UFC 80 Preview

Some of the undercard appears to be fillers so I'll be discussing the fights that can have some implications in the UFC.

Sam Stout vs. Per Eklund
Riding a 4 fight win streak and compiling a 14-2-1 record, Per Eklund is venturing into the UFC for the first time and is not facing a cake walk. Sam Stout is a cardio machine who can go the distance and is a tough SOB. His last fight was a decision loss to Spencer 'The King' Fisher in a tremendous fight. He'll be looking to rebound against the Swede who has yet to fight in front of the size of a crowd the UFC puts together.

Jorge Rivera vs. Kendell Grove
Jorge Rivera's jaw is healed from the brutal right hand he took from Terry Martin, and Kendell Grove's psyche is healed from the KO he received from Patrick Cote. Grove was excited to fight Cote as he finally had someone he could stand there and trade with, until he got blasted with that right hook from Cote.
Both fighters are coming off a loss and are looking to rebound in the thin middleweight division. Both are TUF alums. And both can do some serious damage in this division. Either fighter can make great strides with a win which gives this fight some serious implications. The importance for both guys gives this the potential for fight of the night.

Jason Lambert vs. Wilson Gouveia
Both fighters are secret contenders in the light heavyweight division. Gouveia has won his past 3 fights and has lost only once in the UFC, to Keith Jardine (who by the way decisioned Chuck Liddell). He has also given Jon Fitch one of his two blemishes on his superb record. Gouveia is a brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who also has tremendous standup.
Lambert, on the other hand, walked through Renato 'Babalu' Sobral with some brutal ground and pound (Lamberts specialty). Many people were surprised how Lambert crushed Sobral but he has been extremely impressive in his past fights. He rode a 3 fight win streak by beating Rob MacDonald, Terry Martin, and Brandon Lee Hinkle when he ran into the buzz saw of Rashad Evans. He's only fought once this past year and no one is certain whether or not the layoff will hurt his chances but this should be a great fight with two clashing fight styles.

Jess Liaudin vs. Marcus Davis
Someone has to lose this fight which neither fighter has done in a long time. Liaudin has won five in a row, while the ever improving Davis has won his past ten contests. This fight should be a brawl. Both guys like to trade punches (Davis was a professional boxer) and both guys have well rounded submission games. It seems they like to beat down their opponents and instead of going for the knockout they pull off a submission instead. This fight also has great potential for fight of the night. Don't blink.

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Fabricio Werdum
This is a rematch of a 2003 contest that saw Werdum win by TKO over Gonzaga. However, neither fighter is at all the same as they were that night. Both are extremely improved and both are coming off a loss. If either fighter loses, they might also lose any chance of becoming the heavyweight champion in the UFC. Although as weak as this division is, no one should be completely exempt from ever getting a title shot.
Werdum is coming off a lackluster loss to all but forgotten Andrei Arlovski. A fight in which he didn't appear to be in very good shape. A loss by Werdum would be more detrimental than if Gonzaga loses, however neither fighter can expect good things with a loss.
Gonzaga had a chance to win the UFC heavyweight crown and was outclassed by Randy Couture. He came into the fight with great momentum after crushing Mirko Cro Cop with a head kick that will be a highlight real for years to come. A tremendous underdog in that fight, Gonzaga looked very comfortable against Cro Cop and dominated. As a favorite against Couture, he never looked comfortable and respected Couture's wrestling a bit too much and got taken down at will because of it. It might have been that Gonzaga had a bit of jitters fighting for the title, so expect a different fighter this time. A win by Gonzaga could vault him right back into contention and he has the most potential to be a champion.

BJ Penn vs. Joe Stevenson
lightweight title fight

The winner of this fight becomes the new lightweight champion, and will fight Sean Sherk in their first title defense in May. BJ Penn, when he's on, is possibly the best fighter in all of MMA. He is so good that he simply toys with his opponents on occasion. His condition has been the only part of his game he has lacked and because it has been scrutinized, I'm certain he'll be in great shape. He appears re-dedicated and has his sights set even after this fight. Penn states that if he wins, he'll defend against Sherk, than possibly move up to 170 and avenge a loss to Georges St. Pierre. He also added that he'd like to fight Matt Hughes again but isn't sure if Hughes would accept the fight. In his last fight with Hughes, Penn dominated the first 2 rounds but caught a shot to the ribs in the 3rd which depleted his breathing. The fight was stopped shortly thereafter as he was eating a slew of unanswered punches. There are no holes in BJ Penn's game. He can trade punches, he can work in the mount position, he can work off his back, and he'll be, by far, Joe Stevenson's toughest fight ever.
Joe 'Daddy' is also a very complete fighter and has been improving ever since he won TUF 2 at 170. He did lose to Josh Neer early in 2006 and immediately dropped to the lightweight division where he's been on a tear ever since. Stevenson is not as talented as Penn (no one is) but there are very few people as physically and mentally strong as Stevenson. While Penn may be more talented, Stevenson more than makes up for it in heart and dedication.
This fight should be outstanding. Penn is the favorite but you can't underestimate Stevenson. Penn works on instinct while Stevenson rarely makes mistakes. As Dana White always preaches, styles make fights, and this one has the makings to be legendary.

There you have it. UFC 80 is a great card with some really big fights. It's going to be televised live at 3pm this Saturday on ppv, then replayed at 10pm.