UFC 102 features an array of heavier weight class bouts from middleweight up to heavyweight, but there will be one lone smaller weight class match-up between lightweights Marcus Aurelio (18-7) and Evan Dunham (8-0). The bout was supposed to be a lower-echelon bout between more inexperienced fighters Evan Dunham and Matt Veach, but Veach reportedly injured himself in training for the upcoming bout. Marcus Aurelio agreed to step in on late notice to take on the undefeated lightweight prospect in Dunham.

Most UFC fans know who Marcus Aurelio is from his previous stint with the promotion from August 2007 to October of 2008. He went 2-3 with notable wins over Ryan Roberts and Luke Caudillo, but dropped disappointing losses to Clay Guida, Tyson Griffin, and Hermes Franca. All of those losses came by way of decision. Hardcore fans will recognize Aurelio's name from his days with PRIDE in which he turned in a 3-3 record with a upset victory over PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi in the Bushido series. Gomi avenged the loss in a controversial split decision preceding Aurelio's move to the UFC, but Aurelio also lost to Mitsuhiro Ishida in a match before the rematch with Gomi. While Aurelio's record isn't perceived as a record of a great fighter, he has taken on some of the best competition in the world at a time when those fighers were considered to be in their prime.

Aurelio trains out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. He holds a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and attained both the Brazilian Championship and Pan-American Championship twice in BJJ competition. Of his 18 wins, he has 11 wins via submission, and he's never been finished via submission or knockout in any of his seven losses. He'll be a very tough opponent for Dunham to finish, but he isn't immune to be defeated by solid wrestlers with better striking.

Dunham may have the wrestling to actually cause some problems for Aurelio if he's been listening to Xtreme Couture's extensive list of wrestlers. He's currently undefeated at 8-0 with his most recent win coming in his debut, a fight he took on short notice, at UFC 95 against Per Eklund. He's primarily known as a submission fighter with 5 of his 8 wins coming on the ground, but he did manage to finish Eklund via TKO in only 2:14.

The Oregon-native will have a home advantage at UFC 102 as he hails from Eugene, just south down I-5 from Portland. He was born in the area, wrestled as a small boy, and managed to obtain an education from the University of Oregon in Sociology while also taking jiu-jitsu classes. The build-up to a MMA career was always in the background, and he took that chance after college. Eight wins later, he's making his second appearance in the world's premier MMA promotion.

Interestingly enough, Dunham is no slouch on the ground. He does hold a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Wellington "Megaton" Dias, and he did manage to defeat 2008 no-gi world champion Cleber Luciano in an MMA fight. Obviously, that speaks volumes about how his jiu-jitsu has worked for his defense. The ultimate question is how well his striking can compete against a decent puncher in Marcus Aurelio.

This bout really comes down to whether or not Dunham can implement a gameplan that many of Aurelio's opponents have managed to use in the past. Dunham has the ground skills to avoid submissions from Aurelio, but the area in which he can truly take this battle will be in the stand-up department coupled with solid takedown defense. Like many of Aurelio's losses, top control, submission avoidance, and a good sprawl can win this fight for the relatively unknown Dunham.

On the ground, Aurelio wins this bout, but I'm definitely not opposed to Dunham defeating Aurelio standing. The major problem here is that Aurelio isn't a terrible striker, but he isn't great either. I can see Aurelio winning this one via decision with some better striking technique, but reaching with jabs and poorly telegraphed punching isn't going to cave Dunham. Aurelio will need to show some improvement in the striking game to be effective. Of course, he may manage to put Dunham on the ground and use some slick transition movement to catch him. It should be a decent lightweight tilt to get the evening started on Saturday.