5 Main Card Predictions For UFC 182

3. Brad Tavares vs. Nate Marquardt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJLZ3-PokQY Weight Class: Middleweight Remember that time when Nate Marquardt (33€“13€“2) fought Anderson Silva for the middleweight title? It seems like a lifetime ago. Marquardt has had his ups and downs since then. He lost two title eliminators in the UFC then was cut following a TRT mix-up (though allowed to use the treatment, his levels were out of spec) that led to him pulling out of a fight with Rick Story on the day of the weigh-in for UFC on Versus 4 in 2011. He wound up with strikeforce, where he would win their welterweight title only to lose it to Tarec Saffiedine in the promotion's final title fight at 170lbs. Back in the UFC after Strikeforce was merged in, he lost two straight at welterweight then went back up to middleweight, where he staved off a cut from the promotion by defeating James Te Huna at UFC Fight Night 43. He now meets fifteenth ranked Brad Tavares (12€“3), who is on a two fight losing streak after going 7-1 in his first eight fights in the promotion. Tavares could be looking at a cut with a loss, as could, arguably, Marquardt, but Marquardt still has some name value, and the UFC needs that more than ever. This is a case of "was Marquardt's knockout win over Te Huna a lucky one" vs. "is Tavares just having some bad luck." If you really look at it, Tavares has much more upside at this point - at 27, he's just hitting his prime. Narquardt, on the other hand, is entering the twilight of his career. While momentum can play a role in fights, look for Tavares to steal a decision, as he should be just a little more motivated for this one.