TUF 10 Preview: Roy Nelson, Brendan Schaub Meet to Crown Season Champion

The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 will finally come to a close on Saturday night as Greg Jackson-trained Brendan Schaub (4-0) will take on former IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson (13-4) in the final bout to determine which fighter will win a six-figure contract with the UFC. Schaub was one of the more exciting heavyweights in the house as he defeated Demico Rogers via a first round anaconda choke, Jon Madsen via knockout in the second round, and Marcus Jones in the semifinals via a knockout to move on to the final. Nelson labeled himself as the smarter fighter as he avoided a lot of damage by moving to the ground and using the crucifix to his advantage. He pounded out Kimbo Slice and James McSweeney via the crucifix while beating wrestler Justin Wren by a majority decision in his second bout.

This is easily one of the most intriguing battles on Saturday night's main card. Not only is there a huge disparity in experience between both fighters, but they also seem to have a slight difference in the styles they bring to the table. Nelson is more of a methodical fighter who can use his stand-up game to eventually move to the ground and pound out his opponents. He uses his weight effectively to trap opponents, and he's very well-versed on the floor in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Schaub fits more into the "firecracker" role. He's explosive and aggressive, and he''ll look to end this fight in impressive fashion.

Schaub, while being rather green in the sport at only 4-0, has an remarkable set of skills that he's molded at Nate Marquardt's High Altitude gym in Colorado while also splitting time at Greg Jackson's camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Within a couple of years of training, he was able to become a Golden Gloves champion in boxing in the state of Colorado while also obtaining his purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He is also a best friend and training partner of Shane Carwin, one of the most massive and powerful heavyweights in the UFC.

Most fans are going to pick the veteran in Roy Nelson, and I'll be the first to admit that he's the safe bet here. He has a plethora of experience, solid black belt level grappling ability, and his stand-up is highly underrated. But I've been playing it safe all year by listening to other "experts" and not listening to my gut, and my gut is telling me that Brendan Schaub has a legitimate shot at the upset here.

Schaub's boxing combined with his explosiveness is going to give him some chances on the feet to put Roy down for the count, but Roy is fairly good at using his jab to stop incoming opponents from crushing him into unconsciousness. Schaub will be the weaker guy on the ground as he'll have to deal with Nelson's weight, but training with Shane Carwin day-in and day-out isn't going to give Nelson an immense advantage by using his size.

I'm really banking on the training Schaub has been doing with Greg Jackson and Nate Marquardt to get him through this fight with Nelson. He has one of the best heavyweight training partners in a very heavy-handed Shane Carwin, and Nelson will have to dominate Schaub on the ground to truly beat him. It's possible, but I think Schaub is athletic enough to escape some of the ground exchanges and give Nelson a run for his money... and his conditioning as the fight wears on. I'll take Brendan Schaub via the upset.