Missed almost all of this event, catching only the end of the Mitrione/Kongo snoozefest and the main event. I catch the Sportsnet prelims, though.
Nick Diaz def. BJ Penn (unanimous)
Penn looked ok in the first round, but wilted as he is apt to doing and Diaz pummeled him for the next two rounds. Both looked pretty messed up afterwards, but Diaz clearly earned the nod. As a bonus for shooting his mouth off, Diaz gets a title shot against GSP. Makes sense, right? I didn't think so, either. But see, this is marketing for you. A GSP/Diaz fight will garner more PPV buys than GSP/Condit. But is that the way the UFC should be conducting business? Shouldn't the top contender get the shot every time? Is Diaz the top contender? Dana White says Condit stepped aside, but I sense that might not be 100% accurate. Time will tell, I guess. (1-0)
Cheick Kongo def. Matt Mitrione (unanimous)
Seems this was boring as hell. All I saw was the third round where Kongo laid and prayed. Woopie. Seems Kongo didn't bring the heat. Surprised? Me neither. I was hoping Mitrione woudl score the upset, but it wasn't to be. Another boring win for Kongo. (1-1)
Roy Nelson def. Mirko Filipovic (TKO 3)
Like Penn, Cro Cop may be done. Let's hope so. He has nothing left in the tank. That much is obvious. He can't deal with the cage or his age. (2-1)
Scott Jorgensen def. Jeff Curran (unanimous)
Looks like Jorgensen did well. (3-1)
Hatsu Hioki def. George Roop (split)
Controversial. Came down to the first round. Roop did well in the stand-up, but got taken down hard. Guess two of the judges saw that as more significant. (4-1)
Donald Cerrone def. Dennis Siver (TKO 1)
Boy did Cerrone look good. I'm stunned he put Siver on the mat with power, but he did and then choked him out as I expected. (4-1)
Bart Palaszewski def. Tyson Griffin (TKO 1)
Griffin missed weight. By a lot. He was sick, apparently, and let's hope so 'cause this looked bad. I bet he'll get cut. He no-showed on this one. (5-1)
Brandon Vera def. Eliot Marshall (unanimous)
Neither of these guys looked all that impressive, but Vera certainly earned the nod. He almost had his arm broken in the process, as Marshall caught him in a late arm bar. I guess Vera will stick around a while longer. (6-1)
Ramsey Nijem def. Dan Downes (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (6-2)
Francis Carmont def. Chris Camozzi (unanimous)
Good start for Canadian? (7-2)
Clifford Starks def. Dustin Jacoby (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (7-3)
Hey 7-3 is not bad.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
UFC 137 Picks
I'm exhausted for some bizarre reason and not thinking straight, but wanted to get my picks in for tomorrow's event out of principle. If I get half of these right it'll be a miracle.
BJ Penn vs Nick Diaz (welterweight)
Penn back at welterweight, talking title run. As if he deserves to face GSP after losing to him twice already, having lost his last two fights at a lower weight class and his only win since his return to welterweight was against a guy well past his prime who has not beaten a decent opponent in over 5 years. Right. Then there's Nick Diaz, who has been lighting them up since he was rejected by the UFC and moved to Strikeforce.But let;s face it: he hasn't beaten anyone of calibre in over 6 years! Before that, he lost to Joe Riggs, Sean Sherk and Diego Sanchez, who were decent back then, but haven't come close to the welterweight title. So, who is this new Diaz? Is he the real deal or just smoke and mirrors, created out of the dust of a clearly inferior organization? Well, Penn makes for a pretty good test, I guess. If he beats Penn cleanly, it means he's for real. Does it mean he should get a title shot? Hells f***ing no, but the UFC will give him one anyway. I'm not sure who to cheer for 'cause I don't think either of these guys deserves a title shot as a result. I think that if Penn wins, though, the UFC will have a harder time selling a GSP match-up which means MAYBE it won't happen. So that's reason enough to cheer for Penn I guess. This is a very even match-up, with both guys possessing BJJ skills and good stand-up. It may come down to cardio, in which case Diaz wins. I may pull for Penn to win, but my head just doesn't see it happening. I think Diaz will use his jab and eke out a decision.
Cheick Kongo vs Matt Mitrione (heavyweight)
Another good match-up. Big guys who like to strike. Kongo has WAY more experience and that may make the difference. Mitrione has surprised me with his resilience and his ability to get the W, though, and he has yet to get knocked down decisively. I'm gonan go with the upset and pick Mitrione.
Mirko Filipovic vs Roy Nelson (heavyweight)
This one is another intriguiing match-up. Cro Cop is well past his prime and is often dwarfed in the heavyweight division. But this time he's fighting a guy who is actually shorter, though he weights about 40 pounds more. This fight will prove once and for all if Cro Cop has anything left. Nelson will be a big, fat target. If Cro Cop can't head kick him, then that's it for the former tough guy. Nelson's best chance of winning this fight is to get Cro Cop to the ground and use his bulk to cripple his opponent while raining down some ground and pound. I actually think that'll happen. I just can't bet on Cro Cop these days. I'm picking Nelson.
Scott Jorgensen vs Jeff Curran (bantamweight)
Jorgensen is a top level guy while Curran is a vet with lots of experience. Unfortunately for him, most of the recent stuff isn't all that good. I'm picking Jorgensen.
Hatsu Hioki vs George Roop (featherweight)
The UFC really needs to update it's fighter profiles with some pictures. Roop has been around for a while, making an appearance on TUF and having mixed results since. Hioki has a very good record, but none of it in the UFC. I don't normally like to pick Japanese fighters making their UFC debuts, but his record is swaying me. I like Roop and he should have a good reach advantage, but I'm gonna pick the dark horse and go with Hioki.
Dennis Siver vs Donald Cerrone (lightweight)
This could be a very good fight. Siver is on the fringe of the elite and has impressed at times, while Cerrone is a top dog from WEC looking to make a name for himself in the UFC. The key for Cerrone is getting this fight to the ground where he should have the edge, despite Siver's credentials. I'm picking Cerrone.
Tyson Griffin vs Bart Palaszewski (lightweight)
Griffin is a UFC veteran while Bart is making his UFC debut after decent success in WEC. Bart has power on his side, while Griffin will have the wrestling advantage and may be able to get a decision. I like to cheer for a finish, so I'll go with Palaszewski.
Brandon Vera vs Eliot Marshall (light heavyweight)
Is this a loser-goes-home match? Maybe. After making a big splash. Vera has seriously disappointed in recent fights, granted against top guys. Marshall has a decent record, but has not exactly lit the UFC on fire and is coming off a loss. If Vera loses he definitely goes home unless he's sleeping with a UFC executive. A win would likely keep Marshall around for at least another fight. Vera ought to win this fight easily, but it all depends on his heart. I can't believe Vera could have fallen THIS far. I'm picking Vera.
Ramsey Nijem vs Dan Downes (lightweight)
Nijem did fairly well on TUF. Never heard of Downes but he has a better record and can knock guys out - something Nijem is familiar with following his TUF finale loss. I like Nijem, but I like Downes to win this fight.
Chris Camozzi vs Francis Carmont (middleweight)
Camozzi is a TUF competitor who has a decent record but no big wins. Carmont is a newcomer who trains with GSP and finishes fights fast one way or the other. I'm gonan pick the dark horse once again and go with Carmont for fun.
Dustin Jacoby vs Clifford Starks (middleweight)
Newcomers, I guess. This could be fun, though, as both guys are undefeated and have perfect records with lots of KO/TKOs. I'm gonna go with the bigger guy - Jacoby.
BJ Penn vs Nick Diaz (welterweight)
Penn back at welterweight, talking title run. As if he deserves to face GSP after losing to him twice already, having lost his last two fights at a lower weight class and his only win since his return to welterweight was against a guy well past his prime who has not beaten a decent opponent in over 5 years. Right. Then there's Nick Diaz, who has been lighting them up since he was rejected by the UFC and moved to Strikeforce.But let;s face it: he hasn't beaten anyone of calibre in over 6 years! Before that, he lost to Joe Riggs, Sean Sherk and Diego Sanchez, who were decent back then, but haven't come close to the welterweight title. So, who is this new Diaz? Is he the real deal or just smoke and mirrors, created out of the dust of a clearly inferior organization? Well, Penn makes for a pretty good test, I guess. If he beats Penn cleanly, it means he's for real. Does it mean he should get a title shot? Hells f***ing no, but the UFC will give him one anyway. I'm not sure who to cheer for 'cause I don't think either of these guys deserves a title shot as a result. I think that if Penn wins, though, the UFC will have a harder time selling a GSP match-up which means MAYBE it won't happen. So that's reason enough to cheer for Penn I guess. This is a very even match-up, with both guys possessing BJJ skills and good stand-up. It may come down to cardio, in which case Diaz wins. I may pull for Penn to win, but my head just doesn't see it happening. I think Diaz will use his jab and eke out a decision.
Cheick Kongo vs Matt Mitrione (heavyweight)
Another good match-up. Big guys who like to strike. Kongo has WAY more experience and that may make the difference. Mitrione has surprised me with his resilience and his ability to get the W, though, and he has yet to get knocked down decisively. I'm gonan go with the upset and pick Mitrione.
Mirko Filipovic vs Roy Nelson (heavyweight)
This one is another intriguiing match-up. Cro Cop is well past his prime and is often dwarfed in the heavyweight division. But this time he's fighting a guy who is actually shorter, though he weights about 40 pounds more. This fight will prove once and for all if Cro Cop has anything left. Nelson will be a big, fat target. If Cro Cop can't head kick him, then that's it for the former tough guy. Nelson's best chance of winning this fight is to get Cro Cop to the ground and use his bulk to cripple his opponent while raining down some ground and pound. I actually think that'll happen. I just can't bet on Cro Cop these days. I'm picking Nelson.
Scott Jorgensen vs Jeff Curran (bantamweight)
Jorgensen is a top level guy while Curran is a vet with lots of experience. Unfortunately for him, most of the recent stuff isn't all that good. I'm picking Jorgensen.
Hatsu Hioki vs George Roop (featherweight)
The UFC really needs to update it's fighter profiles with some pictures. Roop has been around for a while, making an appearance on TUF and having mixed results since. Hioki has a very good record, but none of it in the UFC. I don't normally like to pick Japanese fighters making their UFC debuts, but his record is swaying me. I like Roop and he should have a good reach advantage, but I'm gonna pick the dark horse and go with Hioki.
Dennis Siver vs Donald Cerrone (lightweight)
This could be a very good fight. Siver is on the fringe of the elite and has impressed at times, while Cerrone is a top dog from WEC looking to make a name for himself in the UFC. The key for Cerrone is getting this fight to the ground where he should have the edge, despite Siver's credentials. I'm picking Cerrone.
Tyson Griffin vs Bart Palaszewski (lightweight)
Griffin is a UFC veteran while Bart is making his UFC debut after decent success in WEC. Bart has power on his side, while Griffin will have the wrestling advantage and may be able to get a decision. I like to cheer for a finish, so I'll go with Palaszewski.
Brandon Vera vs Eliot Marshall (light heavyweight)
Is this a loser-goes-home match? Maybe. After making a big splash. Vera has seriously disappointed in recent fights, granted against top guys. Marshall has a decent record, but has not exactly lit the UFC on fire and is coming off a loss. If Vera loses he definitely goes home unless he's sleeping with a UFC executive. A win would likely keep Marshall around for at least another fight. Vera ought to win this fight easily, but it all depends on his heart. I can't believe Vera could have fallen THIS far. I'm picking Vera.
Ramsey Nijem vs Dan Downes (lightweight)
Nijem did fairly well on TUF. Never heard of Downes but he has a better record and can knock guys out - something Nijem is familiar with following his TUF finale loss. I like Nijem, but I like Downes to win this fight.
Chris Camozzi vs Francis Carmont (middleweight)
Camozzi is a TUF competitor who has a decent record but no big wins. Carmont is a newcomer who trains with GSP and finishes fights fast one way or the other. I'm gonan pick the dark horse once again and go with Carmont for fun.
Dustin Jacoby vs Clifford Starks (middleweight)
Newcomers, I guess. This could be fun, though, as both guys are undefeated and have perfect records with lots of KO/TKOs. I'm gonna go with the bigger guy - Jacoby.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
UFC 136 Results
Let's have a look...
Frankie Edgar def. Gray Maynard (TKO 4)
Looks like Maynard had Edgar in trouble in the first once again and, yet again, could not finish him. Edgar clipped Maynard in the fourth and managed to get the job done. (0-1)
Jose Aldo def. Kenny Florian (unanimous)
Florian was game, but Aldo was better. (1-1)
Chael Sonnen def. Brian Stann (sub 2)
Big win for Sonnen puts him right back in the title picture. (2-1)
Joe Lauzon def. Melvin Guillard (sub 1)
So much for Guillard's title run. A loss to a guy who is arguably just outside the top ten is a big setback. A loss in under a minute? Fuggetaboutit. (3-1)
Nam Phan def. Leonard Garcia (unanimous)
Phan came out of the right side of this one. LOTS of punches thrown. (4-1)
Demian Maia def. Jorge Santiago (unanimous)
They stayed on their feet until Maia decided to wrestle Santiago to the ground. Not a very interesting fight. (5-1)
Anthony Pettis def. Jeremy Stevens (split)
Decent stand up fight. But Pettis was better. (6-1)
Stipe Miocic def. Joey Beltran (unanimous)
Upset special! (7-1)
Darren Elkins def. Tiequan Zhang (unanimous)
Looks like Zhang couldn't get the KO shot he hunts for. (7-2)
Aaron Simpson def. Eric Schafer (uanimous)
Looks like Shafer may be on his way out again. (8-2)
Mike Massenzio def. Steve Cantwell (unanimous)
Loser goes home? (8-3)
Lots of decisions in this one. Not a very entertaining night, it seems; at least on the undercard. Still, 8-3? I'll take that!
Frankie Edgar def. Gray Maynard (TKO 4)
Looks like Maynard had Edgar in trouble in the first once again and, yet again, could not finish him. Edgar clipped Maynard in the fourth and managed to get the job done. (0-1)
Jose Aldo def. Kenny Florian (unanimous)
Florian was game, but Aldo was better. (1-1)
Chael Sonnen def. Brian Stann (sub 2)
Big win for Sonnen puts him right back in the title picture. (2-1)
Joe Lauzon def. Melvin Guillard (sub 1)
So much for Guillard's title run. A loss to a guy who is arguably just outside the top ten is a big setback. A loss in under a minute? Fuggetaboutit. (3-1)
Nam Phan def. Leonard Garcia (unanimous)
Phan came out of the right side of this one. LOTS of punches thrown. (4-1)
Demian Maia def. Jorge Santiago (unanimous)
They stayed on their feet until Maia decided to wrestle Santiago to the ground. Not a very interesting fight. (5-1)
Anthony Pettis def. Jeremy Stevens (split)
Decent stand up fight. But Pettis was better. (6-1)
Stipe Miocic def. Joey Beltran (unanimous)
Upset special! (7-1)
Darren Elkins def. Tiequan Zhang (unanimous)
Looks like Zhang couldn't get the KO shot he hunts for. (7-2)
Aaron Simpson def. Eric Schafer (uanimous)
Looks like Shafer may be on his way out again. (8-2)
Mike Massenzio def. Steve Cantwell (unanimous)
Loser goes home? (8-3)
Lots of decisions in this one. Not a very entertaining night, it seems; at least on the undercard. Still, 8-3? I'll take that!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
UFC 136 Edgar vs Maynard III Picks
Here we go again!
These two put on a good show, so I'm not complaining. Who's gonna win? Let's find out.
Frankie Edgar vs Gray Maynard (lightweight)
Third time's a charm, right? So by that rationale, Edgar ought to take this... These guys are pretty evenly matched, with Edgar having the edge in speed and Maynard the edge in power. What will be different this time? Probably not much. Maynard could certainly fight smarter. He had Edgar at his mercy last time out, but instead of finishing off the champ with precision punches and elbows or even a choke, he threw punches in bunches and tired himself out without doing enough damage to end the fight. Lots of guys make this mistake when they have a guy on the ropes. If he fights smarter, I have Maynard taking it. If not, Edgar will take the decision. I'm picking Maynard.
Jose Aldo vs Kenny Florian (featherweight)
It's hard to go against Kenny. He's a smart fighter and knows what he has to do to win. But this is only his second fight at featherweight and he is taking on a very game champ. They are both BJJ/Muay Thai/boxing guys, with Aldo having the edge in power and Kenny having a slight reach/size advantage. Can Aldo knock out Kenny? Can Kenny choke out Aldo? Honestly, I don't like Kenny's chances here. He doesn't have featherweight speed. I could see him gassing or getting caught by a big punch. I'd like to pick him, but it wouldn't be smart. I'm picking Aldo.
Chael Sonnen vs Brian Stann (middleweight)
These two are very evenly matched as well, but Sonnen is the smarter fighter and has more to prove. ...But he hasn't fought in a year. Stann has two fights this calendar year alone. Impressive as they were, they were both against guys willing to bang. I don't see Sonnen being that stupid. He'll take Stann down and work him from there. Stann has proven in the past to have trouble off his back. A year ago, I would have picked Sonnen hands down. Now I'm not so sure. A year off is a long time. Still, I'll pick Sonnen.
Melvin Guillard vs Joe Lauzon (lightweight)
This ought to be interesting. A true clash of styles. Guillard is lightning fast with incredible power. Lauzon is a tactician with great submissions skills. Can Lauzon get Guillard to the ground? If he does, he takes it. If he doesn't, he's toast. I could see Lauzon getting KTFO or taking it easily by submission in the first round. I like Lauzon, while Guillard still comes off as a child in a man's body. I'll pick Lauzon.
Leonard Garcia vs Nam Phan (featherweight)
The rematch. Garcia got the decision the first time while Phan got robbed. He deserved the decision, but somehow the judges saw it differently. It was an ugly fight and this one probably won't be much prettier. Garcia is a wild man. He throws looping punches with abandon. Phan will be more technical and the winner will likely be determined by which judges are sitting octagon-side. While Phan did well on TUF he is hardly a top-notch fighter. He has lost his last two fights, 4 of his last 5, 5 of 7, and 7 of 11. Garcia, for his part, is hit and miss, but at least has faced decent opponents. He just can't beat any of them. His claim to fame is a controversial (again) win over the Korean Zombie as well as a KO win over an over-ripe Jens Pulver. So who takes this one? Let's go with Phan for fun.
Demian Maia vs Jorge Santiago (middleweight)
I like Maia. As long as he takes the fight to the ground. Recently, he has been relying a bit too much on his standup and taking fights to a decision. Santiago lost to Brian Stann the last time out and seems to have trouble inside the octagon in general. He has also lost fights to Diego Sanchez and Manvel Gamburyan (a 0:21 KO!). He has a lot of experience, but Maia is a top-notch BJJ fighter and I sense Santiago isn't quite up to his level. I'm picking Maia.
Anthony Pettis vs Jeremy Stevens (lightweight)
Could be fight of the night. Pettis is the former WEC lightweight champ and might have been UFC lightweight champ had he not dropped the ball against the always tough Clay Guida. Stevens is always game, always shows up to fight - he just tends to come out on the short end of decisions against top-flight competition. Pettis is definitely top flight. I'm picking Pettis.
Joey Beltran vs Stipe Miocic (heavyweight)
Beltran is hit and miss. You never know what you're going to get. He isn't fancy, but he's tough. But...Stipe who? Exactly. But guess what: this guy is a former Golden Gloves champ and NCAA Div I wrestler. He's also 6-0 with KO wins and a submission by LEG KICKS. His resume seems weird, though, with wins over guys named Gregory Maynard (not Gray), Jeremy Holm (not Horn) and Paul Barry (not Pat). Assuming this isn't a gag, this guy could prove to be very tough. Let's hope for fireworks. I've never been a big fan of Beltran's, so I'm gonna go with the dark horse upset special here and pick Miocic.
Tiequan Zhang vs Darren Elkins (featherweight)
Elkins is a wrestler with KO power and submission skills. Very dangerous. Zhang finishes guys fast and has only one loss - by decision. This could be over quick. Zhang has some wrestling in his background but he is definitely a submissions guy. If Elkins tries to take this to the ground, it could get very interesting. I'll pick Zhang.
Aaron Simpson vs Eric Schafer (middleweight)
Both of these guys are mid-carders looking for a break. Both tend to lose against top guys but have otherwise been impressive. Schafer is getting a second chance with the UFC as an injury replacement after being cut a year and a half ago. Simpson is 5-2 in the UFC and in no immediate danger of being cut, it seems. So will desperation lead to a win for Schafer? I don't see it that way. I'm picking Simpson.
Steve Cantwell vs Mike Massenzio (middleweight)
I'm not quite sure why this fight is on the card. Cantwell has lost three in a row and is dropping down to middleweight. Massenzio is often cannon fodder as well, having lost 3 of 4 and 5 of 7. I assume the loser goes home in this one. I don't like the looks of either of these guys but Cantwell is a former WEC champ and Masenzio has a loss to CB effing Dollaway on his resume. I'm picking Cantwell.
Too bad I'm gonna miss this event due to Thanksgiving. Most of the card looks great.
These two put on a good show, so I'm not complaining. Who's gonna win? Let's find out.
Frankie Edgar vs Gray Maynard (lightweight)
Third time's a charm, right? So by that rationale, Edgar ought to take this... These guys are pretty evenly matched, with Edgar having the edge in speed and Maynard the edge in power. What will be different this time? Probably not much. Maynard could certainly fight smarter. He had Edgar at his mercy last time out, but instead of finishing off the champ with precision punches and elbows or even a choke, he threw punches in bunches and tired himself out without doing enough damage to end the fight. Lots of guys make this mistake when they have a guy on the ropes. If he fights smarter, I have Maynard taking it. If not, Edgar will take the decision. I'm picking Maynard.
Jose Aldo vs Kenny Florian (featherweight)
It's hard to go against Kenny. He's a smart fighter and knows what he has to do to win. But this is only his second fight at featherweight and he is taking on a very game champ. They are both BJJ/Muay Thai/boxing guys, with Aldo having the edge in power and Kenny having a slight reach/size advantage. Can Aldo knock out Kenny? Can Kenny choke out Aldo? Honestly, I don't like Kenny's chances here. He doesn't have featherweight speed. I could see him gassing or getting caught by a big punch. I'd like to pick him, but it wouldn't be smart. I'm picking Aldo.
Chael Sonnen vs Brian Stann (middleweight)
These two are very evenly matched as well, but Sonnen is the smarter fighter and has more to prove. ...But he hasn't fought in a year. Stann has two fights this calendar year alone. Impressive as they were, they were both against guys willing to bang. I don't see Sonnen being that stupid. He'll take Stann down and work him from there. Stann has proven in the past to have trouble off his back. A year ago, I would have picked Sonnen hands down. Now I'm not so sure. A year off is a long time. Still, I'll pick Sonnen.
Melvin Guillard vs Joe Lauzon (lightweight)
This ought to be interesting. A true clash of styles. Guillard is lightning fast with incredible power. Lauzon is a tactician with great submissions skills. Can Lauzon get Guillard to the ground? If he does, he takes it. If he doesn't, he's toast. I could see Lauzon getting KTFO or taking it easily by submission in the first round. I like Lauzon, while Guillard still comes off as a child in a man's body. I'll pick Lauzon.
Leonard Garcia vs Nam Phan (featherweight)
The rematch. Garcia got the decision the first time while Phan got robbed. He deserved the decision, but somehow the judges saw it differently. It was an ugly fight and this one probably won't be much prettier. Garcia is a wild man. He throws looping punches with abandon. Phan will be more technical and the winner will likely be determined by which judges are sitting octagon-side. While Phan did well on TUF he is hardly a top-notch fighter. He has lost his last two fights, 4 of his last 5, 5 of 7, and 7 of 11. Garcia, for his part, is hit and miss, but at least has faced decent opponents. He just can't beat any of them. His claim to fame is a controversial (again) win over the Korean Zombie as well as a KO win over an over-ripe Jens Pulver. So who takes this one? Let's go with Phan for fun.
Demian Maia vs Jorge Santiago (middleweight)
I like Maia. As long as he takes the fight to the ground. Recently, he has been relying a bit too much on his standup and taking fights to a decision. Santiago lost to Brian Stann the last time out and seems to have trouble inside the octagon in general. He has also lost fights to Diego Sanchez and Manvel Gamburyan (a 0:21 KO!). He has a lot of experience, but Maia is a top-notch BJJ fighter and I sense Santiago isn't quite up to his level. I'm picking Maia.
Anthony Pettis vs Jeremy Stevens (lightweight)
Could be fight of the night. Pettis is the former WEC lightweight champ and might have been UFC lightweight champ had he not dropped the ball against the always tough Clay Guida. Stevens is always game, always shows up to fight - he just tends to come out on the short end of decisions against top-flight competition. Pettis is definitely top flight. I'm picking Pettis.
Joey Beltran vs Stipe Miocic (heavyweight)
Beltran is hit and miss. You never know what you're going to get. He isn't fancy, but he's tough. But...Stipe who? Exactly. But guess what: this guy is a former Golden Gloves champ and NCAA Div I wrestler. He's also 6-0 with KO wins and a submission by LEG KICKS. His resume seems weird, though, with wins over guys named Gregory Maynard (not Gray), Jeremy Holm (not Horn) and Paul Barry (not Pat). Assuming this isn't a gag, this guy could prove to be very tough. Let's hope for fireworks. I've never been a big fan of Beltran's, so I'm gonna go with the dark horse upset special here and pick Miocic.
Tiequan Zhang vs Darren Elkins (featherweight)
Elkins is a wrestler with KO power and submission skills. Very dangerous. Zhang finishes guys fast and has only one loss - by decision. This could be over quick. Zhang has some wrestling in his background but he is definitely a submissions guy. If Elkins tries to take this to the ground, it could get very interesting. I'll pick Zhang.
Aaron Simpson vs Eric Schafer (middleweight)
Both of these guys are mid-carders looking for a break. Both tend to lose against top guys but have otherwise been impressive. Schafer is getting a second chance with the UFC as an injury replacement after being cut a year and a half ago. Simpson is 5-2 in the UFC and in no immediate danger of being cut, it seems. So will desperation lead to a win for Schafer? I don't see it that way. I'm picking Simpson.
Steve Cantwell vs Mike Massenzio (middleweight)
I'm not quite sure why this fight is on the card. Cantwell has lost three in a row and is dropping down to middleweight. Massenzio is often cannon fodder as well, having lost 3 of 4 and 5 of 7. I assume the loser goes home in this one. I don't like the looks of either of these guys but Cantwell is a former WEC champ and Masenzio has a loss to CB effing Dollaway on his resume. I'm picking Cantwell.
Too bad I'm gonna miss this event due to Thanksgiving. Most of the card looks great.
Monday, October 3, 2011
UFC Live Cruz vs Johnson Results
Ok, let's see how I did...
Dominick Cruz def. Demetrious Johnson (unanimous)
This was a lobsided decision, but I was very impressed with Johnson. That guy has an insane gas tank. He might give Clay Guida a run for his money. He couldn't handle Cruz's wrestling and size and that was the difference. If they ever make a 125 lb division, Johnson might dominate that. (1-0)
Stefan Struve def. Pat Barry (sub 2)
Barry never did get inside and made the massive mistake of going to the ground with Struve. The submission came quickly, despite a very impressive slam. Barry should have used his kicks more - they were working. (1-1)
Anthony Johnson def. Charlie Brenneman (TKO 1)
No question, Johnson was kicking Brenneman's ass, but this was an early stoppage. It was a massive head kick and Brenneman went down, but he was clearly not out. It should have gone a bit longer to see if Johnson could finish him. Fights shouldn't be stopped because a guy is in trouble; they should be stopped when the guy is DEFEATED. Johnson looked good. (2-1)
Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig (unanimous)
Close fight. The first round was iffy, but I scored it the same way - 29-28 Wiman, with him taking the first and third rounds. Entertaining fight. Chosen as "Fight of the Night". (3-1)
Yves Edwards def. Rafaello Oliveira (TKO 2)
Oliveira looked good until he got caught. He was far more aggressive, with Edwards barely throwing any leather. He got a bit careless on a series of strikes and ate a big knee. He wasn't the same after that and Edwards caught him again with big shots, putting him down and eventually forcing the ref to step in. (4-1)
Paul Sass def. Michael Johnson (sub 1)
Yup - as predicted, the submission skills were the difference. Sounds like Johnson was overmatched. Dunno if he'll stick around long. (5-1)
Mike Easton def. Byron Bloodworth (TKO 2)
Sounds like this one was a war. (6-1)
TJ GRant def. Shane Roller (sub 3)
Didn't see it. Apparently, Grant was winning the fight, taking the first two rounds. Good for him. Nice feather. (7-1)
Josh Neer def. Keith Wisniewski (TKO 2)
Sounds like Neer carved up Wisniewski and the doctor had to stop it. (8-1)
Walel Watson def. Joseph Sandoval (TKO 1)
Lots of stoppages in the undercard. Sounds like it was a good night for those in attendance. Good night for me, too! (9-1)
NICE!!!
Dominick Cruz def. Demetrious Johnson (unanimous)
This was a lobsided decision, but I was very impressed with Johnson. That guy has an insane gas tank. He might give Clay Guida a run for his money. He couldn't handle Cruz's wrestling and size and that was the difference. If they ever make a 125 lb division, Johnson might dominate that. (1-0)
Stefan Struve def. Pat Barry (sub 2)
Barry never did get inside and made the massive mistake of going to the ground with Struve. The submission came quickly, despite a very impressive slam. Barry should have used his kicks more - they were working. (1-1)
Anthony Johnson def. Charlie Brenneman (TKO 1)
No question, Johnson was kicking Brenneman's ass, but this was an early stoppage. It was a massive head kick and Brenneman went down, but he was clearly not out. It should have gone a bit longer to see if Johnson could finish him. Fights shouldn't be stopped because a guy is in trouble; they should be stopped when the guy is DEFEATED. Johnson looked good. (2-1)
Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig (unanimous)
Close fight. The first round was iffy, but I scored it the same way - 29-28 Wiman, with him taking the first and third rounds. Entertaining fight. Chosen as "Fight of the Night". (3-1)
Yves Edwards def. Rafaello Oliveira (TKO 2)
Oliveira looked good until he got caught. He was far more aggressive, with Edwards barely throwing any leather. He got a bit careless on a series of strikes and ate a big knee. He wasn't the same after that and Edwards caught him again with big shots, putting him down and eventually forcing the ref to step in. (4-1)
Paul Sass def. Michael Johnson (sub 1)
Yup - as predicted, the submission skills were the difference. Sounds like Johnson was overmatched. Dunno if he'll stick around long. (5-1)
Mike Easton def. Byron Bloodworth (TKO 2)
Sounds like this one was a war. (6-1)
TJ GRant def. Shane Roller (sub 3)
Didn't see it. Apparently, Grant was winning the fight, taking the first two rounds. Good for him. Nice feather. (7-1)
Josh Neer def. Keith Wisniewski (TKO 2)
Sounds like Neer carved up Wisniewski and the doctor had to stop it. (8-1)
Walel Watson def. Joseph Sandoval (TKO 1)
Lots of stoppages in the undercard. Sounds like it was a good night for those in attendance. Good night for me, too! (9-1)
NICE!!!
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