Written by Scott Swerbinsky

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In what is being hailed as the most anticipated pay per view card in mixed martial arts history, Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz headline a blockbuster night of fights at UFC 66 tonight. In his preview of tonights event, my cousin Spoon previews this heavily anticipated rematch as well as several other of the big fights on the card tonight. It is being billed as the biggest event in Mixed Martial Arts history. It also might be the best card the UFC has ever assembled.  Live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Saturday night, fans both in attendance and at home watching on pay per view are going to get their moneys worth.

From top to bottom, all the matches are very exciting. However, the main event is what has the sport and UFC fans alike buzzing.

Two of the biggest names in the sport will be facing off in a rematch. Current Light Heavyweight champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell takes on former training partner and title holder, Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz. The first meeting happened two and a half years ago at UFC 47. Liddell got the best of Ortiz by a second round TKO due to strikes. 

These warriors are no doubt two of the best in the business. Their styles however, are very, very different.  Chuck Liddell wants to stand and trade punches and has probably the heaviest hands in the UFC. Tito Ortiz is a wrestler first and his ground and pound is legendary as well as his cardio.

Everyone knows Chuck’s gameplan, wait to land his shots and go in for the kill. What is going to decide this fight will be the contender’s gameplan. If Tito tries to trade punches, he might be in for another quick loss. If he waits back and is patient and is stubborn looking for takedowns, he chances for victory increase. The longer the fight goes, the more confident Ortiz will become and the more dangerous he will be. 

The mindset for Ortiz to me is going to be the determining factor in this fight. I see Tito getting the takedown and working his ground and pound. I think his conditioning is going to be better and he will ultimately come out with the title.

Another great fight on the card pits two former Ultimate Fighter contestants against each other. Season one winner Forrest Griffin takes on Keith Jardine in another Light Heavyweight bout. This should be a toe to toe war and they both like to bang. The winner will be in line for a title shot. I like Jardine in an upset.

Former Heavyweight Champion Andre Arlovski is also in action as he faces off with Marcio Cruz. Arlovski should regain his winning ways in this one.

Look for the Chris Leban vs Jason MacDonald scrap to be a highlight fight also. Both of these guys have a lot to prove. 

The full fight card looks like this:

-Chuck Liddell  vs. Tito Ortiz 
-Andrei Arlovskivs. Marcio "Pe de Pano" Cruz
-Forrest Griffin vs. Keith Jardine
-Michael Bisping vs. Eric Schafer
-Chris Leben vs. Jason MacDonald
 
Preliminary Bouts:

-Yushin Okami vs. Rory Singer
-Thiago Alves vs. Tony DeSouza
-Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Carmelo Marrero
-Anthony Perosh vs. Christian Wellisch
 
Rematches don’t always live up to the hype, but this one I think will. There is going to be an eruption when Liddell and Ortiz get nose to nose right before the bell sounds.

I wouldn’t miss it, and you shouldn’t either.