Nick Diaz (26-7-0): +350<\/strong><\/p>\nDiaz is one of the toughest men on the planet \u2013 incredible boxing with a granite chin. He is no slouch on the ground either \u2013 he is a Gracie Black Belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.<\/p>\n
GSP has been known as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet for a reason. He is the best wrestler in the division, his top control is like no other, his ability to adapt and learn from every fight is a thing of legend and his smarts seems to be on a different level from every other MMA practitioner.<\/p>\n
As mentioned GSP is a cerebral guy \u2013 he knows how to stay out of his opponents\u2019 danger areas. While I expect Diaz to tag Georges on the feet a few times, I also think this fight will hit the mat quickly and it will remain there for the majority of the bout. Watch for Georges to draw Nick into his type of fight \u2013 not the other way around.<\/p>\n
St. Pierre\u2019s takedowns and top control will be the difference in a lopsided decision win for Georges St. Pierre. Will anyone else get pleasure out of seeing Nick Diaz get beaten down?<\/p>\n
Pick:<\/strong> Georges St. Pierre -500<\/p>\nMain Card<\/h3>\n
Carlos Condit (28-6-0): +110<\/strong>
\n Johny Hendricks (14-1-0): -140<\/strong><\/p>\nJohny Hendricks steps in for injured Rory MacDonald to take on one of the best strikers in the division \u2013 former interim champ Carlos Condit. Hendricks has that rare combination of top tier wrestling and serious one-punch knockout power.<\/p>\n
Condit has terrific skills anywhere this fight happens to go \u2013 13 submission victories and 13 (T)KOs in his career.<\/p>\n
This could end up being the Fight of the Night. While I respect the current run that Hendricks is on, I love the all around game of Carlos Condit and his ability to defend any sort of MMA tactic to get it done Saturday. Condit is too crafty, too good on his feet, too proficient on the ground and too motivated (to get another shot at GSP) to be denied. I suppose Hendricks could land one of his incredible fight-ending strikes but Condit is aware of Hendricks\u2019 power.<\/p>\n
After all, Condit easily defeated one of the best strikers in the game \u2013 Nick Diaz only a few months ago.<\/p>\n
Pick:<\/strong> Carlos Condit +110<\/p>\nJake Ellenberger (28-6-0): -165<\/strong>
\n Nate Marquardt (32-11-2): +135<\/strong><\/p>\nWelcome back to the UFC Nate Marquart! The former Strikeforce Middleweight champion was never supposed to be back in the organization but the stars have aligned and Nate finds himself on the main card of a good UFC event. His opponent \u2013 Jake Ellenberger whose aggression and superior striking skills will be anything but welcoming to Mr. Marquart.<\/p>\n
Ellenberger also possesses top notch wrestling \u2013 takedowns should be a big part of Jake\u2019s game Saturday.<\/p>\n
Marquart brings experience, a solid ground game and a good power striking game into Saturday\u2019s fight. But a look at his last fight reveals that Nate can be outstruck, outwrestled and outmaneuvered by elite grapplers like Ellenberger.<\/p>\n
Ellenberger has some work to do in order to get back to the status he held three or four fights back \u2013 it all starts with a dominant win over Nate Marquart Saturday.<\/p>\n
Pick:<\/strong> Jake Ellenberger -165<\/p>\nChris Camozzi (18-5-0): -115<\/strong>
\n Nick Ring (13-1-0): -115<\/strong><\/p>\nTwo former TUF 11 alums forced out of the tournament by injury meet in what should be a very interesting striking battle Saturday \u2013 Camozzi being the Muay Thai practitioner and Ring being the more technical boxer.<\/p>\n
Chris Camozzi won three fights with the organization in 2012 while Ring\u2019s only professional loss came at the hands of Tim Boetsch last year. [ad-3573245]<\/p>\n
Camozzi has been far more convincing in his victories \u2013 two of Ring\u2019s wins with the UFC were controversial decisions to say the least. I like Camozzi to get it done Saturday \u2013 he enters as the hotter of the two fighters with a better all around skill set. Truth be told, Ring hasn\u2019t been all that impressive in his UFC career.<\/p>\n
Pick:<\/strong> Chris Camozzi -115<\/p>\nMike Ricci (7-3-0): -280<\/strong>
\n Colin Fletcher (8-2-0): +210<\/strong><\/p>\nTall Lightweights square off Saturday to open the Pay-per-view card when Canadian Mike Ricci takes on Colin Fletcher. Both men have decent striking and both are coming off losses to fighters that manhandled them on the mat. Neither men would like to see this fight dragged to the mat but if this fight is taken to the ground, it favors Ricci who trains with some of the best mat magicians in the game \u2013 GSP being one.<\/p>\n
That said I think the better striker will prevail in this one. That distinction belongs to Mike Ricci who will have to wade through the freaky reach of Fletcher but should be able to do enough damage with his technical know-how and his decent power.<\/p>\n
Pick:<\/strong> Mike Ricci -280<\/p>\nFX Preliminary Card (8pm ET)<\/h3>\n
Patrick Cote (18-8-0): -170 vs. Bobby Voelker (24-8-0): +140<\/strong>
\nPick:<\/strong> Bobby Voelker +140<\/p>\nAntonio Carvalho (15-5-0): +190 vs. Darren Elkins (15-2-0): -240<\/strong>
\nPick:<\/strong> Antonio Carvalho +190<\/p>\nDan Miller (14-6-0): +200 vs. Jordan Mein (26-8-0): -260<\/strong>
\nPick<\/strong>: Jordan Mein -260<\/p>\nDaron Cruickshank (12-2-0): -190 vs. John Makdessi (10-2-0): +155<\/strong>
\nPick:<\/strong> Daron Cruickshank -190<\/p>\nFacebook Preliminary Card (6:35pm ET)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nQuinn Mulhern (18-2-0): +300 vs. Rick Story (14-6-0): -400<\/strong>
\nPick:<\/strong> Rick Story -400<\/p>\nIssei Tamura (7-3-0): +375 vs. T.J. Dillashaw (6-1-0): -550<\/strong>
\nPick:<\/strong> T.J. Dillashaw -550<\/p>\nReuben Duran (8-4-1): -135 vs. George Roop (12-9-1): +115<\/strong>
\nPick:<\/strong> George Roop +115<\/p>\n