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Aug 27, 2009 - 2:58:33 PM By: Jason Bent, MMATorch Columnist Chris Leben is back and Jake Rosholt has yet to arrive in the UFC. Something has got to give, and for both men this represents the chance to make some sort of an announcement. For Leben, it is the chance to blast someone out and begin earning back the name he had before testing positive for anabolic steroids. For Rosholt, it is the chance to get a victory in the UFC and prove he really is the superstar talent so many have pegged him to be, as well as the chance to shine at the expense of a name opponent in Leben.
In short, this isn't a really compelling bout and it would be one best relegated to a Spike TV 'Fight Night,' but we are where we are and this one is on the main card and in a prime spot. The fans love Leben and this is why a bout such as this makes the main card. They may soon love Rosholt but it will take a victory at UFC 102 in order to get there.
Jake Rosholt is a 26 yr. old middleweight who will be competing inside of the Octagon for the second time. This member of Team TakeDown is the prototype for what you look for in a collegiate wrestler, and his accolades more than prove this point. Rosholt, while competing for Oklahoma State University, would win the NCAA Division I title at 184 lbs. in 2003, and the NCAA Division I title at 197 lbs. in 2005 and 2006. He was named an All-American on four occasions and was also the 2004 Big 12 Conference Champion. Rosholt finished his collegiate career with a record of 105-20 and set forth towards making a go of it in the world of mixed martial arts.
Rosholt made his professional debut in July of 2007 with a submission victory over Dusty Miller at 'Masters of the Cage 15'. He would go on to win his next three bouts before getting the chance to ply his trade in the WEC, and would make his debut on the WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown card in November of last year. Rosholt's opponent was Nissen Osterneck, and he was supremely lucky in scoring the 2nd round TKO victory as he was able to use his wrestling skills to get the fight to the ground, which is where he was most comfortable. Rosholt had won the bout but was still very raw.
The WEC eliminated the heavier weights and as a result, it meant fighters like Rosholt were put on the fast track to the UFC. Jake would make his UFC debut at 'UFC Fight Night 17' and was scheduled to face Alessio Sakara, but ultimately would face Dan Miller when Sakara withdrew due to injury.
This bout with Miller proves why Rosholt was lucky in defeating Osterneck and exposed him even further. Rosholt was unable to handle Osterneck's stand-up game, so he took it to the ground and pounded out a win. This would see a recipe for success, until you factor in that he could soon face an opponent who has no problems being on the ground. Such was the case with Dan Miller who made Rosholt look like he didn't even belong in the building with his submission victory after just a minute into the first round. Rosholt is a talent for sure, but you must be well-rounded to succeed in this game and this was indeed a lesson in that.
Jake Rosholt's career record stands at 5 wins against 1 defeat with 4 of his wins coming by way of KO and 1 by way of submission. His biggest win would be the victory over Osterneck at WEC 36 and the only opponent to defeat him so far has been Dan Miller at 'UFC Fight Night 17'. Whether Chris Leben adds himself to the list or becomes Rosholt's biggest victory remains to be seen and will be determined Saturday night.
Chris Leben is an animal. He is a very unpredictable fighter who can charm you one moment and frustrate you at the next. He is a raw ham-handed brawler who fights as if he is the town drunk at the bar imagining he holds TNT in his hands. Leben has charisma to burn and has gone 2-3 over his last five bouts which puts his UFC career in as much jeopardy as his recent suspension did. Despite all that, Leben is a superstar, and on Saturday he will find out if you can indeed go home again in every sense.
Chris Leben will make his return to the UFC under the bright lights of Portland, Oregon's Rose Garden at UFC 102, and there will be a large contingent of friends and family on hand to see him fight for the big show in their relatively small city.
Leben is a 29 yr. old middleweight who made his professional debut in August of 2002 and was successful in notching the victory over Justin Terherst. He would go on to win six fights in a row before meeting Mike Swick at WEC 9 for the WEC Middleweight Championship. Leben scored the KO victory over Swick in the 2nd round and with it would be crowned the first ever WEC Middleweight Champion. Leben would go 2-1 over his next three bouts before getting the chance of a lifetime as a member of the inaugural season of 'The Ultimate Fighter'. Being on the first season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' did a hell of a lot more for his career than having been the first WEC Middleweight Champion, that's for sure.
Leben's time on 'TUF' has been well documented and consisted of him pissing on a bed, painting his nails, dying his hair, drinking like a Metallica roadie during the 'Cliff 'Em All Tour', punching through doors and losing to Josh Koscheck and Kenny Florian. Along the way he won hearts and drew fans to the screen as everyone wanted to see just what he would do next. Leben did not win 'The Ultimate Fighter,' nor did he even come close, but he became one of the bigger names from this season.
Leben's UFC debut came against Jason Thacker, and this bout was less entertaining than was watching Leben piss on Thacker's bed. This time, Leben beat the piss out of Thacker and scored the TKO in the very first round. Chris Leben was now in the UFC and would now get a chance to try to make good on all of his boasts.
Chris Leben's career record stands at 18 wins against 5 losses with 10 wins coming by way of KO and 4 by submission. His UFC record stands at 8-4, and as mentioned previously he has gone 2-3 over his last five bouts. His biggest victories throughout his career have come at the expense of Mike Swick, Benji Radach, Patrick Cote, Jorge Rivera and Alessio Sakara. His losses have come against Joe Doerksen, Anderson Silva, Jason MacDonald, Kalib Starnes and most recently Michael Bisping at UFC 89. It was after this loss to Bisping that it was revealed Leben had tested positive for Stanozolol and stripped of one third of his purse before serving a nine month suspension.
Make no mistake, Leben was on anabolics heading into the Bisping bout and he admitted as much. Leben looked like a combination of Axl Rose and Carrot Top when he entered the Octagon that night, and he was summarily trounced by Bisping who fought with his head and used his reach to win. Leben was embarrassed after his suspension and it only makes the loss suffered against Bisping even more embarrassing given the lengths he went to try to win.
Leben will now get the chance to redeem himself against an opponent who is looking to prove himself. Rosholt hates it on the feet and Leben thrives on a slugfest. Neither man may be poised to contend for the title now or even ever, but the winner of this bout will at least get another opportunity. For Leben, it is a second chance he can ill afford to blow.
Bent's Prediction: Chris Leben by 1st Round KO
Leben is not technically proficient. His boxing is rudimentary at best and he is indeed a brawler who brings more heart and tenacity than he does talent. That said, you wouldn't want to stand in front of him. Rosholt has way too many holes in his game to compete at this level and there is no way he has had enough time to plug them all. So long as Leben can avoid the takedowns, he will try to expose one more hole in Rosholt's game. Except, if "The Crippler" has his way, that hole will have brain matter dripping out of it.
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