This Saturday night, two UFC poster boys and former rulers of their respective divisions will collide.
Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell and Rich "Ace" Franklin will face off in a 205-pound bout to headline the Ultimate Fighting Championship's first show in Vancouver, Canada.
Here's a breakdown of the UFC 115 main card:
Chuck Liddell (21-7) vs. Rich Franklin (26-5)
In a classic battle of technique against power, two seasoned kickboxers look to prove they are still relevant in the evolving UFC light heavyweight division.
Liddell, 40, remains one of the sport's most popular combatants. With wins over Tito Ortiz, Renato Sobral, Randy Couture, Alistair Overeem, Vitor Belfort and Kevin Randleman, Liddell became the most fierce light heavyweight champion the organization had ever seen.
Losing four out of his last five outings, Liddell needs to bounce back from back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career. However, dropping bouts to Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans and Mauricio Rua is hardly a confidence killer.
Liddell was last triumphant against Wanderlei Silva in December 2007. Interestingly enough, Franklin's last victory was also against "The Axe Murderer" in their June 2009.
Franklin, 35, has come a long way since he taught math and English to high school students in Cincinnati. The seasoned veteran has established himself as a threat wherever the fight may go, reaching brown belt level in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Jorge Gurgel.
Since losing twice to current middleweight king Anderson Silva, the talented southpaw has trained under Matt Hume and bounced between the 185 and 205-pound weight categories. Prior to his devastating losses against the seemingly indomitable Silva, Franklin had tasted defeat only once against former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.
Franklin's crafty style can thoroughly frustrate "The Iceman" over three rounds. Franklin utilized exceptional movement in his fights against Dan Henderson and Wanderlei Silva. Moreover, Keith Jardine was able to dissect Liddell using leg kicks, a tactic Franklin is likely to mimic on Saturday night.
Liddell is among the heaviest hitters in the division. His counter overhand right, which has crushed countless foes, will be his most dangerous punch. When you look at his record, Liddell's accolades as a striker are self-explanatory. But he is also an unheralded wrestler with a decent submission game, so he should be able to keep his fight against Franklin standing.
Franklin will need to use angles to pick "The Iceman" apart. However, like Belfort did successfully last September, Franklin can be knocked out if he eats a heavy punch to the chin.
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (26-7-2) vs. Pat Barry (5-1)
No longer regarded as the most dangerous striker in the sport, Cro Cop has a lot to prove in this heavyweight bout.
Although Cro Cop, 35, has slowed considerably since he defeated the likes of Josh Barnett, Wanderlei Silva and Aleksander Emelianenko in Pride, he has tasted defeat only once in his last six outings. Losses against BJJ aces Junior dos Santos and Gabriel Gonzaga are hardly enough to conclude that Cro Cop's career is over.
Fresh off a win over Australian fighter Anthony Perosh, Cro Cop is motivated to turn his UFC campaign around and erase the memory of a disappointing setback against Cheick Kongo in 2007.
The former Pride Grand Prix winner has drastically underrated wrestling and submission defense.
Both Cro Cop and Barry have competed as kickboxers for the esteemed K-1 organization in Japan, making them two of the most technical strikers in the heavyweight division.
Barry, 30, will have youth and momentum on his side as he is coming off a crushing victory over fellow striking specialist Antoni Hardonk in his last bout at UFC 104. Training under world-renowned striking coach Duke Roufus, Barry possesses many of the same tools as Cro Cop on his feet. However, Barry's notable weakness was exposed when he lost to Tim Hague by submission in under two minutes at UFC 98.
Even as Cro Cop's career winds down, he should not be underestimated.
Paulo Thiago (13-1) vs. Martin Kampmann (16-3)
Brazil meets Croatia in an intriguing clash of well-rounded welterweights.
Thiago's grappling credentials on paper are among the most prestigious in the division. A member of Brazil's elite special police force, Thiago, unbeaten at the time of his debut, entered the UFC with black belts in BJJ and judo.
He knocked out upcoming title challenger Josh Koscheck in the first round to make his company debut. Thiago has since gone 1-2, dropping a decision to Koscheck's American Kickboxing Academy teammate Jon Fitch, while defeating Jacob Volkmann and another A.K.A. teammate in Mike Swick.
Kampmann also possesses a polished ground game, having submitted Jorge Rivera and Drew McFedries in the UFC. However, the Danish striker will have better stand-up technique if he can avoid Thiago's heavy hands.
Kampmann rebounded from an unexpected first-round TKO loss to Paul Daley last September with a beautiful submission of Volkmann at UFC 108. It is worth noting that Kampmann finished Volkmann in the opening stanza, while Thiago won a three-round decision.
Ben Rothwell (30-7) vs. Gilbert Yvel (36-14-1)
Rothwell, one of the heavyweight division's sturdiest competitors, has historically struggled against knockout artists like Yvel.
In the last two years, the 28-year-old has dropped bouts to heavyweight powerhouses Cain Velasquez and Andrei Arlovski.
Previously in his career, Rothwell was one of the division's fastest rising stars. During an impressive 9-0 run in the now-defunct IFL, Rothwell had beaten Ricco Rodriguez, Krzysztof Soszynski and Roy Nelson.
Despite mixed results, Rothwell is still one of the most underrated fighters in the division.
Anchored at Vos Gym in the Netherlands, Yvel possesses a deep arsenal of strikes, including a trademark flying knee. Despite a controversial past consisting of three disqualifications, Yvel is skilled in all facets of the game. A BJJ purple belt under John Lewis, Yvel is coming off a brutal first-round TKO loss to Junior dos Santos in January. Prior to that setback, however, Yvel knocked out UFC pioneer Pedro Rizzo to add to a resume that already included wins over Valentjin Overeem, Cheick Kongo, Gary Goodridge and Semmy Schilt.
A fully conditioned Yvel is a daunting task for any heavyweight. However, Yvel hardly moves the same way he did during his peak in Pride and his footwork is merely a shell of what it once was.
Carlos Condit (24-5) vs. Rory MacDonald (10-0)
At just 20 years old, MacDonald can have one of the most promising futures in the UFC.
A BJJ specialist with fast hands, MacDonald tapped out Mike Guymon in his UFC debut this past January. MacDonald also defeated several top Canadian prospects prior to joining the UFC, including Jordan Mein, Kajan Johnson and Nick Hinchliffe.
MacDonald will take a stiff step up in competition against the 26-year-old "Natural Born Killer." Win or lose against Condit on Saturday night, the Toshida Fighting Arts Academy product will have a bright future in mixed martial arts.
Condit, whose victims include Frank Trigg, John Alessio and Brock Larson, was the last reigning WEC welterweight champion. Since joining the UFC, Condit has split a pair, toppling Jake Ellenberger and losing to Martin Kampmann.
With a training camp at Greg Jackson's academy in New Mexico, Condit will be fully prepared for anything MacDonald throws at him. In 24 career victories, Condit has proven to be equally capable of finishing his opponents by either knockout or submission with only one win going the distance.
Condit's offensive output is impressive, but he often struggles to defend solid takedowns. If MacDonald comes into this fight with superior wrestling, he can neutralize Condit's ground game and control the former WEC king en route to a decision.
