Shootfighting the breeze

Ideally, "UFC #119" will pan out thusly -

* Mirko Filipovic separates Frank Mir's head from his shoulders. Alas, "Cro Crop" hasn't looked anywhere near as devastating post-PRIDE and the man who describes his kicks as "right leg, hospital; left leg, cemetery" will require flawless takedown defence to avoid being tapped out by an opponent heavier and undeniably superior on the ground. Frank has been talking more smack than a Kings Cross dealer and deserves a bully beatdown. I just don't see it happening unless he's relapsed into indiscipline. Need further convincing? Mirko accepted the fight on four weeks' notice (as opposed to three months') and reportedly hurt his eye in training.

* Ryan Bader continues his unbeaten streak by defeating the brother of his "T/U/F/8" coach, maybe by decision. I have reservations about this, too. "Darth" hasn't faced a striker of the calibre of former boxer Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. It would be a mistake for him to try to stand and trade blows with "Little Nog" rather than utilising his wrestling to the fullest extent.

* Chris "Lights Out" Lytle scores the upset KO over Matt "The Terror" Serra, to the delight of his home-town Indianapolis crowd. (C'mon, I'm a Colts supporter.) Interestingly, Chris is considered the veteran, despite both gentlemen being 36 - must be his 51 MMA bouts compared to Matt's 17 :-)

* Sean Sherk gets inside the reach of the rangy Evan Dunham and messes him up in the way he did to his victims when he was the lightweight champ and yet to be busted for competing "on the juice". Putting a black mark on "3-D"'s spotless record would resuscitate "The Muscle Shark"'s career. Conversely, a loss here - on top of a string of cancellations due to injury - might relegate him to the lower leagues, eg. Strikeforce. Unfortunately for Sean, the obvious gaps in Evan's skillz set are: none.

* Melvin "The Young Assassin" Guillard versus Jeremy "Li'l Heathen" Stephens can go either way and it won't bother me. [Flips coin] I'll go with Jeremy.