UFC 128 Results

So it seems I missed another decent event. (Thank goodness for the free event this weekend) Let's see how I did with my picks for UFC 128.

Jon Jones def. Mauricio Rua (TKO 3)
I haven't seen the full fight, just the third and last round, but man, Jones dominated Rua pretty badly. I have long said I didn't think Rua would be champ for long, based on his performances against Griffin and Coleman, but I didn't think he'd get beat this badly. Rarely do we see champions get this outclassed. Things look good for Jones and he certainly has a ton of potential, but he's pretty green and I could see him losing to veteran with a good game plan. After all, we haven't seen how Jones does on HIS back. Randy Couture, anyone? But, really, the ultimate match-up for most would be Jones vs Anderson Silva; two lanky guys with power. If Silva faces and defeats GSP, would this be the next superfight? (1-0)

Urijah Faber def. Eddie Wineland (unanimous)
Looks like Faber is back in the title hunt. (2-0)

Jim Miller def. Kamal Shalorus (TKO 3)
Miller looks good again. (3-0)

Nate Marquardt def. Dan Miller (unanimous)
Marquardt is back on track. (4-0)

Brendan Schaub def. Mirko Filipovic (TKO 3)
Time for Cro Cop to retire, unless a new weight class is created. (5-0)

Luiz Cane def. Eliot Marshall (TKO 1)
Cane made Marshall look useless. (6-0)

Edson Barboza vs Anthony Njokuani (unanimous)
How in the world did Barboza get this decision? I picked him, and he looked great in the first round, but Njokuani woke up in the second and third while Barboza coasted. Barboza landed a highlight-reel spinning head kick at the last moment and had a takedown, but did not capitalize on either and Njokuani was active throughout both rounds. I thought Barboza had given it away for sure. But he celebrated like he had won, while Njokuani was stunned by the kick. Looks like the judges bought what Barboza was selling. Terrible decision. (6-0)

Mike Pyle def. Ricardo Almeida (unanimous)
Looks like I picked the wrong guy to win by decision. (6-1)

Gleison Tibau def. Kurt Pellegrino (split)
Tibau got the split, eh? Wish I'd seen it. (7-1)

Joseph Benavidez def. Ian Loveland (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (8-1)

Erik Koch def. Raphael Assuncao (KO 1)
Koch dropped a BOMB on Assuncao. Highlight KO. (9-1)

Nick Catone def. Constantinos Philippou (unanimous)
This one was a guess. Guessed wrong. (9-2)

9-2! Wow. That's pretty darn sweet if I do say so myself.

UFC 128 Picks

Alright, quick and dirty. I'm gonna miss this event, too. Damn social life!

Mauricio Rua vs Jon Jones (light heavyweight)
This is a funny match-up to me 'cause it features two guys who shouldn't be where they are. Rua was gifted a title shot (two, actually!) against Machida, a guy who, in turn, had not beaten any top 10 fighters to get HIS title shot (Silva was on the cusp). Sure, he won the belt against Rashad Evans, the last real top ten contender, but anyone can win on any night in this sport. Rua got his shot after getting schooled by Forrest Griffin, beating a geriatric Mark Coleman (who he had previously lost to) and then a way-past his-prime Chuck Liddell (who Dana White promptly tried to retire). That's pathetic. Jones is getting his shot because Rashad is injured, they need a last minute replacement, and all the other top dogs are busy or on medical suspension. Sure, he looks pretty good, but he hasn't faced any established top ten guys. Bader? Bader wasn't established either! This shot should have gone to Griffin, Rampage, Couture, Anderson Silva, Thiago Silva or even Machida - theoretically - before Jones got a shot. But this makes for a sexy fight and the UFC is all about making sexy fights for the almighty PPVs. If Jones wins, though, the belt once again spins into chaos with no true champion in sight. Rua has a change of giving the division some stability if he can beat a couple of true contenders, but that all goes out the window if the young buck can pull it off. Something tells me a smart vet could find a hole in Jones' game and exploit it. I wouldn't bet too much on him retaining the belt for long if he wins. And on we merrily go. As for my pick, well, I like Rua's smarts, but he's a stand and bang guy. Jones can stand and bang and he's faster. And he's a wrestler. Rua didn't do so well against Griffin in that department. Can Rus submit Jones? Dunno about that. Rua is by FAR the toughest opponent Jones has faced and is in a different league than Matyushenko, Bonnar and Vera. Can Rua reach Jones? How good is Jones' chin? These questions are what make this fight intriguing. I'm not that impressed with Rua, so I'm gonna go with the challenger in this one: Jones.

Urijah Faber vs Eddie Wineland (bantamweight)
Faber is the golden child, but he hasn't impressed me that much. Lately he seems to be more flash than substance. He's the former WEC featherweight champ and is now facing a former WEC bantamweight champ in the weight class. Wineland is obviously decent, but is susceptible to submissions. Both fighters are making their UFC debuts, though the spotlight is nothing new for Faber. I'll pick Faber.

Jim Miller vs Kamal Shalorus (lightweight)
If Miller wins, look for him to be the next lightweight title challenger (after Aldo, of course). He has the wins under his belt, having only lost to the champ and the #1 contender. Miller has twice the resume Shalorus has. I'm picking Miller.

Nate Marquardt vs Dan Miller (middleweight)
Marquardt is very good, but not "Great" as his nickname suggests. He needs to pull off some clutch wins. Still, he would represent a big notch in Miller's belt, seeing as MIller can't seem to beat anyone of any significant calibre. He has losses to Bisping, Maia and Sonnen and has only beaten mid-carders. Should be a decent fight, but I'll pick Marquardt.

Mirko Filipovic vs Brendan Schaub (heavyweight)
Can't Cro Cop make light heavy? Why does he insist on fighting at heavyweight where he is significantly outsized? If the UFC had a 205-220 division, he might be ok, but against 6'4" 240 Schaub? I dunno. Cro Cop has a shot if Schaub stands and bangs, which is likely. Against a wrestler, Cro Cop would be dead meat. I think a Cro Cop/Couture fight might be fun, but that's for another day. Is Cro Cop being fed to Schaub as a notch in his belt? Maybe. Is it gonna happen? Depends on Schaub's strategy. I'll pick Schaub.

Luiz Cane vs Eliot Marshall (light heavyweight)
Both of these guys have shown promise but have not quite delivered or have suffered big setbacks. Cane is coming off two losses, but against guys with power. Marshall is back on a slow rise after a disappointing loss to Matyushenko. Still, he hasn't exactly faced top dogs. Marshall's skills are his BJJ, but Cane is a black belt himself. The different here lies in Cane's power. I could see him getting the TKO. I'm picking Cane.

Edson Barboza vs Anthony Njokuani (lightweight)
...Who? Njokuani has some significant wins, and has only lost to top dogs. Barboza is undefeated and has power, but no significant opponents yet. Barboza has more belts and is more well-rounded. Njokuani is susceptible to submissions. I'll pick Barboza.

Ricardo Almeida vs Mike Pyle (welterweight)
Almeida is one of those guys who drives me nuts. You think he's on the cusp and then he lays an egg, like he did against Matt Hughes. That loss really killed his buzz. Pyle has lots of submissions, but, on paper, Almeida is the more dangerous BJJ guy. Almeida's wrestling skills may serve him well here. I'll pick Almeida by decision.

Kurt Pellegrino vs Gleison Tibau (lightweight)
This could be a good fight. They have similar styles, similar success in the octagon. I think Tibau has been short-changed at times. Pellegrino is a warrior. Tough call. I'm gonna pick Tibau.

Joseph Benavidez vs Ian Loveland (bantamweight)
The little boys again. I've heard of Benavidez, not so much Loveland. Benavidez is a small guy but has lots of heart and more prestige than Loveland. Loveland is coming off 7 straight wins after going 7-7 before that. No names in there, from what I can tell. I'm not sure how he'll do it, but I'll pick Benavidez.

Erik Koch vs Raphael Assuncao (featherweight)
Koch has been bounced around a bit, with opponents dropping out or switching fights. He looks tough, though and he's significantly bigger than Assuncao. Still, Assuncao should be the favourite as he has more prime time experience. Not a lot of info on Koch, but still he seems to have a record of finishing guys off quick, while Assuncao goes to decision these days. I'll pick Koch.

Nick Catone vs Constantinos Philippou (middleweight)
Isn't Nick Catone from N'Sync or something? He has mixed success in the UFC, losing to names, beating nobodies. Philippou is a ROC guy with a decent record and some quick KOs. Screw it: I'll pick Philippou for fun.

Who you got?

UFC Live: Sanchez vs Kampmann Results

Pretty darn good event last night. Let's see how I did.

Diego Sanchez def. Martin Kampmann (unanimous)
Crazy. Kampmann kinda gave this one away because he let doubt creep into the minds of the judges. he should have run away with this fight. He massacred Sanchez in the first round, but let up a bit in the second and third. Even though he probably won the stand-up in those rounds in terms of accuracy, Sanchez was more ferocious, coming forward, throwing flurries and getting the odd takedown after numerous stuffs. This planted the seed in the judges' minds that maybe Sanchez deserved rounds two and three - hende the decision. If you looked at the fighters' faces after the fight you would have thought the judges were crazy. Sanchez was beaten to a pulp, much like he was by BJ Penn. But somehow he got the decision. I was on the fence as to whether he won those rounds, but I think this lends credence to the idea that there must be a score instituted for who wins the fight overall. Kampmann lost the fight because of the ten point must system. He deserved the win, and he should have won. This is a massive setback for him because Sanchez really isn't going anywhere in this division. Sanchez looked small and pudgy. He should be at lightweight. (0-1)

Mark Munoz def. CB Dollaway (TKO 1)

Some people thought this might have been stopped early, but Dolloway was clearly on dream street. Quick but good stoppage. Once again, Dolloway loks less than stellar. (1-1)

Chris Weidman def. Alessio Sakara (unanimous)
Another fight more lost than won. Sakara should have won this easily, but he let Weidman get on top and just smother him. Sakara was clearly the better fighter on the feet, but he let this one slip away. But I picked it! (2-1)

Brian Bowles def. Damacio Page (KO 1)

Page was winning this fight on the feet until Bowles caught him, put him down and then grabbed his neck. (3-1)

Danny Castillo def. Joe Stevenson (unanimous)

Seriously... Joe Daddy has to go, daddy. (3-2)

Cyrille Diabate def. Steve Cantwell (unanimous)
This one was never much in doubt. Cantwell couldn't get inside and take the big guy down or get a decent shot in. Diabate coasted to victory. Both of these guys looked awful. (4-2)

Shane Roller def. Thiago Tavares (KO 2)

See if this sounds familiar: Tavares was winning this fight on the feet until Roller caught him. Story of the night. This one was spectacular, though, as Roller knocked Tavares falt off his feet a la Franklin-Quarry. (5-2)

Takeya Mizugaki def. Reuben Duran (split)

Picking the underdog almost paid off again...except it didn't. Oh well. Didn't see it. (5-3)

Dongi Yang def.Rob Kimmons (TKO 2)

This time it did pay off. Yang demonstrated his power. Didn't see it. (6-3)

Rousimar Palhares def. Dave Branch (sub 2)

A kneebar win? Wish I'd seen it. Palhares is SICK on the ground. (7-3)

Igor Pokrajac def. Todd Brown (TKO 1)

Brown couldn't come out for the second round after getting his bell rung good. Not sure Pokrajac is the real deal, but he looked decent. (8-3)

Huh. 8-3 and a controversial decision in the main event. 9-2 is pretty amazing, I'd say.

UFC Live: Sanchez vs Kampmann Picks

This is actually a pretty decent card for a free event. Some tough choices. Let's have a look...

Diego Sanchez vs Martin Kampmann (welterweight)

There's a lot on the line in the match-up. Two guys who have been highly touted in the past but who are not on the way up and can't seem to win the big fights to get into title contendership. Sure, Sanchez fought for the title, but that was at lightweight where he was a monster. He got beaten up badly by BJ Penn, and yet he has decided to return to welterweight - a bad decision if you ask me. Earlier, he had lost big welterweight fights to Josh Koshcheck (did he even show up?) and Jon Fitch (split decision), and lost his return to welterweight against John Hathaway (unanimous decision). If he were a lightweight, he'd be a top 5 guy. At welterweight, he probably isn't top ten. That could change if he can upset Kampmann who is another dangerous guy who is snake-bitten when it comes to big fights. He lost spectacularly to Paul Daley, a win that earned Daley a #1 contenders bought against Josh Koshcheck. Then, after rebounding with a pair of victories, he lost a controversial split decision to Jake Shields - a win that earned Shields a title shot. If Kampmann loses, it'll be another big step backwards when he seems to be on the cusp of a title fight. If Sanchez loses, I think he'd have to consider a return to lightweight, especially now that Penn is not the champ and seems to be on the verge of retirement. Sanchez's best hopes of a title are at lightweight. In this fight, I'm picking Kampmann.

CB Dollaway vs Mark Munoz (middleweight)

Munoz is kind of a small middleweight - at least in stature. He has size around his waist. He also has heavy hands. Dollaway, on the other hand, is a talented guy with a brain problem - he just does not have the right attitude and does not fight smart, it seems. He is good at submissions, though, and can finish guys off quick. Munoz is a BJJ guy, though, so Dollaway won't be able to take advantage of his opponent's ignorance in this department. Though their records are similar, Munoz has faced tougher opposition. I could see Munoz getting a TKO, or Dollaway getting a decision. Will it go the distance? Let's hope not. I'll pick Munoz.

Alessio Sakara vs Chris Weidman (middleweight)

Weidman comes in as an injury replacement. He is only 4-0 so this is a BIG step up. Sakara is ok, but not great. He seems to have problems with power punchers (with the exception of James Irvin) and Weidman seems to fit the bill. Sakara has fought some tough opposition, but no one in the top ten. What do you say we go for the massive upset in this one and pick Weidman?

Brian Bowles vs Damacio Page (bantamweight)

Don't know much about these WEC guys, other than Bowles was champion at one point. Strangely, this is a rematch of a fight Bowles won easily in the first round. So why fight again? Dunno. Doesn't seem as though Page has earned it. I'm picking Bowles.

Joe Stevenson vs Danny Castillo (lightweight)

How is it that Joe Daddy still has a job with the UFC? Only 3 wins in his last 8 fights and two straight losses. Surely this is yet another "last chance". It might work out for him, though, as he fights a former WEC guy who will no doubt be a bit intimidated by the big show (though this is only a Fight Night Live). Styles match up well, too, as both are wrestlers who like to stand and fight. Castillo seems to have better KO power, but Stevenson is hard to take out. I like Stevenson in this one.

Steve Cantwell vs Cyrille Diabate (light heavyweight)

This could be fun. Diabate is a tall guy who can finish guys off fast, but he seems to lack aggressiveness - he relies on his opponents making a mistake. He looked great in his debut, awful in his sophomore fight. I'm gonna pick Diabate in this one and hope he picks up his game.

Thiago Tavares vs Shane Roller (lightweight)

Another UFC versus WEC match-up. Roller has a rep, but this is still a step up. Tavares' three losses were all Fight of the Night and he has faced tougher competition. Roller has faced the best of the WEC with mixed success. Roller is very dangerous, though, and can finish guys fast. Both like submissions, but Roller is a wrestler while Tavares is a BJJ guy. That should mean Roller will decide where this fight takes place. On the feet, Roller seems more dangerous. Dunno if it's an upset, but I'll pick Roller.

Takeya Mizugaki vs Reuben Duran (bantamweight)

Who? Hm... Ok, Mizugaki has WEC experience, but with mixed results. Duran doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. When in doubt, go with the known guy. But... Mizugaki goes to decision way too often. Duran is a finisher. I'll pick Duran. Underdog again!

Rob Kimmons vs Dongi Yang (middleweight)

Well, I've heard of Kimmons... He has a decent record but zero significant wins. Yang has decent power, it seems, but lost to Chris Camozzi in his UFC debut. Not good. Still, in the night of upsets, I'll pick Yang.

Rousimar Palhares vs Dave Branch (middleweight)

Palhares gets no respect. This guy is INSANELY dangerous on the ground. Branch is a bigger guy and is also a BJJ black belt. But is he on the same level as Palhares? I doubt it. Look for Branch to keep it standing and hope for a decision. He should have a significant reach advantage. Still, I'll pick Palhares.

Igor Pokrajac vs Todd Brown (light heavyweight)

Pokrajac has one win in 4 UFC fights yet still has a job. Brown is 15-2 but no significant fights except a loss in his UFC debut. Who to pick....? Toss up. I'll go with the fitter looking Pokrajac.

Ok, maybe it isn't such a great card. Let's hope it surprises us!