coming at the hands of none other than welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre. 

He most recently bounced back from the GSP loss by knocking out UFC legend Matt Hughes at UFC 135.

While Koscheck is one of the most hated fighters in the game today, he is often able to back up his trash talk with superb takedowns and top control. 

The former four-time All American wrestler should expect a grapple heavy affair with Team Quest's Mike Pierce. 

Pierce has been as close as can be to welterweight contention twice in his UFC career: nearly finishing Jon Fitch at UFC 107 and losing a razor close decision to Johny Hendricks at UFC 133. 

The bottom line is that Koscheck is a way better wrestler, and even if he wasn't, Pierce's hands aren't exactly devastating (unless it's the last minute against Fitch). 

Koscheck wins comfortably in this one. 

Josh Koscheck via unanimous decision (30-27)

Adam Osterkamp: This is going to be a really, really great fight. Koscheck obviously has more experience than Pierce, but counting Pierce out of this fight would be a dumb thing to do.

Pierce’s two losses inside the UFC have both come by way of decision and they were both to top level competitors.

Both of these fighters are going to try to put the other away, but of the two fighters, Koscheck is the only one to have been knocked out in the past.

While he did win his fight with Matt Hughes, Kos was a little startled when he got hit in his eye that GSP destroyed.

Unfortunately for Koscheck, Pierce hits a lot harder than Hughes, and you can bet he’ll be gunning for that eye.

Mike Pierce wins by 3rd round TKO

Dwight Wakabayashi: I'll admit I was a bit miffed when I first heard about the Koscheck-Pierce fight. I know who Mike Pierce is, but really?

Well, it has become much more clear through UFC Primetime that Pierce flat out called out the welterweight contender.  

I think it is a bit much to chew for Pierce at this point in his career, and as much as I hate to say it, Koscheck will make him pay the price.

Koscheck is coming off his impressive, although deceiving knockout of Matt Hughes, and he is always a cocky and confident fighter.

He may take Pierce lightly and that may be his only weakness in this one, as I see Koscheck getting the better of all exchanges.  

Pierce is a newcomer to the top of the division and got there more on this call out than on merit, as he is 5-2 in the UFC and his last win was a split decision over Paul Bradley.

Pierce is a very good wrestler, but the only times he has faced opponents of Koscheck's calibre, he lost. He had losses to Jon Fitch and Johny Hendricks in the last three years—and Koscheck is just as good as both.  

Josh Koscheck via 3rd round KO

Jordy McElroy: Fresh off his first round knockout victory over Matt Hughes, Josh Koscheck faces a stern test in underrated welterweight powerhouse Mike Pierce.  

Like Koscheck, Pierce is a former NCAA Division I wrestler with one-punch knockout power. All it takes is one mistake in the standup exchanges for Pierce to induce REM sleep on an opponent.  

Koscheck has a similar striking style. He isn’t very technical in terms of putting together combinations and setting up openings, but his power has proven to be lethal and should be respected.  

Despite the trash talking and pre-fight buildup, fans shouldn’t expect fireworks. Koscheck and Pierce will likely come out tentative to avoid being victimized by a haymaker. Pierce has to find a way to close the distance and rough Koscheck up in the clinch with dirty boxing.  

Takedowns will be hard to come by in this fight considering both fighters are stellar grapplers. When picking this fight, one has to look at Pierce’s track record.

His only two losses have come to Jon Fitch and Johny Hendricks, and both of those guys have very similar styles to Koscheck.  

Pierce is a legitimate threat to anyone at 170-pounds, but he tends to struggle against upper-echelon fighters with a similar style to his. Look for the struggles to continue as Koscheck coasts to a unanimous decision. 

Josh Koscheck via unanimous decision

Dale De Souza: Both Josh Koscheck and Mike Pierce are seen as aggressive wrestlers with considerable finishing power, though Pierce might be the stronger of the two.

All things considered, this fight is definitely winnable for Pierce, who pulled off a major upset, against once-regarded former WEC welterweight title contender Brock Larson, and put Jon Fitch in great danger—but Johny Hendricks put Pierce on a halt at UFC 133.

Luckily for him, Pierce showed off some great aggression against Paul Bradley, and shockingly enough, Pierce called out Koscheck, who defeated Matt Hughes in his first fight back from injury after Koscheck lost to Georges St-Pierre.

Pierce is a pretty durable fighter who can take some punishment and keep coming, which could be a problem for Koscheck.

Yet, at the end of the day, the most hated dude on the card is still a phenomenal fighter in his own right, and while he’s probably not any closer to the title than Pierce is, he’s still a tough task that Pierce might have some trouble overcoming.

The consensus seems to be that Pierce bit off more than he could chew in calling Koscheck out and that Koscheck might run right through Pierce…but what if we find ourselves thinking Pierce should’ve won when all is said and done?

If Pierce makes even the slightest case towards a win, even if he is defeated, what will become of Koscheck at that moment?

Josh Koscheck by either 2^nd round TKO or split decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28 Pierce—with Pierce getting the third round on the scorecard that favors him)

Jeffrey McKinney: Two Division 1 Wrestlers will meet when Mike Pierce takes on Josh Koscheck.

Pierce comes into this fight with a 13-4 record. His only UFC losses have come to Johny Hendricks and Jon Fitch.

He will try to step up in competition once again when he takes on former title contender Josh Koscheck.

Koscheck is coming off of a “Knockout of the Night” performance against Matt Hughes.

He also has victories over Paul Daley, Anthony Johnson, and Diego Sanchez.

One thing that Pierce does have going for him, however, is that he has never been knocked out or submitted.

This could end up being a tougher fight than many people may think. But I believe Koscheck still picks up the victory.

Josh Koscheck by unanimous decision

Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum

John Heinis: Werdum makes his Octagon return after his last stint was cut short courtesy of a Junios dos Santos uppercut at UFC 90.  

The jiu-jitsu ace was red hot after stringing together consecutive wins over Mike Kyle, Antonio Silva and Fedor Emelianeko between 2009 and 2010, but his stock plummeted after a lackluster performance against Alistair Overeem in June. 

Nevertheless, Werdum is a legitimate top-10 heavyweight and has pretty underrated striking to go along with his submission skills. 

On the other hand, "Big Country" was on the hot seat coming into UFC 137 following a couple of losses to Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir, respectively. 

However, Nelson came back strong against Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, finishing him with strikes after he took the back in the third round. 

Nelson has a very powerful overhand right that can put any big man down and he earned his BJJ black belt from Renzo Gracie, so he certainly has the tools necessary to win big fights. 

The season 10 winner of The Ultimate Fighter has yet to defeat a true top-10 opponent though, so at the end of the day, Saturday could be a long night for him. 

Fabricio Werdum via uanimous decision (30-27)

Adam Osterkamp: This is a hard fight to call, but it should be a good one to watch. Both men are very skilled in Jiu Jitsu, so if the fight goes to the ground we may get a great show on the mat—but the fight will most likely stay standing.

Nelson has had some great knock outs since coming to the UFC and is generally regarded as a knock out artist, but don’t count Werdum out of the striking game.

Werdum has a black belt in Muay Thai, and has several successfully knock outs of his own.

Both of these fighters are going to leave everything they have in the cage on Saturday night, but ultimately this fight is going to decision.

Nelson wins by split decision

Dwight Wakabayashi: In another example of the new strength and depth of the UFC heavyweight division, we get an awesome clash between Werdum and Nelson.

This one is a very intriguing match up with heavy inmplications on the division landscape this year.  

Werdum is making his long awaited return to the UFC as a much-improved fighter and one of the most feared submission heavyweights in the game.

He is coming off a close loss to Alistair Overeem and is dead set on his goal of facing Junior Dos Santos again in his career.

His jiu jitsu is top notch and his striking is much improved, but I believe his chin will fail him in this fight with Nelson.  

Werdum does not like to get hit, and Nelson can hit. In the Fedor fight, Fedor failed to really catch him and then he fell into the hands of Werdum on the ground.

Overeem studied that and did not jump down into Werdum's guard after connecting, and it won him the fight. Nelson will do the same and force Werdum to trade with him for a victory.  

Roy Nelson via unanimous decision

Jordy McElroy: After a bizarre performance against Alistair Overeem in June 2011, Fabricio Werdum returns to the UFC against The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 winner Roy “Big Country” Nelson.  

This is a major fight in the wavering career of Nelson, who is 1-2 in his last three fights. Werdum is widely recognized as one of the best heavyweights in the world. Where is Nelson’s name on that list?  

This is a big opportunity for “Big Country” to cement himself as a legit contender in the deepening heavyweight division.  

Werdum is a formidable striker and arguably the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artist in all of MMA.  

Physically, he has all the tools to be a world champion, but mentally, Werdum can become a bit of a wild card in marquee match-ups.  

Against Overeem, Werdum was actually getting the better of some of the standup exchanges, but instead of following up, he became obsessed with dropping to his back and attempting to pull guard.

Overeem coasted to a unanimous decision by standing over Werdum and kicking at his legs for three rounds.  

Which Werdum will we see in this fight? Will it be the guy who defeated Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva, or will we see the fighter from the Overeem and Andrei Arlovski bouts?  

Nelson certainly has the power to put Werdum out on the feet and the grappling prowess to survive on the ground.  

Still, Werdum has to be humiliated from his performance against Overeem. He will be looking to make a good impression in his UFC return.  

Nelson will likely steal a round, but Werdum will edge the former IFL champ with slightly better striking and clinch work. 

Roy Nelson via unanimous decision

Dale De Souza: Fabricio Werdum is back, and Roy Nelson is slim.

Take a minute to digest that for a moment.

Werdum is the only man to beat both Aleksander and Fedor Emelianenko, but the Fedor win deserved to be followed up with a performance that cemented Werdum’s claim as the third-best Heavyweight in the world—and that performance was thought to be the likely outcome of Werdum’s rematch with Alistair Overeem.

Instead, it added on to how bad it was that Fedor lost to him, as Werdum outstruck Overeem on the feet and tired him out, but tried to goad him to the ground despite how obvious it was that Overeem would have none of it.

Still, both he and Nelson have wicked Jiu-Jitsu games, and Nelson has the type of knockout power needed to lay out some of the best of the best—and he definitely has laid out some of the best in the UFC’s Heavyweight division.

The key thing here might be the reach for Werdum, as he definitely has enough length to keep the slimmed-down Nelson at bay, take him down, and probably work his Jiu-Jitsu game in order to force a tap.

The tap may be the only unlikely part, barring any cardio issues for Nelson, but with how much lighter he might be on fight night, the smart money would be on Nelson getting taken down and possibly outworked on the ground en route to Werdum fighting to the form he should’ve shown against Overeem,

If he does outwork Nelson, though, maybe it’ll change a few tunes about the Overeem fight.

Fabricio Werdum via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Jeffrey McKinney: Heavyweight Roy Nelson will welcome back Fabricio Werdum back to the UFC in the co-main event of the night.

Nelson is coming off of an impressive KO victory over Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 137, while Werdum is coming off of an embarrassing loss to Alistair Overeem.

Aside from that fight, Werdum does come into this fight with victories over Overeem, Gabriel Gonzaga and both of the Emelianenko brothers.

Werdum is one of the most accomplished and dangerous submission artists in MMA today, and also has four knockout victories to his credit.

Nelson also has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but he should look to keep the fight standing.

Nine of Nelson’s 16 victories have come by way of knockout, including his three UFC victories.

Both guys have one loss by knock out and the rest by decision.

I expect Werdum to try to make up for his last fight, and stand up with Nelson for a little bit.

But once he gets hit or sees an opening, expect him to try to take the fight down.

The only issue is Nelson's health: if Nelson comes in healthy like he did his last fight, I can’t see Werdum taking him down or beating him in the stand up department.

Roy Nelson by TKO

Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit

John Heinis: The elder Diaz brother is riding an impressive 11-fight win streak coming into this one, including back-to-back wins over Paul Daley and BJ Penn. 

The Cesar Gracie black belt is simply a tornado of aggression inside the cage, and his non-stop cardio, furious boxing and slick jiu-jitsu make him a tough match up for anyone at 170 pounds. 

Carlos "The Natural Born Killer" Condit is certainly no push over though, with only one of his 27 professional victories going to the judge's scorecards. 

Also, Diaz does not seem like he has gotten into Condit's head, if UFC Primetime is any indication, so that could be a factor in this fight as well. 

However, the bottom line is that Condit does not match up well here: Diaz is a better boxer with superior jiu jitsu and Condit is not much of a wrestler. 

The Natural Born Killer may be a better all around striker with his vicious knees and kicks, but it will be nearly impossible to keep Diaz's pace for five rounds and Condit will lose most, if not all, exchanges on the ground. 

Fans are finally (hopefully) vindicated with a grudge match between GSP and Nick Diaz. 

Nick Diaz via unanimous decision (49-46)

Adam Osterkamp: In a night already packed with so many great options for Fight of the Night honors, this one is certainly most likely to take the cake.

What else can even be said about this fight that hasn’t already been said? These two fighters are going to rumble. There is no way this one will be boring.

It’s widely known that both men have great striking and some real knock out power. Diaz has the edge if the fight goes to the ground, but it’s unlikely that will happen. With each fighter having a great chin, the story of this fight is going to be Diaz’s Cardio vs. Condit’s.

Everyone knows that Diaz has some of the best cardio in MMA. He fights with a relentless pace that has lots of fighters baking up against the fence.

Condit has only been to the championship rounds once before and his cardio has been questioned on occasion. Diaz needs to be careful going after Condit the way he normally does, but don’t expect him to be.

Expect Diaz to do to Condit what he did to Penn. He’ll have a tough time putting Condit away, but in the end he’ll walk out ready to face GSP.

Nick Diaz wins by unanimous decision

Dwight Wakabayashi: These two old school fighters are always poised to deliver a fight of the year candidate during their respective careers, so I can't imagine what will happen now that they face each other for the interim title.  

Shenanigans and pre-fight antics aside, Diaz can and will fight every time he gets in that cage—and Condit is no different.

They will both have a game plan for sure, but neither will get hung up on it when they start to clash for real. Diaz will simply rely on his awesome hands, activity and cardio to beat down Condit, as he has all others in the last few years.

Diaz is top of the food chain: skilled and tough, despite his defiant attitude. He comes to fight and win no matter if there is a title on the line or not.

I'm sure he is more motivated by the potential pay check with GSP than having the strap. Whatever works.  

Condit is also at the very top of the welterweight heap and brings a dangerous Muay Thai game that can end you at any second.

Condit has no fear on the feet, but I am not too sure how he would feel going to the ground with Diaz. Condit is no slouch there either, but I am pretty sure Condit thinks he can connect and rock Diaz before the cumulative damage slows him down.

Both men have endless cardio, and both men are slow starters at times. This match up is razor thin to call.  

In the end, I do believe that this one will go the distance, with both men being battered and bloody at the end. Diaz may take damage from one time knee or haymaker strikes, but Condit's will be due to volume and in typical Diaz fashion, his relentless, more active hands will score him the win. 

Nick Diaz via unanimous decision

Jordy McElroy: Stylistically, it doesn’t get any better than Nick Diaz versus Carlos Condit for the UFC interim welterweight title. Other than slightly different striking preferences, Diaz and Condit are virtually the same fighter.

They are world class strikers with incredible Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This match-up should certainly appease “Just Bleed” fans considering the fighters involved are durable, aggressive strikers with a knack for getting into standup wars.  

Diaz will enter this fight as the superior boxer. People tend to poke fun at the Stockton native’s “pitter-patter” boxing style, but it has knocked off the likes of MMA legend BJ Penn and Paul “Semtex” Daley.  

Diaz’s style is almost comparable to a black hole—and after being sucked in, all of his opponents wilt under a barrage of slow, peppering punches. Will Condit be any different?  

Well, “The Natural Born Killer” certainly has the chin and conditioning to keep up with Diaz in a five-round bout. While Diaz is the superior boxer, Condit is overall the more effective striker. He utilizes a more versatile skill set on the feet boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai.  

If Condit can work Diaz’s legs and stay off the cage, he may be able to limit the former Strikeforce champ’s mobility.  

Diaz has the better ground game, but neither fighter has ever proven to be effective in the wrestling department. Fans shouldn’t bank on this fight hitting the ground unless a fighter gets hurt or slips.  

This is a tough fight to call. Condit is definitely worth the pickup for gamblers out there, but it’s hard to bet against Diaz at this point in his career.

World class fighters step into the cage and are completely dumbfounded by his style.

Fans should expect an exciting fight with some early scares for Diaz, but Condit will begin to wilt under the pressure as the fight drags late into the third round. Look for Diaz to “pitter-patter” his way to another world title.  

Nick Diaz via knockout

Dale De Souza: Historically, Nick Diaz has gotten the better of stand-up exchanges in the past—in one way or another—but his main problem has been against guys that could easily outwrestle him.

Even BJ Penn outwrestled Diaz, and Penn has never been known as a world-class wrestler in his career.

Carlos Condit could be the first, just as he was the first man to defeat Dong Hyun Kim without pissing hot for anything, and just as he was the first fighter to knock out Dan Hardy. But there is one thing that works more in Diaz’s favor than Condit’s, and that’s his pace.

Diaz may taunt like a madman with no mind and no care in the world, but on the side of the former Strikeforce Welterweight Champion that the media hates to show the public, Diaz is a guy with no “off switch” when it comes to the stand-up.

Even when he looks like he’s about to gas, Diaz is always swinging and landing shots that are not supposed to have any affect on a fighter when they endure what Diaz regularly endures in fights.

Condit’s got his elbows and his knees, as well as his hands and his kicks, but Condit’s never had to contend with a guy that mentally annihilates fighters the way Diaz does BEFORE he ever goes in to finish.

Simply put, both guys can take punishment, both guys can deliver punishment, and both guys can make even their biggest detractors wonder “What does this guy have to do to put Diaz/Condit away.”

See why we called this an early candidate for “Fight of The Year"?

Count it as a blessing if this one doesn’t go to the judges, and realistically, expect this to be a nightmare to score as far as rounds go, because it will be a close one, and there will be cries for a rematch.

Who will prevail?

Well…who are you picking?

As for me…it’s the one man with the warrior spirit and the ability to set the pace needed to beat Georges St-Pierre, and beat Georges St-Pierre so badly that it shakes the MMA world up.

For my money, if I had any, that man is Diaz.

Nick Diaz by majority decision (48-46 x2; 47-47)

Jeffrey McKinney: It’s pretty safe to say that this is the fight we've all been waiting on.

Maybe more so than the original fights that was scheduled at UFC 137.

Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit will finally get their chance at UFC gold, sort of, with the winner most likely getting Georges St-Pierre next.

Both Diaz and Condit are exciting fighters who are dangerous on the ground as well as standing up.

Condit may be the more versatile striker, but Diaz has a way of getting into his opponents heads and making them fight his fight.

Diaz also comes into this fight with the extra motivation of wanting to take out Georges St-Pierre.

Condit, on the other hand, has waited for this moment for a while and does not want to play second best to Diaz or St-Pierre.

This is a fight that could literally go either way.

Although both guys are dangerous, they are also both tough to take out.

That’s the reason why this will be an exciting five round fight.

It’s hard to pick against Condit, but this is the one fight the UFC wants Diaz to win.

Either way, you can’t go wrong, because both men could provide an interesting match up for St-Pierre.

But I’m hoping that the feud continues to build with Diaz winning this fight.

Nick Diaz by split decision

Fight Bonuses

John Heinis: Fight of the Night - Diaz vs. Condit

Submission of the Night - Renan Barao

Knockout of the Night - Dustin Poirier 

Adam Osterkamp: Fight of the Night - Diaz vs. Condit

Submission of the Night - Dustin Poirier

Knockout of the Night - Mike Pierce

Dwight Wakabayashi: Fight of the Night - Diaz vs. Condit

Submission of the Night - Renan Barao

Knockout of the Night - Josh Koscheck

Jordy McElroy: Fight of the Night - Diaz vs. Condit

Submission of the Night - Ed Herman 

Knockout of the Night - Nick Diaz

Dale De Souza: Fight of the Night - Diaz vs. Condit and Barao vs. Jorgensen

Submission of the Night - Renan Barao

Knockout of the Night - Roy Nelson

Jeffrey McKinney: Fight of the Night - Diaz vs. Condit

Submission of the Night - Ed Herman or Edwin Figueroa

Knockout of the Night - Roy Nelson