UFC 112 this coming Sunday

UFC 112 - billed as "Invincible" - looks to live up to it. there will be not just one, but TWO titles up for grabs: Middleweight and Lightweight. a spectacular Welterweight fight makes it a show not to be missed. it's the first event to be held in the Middle East, in the Jiujitsu Mecca of Abu Dhabi, whose Sheiks have supported the immense growth and popularity of Brazilian Jiujitsu and most recently the growth of MMA in China through the Art Of War events. so, if you don't stay up too late on Saturday night at Fong Ji May or make the decision for "just one more" in Wanchai, then plan on joining us to watch the show aired live.

Thomas' homeboy Paul Taylor will be one of the first fights on the card. he's been in the UFC for about 3 years, and his record has been 3 wins and 4 losses, with all but one of those fights going to decision. this time around, he's matched up with John Gunderson who is much lighter and shorter, and fighting in only his second time in the Octagon. so it looks good for Paul, right? don't be so quick to root for homeslice. Gunderson's got an impressive record of 22-7-0 with 5 KOs and 15 submissions. it will be an interesting fight given these two guys' stylistic differences. i'm not calling this one. at least not until i see them enter the ring.

Renzo Gracie. Matt Hughes. how do you even begin to assess the coolness of this fight? Renzo travels to Abu Dhabi 10 times a year, yet amazingly this is the first time in the UFC (he was fighting in Pride when the Fertita brothers first approached him after they bought the organization so he couldn't join). Hughes has been fighting in UFC since UFC 22. neither of these guys asked for the match up, so UFC has definitely got a magic recipe for success. personally, i like to see Hughes spanked at every available opportunity, but i don't discount his supreme abilities. still... i'll go on record... WAR RENZO!!!

the Prodigy is back in the ring! BJ Penn defends his Lightweight title against Frankie Edgar. how'd this guy get a shot at the title? well, he's beat guys like Tyson Griffin, Hermes Franca and Sean Sherk. and in last December's finale of TUFF 10, he RNCed Matt Veach. but BJ Penn hasn't lost a Lightweight fight in 10 years! i don't really see him giving that belt away now, but anything's possible in MMath. BJ Penn, win by some totally awesome jiujitsu technique.

for the Middleweight championship, Demian Maia finally gets a shot to take the belt from Anderson Silva. the Spider has 10 wins in the Octagon and is billed as the pound-for-pound best fighter. he is currently tied for the most title defenses, and only one of those went to a decision. if he wins the next fight, he will make a new record for the longest title holder. Demien Maia has won 4 "submission of the night" awards in the UFC, won the Abu Dhabi submission championship in 2007, fights with Wandy's camp and has only lost one fight in his professional career. he's had some very impressive fights, but the Spider's list of defeated opponents reads like a high-paid hitman: from Shooto to Pride to Cage Rage to UFC, he's downed the likes of Carlos Newton, Dan Henderson, Thales Leites, Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin. the Middleweight division has seen some great match ups and tremendous talent, and this fight will hopefully bring more excitement. i would really like to see both of them stand up for a while but Demian will be sure to be careful. he might do better to try his ground game. but this is Anderson Silva we're talking about. he's a phenom. and after this fight, i think he'll remain on that level. Silva by KO, 2nd round.