UFC 84 Predictions

Tomorrow night the UFC presents UFC 84: Ill Will. This is the first MMA fight card in a while that I've been excited about. There are three fights that really interest me. Let's take a look at them and my predictions.

• BJ Penn vs. Sean Sherk for the lightweight championship. BJ won the title when Sherk was stripped of it for alleged steroid use. Now Sherk is back and he wants his title. This could be a great fight. Most folks are leaning towards BJ by submission, and he should win, but to keep things interesting I just may throw down a dollar on Sherk if I can get the right odds.
  

• Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine. This should be the slugfest of the night. Both men will probably come out throwing bombs. Whoever lands best wins. Pretty simple, huh? I'm going with Jardine by KO.
  
  
• Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida. One of the things that makes this fight so interesting is the stuff going on behind the scenes of the fight. Tito and UFC head honcho, Dana White, have bad blood. This is Tito's last fight under his current UFC contract. Dana wants Tito to leave with a loss so he's matched him up against Machida, an undefeated (12-0) rising star. Tito wants to put down Dana's golden boy before leaving the UFC for greener pastures. Styles make fights and this one is tough to call. Tito needs the takedown to be most effective. Machida likes to fight backing up. He's a counter-puncher. I hate to go against Tito, but I'm thinking the edge goes to Machida by decision.