UFC Fight for the Troops Preview

The UFC kicks into high gear this Wednesday night with the first of three UFC events in the month of December. UFC Fight Night 15: Fight for the Troops will be held in Fayetteville, NC and will feature a three-hour live event on SpikeTV benefiting the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

Main Card

Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida

Will this fight against Yoshiyuki Yoshida be Josh Koscheck's last fight in the UFC? We'll find out soon enough, but for now let's enjoy the fight to come.

Koscheck is coming off a unanimous decision loss against Thiago Alves at UFC 90, a fight that he took on short notice for an injured Diego Sanchez. Koscheck was originally in training for this fight against Yoshida, and now we will be able to see how that training has paid off.

Yoshiyuki Yoshida is a judo specialist and is not a fighter to be taken lightly. Yoshida is a strong, technical fighter and should provide a solid matchup for Koscheck. However, Koscheck has the much stronger wrestling game and most likely a stronger striking game as well.

Yoshida's judo advantage will largely be negated by Koscheck's wrestling and takedowns, and Yoshida will most likely be in a tough fight no matter where the match takes place. I look for this fight to go to a decision, with Kos coming out the victor.

Winner: Josh Koscheck

Mike Swick vs. Jonathan Goulet

Jonathan Goulet is another one of those fighters that just never has been able to beat top-level or even B-level opponents. Unfortunately for Goulet, Swick is one of those B-level fighters that I think he will struggle with.

As clichéd as it may sound, Mike Swick is simply too quick for Goulet. Since dropping to welterweight, Swick has won both his fights, most recently against Marcus Davis at UFC 85. Goulet does have some power, but Swick has better hand speed and a better ground game.

Winner: Mike Swick

Matt Wiman vs. Jim Miller

Jim Miller took this fight on less than two weeks' notice and is replacing an injured Frank Edgar. The big factor for Miller will be conditioning, and if he can come into this fight in decent cardio shape, I think he has the tools needed to defeat Matt Wiman. While Miller may not be well known yet, he has excellent ground skills and should be able to work his game against Wiman on the mat.

Wiman will have the reach advantage and is riding a wave of momentum after winning his last four fights. Wiman will do all he can to keep this fight on the mat and drag the match into the third round. If conditioning doesn't become a factor for Miller, I think he takes this fight.

Winner: Jim Miller

Steve Cantwell vs. Razak Al-Hassan

Steve Cantwell was the final WEC light heavyweight champion after avenging the only loss of his career against Brian Stann at WEC 35 in August. When Zuffa shut down the WEC light heavyweight division, Cantwell was one of the guys they welcomed into the UFC, and Cantwell will be making his UFC debut with a record of 6-1.

Razak Al-Hassan is also making his UFC debut and brings in a record of 6-0. Cantwell will look to keep the fight standing against Al-Hassan, who is a solid grappler. I look for Cantwell to control the pace of the fight early and win a decision victory.

Winner: Steve Cantwell

Tim Credeur vs. Nate Loughran

Both fighters are making their second appearance for the UFC, and both guys are good ground fighters. Credeur may have the slight edge on the feet, but I think Loughran has better skills on the mat. Should be a pretty close fight, but I really haven't seen enough of either fighter to give one guy a clear advantage.

Winner: Nate Loughran

Undercard

Luigi Fioravanti vs. Brodie Farber—Winner: Luigi Fioravanti

Steve Bruno vs. Johnny Rees—Winner: Johnny Rees

Ben Saunders vs. Brandon Wolff—Winner: Ben Saunders

Corey Hill vs. Dale Hartt—Winner: Corey Hill

Eddie Sanchez vs. Justin McCully—Winner: Eddie Sanchez