UFC 102 Preview: The Main Card

Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt

The Breakdown: The dearly departed John Hughes would be proud to see this battle of high school archetypes, as the skateboarding outcast, Leben, takes on the classic uber-jock, Rosholt. While everyone in high school knew better than to tempt the ginormous wrestler, the absurd hype that accompanied Rosholt’s MMA transition has proven premature, as he went from overblown prospect in World Extreme Cagefighting to overmatched bust in his UFC debut against Dan Miller. This may be Rosholt’s last chance to reclaim some of his lost cache, but Leben will not be an easy mark, as his cinderblock fists and steadily improving jiu-jitsu are not weapons Rosholt’s one-note style is built to withstand.

The X Factor: Unless Rosholt either body slams Leben unconscious or runs chin-first into one of his fists, conditioning will be critical as this bout wears on. While Leben has had to dig deep on many an occasion, Rosholt has just six fights to his name and barely lasted a minute in his less than grand UFC debut. One way or another, Rosholt will answer a lot of the questions surrounding his once promising career.

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The Bottom Line: Leben will keep it close early by frustrating Rosholt on the mat before leveling him with his trademark overhand right late in the second round. If you listen closely, you can hear the Rosholt bandwagon clearing out.