UFC 111 Preview: Mark Bocek vs. Jim Miller

UFC 111 PPV Card: Mark Bocek (8-2) vs. Jim Miller (16-2)
Odds: Bocek (+320), Miller (-390)
Fun Fact: Jim Miller used to work construction with his father and brother.

Zak Woods: A lot of fans think that IFL vet Jim Miller is a future contender at 155lbs. I am not sold on the lighter Miller brother as Gray Maynard put on a wrestling clinic against Miller at UFC 96. How will Jimbo handle Tyson Griffin, Frankie Edgar or Sean Sherk (actually, scratch that last one). Mark Bocek may not be the most technically lightweight but he is an extremely tough, determined ginger.

Everyone and their mother will be picking Miller to win and he's a massive favorite at -390 but Bocek can give Jim a run for his money, no?

Zach Krantz: Yeah dude, kind with you on this one. Miller is the favorite and should be, but the worst thing Bocek has is that freaking loss to Danzig...it looks horrible. In the end though, this is miller's fight to lose. Bocek ain't no Edgar or Maynard in the wrestling department and does not have the striking for miller (which I would never have written before Ludwig fight).

Zak Woods: In fairness to Mark and his loss to Danzig he was kicking the crap out Mac for a round and pushed forward in the third round despite eating punches in bunches. Afterward we all thought that Bocek could be a diamond in the rough but we later found out that Danzig just sucks.

Still, Mark has won three fights since then and this will mark his eleventh professional fight. There is still plenty of time for him to grow and improve. Perhaps even upsetting Mr. Miller.

Nick Becker: Seriously, what the hell is Mark Bocek doing on the main card of the UFC's biggest event of the year so far? Could the UFC not find Jim Miller a better opponent? Was Sean Sherk not available? Oh, wait...never mind :)

Ok, so I just gave Bocek's Fight Finder page a quick gander, and I've come to the conclusion that Bocek has some kind of weird obsession with rear naked chokes. This is crazy. Listen to this: Bocek's last four fights have ended by RNC, with Bocek winning the last three straight. Also, out of his 10 total fights, six of them have ended by way of RNC. What does that have to do with this bout? Nothing really, I just wanted to point that out.

Zach Krantz: Yes he won his last three fights, and yes he has looked good, but those three fighters are a combined 2-6 in the UFC (2-3 excluding bocek still aint great)

Zak Woods: To your first question Nick. It seems that when we have these "mega cards" (defined as two title fights or a blockbuster fight and a title fight) that we end up being stuck with several lower quality match-ups. Take UFC 101 for instance. Everyone focuses on the Penn-Florian title fight and Silva's fade-away knockout over Griffin but here is the rest of the card.

Josh Neer vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley
Kendall Grove vs. Ricardo Almeida
Amir Sadollah vs. Johny Hendricks

If I am allowed to channel the Black Eye'd Peas, not exactly "Boom Boom Pow"

I am with everyone else in picking Miller but I think that Bocek may be tough enough to stick out a gritty decision.

Zach Krantz: New Rule: You are NOT allowed to channel Black Eyed Pears...That is all.

Zak Woods: But I thought tonight was going to be a good night (read as: getting laid)?

Zach Krantz: Alright, you can channel them

Tape Watching: Jim Miller vs. Bart Palaszewski