MMAmania.com

Diego Sanchez is one win away from a welterweight title shot

2012-02-15T16:10:12Z

Watch out ~~Georges St. Pierre~~ Carlos Condit.

If longtime Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight veteran Diego Sanchez beats Jake Ellenberger in tonight's UFC on Fuel TV main event in Omaha, does it earn him a shot at the division title?

Yes!

That's according to "The Dream," who told media members at the "Sanchez vs. Ellenberger" open workouts that his opponent is one of the top guys in their weight class and beating "The Juggernaut" puts him above the other top division contenders.

Sanchez elaborates to FOX News Latino, after the jump.

"You know, this is a big fight with Jake Ellenberger because I believe he is one of the top guys in the division," Sanchez said at a recent open workout. "He has more momentum than a [Josh] Koscheck or a [Johny] Hendricks right now, and I think a win over him is going to set me up in a good position in the division and a shot at the title. I have to go in and beat him and I have to beat him convincingly and that's what I came to Omaha to do," said Sanchez. "There's no added pressure fighting him in his hometown."

Sanchez is currently riding a two-fight win streak since returning to the division after a failed bid to wrest the 155-pound title from the clutches of then UFC Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn at UFC 107 back in Dec. 2009. He stumbled in his first fight back at welterweight, dropping a unanimous decision to John Hathaway, but managed to later go on to outpoint Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann in back-to-back performances.

It certainly won't get any easier for Sanchez -- who is returning from a long layoff because of a broken hand -- against Ellenberger, who is on an absolute tear, fresh off a crushing knockout over top-ranked welterweight and former number one division contender, Jake Shields, at UFC Fight Night 25.

It marked the fourth time in his five most recent appearances inside the Octagon that Ellenberger has finished an opponent, taking out Mike Pyle, John Howard and Sean Pierson in impressive fashion. And if he makes it five out of six against Sanchez, he'll do it in front of a hometown crowd.

Anyone ready to anoint the winner as the new division number one contender?

Jon Jones: I miss being friends with Rashad Evans

2012-02-15T15:33:37Z

Sounds like Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones may have conflicting feelings when it comes to former friend and training partner Rashad Evans.

Jones recently told Laurence Holmes (via Yahoo! Sports) he misses their friendship and the "good times" they had as training partners, something the competitive nature and "business" of their sport got in the way of.

"We trained together and we had good times, but this competition has come between our friendship, which sucks. I do miss being friends with the guy. But it's business, and he's coming after my championship. I've gotta do what I've gotta do. It might be a little awkward punching him in the face, but I'm sure the first time he swings at me, it will get reactionary. I'd like to get to a point of being cordial, but to be friends again is not necessary. There's thousands of wonderful people in the world I can meet. After all that's been said, we can just live our lives. Respect is all that's necessary for me."

Then again, this is the same fighter who told Jon Anik of Ultimate Insider that he and Evans "were never really that close" to begin with and never became like "brothers," a term frequently heard among training partners at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Was the champ being sincere during a moment of clarity? Or trying to cast himself in a different light?

Jones also referred to Evans as a "jealous snake" who revealed his "envy" after the 205-pound title changed hands at UFC 128 back in March 2011.

Whether or not any sort of mutual respect or (gasp) friendship can be re-established all depends on the outcome of UFC 145, booked for April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

That's when the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans grudge match takes place and either cements the legacy of "Bones," or starts a new one for "Suga."

Who will you be rooting for?

Pat Barry gets tooled in a jiu-jitsu match by his majesty, Lord Cro Cop (Video)

2012-02-15T14:26:02Z

"Day two in Croatia. Did some weightlifting this morning then go back into the gym later this evening ready to kick some ass and [Cro Cop] challenges me to a jiu-jitsu match. Why the fuck are we doing a jiu-jitsu match? I have no idea. He has a kickboxing match coming up, but whatever, I'm Pat, I'm in the fucking UFC bitch, I'm in a video game, I'll do it. So, set the terms, hit start, 30 minute round. I got submitted five times. Three Kimuras on my left arm, one triangle and some shit I can't even name. But, because I lost, for the rest of my time here in Croatia the next two weeks, I have to refer to him as your majesty, Lord Cro Cop, and raise my hand and ask to have some water or use the bathroom, which is some shit because I already look like the fucking Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Despite his display of submission defense against Christian Morecraft at UFC on FX last month in Nashville, it sounds like heavyweight hurter Pat Barry still has a ways to go on his ground game, especially if he's getting smoked in a grappling match by famed Croatian kickboxer Mirko Filipovic. "HD" is overseas helping "Cro Cop" get ready for a return to the K-1 circuit while he helps himself get ship-shape for a UFC on FOX 3 showdown opposite Lavar Johnson. The blind leading the blind? Or two talented strikers having a little fun in camp?

Editor's note: Mr. Barry has responded to this story and presented an argument for his defense, after the jump.

IT WAS UNFAIR, I COULDN'T SEE!!!

UFC on FUEL TV's Diego Sanchez promises to deliver what Nick Diaz vs Carlos Condit didn't

2012-02-15T04:00:04Z

And that's a dogfight!

Just about everyone and their mother expected the interim welterweight title fight between Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit at UFC 143 on Feb. 4, 2012, to be a knock-down, drag-out war of attrition. That's because both men are proven finishers, earning rightful reputations within the mixed martial arts (MMA) community as outright bad asses.

However, Condit flipped the script on fight night, executing a very smart -- albeit uncharacteristic -- counter-striking strategy. It was the perfect antidote to Diaz's aggressive hunt 'em down, box 'em up and get 'em out attack. In fact, Diaz, along with most fans watching, was completely puzzled and failed to make any significant in-fight adjustments that got the "Natural Born Killer" to exchange on his terms.

The result was a disappointing (and to some, controversial) decision in favor of Condit.

For the fans who shelled out $45 to watch "Diaz vs. Condit," only to be let down and frustrated, Diego Sanchez promises to make it up to them by putting on a memorable, exciting performance against Jake Ellenberger in the UFC on Fuel TV 1 main event, which takes place at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb., tomorrow night (Feb. 15, 2012).

Best of all, MMA fans don't have to fork over one red cent because the fight will be included in FUEL TV's free preview weekend.

His vow:

"The switch goes on and once they lock that door, it's battle mode. I know he's going in there to knock my head off and I have to go in there and try and knock his head off, too. We're going to do what we do -- we're true, true warriors. And we're going to bring the dogfight that you didn't get to see in the last pay-per-view."

Watch "The Dream" and "The Juggernaut" talk more about their important -- an hopefully thrilling -- 170-pound showdown after the jump:

I kind of believe him. Probably because he makes me feel like I don't have much of a choice.

UFC on FUEL TV weigh in photos gallery for 'Ellenberger vs Sanchez' on Feb. 14 in Omaha

2012-02-15T03:00:12Z

UFC on Fuel TV: "Ellenberger vs. Sanchez" is all set to pop off tomorrow night (Weds., Feb. 15, 2012) from the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb., featuring a welterweight bout between Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez.

The winner of the match could have the inside track on a future fight against newly-crowned 170-pound champion, Carlos Condit, while reigning division kingpin, Georges St. Pierre, continues to recover from recent knee surgery.

An exciting heavyweight showdown between Stefan Struve vs. Dave Herman is also on tap, serving as the co-main event for the first-ever complete mixed martial arts (MMA) event to be featured on the FOX-owned network.

Before we can get to the good stuff, however, every one of the competitors on tomorrow night's UFC on Fuel TV fight card had to hit the scales in the "Gateway to the West" to make sure they aren't carrying any extra baggage.

Thankfully, none of them are and all 10 bouts are now official.

After the jump, you can check out photos (via UFC.com) from today's UFC on FUEL TV weigh-in event. For complete results click here, for staredowns click here and to watch the full UFC on FUEL TV weigh-in video click here.

Phil De Fries

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC on FUEL TV, beginning with the "Prelims" bouts on Facebook scheduled for around 6:20 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the main card action as it happens throughout the evening tomorrow night!

Video: Tim Sylvia can be a title contender and beat 80-percent of the heavyweights in the UFC

2012-02-15T02:00:08Z

" I'm doing this big push, I'm trying to get back into the UFC and I think I deserve to be there. ... I was in the UFC back when there was five to six shows a year. Now there are shows every three weeks, so they have to put guys in like (Christian) Morecraft, Joey Beltran, Stefan Struve; the list goes on and on. I don't understand why any of these guys are in the UFC, and to be frankly honest, I think I knock them out in the first round. I'm ready. I can beat 80 percent of the guys in the UFC. If you don't think I can, how about you make a push and try to get me into the UFC just to see me get my ass kicked."

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia is doing a little bit of campaigning asking for fans help to get him back into the ranks of the UFC. "The Maniac" took to "The Underground" to post this video asking for fans support for his "push" to get back into the world's largest mixed martial (MMA) promotion, a place he called home for more than six years before he was sent packing after a loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 81. Since his departure, he has amassed a 6-3 record, including losses to Fedor Emelianenko and former pro boxer Ray Mercer. With the promotion putting on a show seemingly every week, Sylvia feels he can fill some vacant spots on a few cards in place of a select few fighters in the heavyweight division that he thinks he can knock out. But has Sylvia's time passed and are his better days behind him? Or do any of you still feel he has enough left in the tank to compete with the new breed of big boys in the UFC? Anyone jumping on the "Get Tim Sylvia back into the UFC" bandwagon?

Such great heights: Stefan Struve UFC on Fuel TV interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

2012-02-15T01:00:08Z

Once considered a tremendous liability, Stefan Struve is beginning to truly believe in his striking.

"The Skyscraper" has slowly been packing on some bulk to his lanky 6'11" frame and on top of that, he's been perfecting his technique. Most notably, he's been working with top kickboxer and trainer Mousid Akamrane, which began to pay some dividends in his last fight against talented striker Pat Barry.

In that fight, the giant Dutchman did a terrific job of keeping the powerful puncher at bay with his lengthy reach, and he's now brimming with confidence.

Poised to put together a nice streak in the UFC heavyweight division, Struve will be battling fellow top prospect Dave Herman in the co-main event of UFC on Fuel TV tomorrow night (February 15, 2012) in Omaha, Nebraska.

The towering 24 year-old spoke with MMAmania.com during an appearance on The Verbal Submission this past weekend about avoiding being suckered into a brawl, developing proper technique and why he thinks his jiu-jitsu will work against Herman tomorrow night.

Check it out:

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've been working in Holland for a long time and I'm interested in the evolution of the use of your reach. You've started to use it well for most of the Travis Browne fight and especially against Pat Barry. He wasn't able to get inside on you. Can you talk about how you've been able to better utilize your 84 inch reach.

Stefan Struve: I'm maturing and I'm adding some weight to my frame so it's getting a lot easier to keep these guys at distance with a lot more weight behind your punches and kicks. It was good at the fight with Travis Browne and it was great against Pat Barry. I just made a stupid mistake against Browne. Nothing really happened in the Pat Barry fight that was a danger to me. I've been working with my coach for eight years now and I've been working with some new coaches as well lately. I think I've improved a lot with my balance and with using my reach. Let's go fight on Wednesday and show my improvement and do some work.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): One of those new coaches is Mousid Akamrane. How has he been able to pinpoint things for you to work on to better utilize your reach because that was something that was an issue before where you were letting guys get inside.

Stefan Struve: Mousid is one of the best training coaches in the world in my opinion. He's so good with working technique with guys and he's working a lot on my reach and really getting my balance and stuff together. I've been working with him a ton. I worked with him for my Pat Barry fight for a couple weeks and I'm working my kicks a lot with him for this fight and I can't wait for Wednesday to use it.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You talked about putting on more weight and you've been in the UFC for a couple years. You've slowly added more bulk to your frame, not putting it all on right away like Frank Mir did after the Brock Lesnar fight. You entered the UFC at 240 and you're slowly adding bulk. Is that better for you physically than to do it all at once?

Stefan Struve: Yeah of course. You don't want to do it too fast because if you do it too fast, you get slow and you can get injured. If you can't fight and train then you can't get adjusted to it and I'm adding about 10-12 pounds a year and it feels really good for me. I was 21 when I came in under 240 pounds in the UFC and my goal is to eventually get up to 290 or even 300 pounds and have to cut down and destroy everyone.

Ben Thapa: Does adding this bulk affect your agility at all?

Stefan Struve: To be honest with you, not really because the way I'm adding muscle to my frame, I'm lifting weights and I'm actually getting more agile. I'm kicking now way better than I was 2-3 years ago when I was kicking. It's the way I'm stretching my muscles, the way I'm lifting weights and I've got a really good strength and conditioning coach that's working really good for me.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This is more about your upcoming fight with Dave Herman. He's a guy that's really good at brawling. That's a fight that he specializes in, getting his opponents to lose their composure, scraping, smiling. You're moving away from that at least in terms of being reckless so is it difficult at all, trying to keep your composure and be more technical when he's trying to brawl with you?

Stefan Struve: Let's hope not. That's a thing I want to do, when he comes in and starts brawling, I want to step back, take a breath and look at the whole thing. If someone's coming in swinging away, he's gonna leave a lot of things that I can take advantage of. That's gonna be the game for me. Inch by inch with my kicks and my punches, keeping him at bay and when he wants to throw heavy and leave openings, he's in my world.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): He's got a tremendous chin and I've seen him take some huge shots throughout his career. He was getting lit up pretty bad and just came back, hardly seeming affected. Do you think if you land something real clean that you can knock him out?

Stefan Struve: Yeah for sure, man. You don't want to have my first on your chin. I weigh 265 pounds and I now know how to punch and kick. The thing is, the punches he was taking in his last fight, he saw them all coming because he was brawling. He knew he was gonna take some punches and the punches that knock you out are the ones that you don't see coming. The way I've been training and the way I throw punches from angles and stuff, that's gonna be difficult for him to deal with. I think for sure that when I hit him, it's good night, you know?

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This is more about going to the ground and you've probably been asked about this already, but Herman said that he doesn't think jiu-jitsu works on him. Do you see that as a challenge, considering your background, you've got a ton of submissions on your record?

Stefan Struve: Yeah, man. The best guys he's fought, the best jiu-jitsu guy was Einemo and Einemo came in not in shape if you ask me. He was pretty much destroyed after the first round, he had nothing left and you saw that when he came out for the second round, he really didn't know what to do and when he hit him on the ground, he was just laying on him instead of putting pressure on him and working and doing whatever. I think I'm the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter he's faced and I don't care if he says it's not working or whatever, I've caught Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts in chokes before and I'm working with some really good Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters so I think if this fight hits the ground, he's gonna have serious problems.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): So there's no concern at all about how he was so easily able to avoid Einemo's sub game because you think that Einemo was kinda gassed in that second round?

Stefan Struve: Einemo was a completely different type of Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter. Einemo's a guy who's got a good top game but my guard is way better than his, if you ask me. I'm more agile on the ground, I'm way faster, I'm leaner and I've got enough gas to go three rounds, which is something he couldn't do in his last fight.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I saw that Gegard Mousasi is one of your training partners. How long have you been working with him and has he been helping you at all in preparing for this fight?

Stefan Struve: We've been training with each other for about three years now but only now and then. It doesn't always happen, he's about one hour away from me but we should be training more together. When we train together, we have a really good connection. We train together about 3-4 times a month and that's always really good. It's a good experience to train with him and in my opinion, he's one of the best light heavyweights in the world.

Ben Thapa: You've had multiple comebacks throughout your career, notably Denis Stojnic and Christian Morecraft. How would you rank your mental toughness in the heavyweight division?

Stefan Struve: I don't know if you can rank it. I know I'm really tough and there's no quit in me no matter what happens and no matter if half my face is letting loose, I'll keep fighting no matter what. I want to win and my heart won't let me down. If for some reason, something happens in the fight that we don't expect, I need to really start working for a comeback again. I've got all the trust with the heart I have that I'll pull it out again.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This is more of a question based on the rest of the heavyweight division, but what do you think of your fellow countryman Alistair Overeem? How do you like his chances against Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight title?

Stefan Struve: It's gonna be a really interesting fight to see and I think that hopefully Alistair will be able to take the belt home to Holland. It will be a huge boost to the level of MMA in Holland and the way people look at it but it's gonna be really tough. I think highly of Junior dos Santos. I think he's got the best hands in the division of MMA and it's gonna be really interesting to see that fight.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): What needs to go right for you to be victorious on Wednesday night?

Stefan Struve: I've just got to fight my own fight the way I do in training. If I can apply my will and keep my distance, pick him apart, there's nothing in my way to the win.

Stefan would like to thank his training team. You can see all his sponsors posted on his banner so take a look at it. He'd like to thank the fans and especially the UFC for giving him another co-main event slot. You can follow him on Twitter @StefanStruve.

So what do you think, Maniacs?

Will Struve be able to remain composed and utilize proper form while Herman tries to hammer away? Can he put together a string of solid wins against some of the best the heavyweight division has to offer?

Sound off!

To listen to the complete audio of our interview with Struve, click here (62 minute mark).

UFC on Fuel TV fight card: Diego Sanchez vs Jake Ellenberger preview

2012-02-15T00:00:10Z

A potential UFC welterweight title contender will be emerging tomorrow night (February 15, 2012) as original Ultimate Fighter Diego Sanchez battles the heavy-hitting Jake Ellenberger in the main event of UFC on Fuel TV in Omaha, Nebraska.

Sanchez, a former lightweight title challenger, returned to Greg Jackson's gym and has showcased his tremendous heart in consecutive spirited performances at welterweight. He's trying to become a player at 170 and he will definitely make a statement if he can knock off one of the fastest rising contenders in the division in Ellenberger.

Jake Ellenberger is returning to his home state of Nebraska for the first time in over five years, and now he's doing it as a headliner and budding UFC title contender. His 53 second destruction Jake Shields last September exploded him onto the map and now it's time to see if he can keep his momentum rolling as he takes on one of the gutsiest fighters in the UFC.

Will Sanchez slay his demons and live his "Dream" with a main event victory? Can Ellenberger potentially earn an interim title shot by slaying Sanchez? How does each man find victory tomorrow night?

Let's find out:

Diego Sanchez

Record: 23-4 overall, 12-4 in the UFC

Key Wins: Nick Diaz (The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale), Paulo Thiago (UFC 121), Clay Guida (The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale)

Key Losses: John Hathaway (UFC 114), B.J. Penn (UFC 107), Josh Koscheck (UFC 69)

How he got here: Diego Sanchez got his start primarily in the King of the Cage circuit, wining his first 11 fights and becoming champion after defeating Jorge Santiago. He entered the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter as a favorite and became a fan favorite with his unique personality and some of his crazy antics.

After winning the first season as a middleweight, he dropped down to 170 pounds, defeating the likes of Nick Diaz, Karo Parisyan and Joe Riggs to become a contender, although he was brought back down to earth after consecutive decision losses to both Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch.

Undeterred, "The (then) Nightmare" dropped down to lightweight and after two impressive victories over the likes of Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida, he was given a title shot against B.J. Penn. Sanchez gave it his all, but he was outclassed in nearly all areas, losing via doctor stoppage to "The Prodigy."

Afterwards, he returned to welterweight and despite suffering a speed bump against John Hathaway, the Greg Jackson-trained fighter bounced back against Paulo Thiago and then scored a close and controversial decision victory over Martin Kampmann. After getting injured in preparation for a fight with Matt Hughes, Sanchez is back and ready to take on Jake Ellenberger, one of the most powerful and dangerous welterweights on the planet.

How he gets it done: To win this fight, Sanchez is going to have to rely on two of the things that he has an advantage of against just about everyone he faces, pure heart and incredible conditioning. "The Dream" can't afford to sit back and fight Ellenberger's fight. He's got to be highly aggressive, get in Ellenberger's face and force the hometown fighter to play more defensive.

If Sanchez can get out of the first round, and he's never had an issue with that before, the fact that he can make Ellenberger work extremely hard might be enough to put him over the top. Expect constant aggression, takedown attempts and a high volume of ugly-looking punches getting thrown in the direction of his opponent.

What matters isn't that he connect or do a significant amount of damage, it's that he makes Ellenberger work and tires him out. By the midway point of the second round, if "The Juggernaut" isn't gasping for breath and looking at the clock, then Sanchez will have failed.

But if he does tire Ellenberger out, his wrestling will become much more effective, as will his striking offense. Those crazy punches might not be the most damaging, but they look pretty and they could perhaps help him win a decision like in his last fight.

Jake Ellenberger

Record: 25-5 overall, 5-1 in the UFC

Key Wins: Jake Shields (UFC Fight Night 25), Mike Pyle (UFC 108), Carlos Eduardo Rocha (UFC 126)

Key Losses: Carlos Condit (UFC Fight Night 19), Rick Story (SportFight 23)

How he got here: Jake Ellenberger won his first 11 fights all by stoppage while fighting primarily in Midwest promotions near his Nebraska home before earning an opportunity to fight in the IFL. He had a rude awakening in his promotional debut, losing a decision to Jay Hieron and he never quite got on track in the promotion, going 2-2 while also mixing in multiple fights with other leagues during his downtime to gain experience.

A solid four fight win streak while fighting for M-1 and Bellator earned "The Juggernaut" a trip to the UFC where again, he'd have a tough first fight against current UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit. Ellenberger blasted Condit early with some serious power but "The Natural Born Killer" bounced back to take an extremely close split decision in one of 2009's best fights.

Since that loss, Ellenberger has won five straight which includes four stoppage victories due to strikes. The Reign Training Center fighter smashed Sean Pierson at UFC 127 and then followed it up with by far the biggest victory of his career, a 53 second drubbing of former title challenger Jake Shields, stopping him for the first time in over 10 years.

With that victory, Ellenberger is poised to potentially contend for the title, but he's got to get past fan favorite Diego Sanchez first.

How he gets it done: Jake Ellenberger needs to hurt Diego Sanchez badly standing. The Nebraska native has some of the heaviest hands of any welterweight in the world and he'll definitely need to land them hard if he wants to get the win.

Diego Sanchez can take a shot too so if Ellenberger hurts him, he can't let him back to his feet. He needs to swarm him immediately and go for the kill just like he did in his last fight with Jake Shields.

The key for Ellenberger will be to land a strike with power during some of Sanchez's wildest exchanges. Sanchez is likely going to be vulnerable early as he's been hurt by fighters like John Hathaway and B.J. Penn in the first round as well as losing the first rframe to Paulo Thiago in all his recent fights.

If Sanchez shoots in wildly, "The Juggernaut" needs to instinctually attack with a huge knee, similarly to what he did against Shields. Ellenberger has tremendous power both with his knees and his fists and if he stuns Sanchez, he's got to pounce and finish him off before he zombie-modes his way back into the fight.

While Ellenberger was an assistant wrestling coach at Nebraska, it's his striking technique and power which will win him this fight.

Fight X-Factor: The biggest X-Factor for this fight has to be the opening round. Diego Sanchez tends to get hit hard early in fights and there's no one that hits harder than Jake Ellenberger right now. If he walks into something or does not utilize proper defense, he's asking for quite a bit of trouble.

That being said, if Sanchez gets out of the first round, and if he pushes the type of pace we've come to expect from him, his conditioning could take over to where he can utilize his wrestling and impose his will. It will all come down to how much damage Ellenberger can dish out early, whether he can stop the fight or at least inflict enough punishment to stop Sanchez from being able to take over late.

Bottom Line: This fight is going to be a war. Diego Sanchez is an animal and he's not afraid of anyone, even someone as powerful as Jake Ellenberger. I expect both fighters to go at it from start to finish with Sanchez working some big sloppy strikes and takedown attempts while Ellenberger loads up for a huge knee or right hand. There's potential for either a highlight reel stoppage or just an incredible Fight of the Night performance as Sanchez has done that in four of his last six fights. This one should be terrific.

Who will come out on top at UFC on Fuel TV: "Sanchez vs. Ellenberger?" Tell us your predictions in the comments below!

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