UFC Live Versus card (pre-fight analysis)

Looking to bounce back after a controversial decision loss to Randy Couture, Light heavyweight Brandon "the Truth" Vera will lock horns with the young but dangerous Jon "Bones" Jones. Jones is coming off his only loss in which he lost by disqualification to Matt Hamill due to illegal elbows. Both outstanding strikers in their own right, perhaps what will swing the fight in either’s favor will be the battle of Vera’s BJJ versus Jones’ wrestling prowess. Vera will look to capitalize on his experience as he looks to obtain the coveted number three spot under Lyoto Machida and Shogun Rua in the LHW division. Vera recently stated at a press conference that the number three is his favorite number for 2010, with regards to being the number two contender in the division. He also expressed his willingness to fight any fighter, regardless if they are friend or foe. Despite future endeavors, he expressed his game plan in the fight with Jones. "I’m going old school Muay Thai…back when I was knocking guys out," exclaimed Vera.

The March 21st card will take place in Broomfield, Co and will also feature a pivotal division match-up between Heavyweights Junior "Cigano" Dos Santos and Gabriel "Napao" Gonzalez. The co-main events look to shape up and shake up the respected weight divisions and will likely push the winners into title contention. A member of the famed gym Black House, Dos Santos has been a devastating force since the floodgates opened. With a 4-0 record in the octagon (10-1 overall), Dos Santos has never gone the distance in the UFC. He holds notable wins over Gilbert Yvel, Mirko Cro Cop, and Fabricio Werdum. Fellow Brazilian, Gonzaga will look to step back up to title contention with a possible win in Colorado, as he will try to gain momentum after a win over Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 102.

Also on the card, journeymen Cheick Kongo and Paul Buentello will likely battle for a spot to stay relevant in the UFC HW scene. Coming off two consecutive losses to Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, Kongo will once again look to ply his trade as a striker against the equally-as-heavy handed Buentello. This fight will likely exhibit a striking clinic as the two combatants prefer the stand-up.

Another notable bout will feature the return of "the Sandman," James Irvin. Irvin will try to notch his first win in two years as he squares off against Alessio Sakara.  Irvin had previously been hampered with injuries and a medical suspension, which contributed to his lengthy layoff.

Complete fight card (via UFC.com)

Brandon "The Truth" Vera vs. Jon "Bones" Jones (LHW)

Junior "Cigano" Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (HW)

Cheick Kongo vs. Paul "The Headhunter" Buentello (HW)

Alessio "Legionarius" Sakara vs. James "The Sandman" Irvin (LHW)

Clay "The Carpenter" Guida vs. Shannon Gugerty (LW)

Eliot "The Fire" Marshall vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (LHW)

John "Doomsday" Howard vs. Daniel "Ninja" Roberts (WW)

Brendan "The Hybrid" Shaub vs. Chase Gormley (HW)

Mike Pierce vs. Julio Paulino (WW)

Eric "Red" Schafer vs. Jason Brilz (LHW)