Happy Holidays to everyone out there in Torch Nation. With UFC 79 fast approaching, I thought now would be a good time to bring back an old favorite.

With apologies to Randy Rowles, I've taken the liberty of resurrecting one of popular features here at the Torch. The PREDICTION CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

For you to become the next Number One Contender for the MMATorch Prediction Championship, send in your picks for UFC 79, to be held Saturday, December 29, to air on PPV. If you're able to correctly predict the most UFC 79 fights, you'll earn a head-to-head championship match-up with your picks against our champion at UFC 80 on January 19, 2008.    

At UFC 77, Micky Wan successfully defended his MMATorch Prediction Championship against MMA Torch columnist Shawn Ennis (nice try, bud!).  Also, at UFC 77, MMA Torch columnist and guru, Mike Jarsulic outlasted the crowd and became the #1 contender. We skipped UFC 78, but we'll have a go here at UFC 79.  Here's your chance to be next in line for a title opportunity at UFC 80, where you'll go head-to-head with either Wan or Jarsulic.

Below is the complete fight card for UFC 79. Please send in your predictions with the following format:

(Winner / Method of Victory / Ending Round)

PART A - Who wins?

PART B - How do they win? Methods of victory can be -- submission, KO/TKO, Unanimous/Majority/Split Decision, DQ.

PART C - What round do they win in? All fights will have 3 five-minute rounds.

Here’s a recent example of our Prediction Format for UFC 76.

UFC 79: NEMESIS

1 - Mark Bocek (4-0) vs. Doug Evans (6-0)

2 - Roan Carneiro (11-5) vs. Tony Desouza (9-3)

3 - Jordan Radev (16-1) vs. Dean "Boogeyman" Lister (9-5)

4 - Nate Mohr (6-4) vs. Manny "Pitbull" Gamburyan (5-2)

5 - Luis "Banha" Cane (7-0) vs. James "Sandman" Irvin (12-4-1)

6 - Soa Palelei (8-1) vs. Eddie "Manic Hispanic" Sanchez (8-1)

7 - Rich "No Love" Clementi (35-12-1) vs. Melvin "Young Assassin" Guillard (39-7-3)

8 - Lyoto Machida (10-0) vs. Rameau "African Assassin" Sokoudjou (4-1)

9 - Chuck "Iceman" Liddell (20-4), MMA Torch Nation #5 ranked Light Heavyweight vs. Wanderlei "Axe Murderer" Silva (31-7-1), MMA Torch Nation #4 ranked Light Heavyweight

10 - Matt Hughes (43-5), MMA Torch Nation #2 ranked Welterweight vs. Georges "Rush" St. Pierre (13-2), MMA Torch Nation #1 ranked Welterweight

Your UFC 79: NEMESIS Predictions can be e-mailed to mailto:drscruf18@yahoo.com .

The new number one contender for the MMATorch Prediction Championship will be determined by who correctly predicts the most fights at UFC 79. The winning MMATorch reader or writer will compete head-to-head against our champion in predicting UFC 80 fights. The championship match between MMATorch Prediction Champion Micky Wan and MMATorch columnist Mike Jarsulic will be detailed in our Staff Predictions article before UFC 79. That is, God and internet willing.

To be eligible, you must submit at least Part A above. Part B and Part C are optional. In the event of a tie, the winners will be determined by who correctly predicts the most combined methods (Part B) and rounds of victory (Part C).  There are 2 tiebreaker points that can be earned per fight.  The methods and rounds of victory will be worth one point each for non-decision predictions.  For decision predictions, one point will be awarded for picking a decision and one point will be awarded for correctly picking unanimous, majority or split decision.  In the further event of a tie, a correct KO or TKO prediction will be awarded half a point.  

Please send in your predictions by 6:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, December 29. Entries can be resubmitted up until this time. Please make a note in your e-mail that your entry is a resubmission, which will void your original entry.

Remember -- you've got to play to win, so send in your predictions and show us why you deserve to reign supreme as the MMATorch Prediction Champion. It won't be an easy task securing a spot in the championship match, but once you're there, it'll be easier to stay on top. As the champion, you'll only have to compete with one other person. The rest of us, in the meantime, will be competing against each other to become the new number one contender for your title. Good luck all!

Your UFC 79: NEMESIS Predictions can be e-mailed to DRSCRUF18@yahoo.com.