UFC on FX 1 Results

Man, just watched 5 hours of live fights on free tv. Sweet!

Jim Miller def. Melvin Guillard (sub 1)

Pretty much what you'd expect. Melvin couldn't KO Miller so Miller got the sub. Melvin really needs to work on sub defence...really...again. (1-0)

Josh Neer def. Duane Ludwig (sub 1)

Ludwig had the better of the stand up but once it went to the ground, it didn't take long for Neer to lock in a guillotine. If it had stayed standing, I think it would have been a different story. (2-0)

Mike Easton def. Jared Papzian (majority)

Fast-paced but largely ineffective striking. The fact that neither guy went down says less about the granite in the chins and more about the lack of real power. The fight stayed standing, so it came down to who the judges thought got the better shots in. From my point of view, Easton got some good shots, but Papzian got more shots and at least comparable quality shots. Close, but I might have given it to Papzian 29-28. As it was, it was 29-28, 30-27, 29-29 Easton. (3-0)

Pat Barry def. Christian Morecraft (KO 1)

Morecraft almost got the submission, but Barry defended well, and once it was on the feet, Barry had the edge. After a couple of big shots, Barry managed to get the W and avoid the axe. I expect Morecraft to get his walking papers. (4-0)

Jorge Rivera def. Eric Schafer (TKO 2)

Nice to see Rivera win his swan song fight. He has surprised me in the past and he did again. Schafer appeared to suffer from the weight cut and had nothing left in the tank after a dominant first round. Once Rivera got on top, it was over, as Schafer turtled and offered no resistance. (4-1)

Khabib Nurmagomedov def. Kamal Shalorus (sub 3)

Shalorus got clipped in the first and was not the same thereafter. Between rounds he was confused about what round was ahead, a clear sign he was out of it. H eventually tapped out to an awkward rear naked choke - again, perhaps indicative he was not all there. (4-2)

Charlie Brenneman def. Daniel Roberts (unanimous)

No sure how one judge gave it 29-28 - this was one way almost all the way. Roberts did try a couple of nice submissions, but Brenneman dominated. Strange reffing, as Herb Dean insisted on standing them up even though Brenneman was working. (5-2)

Fabricio Camoes def. Tommy Hayden (sub 1)

Hayden was doing alright, but Camoes was too much. (5-3)

Daniel Pineda def. Pat Schilling (sub 1)

This was a mismatch. Schilling had a decent record (5-0) but was clearly untested. Pineda took advantage and schooled the UFC newcomer. (6-3)

Nick Denis def. Joseph Sandoval (KO 1)

The Canadian made a big splash. Caught Sandoval with some crisp shots and then finished with some crazy standing elbows. (7-3)

Not bad, I guess.

UFC on FX 1

Only have about 15 minutes, so I don't have time for a full analysis of this relatively thin card; I'll just tell you who I like rather than making studied picks.

Jim Miller over Melvin Guillard
Josh Neer over Duane Ludwig
Mike Easton over Jared Papzian (I guess)
Pat Barry over Christian Morecraft (loser goes home)
Eric Schafer over Jorge Rivera
Kamal Shalorus over Khabib Nurmagomedov
Charlie Brenneman over Daniel Roberts
Tommy Hayden over Fabricio Camoes
Daniel Pineda over Pat Schilling
Nick Denis over Joseph Sandoval

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 124 Results

Thank goodness GSP won. I can breathe now. Had he lost to Koscheck I would have been in a funk for weeks. Like I said, I don't think Kos even deserved this title fight, let alone the belt. But GSP proved he is the MUCH better fighter.

After that, it was a bit downhill as far as my picks went. Let's survey the damage, shall we? (I didn't see most fights - just part of the main event)

Georges St-Pierre def. Josh Koscheck (unanimous)
GSP won all five rounds. Shut Koscheck's eye with jabs early on and made him look bad the rest of the way. Wish he had taken him down more and looked for the sub, but the gameplan was working, I guess. (1-0)

Stefan Struve def. Matt McCorkle (TKO 1)
Man, sometimes a no name is just a no name. McCorkle was useless by the looks of it. Struve demolished him. (1-1)

Jim Miller def. Charles Oliveira (sub 1)
This was a bit of a surprise. Not that Miller won, mind you, but that he submitted the submission machine. Miller showed why he's a real contender in the lightweight division and why experience matters. This was a HUGE step up for Oliveira and he didn't live up to it. (1-2)

Mac Danzig def. Joe Stevenson (KO 1)
Wow. I can't believe Danzig knocked him out. The UFC will be hesitant to cut Joe Daddy, but he clearly is not the fighter we expected him to be coming out of TUF. Danzig, on the other hand, has earned a reprieve for at least one more fight with that highlight finish. (1-3)

Thiago Alves def. John Howard (unanimous)
Didn't see it, but the highlights made Alves look dominant. Surprised it went the distance. (2-3)

Mark Bocek def. Dustin Hazelett (sub 1)
Shocker. Hazelett got submitted in the first round?! Yikes. Wonder if the weight cut hurt him. Didn't see the fight but this is an impressive win for Bocek. Good for him. (2-4)

Jesse Bongfeldt drew Rafael Natal (majority draw)
WTF? Bongfeldt took one judge's scorecard 29-28 but two others had it 28-28? Was there a point deduction somewhere? (2-4-1)

Sean Pierson def. Matthew Riddle (unanimous)
Finally got a break on a guess. (3-4-1)

Dan Miller def. Joe Doerksen (split)
This won't help Doerksen stick around. (3-5-1)

Ricardo Almeida def. TJ Grant (unanimous)
Almeida needed this bounce back fight. Not sure he impressed, though. (4-5-1)

John Makdessi def. Pat Audinwood (unanimous)
Nope, another pick-em loss. I hear Makdessi looked pretty good, but he'll have to look great to make a name and stick around for long. (4-6-1)

4-6-1? Ugh.

UFC 124 Picks

Ok, time for some quick picks for tomorrow's event in Montreal.

Georges St-Pierre vs Josh Koscheck (welterweight)
Kos isn't in GSP's league and doesn't deserve this hot at the belt. Let's get that clear. He lost to Thiago Alves (who then lost to GSP) and Paulo Thiago (who hasn't gotten a title shot and who has since lost to Jon Fitch, Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez) but Kos did reel off three consecutive wins. ...Against overhyped and useless Frank Trigg, inexperienced Anthony Johnson and topping it off with a lay and pray win over overhyped Paul Daley. THAT gets you a title shot?! Still, Kos has a puncher's chance a la Matt Serra. Should he win? No. Will he win? Who knows. I'm picking GSP.

Stefan Struve vs Matt McCorkle (heavyweight)
The fact that this fight is the co-main event might highlight how weak a card it is. I like Struve, but he has weaknesses. He has also lost his two toughest fights, against knockout artists. McCorkle has no impressive wins, but he finishes fights fast and has a perfect record. I'll pick McCorkle.

Jim Miller vs Charles Oliveira (lightweight)
Now THIS is a co-main event. Could be a great fight. Oliveira is insanely dangerous IF he can get a hold of you. Miller is a great fighter, having only lost to the two guys fighting for the belt (Edgar and Maynard). He has great jiu-jitsu and wrestling skills, but something ells me he's gonna wanna keep this one standing up. Oliveira has won submission of the night in both of his UFC fights and has a perfect record. I like Miller's chances of squeaking out a decision, but I'll be cheering for Oliveira. I'll pick Oliveira.

Joe Stevenson vs Mac Danzig (lightweight)
A fight between two fighters who showed great promise but have so far failed to deliver or excite. Danzig has lost 4 of 5 and 6 of 9. How is he still in the UFC? Stevenson is also coming off a loss and has lost 3 of 5 and 4 of 7. But 3 of those fights were Fight of the Night. That might earn you a reprieve. If Danzig loses, I bet he gets cut, especially with the influx of WEC fighters. If Stevenson loses, he MIGHT survive to fight again...maybe. This is a good match-up and could be a close fight. Danzig is smarter, but Stevenson has heart. I'm picking Stevenson by decision.

Thiago Alves vs John Howard (welterweight)
Let's see if Alves makes weight first. Both are brutal punchers. Alves has only lost to top flight guys and went to a decision with GSP and Fitch. Howard is slowly moving up the ranks and facing tougher guys, but Alves is another step up yet. I'm not sure. If he uses his wrestling, he might get a decision. I think Alves will finally step up, use his experience and regain his status as a contender. I'm picking Alves.

Mark Bocek vs Dustin Hazelett (lightweight)
After a couple of losses at welterweight, Hazelett returns to lightweight. He has loked good at times, overmatched at others. Bocek is a good fighter but Hazelett will have a a decent height advantage and I sense he's the better jiu-jitsu fighter. I hate to go against the Canadian, but I'll pick Hazelett.

Jesse Bongfeldt vs Rafael Natal (middleweight)
Man this division is thin. Who are these guys? Bongfeldt has a decent record, though it depends who you ask - UFC has him at 15-4 and Sherdog has him at 21-7. He doesn't have a Wikipedia page and I only recognize a couple of names on his fight list, both losses. You lose to Jonathan Goulet and you won't get much respect from me. Natal has an only slightly better pedigree. He was originally supposed to fight Jason McDonald, but McDonald had to withdraw. This is a toss-up. I hope the Canadian wins, but I like Natal's chances. I'll pick Natal.

Matthew Riddle vs Sean Pierson (welterweight)
Another fight, another Canadian getting a shot against a guy he probably hasn't earned. I don't know why the UFC insists on putting guys on a card simply because of where they were born. You don't need Canadians on a card to sell MMA to Canadian fans. We'd prefer to see the best. Pierson is no slouch, but his record isn't all that. Riddle is a TUF grad and has done well since the show. He's pretty inexperienced, though, and that's where Pierson has the advantage. Pierson has power, too. Ok, I'll pick Pierson for fun.

Joe Doerksen vs Dan Miller (middleweight)
Ah, yes, the "other" Miller. Not a huge success so far. Lacks training, it seems. He was given a huge push by the UFC but lost all three of the "big" fights he had against top guys. Doerksen is also a little inconsistent (and looked AWFUL in his last fight against CB Dollaway). Still, he's Canadian, so I'll pick him: Doersksen.

TJ Grant vs Ricardo Almeida (welterweight)
Grant is Canadian, but Almeida will have something to prove after stunning his piss poor showing against Matt Hughes. Almeida ought to have the advantage on the feet and he's a wrestler, so he'll get to choose where the fight takes place. I'll pick Almeida.

Pat Audinwood vs John Makdessi (lightweight)
Makdessi is undefeated as was Audinwood before his last fight - his UFC debut. Makdessi has some power, but Audinwood is a wrestler who seems to know his stuff. Smart wrestlers are dangerous. I sense either Makdessi will win spectacularly or Audinwood will win by boring decision or, maybe, submission. My money's on Audinwood.

Fight Night Results: Marquardt vs Palhares

I was kinda looking forward to reporting how I did with my Fight Night predictions based on what I saw - then I read what happened on the undercard. WTF...

Nate Marquardt def. Rousimar Palhares (TKO 1)
Sportsnet messed up its feed so I missed the original showing of this fight, but they made up for it somewhat by re-airing the main event immediately afterwards. This was an odd fight. Marquardt looked petrified of Palhares, throwing weak jabs from a safe distance. When the action did pick up, Palhares managed to scramble into a good position for a heel hook and he sank it in. Marquardt slipped free and that's when the confusion started. Palhares paused to look at a corner and indicated that something was up, pointing at Marquardt's leg. That's when Marquardt punched him in the face and essentially ended the fight. Not the classiest way to win, but Palhares should have known better. In the end, this victory adds little to Marquardt's status, I think, since the fight was a mess. If anything, Palhares demonstrated how dangerous and intimidating he can be. Not sure where these fighters go from here. (1-0)

Charles Oliveira def. Efrain Escudero (Sub 3)
Oliveira definitely dictated the pace of this fight. Escudero kept his distance and seemed too cautious - he should have let his hands fly. Oliveira's jits is fantastic and he deserved the victory. Keep an eye on this guy. (2-0)

Jim Miller def. Gleison Tibau (unanimous)
I was a bit surprised by the decision. I thought it'd be closer, but you never can tell how judges will see a fight. Miller dictated the pace and deserved the nod, but Tibau is still dangerous. Miller should have kept the fight on its feet, though; he nearly blew it by going for takedowns and tiring himself out. (3-0)

Cole Miller def. Ross Pearson (sub 2)
Pearson looked great. He was definitely getting the better of the stand up game and it looked like Miller might lose a decision. But he caught Pearson with a great shot and followed it up with a few good strikes to buckle Pearson's legs. Instead of grounding and pounding a TKO, like he probably should have, Miller sunk in a rear naked choke and Pearson had to tap. Big win for Miller. He still looks vulnerable, though, and has to improve his boxing. (4-0)

Yves Edwards def. John Gunderson (unanimous)
And this is where we go off the rails. (4-1)

Kyle Kingsbury def. Jared Hamman (unanimous)
(4-2) I hear this was a slugfest and the fans loved it.

Dave Branch def. Tomasz Drwal (unanimous)
(4-3) Apparently this fight sucked eggs.

Rich Attonito def. Rafael Natal (unanimous)
(4-4) Sounds like Attonito was lucky to get by Natal.

TJ Waldburger def. David Mitchell (unanimous)
(4-5) Good ground fight, apparently.

Brian Foster def. Forrest Petz (TKO 1)
(5-5) Foster's power was the difference.

Perfect on the main card and total crap on the undercard. This is why I hate predicting Fight Nights.