Kimbo Slice vs. Tank Abbott

Let's get down to the nitty gritty of this matchup from the get go without delving into the potential of Kimbo Slice. Right now as it stands, Kimbo possesses one skill that will win his this battle of two very similar styled fighters... his standup. Both fighters will come in wanting to put the other man down, but Kimbo does possess some type of submission game that is always in the mix when he fights. He put Ray Mercer down to the floor and submitted him with relative ease to nullify the one skill that he had. Will Kimbo do the same to Tank?

There's potential there for it, but I imagine Kimbo will strike a bit with Tank. Tank's power will be formidable, but does he have the technical prowess to put Kimbo down? I doubt it. Tank looks out of shape in his training photos over the past few days, and his cardio is always terrible. Add in the fact that he's been fairly weak chinned, relatively inactive for most of the year, and the fact that Kimbo actually has Bas Rutten helping him train. I have to go with Kimbo here.

Leland's Prediction: Kimbo Slice via TKO, Round 1

Scott Smith vs. Kyle Noke

This should actually be a pretty damn good fight for the promotion. Smith brings a 12-5 record into EliteXC with some UFC experience that can be summed up in his win over Pete Sell. If you don't remember, Sell damaged Smith badly with a gut shot, moved in for the kill, and then Smith unleashed a punch from hell that put Sell out cold. Other than that fight, he wasn't successful in the UFC with losses to David Terrell, Patrick Cote, and Ed Herman, although those opponents are rather tough for power striker like Smith. He'll come into this fight looking to punch his way to victory, and he definitely has the capacity of skills to beat Noke.

Noke is an up-and-comer in the MMA scene even though his 14-3-1 record would likely give you a different sense of his career. One of the only Australians to be successful so far in his career, Noke is looking to extend his wins and begin proving that he can hang with mid-echelon talent. Smith is a perfect test. Noke is well-rounded with a good ground game and some power in his hands, although he has managed to prove that he doesn't haven't the finishing power of many other Middleweight counterparts. The big question in this fight is whether Smith can defend the submission against Noke's wrestling ability. Smith's weakness is the ground, and Noke is definitely skilled enough to give Smith a run for his money. I can't jump on the Aussie MMA train just yet.

Leland's Prediction: Scott Smith via TKO, Round 2

James Berto vs. Yves Edwards

I'm not sold on Berto. His record looks great, but the level of competition that he has beaten isn't at all as impressive as you would think. He's went to decision against some guys he should have finished, and his main weapon seems to be the ground game, specifically the heel hook. Yves isn't about to be submitted by the heel hook, and his game is much more well-rounded. He's also recently switched camps and now trains with American Top Team, a great move to get back to his winning ways.

Leland's Prediction: Yves Edwards via submission, Round 2

James Thompson vs. Brett Rogers

I won't delve too much into this one. "The Colossus" is exactly that, a huge, strong striker who is mainly known for his bull charges at the beginning of the fight that are reminiscent of Bald Bull. He's fairly weak chinned, and subpar opponents have taken advantage of it. "Butterbean" Eric Esch and Neil Grove both knocked out Thompson in recent fights.

That being said... Rogers might be a good bet here. He's coming into the bout at 5-0 and has shown some big power in all of his fights. A weak chinned Thompson may fall victim once again to the big hands of lesser known striker. I'm picking Rogers here for one reason alone. Thompson hasn't shown us anything that indicates he's a changed fighter. He's still one dimensional, reckless, and only has big sloppy punches that have the potential to wreck someone. Rogers should put him to the floor immediately and punch him out.

Leland's Prediction: Brett Rogers via TKO, Round 1

Ricco Rodriguez vs. Antonio Silva

I'm actually looking forward to seeing this fight. It's a step in the progression of Ricco's recent statements regarding his weight, and it'll be interesting to see what he will be able to do here. Although I imagine he will loom in the upper limit of the weight class due to Silva's size, but will he have his skills back to take on Antonio?

Silva has some heavy hands and is very quick for a big guy. Specifically, his knees are dangerous in the clinch, and he uses them often. It'll be up to Ricco to take this to the floor if he wants to have a chance at winning this one. Ricco's traverse back to the top may have hit a roadblock with this fight.

Leland's Prediction: Antonio Silva via TKO, Round 2

Rest of the card
Rafael Feijao vs. John Doyle: I'll take Feijao in this one. He has some great power in his hands, and should be able to dispatch of Doyle rather quickly. Feijao via TKO, Round 1

Mario Rinaldi vs. Dave Herman: Herman is my pick here. Rinaldi hasn't shown a strong skillset against some tougher opponents earlier this year, and his weight slows him down quite a bit when he balloons over 265 after the weigh-ins. It could be tough for Herman to deal with it, but he has huge power in his hands. Herman via TKO/KO, Round 1

Jon Kirk vs. Yosmany Cabaezas: Kirk should take this. His submission game is much better, and Cabezas is only 3-0 in his career right now. Kirk's experience will most likely play a factor as well. Kirk via submission, Round 2

Eric Bradley vs. Mikey Gomez: Gomez has a vast amount of experience on Eric Bradley, and his submission game should be his key to success. This is Bradley's third professional fight, and Gomez won't be an easy task. Gomez via submission, Round 1

Mike Bernhard vs. Lorenzo Borgomeo: Pick 'em - Borgomeo via submission, Round 1