Chris Leben’s last fight came in October 2008, a thrilling loss to Michael Bisping. Leben tested positive for steroids after the fight but remains a go-to guy when the company needs an exciting fight to fill out a card. He’ll never be a top contender, but his wild fighting style is a crowd pleaser and he’ll always have a job because of it.
Jake Rosholt is an escapee from the WEC, where he racked up a 5-0 record before moving to the UFC. He lost his first fight against Dan Miller in February, but his status as a former NCAA wrestling champion leads me to believe he’ll still have a big future in the sport.
Rosholt will not want to stand up with Chris Leben. “The Crippler” has one-punch knockout power and throws enough bombs that he’ll eventually connect with one. Rosholt’s best bet to steal a win in this one would obviously be to get it to the ground and keep Leben from utilizing his standup. He doesn’t have the counterpunching skills to beat Leben the way Michael Bisping did, so he’ll have to stick to the basics. The problem is getting Leben to the ground; he’s got great takedown defense, and I think getting him to the ground will be a tall order even for a decorated wrestler like Rosholt.
That being said, I do believe Rosholt will get Leben to the ground, and he’ll do it multiple times. Once there, I expect him to grind out a decision with a small chance of a submission victory.
PREDICTION: Jake Rosholt by decision
