UFC 122 Results

This card turned out to be ok, or at least not as bad as it looked on paper. Strange judging, though, perhaps due to the German location. It seemed little credit was given for takedowns, which are gold elsewhere.

Let's see how I did.

Yushin Okami def. Nate Marquardt (unanimous)

Prime example of takedowns meaning little. One judge had it 30-27 Okami. Okami was doing well on his feet, but never really had Marquardt in any serious danger. Not the most exciting fight, and Dana White pulled no punches afterwards. White claimed Marquardt "choked" and it was probably his corner's fault. Take that, Greg Jackson. I don't see Okami giving the Spider much trouble. Waste of a title fight, probably. (0-1)

Jorge Rivera vs Alessio Sakara (middleweight)

This fight didn't happen as Sakara came down with flu-like symptoms the day of the fight. Apparently, they both got paid. WTF? And Rivera gets Bisping in his next fight. Great for Rivera, not so much for Bisping. Gives you an idea of where his star is at.

Dennis Siver def. Andre Winner (sub 1)

It says submission, but this was really a TKO. Siver knocked Winner out, who flashed back when he was hit again. But he was still in dream land when Siver locked on an awkward rear naked choke. Siver was puny next to Winner; if he can drop weight classes, he probably should. (1-1)

Amir Sadollah def. Peter Sobotta (unanimous)

Sadollah eeked out another decision. Give the guy credit for having great cardio. Sobotta looked lost, backing up throughout the fight. (1-2)

Krzysztof Soszynski def. Goran Reljic (unanimous)

I was surprised KSos got the decision so easily. He was taken down a couple of times, which, again, appears to have been given no credit. He looked decent, but not great. He might need a better gym. (2-2)

Kyle Noke def. Rob Kimmons (sub 2)

Didn't see it. (2-3)

Vladimir Matyushenko def. Alexandre Ferreira (KO 1)

Guess the Janitor isn't dead yet. Interesting. (2-4)

Pascal Krauss def. Mark Scanlon (unanimous)

Fight of the Night. Too bad I missed it. Let's hope it shows up on Unleashed. (2-5)

Duane Ludwig def. Nick Osipczak (split)

Only saw the third round when Nick was gassed. It sounded like he was winning the fight, though, so a bit surprised by the decision, especially the 30-28 score for Nick. How the eff does that happen? There's NO WAY he won the third round, so how did he get a 30? I'm assuming that was misrepresented. (3-5)

Karlos Vemola def. Seth Petruzelli (TKO 1)

Vemola is a MONSTER. This guy is huge and threw Petruzelli around. Watch out for this guy's power. (4-5)

Carlos Rocha def. Kris McCray (sub 1)

McCray was lost in this one. Outclassed. Rocha did well. (5-5)

So it was a wash. Great. Next!!

UFC 122 Picks

Ok, I’ll admit it, I’ve been slacking off recently. Well, no, not really – I’ve been really busy right around event time (in fact I’ve missed a couple) and, frankly, the cards have been a little on the weaker side. So sometimes I’m not all that inspired to get my picks in on time. But even though this weekend card is one of the weakest in memory (that’s what you get for going to Europe and having to air the event free on Spike), I’m determined to make some quick picks. By the way, why is this an official UFC numbered event instead of simply a Fight Night or some sort? Anyways, here are my picks:

Nate Marquardt vs Yushin Okami (middleweight)

Marquardt is that really solid fighter who seems to have a hard time getting to the top of the mountain. But he’s a tough hombre for others to get through on their way there, too. Okami has been a pretty solid fighter who has not impressed beyond mid-card status. I’m really hoping to see Marquardt get another shot at Anderson Silva, so I’m picking Marquardt.

Jorge Rivera vs Alessio Sakara (middleweight)

Talk about inconsistent mid-carders. The fact that these two are the co-main event is really indicative of the weakness of the card. Rivera seems like a nice guy but he was not that impressive on TUF and has been schooled in the past. He does have a couple of flashy knockout wins under his belt and voila – co-main event. Sakara will always be remembered by me as one of the guys who got destroyed by Houston Alexander. Alexander is out of the UFC now, but Sakara remains. I’m not sure how he stuck around after getting beaten by Chris Leben to make it 2 for 6 with no impressive wins, but then he reeled off three straight including a TKO over a returning James Irvin, so voila – co-main event. Sad. Both like to stand and bang but Rivera TKO’d Nate Quarry so I’m gonna give Rivera the edge.

Dennis Siver vs Andre Winner (lightweight)

Winner hasn’t beaten anybody of note with the exception of perhaps his decision win over Rafaello Oliveira. Siver is a mid-carder, really, but has been in with some of the best including Gray Maynard, Paul Kelly and Spencer Fisher. Neither one of these fighters turns my crank but I’ll give Siver the edge.

Amir Sadollah vs Peter Sobotta (welterweight)

Sadollah is still a kid in this sport, but he’s a workhorse who can grind out a decision. Sobotta has lost his two UFC fights after building up a decent record, both by decision. This does not bode well for Sobotta. Sobotta should win, but I’m not going to count Sadollah out. Sadollah could find a way to secure the victory by boring decision. …But I’m gonna pick Sobotta by TKO.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs Goran Reljic (middleweight)

I think this fight is at middleweight, though Soszynski has fought at light heavyweight and even heavyweight. The Polish Experiement has had an up and down career but is easy to cheer for due to his good nature. Reljic is also dropping down, so this ought to be an interesting match-up. Reljic has a good style for beating Soszynski, but the Winnipegger has heart – but he needs a good coach. The fighter that comes in with the best game plan will win. Here’s hoping that’s Soszynski.

Kyle Noke vs Rob Kimmons (middleweight)

Kimmons has a ton of experience and finishes guys off fast. No big wins, though. Good thing for him, he isn’t fighting a big name. Noke is decent, but not overwhelming. He has a split decision win over George Sotiropoulos (in the latter’s fourth fight) but a loss to him as well. A respectable record, but no big wins. I’m picking Kimmons.

Vladimir Matyushenko vs Alexandre Ferreira (light heavyweight)

Matyushenko is still alive? Huh. This guys has been around forever. He’s a wrestler who tends to win by decision. Ferreira is making his Octagon debut and has reeled off a string of quick submissions. This guy is slick but does not appear to have much of a gas tank. I’m picking Ferreira to put on a show.

Pascal Krauss vs Mark Scanlon (welterweight)

Two guys who don’t have a picture on the UFC website. Great. One guy doesn’t even have a record showing. WTF…? Both are undefeated though and Scalon won his last fight by head kick in ten seconds. Both guys seem to have an arsenal of submissions and power. After a 17-month layoff this is Scanlon’s FOURTH fight this year. OK, I’m picking Scanlon.

Duane Ludwig vs Nick Osipczak (welterweight)

Whoever loses this fight is getting cut for sure. Both are coming off a pair of losses. Neither has looked particularly good or has any big wins. Ludwig has a ton more experience, but Nick will have a height and reach advantage. I like Nick, but not his chances. I bet Ludwig knocks him out.

Seth Petruzelli vs Karlos Vemola (light heavyweight)

Vemola wins fights fast. He’s dropping down in weight after a decision loss to Jon Madsen. Petruzelli, the Kmbo Slice and EliteXC killer, also tends to avoid decisions. He has the greater pedigree, but I’m gonna go with Vemola in the upset anyways.

Kris McCray vs Carlos Rocha (middleweight)

McCray did not impress me at all on TUF, but he does have a decent record. Rocha appears to be a very dangerous submission artist. I’m gonan pick the new guy – Rocha.

UFC 114 Results

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!

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?

Fight Night Results

Missed this one while in Cuba. Sorry, folks.

Let's recap:

Gray Maynard def. Nate Diaz (Split) - Tough one to call. I'm glad Maynard won, but I'm not sure he quite earned it. I might have had Diaz at 29-28. The first round was close and the next two were split. How one judge had it 30-27 Maynard is beyond me and shows the UFC needs to do SOMETHING about the judging.

Evan Dunham def. Efrain Escudero (sub 3) - Escudero suffered his first pro loss. He looked good in the first, but faded a little and then got submitted nicely.

Aaron Simpson def. Tom Lawlor (Split) - Lawlor started off well, but was overwhlemed after the first.

Amir Sadollah def. Brad Blackburn (Unanimous) - Sadollah keeps winning, but I'm not sure he's ready for top-flight competition. He looks like he's barely pulling these out, sometimes.

Chris Leben def. Jay Silva (Unanimous) - Missed it.

Rick Story def. Jesse Lennox (Majority) - Ok...sure. Didn't see it.

Thiago Tavares vs Nick Lentz (Majority Draw) - Really? Ok. Didn't see it.

Rory MacDonald def. Mike Guymon (sub 1) - Didn't se it.

Rafael Dos Anjos def. Kyle Bradley (Unanimous) - Too bad for Bradley.

Gerald Harris def. John Salter (TKO 3) - Nope.

Nick Catone def. Jesse Forbes (Split) - Uh...when's the replay?

Next up: the battle of the old timers at UFC 109 - Randy Couture vs Mark Coleman. I'll try to make it, I swear.