What does work is having spoken with Maia last week and hearing just how focused he is on this fight and this fight alone. Most interviews, you cover the fight at hand and then venture off into other areas of discussion. Not with Maia; all he has on his mind right now is Dan Miller and continuing to show everyone why he is considered one of the foremost BJJ practitioners on the planet.

The Jersey boy is no slouch though, despite what the MMA math might lead you to believe. Sonnen is a different breed and a strong wrestler with a history of getting caught in submissions. Remember, Maia is outstanding at pulling guard and did so to draw Sonnen into his world.

The same won't be as easily accomplished against Miller, a BJJ black belt himself under Renzo Gracie pupil Jamie Cruz. Miller should look to keep this fight standing for as long as possible; as much as he's a grappler and submission fighter, he is head-and-shoulders above Maia in the stand-up game, at least from what little we've seen and expect from his Brazilian foe.

Going to the ground with Maia is like me driving past McDonald's on an empty stomach. No matter how hard you fight it, you know what's going to happen. Demian Maia is going to submit you and I'm going to roll through the drive-thru.

McChicken meal with a root beer, please.

Mike Swick (14-3-0) vs. Paulo Thiago (12-1-0)

The rubber match of Paulo Thiago's personal trilogy against AKA is a fight I'm very keen on. For starters, rubber matches are generally entertaining, and while this will be the third different member of the American Kickboxing Academy welterweight trio the Brazilian has faced, it still feels like a traditional trilogy fight, and that's kinda cool.

Additionally, I have never been sold on Mike Swick.

To me, he's a guy that is pretty good at everything, but not great at anything. He's basically the fighting equivalent of my writing; I'll give you a good effort every time out, produce the odd moment that makes you take notice, but at no point do you think "this guy is the next big thing in this business."

Paulo Thiago might not be the next big thing either (read: he's not), but he's shown the ability to finish Swick's sidekick Josh Koscheck, battle for the full 15 against the second-best welterweight in the company (Jon Fitch) and showed moments of improved all-around skill in his Unanimous Decision victory over Jacob Volkmann last time out.

Plus, the dude works with the Brazilian Special Forces. If you don't know about the gangs and drugs and violence and plight Thiago undoubtedly witnesses on a regular basis on his day job, let me put it to you this way: entering the cage with the possibility of getting is face punched in by Mike Swick is a vacation.

Ultimately, this is a serious coin-flip fight and it just comes down to which side of the coin you like best.

Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) vs. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1)

I'm coming to like Chael Sonnen the more media members put microphones in front of him. After all, what more do you want as a writer than a guy who is going to give you super-quotes every single time? Of course, being a great source of soundbytes...