All in all, this was a disappointing night of fights, on the main card at the very least. A bunch of decisions that lacked excitement, as it turns out. I'd hoped these guys would bring it more since they were mostly mid-cards types, but that didn't happen for the most part.
Alright, let's break down the results...
Rashad Evans def. Quinton Rampage Jackson (unanimous)
Rashad did exactly what I expected. He played it smart, stayed away from Jackson's power, and used his wrestling skills to get the decision. Not a popular strategy, but effective against an opponent who couldn't get off his back. Rampage needs a new coach; he isn't going to learn how to defend against the takedown by training in the UK. I'm imagining Rua will be a tougher test for Rashad. I wouldn't favour him in that fight, I don't think. (1-0)
Michael Bisping def. Dan Miller (unanimous)
Another lacklustre fight as both guys essentially stood and boxed for 15 minutes. So much for mixed martial arts. Since neigther has KO power, it was clear early on that this would go to a decision and Bisping would get the nod. Not sure what Miller's plan was, but he needed to shoot more. Of course, his takedown attempts weren't exactly GSP quality, so who knows if he was actually trying his best. Once again, a poor game plan costs a fighter. (1-1)
Mike Russow def. Todd Duffee (KO 3)
This was the shocker of the night. Russow looked awful in this one, and was getting teed off on for two and a half rounds until he caught Duffee with a shot to the ear that sent the latest UFC darling crashing backwards to the mat. The bar went nuts. It had been a pretty dull fight until then, with Duffe punching at will and the only surprise being the strength of Russow's chin. This seriously derails Duffee's rise, as Russow is far from an upper echelon fighter. In fact, he sucks. No idea how he amassed the record that he has. He seriously needs to lose weight. He's probably a middleweight under all that flab. (2-1)
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Jason Brilz (split)
Another one that lacked sexiness. It was too close to call, but the judges gave Little Nog the little nod. I think he was pretty lucky to get out of there with his status as an up-and-comer intact. Brilz will live to fight another day. (3-1)
John Hathaway de. Diego Sanchez (unanimous)
I'm not sure what to make of Sanchez. He seemed to have all the tools to be a great champion a few years ago, but lately he seems to be off his game. He dropped down to 155 where I expected him to be a beast, but after losing to BJ Penn, he goes back up to 170 where even tougher competition exists and where he isn't nearly the biggest guy in the sandbox. WTF? He ended up boxing with a Brit on Saturday, and came out on the short end of the stick, just as he did with Penn. Where has Sanchez's clinch game gone? He used to be at his best on the inside, taking guys down and grounding and pounding them into the floor. No more. He's another one who needs a change of training scenery. What he's doing now is not working for him. His career is going off the rails in a hurry. Go back to 155, Diego. (3-2)
Dong Hyun Kim def. Amir Sadollah (unanimous)
Yay, another decision. Kim dominated this fight. Sadollah was never really in it. Kim just kept taking him down, controlling him and got the decision. Look for Kim to get a big name next. (4-2)
Efrain Escudero def. Dan Lauzon (unanimous)
What the f*** was with Lauzon? He looked terrible. He didn't engage much and his cardio apparently failed him. Amazingly, he was almost handed a gift when Escudero kicked him in the cup a couple of times, thus earning a point deduction, and then Escudero got so bored that he traded big shots in a flurry with Lauzon, thus risked losing the third round. Had Lauzon won the round, he would have "earned" a draw in what was really a ridiculously lopsided affair. Lauzon ought to be cut for putting in such a lacklustre performance. (5-2)
Melvin Guillard def. Waylon Rowe (KO 1)
Guillard was handed a gift in this one - a smaller opponent who was willing to stand and trade with him. But this wasn't the knockout some might have expected; Guillard caught Rowe with a knee to the gut that found a sweet spot and put Rowe down for the count. (6-2)
Cyrille Diabate def. Luiz Cane (TKO 1)
This was a sloppy affair, but entertaining. both guys threw bombs and had little defence. Tall, lanky Diabate found his range eventually and knocked Cane on his ass, after it looked like he might suffer the same fate. We'll see where this guys goes from here. (6-3)
Aaron Riley def. Joe Brammer (unanimous)
Another decision. Didn't see it. Apparently it was good. (7-3)
Ryan Jensen def. Jesse Forbes (sub 1)
Didn't see it, but it was the only submission of the night so Jensen earned a bonus. Forbes disappoints once again. (8-3)
Well, that was much better than last time, wasn't it? Thank goodness!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
UFC 114 Picks
Weird card. This is one of those cards that doesn't look like much on the surface, but I'm betting will actually surprise some folks and provide decent entertainment.
Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Rashad Evans (light heavyweight)
This is the long-awaited fight stemming from The Ultimate Fighter season where these two acted as coaches. The fight was delayed 'cause Jackson took a role in the A-Team movie, much to the disgust and chagrin of the UFC who had gone to the trouble of booking the event in Memphis, Jackson's hometown. Who will win the fight? Hard to say. Both guys have power, Rashad has wrestling skills and speed, so he should get the nod. But Jackson is one of those guys who can end the night with one quick punch as we saw against Wanderlei and others. Jackson has been off for a long time, though, so there's no telling what kind fo shape he'll be in. I can see this fight being dull as hell if Evans can take Jackson down and stay on top. I could also see this fight ending with a highlight-reel knockout. There's a lot on the line here, as the winner is expected to get the first shot at champion Rua. For that reason, I bet Rashad plays it smart, keeps his distance, then takes Jackson down with a quick shot. Jackson, as we saw against Griffin, has zero ability to get off his back. Rashad will do that for 15 minutes and get the nod. Boring, but effective. I'm picking Evans.
Michael Bisping vs Dan Miller (middleweight)
Michael Bisping is the favourite, having had bigger fights and having been a star on TUF. Don't count Miller out, though. Sure, he's coming off two losses, but they were to Demian Maia and Chael Sonnen who are title contenders. Bisping isn't quite in that class, despite what he might think. Before that, Miller had reeled off three straight wins to kick off his UFC career, two by first round submission. We haven't seen Bisping on his back much (at least not conscious) so it's hard to say how he'd fare if Miller got him down. I'm going with the upset. I bet Miller, who can push the pace just like Bisping, gets Bisping down and submits him or earns the decision. I'll take Miller.
Todd Duffee vs Mike Russow (heavyweight)
Duffee holds the UFC record for fastest knockout (7 seconds) and it may not have been a fluke. He has a 15-second win and a 16-second win. Wow. This guy has crazy power. Russow, though, has a great record himself and tends to submit guys in the first round. So the question may be whether Russow can get Duffee on the ground. I'm gonna say...yes. Again, I'm gonna pick the dog and go with Russow by submission. I bet experience pays off in this one.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Jason Brilz (light heavyweight)
This one is a bit of a disappointment, of course, as it was supposed to be Nogueira versus Forrest Griffin. Nogueira is one of the UFC's new darlings and he hasn't disappointed yet. He has a terrific record (18-3) including wins over Dan Henderson, Luiz Cane, Vladimir Matyushenko, and two over Strikeforce Heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem. Brilz, on the other hand, is no pushover. He's at 18-2, though his fights have been mostly agianst mid-carders. This could be a great fight. If Brilz wins, it'd be a huge launching pad for him. But I don't see it happeneing. I'm picking Nogueira.
Diego Sanchez vs John Hathaway (welterweight)
I have no idea why Diego is back at welterweight. Lightweight seemed perfect for him and he was clearly on the rise there. A loss to BJ Penn is no tragedy and he might have been right back in the mix if the UFC staged a Sanchez-Florian rematch. Inexplicably, he has jumped back up to welterweight where he is a small fish in a very big pond, ruled by the biggest shark in the aquarium, GSP. Honestly, WTF? Diego seems to have lost a bit of steam recently, going to decision far too often after previously overwhleming his opponents. Hathaway has a perfect record, but hasn't fought anyone anywhere near Diego's status. This is a huge fight for him. If he wins, he'll be in title contention quick. If Diego wins, I'm not sure the same holds true (unless the UFC is desperate for new opponents for GSP). If Diego loses...well...zoinks, yo. I'm betting Diego finds a way to win this one, if only by experience.
Amir Sadollah vs Dong Hyun Kim (welterweight)
Amir was the surprising winner of TUF 7 and has gone 2-1 since with some impressive cardio work. Kim is "The Stun Gun" and although he was impressive in his debut, has been less than spectacular since. His loss to Karo Parisyan was overtruned after Karo tested positive for banned painkillers, so he maintains his undefeated record (12-0-1 [1]). Still, I'm gonna bet Kim finds a way to overwhelm Sadollah and finish him before it reaches a decision. I'm picking Kim.
Efrain Escudero vs Dan Lauzon (lightweight)
Another TUF winner in Escudero. He has looked pretty good, but is coming off a loss. Lauzon is the brother of TUF competitor Joe Lauzon, but hasn't impressed me all tnat much, despite his record. Both of these fighters are known for their submission skills and ending fights early. This could be the fight of the night. I'll pick Escudero.
Melvin Guillard vs Waylon Rowe (lightweight)
Guillard was a rising star once upon a time. Rowe doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. That gives you some idea how much Guillard's stock has fallen. Both of these guys are known for their KO power. This could be a barnburner and over quick. Since Guillard doesn't have to worry about submissions, he may actually win this one (and not undeservedly, like he did against Ronnys Torres). I'll pick Guillard.
Luiz Cane vs Cyrille Diabate (light heavyweight)
Cane will be looking to rebound form his loss to Little Nog. I'd never heard of Diabate, but he has a good record and has fought some big names (and lost, mind you). Still, I'm gonna pick Cane.
Aaron Riley vs Joe Brammer (lightweight)
Riley is one of those fighters who is tough to peg. He looks good once, then crap the next. Brammer has a nice record to start his career but has lost to the only name he's faced. I'm gonna pick Riley on experience.
Jesse Forbes vs Ryan Jensen (middleweight?)
A lot was expected from Forbes as he competed in TUF 3, but he hasn't lived up to the hype (certainly not his own!). He's been fighting in the smaller circuits for a while, ammassing a respectable record (13-4). Jensen has had a rough go recently, going 3-5 after being 11-1. But he was thrown to the wolves in his early UFC days, losing to Demian Maia and Thales Leites. I'm not sure how he has managed to stick around this second time around, going 1-2 in his last three UFC fights. This is one of those fights where the winner earns a reprieve and the loser goes home, I bet. Neither of these guys is used to going the distance, so this could be another quick one. I'll pick...Jensen.
Who you got?
Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Rashad Evans (light heavyweight)
This is the long-awaited fight stemming from The Ultimate Fighter season where these two acted as coaches. The fight was delayed 'cause Jackson took a role in the A-Team movie, much to the disgust and chagrin of the UFC who had gone to the trouble of booking the event in Memphis, Jackson's hometown. Who will win the fight? Hard to say. Both guys have power, Rashad has wrestling skills and speed, so he should get the nod. But Jackson is one of those guys who can end the night with one quick punch as we saw against Wanderlei and others. Jackson has been off for a long time, though, so there's no telling what kind fo shape he'll be in. I can see this fight being dull as hell if Evans can take Jackson down and stay on top. I could also see this fight ending with a highlight-reel knockout. There's a lot on the line here, as the winner is expected to get the first shot at champion Rua. For that reason, I bet Rashad plays it smart, keeps his distance, then takes Jackson down with a quick shot. Jackson, as we saw against Griffin, has zero ability to get off his back. Rashad will do that for 15 minutes and get the nod. Boring, but effective. I'm picking Evans.
Michael Bisping vs Dan Miller (middleweight)
Michael Bisping is the favourite, having had bigger fights and having been a star on TUF. Don't count Miller out, though. Sure, he's coming off two losses, but they were to Demian Maia and Chael Sonnen who are title contenders. Bisping isn't quite in that class, despite what he might think. Before that, Miller had reeled off three straight wins to kick off his UFC career, two by first round submission. We haven't seen Bisping on his back much (at least not conscious) so it's hard to say how he'd fare if Miller got him down. I'm going with the upset. I bet Miller, who can push the pace just like Bisping, gets Bisping down and submits him or earns the decision. I'll take Miller.
Todd Duffee vs Mike Russow (heavyweight)
Duffee holds the UFC record for fastest knockout (7 seconds) and it may not have been a fluke. He has a 15-second win and a 16-second win. Wow. This guy has crazy power. Russow, though, has a great record himself and tends to submit guys in the first round. So the question may be whether Russow can get Duffee on the ground. I'm gonna say...yes. Again, I'm gonna pick the dog and go with Russow by submission. I bet experience pays off in this one.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Jason Brilz (light heavyweight)
This one is a bit of a disappointment, of course, as it was supposed to be Nogueira versus Forrest Griffin. Nogueira is one of the UFC's new darlings and he hasn't disappointed yet. He has a terrific record (18-3) including wins over Dan Henderson, Luiz Cane, Vladimir Matyushenko, and two over Strikeforce Heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem. Brilz, on the other hand, is no pushover. He's at 18-2, though his fights have been mostly agianst mid-carders. This could be a great fight. If Brilz wins, it'd be a huge launching pad for him. But I don't see it happeneing. I'm picking Nogueira.
Diego Sanchez vs John Hathaway (welterweight)
I have no idea why Diego is back at welterweight. Lightweight seemed perfect for him and he was clearly on the rise there. A loss to BJ Penn is no tragedy and he might have been right back in the mix if the UFC staged a Sanchez-Florian rematch. Inexplicably, he has jumped back up to welterweight where he is a small fish in a very big pond, ruled by the biggest shark in the aquarium, GSP. Honestly, WTF? Diego seems to have lost a bit of steam recently, going to decision far too often after previously overwhleming his opponents. Hathaway has a perfect record, but hasn't fought anyone anywhere near Diego's status. This is a huge fight for him. If he wins, he'll be in title contention quick. If Diego wins, I'm not sure the same holds true (unless the UFC is desperate for new opponents for GSP). If Diego loses...well...zoinks, yo. I'm betting Diego finds a way to win this one, if only by experience.
Amir Sadollah vs Dong Hyun Kim (welterweight)
Amir was the surprising winner of TUF 7 and has gone 2-1 since with some impressive cardio work. Kim is "The Stun Gun" and although he was impressive in his debut, has been less than spectacular since. His loss to Karo Parisyan was overtruned after Karo tested positive for banned painkillers, so he maintains his undefeated record (12-0-1 [1]). Still, I'm gonna bet Kim finds a way to overwhelm Sadollah and finish him before it reaches a decision. I'm picking Kim.
Efrain Escudero vs Dan Lauzon (lightweight)
Another TUF winner in Escudero. He has looked pretty good, but is coming off a loss. Lauzon is the brother of TUF competitor Joe Lauzon, but hasn't impressed me all tnat much, despite his record. Both of these fighters are known for their submission skills and ending fights early. This could be the fight of the night. I'll pick Escudero.
Melvin Guillard vs Waylon Rowe (lightweight)
Guillard was a rising star once upon a time. Rowe doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. That gives you some idea how much Guillard's stock has fallen. Both of these guys are known for their KO power. This could be a barnburner and over quick. Since Guillard doesn't have to worry about submissions, he may actually win this one (and not undeservedly, like he did against Ronnys Torres). I'll pick Guillard.
Luiz Cane vs Cyrille Diabate (light heavyweight)
Cane will be looking to rebound form his loss to Little Nog. I'd never heard of Diabate, but he has a good record and has fought some big names (and lost, mind you). Still, I'm gonna pick Cane.
Aaron Riley vs Joe Brammer (lightweight)
Riley is one of those fighters who is tough to peg. He looks good once, then crap the next. Brammer has a nice record to start his career but has lost to the only name he's faced. I'm gonna pick Riley on experience.
Jesse Forbes vs Ryan Jensen (middleweight?)
A lot was expected from Forbes as he competed in TUF 3, but he hasn't lived up to the hype (certainly not his own!). He's been fighting in the smaller circuits for a while, ammassing a respectable record (13-4). Jensen has had a rough go recently, going 3-5 after being 11-1. But he was thrown to the wolves in his early UFC days, losing to Demian Maia and Thales Leites. I'm not sure how he has managed to stick around this second time around, going 1-2 in his last three UFC fights. This is one of those fights where the winner earns a reprieve and the loser goes home, I bet. Neither of these guys is used to going the distance, so this could be another quick one. I'll pick...Jensen.
Who you got?
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
UFC 113 Results
Yet again, I missed most of the event. Ah, family.
Let's see how I did.
Shogun Rua def. Lyoto Machida (KO 1)
Wow. Rua really beat him senseless and earned the victory. Did he earn the title? I dunno. As I've said before, I don't think Rua deserved the original title shot, so... It'll be interesting to see if he can hold the belt any longer than his post-Liddell predecessors (Rampage, Griffin, Evans, Machida). Looks like Lyoto didn't learn anything from the first fight as I had thought he might. Well, he paid for it. Look for the winner of Rampage-Evans to get the next shot, especially since Griffin had to back out of his fight with Little Nog and Couture has been served softballs. (0-1)
Josh Koscheck def. Paul Daley (unanimous)
What a mess this fight was. First, Koscheck doesn't stand and bang as his mouth said he would (good thing, 'cause Daley was clocking him when he got the chance), then Daley loses his mind and sucker punches Koscheck after the bell before Koscheck tells the booing crowd where to stick it. Nice. These guys are all class. Unfortunately, Dana White said before the fight that the winner would get GSP after coaching against the champ during the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, so we're stuck with GSP-Koscheck II. If Koscheck wins, I'll cry. I'm serious. Daley, meanwhile, has been kicked out of the UFC which is exactly what I thought would happen as soon as I saw the punch. (0-2)
Jeremy Stephens def. Sam Stout (split)
Missed this Fight of the Night. Looks like Stephens dominated early, Stout came on late, but couldn't get the W. (0-3)
Matt Mitrione def. Kimbo Slice (TKO 2)
Kimbo did well early, but Mitrione came on strong after punishing the street brawler with leg kicks. According to White, Kimbo is done in the UFC. (0-4)
Alan Belcher def. Patrick Cote (sub 2)
This was Cote's first fight back in a long time, so he could be forgiven for being a little rusty. Still, this fight won't help his stock too much as he got manhandled by Belcher, from what I understand. Too bad, as Cote would have been on the fast track back to a title shot had he won. Now it's Belcher calling for his shot. (0-5)
Joe Doerksen def. Tom Lawlor (sub 2)
Doerksen was the only Canadian to win on this night. Yup, that's one of SEVEN. It also explains my miserable record in this event prediction as I tried to pick the Canucks where possible (which excludes Goulet). Apparently Doerksen looked alright. (1-5)
Marcus Davis def. Jonathan Goulet (TKO 2)
As predicted, Davis got a hold of Goulet's glass jaw and shattered it. I seriously believe Goulet has concussion issues or something, because it seems the lightest taps send him reeling. He should retire for his own health. This can't be good. Glad to see Davis back in the win column. (2-5)
Johny Hendricks def. TJ Grant (majority)
I went against the Canadian on this one, too, and it paid off. Hendricks is a great fighter, though he apparently didn't look too good in this. He called it his worst fight ever. And yet he won. (3-5)
Joey Beltran def. Tim Hague (unanimous)
Ugh. Hague loses again. He must be done with the UFC now. Too bad. Seems like a nice guy. (3-6)
Mike Guymon def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (unanimous)
Boy, I just can't catch a break. (3-7)
John Salter def. Jason MacDonald (TKO 1)
This one really shouldn't count as MacDonald broke his leg in two places while taking Salter down. Looks like The Athlete is gonna be on the shelf for a while. That sucks. (3-8)
Ok, surely this event will go down as my worst performance ever. No more picking the Canadian, that's for sure. Ugh.
NEXT!!
Let's see how I did.
Shogun Rua def. Lyoto Machida (KO 1)
Wow. Rua really beat him senseless and earned the victory. Did he earn the title? I dunno. As I've said before, I don't think Rua deserved the original title shot, so... It'll be interesting to see if he can hold the belt any longer than his post-Liddell predecessors (Rampage, Griffin, Evans, Machida). Looks like Lyoto didn't learn anything from the first fight as I had thought he might. Well, he paid for it. Look for the winner of Rampage-Evans to get the next shot, especially since Griffin had to back out of his fight with Little Nog and Couture has been served softballs. (0-1)
Josh Koscheck def. Paul Daley (unanimous)
What a mess this fight was. First, Koscheck doesn't stand and bang as his mouth said he would (good thing, 'cause Daley was clocking him when he got the chance), then Daley loses his mind and sucker punches Koscheck after the bell before Koscheck tells the booing crowd where to stick it. Nice. These guys are all class. Unfortunately, Dana White said before the fight that the winner would get GSP after coaching against the champ during the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, so we're stuck with GSP-Koscheck II. If Koscheck wins, I'll cry. I'm serious. Daley, meanwhile, has been kicked out of the UFC which is exactly what I thought would happen as soon as I saw the punch. (0-2)
Jeremy Stephens def. Sam Stout (split)
Missed this Fight of the Night. Looks like Stephens dominated early, Stout came on late, but couldn't get the W. (0-3)
Matt Mitrione def. Kimbo Slice (TKO 2)
Kimbo did well early, but Mitrione came on strong after punishing the street brawler with leg kicks. According to White, Kimbo is done in the UFC. (0-4)
Alan Belcher def. Patrick Cote (sub 2)
This was Cote's first fight back in a long time, so he could be forgiven for being a little rusty. Still, this fight won't help his stock too much as he got manhandled by Belcher, from what I understand. Too bad, as Cote would have been on the fast track back to a title shot had he won. Now it's Belcher calling for his shot. (0-5)
Joe Doerksen def. Tom Lawlor (sub 2)
Doerksen was the only Canadian to win on this night. Yup, that's one of SEVEN. It also explains my miserable record in this event prediction as I tried to pick the Canucks where possible (which excludes Goulet). Apparently Doerksen looked alright. (1-5)
Marcus Davis def. Jonathan Goulet (TKO 2)
As predicted, Davis got a hold of Goulet's glass jaw and shattered it. I seriously believe Goulet has concussion issues or something, because it seems the lightest taps send him reeling. He should retire for his own health. This can't be good. Glad to see Davis back in the win column. (2-5)
Johny Hendricks def. TJ Grant (majority)
I went against the Canadian on this one, too, and it paid off. Hendricks is a great fighter, though he apparently didn't look too good in this. He called it his worst fight ever. And yet he won. (3-5)
Joey Beltran def. Tim Hague (unanimous)
Ugh. Hague loses again. He must be done with the UFC now. Too bad. Seems like a nice guy. (3-6)
Mike Guymon def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (unanimous)
Boy, I just can't catch a break. (3-7)
John Salter def. Jason MacDonald (TKO 1)
This one really shouldn't count as MacDonald broke his leg in two places while taking Salter down. Looks like The Athlete is gonna be on the shelf for a while. That sucks. (3-8)
Ok, surely this event will go down as my worst performance ever. No more picking the Canadian, that's for sure. Ugh.
NEXT!!
Friday, May 7, 2010
UFC 113 Montreal Picks
Not a lot of time to fart around today, so let's get to the picks for UFC 113 in Montreal.
Lyoto Machida vs Shogun Rua (light heavyweight) - This the "much anticipated" sequel to UFC 104 when a controversial decision prompted the UFC to grant an "immediate" rematch. As I said before, I didn't think Rua deserved the original title fight, but, hey, I don't get to pick the fights, so here we are. I'm not sure either of these guys are in the top two in this division, but circumstances have brought them here. I'm going to assume that Machida will be smarter this time and not be surprised by Rua's leg chops. I'll pick Machida. If Rua wins, every fighter who is Forrest Griffin or beaten Forrest Griffin will be chomping at the bit for a shot.
Josh Koscheck vs Paul Daley (welterweight) - If they stay on the feet, Daley will KO the loud-mouthed bleach blonde but if Koscheck can get the fight to the ground, look for him to lay and pray a decision. Koscheck is cocky enough to challenge Daley on his feet, so I'll pick Daley.
Sam Stout vs Jeremy Stephens (lightweight) - Can I really go against the Canadian? I dunno. Stout can be impressive, but at times he is predictable and one-dimensional. He tends to stand and box, but this is MMA not the WBC. Stephens is a spark plug. Still, I’ll pick Stout by decision.
Kimbo Slice vs Matt Mitrione (heavyweight) – Why does Kimbo fight at heavyweight and not light heavy? I don’t get it. He’s listed at 215, so can’t he cut 10 pounds? It puts him at a disadvantage against bigger, heavier guys. Mitrione isn’t the biggest heavyweight around, but he’s close enough. If Mitrione had serious wrestling skills, I’d pick him in a heartbeat, but he tends to stand and bang. He’s got the fists to back it up, too. My head says to pick Mitrione, but Kimbo needs this win and he is being fed his type of opponent. I’ll pick Kimbo for fun, but I wouldn’t lay money on it.
Patrick Cote vs Alan Belcher (middleweight) – Identical records, but Belcher is the bigger guy and has more skills. Belcher seems to always might mid-card guys whereas Cote has a little more time in the sun thanks to matches against Tito Ortiz, Anderson Silva and his TUF experience. When in doubt, go with the Canadian, I guess. I’ll pick Cote.
Joe Doerksen vs Tom Lawlor (middleweight) – Doerksen has an insane amount of experience and, well, he’s Canadian. Lawlor is a wrestler, Doerksen is a JJ guy. I’ll got with Team Canada again. Doerksen for the nod.
Marcus Davis vs Jonathan Goulet (welterweight) – I’m picking Davis. No doubt about it. If you’re betting on Goulet you have too much money to burn. Goulet does occasionally show up, but not recently in the UFC (though he did shockingly win Fight of the Night last time in Montreal – didn’t see it). His fights have been highlight reel fodder for his opponents. Make no mistake: Goulet is on the card ONLY because the event is in Montreal. I’m picking my boy Davis. Let’s hope this is the start of a new winning streak for him.
TJ Grant vs Johny Hendricks (welterweight) – Once again, I’m going to go against the Canadian. TJ Grant has a very decent record but Hendricks has been amazing and remains undefeated. I’m picking Hendricks.
Tim Hague vs Joey Beltran (heavyweight) – Which Hague will show up? The one who debuted with the UFC and choked a dude out or the one who got KO’d in 7 seconds? He was apparently robbed his last time out (didn’t see it) so here’s thinking he’ll be hungry and looking to finish. Beltran has an impressive record but his last fight against Rolles Gracie was far form impressive. I’ll pick Hague.
Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs Mike Guymon (welterweight) – Yoshida ended up on Koscheck’s highlight reel but he has a better record than that. Guymon really has zip on his resume though he has a decent record. I’ll pick Yoshida.
Jason MacDonald vs John Salter (middleweight) – MacDonald stepped in for David Loiseau who stepped in for Nick Catone. You gotta wonder what this does to Salter. When guys don’t get to prepare for a specific opponent, it’s all about your skill. MacDonald has more experience and he does have skills when he uses his head and sticks to his game plan. I’ll pick MacDonald.
Lyoto Machida vs Shogun Rua (light heavyweight) - This the "much anticipated" sequel to UFC 104 when a controversial decision prompted the UFC to grant an "immediate" rematch. As I said before, I didn't think Rua deserved the original title fight, but, hey, I don't get to pick the fights, so here we are. I'm not sure either of these guys are in the top two in this division, but circumstances have brought them here. I'm going to assume that Machida will be smarter this time and not be surprised by Rua's leg chops. I'll pick Machida. If Rua wins, every fighter who is Forrest Griffin or beaten Forrest Griffin will be chomping at the bit for a shot.
Josh Koscheck vs Paul Daley (welterweight) - If they stay on the feet, Daley will KO the loud-mouthed bleach blonde but if Koscheck can get the fight to the ground, look for him to lay and pray a decision. Koscheck is cocky enough to challenge Daley on his feet, so I'll pick Daley.
Sam Stout vs Jeremy Stephens (lightweight) - Can I really go against the Canadian? I dunno. Stout can be impressive, but at times he is predictable and one-dimensional. He tends to stand and box, but this is MMA not the WBC. Stephens is a spark plug. Still, I’ll pick Stout by decision.
Kimbo Slice vs Matt Mitrione (heavyweight) – Why does Kimbo fight at heavyweight and not light heavy? I don’t get it. He’s listed at 215, so can’t he cut 10 pounds? It puts him at a disadvantage against bigger, heavier guys. Mitrione isn’t the biggest heavyweight around, but he’s close enough. If Mitrione had serious wrestling skills, I’d pick him in a heartbeat, but he tends to stand and bang. He’s got the fists to back it up, too. My head says to pick Mitrione, but Kimbo needs this win and he is being fed his type of opponent. I’ll pick Kimbo for fun, but I wouldn’t lay money on it.
Patrick Cote vs Alan Belcher (middleweight) – Identical records, but Belcher is the bigger guy and has more skills. Belcher seems to always might mid-card guys whereas Cote has a little more time in the sun thanks to matches against Tito Ortiz, Anderson Silva and his TUF experience. When in doubt, go with the Canadian, I guess. I’ll pick Cote.
Joe Doerksen vs Tom Lawlor (middleweight) – Doerksen has an insane amount of experience and, well, he’s Canadian. Lawlor is a wrestler, Doerksen is a JJ guy. I’ll got with Team Canada again. Doerksen for the nod.
Marcus Davis vs Jonathan Goulet (welterweight) – I’m picking Davis. No doubt about it. If you’re betting on Goulet you have too much money to burn. Goulet does occasionally show up, but not recently in the UFC (though he did shockingly win Fight of the Night last time in Montreal – didn’t see it). His fights have been highlight reel fodder for his opponents. Make no mistake: Goulet is on the card ONLY because the event is in Montreal. I’m picking my boy Davis. Let’s hope this is the start of a new winning streak for him.
TJ Grant vs Johny Hendricks (welterweight) – Once again, I’m going to go against the Canadian. TJ Grant has a very decent record but Hendricks has been amazing and remains undefeated. I’m picking Hendricks.
Tim Hague vs Joey Beltran (heavyweight) – Which Hague will show up? The one who debuted with the UFC and choked a dude out or the one who got KO’d in 7 seconds? He was apparently robbed his last time out (didn’t see it) so here’s thinking he’ll be hungry and looking to finish. Beltran has an impressive record but his last fight against Rolles Gracie was far form impressive. I’ll pick Hague.
Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs Mike Guymon (welterweight) – Yoshida ended up on Koscheck’s highlight reel but he has a better record than that. Guymon really has zip on his resume though he has a decent record. I’ll pick Yoshida.
Jason MacDonald vs John Salter (middleweight) – MacDonald stepped in for David Loiseau who stepped in for Nick Catone. You gotta wonder what this does to Salter. When guys don’t get to prepare for a specific opponent, it’s all about your skill. MacDonald has more experience and he does have skills when he uses his head and sticks to his game plan. I’ll pick MacDonald.
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