| March 3rd, 2007 is the date that Randy "The Natural" | | | | expect the usual from Tim Sylvia. He will stay well on |
| Couture faces Tim "The Mainiac" Sylvia at UFC 68 in | | | | the outside, expecting Randy to shoot and ready to |
| Columbus Ohio. That's the date that Randy Couture | | | | defend against it. Randy is an excellent wrestler with |
| wants to make Mixed Martial Arts history. Randy | | | | near Olympic credentials. We can expect Randy |
| Couture is no stranger to the UFC heavyweight | | | | Couture to throw some long punches, attempting to |
| division. He won the heavyweight title on two | | | | get inside Tim's range (without getting hit) to take |
| separate occasions. But, that was in 1997 and 2001. | | | | him down. |
| In fact, his last two outings in the heavyweight | | | | About one minute into the fight Randy will attempt |
| division, both in 2002, ended badly for Randy. His | | | | his first shot, he will throw a two punch combination |
| conclusion at the time is that the fighters were too | | | | to confuse Silvia, then get his underhooks in place. |
| big for him. My conclusion was "now the big guys can | | | | Randy will need to be aware of Tim's knees from |
| fight". Randy was once able to out skill much larger | | | | this position as his size disadvantage will leave his |
| opponents, but as the skill differences lessened, his | | | | head in just the right place for a devastating knee |
| success did also. | | | | strike. If all the stars are aligned properly, Randy will |
| Not to be kept down, Randy Couture came back, | | | | get his take down, but it's too early in the fight for |
| reinventing himself as a light heavyweight fighter. | | | | Randy to finish Tim. Tim is just too strong to be |
| Once again, Randy was dominant. He was now an | | | | submitted, ground and pounded, or kept down for |
| exceptionally strong and skilled light heavyweight and | | | | long early in the first round. Tim will either get back |
| seemed to be in his element. With dominant victories | | | | up or be stood up by the ref. |
| over Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Vitor Belfort Randy | | | | Here's where my crystal ball gets a little fuzzy. Randy |
| seemed unstoppable. That is until his first and second | | | | will now have some confidence that he can keep |
| rematches against Chuck Liddell. In those outings, it | | | | Silvia down and Sylvia will have some confidence that |
| was Chuck's superiour striking, not his size which | | | | he can get up if Randy does put him down. Look for |
| brought Randy down. | | | | Silvia to come forward a little more with strikes, even |
| The question on March 3rd will be this. Is Tim Sylvia | | | | trying a head kick. Head kicks are nice, but Randy |
| too big and too strong for Randy Couture? Randy | | | | Couture is not Tra Telligman and high kicks on Randy |
| will be 43 years old and if he comes into this fight in | | | | Couture might end in disaster for Tim Silvia. I believe |
| great shape he'll likely be around 215 pounds. In | | | | Randy will grab a leg on one of these attempts and |
| contrast, Tim Silvia will be 30 years old and will need | | | | take Tim down again, this time it will be worse for |
| to cut some weight to fit into the UFC's | | | | Silvia. |
| heavyweight limit of 265 pounds. | | | | As the fight wears on, Tim's lack of cardio will begin |
| Tim Sylvia is primarily a striker, he uses his huge | | | | to show and Randy will become more and more |
| reach advantage (Tim is 6'8" tall) well. He stays to | | | | dominant. |
| the outside and picks opponents apart with his jab | | | | In the final analysis, I don't believe Tim's punches will |
| and waits for one to come into his range, then | | | | be coming at Randy as fast or as hard as Chuck |
| throws a big right. Tim also has an excellent sprawl | | | | Liddell's. I also don't believe that Tim's take down |
| and his extreme height makes it difficult for even | | | | defense is as good as Chuck's. I will predict that |
| very good wrestlers, Jeff Monson included, to turn | | | | Randy Couture will win this fight either late in the first |
| him over. In his most recent fight with Jeff Monson, | | | | or in the second round by ref's stoppage or |
| Tim even showed some decent ground work in | | | | submission. |
| almost submitting Monson. | | | | Ladies and gentlemen, the new world heavyweight |
| When the cage closes and the fight begins, we can | | | | champion, Randy "The Natural" Couture. |