After a successful showing by the UFC's British talent at UFC 105, Zuffa heads back to their home base in Las Vegas, Nevada for UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin II on Saturday, November 21st from the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The event's headliner will feature a rematch between UFC veterans Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz, a bout that took place at UFC 59 and ended with a split decision victory for Tito Ortiz. This match will now feature two former champions as Griffin did obtain the strap at UFC 86, and it'll also give fans a chance to watch an injury-free Ortiz try to prove that his back was a huge disability in his past performances.

Before we delve into the intricacies of the rematch, we'll take a look at the UFC 106 preliminary card, a card that will feature six preliminary bouts with two of those match-ups airing for free on SpikeTV preceding the pay-per-view at 10 PM EST.

One of those battles that fans will see on SpikeTV will be a welterweight match-up between American Top Team-trained fighter and The Ultimate Fighter Season 6 contestant Ben Saunders (7-1-2, 3-1 UFC) battling proud Irish-American southpaw Marcus Davis (16-5, 8-2 UFC). Saunders enters the contest following a loss at UFC 99 to top welterweight talent Mike Swick while Davis went to war with Dan Hardy on the same card, losing via split decision.

Davis will bring a successful boxing background as a highly-ranked super middleweight fighter in the New England region in his more youthful days, and that punching has translated well to the sport of mixed martial arts. While he has been susceptible to speedier strikers, Davis does have the footwork and skills in the boxing department to frustrate fighters trying to bang with him. With help from Jorge Gurgel and Mark Dellagrotte, Davis has rounded out his skills enough to be considered a middle-of-the-road fighter in the UFC's welterweight division.

For Saunders, this will be a bout in which he can prove he belongs in bigger fights following his loss to Mike Swick. Saunders' lengthy frame is one of his biggest assets, and the Muay Thai techniques and jiu-jitsu tactics that he can use with that frame will cause some concern for Marcus Davis in this fight. Davis will more than likely want to trade punches with the less-experienced Ben Saunders, but I think Saunders will want to put Davis on his back or in the clinch to use his size to his advantage. The Muay Thai plum and knees in the clinch will soften up Davis, but I think Saunders can ultimately end this fight on the floor.

I'm going to go with the upset immediately here and taking Ben Saunders. While Davis could punch him out early, Davis has never fought someone with Saunders' size or bulk at welterweight. Look for Saunders to damage Davis in the clinch and win this one in the later rounds.

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In his last fight, Anthony Johnson came in six pounds over at the UFC 104 weigh-ins. A few days before that fight he was walking around at 190 pounds.

This interview with MMA Mania seems to indicate that Johnson is five pounds closer to his goal than he was this far out from UFC 104:

MMAmania.com: With regards to your weight, what have you been doing this time around to ensure that you won't miss the 171 pound mark?

Anthony Johnson: I'm still doing the same thing I did for my last fight, just kind of without hindrance. I got time to make the weight and I feel healthy so there won't be any excuses. 

MMAmania.com: What is your weight at right now, roughly four days from the weigh-ins?

Anthony Johnson: 185 pounds.

MMAmania.com: Does that mean you are on target then? You're good to go?

Anthony Johnson: Oh yeah. Fighters usually lose ten pounds the day before and then the last four or five the day of the weigh-ins. I feel great.

Hopefully the quick return to the Octagon will help Johnson make weight. Last time he experimented with a new weight-cutting process in addition to starting out ten pounds heavier than normal  -- 220lbs (!). This time I presume he's going to stick with the tried and true based on the above quote it appears he plans to try it again just will be starting out closer to his goal. Hope that works out for him.

If Johnson fails to make weight again, it will be a very strong indication that he needs to move up to middleweight.

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A sturdy, strong and most importantly, technically fundamental Brown could do serious damage following a similar gameplan to Azevedo.

Unless, of course, Aldo has improved. And he has.

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Sherdog is reporting that Randy Couture and Mark Coleman will be one of the headline bouts for UFC 109:

Randy Couture and Mark Coleman have verbally agreed to a light heavyweight headlining bout at UFC 109 on Feb. 6 in Las Vegas, Sherdog.com has learned through sources close to the bout.

If signed, the bout will mark the first time UFC hall of famers have met in the Octagon. Both former heavyweight champions, Couture was originally slated to face Coleman at UFC 17 in May 1998 in Mobile, Ala., before the four-time Olympic alternate hurt his ribs prepping for that year’s Greco-Roman wrestling Nationals.

This will mark Couture's third fight in about five months, which isn't too shabby for a 46 year old.  I'll admit that it's rather neat to the MMA history dork in me that we'll see a fight that was supposed to take place 11 years ago happen, and the fact that both men are still picking up wins in the UFC is very impressive.

But, at the same time we're not exactly looking at a fight with meaning in the division.  Couture has to be the heavy favorite heading in and him taking out Coleman doesn't prove that he is ready to take on a Shogun or a Machida.  It is pretty clear that the hits the roster has taken because of injuries will lead to some moves like this fight that look a bit desperate.