By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief "I think the fact that Rick Story just beat Thiago Alves, who was considered a former number one contender, that's a pretty big deal. I can't really think of anyone [Anthony] Johnson beat like that. Not saying that he's not tough, but their records, Story has that and Johnson doesn't. I expect him to come forward the whole time and kind of try to make it a dirty fight, because I think he knows that I'm going to be better in most areas. I think he'll probably have a similar game plan as he did against Thiago Alves, really.
That's a good feeling to know that I know a lot more than this guy. The fact that he's this young up-and-comer, to me that just means that he doesn't know that I'm in a different league. He's going to have problems that way."
-Nate Marquardt talks to
MMAFighting.com about his opponent this Sunday at UFC on Versus 4, Rick Story.
Penick's Analysis: This is something that's not necessarily being given a ton of consideration heading into the fight. Marquardt has over eight more years of MMA experience, and has fought at the highest level of the sport on a consistent basis. Story is just beginning to get his first real taste of that level, and though the win over Alves is very impressive, Marquardt may well be in a different league from both of them. We'll find out for certain on Sunday, and Marquardt will either back this up or fall to a legitimate future title challenger at welterweight.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_9726.shtml
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Joe Son
Chael Sonnen
Krzysztof Soszynski