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Matt Serra is known for his huge right hands and now Frank Trigg knows why.

In one of the  more anticipated senior-league fights in a while, former UFC welterweight champ Matt Serra took on two time title challenger Frank Trigg.

The flamboyant Trigg came in with a full head of hair in a departure from his historical "Dana White" skinhead look. Serra came out to the Rocky theme. Odd for a Long Islander who has probably never been to Philly.

Trigg looked sharper early on, connecting with combos and making the dangerous Serra miss. The action slowed in the middle of the first round and then Serra connected with a fight ending KO punch.

He followed that with a one armed summer sault.

via sherdog.com

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Urijah Faber lives by the saying, "Live by the sword, die by the sword."  Protege Justin Buchholz lost with sword firmly in hand.

Buchholz found success during the fight with aggressive strikes, but Mac Danzig was able to slip and counter enough to keep the fight close.  Danzig won the fight on the floor, however, passing Buchholz guard throughout the last two rounds.

Danzig said a third loss in the Octagon should mean his ticket out.  Looks like he'll be around for another fight.

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Working with Greg Jackson does wonders.  Kind of.

Melvin Guillard showed the same weaknesses that have plagued him throughout his career.  UFC rookie Ronnys Torres was able to control the pace of the bout with a relentless takedown assault.  Guillard played the bottom game patiently, using his athleticism and explosion to get the fight back on the feet.

Round one went to Torres and his top control game, but Guillard evened the slate in the last two rounds with effective striking.  An even third round may have tipped Melvin's way when he swept the Brazilian following a takedown and rained down strikes from mount as the horn sounded.

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I have been extremely critical of Dana White and the UFC brass over the last few months. Primarily because they keep moving forward when they need to retrench. Instead of cancelling two cards in the face of the plague that struck their marquee fighters and 4/5 of the champions in the fall and winter of 2009, they only cancelled one card -- and a UK card at that.

The result of that was a series of events after UFC 100 that did not feature marquee worthy headliners: UFC 102, 103, 105, 106, 108 and now 109. Contrast that with the small number of events with big-time headliner fights: UFC 101, 104, and 107.

And yes, UFC 109 has one of the poorest excuses for a headliner of any of those events. And it's the Super Bowl Saturday card, traditionally one of the biggest of the year. Couture vs Coleman would be a fine co-headliner on a stacked card but it's not a main event. But look at the plague of ill-luck that hit just this one card, per Wikipedia:

A Middleweight Championship bout between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort was confirmed by UFC President Dana White, though it was contingent on Silva's successful recovery from elbow surgery. Subsequently, the fight was rescheduled due to Silva's continued slow healing from surgery. The Silva vs. Belfort bout is to take place at UFC 112.

Antônio Rogério Nogueira had to withdraw from his bout against Brandon Vera due to a fractured ankle It was announced that Vera will face Jon Jones on March 21, 2010 at UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs. Jones.

Josh Koscheck was scheduled to face Paulo Thiago, but was forced off the card with an injury. Mike Swick has stepped in as Koscheck's replacement and will now fight Thiago.

Regardless, and not just in an "other than that Mrs Lincoln, how was the play" sense, UFC 109 top-to-bottom is an incredible night of MMA fights and one I can't wait to see.

• Randy Couture vs Mark Coleman is a classic senior league tilt. Sure it's not headline caliber, but past their prime bouts are a staple of fight sports -- am I glad that Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard finally fought even if it was years too late? yes, yes I am. And these two guys are both Hall of Famers and wrestler vs wrestler tends to make for a good stylistic scrap. Won't be anyone laying and praying in this one.
• Nate Marquardt vs Chael Sonnen is a true #1 contenders match between two fighters on hot winning streaks, both coming off impressive demolitions of top contenders in Maia and Okami. Marquardt is a likely winner, but Sonnen is dangerous to anyone in the division and might present a more formidable stylistic challenge to champion Anderson Silva than Nate the Great.
• Mike Swick vs Paulo Thiago is a collision between two top ten welterweights -- #8 and #9 respectively on the USAT/SBN Consensus MMA Rankings -- with a grudge angle. Thiago has gone 1-1 against Swick's AKA teammates Fitch and Koscheck and looked good even in his loss to Fitch. Swick presents a very different sort of skill-set from his cohorts and Thiago is improving rapidly. It's called intrigue and this bout has it.
• Demian Maia vs Dan Miller is another bout between top contenders. Maia is the #4 ranked middleweight in the world on the USAT/SBN Consensus MMA Rankings and even though Miller isn't ranked in the top 25, he really should be and could easily paste several fighters in the top 15. Maia should take it, but Miller will be a true test in every sense of the term.
• Matt Serra vs Frank Trigg is another great senior league match. Both guys are epic shit talkers and they haven't disappointed in the lead-in to this one either. Neither guy is really a contender, but they have both earned the right to fight on the main card and I can't wait to see them go at each other.

And that's just the main card. Literally every bout on the undercard features at least one fighter I'm interested in, and often two: Melvin Guillard, Ronnys Torres, Mac Danzig, Phillipe Nover, Rob Emerson, Phil Davis, Brian Stann, Chris Tuchscherer, Rolles Gracie are all fighters I care about and can't wait to see fight. A card like this leaves absolutely no doubt as to who is the world's undisputed #1 MMA promotion: the UFC.

And here's to Dana White and Joe Silva, for all my frequent criticisms of them (well of Dana) they are obviously the best at their respective roles that this sport has yet seen. Thank you gentleman, I can't wait to enjoy your work tonight!

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Try to resist the call of the jump.  Go ahead.  I dare you.  Yeah, that's right.  You're just like everyone else.  Go ahead and spoil yourself.  Hell, try to sucker your friends into some past post betting.  I don't care.  I'm just trying to draw in some more pageviews.

UFC 109 unaired prelim spoilers ahoy past the break.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

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Mark Coleman's career has been a lot like the way he fights.  It hasn't always been pretty, and it sure as hell isn't perfect.  But he redefined the sport and forced an evolution.  Coleman ushered in the era of the wrestler and forced everyone to cope, which helped to force strikers to evolve anti-wrestling and submission fighters to realize the importance of controlling the body from the bottom.  There is no denying that the man who won three major tournaments, the first UFC heavyweight champion, and the "grandfather of ground and pound" is one of the true legends of our sport.

Let's take a look back at the fights that defined Coleman's career:

vs. Don Frye At UFC 10

Nate did a good job of covering this fight in his recent judo chop.  Frye had absolutely blitzed the competition in his debut at the eight man tournament on the UFC 8 card, taking only 3:10 seconds to rack up three wins.  Frye then returned at UFC 9 and picked up another TKO victory over Amaury Bitetti in the ill fated UFC 9 and made the finals of the UFC 10 tourny where he met Coleman.

Mark was able to bust Frye up throughout the bout.  Repeatedly putting him on his back and repeatedly throwing fluries of heavy punches downward and providing an exclamation point to the beating with a few heavy headbutts, a Coleman trademark.

The always dangerous Frye was in a fight where he was forced to be on the defensive from the opening bell.  It was the perfect statement that a new force had arrived on the scene.  The only real negative for Coleman was that he looked to be gassing toward the latter part of the fight.

vs. Brian Johnston At UFC 11

With a first round win in yet another of the UFC's 8 man tournaments Coleman was now sitting with a 4-0 record.  It wasn't known at the time that this was to turn into the championship bout in the tournament due to several injuries preventing a final bout from taking place, but in the end that is how things went down.

Johnston was a decent striker, he had a reasonable amateur boxing pedigree and he wasn't afraid to use his legs.

It only took Mark 2:20 to pull off the submission victory due to strikes but yet another flaw in Coleman's game emerged in that brief time.  At a few points in the contest Johnston threw leg kicks which the stiff moving Coleman did not defend.  After the second leg kick landed Coleman was visibly bothered by the shot and looked uneasy.  Rather than play around any longer with the stand-up game, Mark timed the next kick, shot in and pounded out the quick submission.

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UFC 109: FEBRUARY 6, 2010
Mandalay Bay Events Center
Las Vegas, Nevada

Luke Thomas: Couture has to win on pace, not letting Coleman make the fight about Couture defensively wrestling and by showing Coleman enough looks to never let him establish any sort of top control rhythm. I have confidence Couture can do that, but the only question mark that still hangs in my mind is that of Couture's chin. Coleman can still take and deliver a decent shot to the jaw, Randy not to much on the former. I do think this fight will be closer than some expect, but The Natural should still prove the victor. Couture by decision.

Brent Brookhouse:  A typical Couture fight is a lot like a classical symphony.  It isn't overly aggressive or loud but there is a constant pace and a build toward something.  Coleman, on the other hand, has always been heavy metal.  Looking to come out loud and mean from the opening note.  But metal isn't meant to go on for 15 minutes and neither is Coleman.  If Mark can win the first round, Randy is almost sure to win the third round.  That makes round two the key to the entire fight.  I don't think Mark has it in him to keep up with Couture in a physical fight past the first 5 minutes, so I think Randy is going to take a decision that is MUCH closer than people are expecting.  I'll be pulling for Coleman, as nothing can change the fact that he was my first "favorite fighter" when I saw him run through the UFC 10 field on VHS as a 13 year old. I have to try and pick with my head and not my heart.  Randy Couture by close decision.

Michael Rome:  I think if Coleman has a chance, it's early.  He has a lot of power, and a very good double leg.  I just think Couture is going to use footwork to avoid standing right in front of him at distance for a nice double, which will create problems for Coleman.  Coleman's cardio is a big issue, simply because fighting Couture is always a battle of wills; Randy tries to break everyone's gas tank.  Even if Coleman steals the first round, it will probably be in a grueling grappling match that I don't think he has the gas tank for.  I think Coleman runs out of steam and gets stopped in the third.  Randy Couture via TKO, round 3.

Mike Fagan: I'm not sure if people just overwhelmingly think Couture will win or if people think Couture will overwhelm Coleman because I do think this fight will be competitive at the start.  And Coleman's chances lay entirely on how long he can stay competitive.  He will gas out at some point.  But if he can keep enough in the tank to go two good rounds, he might be able to steal the fight.  Still, Couture's a much better MMA fighter and barring his complete breakdown, you have to take Randy Couture by TKO, round 3.

Nick Thomas: Couture is better at everything. Couture by decision.

Leland Roling: Coleman's best opportunity to win is an all-out blitz in the early portions of the first round. If he can't gain the takedown and do some damage on Couture early, his conditioning will more than likely suffer, an area in which Couture excels. Couture will likely use his striking from a distance to pepper Coleman with shots throughout the fight, use the clinch to wear him down, and win via decision. Randy Couture via decision.


Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen

Luke Thomas: Sonnen doesn't have enough skills either standing or in the submission defense department to prevent a loss. Given his aggressive, move-forward style he applies in MMA, he'll eventually get caught one way or the other. Marquardt by submission.

Kid Nate: This is a really great bout. A #1 contender's match between two guys on hot streaks coming off tough title contention eliminator fights. Marquardt is the better striker and better jiu jitsu guy. Sonnen's the wrestler. Marquardt's grappling game hasn't really featured a lot of submissions from his guard though. I'm tempted to pick Sonnen just because he's tough and can probably control Marquardt physically with his greco. But Nate has more ways to finish the fight. Marquardt by TKO.

Brent Brookhouse:  Nate's striking is good, but there is a lot of flash to it and a lot of holes left open.  He's the striking version of Dustin Hazelett.  They're both very flashy when they're doing their thing but they can still be beaten in that area by the right guy.  Chael's striking isn't good enough to take advantage of those holes through.  Sonnen could out-wrestle him to get a decision but Marquardt should be able to neutralize the wrestling more often than Chael can neutralize the striking.  My world will be a lot more fun with Sonnen getting to continue to run his mouth though.  Nate Marquardt by unanimous decision.

Michael Rome:  I don't think this fight is that close.  Sonnen has done a great job talking himself up, but Nate is going to be very well prepared for the wrestling.  Even on his back I think he has the advantage here.  Nate Marquardt via TKO, round 2.

Mike Fagan: If Nate doesn't win with his dynamic striking, he'll catch Sonnen with a guillotine when Chael's shooting a double.  Sonnen needs to outwrestle Marquardt for 2 of 3 rounds.  Nate just needs to find an opening.  Nate Marquardt by submission, round 1.

Nick Thomas: Sonnen is going to hold Marquardt down for as long as he can, but at some point Marquardt is going to catch Sonnen. Marquardt by TKO.

Leland Roling: This is a solid scrap, but it really comes down to whether Sonnen has the power to put the bulkier Marquardt on his back repeatedly without getting submitted. Sonnen showed some exceptional strength in the Okami fight, but he wasn't able to keep Okami down too often. Marquardt will be able to work off his back much more effectively than Okami, and he has better striking and great conditioning to boot. Ultimately, I think Marquardt's striking advantage will be his key to success. Nate Marquardt via TKO, Round 2.


Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller

Luke Thomas: Some people smell an upset here, but I just can't see it. People are too worried about the way in which Marquardt finished Maia and letting that affect their judgment. I suspect Maia's defensive guard on his feet and distance-closing procedure have only improved. And in my view, all he has to do is get his hands on Miller to get the W. Maia by submission, round 2.

Kid Nate: Another very compelling match, that unfortunately for Miller, is a poor stylistic match for him. Miller is like a better version of Jason MacDonald -- a solid wrestler who's added a ood submission game to become a very effective fighter. But when a guy who relies on his submissions for most of his wins runs into Demian Maia, it's not a contest. Miller is the better striker, but not so much that he'll get the KO. Maia by submission.

Brent Brookhouse: I'm going with the upset.  Sonnen was dumb in how he applied his wrestling to the Maia fight.  Miller has the wrestling PLUS the BJJ game to be able to avoid having to play the ground game with Maia.  Maia's striking technique in the training videos didn't look significantly improved, there are still plenty of holes and Miller can take advantage of them.  As long as Miller is never content to remain on the ground he can just work, work, work his way to a decision.  Dan Miller by unanimous decision.

Michael Rome:  I'm going out on a limb and picking the upset here.  It's not that I think Miller is even in Maia's league grappling--it's just that these fights start standing, and I think Miller has the game both to keep it there and to survive if it does end up on the ground for a couple minutes.  Dan Miller via TKO, round 2.

Mike Fagan: Melvin Manhoef showed what K-1 level striking looks like against a good MMA striker.  Maia will show Miller the difference between black belt and world class without the embarrassing Hail Mary finish.  Demian Maia by submission, round 2.

Nick Thomas: Will black belt Miller get caught on the ground, I think so. Maia by submission.

Leland Roling: Miller is the better striker in this fight, but Maia's grappling in on another level in this sport. While some of the people I have talked to point at Miller's wrestling, Miller still isn't a world class wrestler by any means, and Maia cake-walked through an Olympic-level wrestler in Sonnen. I'll take Maia by the bait and switch, and he'll submit Miller quickly. Demian Maia via submission, round 1.

Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg

Luke Thomas: Trigg looked awful at the weigh-ins. I just don't think his body is cooperating with where his heart and mind want to take him. Serra's likely going to spend a lot of time on his back, however, and that to me is problematic. I can't see Trigg get submitted, but I can see him get TKO'd. The question is how likely that might be. I'll give Trigg a chance on one last shot at relevancy. Trigg by decision.

Kid Nate: A second fun senior league match. Would love to have seen this one in 2002.  I think Trigg has less left in his tank than Serra. Plus Serra's KO power and jiu jitsu advantage gives him lots of ways to win. Trigg would have to control every moment of the fight to win and Serra has shown he can stymie Matt Hughes' attempts to do that. Serra by KO.

Brent Brookhouse: I know it's a dangerous thing to try and made determinations about what is going on in a fighter's head.  But Frank seems like he doesn't have a ton of competitive fire in him, he also gives up bad positions and can be hurt with punches.  Serra can hit hard, and can finish if he has the chance.  Matt Serra by TKO, round 2.

Michael Rome:  I could see Serra getting smothered, but I suspect he's spent all his time training wrestling because it's all Trigg really has to offer him.  Trigg's chin is suspect and Serra swings for the fences.  I think he'll connect early.  Matt Serra via KO, round 1.

Mike Fagan: It's like the Marquardt/Sonnen fight if Marquardt (Serra) lacked a dynamic stand up game and couldn't transfer his BJJ into MMA.  Oh, and Serra's a pastaweight.  I think Trigg can do the same thing Hughes did to Serra, and just as convincingly if he doesn't get butted. Frank Trigg by decision.

Nick Thomas: I don't think Trigg will be able to keep Serra down. Serra by decision.

Leland Roling: Trigg's wrestling will be the key to victory in this battle, and while he hasn't had great luck when his opponent takes his back -- he should be able to stop Serra from gaining those positions in this fight. Trigg will want to get inside quickly and avoid Serra's somewhat heavy hands. If he can do that, Trigg should be able to pound on Serra little by little over three rounds on his way to victory. Frank Trigg via decision.

Paulo Thiago vs. Mike Swick

Luke Thomas: AKA is doing a reverse Greg Jackson. That is, the former team will send out a test case to defeat an opponent. He'll lose but likely learn a lot and give those secrets to the next teammate who faces the same challenger, except the next teammate is a better fighter. In AKA's case (Koscheck fight notwithstanding), Fitch went first, won on skills that only Fitch has and is now trying to bring Swick up to speed. I don't think it's going to work. Thiago by TKO.

Kid Nate: I'm loving this card. Swick should win this one but Thiago has shown he's a dangerous man who can win at anytime. Swick's wrestling and range will make the difference. I'm going to take Mike Swick by decision.

Brent Brookhouse:  Thiago is tough, and he'll need to be in this fight.  He seems like the worlds most frustrating striker.  He looks dreadful at some moments, and others is using decent positioning and technique.  On the ground he's a handful and I think at some point he'll be able to force the fight there and take a submission.  Paulo Thiago by submission, round 2.

Michael Rome: I am a Mike Swick skeptic, but I think he can avoid a submission and use his range to win a striking match.  Of course I thought he'd win a striking match with Hardy given his range, so what do I know?  Thiago didn't really impress me against Volkmann.  Swick via decision.

Mike Fagan: I hate Mike Swick, but I have a hard time seeing Thiago drag this to the ground enough to submit or outpoint him.  I expect fifteen minutes of Swick striking from range leading to Mike Swick by decision.

Nick Thomas: Thiago is a tough fight for Swick. But I think Swick can win this standing up. Swick by decision.

Leland Roling: I was actually somewhat impressed with the composure and improvement in Paulo Thiago's technical striking in the Jacob Volkmann fight. I think if he can do the same in this fight, he'll surprise Swick with a few stiff jabs to setup some takedowns. I don't think he'll break out a submission or finish, but I think he can outgrapple Swick and possibly hurt him a few times on his way to victory. I'm going with the upset. Paulo Thiago via decision.

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