Another week, another Fight Night. Busy times for the UFC. Ok, let’s have a look at this one…
Kenny Florian vs Takanori Gomi (lightweight) – I can’t say I know much about Gomi, but apparently he’s a legend in the Japanese circuit (and Pride). He has lost to BJ Penn and Nick Diaz, but has wins over Jens Pulver, Duane Ludwig and Marcus Aurelio. 31-5-1NC is a very impressive record, but this will be his debut in the cage, which is a much different animal than the Pride fighting ring. Florian, meanwhile, has really come into his own following his days on The Ultimate Fighter. He has lost to Sean Sherk and BJ Penn, both title fights. Wins over the likes of Clay Guida, Roger Huerta, Joe Stevenson, Din Thomas and Sam Stout put Florian deservedly in the top ranks of the lightweight division. I’d love to see a rematch with Diego Sanchez someday before a rematch with BJ Penn. This is a tough fight to call having never seen Gomi fight. I’ll pick Florian.
Roy Nelson vs Stefan Struve (heavyweight) – If Struve were ever able to cut weight to 205 he’d be a force, but at heavyweight he is susceptible to the sheer weight of his opponents. I like the kid and hope he wins, but I can see Nelson getting inside, taking him down and lying on top of the poor helpless bastard. My brain says to pick Nelson, but I'm gonna go with the upset special and root for Struve.
Nate Quarry vs Jorge Rivera (middleweight) –Not sure how Jorge has managed to stick around the UFC for this long. He’s not going anywhere within the division and seems to lose at least every other fight (3 of 8 actually). Jorge seems to like to stand and bang which is Quarry’s strong suit, too. I like Quarry and his power, so I’ll pick him.
Ross Pearson vs Dennis Siver (lightweight) – Siver is no joke. He can win on his feet or the ground and has a very decent record. Pearson is a fan fav from TUF 9. I like his style and relentless attack. This should be a very entertaining fight. I like Pearson, so I’ll pick him.
Andre Winner vs Rafaello Oliveira (lightweight) – Andre Winner looked good during TUF 9, but his opponent is no slouch himself and has a better record. Both of these guys tend to go to decision. Oliveira is known for pushing the pace. Tough call. I’ll pick Winner for fun.
Jacob Volkmann vs Ronys Torres (welterweight) – Torres looked awesome his last time out (a decision loss to Melvin Guillard) while Volkmann was less than impressive. I’ll pick Torres.
Rob Emerson vs Nik Lentz (lightweight) – I’m not sure how a guy with a 9-8 record stays in the UFC – unless of course he was on TUF. Emerson is 2-2-1NC in the UFC and that’s if you buy the double KO decision rendered at the TUF 5 finale. If you ignore the 2-6 start to his career, maybe he looks a little better. I like Emerson, but I won’t pick him to win this fight. I’ll pick Lentz.
Caol Uno vs Gleison Tibau (lightweight) – Caol Uno is a shadow of his former self (3-4-1 in his last 8 against mid-card fighters). It’s sad, really. Tibau, meanwhile, is a stud with decent success against tough opponents (7-4 in the UFC). I’ll pick Tibau.
Yushin Okami vs Lucio Linhares (middleweight) – Okami has a very respectable; record in the UFC (7-2) but has lost key fights against Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen that have set him back from title shots. He doesn’t have the most exciting style, often boxing his way to a decision. Linhares, meanwhile, has fought mostly in M-1 and lost his UFC debut last time out (to Rousimar Palhares). He has no significant victories, but very seldom goes to a decision. So it appears the winner will be largely determined by when the fight ends. A decision will likely go to Okami, while a submission would go to Linhares. Since Okami is the wrestler, he ought o be able to decide where the fight takes place. That means standing, that means a decision, that means Okami will likely win.
Gerald Harris vs Mario Miranda (middleweight) – …Who? Research, research research… Ok, Harris is listed as a wrestler but most of his fights end with him getting a submission or a knockout. Clearly, this guy has skills – and a 14-2 record. Miranda, meanwhile, is undefeated (11-0) with a variety of finishes. He also has a wrestling background. Interesting. Neither has fought anyone of note, but this is Miranda’s UFC debut, while Harris has a UFC victory and KO of the Night honours. Impressive. I’ll pick Harris to spoil Miranda’s party and record.
Charlie Brenneman vs Jason High (welterweight) – Another battle of good records and UFC debutants. High has a victory over Kevin Burns, granted by doctor stoppage. Brenneman tends to win by TKO or decision, while High has a fair number of submissions and has made it to the DREAM welterweight Grand Prix finals. I’ll pick High.
With no heavyweights or even light heavyweights on the card, this ought to be an exciting, fast-paced event. We’ll see.
Note also: The Ultimate Fighter XI (Liddell vs Ortiz) starts tonight!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
UFC 111 Results - Oh, and Boston Pizza Sucks
UFC 111 is in the books.
I tried to watch it with friends at the local Boston Pizza, but when fight time came, the signal was lost as if they’d never ordered it. The crowd was not happy. The manager assured us it would start momentarily and that other bars were in the same boat, but that was a bold faced lie. After 45 minutes we left (paying full price for our order, no less!) and booked it to my place to order it in. Turned out to be a better night that way anyways. F*ck you very much, Boston Pizza. You’ve lost my business for good, along with many fight fans in the Yonge & Eglinton neighbourhood, I imagine. Hope it was worth it to ya.
So, let’s review, shall we?
Georges St-Pierre def. Dan Hardy (unanimous) – This was a compete mismatch and highlighted why Hardy was not quite ready for prime time. The UFC clearly erred in giving the Brit a title shot before he was anywhere near ready. Sure, he may have punching power which was displayed in so-so wins, but he has no real ground game and he’s nowhere near GSP’s class. Hardy needs to measure himself against the likes of Fitch, Alves and Koscheck before he can lay claim to the #1 contender’s spot. GSP dominated from beginning to end. I can’t believe the judges did not score more 10-8 rounds. Give Hardy credit for not tapping out to a couple of sick submissions. In the end, he may have gained more fans as a result, but the night suffered for it. The result was never in doubt. (1-0)
Shane Carwin def. Frank Mir (KO 1) – Is Mir all talk? Sure, he beat a sick Nogueira and a lackluster Kongo, but despite all of his posturing he can’t seem to win when it matters most. I really thought he’d put in a better performance, but Carwin relied on the tried and true Lesnar playbook and beat Mir with some wrestling and ground and pound. I’m glad Carwin pulled it off so that we don’t have to see Lesnar-Mir III. Carwin came out unscathed, so we will likely see him face Lesnar in June. That leaves Cain Velasquez without a dance partner. Personally, I hope that means we’ll see Velasquez vs Dos Santos to see who gets the next title shot. (2-0)
Kurt Pellegrino def. Fabricio Camoes (sub 2) – I was a bit distracted during this fight, so I can’t recall too much of it. I don’t recall this fight turning my crank. There was one cool moment, though, when Pellegrino, fighting off a rear naked choke, did a front summersault and slammed Camoes’ head on the mat. I thought Camoes was going to go out right then and there, but he showed some heart and fought his way back into the match before finally getting submitted. (3-0)
Jon Fitch def. Been Saunders (unanimous) – This was one of the fights we missed thanks to Boston Pizza’s incompetence. Sounds like it wasn’t close, with Fitch keeping Saunders on the ground most of the fight. Predictable. (4-0)
Jim Miller def. Mark Bocek (lightweight) – We missed this fight too. I hear this one was close, with some thinking Bocek was robbed. (4-1)
Nate Diaz def. Rory Markham (TKO 1) – Not sure what happened with Markham but this was not an impressive performance. I’m shocked Diaz was able to overwhelm Markham so easily on the feet since he was coming up from lightweight and is still not a big guy. I’m still not convinced Diaz will find much success at 170, but he sure looked good on Saturday. (4-2)
Ricardo Almeida def. Matt Brown (sub 2) – Brown held his own for a while, but in the end, Almeida’s wrestling and jiu-jitsu were simply too good. Brown can turn in some exciting fights when it stays on the feet, but his ground game is clearly a weakness. (5-2)
Jared Hamman def. Rodney Wallace (unanimous) – Ths was a bit of a ugly slugfest. Entertaining, sure, but hardly top calibre stuff. Both fighters blew up early and were fist-swinging zombies by the end. Wallace seemed more tired, though, and likely lost the decision as a result. (6-2)
Matthew Riddle def. Greg Soto (DQ 3) – I’m glad Riddle got the win, though I pegged his opponent to get the decision. It seems there was an illegal upkick (?) in this one that halted the action in the third and prompted the DQ. It seems Riddle was leading the fight at the time, so it isn’t as controversial as it might have been. Still, a bad win to decide a fight. (6-3)
Oops…Looks like I missed a fight somehow(?).
Rousimar Palhares def. Tomasz Drwal (sub 1) – I’m fairly certain I would have picked Palhares in this one, but we won’t count that. Palhares looked awesome as he locked in a sick heel hook after knocking Drwal down. Not since Andrei Arlovski have I seen a guy go for that move as his first option. It was a bit bizarre, and very risky, but it worked – and I don’t think Drwal will be walking around for a while.
So 6-3 on the fights I picked. Not bad at all. Seems my luck is turning around.
The busy month continues as this Wednesday features another Fight Night Live and the debut of the new season of The Ultimate Fighter. Sweet.
Stay tuned for picks.
I tried to watch it with friends at the local Boston Pizza, but when fight time came, the signal was lost as if they’d never ordered it. The crowd was not happy. The manager assured us it would start momentarily and that other bars were in the same boat, but that was a bold faced lie. After 45 minutes we left (paying full price for our order, no less!) and booked it to my place to order it in. Turned out to be a better night that way anyways. F*ck you very much, Boston Pizza. You’ve lost my business for good, along with many fight fans in the Yonge & Eglinton neighbourhood, I imagine. Hope it was worth it to ya.
So, let’s review, shall we?
Georges St-Pierre def. Dan Hardy (unanimous) – This was a compete mismatch and highlighted why Hardy was not quite ready for prime time. The UFC clearly erred in giving the Brit a title shot before he was anywhere near ready. Sure, he may have punching power which was displayed in so-so wins, but he has no real ground game and he’s nowhere near GSP’s class. Hardy needs to measure himself against the likes of Fitch, Alves and Koscheck before he can lay claim to the #1 contender’s spot. GSP dominated from beginning to end. I can’t believe the judges did not score more 10-8 rounds. Give Hardy credit for not tapping out to a couple of sick submissions. In the end, he may have gained more fans as a result, but the night suffered for it. The result was never in doubt. (1-0)
Shane Carwin def. Frank Mir (KO 1) – Is Mir all talk? Sure, he beat a sick Nogueira and a lackluster Kongo, but despite all of his posturing he can’t seem to win when it matters most. I really thought he’d put in a better performance, but Carwin relied on the tried and true Lesnar playbook and beat Mir with some wrestling and ground and pound. I’m glad Carwin pulled it off so that we don’t have to see Lesnar-Mir III. Carwin came out unscathed, so we will likely see him face Lesnar in June. That leaves Cain Velasquez without a dance partner. Personally, I hope that means we’ll see Velasquez vs Dos Santos to see who gets the next title shot. (2-0)
Kurt Pellegrino def. Fabricio Camoes (sub 2) – I was a bit distracted during this fight, so I can’t recall too much of it. I don’t recall this fight turning my crank. There was one cool moment, though, when Pellegrino, fighting off a rear naked choke, did a front summersault and slammed Camoes’ head on the mat. I thought Camoes was going to go out right then and there, but he showed some heart and fought his way back into the match before finally getting submitted. (3-0)
Jon Fitch def. Been Saunders (unanimous) – This was one of the fights we missed thanks to Boston Pizza’s incompetence. Sounds like it wasn’t close, with Fitch keeping Saunders on the ground most of the fight. Predictable. (4-0)
Jim Miller def. Mark Bocek (lightweight) – We missed this fight too. I hear this one was close, with some thinking Bocek was robbed. (4-1)
Nate Diaz def. Rory Markham (TKO 1) – Not sure what happened with Markham but this was not an impressive performance. I’m shocked Diaz was able to overwhelm Markham so easily on the feet since he was coming up from lightweight and is still not a big guy. I’m still not convinced Diaz will find much success at 170, but he sure looked good on Saturday. (4-2)
Ricardo Almeida def. Matt Brown (sub 2) – Brown held his own for a while, but in the end, Almeida’s wrestling and jiu-jitsu were simply too good. Brown can turn in some exciting fights when it stays on the feet, but his ground game is clearly a weakness. (5-2)
Jared Hamman def. Rodney Wallace (unanimous) – Ths was a bit of a ugly slugfest. Entertaining, sure, but hardly top calibre stuff. Both fighters blew up early and were fist-swinging zombies by the end. Wallace seemed more tired, though, and likely lost the decision as a result. (6-2)
Matthew Riddle def. Greg Soto (DQ 3) – I’m glad Riddle got the win, though I pegged his opponent to get the decision. It seems there was an illegal upkick (?) in this one that halted the action in the third and prompted the DQ. It seems Riddle was leading the fight at the time, so it isn’t as controversial as it might have been. Still, a bad win to decide a fight. (6-3)
Oops…Looks like I missed a fight somehow(?).
Rousimar Palhares def. Tomasz Drwal (sub 1) – I’m fairly certain I would have picked Palhares in this one, but we won’t count that. Palhares looked awesome as he locked in a sick heel hook after knocking Drwal down. Not since Andrei Arlovski have I seen a guy go for that move as his first option. It was a bit bizarre, and very risky, but it worked – and I don’t think Drwal will be walking around for a while.
So 6-3 on the fights I picked. Not bad at all. Seems my luck is turning around.
The busy month continues as this Wednesday features another Fight Night Live and the debut of the new season of The Ultimate Fighter. Sweet.
Stay tuned for picks.
Friday, March 26, 2010
UFC 111 GSP vs Hardy Picks
UFC 111 takes place in Newark, NJ on Saturday. It features two title fights (kinda) and some sleeper fights in the undercard.
Let’s break it down:
Georges St-Pierre vs Dan Hardy (welterweight) – Hardy has a puncher’s chance. That’s it. GSP so ridiculously outclasses Hardy it isn’t funny. No way Hardy deserves this title shot, since he hasn’t fought anybody in the top five of the welterweight division. How do you get a title fight without fighting Fitch, Alves or even Koscheck? Hardy (barely) beat Marcus Davis (split decision) who, despite an 11-fight winning streak, appeared nowhere on the UFC’s title radar, and Mike Swick who hadn’t fought any tough guys himself. This is the sort of thing that makes you wonder about the UFC’s match making. Is Hardy getting the shot because of who he is (a colourful character) or what he is (a true contender – which he isn’t)? Still, Hardy has a chance of winning. Anybody can win on any given day. The point is, if he wins, has he earned it? I don’t think so. It’ll be Matt Serra all over again, with people salivating at the chance to un-seat Hardy who has shown no ground game. I think GSP ought to win, and I really, really hope he does since it would be a shame to repeat the Serra fiasco.
Frank Mir vs Shane Carwin (heavyweight) – Shane Carwin is a nice guy. He is also undefeated at 11-0. Good for him. But he is another guy who simply has not earned his shot. Who has he beaten? Gabriel Gonzaga? Great. Nice job. But Gonzaga was winning that fight and Gonzaga isn’t exactly setting the UFC on fire with losses to Randy Couture, Fabricio Werdum and Junior Dos Santos. Is Gonzaga really the guy that is the benchmark for heavyweight title contenders? I don’t think so. But that just goes to show how thin the heavyweight division has become. Get one big win and you’re in title contention. Why is the UFC bothering with this interim title crap if Lesnar is back? When his health was in doubt, ok, it made sense. But now? In the end, this fight is exactly what it should be – a contender’s fight. Whoever wins is probably deserving of a shot – at least, more deserving than they are now. Do we really wan to see Lesnar-Mir III, though? That would account for half of Lesnar’s matches… As for the fight at hand, I think Mir will win, but I’d like to see Carwin pull it off, so I’ll bet on Carwin.
Kurt Pellegrino vs Fabricio Camoes (lightweight) – Why is this fight on the main card? I’ve never been a big fan of Pellegrino and who the hell is Camoes? There are better fights on the card. Camoes makes his UFC debut, while Pellegrino is 6-3 in the UFC. Both of these guys tend to win by submission, with Pellegrino having more experience and tougher fights. I’ll pick Pellegrino.
Jon Fitch vs Been Saunders (welterweight) – Thiago Alves had to pull out of his rematch with Fitch (again) due to injury (again). So instead, we get Saunders who was supposed to fight Jake Ellenberger (I guess the UFC really wanted Fitch on the card) and is coming off a devastating win over Marcus Davis. Saunders is a nice guy and is obviously talented, but he’s out of his league with Fitch. Fitch is unstoppable and has a crazy record; his only loss in his last 20 fights was to GSP and while the champ pushed him around for five rounds, Fitch refused to quit. Although Fitch hasn’t prepared for Saunders (who has a completely different style than Alves) I’ll pick Fitch.
Jim Miller vs Mark Bocek (lightweight) – Both of these guys are impressive and both have lost to Frank Edgar (no shame there). Both seem to like submissions. Tough one to call. I’ll cheer for the Canadian, I guess: Bocek.
Nate Diaz vs Rory Markham (welterweight) – Diaz makes his debut at 170, which to me is an odd move (although, having lost 3 of 4, perhaps he was hoping the move would extend his life span in the UFC). It seems to me his style is much better suited to lightweight, where his reach was formidable. At 170 he’ll be facing even stronger guys who will be able to lay and pray. Diaz’s weak point is clearly his game plans. He either needs a new coach or he needs to smarten up. You can’t win if you stay on your back unless you submit your opponent. Markham is a KO specialist who will try to keep this one on its feet. Look for Diaz’s chin to be tested. I’ll pick Markham if he can keep this on its feet.
Ricardo Almeida vs Matt Brown (welterweight) – Almeida is making his debut at 170 as well. He’s a talented guy, but has gone to decision a few too many times for my liking. Not sure why he’s dropping down in weight when the middleweight division seems so thin. I like Brown but he is susceptible to submissions, which happens to be Almeida’s specialty. Anybody who can submit Nate Marquardt is impressive. I don’t like Brown’s chances. I’ll pick Almeida.
Rodney Wallace vs Jared Hamman (light heavyweight) – Who? Two former football players with similar records, both coming off losses in their UFC debuts. Wallace tends to go to decision while Hamman knocks guys out quick. I’ll pick Hamman.
Matthew Riddle vs Greg Soto (welterweight) – Another welterweight fight. Soto will be the hometown favourite in his UFC debut. He has a better record and more experience than Riddle who has shown some promise. I don’t like Riddle’s chances, though I’ll secretly be cheering for him. My head says Soto.
Man, I hope GSP is still champ come Monday…
Let’s break it down:
Georges St-Pierre vs Dan Hardy (welterweight) – Hardy has a puncher’s chance. That’s it. GSP so ridiculously outclasses Hardy it isn’t funny. No way Hardy deserves this title shot, since he hasn’t fought anybody in the top five of the welterweight division. How do you get a title fight without fighting Fitch, Alves or even Koscheck? Hardy (barely) beat Marcus Davis (split decision) who, despite an 11-fight winning streak, appeared nowhere on the UFC’s title radar, and Mike Swick who hadn’t fought any tough guys himself. This is the sort of thing that makes you wonder about the UFC’s match making. Is Hardy getting the shot because of who he is (a colourful character) or what he is (a true contender – which he isn’t)? Still, Hardy has a chance of winning. Anybody can win on any given day. The point is, if he wins, has he earned it? I don’t think so. It’ll be Matt Serra all over again, with people salivating at the chance to un-seat Hardy who has shown no ground game. I think GSP ought to win, and I really, really hope he does since it would be a shame to repeat the Serra fiasco.
Frank Mir vs Shane Carwin (heavyweight) – Shane Carwin is a nice guy. He is also undefeated at 11-0. Good for him. But he is another guy who simply has not earned his shot. Who has he beaten? Gabriel Gonzaga? Great. Nice job. But Gonzaga was winning that fight and Gonzaga isn’t exactly setting the UFC on fire with losses to Randy Couture, Fabricio Werdum and Junior Dos Santos. Is Gonzaga really the guy that is the benchmark for heavyweight title contenders? I don’t think so. But that just goes to show how thin the heavyweight division has become. Get one big win and you’re in title contention. Why is the UFC bothering with this interim title crap if Lesnar is back? When his health was in doubt, ok, it made sense. But now? In the end, this fight is exactly what it should be – a contender’s fight. Whoever wins is probably deserving of a shot – at least, more deserving than they are now. Do we really wan to see Lesnar-Mir III, though? That would account for half of Lesnar’s matches… As for the fight at hand, I think Mir will win, but I’d like to see Carwin pull it off, so I’ll bet on Carwin.
Kurt Pellegrino vs Fabricio Camoes (lightweight) – Why is this fight on the main card? I’ve never been a big fan of Pellegrino and who the hell is Camoes? There are better fights on the card. Camoes makes his UFC debut, while Pellegrino is 6-3 in the UFC. Both of these guys tend to win by submission, with Pellegrino having more experience and tougher fights. I’ll pick Pellegrino.
Jon Fitch vs Been Saunders (welterweight) – Thiago Alves had to pull out of his rematch with Fitch (again) due to injury (again). So instead, we get Saunders who was supposed to fight Jake Ellenberger (I guess the UFC really wanted Fitch on the card) and is coming off a devastating win over Marcus Davis. Saunders is a nice guy and is obviously talented, but he’s out of his league with Fitch. Fitch is unstoppable and has a crazy record; his only loss in his last 20 fights was to GSP and while the champ pushed him around for five rounds, Fitch refused to quit. Although Fitch hasn’t prepared for Saunders (who has a completely different style than Alves) I’ll pick Fitch.
Jim Miller vs Mark Bocek (lightweight) – Both of these guys are impressive and both have lost to Frank Edgar (no shame there). Both seem to like submissions. Tough one to call. I’ll cheer for the Canadian, I guess: Bocek.
Nate Diaz vs Rory Markham (welterweight) – Diaz makes his debut at 170, which to me is an odd move (although, having lost 3 of 4, perhaps he was hoping the move would extend his life span in the UFC). It seems to me his style is much better suited to lightweight, where his reach was formidable. At 170 he’ll be facing even stronger guys who will be able to lay and pray. Diaz’s weak point is clearly his game plans. He either needs a new coach or he needs to smarten up. You can’t win if you stay on your back unless you submit your opponent. Markham is a KO specialist who will try to keep this one on its feet. Look for Diaz’s chin to be tested. I’ll pick Markham if he can keep this on its feet.
Ricardo Almeida vs Matt Brown (welterweight) – Almeida is making his debut at 170 as well. He’s a talented guy, but has gone to decision a few too many times for my liking. Not sure why he’s dropping down in weight when the middleweight division seems so thin. I like Brown but he is susceptible to submissions, which happens to be Almeida’s specialty. Anybody who can submit Nate Marquardt is impressive. I don’t like Brown’s chances. I’ll pick Almeida.
Rodney Wallace vs Jared Hamman (light heavyweight) – Who? Two former football players with similar records, both coming off losses in their UFC debuts. Wallace tends to go to decision while Hamman knocks guys out quick. I’ll pick Hamman.
Matthew Riddle vs Greg Soto (welterweight) – Another welterweight fight. Soto will be the hometown favourite in his UFC debut. He has a better record and more experience than Riddle who has shown some promise. I don’t like Riddle’s chances, though I’ll secretly be cheering for him. My head says Soto.
Man, I hope GSP is still champ come Monday…
Thursday, March 25, 2010
UFC Live: Vera vs Jones Results
Ok, let's see how I did...
Jon Jones def. Brandon Vera (TKO 1) – Jones keeps looking good. The fight itself, like a couple of others, was a bit of a dud, with Vera getting hurt by an elbow and essentially giving up without any sign of blood. He tried his hardest afterwards to sell the fact that he was hurt, though, which didn’t endear him to me. If you’re injured, you don’t have to sell it. I saw Dana White speak at the Toronto Eaton Centre on Tuesday and he didn’t exactly give Vera a vote of confidence, telling the crowd quite seriously that they’d have to think about what to do with Vera next. After another lackluster performance, I think he’s just one step removed from the door. Jones’ next fight will be against a big name like Griffin, Jackson, Evans, Silva or Couture to set him up for a title run next year. (1-0)
Junior Dos Santos def. Gabriel Gonzaga (KO 1) – Dos Santos is another guy who is burning up the charts. This guy is ready for prime time and his next fight could easily be a #1 contender’s fight against the likes of Velasquez, Carwin or Mir, depending on how ugly the picture gets with the ridiculous interim belt. Gonzaga is talented, but his chin has been tested a few times now and it has failed. (2-0)
Cheick Kongo def. Paul Buentello (sub 3) – Kongo looked great, but that’s probably due to the fact that Buentello was the perfect opponent for him. Buentello is a heavy hitter but has zero ground game or wrestling skills, it seems. Kongo was able to dodge any heavy shots and managed to get the fight to the ground where he pretty much lay on top of Buentello and wore him out with some G&P (the submission was due to strikes). Don’t be fooled though: Kongo is still far from being a top contender. Put him up against someone who knows what they’re doing on the ground and he’s screwed. (3-0)
Alessio Sakara def. James Irvin (TKO 1) – Perhaps the most disappointing fight of the night as Irvin cried “No mas” after getting a shot to the eye. If he doesn’t have some sort of severe fracture or dislocation, it would be pretty disappointing (in a sense) because it would mean he just wussed out and couldn’t fight through it. I wonder if his heart was in it. (3-1)
Clay Guida def. Shannon Gugerty (sub 2) – Guida is a monster. The guy just does not stop. He dominated Gugerty. Still, he can’t seem to pull off the big wins – when it matters the most. He’s clearly the gatekeeper to the upper echelons of the lightweight division, though. (4-1)
Vladimir Matyushenko def. Eliot Marshall (split) - I didn’t see this one. Can’t say I was surprised by the result. (5-1)
Darren Elkins def. Duane Ludwig (TKO 1) – This one was stopped 44 seconds in when Ludwig injured his ankle, so it hardly counts. What a waste of a training camp. (5-2)
John Howard def. Daniel Roberts (KO 1) – Roberts looked great, but Howard managed to get in the one heavy punch that turned out the lights. Too bad, ‘cause I sense Roberts is the greater talent. (5-3)
Brendan Schaub def. Chase Gormley (KO 1) – Zoinks, yo. Schaub kicked this guy’s ass like the guy owed him money. That boy has power. (6-3)
Mike Pierce def. Julio Paulino (unanimous) – Didn’t see it, but can’t say I’m surprised. (7-3)
Jason Brilz def. Eric Schafer (unanimous) – Didn’t see it. Again, not shocked. (8-3)
Whoa! 8-3 including that Ludwig dud? I’m definitely psychic.
Stay tuned for my UFC 111 picks – GSP vs Hardy!
Jon Jones def. Brandon Vera (TKO 1) – Jones keeps looking good. The fight itself, like a couple of others, was a bit of a dud, with Vera getting hurt by an elbow and essentially giving up without any sign of blood. He tried his hardest afterwards to sell the fact that he was hurt, though, which didn’t endear him to me. If you’re injured, you don’t have to sell it. I saw Dana White speak at the Toronto Eaton Centre on Tuesday and he didn’t exactly give Vera a vote of confidence, telling the crowd quite seriously that they’d have to think about what to do with Vera next. After another lackluster performance, I think he’s just one step removed from the door. Jones’ next fight will be against a big name like Griffin, Jackson, Evans, Silva or Couture to set him up for a title run next year. (1-0)
Junior Dos Santos def. Gabriel Gonzaga (KO 1) – Dos Santos is another guy who is burning up the charts. This guy is ready for prime time and his next fight could easily be a #1 contender’s fight against the likes of Velasquez, Carwin or Mir, depending on how ugly the picture gets with the ridiculous interim belt. Gonzaga is talented, but his chin has been tested a few times now and it has failed. (2-0)
Cheick Kongo def. Paul Buentello (sub 3) – Kongo looked great, but that’s probably due to the fact that Buentello was the perfect opponent for him. Buentello is a heavy hitter but has zero ground game or wrestling skills, it seems. Kongo was able to dodge any heavy shots and managed to get the fight to the ground where he pretty much lay on top of Buentello and wore him out with some G&P (the submission was due to strikes). Don’t be fooled though: Kongo is still far from being a top contender. Put him up against someone who knows what they’re doing on the ground and he’s screwed. (3-0)
Alessio Sakara def. James Irvin (TKO 1) – Perhaps the most disappointing fight of the night as Irvin cried “No mas” after getting a shot to the eye. If he doesn’t have some sort of severe fracture or dislocation, it would be pretty disappointing (in a sense) because it would mean he just wussed out and couldn’t fight through it. I wonder if his heart was in it. (3-1)
Clay Guida def. Shannon Gugerty (sub 2) – Guida is a monster. The guy just does not stop. He dominated Gugerty. Still, he can’t seem to pull off the big wins – when it matters the most. He’s clearly the gatekeeper to the upper echelons of the lightweight division, though. (4-1)
Vladimir Matyushenko def. Eliot Marshall (split) - I didn’t see this one. Can’t say I was surprised by the result. (5-1)
Darren Elkins def. Duane Ludwig (TKO 1) – This one was stopped 44 seconds in when Ludwig injured his ankle, so it hardly counts. What a waste of a training camp. (5-2)
John Howard def. Daniel Roberts (KO 1) – Roberts looked great, but Howard managed to get in the one heavy punch that turned out the lights. Too bad, ‘cause I sense Roberts is the greater talent. (5-3)
Brendan Schaub def. Chase Gormley (KO 1) – Zoinks, yo. Schaub kicked this guy’s ass like the guy owed him money. That boy has power. (6-3)
Mike Pierce def. Julio Paulino (unanimous) – Didn’t see it, but can’t say I’m surprised. (7-3)
Jason Brilz def. Eric Schafer (unanimous) – Didn’t see it. Again, not shocked. (8-3)
Whoa! 8-3 including that Ludwig dud? I’m definitely psychic.
Stay tuned for my UFC 111 picks – GSP vs Hardy!
Friday, March 19, 2010
UFC Live: Vera vs Jones picks
This is an event availble on regular cable tv (at least in Canada) whihc is pretty sweet, 'cause it's a decent card, unlike most Fight Night Live cards which feature TUF guys and one ok fight as a main event.
Let's get to the picks:
Brandon Vera vs Jon Jones (light heavyweight) - Remember when Vera was the next big thing? When he had a great record, was a young up and comer and appeared to be a threat in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions? Well, after some lackluster performances in his last - what - 5 fights, that seems like a long time ago. Now it's Jones who is the up and comer with the great record and appears to be a rising darling with the UFC. This fight could represent a transition in both fighters' careers. If Jones wins, we could see him move into the top flight of the UFC, ready to take on some of the contenders. Vera would be looking at his second straight loss, his fifth in nine fights, and 3-3 since moving to light heavyweight. I don't think he'd be in danger of getting cut, but his star would seriously lack some shine. He ought to be the favourite in this fight and yet fans have him as a 2-1 underdog. Is it over for Vera? It all depends on which Vera shows up. If Smart Vera shows up, he'll find the weaknesses in Jones' game and secure a takedown and submission. If Silly Vera shows up, he'll stand and bang and get knocked out. This is a tough one to call. Jones is scary, but we haven't seen Vera's chin tested and I don't know if Jones can handle Vera on the ground. I think this one might actually turn into a snooze fest after the first round, with Jones winning by decision after some modest ground and pound.
Junior Dos Santos vs Gabriel Gonzaga (heavyweight) - Gonzaga needs to get this one to the mat. If he stands and bangs I don't like his chances one bit. Dos Santos has tremendous power in his fists, moreso than Gonzaga who is no slouch himself. I'm picking Dos Santos by KO.
Cheick Kongo vs Paul Buentello (heavyweight) - I've never been a big fans of Buentello's. He's a guy who swings for the fences with his big gut sticking out and seems to lay eggs in the big fights. He's susceptible to submissions, but he's fortunate that his opponent on Sunday has no ground game whatsoever. Cheick Kongo is a big dude who made a splash upon his arrival in the UFC, but has also been unimpressive in recent fights (even in victory). Neither one of these guys strikes me as true MMA fighters or heavyweight contenders. Buentello might get the KO, but I'll pick Kongo to bore us with a decision. The loser should be halfway to the door.
Alessio Sakara vs James Irvin (middleweight) - This is a battle of returning fighters. Sakara's been away since August 2009 while Irvin's been away a month longer thanks to injury and a drug suspension. It also features Irvin's debut at 185, which is a bit of a surprise as that's Anderson Silva's weight class - the guy who clubbed him last time out. Both fighters need the win after so-so careers in the cage. Both seem to like to stand and trade, in which case I'd give Irvin the edge. It'll be interesting to see if Irvin can handle the weight drop, though. Still, I'll pull for him. Irvin by KO.
Clay Guida vs Shannon Gugerty (lightweight) - after an 18-3 start, Guida is 7-8 in his last 15. That's not good. But three times he's won Fight Of The Night honours and he's had lots of tough opposition. This guy simply does not stop. I can't see him losing to Gugerty who has a far less impressive resume and is simply filling in for Sean Sherk. I'm picking Guida.
Eliot Marshall vs Vladimir Matyushenko (light heavyweight) - I like Marshall, but I fear he may be outclassed by Matyushenko. The man from Belarus has a very impressive resume while Marshall is still pretty new to the game and has yet to face top competition. Clearly this is a test for Marshall, and I think his only hope is to outlast the older (39) Matyushenko. If this goes to the ground, it'll be interesting to see what Marshall's jiu-jitsu can do against the old wrestler. I see Matyushenko by dull decision.
Duane Ludwig vs Darren Elkins (lightweight?) - Elkins is listed as a welterweight on the UFC site...Not sure what class this is being fought in. Lightweight, I think. Ludwig is a capable fighter while Elkins is making his UFC debut. I'll take the experienced Ludwig.
John Howard vs Daniel Roberts (welterweight) - I've never heard of Roberts, but the guy is a submission machine. Howard is no slouch, either. He's on a 6 fight win streak, 3 in the UFC. This could be the best fight of the night. Howard tends to go to decision, though, while Roberts is a first round finisher. I'll pick the new guy, Roberts.
Brendan Schaub vs Chase Gormley (heavyweight) - Schaub will be looking to make up for his highlight reel loss to Roy Nelson in the TUF finale. Can't say I know much about Gormley. I like Schaub, so I'll pick him.
Mike Pierce vs Julio Paulino (welterweight) - although his record doesn't show it, Pierce has a much better resulme than Paulino, who seems to spend a lot of time fighting in Alaska. I'll pick Pierce.
Eric Schafer vs Jason Brilz (light heavyweight) - Schafer is good but has laid some eggs. Brilz is coming off a loss but is a wrestler with submission skills. That's always good. 17-2 is also good, though granted not against top flight competition. Still, I'll pick Brilz for fun.
Let's get to the picks:
Brandon Vera vs Jon Jones (light heavyweight) - Remember when Vera was the next big thing? When he had a great record, was a young up and comer and appeared to be a threat in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions? Well, after some lackluster performances in his last - what - 5 fights, that seems like a long time ago. Now it's Jones who is the up and comer with the great record and appears to be a rising darling with the UFC. This fight could represent a transition in both fighters' careers. If Jones wins, we could see him move into the top flight of the UFC, ready to take on some of the contenders. Vera would be looking at his second straight loss, his fifth in nine fights, and 3-3 since moving to light heavyweight. I don't think he'd be in danger of getting cut, but his star would seriously lack some shine. He ought to be the favourite in this fight and yet fans have him as a 2-1 underdog. Is it over for Vera? It all depends on which Vera shows up. If Smart Vera shows up, he'll find the weaknesses in Jones' game and secure a takedown and submission. If Silly Vera shows up, he'll stand and bang and get knocked out. This is a tough one to call. Jones is scary, but we haven't seen Vera's chin tested and I don't know if Jones can handle Vera on the ground. I think this one might actually turn into a snooze fest after the first round, with Jones winning by decision after some modest ground and pound.
Junior Dos Santos vs Gabriel Gonzaga (heavyweight) - Gonzaga needs to get this one to the mat. If he stands and bangs I don't like his chances one bit. Dos Santos has tremendous power in his fists, moreso than Gonzaga who is no slouch himself. I'm picking Dos Santos by KO.
Cheick Kongo vs Paul Buentello (heavyweight) - I've never been a big fans of Buentello's. He's a guy who swings for the fences with his big gut sticking out and seems to lay eggs in the big fights. He's susceptible to submissions, but he's fortunate that his opponent on Sunday has no ground game whatsoever. Cheick Kongo is a big dude who made a splash upon his arrival in the UFC, but has also been unimpressive in recent fights (even in victory). Neither one of these guys strikes me as true MMA fighters or heavyweight contenders. Buentello might get the KO, but I'll pick Kongo to bore us with a decision. The loser should be halfway to the door.
Alessio Sakara vs James Irvin (middleweight) - This is a battle of returning fighters. Sakara's been away since August 2009 while Irvin's been away a month longer thanks to injury and a drug suspension. It also features Irvin's debut at 185, which is a bit of a surprise as that's Anderson Silva's weight class - the guy who clubbed him last time out. Both fighters need the win after so-so careers in the cage. Both seem to like to stand and trade, in which case I'd give Irvin the edge. It'll be interesting to see if Irvin can handle the weight drop, though. Still, I'll pull for him. Irvin by KO.
Clay Guida vs Shannon Gugerty (lightweight) - after an 18-3 start, Guida is 7-8 in his last 15. That's not good. But three times he's won Fight Of The Night honours and he's had lots of tough opposition. This guy simply does not stop. I can't see him losing to Gugerty who has a far less impressive resume and is simply filling in for Sean Sherk. I'm picking Guida.
Eliot Marshall vs Vladimir Matyushenko (light heavyweight) - I like Marshall, but I fear he may be outclassed by Matyushenko. The man from Belarus has a very impressive resume while Marshall is still pretty new to the game and has yet to face top competition. Clearly this is a test for Marshall, and I think his only hope is to outlast the older (39) Matyushenko. If this goes to the ground, it'll be interesting to see what Marshall's jiu-jitsu can do against the old wrestler. I see Matyushenko by dull decision.
Duane Ludwig vs Darren Elkins (lightweight?) - Elkins is listed as a welterweight on the UFC site...Not sure what class this is being fought in. Lightweight, I think. Ludwig is a capable fighter while Elkins is making his UFC debut. I'll take the experienced Ludwig.
John Howard vs Daniel Roberts (welterweight) - I've never heard of Roberts, but the guy is a submission machine. Howard is no slouch, either. He's on a 6 fight win streak, 3 in the UFC. This could be the best fight of the night. Howard tends to go to decision, though, while Roberts is a first round finisher. I'll pick the new guy, Roberts.
Brendan Schaub vs Chase Gormley (heavyweight) - Schaub will be looking to make up for his highlight reel loss to Roy Nelson in the TUF finale. Can't say I know much about Gormley. I like Schaub, so I'll pick him.
Mike Pierce vs Julio Paulino (welterweight) - although his record doesn't show it, Pierce has a much better resulme than Paulino, who seems to spend a lot of time fighting in Alaska. I'll pick Pierce.
Eric Schafer vs Jason Brilz (light heavyweight) - Schafer is good but has laid some eggs. Brilz is coming off a loss but is a wrestler with submission skills. That's always good. 17-2 is also good, though granted not against top flight competition. Still, I'll pick Brilz for fun.
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