Originally Posted by Nicky Talent©
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Mir will find a way to exploit Lesnar's weakness on the ground. He's try to counter a punch, pull guard. I expect some big striking, but a grappling fest as well.

Originally Posted by Sherdog.com

This Saturday night, what’s being tabbed by some as the greatest event in MMA history will finally come to fruition. UFC 100 features a welterweight showdown between Georges St. Pierre and Thiago Alves but will be capped off by a goliath-sized heavyweight championship tilt between defending champion Brock Lesnar and interim titlist Frank Mir.

The fight community appears torn over Lesnar’s power, athleticism and sheer size versus Mir’s excellent submission game, technique and improved standup.

Sherdog.com spoke with dozens of professional trainers and fighters to find out how they think the matchup will unfold.

Roland Sarria: I feel Frank is back, but Brock has too much raw power along with some experience now. Brock wins by stoppage.

Jeff Monson: Lesnar by TKO in the second.

Chael Sonnen: Mir will put the icing on the cake that (Dan) Henderson just got done making.

Kevin Burns: This will be a great fight. Brock is like a truck, but I think Frank still has the technique advantage. I see Frank winning by KO or submission.

Travis Wiuff: Brock by ref stoppage early in the first round.

Nick Thompson: Brock via ground-and-pound. I might be a little biased, though.

Nate Diaz: Mir (will win).

Cung Le: Mir by submission.

Luigi Fioravanti: Brock by decision.

Jaime Fletcher: Lesnar by TKO standing or on the ground. Mir got saved by the referee in the first one. Plus I’m biased because (Erik) Paulson helps coach Brock.

Marcus Hicks: Gotta be honest; I think Lesnar early in the first or Mir if Brock doesn’t finish it in the first three minutes -- then definitely Mir.

Marcelo Alonso/Sherdog.com

The pros like lesnar's size.
Billy MacDonald: I want to pick Frank Mir badly in this one, but I am going to have to pick Brock by ground-and-pound in round two. Lesnar started to panic and tapped too early in their first matchup. Lesnar won't get caught that easily this time around. Mir is a tough S.O.B. though, and he will hold on as long as possible. Mir will refuse to tap out, so the ref will step in and call it in round two after Frank's face starts swelling up like Will Smith's did in “Hitch.”

Jake Bostwick: Lesnar I believe will win by TKO (via) ground-and-pound. I think Brock wants this win more than anything. He f--ked up with his first fight with Frank (because of) nerves and rushed a bit too much, but I believe it's Brock’s.

Bill Mesi: Lesnar does nothing for me. I like nothing about him; attitude, skill, just nothing about him makes him good for the sport. Mir caught him once, but that fight was finished with the ground-and-pound that Brock put on him, but (it) was restarted because of the blows to the back of the head. Mir’s newfound confidence on his feet, which was flawlessly showcased against (Rodrigo) Minotauro (Nogueira), will present a momentary problem for Brock, a Mir glitch, if you will. I see this fight stopped in the second via Couture-style ground-and-pound with Brock retaining title.

Stav Economou: Mir was lucky the first time -- he won't be this time. Lesnar to win (via) first-round KO.

Tom Gavrilos: Mir dodged a bullet last time and I am sure Lesnar has worked tirelessly on his submission defense. By the same token, I don't see him being able to control Mir on the ground as easily as he did Heath (Herring). Subs will still be a strong threat. In the end, I think Lesnar will just be too much. Lesnar by KO.

Jamie Varner: I have Mir winning.

Robin Black: This is an interesting fight. Mir could out-strike Lesnar, but Lesnar will take Mir down. Lesnar's ground-and-pound will be effective, but Mir could submit the big man. It can really go either way. What the hell; I'll pick Mir by submission. But I'm not betting any money on that. No sir.

Thomas Denny: Lesnar is just too big and strong for most of the UFC weight classes. I like Mir a lot, but (I) will say revenge in way of Lesnar keeping the title.

Elvis Sinosic: They both have greatly improved since their last bout against each other. Mir and Lesnar have both obviously worked on their striking. They are looking more precise and technical. Mir's gas tank seems to be much better than in earlier days. Lesnar has the strength and wrestling advantage. I think Lesnar also has more power in his striking. Mir has the grappling and submission advantage. I don't expect to see this fight remain standing, though it is possible. The match will hit the ground and this is where it will be decided… I think Lesnar will take down Mir, but will be much more controlled… Look for him to punish Mir with punches, forearms and elbows. Mir will look to guard and will work for submissions… I think Mir will work for the legs again, as he no doubt perceives this as a weakness of Lesnar. I think Lesnar will have been working like crazy to defend his legs. I can see Frank landing a lower body submission -- I don't think he will get an arm or leg -- and winning the fight. I just don't think it will happen. I think Brock will come in well-prepared for this match. I am predicting Brock to win via TKO in the later rounds.

Stephane Vigneault: Sorry, I don’t like Lesnar. But since Mir’s performance against Nogueira I am a fan of Mir. Mir by submission in round two.

Pete Spratt: I guess I would have to say it depends on which Mir shows up. Will it be the Mir that fought Nog or the Mir that fought Lesnar the first time? In my opinion, Mir has a slight chance to win if this was a grappling match. He got away with one when he caught an inexperienced Lesnar, who was winning the first fight. I don’t think Lesnar will make those same mistakes again. I think he's too big, too strong and too athletic for Mir to beat. I will go with Lesnar by TKO (in) round three.

Gabe Ruediger: This fight has no real interest for me. Not sure of a winner, (but I’m) leaning towards Lesnar.

Din Thomas: I’m picking “Branck Lesmir” to get it done based on size, strength and superior technical jiu-jitsu.

Eddy Millis: This is a tough call. I was very impressed with Frank in his last fight. Meanwhile, Brock is on the fast track. I think if Frank can weather the storm, he comes out with a submission win in the third round.

Lyle Beerbohm: I don’t think Mir will catch him like he did the first fight. In that case, I’m picking Brock to win. Since his fight with Mir, I think he’s gotten more experience in the cage. And with that experience I think he will be a little safer when it hits the ground. Submission defense is the key. I pick Brock (via) second round TKO. If Mir is gonna win, he better catch him in the first.

Mike Dolce: Last December, when Frank fought “Big Nog,” I went against the grain and picked Mir to win by TKO in round two. This time around I'm picking Mir to win by submission in round two. Frank's a stud and such a nice guy. I truly think he's hit his stride and will be ready for what the still green Lesnar has to offer.

Pros who picked Lesnar: 16
Pros who picked Mir: 9
Pros who couldn’t decide: 2

Originally Posted by MMAWeekly.com

Regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, Georges St. Pierre has gone on a tear of late, as he has steamrolled Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Matt Serra, Jon Fitch and, most recently, UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn.

The 28-year-old welterweight king wants nothing more than to extend his trail of destruction at 170 pounds when he meets Thiago Alves in the UFC 100 co-main event this Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Alves has torn through the division in similar fashion en route to his landing a crack at St. Pierre (18-2). During his seven-fight winning streak, only two men have gone the distance against the Brazilian. Alves (16-3) has stopped five others -- Hughes, Tony DeSouza, Kuniyoshi Hironaka, Karo Parisyan and the always durable Chris Lytle -- in one fashion or another.

Sherdog.com spoke with dozens of MMA professionals and found out where they stood on this welterweight showdown.

Jeff Monson: Alves by TKO.

Jorge Santiago: Thiago by KO in the first round.

Roland Sarria: I think this will be St. Pierre’s biggest test ever. If GSP gets a win, he is the real deal made of steel. GSP will lose by decision.

Kevin Burns: I’m very excited to see this fight, and I know it will be action-packed. I look for GSP to take down Alves early to try and tire him out. I hope the fight stays standing. GSP is the winner.

Falaniko Vitale: GSP is the man. Hard to bet against him.

Frank Shamrock: I like GSP all the way. His game and flow are seamless.

Cung Le: GSP by submission.

Luigi Fioravanti: “Pitbull” by KO.

Jaime Fletcher: I can’t wait. I think we will see some entertaining striking, but once St. Pierre tastes some four-ounce gloves, we’ll see the wrestling and ground-and-pound fest commence. I’m gonna have to go with the Canadian, Gatorade-drinkin’ dude by decision.

Travis Lutter: I am picking GSP to win. His wrestling will dictate where the fight is going to be fought.

Chris Lytle: Tough fight [to call]. If GSP can get it to the ground every round, he’ll grind out the win. If not, Thiago will be the champ.

Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

Is Alves a solid upset pick?
Erik Paulson: This UFC 100 is going to be a great. Some great and exciting matches. With the GSP and Alves fight, I predict nothing but an exciting fight, with both of these fighters at the top of their games, Alves with his aggressive attacks and GSP with his optimal application of his tactical strategy and counters. I’m gonna take GSP as the victor in the fifth round via judges’ decision.

Jason Lambert: GSP [by] second-round TKO.

Yves Edwards: Of course, I’m going with the “Pitbull” in this one, not only because he’s my teammate but because I truly believe he’s the best overall MMA test GSP will have faced. Pitbull’s style is to stop your shot and not let you hang out on him. GSP has a great shot and does well with his wrestling from the clinch. I see the Pitbull implementing his game and ending the fight in the third or fourth after his leg kicks take away some of GSP’s wrestling.

Guy Mezger: Good-looking fight, but GSP wins by being too physical for Alves.

John Hackleman: I think it will be a brutal beat down -- fourth round KO (sarcastically omits pick).

Kit Cope: I’m going with Alves on this one. Though GSP is a phenomenal all-around athlete, Thiago is a huge, powerful dude with plenty of skills. The only thing I think GSP will have over Thiago is a little speed and some wrestling. I know that Alves has really been working his submission game at ATT and is as hungry as I’ve ever seen him. Georges may be a little too comfy on his throne with someone this explosive knocking at the door.

Dewey Cooper: I think this is a tough fight for GSP. This will test the durability of GSP. Thiago Alves has an excellent Thai boxing striking base that possibly could be GSP’s demise. Alves’ powerful low kicks will be something GSP will have to elude and defend, as well as the superb knee techniques. The question that needs to be answered about Thiago is can he maintain a strong pace for the duration of five five-minute rounds? I went back and forth in my mind about who would be victorious in this battle. After contemplating for days, my final thoughts are that GSP will win this war. He seems to be the better athlete of the two, and I think his championship experience will propel him to a tough victory.

Marcus Hicks: I’m sorry to my fellow Canadians, but I gotta go with Alves by KO or TKO in this one.

Billy MacDonald: This is the most exciting matchup of the night in my opinion. GSP will find Alves tough to stand with, and this fight can go two ways. First, St. Pierre will be able to stay out of Thiago’s range and use his superior wrestling to dominate the fight and eventually ride out a decision victory in five rounds. On the other hand, say Alves catches GSP early with his vicious leg kicks and is able to avoid St. Pierre’s takedowns. Keeping this fight on the feet is Alves’ best option -- and probably only option to win -- and we know that GSP can be beaten on the feet. Although Alves would likely be a good bet in Vegas, my mind is telling me that GSP will control the fight and win via unanimous decision.

Bill Mesi: I’m Canadian, and as much as I don’t want to jump on the GSP bandwagon -- even saying GSP gives me a rash -- I think the guy is too dominant for this division. He’s much like Anderson [Silva] in that he’s just too big, too complete of a fighter, I believe. With that being said, I think Alves will be the toughest test to date; guy’s a mean boy with devastating stand-up and a legit ground game. I see a GSP decision. I’m gonna go put cream on this rash now.

Jess Liaudin: I think that Alves is gonna be dangerous and very strong in the first and second rounds. But GSP’s gonna have better cardio in the later rounds due to the fact that he’s not cutting as much weight as “Pitbull.” Also, the experience of already having been in championship fights is gonna give him the edge. I see him getting the takedown and working his ground-and-pound for a TKO in the fourth.

Tom Gavrilos: I expect to see GSP more hesitant than usual to stay in the pocket against Alves, but I trust he will come in with a sound game plan and execute. This one goes to GSP.

Jamie Varner: I have Alves winning.

Stav Economou: Alves looks like an absolute beast, and I think he will be GSP’s biggest test to date. That said, I still think that, when it’s all said and done, GSP will have his hand raised in victory after five brutal rounds.

Thomas Denny: I think GSP likes his nipples too much. I will say he has been spending too much time playing with them. Alves [by] TKO in round two. If GSP’s nipples aren’t chapped, he might have left them alone this camp. [In that case], GSP [by] decision. Just kidding. Alves [by] TKO round two -- final answer.

Robin Black: It is tough to bet against GSP in any fight. He looks terrifying. Sure, Alves is a tough, explosive fighter, but I see GSP hanging with him on the feet, scoring takedowns, passing to half guard and ground-and-pounding Alves the same way he has so many others

Stephane Vigneault: I’m a friend of Georges and a teammate. Georges is the Wayne Gretzky of MMA. Georges all the way, I think, by ground-and-pound or submission [in] round three.

Gabe Ruediger: The most interesting fight on the card in my opinion. Thiago has grown immensely since his last loss, as has GSP. Thiago’s takedown defense has gotten incredibly good, and he has always had good stand-up. Now, on the other side, GSP’s wrestling has gotten really good. This will be the deciding factor. I think Thiago can stay on his feet for a while, but if and when GSP gets him down, that will be his demise. There is always the “any given day” that a strike will land and it will be over, though. GSP by TKO in a later round.

Brad Pickett: As much as I love GSP, Alves is my man, and he’s hungry for that belt. If he keeps the fight on the feet, it will be an Alves KO in round two.

Elvis Sinosic: This is an exciting fight. The question here that comes into play is where will the match take place? If it stays standing, Alves has the advantage. If it hits the ground, GSP has the advantage. Next, if it stays standing, how good is GSP’s stand-up and can he handle Alves? If it hits the ground, the question is how good is Alves defense? Can he defend the ground-and-pound? Both fighters have improved immensely. GSP’s takedowns, grappling and setups are fantastic. Alves’ striking is crisper -- and he still has his power -- and his takedown defense has improved drastically. How good is GSP’s chin if he gets tagged and how good is Alves’ gas if it goes to the later rounds? I think that Alves has the ability to defend and scramble in the early rounds to give GSP trouble. He has that power that quite possibly could end the match at any time. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him catch GSP in the early rounds and put him away. I just don’t expect that to happen. I think GSP has fantastic footwork, distancing and timing. This is what makes his wrestling and striking so effective. He also has a great ability to mix up what he is doing. He can keep his opponents off balance. He also has a great gas tank. You know, if it goes to the later rounds, he will be working just as hard as he did in the first round. He and his team also come in with great strategies. They really study their opponents -- as demonstrated by the B.J. Penn victory where they clinched up to tire his shoulders to nullify B.J.’s jab -- so you know he will be prepared. I see GSP mixing it up during the fight, keeping constant pressure on Alves. He will not let Alves get comfortable or get into his rhythm or range. I think GSP will win the fight in the later rounds via TKO. This will be a great fight.

Pete Spratt: This fight is a matter of who can impose their will and keep it there. Alves’ striking is very, very good, and if it stays on the feet, Thiago will win, for sure. Georges has been a bit gunshy since the [Matt] Serra KO, and I don’t think he will risk any business on the feet. If he cannot get Alves on the ground and keep him there, we will have a new champion. If GSP can use his skill of keeping guys off-balance, he will win by decision. I remember when he and Serra fought the second time and Serra was on his stool asking his corner, “What do you think he’s going to do this round?” He had Matt so confused with the mixing up of his game. When Serra thought he was gonna strike, he was taking him down; when he thought GSP would take him down, he was beating him to the punch on the feet. So with that being said, I will go with what I know best -- the striker. I don’t believe he will win a decision over GSP, so he will have to catch him early. Alves by TKO, round two.

Ben Saunders: Alves by way of pain all night long.

Eddy Millis: Tough call, but I’m going with Thiago in this fight. He’s tough as nails. I think these two are going to stand up and bang, and Thiago comes out on top with a KO, second round.

Lyle Beerbohm: I think GSP will win. I’m not sure how or what round because anything can happen in a fight. I will, however, give a lot of credit to Thiago, because he has come a long way from when I first watched him in the UFC when he fought Spencer Fisher. I’m really looking forward to watching. I do think it’s going to be a great fight, but I just don’t see how Thiago can beat him. Maybe if he catches him with one of those tricky knees. But GSP is the man.

Mike Dolce: This fight is so close on paper. In reality, though, it could be a blowout based upon game plan. If GSP can dictate the range early to set up his takedowns and suffocating ground game, he wins. On the other hand, if Thiago can control the distance, he’s going to land a few of those big shots eventually that just might rattle Georges right out of the fight, like B.J. [Penn] did in the first round of their first fight or [Matt] Serra did in their first fight. The “Pitbull” certainly hits much harder and will only be one clean shot away from claiming the belt. The key here is range and pressure; six inches can literally win the welterweight title. Who’s gonna win? I change my mind every hour, but since this is a pick ’em piece. I’m gonna go with GSP -- maybe even by split decision -- in the toughest battle of his career.

Pros who picked St. Pierre: 20
Pros who picked Alves: 13
Pros who did not decide: 2