Andre Pederneiras (Nova União leader): “Wanderlei will knockout. I guess it’ll be a tough bout, but nowadays in Ultimate there’s no easy one, but I really believe in Wanderlei’s punch, on his willingness and his power of absorption. I guess he will knockout. I guess that, until the second round, the other guy will go down”
Paulo Nikolai (former BTT Muay Thai trainer): “This new team, called Kings MMA, seems to bring many good things, because there’re so much news we are hearing about it now, so it’s time to show their work. Wanderlei is away from the group for a long time, and Leven wants to beat him up. All athletes there once were great champions, whoever is fighting them will go like crazy to make their names bigger. If Wanderlei is ready to go, with that crazy murderer impulse, he’ll knock the guy out on the first round, but Chris is willing to kill or be killed. I believe Wanderlei, this other guys doesn’t have enough game to beat him up. Unless Wanderlei is much worse than what people are claiming him to be”
Sergio Cunha (former BTT and Chute Boxe Muay Thai trainer): “A good bout. I guess they’ll go for the KO, a big fight. The one who fits the first hard punch will be the winner. Leben can be hit many times, but let’s see if he’ll want to strike or if one of them will try to use another game plan. I’ll cheer for Wanderlei”
Marcio Cromado (RFT leader): “I hope that The Axé Murderer is coming with his A game and show Chris Leben who’s ‘the’ guy. I hope he’s enough trained and that he blows his head off. I bet Wanderlei will knock him out. If he’s well trained, he’ll defeat this guy. I’ve never stop believing him”
Daniel Woirin (Dan Henderson’s Muay Thai trainer): “I guess it’s a perfect match for Wanderlei. Chris Leben is much offensive and opened, he likes fighting. The way I see, it won’t last much”
Arthur Mariano (Muay Thai expert, first man to defeat Wanderlei in MMA): “I’m guessing this bout will be much aggressive because Wanderlei is an aggressive athlete, everyone knows that, and Chris Leben is the same. Both athletes really go for it, and I guess this fight will be finished with a KO. I guess it should be finished on the second round, if it gets there, because they will really go for it. I bet in Wanderlei over Leben. Leben has a great heart, but I bet Wanderlei wins by KO”
Bebeo Duarte (former BTT leader): “I’m really cheering for Wanderlei, no demagogy. I’m a Brazilian, I want him to win and I guess it’s good business to Wanderlei to have a good comeback. I guess that, suddenly, if he trains a brings back that aggressive aspect he has, fighting the way he did back in Pride, it’ll be good. I agree that Leben has a tough chin, he can handle many punches and he punches hard too, so Wanderlei has to be smart in order not be to knocked out, because I believe he has all the weapons to win this one”
Cristiano Marcello (former Chute Boxe BJJ trainer, CM System leader): “Wanderlei is much more complete. If I was his coach, the game plan I’d set would be a cauteous striking, step by step, so that it’s not that crazy. Leben is very resistant and dangerous while striking. Wanderlei is faster, and I believe he has great advantage while standing up. I’d make him go to the clinch, take him down and working on the aggressive ground and pound, and bring his arm back so he won’t be caught by an armbar or triangle choke, I’d go for the submission on the ground and pound. If he does that, I guess Wanderlei won’t have much problems”
Jair Lourenco (Kimura leader): “I hope it to be one of the most aggressive bouts of 2011, with both athletes really going for it. I’m hoping to see who’ll walk backwards, because I’m guessing it won’t be Wanderlei. I guess Wanderlei is a best striker and better than Leben on the ground too. On the takedowns part, however, I guess they’re even, because it’s not their strong point. I believe Wanderlei will win by KO, but it doesn’t surprise me if it goes until the end of the regular time, despite they like striking like crazy people, both are really resistant and can handle many punches. And I haven’t mentioned their heart yet, which is something both have a lot”
Luis Carlos Dorea (Nogueira brothers and Junior dos Santos’ Boxing trainer): “They’re two great strikers but I believe on the greatest experience and better techniques of Wanderlei. He’s a lot motivated and prepared. Wanderlei is a legend on the sport, we know he has a lot to show and, I’m sure that, since he hasn’t fought in a long time, he’s prepared himself a lot and will return in a great shape. Chris Leben is a good athlete, a really strong athlete, a striker, but I guess Wanderlei is faster and more effective than him. While striking, I believe Wanderlei’s power. It must end with a killer KO, because they’re two fighters who move forwards, want to put on a great show. I’m cheering and I believe in the Brazilian’s win”
Roberto Godoi (BJJ and MMA master): “As a Brazilian, I’ll be cheering for Wanderlei, and I guess he has enough game to defeat Chris Leben with his superiority, despite Leben was Born to fight in the octagon and being on a great patch, and Wanderlei has been through great moments, like when he fought in Pride. If Wanderlei can find that Wanderlei that we all know, he will win this one easily. I guess his greatest opponent is himself, in order to know is he’s good as he’s always been and if he can puts on a great show like he always does. It’s going to be a KO from Wanderlei, maybe on the second round. If it goes to the third round, maybe Chris Leben has a tiny advantage”
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