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There's no rest for the weary if you're a UFC fan. The fight promotion's latest card, UFC 76: Knockout, is slated to take place Saturday from The Pond in Anaheim, Calif. at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. It will be the UFC's third major card in two weeks coming off the heels of UFC 75 on Sept. 8 in London and UFC Fight Night 11 this past Wednesday.
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While it's the third show in two weeks, the card on paper is hardly a letdown. The show will feature the return of former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and the much-anticipated debut of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
A competitive welterweight matchup between Jon Fitch and Diego Sanchez that appears too close to call is also scheduled, along with a bout featuring two of the hottest prospects in the UFC's lightweight division: Tyson Griffin vs. Thiago Tavares.
Previewing the television bouts:
Chuck Liddell (20-4) vs. Keith Jardine (12-4-1): This is a main event matchup some fans have been critical of considering the fact that Jardine is coming off a 48-second first-round TKO loss to Houston Alexander at UFC 71. But cut the UFC some slack; this match was originally intended to be between Liddell and Wanderlei Silva, but the deal fell through because of Silva's scheduling conflicts. With all of the other top light heavyweight fighters committed elsewhere, the UFC had to make the best out of an unfortunate situation.
If Liddell can defeat Jardine, there is a strong chance he will finally fight Silva at UFC's December pay-per-view, so UFC 76 could have a huge impact on cards in the immediate future.
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| Chuck Liddell tries to get back on the right side of a KO punch on Saturday. (UFC) |
To automatically chalk this fight up as a Liddell victory would be an egregious error. During Liddell's seven-fight win streak, some critics claimed the UFC was protecting him by matching him up primarily with ground fighters. They said that once Liddell fought a credible striker who was willing to stand in the pocket and trade with him, his chin could be exposed. Enter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 71 and the end of Liddell's light heavyweight title reign.
Liddell does not have the greatest ground game in the world but is one of the best sprawlers in MMA. Three of his four losses have come by strikes (two to Jackson and one to Randy Couture) so Jardine presents a dangerous matchup because there's a chance Liddell could get caught. Some would argue that you could say that about any fighter, but there's a higher percentage chance of Jardine catching Liddell than other recent Liddell opponent (Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Tito Ortiz, and Jeremy Horn).
Liddell also must answer questions as to how he'll respond from a devastating knockout at UFC 71, in which he lasted only 1:53 into Round 1. If past history is any indication, "The Iceman" should not experience any lingering psychological effects, because the last time he was TKO'd by Jackson, he went on his seven-fight win streak.
Final prediction: There might be a scare at one point, but look for Liddell to win via second-round TKO.
Thiago Tavares (16-0) vs. Tyson Griffin (9-1): Tavares vs. Griffin is the leading candidate on the card to earn match of the night honors. These 155-pound fighters have tremendous ground games and the potential to become future UFC lightweight champions.
Griffin is the better athlete, with better wrestling skills and the better standup. Win or lose, Griffin always gives the fans their money's worth. He has already been in two match of the year candidates; first at UFC 67 losing in an upset to Frankie Edger via unanimous decision; then at UFC 72, winning a controversial split decision over Clay Guida that many pundits felt Guida really won. Griffin can also make the claim as being the only man to defeat WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber. He recorded a TKO vs. Faber at five seconds into Round 3 during a Gladiator Challenge event back in 2005.
