Leben vs. Rosholt – Take the Underdog at UFC 102

As much as I dislike Chris Leben, I have to say that the kid has some serious balls on him. Nobody digs deeper than this underdog to prove himself and his worth in the octagon. He fights with passion and a desire to prove that he’s better than his opponent. The problem is that Leben is the favorite in this matchup due to his experience and not his credentials.

Not much is known about Jake Rosholt aside from the fact that he was supposed to be good. Rosholt has a big following from his WEC days, but a submission loss to Dan Miller in his UFC debut caused his backers to jump ship pretty fast. Those that are still around are counting on his versatility and willingness to win to get him back on track.

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My problem with Leben is that, in the eyes of the UFC, he’s used primarily to draw out the best in the guys that are supposed to be the next, big things. He’s just 18-5 SU, but a lot of his fights early on were against nameless jobbers. Aside from a split decision over Patrick Cote, he doesn’t have any big wins to his credit. Now, losses to Michael Bisping and Jason Macdonald are the ones I remember because it proved that Leben is used to test the new UFC rookies.

Rosholt is being undersold because he came in all jittery during his UFC debut. But now he has to clear out the cobwebs and get back on his feet. Withstanding the onslaught that is Chris Leben, whose powerful overhand right can knockout a horse, is going to be a surefire test for Rosholt. But it’s the only way to prove that he belongs in the UFC. For now, I’m still biting on his potential because I’ve seen what Leben can do…and I’m not impressed.

Furious Free Pick: Rosholt +120