my.nwi.com

By Matt Erickson
cagedin.mma@gmail.com

All fighters made weight on Friday for their Saturday bouts at UFC 109: Relentless in Las Vegas.

Saturday’s card will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center and features a main event light heavyweight bout between UFC Hall of Famers Randy Couture and Mark Coleman. Both of them weighed in at 205 pounds for their bout. Couture is a significant favorite at -575 to Coleman’s +375. Coleman was the first heavyweight champion in UFC history; Couture is a former heavyweight and light heavyweight champ.

“I feel great. I’m excited, I’ve got a lot of engery, I’m ready to go. I’m gonna win this fight,” Coleman told Joe Rogan after making weight. “I’m just looking to fight the best, and Randy’s one of the best of all-time. Nothing but respect for him, but I want a little piece of what he’s got. That’s it.”

Couture, 46, said each fight for him is important.

“I feel blessed each and every time I get to step back out there in the Octagon,” Couture said. “This is another chance for me to go out and show the things I’ve changed, show the ways I’ve gotten better, become a better athlete all the time – and Mark Coleman is a great challenge for me. I’m looking forward to it.”

The co-main event is a middleweight fight between Nate Marquardt and Chael  Sonnen that is likely to determine the No. 1 contender’s spot for the title currently held by Anderson Silva. Silva defends his belt at UFC 112 on April 12 in Abu Dhabi.

The weigh-ins, which were streamed live here at Caged In, featured no real fireworks and no weight-cut controversies. In fact, the biggest surprise to some fans may have been seeing Frank Trigg with a full head of hair; he has typically fought with a shaved head. His bout with former welterweight champ Matt Serra has become a war of words.

UFC 109’s main card begins at 9 p.m. Central on pay-per-view. Additionally, two preliminary card fights will be aired live on Spike TV starting at 8 p.m.

Here are the official weigh-in results:

Preliminary Card
Heavyweight: Joey Beltran (238) vs. Rolles Gracie (247)
Heavyweight: Chris Tuchscherer (263) vs. Tim Hague (263)
Light Heavyweight: Phil Davis (205) vs. Brian Stann (205)
Lightweight: Rob Emerson (155) vs. Phillipe Nover (155)

Spike TV Preliminary Card
Lightweight: Ronys Torres (156) vs. Melvin Guillard (155)
Lightweight: Justin Buchholz (156) vs. Mac Danzig (156)

Main Card
Welterweight: Frank Trigg (171) vs. Matt Serra (169)
Middleweight: Dan Miller (185) vs. Demian Maia (186)
Welterweight: Paulo Thiago (170) vs. Mike Swick (171)
Middleweight: Chael Sonnen (185) vs. Nate Marquardt (186)
Light heavyweight: Mark Coleman (205) vs. Randy Couture (205)