UFC 119 will take place September 25, at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana and will be the first time the UFC has traveled to the Hoosier State. UFC 119 should prove to be quite an event, as there are many exciting fights scheduled for it. Granted, there won’t be a title fight on the card but many of the fights will determine top contenders for the belt and the card is also stacked full of big names and UFC veterans. The Main Event was originally supposed to be a rematch between Minotauro Nogueira and Frank Mir, but Nogueira had to pull out due to injury and Mirko Cro Cop stepped up to replace him. That’s really the only significant change of plans so without further ado let’s get to business breaking down the Main Card and making some UFC 119 Predictions.

Heavyweight Bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Cro Cop
In a heavyweight matchup sure to excite longtime MMA fans, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion will meet the Pride 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix Champion in a matchup that will place the winner firmly in the upper echelon of the division. While it’s true that it is unlikely either of them will get the Heavyweight Belt, the matchup should still prove to be an entertaining one, and neither fighter should ever be counted out, especially Frank Mir. Mir has had a pretty decent career since a motorcycle accident almost ended it, and Mirko Cro Cop has recovered fairly well from his run in with Gabriel Gonzaga, too. In the end though unless we see the Mirko Cro Cop come out again that once ran rampant through the ranks of Pride FC, Mir will be able to lock in a submission at some point, most likely in the second round.
Prediction: Mir 2nd Round Submission

Light Heavyweight Bout: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader is a very intriguing matchup with very serious consequences. The winner will be looking at a title shot with perhaps one or two more wins after this one, while the loser will be sent back to the drawing board trying to figure out how to climb up the ranks in the always hotly contested 205 lb. division. If not for Nogueira’s recent underwhelming performance against little known Jason Brilz he might be expected to give Ryan Bader his first loss, but general consensus seems to be that the young Bader will prove to be too much for the veteran Nogueira. It’s doubtful that either fighter will be finished regardless of who wins, and expect the fight to be all over the place. When it’s all said and done Ryan Bader will do enough to come out on top and to earn himself a solid Unanimous Decision, as well as keep his perfect record intact.
Prediction: Bader By Unanimous Decision

Welterweight Bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
This rematch has been brewing for quite some time, and now seems like the right time to do it. Matt Serra is at a bit of a crossroads in his career, trying to get back up amongst the top fighters in his weight class and Chris Lytle is on a winning streak so it seems perfect to pit the two against each other. If Matt Serra can get past Chris Lytle again it will prove he hasn’t lost any of the spunk that got him to the Title fight with GSP in the first place, and if Chris Lytle can win he will avenge a loss that has no doubt haunted him throughout his career as it is the closest he’s ever gotten to a title shot. This fight will no doubt be a close one, and is probably the most hotly contested fight of the evening, but expect Chris Lytle to walk away with a Unanimous Decision victory over “The Terror.”
Prediction: Lytle By Unanimous Decision

Lightweight Bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Sean Sherk and Evan Dunham’s bout is perhaps the most significant matchup amongst all the fights on the Main Card, as the winner will almost assuredly be placed in a number one contender’s bout to see who gets the next crack at the title after Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard get finished with their fight. Evan Dunham is known for methodically picking his opponents apart, and he will really have his hands full with Sean Sherk. Sherk is probably the strongest fighter in the division, so if Dunham can control Sherk it will really speak volumes about him as a fighter. Sean Sherk hasn’t lost to anyone who isn’t a champion however, and so he shouldn’t just be shrugged off as a washed up old man. Sean Sherk is never a pushover, but if Evan Dunham can set the pace of this fight it should be enough to earn the Dane a Unanimous Decision.
Prediction: Dunham By Unanimous Decision

Lightweight Bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens
The first fight of the night also has Fight of the Night written all over it. Melvin Guillard and Jeremy Stephens are two heavy-handed, iron-chinned fighters and seeing them clash in the cage together should contain about as many fireworks and explosions as a New Year’s Day celebration at Disney World. Ultimately the question is who is going to win, and this is indeed a tough question. However, over the course of their past few fights, Melvin Guillard has displayed a bit more technical striking than Jeremy Stephens and has always been more explosive. These factors should give Guillard the edge over Stephens, and expect “The Young Assassin” to win a hard fought Unanimous Decision, the first of many on the Main Card.
Prediction: Guillard By Unanimous Decision

So thats it, there’s our UFC 119 Predictions. What do you think? Let us know your opinions in the box below.

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