Pictured: Ken Shamrock and Pedro Rizzo weigh in, from TheGarv.com

It’s been a slow week or so in the MMA world. It’s enough to make you forget what’s on tap. Some kind lads down under are promoting a show which may have slipped under your radar — featuring MMA legends like Ken Shamrock, Murilo Bustamante, Pedro Rizzo, and more.

You can catch the internet PPV at http://www.impactfc.au.com/.

Jacob Lawton has contributed his predictions for this show. Jacob will be taking a brief hiatus from writing and he’s going out (temporarily) with a bang…

Main Event Heavyweight Bout: Ken Shamrock (27-13-2) vs. Pedro Rizzo (18-9)

JL: 10 years ago this fight would be headlining pay-per-views in the US. Now it’s relegated to some regional show with big dreams in Australia. Shamrock’s admission to using steroids a month or so back landed him in hot water with the authorities, and though there is no formal drug testing, you can bet that the witty Aussie fans (anyone remember ‘Bisping’s a wa…?) will heckle the MMA legend for his past errors. The fight itself? Rizzo is primarily a stand up fighter, and he’s mixing with a ‘Shoot Fighter’ in Shamrock – someone who likes the fight on the floor and has a number of painful submission holds up his sleeves. Rizzo has decent defence against both the takedown and the submission, but I think Shamrock’s got the gas to finish at leas one if not the other – and I expect him to take a decision win.

Co-Main Event Welterweight Bout: Paul Daley (23-9-2) vs. Daniel Acacio (21-9)

Disgraced UFC contender Daley looks to rebound from his loss to Paul Daley against small time veteran Daniel Acacio. Acacio’s career highlight thus far has been beating Kazuo Misaki and Daiju Takase on Pride Bushido, and he has also graced such shows as Pancrase and Jungle Fight. The duo are near mirror images of each other – brawlers with decent defensive ground skills, but Daley is the better at both – he as the heavier hands and the higher jiu-jitsu qualifications. Acacio has been KO’d before, and if anyone can exploit a dodgy chin, it’s Daley. Look for a first round KO in favour of the Brit.

Middleweight Bout: Paulo Filho (20-1) vs. Denis Kang (33-12-1, 2NC)

Another recent UFC fighter in Kang takes on former WEC Middleweight champion Paulo Filho, who’s sole loss is to UFC Middleweight contender Chael Sonnen. This is probably the most relevant fight on the card, and, assuming Filho turns up with his head in the game, it could also be one of the most entertaining. Kang is frequently stung by his weak jiu-jitsu game, and Filho has just the tools to tap out the wild striker, assuming it’s the ‘good’ Filho who turns up. The Brazillian’s strikes aren’t bad either, and as long as is head is where it should be, I can predict him taking a second round submission win.

Middleweight Bout: Murilo Rua (19-10-1) vs. Jeremy May (7-6)

This… this is what I don’t get about Impact’s cards. They have all these competitive/legendary fighters, and then they have people like Jeremy ‘The BAMF (really?)’ May. I could understand if he’d been to the big leagues and failed, or if he’d been beaten by particularly well-known fighters or, heck, even if he was Australian to bring hometown value to the card. But no, it just looks like he’s a generic Middleweight journeyman from Georgia USA. I can’t see this one lasting long with Rua’s well rounded skills and pedigree, so I’m going to call a first round stoppage whichever way ‘Ninja’ wants.

Middleweight Bout: Murilo Bustamante (14-7-1) vs. Jesse Taylor (14-6)

This fight is much better (though still a little one sided) than the one above. Taylor is a solid wrestler training out of the legendary Team Quest and has established himself as a gatekeeper – not good enough for the UFC, but if you can’t beat him, there’s little chance you’ll end up there yourself. He has one fight in the UFC too, a loss to C.B. Dollaway, but compared to Bustamante, his credentials just melt away. A former UFC Middleweight champion, he holds victories over such notables as Matt Lindland and Ikuhisa Minowa, and is a high level jiu-jitsu black belt. Taylor fits his style perfectly – a wrestler happy to dive into his guard, and, like Team Quest’s head trainer Lindland, I can’t see him ending the fight any other way than by tapping out. A second round submission for Bustamante.