Who Will Win UFC 108??

Here are my picks for tonights card:

Rafaello Oliveira Vs. John Gunderson

Oliveira is 0-1 in the UFC and I am sure he knows what going 0-2 could mean. It could possibly lead to an early exist from the UFC. It is a must win for Oliveira and I think this will affect his performance.
Gunderson is making his Octagon debut and as such may succumb to some Octagon jitters. He is doing the UFC a solid by taking the fight on 4 weeks notice so he should get a second shot if he has a good showing but comes up short.
Gunderson is on a three-fight win streak, while Oliveira lost his last fight against Nik “the Carney” Lentz at UFC 103. In that fight Oliveira was doing well in the first round but gassed completely during the second and just hung on to survive, losing a decision. Gunderson does have more experience and is a vet of the IFL and its moderate size stage. However taking a fight on short notice for your first time in the UFC does not seem like a good idea. Gunderson trains at Extreme Couture now apparently and so I am sure he will come to the fight well prepared. He has 15 of his wins by sub and I am not sure if he will be able to sub Oliveira who is a BJJ Black Belt. Oliveira has never been submitted in any of his previous fights. My pick Oliveira.

Mike Pyle vs. Jake Ellenberger

Pyle has 16 of his wins by Sub but Ellenberger has only been subbed once in 26 fights. I think Ellenberger will be stronger, better on the feet and have solid wrestling. I think that Pyle could pull of a miracle sub, his specialty, but I think Ellenberger should have the skills to avoid it as he did in the Carlos Condit fight. Ellenberger badly needs a win after losing a razor thin decision to Carlos Condit in his UFC debut. My Pick: Ellenberger.

Mark Munoz vs. Ryan Jensen

Munoz is a very good wrestler but we have not seen these skills much during his time in the Octagon. He looked awkward and ineffective versus Matt Hamil before being KTFOed. Nick Catone lost a decision to Munoz, but he did not look that impressive. In fact Catone took Munoz down in that fight. Jensen is 1-3 in the Octagon but his loses come to Gouveia, Maia and Leites. I don’t think that Munoz is on their level. Jensen has more experience and has 9 wins by sub so if Munoz does take him down he maybe at risk. Munoz looks to have good condition but his standup looks sloppy in his last fight. I think that Jensen is a live underdog. My Pick: Jensen

Cole Miller vs. Dan Lauzon

Dan Lauzon is on an 8 fight win streak. Miller was knocked out in his last fight by Efrain Escudero. Lauzon has finished people with his hands with 6 TKOs. While Miller has won most of his fights by SUB. This is a hard fight for me to pick. I really am not sure how this fight will go. If I have to pickgun to my head, then I will take Cole. My Pick: Miller

Martin Kampmann vs. Jacob Volkmann

Volkmann has better wrestling and might be able to take Kampmann down and lay and pray a decision win or sub him. But I don’t think that will happen. Kampmann stand up is light years ahead of Volkmann’s who seems to utilize a classical stance in his last UFC fight, a loss. Kampmann also is no slouch when it comes to the ground game having submitted 5 opponents. I think that Kampmann has more paths to victory and takes this fight. I also think that Kampmann is bigger and more experienced. Kampmann is coming off a loss and will be desperate for a win here to get back on track. My Pick: Kampman

Junior Dos Santos vs. Gilbert Yvel

JDS is on the rise. Yvel is a long time vet making his UFC debut. I think the JDS has more paths to victory and I suspect that if he starts getting in trouble on his feet he will take the fight to the ground and sub Yvel. He does train with the Nog brothers in BJJ after all. My Pick: Junior Dos Santos

Jim Miller vs. Duane Ludwig. Bang is a vet who has fought everyone at 155 in every different Org out there. Thtat being said he has never shown much on the ground and Miller will definitely take him there. Add that to the fact that Bang took the fight on short notice and I think this one is close to a lock. My Pick: Jim Miller

Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout

The older Lauzon brother fighting is fighting on the same card. Unlike his brothers fight, I am much more confident that "Creepy Joe" will win this fight. Stout has good stand up but I don't think it is light years away from J-Lau. I don't think it will matter anyway as I see J-Lau taking this fight to the ground and GNP to the finish. I just don't think that Stout has enough defensive wrestling to stop Joe's take down. Once on the ground Joe's time training with Penn will kick in and he will sub Stout. My Pick: Lauzon

Dustin Hazelett vs Paul Dailey

Very Interesting fight... a classic grappler vs. striker matchup. Daily is off a big win against Kampmann and a win her pushed him closer to a title match. That being said he has shown weakness to the ground game as seen in his last loss to Jake Sheilds. Of course the Hazelett is a ground wizard and all of his wins are by subs. That being said he has been knocked out in the Ocatgon and his coming off a long layoff. I think that Hazeletts huge reach will pose some problems for Dailey and I think he will swim in and maybe pull guard. I think that the fight will go to the ground, I hope, and Hazelett subs Dailey. Dailey did not make weight as well so I am not sure how drained he will be from what was a failed cut. My Pick: Hazelett.

Rashad Evans vs Thiago Silva

These two guys each lost to Machida in vicious knockouts this year. Silva has already bounced back from that, having knocked out Evans teammate, Jardine. Evans on the other hand has had a pretty long lay off while coaching TUF season 10. Evans is the favorite in this fight but I think that Silva is a live dog and could win this fight. Here is why: Evans might be overlooking him and focused on the upcoming match against Rampage. In a lot of pressers Evans talks more about Page than he does Silva. This is not a good sign for him. Additionally Evans keeps saying that he is going back to his wrestling, but then the next thing you read is him saying he is in love with his hands and the rush of the KO. If Evans is committed to getting back to his wrestling I think he wins this fight. But if he continues the trends of wrestlers who now think they are boxers, than I think that Silva has the fire power to finish Rashad. Keep in mind that Silva has 11 TKOs in 15 fights, that is sick. I hope that Rashad gets hit early and gets in a brawler mode. If that happens this plays into Silva's advantage. My Pick: Silva

Stay tuned.