While the event’s headlining bout may lack star power, UFC 108 will feature a number of exciting welterweight fights between top contenders. British knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley will look to take another huge step towards a title shot when he meets final WEC Welterweight Champion “The Natural Born Killer” Carloes Condit.
Elsewhere, Daley’s most recent victim, Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann, will look to get back to his winning ways when he takes on hard-hitting former International Fight League standout Rory Markham.
Daley (22-8-2), arguably the most devastating striker in the entire welterweight division, made a huge impact in his UFC debut when he stepped in for an injured Mike Swick against top contender Kampmann.
In a very impressive display, Daley stopped Kampmann in emphatic fashion with punches in the first round to notch his 17th career win by a form of knockout. The victory immediately placed Daley in title contention.
Condit (24-5-0) dropped a disputed Split Decision to Kampmann in his UFC debut in April, then rebounded with an equally controversial Split Decision victory over Jake Ellenberger in September.
After being dropped and nearly finished in a lopsided first round, Condit battled back in rounds two and three and did just enough to take a decision over Ellenberger to get his career back on track.
Daley’s vicious punching power will meet Condit’s impressive gound game in a fight that is unlikely to go the distance. Combined, Daley and Condit have only fought to a decision nine times in 61 fights.
A victory for either fighter will likely set up a showdown with Josh Koscheck to determine the #1 contender for the UFC Welterweight Championship in 2010 after current champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre defends against Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy.
Kampmann (15-3-0) was on the fast track to a title shot after his win over Condit, but the loss to Daley was a major setback and Kampmann now finds himself having to climb the welterweight ladder again.
A well-rounded fighter, Kampmann is not afraid to stand and trade with anyone, but that spelled his downfall against Daley and also in his bout with top middleweight contender Nate Marquardt.
Markham (16-5-0) has never gone the distance in his career and is known for his “knock out or be knocked out” style. He has very heavy hands, but a questionable chin has hindered his progress in the past.
As one of the top contenders in the former International Fight League, Markham made the most of his UFC debut with a highlight-reel head-kick knockout of Brodie Farber last July, but was knocked out himself against Dan Hardy in February. He has not fought since then.
Kampmann could finish the fight standing or on the ground, but he may be wise to take Markham down in order to avoid his punching power. The winner of the fight will almost certainly be the fighter who can land one clean punch first, as neither has an excellent chin.
Not to be forgotten, another welterweight bout on the card features well-travelled submission ace Mike “Quicksand” Pyle against fellow multi-promotion contender Jake Ellenberger.
Pyle (19-6-1) is one of the top submission fighters in the division and has only fought to a decision twice in his entire career. He has been a contender in every promotion that he has competed in, including nearly every notable promotion in North America.
With an incredible 16 wins by submission, Pyle’s game plan is simple, but his striking is also solid and he is well-versed at setting up takedowns with quick punching combinations.
Ellenberger (21-5-0) has only been stopped once in his career, via armbar against top IFL contender Delson Heleno in September of 2007, and has finished all but three of his opponents.
With heavy hands and a solid ground game, Ellenberger is a tough test for anyone at 170, and that was evident in his first-round performance against Condit in September. However, he was unable to finish Condit and dropped a contested decision, and he must now fight his way back into contention.
Ellenberger must keep the fight on the feet at all costs because Pyle’s game of luring opponents into mistakes on the ground has allowed him to submit many notable fighters in the division. If Ellenberger can’t end the fight with a knockout, Pyle’s hand will most likely be raised after yet another impressive tapout victory.
The event also features the dynamic Lauzon brothers in the lightweight division, as Joe Lauzon takes on Canadian striker Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout while Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon, returning to the UFC for the first time since 2006, takes on submission specialist Cole “Magrinho” Miller.
UFC 108: “Evans vs Silva” is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between “Sugar” Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva. The event takes place on January 2, 2010 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.