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Posted 04/01/2009 at 09:15 PM
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is putting together a really solid card on Spike TV with its first-ever venture into Tennessee. Nashville's Sommet Center will host UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann in a battle of former champions from other organizations.
When is the last time you had two quality fighters going toe-to-toe when it wasn't involved in a pay-per-view event? I always cringe a little bit when the UFC brass says that Spike TV is on 'free' TV since its technically on cable, but I still appreciate the effort. Two fights on this card really jump out on me, while the others matchups should serve as fodder for the favorites to provide highlight-reel endings. Here are my selections for two of the upcoming fights.
MARTIN KAMPMANN -110
Martin 'Hitman' Kampmann (14-2) was on the fringe of the middleweight's top-five, and is the only fighter to beat current contender Thales Leites. Kampmann has since dropped to welterweight after losing to Nate Marquardt, and appears to be a beast in this weight division. 'Hitman' has an all-around game, and his experience in the UFC should pay dividends in this spot.
Carlos 'Natural Born Killer' Condit (22-4) is the WEC's welterweight champion, but that promotion has eliminated the welterweight division. Condit dominated the WEC, but this is a big step up in competition. I think Condit will do well in the UFC, but drops this affair by second-round TKO.
COLE MILLER -145
I'm also backing experience in the Cole 'Magrino' Miller-Junie Browning lightweight fight. Both fighters are alumni from The Ultimate Fighter, competing in different seasons. Miller has more UFC cage time, and has even appeared in a pay-per-view event. Miller's size (6'1'') creates problems for opponents in this weight division, and he can stay at distance and pick apart his opponents with leg kicks. I see Miller winning this contest by unanimous decision, but not in impressive fashion.
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