Ok, so I went 3-6 on Wednesday. I got on an underdog push and I got the fever. Hey, it happens. After all, 2007 is the year of the underdog, right? Wrong. 2007 WAS the year of the underdog. Things have returned to the usual routine recently and shooting from the hip, going out on a limb and all of those clichés have been tossed out the old window.

So, UFC 76 will come at you live from the home of the 2006-2007 Stanley Cup Champion, Anaheim “Mighty” Ducks. Let’s take a look at his card from bottom to top.

1) Michihiro Omigawa (4-3, 2 TKO) vs. Matt “Handsome”

Wiman (7-3, 3 TKO, 2 Sub) – Lightweights

Omigawa is a DEEP veteran with a strong judo background. He has won

three in a row, including TKOs in his last two fights. He trains with Kaz

Nakamura who also is appearing on this card. This will be Wiman’s third

UFC appearance. He’s currently 1-1 in the octagon and also has a loss to

poster boy Roger Huerta outside the UFC. Wiman trains with American

Top Team and likely is the better-rounded fighter. He is a heavy favorite

going into this one, which suggests that Zuffa would like to keep their

TUF 5 stars on the winning path. I’m surprised Wiman is as favored as he

is against a veteran of the DEEP promotion, however, I blew it thinking

this way on Wednesday and I ain’t doing that again. I see Wiman getting

a takedown and a ground and pound victory late in the first round.

2) Christian “The Hungarian Nightmare” Wellisch (7-3, 4 TKO, 2 Sub)

vs. Scott Junk (6-1, 4 TKO, 1 Sub) – Heavyweights

Junk comes to us from Pro camp, home of Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald. He’s bounced around the minor promotions (i.e. MFC, ROTR), but has won six in a row after an opening loss to Ricco Rodriguez (Yikes!). He doesn’t have too many big names on his resume, but most of his opponents have had winning records. He’s a moderate underdog to Wellisch, who is making his UFC return after a nine month layoff. Wellisch is 1-1 in the UFC with his blemish being a TKO loss to Cheick Kongo (which doesn’t look too bad these days, does it?). I haven’t seen much of either fighter out there on line, but I tend to lean towards Wellisch as he a) is a UFC veteran, b) has won two fights by submission and c) is the favorite in the fight. Wellisch by submission in the second round.

3) Diego “The Octopus” Saraiva (9-5-1, 1 TKO, 8 Sub) vs. Jeremy

Stephens (9-2, 7 TKO, 1 Sub) – Lightweights

Saraiva is in a bit of a dry spell having lost his only two UFC bouts by

decision to Jorge Gurgel and Dustin Hazelett. This being his third fight,

it may be do-or-die time for Saraiva in the hotly contested lightweight

division. Stephens is 0-1 in his UFC career after getting submitted by Din

Thomas back in May. Since then, he has smelled the sweet aroma of victory

by knocking out Nick Walker in the Midwest Cage Championship in July.

Stephens is a striker first, submit later fighter. Saraiva prefers the submission

approach to victory. This looks like another of those famous “contrast of styles”

fights that I always pick wrong. This is truly a tough fight to pick. I always

lean towards the ground guys in the cage, but I have become a fan of the

bangers. Let’s go with Stephens by second round TKO.

4) Rich “No Love” Clementi (25-12-1, 9 TKO, 11 Sub) vs. Anthony

“Rumble” Johnson (4-0, 2 TKO) – Lightweights

Clementi sports a 1-3 UFC record, despite his long and impressive career.

Clementi always strikes me as a good that should win, but somehow never

does. He’s matched up against Johnson who is 4-0 and has a win in the

octagon despite only fighting there for thirteen seconds. If I’m not mistaken,

Johnson is coming down in weight for this fight, which is a plus in my book.

And, he’s got some KO power and, as I said earlier, Clementi never seems to

get the “W”. So, adding all of that up, and since Johnson is the favorite, let’s

take Johnson here by third round TKO.

5) Thiago Tavares (13-0, 1 TKO, 10 Sub) vs.

Tyson Griffin (9-1, 5 TKO, 3 Sub) – Lightweights

Now, we’re talking! This should be a great fight between two very good

fighters. Both fighters have gaudy records and some big wins. Griffin’s

UFC path has certainly been fraught with potholes. He’s had an unpredictably

tough battle from Frank Edgar and then cardio machine Clay Guida. Now, it’s

undefeated Tavares who is a submission machine and 2-0 in the UFC. Griffin

proved to be a slippery character in both of his UFC fights. However, I don’t

think he’ll be able to afford a slipup against Tavares. Also, I think Tavares is

going to get his shot here and make it count. This should be a very exciting

fight and event though he is the slight dog here, I’m going with Tavares to

catch Griffin in a submission and hang on for dear life. Tavares by submission

in round 2.

6) Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-6, 2 TKO, 2 Sub) vs. Ryoto “Lyoto”

Machida (10-0, 3 TKO, 1 Sub) – Light Heavyweights

Dig this. Machida is undefeated and has beaten B.J. Penn AND Rich Franklin.

He puts the zero on the line against Nakamura who has fought his entire

career in Pride and makes his UFC debut right here. Nakamura has a nifty

resume and has lost to every “A” list fighter he’s seen including Big Nog

twice, Wanderlei Silva, Josh Barnett, Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson.

He’s beaten everybody else. The question is how does Machida match up?

Machida seems to be the anti-Clementi in that he seems to always find a

way to win. Seeing that he’s the veteran in the octagon and that this fight

is screaming decision, I think Machida keeps his record intact and goes to

11-0 by unanimous decision.

7) Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez (17-1, 5 TKO, 8 Sub) vs.

Jon “I just win, baby” Fitch (14-2, 4 TKO, 5 Sub) – Welterweights

Sanchez returns to the octagon, but it doesn’t get any easier. In fact, Fitch

should present more of a problem to Sanchez than Kos, as Fitch is an

extremely well-rounded fighter who has been on the sidelines of the

division waiting for a big matchup to thrust him into the championship

hunt. A win here would certainly do that. Sanchez is looking to get some

of his mojo back after a lackluster performance against Koscheck.

Sanchez is a slight underdog to Fitch and that tells me that the fight books

are giving Fitch some respect. I expect that line to move as the casual fan

tosses a little jingle at Sanchez’s well-known name. Both fighters are very

versatile and explosive. I think this comes down to who wants it more.

Fitch has been waiting a LONG time. Expect him to set the pace and use

the Koscheck method to set up scoring blows. The difference is Fitch

knows how to finish if the chance presents itself. It might, but I think this

goes the distance with Fitch frustrating the “Nightmare” all fight long and

winning a unanimous decision.

8) Forrest Griffin (14-4, 3 TKO, 6 Sub) vs. Mauricio “Shogun”

Rua (16-2, 13 TKO, 1 Sub) – Light Heavyweights

Pride fighters, by and large, have not fared well in the cage since Zuffa

has assumed control. Rua enters this fight as the consensus number one

light heavyweight in the world despite holding no belt. Hailing from Chute

Boxe, Rua has an aggressive striking style and has outstanding finishing

ability. Everything in his preflight hype has suggested that he is very

anxious to bring his style to the UFC. All of this not bode well for one

of my favorite fighters. I expect Rua to come right at Griffin and fire away.

Griffin demonstrated his new strike and back off style against Ramirez

back in June. It wasn’t pretty but at least Griffin admitted he was gun-shy

after getting knocked into another zip code by Jardine. The octagon should

benefit Rua’s style unlike some of his Pride compadres who have not

looked as comfortable. Griffin is a tough character and as game as they come,

but I just can’t see him winning this fight. Rua is a tough guy as well and,

at least at this point in time, Griffin is over his head. I think this will be a

fun fight to watch and I am sure Griffin will get his shots in, but Rua is

too much. Rua wins by third round TKO.

9) Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell (20-4, 13 TKO, 1 Sub) vs. Keith

“The Dean of Mean” Jardine (12-3-1, 6 TKO, 2 Sub) – Light Heavyweights

Well now, if you’ve been listening to our podcasts (which when they come

 out are GREAT for long car trips, like from Iowa to New York), you know

 that Shawn Ennis and I have been leaning towards Jardine winning this

fight. Both fighters are coming off knockout losses, so the post-KO reaction

is in play, but in stereo here. Liddell has been the unstoppable force in the

UFC for nearly ever, unless he’s fighting Quinton Jackson. And, back in the

title fight, the argument went that Jackson could win, because he was willing

 to stand up with Chuck and could land blows. Moreover, the argument went

 that Jackson would not let Liddell pursue him and thus would put himself in

a position to win. Enter Jardine, who also is a striker first, who also comes

forward, who also is not someone that backpedals in a fight and who also is

not primarily a ground guy at all. So, I ask you, why can’t Jardine win? The

answer is that he can. Both fighters have been embarrassed in their previous

fights. Both are on the road to bigger things if they win. I would use the same

argument here, except I think that if there was ever a fighter who loved being

champion and getting the exposure that the belt brings more than Chuck

Liddell, I haven’t seen them yet. Liddell has a ton to lose if he drops this fight.

If he does lose, he’ll be 38 for his next fight and coming off two (probably)

knockout losses. The title will be years away, especially with Rua and Wanderlei

entering the picture. I think that motivation will bring the best Liddell we have

seen to the cage and it will be enough to dispatch Jardine. I will probably throw

a little fantasy jingle at Jardine in the Betting contest, but I got goosed by the

underdog bug earlier and I’m not letting it run away with me this time. This

should be an excellent main event, even if its non-title. Look for some big

exchanges with Liddell utilizing slippery angles to pepper Jardine and take

him out with strikes. I don’t they’ll be hesitant. If I’m right on that, this is a

one round fight. If not, it’ll end in two. Both guys are anxious. Liddell by

TKO in round one.

So, there you have it. I went 3-6 earlier this week. But, I think I got the junk

out of my system. I’m feeling it. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the Torch

contests hunt, but I’ve got a hint that my mojo is back. Feel free to tell me

I’m nuts in my forum on the message boards. Hit the link above and let your

voice be heard! Newbs and opinions of all sorts are welcome. This ain’t