While the best action will happen inside the Octagon at UFC 103 in Dallas, there's also a little outside of it as Sun sports writers Brett Okamoto (8-3) and Andy Samuelson (6-5) take on Yahoo.com's Kevin Iole (7-4) and ESPN Radio's Steve Cofield (5-6) to see which side can improve their lifetime records of predicting winners from Saturday night. Odds courtesy of The Venetian sports book, but subject to change.
Vitor Belfort
- Age: 31
- Height: 6'0''
- Weight: 195
- UFC record 7-4
- MMA record 12-5
- Out of: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Betting line: Even money
Rich Franklin
- Age: 34
- Height: 6'1'''
- Weight: 195
- UFC record 12-3
- MMA record 27-4 1 NC
- Out of: Cincinnati, Ohio
- Betting line: - 130
Catchweight Bout
Main Event
Last fight: First round win by knockout over Matt Lindland at Affliction - Day of Reckoning
Punch list: Newer UFC fans may be unfamiliar with Belfort, but others know the seasoned fighter and the organization go all the back to his debut at UFC 12 in 1997. The Brazilian fighter is a former light heavyweight champion, an honor he earned when he TKO’d Randy Couture at UFC 46.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Franklin by decision.
Cofield: Belfort by KO.
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 99.
Punch list: Let’s face it: If it weren’t for a guy named Anderson Silva, Franklin would have likely been the dominant middleweight champion of the last five years. The former school teacher is tough as nails and holds excellent striking skills.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Franklin by TKO in the third round.
Samuelson: Franklin by decision.
Junior Dos Santos
- Age: 25
- Height: 6'4''
- Weight: 238
- UFC record 2-0
- MMA record 8-1
- Out of: Salvador, Brazil
- Betting line: - 110
Mirko Cro Crop Filipovic
- Age: 34
- Height: 6'2''
- Weight: 220
- UFC record 2-2
- MMA record 25-6-2
- Out of: Zagreb, Croatia
- Betting line: -120
Heavyweight Bout
Co-Main Event
Last fight: First round win by TKO over Stefan Struve at UFC 95.
Punch list: Dos Santos has concrete for hands, knocking out both of his first two UFC opponents in less than two minutes of the first round.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Dos Santos
Cofield: Dos Santos
Last fight: First round win by TKO over Mustapha Al-Turk at UFC 99.
Punch list: With over 30 professional MMA fights, 40 amateur MMA fights and 23 kickboxing matches over the course of his career, experience shouldn’t be a problem for Filipovic.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Dos Santos
Samuelson: Cro Crop
Paul Daley
- Age: 26
- Height: 5'9’’
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 21-8-2
- Out of: Nottingham, England
- Betting line: + 210
Martin Kampmann
- Age: 27
- Height: 6’0’’
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 6-1
- MMA record 15-2
- Out of: Las Vegas
- Betting line: - 270
Welterweight Bout
Last fight: First round win by TKO over Junior Barata at WFC 8 - D-Day.
Punch list: It’s never easy to step in for an injured fighter on a few weeks notice. Daley gets the pleasure of doing so in his first-ever UFC appearance against a very tough opponent. One thing going for Daley? He’s got the power in his striking to change a fight in a heartbeat.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Kampmann
Cofield: Kampmann
Last fight: Split decision win over Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night Condit v. Kampmann.
Punch list: Although Kampmann had originally been training for Mike Swick, to say his camp is familiar with Daley would be an understatement. Kampmann’s close teammate at Xtreme Couture, Jay Hieron, was supposed to fight Daley at Affliction: Trilogy on Aug. 1 before the event folded.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Kampmann
Samuelson: Kampmann
Frank Trigg
- Age: 37
- Height: 5'8''
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 2-3
- MMA record 19-6
- Out of: Las Vegas
- Betting line: + 325
Josh Koscheck
- Age: 31
- Height: 5'10''
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 10-4
- MMA record 14-4
- Out of: Fresno, Calif.
- Betting line: - 450
Welterweight Bout
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Danny Babcock at SCF - Rumble in Racetown.
Punch list: Just a few years ago, Trigg was just a win or two away from UFC welterweight greatness. He was unable to land the big one however, losing twice to Matt Hughes and once to Georges St. Pierre before leaving the organization. Now, the former wrestler is ready for one more run.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Koscheck
Cofield: Koscheck
Last fight: First round loss by TKO to Paulo Thiago at UFC 95.
Punch list: As a UFC veteran, Koscheck always brings himself prepared and focused to the Octagon. Look for him to be even more so Saturday on the heels of a disappointing loss to Paulo Thiago that Koscheck believes was stopped too early.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Koscheck
Samuelson: Trigg
Hermes Franca
- Age: 35
- Height: 5'6’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 9-4
- MMA record 20-7
- Out of: Jupiter, Fla.
- Betting line: + 170
Tyson Griffin
- Age: 25
- Height: 5'6’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 6-2
- MMA record 13-2
- Out of: Las Vegas
- Betting line: - 200
Lightweight Bout
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Marcus Aurelio at UFC 90.
Punch list: This will be Franca’s first fight in nearly a year as a torn ACL injury in his right knee forced him to back out of a previously scheduled fight with Joe Lauzon in February.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Griffin
Cofield: Griffin
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night Condit v. Kampmann.
Punch list: Prior to the UFC, Griffin was best known as the only fighter to defeat Urijah Faber, who was a perfect 8-0 at the time. The big win has eluded Griffin thus far in the UFC though, losing key matchups to Sean Sherk and Frank Edgar.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Griffin
Samuelson: Griffin
Cole Miller
- Age: 25
- Height: 6’1’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 4-1
- MMA record 15-3
- Out of: Coconut Creek, Fla.
- Betting line: + 120
Efrain Escudero
- Age: 23
- Height: 5'9’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 1-0
- MMA record 12-0
- Out of: Tempe, Ariz.
- Betting line: - 150
Lightweight Bout
Last fight: First round win by submission over Junie Browning at UFC Fight Night Condit v. Kampmann.
Punch list: Miller’s nickname, ‘Magrinho’, means ‘skinny’ in Portuguese. It definitely fits, considering Miller is able to cut to 155 pounds despite standing 6-foot-1.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Miller
Cofield: Miller
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Phillipe Nover at The Ultimate Fighter Team Nog v. Team Mir.
Punch list: The winner of the eighth season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ returns for his first fight since the show ended last December. Escudero was forced to withdraw from a bout in April because of a rib injury.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Miller
Samuelson: Escudero
Tomasz Drwal
- Age: 27
- Height: 6’0’’
- Weight: 185
- UFC record 2-1
- MMA record 16-2
- Out of: San Diego
- Betting line: - 115
Drew McFedries
- Age: 31
- Height: 6’0’’
- Weight: 185
- UFC record 4-4
- MMA record 8-5
- Out of: Bettendorf, Iowa
- Betting line: - 115
Middleweight Bout
Last fight: First round win by TKO over Mike Ciesnolevicz at The Ultimate Fighter Finale Team US v. Team UK.
Punch list: After making his UFC debut in 2007, Drwal went a stretch of roughly 16 months without a fight due to injury. The Polish fighter is making up for it in 2009, as UFC 103 will be his third fight this year.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: McFedries
Cofield: McFedries
Last fight: First round win by TKO over Xavier Foupa-Pokam at UFC 98.
Punch list: After eight UFC fights, McFedries has still never seen the second round. His weakest area is his ground game, as three of his four losses have come by submission.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Drwal
Samuelson: McFedries
Steve Lopez
- Age: 25
- Height: 5'11’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 12-1
- Out of: South Bend, Ind.
- Betting line: + 280
Jim Miller
- Age: 26
- Height: 5'8’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 3-1
- MMA record 14-2
- Out of: Whippany, N.J.
- Betting line: - 360
Lightweight Bout
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Alejandro Villalobos at WFC - World Championship Fighting.
Punch list: Lopez’s MMA career started with a knockout and TKO win on the same night when he fought in a small tournament in South Bend, Ind.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Miller
Cofield: Miller
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Mac Danzig at UFC 100.
Punch list: Fighting must be in Miller’s blood: His brother, Dan, holds an identical 3-1 record in the UFC middleweight division.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Miller
Samuelson: Miller
Nik Lentz
- Age: 25
- Height: 5'8’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 18-3-1
- Out of: Eden Prairie, Minn.
- Betting line: + 200
Rafaello Oliveira
- Age: 27
- Height: 5'8’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 9-0
- Out of: Knoxville, Tenn.
- Betting line: - 250
Lightweight Bout
Last fight: First round win by TKO over Nick Walker at Extreme Challenge 127.
Punch list: A former wrestler at the Univeristy of Minnesota, Lentz was added to the UFC 103 card to take the place of the injured Dan Lauzon.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Lentz
Cofield: Oliveira
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over John Mahlow at XFC 8 - Regional Conflict.
Punch list: Oliveira is one of a handful of fighters picked up by the UFC since the folding of Affliction. He was scheduled to face Takanori Gomi before the ‘Trilogy’ event was canceled.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Oliveira
Samuelson: Oliveira
Brian Foster
- Age: 25
- Height: 5'10’’
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 14-3
- Out of: Granite City, Ill.
- Betting line: - 115
Rick Story
- Age: 25
- Height: 5'10’’
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 0-1
- MMA record 7-3
- Out of: Vancouver, Wash.
- Betting line: - 115
Welterweight Bout
Last fight: First round win by knockout over Kyle Baker at SF - Genesis.
Punch list: Foster says he draws inspiration from the 2006 death of his brother, Brandon, every time he enters the Octagon.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Story
Cofield: Story
Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to John Hathaway at UFC 99.
Punch list: Story improved to the rank of Officer in the National Guard, before dedicating himself to his MMA career full-time.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Foster
Samuelson: Story
Jason Brilz
- Age: 34
- Height: 5’11’’
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 2-0
- MMA record 17-1
- Out of: Omaha, Neb.
- Betting line: NA
Eliot Marshall
- Age: 29
- Height: 6'3’’
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 2-0
- MMA record 7-2
- Out of: Boulder, Colo.
- Betting line: NA
Light Heavyweight Bout
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Tim Boetsch at UFC 96.
Punch list: Brilz will put a 10-fight win streak on the line when he meets Marshall Saturday. His last lost was in 2001.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Marshall
Cofield: Brilz
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Vinicius Magalhaes at UFC 97.
Punch list: Marshall is a tactical jiu-jitsu artist, with five of his seven career wins coming by way of submission.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Marshall
Samuelson: Brilz
Igor Pokrajac
- Age: 30
- Height: 6’0’’
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 21-5
- Out of: Zagreb, Croatia
- Betting line: NA
Vladimir Matyushenko
- Age: 38
- Height: 6’0’’
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 3-2
- MMA record 22-4
- Out of: El Segundo, Calif.
- Betting line: NA
Light Heavyweight Bout
Last fight: First round win by TKO over Kalvis Gebavers at WFC 8 - D-Day.
Punch list: Pokrajac credits much of his success thus far to fellow Croatian fighter, Mirko Filipovic.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Matyushenko
Cofield: Matyushenko
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Jason Lambert at Call to Arms 1.
Punch list: The 38-year-old fighter is making his return to the UFC for the first time since 2003. He once was one fight away from claiming the light heavyweight championship, but lost by unanimous decision to Tito Ortiz at UFC 33.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Pokrajac
Samuelson: Pokrajac
Rafael Dos Anjos
- Age: 24
- Height: 5’9’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 0-2
- MMA record 11-4
- Out of: Rio de Janeiro
- Betting line: NA
Rob Emerson
- Age: 28
- Height: 5'9’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 2-1 1 NC
- MMA record 10-7- 1 NC
- Out of: Irvine, Calif.
- Betting line: NA
Lightweight Bout
Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Tyson Griffin at UFC Fight Night Condit v. Kampmann.
Punch list: The Brazilian fighter is most dangerous on the ground, where five of his last seven victories have come by way of submission.
Staff picks: Yahoo.com and ESPN Radio
Iole: Dos Anjos
Cofield: Dos Anjos
Last fight: Second round loss by submission to Kurt Pellegrino at UFC Fight Night Lauzon v. Stephens.
Punch list: Emerson has one no contest in his career, which occurred during The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale, when Gray Maynard knocked himself out after body slamming Emerson to the canvas.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun
Okamoto: Dos Anjos
Samuelson: Dos Anjos