This battle of Brazil takes place at UFC 97 where Anderson Silva fights Thales Leites in the main event for the middleweight title on April 18th in Montreal, Canada.
Anderson Silva vs Thales Leites
I don’t think this one is going to be close. Thales Leites barely won against Nate Marquardt, lost to Wilson Gouveia. Anderson Silva will be too fast, have that lanky reach, and the kicks that Leites does not possess. Oh yeh the tremendous footwork. Silva has some of the best footwork in the biz. Silva will be too difficult to get to the ground. If by some chance Leites can get Silva down, then it will likely be because Anderson wanted to test himself there.
Anderson can lose this fight if he plays games and does not strike the way he can strike and lets this
fight become a jiu-jitsu match. At that point Leites may get lucky. Outside of this possibility I’ve seen odds skewed worse than this. I like Silva in a near guaranteed win.
Anderson Silva should win easily and the odds look to be fairly set.
*Chuck “The Iceman” Lidell vs Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
We haven’t seen the Shogun from Pride yet in the UFC. He hasn’t shown up due to either injury, weight issues, being sick, or whatever. Lidell has been KO’d twice. This is the battle of former legends.
Chuck has not had trouble with cardio the way Shogun has had in the past. I think this is a distinct advantage for Chuck. The lack of soccer kicks for Shogun is yes still a disadvantage because he utilized this technique in Pride extensively to score damage. Chuck hasn’t been subbed since Jeremy Horn eons ago. I have to think Chuck is going to win this one.
Krzysztof Soszynski vs *Brian Stann
This fight should be good. I called the Cantwell upset, and I like Brian Stann to bounce back here and get a V over Soszynski. Unless Krzysztof striking has been improved, I think Stann is too fast for him. The problem, from what I’ve seen of them both, has been cardio. The one who can control the fight in the later rounds can win this one as I see both fighters either dishing out big attacks and absorbing those attacks, but no Round 1 finishes. So the one who is pushing at the end of the fight will be the winner and I think that will be Brian Stann.
*Cheick Kongo vs Antoni Hardonk
The question for every event that Hardonk is in, is will Hardonk fight Hardonk’s fight and more importantly how many times will I use only Hardonk’s last name? Kongo is the faster, stronger, bigger fighter. My head tells me Kongo will win this as Hardonk has been too unreliable with his gameplan/conditioning to place money on. However, I would personally like to see Hardonk instill Hardonk’s game and achieve a victory for the Hardonk name.
*Steve Cantwell Vs. Luiz Cane
Another great matchup. I lean towards Cantwell here as he is faster, but Cane has phantom power and can obviously connect at any moment. I still like Cantwell in the underdog position here.
*Denis Kang vs Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Denis Kang. That is it.
*Jason MacDonald vs Nate Quarry
Quarry has power, a suspect chin, and was manhandled by Demian Maia. MacDonald has little power, a granite chin, and was manhandled by Demian Maia. The difference between the two matchups with Maia, is that MacDonald hung on longer and was able to escape a few early subs. The first one Maia slapped on Quarry it was over. MacDonald is like a dirtier Maia. I think The Athlete will be able to at some point wear down Quarry and take the Victory via sub sandwich.
*David Loiseau vs Ed Herman
Loiseau is going to win this one and here is why. He was always hit or miss when Loiseau was in the UFC, but his fights outside the UFC he has been winning against the lower tier competition aside from split decision loss to Jason Day. David Loiseau is fighting in Montreal and Sportsbook has him at a slight favorite. Herman will have trouble with the weather. Ok I’m kidding this doesn’t matter, but I like Loiseau at home AND back in the UFC for the first time in nearly 2 years.
*Mark Bocek vs David Bielkheden
I like Bocek against an up and down Bielkheden.
Sam Stout vs *Matt Wiman
Its hard not to go against the ever improving Wiman. I don’t know if this is the last fight on the contract for these two, Sam Stout has dropped two decisions, and Wiman has been up and down. Sam Stout is fighting in Canada, that has to help him. This fight could the way of the Spencer Fisher/Sam Stout matchup with Stout losing a decision. I like Wiman to take the win.
