Tons of cancellations, last-second changes and controversial matchmaking never make for a quality show. Well, not until now.

The UFC 98 card set for Saturday at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas is looking like one of the best lineups in some time despite a final product that looks nothing like what the UFC had originally planned.

The star factor is certainly present. Light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans will defend his title against the criminally underappreciated Lyoto Machida, and we’ll get a long overdue resolution to the ongoing grudge between former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and Matt Serra. The rest of the main card, however, is what makes this a worthy investment for any fight fan.

Between middleweight bouts featuring some potential entrants in the Anderson Silva sweepstakes and a lightweight showdown that stars two of the UFC’s premier pocket rocket pugilists, there is something for every fight-crazed palate out there. So sit back and enjoy another round of offbeat prognostication courtesy of the guy who once argued that ping-pong is a contact sport.