Yep, another three weeks have passed, which means it’s time for a night of UFCing (yes, I made that term up). This time around it’s UFC 102 at the Rose Garden in Trailblazer Country. That’s Portland, Oregon, to you that are geographically challenged. For those who follow MMA religiously, you will know that Oregon is a hot bed for fighters — both experienced and up-and-coming.

There’s some full circle thing we should mention here since Randy Couture began his MMA career out of Portland at Team Qwest and is now returning to his old stomping grounds for another chance at a title shot. At the ripe young age of 46.

Team Qwest also produced Dan Henderson before he headed south and the Portland operation is still headed up by co-founder Matt Lindland. Other fighters coming out of the Oregon fight system includes Ed Herman, Chael Sonnen, Jesse Taylor, Jake Ellenberger, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Ryan Schultz, Dave Jansen, Jeff Monson, and a whole sweaty mess of others.

To me, this makes Portland a perfect place to become a more regular spot for UFC events. It lacks the glittery stank of Vegas, but that’s a good thing. Vegas will always corner the market on UFC shows because Vegas and the UFC go together like hookers and herpes, but it’s nice to see a city — known to most sports fans for their beloved Blazers — get a show for a sport that their area helped build into what it is today.

Alright enough with my attempt at profoundness and pretending I am smart. I thought it’d be cool to hit up one of the guys behind RipCityProject – Couper Moorhead and SJ run the show there — and get his feedback on their basketball-crazy town, what Blazers might look good in the cage, and who has the hottest chick: the UFC or the Blazers. Here’s what Coup had to say:

For someone living in town, or just in Portland to stalk Chris Leben, where are the coolest spots to hit while in the city?
Coup: Best steaks are probably at Jake’s Grill or Ringside (my favorites). For bars, you can’t go wrong with any McMenamin’s or Casa Del Matador (tequila bar). If you want trendier places to drink, the Pearl District is right up your alley. Best pizza in the city is Escape from New York, but opinions will vary. Voodoo Doughnut is great as is the Hotcake House if you need some late-night snacking. Fire on the Mountain probably has the best wings, but Buffalo Wild Wings is the most popular spot I know to watch the UFC — and it gets crowded there early.

Which Blazer would rock it in an MMA fight?
Joel Przybilla probably has the best chops for MMA, since he has made a habit of traditional boxing and kickboxing in the offseason. But being a 7-footer, his center of gravity would probably be his downfall unless you could find someone the same size. He’s also less of an attacker and more of an eye-for-an-eye sort of dude.

Best pound for pound guy might be Jerryd Bayless, aka Baylicious, aka Jay Bay Bay, aka Rex. He may not have the skills, but I get the feeling you’d have a scrappy guy on your hands. I also get the feeling he likes long walks on the beach and that his scowl scares everyone off the beach, but that’s besides the point. If I were to pick a style Bayless would fight with, it would be that of the monkey man from Blood Sport.

Nicolas Batum

How old was Nicolas Batum when Randy Couture won his first pro fight (5/30/97)?
Batum was 8-years-old when Randy Couture won his first pro fight.

Who’d win in a fight among the old Blazers: Drexler or Porter?
When I think of Drexler in a fight, I think of a shorter version of the blind judo master Kareem played against Bruce Lee (and his body double) in Game of Death. That alone probably gives Porter the edge, but truthfully, they’d probably just smile at each other and play Sudden Death Backgammon or something instead. If I’m taking any former Blazer in a fight, I’m taking Maurice “Luke” Lucas and calling it a day.

Arianny Celeste

The UFC has the uber-hot Arianny Celeste. Who is the hottest chick from the Portland Dance Squad?
The best Blazer Dancer of recent years has been Ione, who unfortunately left the squad this season and will be sorely missed.

Ione

Side note: Is it just me, or do they look like sisters?

Special props to RipCityProject for participating. They do good work over there and you can follow them on Twitter here. Best of luck to the Blazers this upcoming season and now you know where to go next time the UFC is in Portland. It’s so on tomorrow night and to get you pumped, here is the rundown of the fight card again.

MAIN FIGHTS
– Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
– Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
– Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt
– Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt
– Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brandon Vera

PRELIMINARY FIGHTS
– Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer
– Justin McCully vs. Mike Russow
– Todd Duffee vs. Tim Hague
– Nick Catone vs. Mark Munoz
– Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham
– Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson