Kenny Florian def. Takanori Gomi (sub3) – Takanori Gomi? More like Tacky Origami. The Japanese import was either overhyped or he folded under the UFC pressure. Can’t say I was impressed. He was barely a threat to Florian who seemed to be in awe of his opponent in the pre-fight build-up. Sure, Gomi had some dangerous swings, but they were wild and are ineffective against a mixed martial artist who knows the game. It’ll be a while before Gomi gets his desired rematch against Penn, I think. Florian, while essentially unchallenged, still managed to prove he is one of the very best in the lightweight division. (1-0)
Roy Nelson def. Stefan Struve (KO 1) – I picked Struve for fun, but I knew Nelson would probably squish him. I was a bit surprised he got such a clean knockout, though. I thought Struve would be smarter and use his reach to keep Nelson at bay until a takdown came, but Struve looked like an amateur. When you have an insane reach advantage, you don’t fight on the inside. Silly. (1-1)
Jorge Rivera def. Nate Quarry (TKO 2) – Another one where my pick disappointed. Quarry never looked like he was into this one, backing off and crumpling at the slightest touch. It didn’t look like Jorge was putting that much power into his shots, but Quarry went down like a $2 whore. Pretty stunning, actually. (1-2)
Ross Pearson def. Dennis Siver (unanimous) – Pearson looked good. He was faster than Siver and more effective than the kickboxer. It was a smart, steady, skilled victory and yet still managed to entertain. The fight was closer than the verdict would suggest, but Pearson certainly deserved the nod. (2-2)
Andre Winner def. Rafaello Oliveira (unanimous) – This was a dark match, so I can’t really comment. Apparently Winner controlled the fight. (3-2)
Jacob Volkmann def. Ronys Torres (split) – I hear this one was ugly and the scores (30-27, 30-27 and 28-29) would seem to support that. I’m surprised Torres couldn’t pull this one out. I wouldn’t mind seeing it. I thought Torres would outclass Volkmann for sure. (3-3)
Nik Lentz def. Rob Emerson (unanimous) – Dunno if Emerson will survive the next round of cuts. (4-3)
Gleison Tibau def. Caol Uno (TKO 1) – Caol Uno is a shadow of his former self. Seriously. He looked pathetic. It’s hard to believe this guy was once considered a serious threat in the UFC. Tibau should be fighting tougher guys. (5-3)
Yushin Okami def. Lucio Linhares (TKO 2) – Okami picked Linhares apart in this one, avoiding takedown attempts and using his precision striking to great effect. Linhares was cut so badly that the ref stopped the fight in the second round. It’ll be interesting to see if the UFC decides to give Okami another title push after this and pit him against top dogs. (6-3)
Gerald Harris def. Mario Miranda (TKO 1) – Looks like this might have been the most entertaining fight with two guys trying to knock each other’s heads off. Harris managed to get the upper hand and finished his opponent within the first round. (7-3)
Charlie Brenneman def. Jason High (unanimous) – This might have been a fun one to watch, too, with the two newcomers putting on a spirited show. High couldn’t secure a pair of guillotines and Brenneman got the decision on points. (7-4)
Another event, another winning record (7-4). Not bad.
TUF 11 kicked off last night as well. Some impressive fighters. Let’s see how it plays out.
Big event coming up on April 10. Stay tuned for picks.
Showing posts with label Caol Uno. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Caol Uno. Show all posts
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
UFC Fight Night : Florian vs Gomi Picks
Another week, another Fight Night. Busy times for the UFC. Ok, let’s have a look at this one…
Kenny Florian vs Takanori Gomi (lightweight) – I can’t say I know much about Gomi, but apparently he’s a legend in the Japanese circuit (and Pride). He has lost to BJ Penn and Nick Diaz, but has wins over Jens Pulver, Duane Ludwig and Marcus Aurelio. 31-5-1NC is a very impressive record, but this will be his debut in the cage, which is a much different animal than the Pride fighting ring. Florian, meanwhile, has really come into his own following his days on The Ultimate Fighter. He has lost to Sean Sherk and BJ Penn, both title fights. Wins over the likes of Clay Guida, Roger Huerta, Joe Stevenson, Din Thomas and Sam Stout put Florian deservedly in the top ranks of the lightweight division. I’d love to see a rematch with Diego Sanchez someday before a rematch with BJ Penn. This is a tough fight to call having never seen Gomi fight. I’ll pick Florian.
Roy Nelson vs Stefan Struve (heavyweight) – If Struve were ever able to cut weight to 205 he’d be a force, but at heavyweight he is susceptible to the sheer weight of his opponents. I like the kid and hope he wins, but I can see Nelson getting inside, taking him down and lying on top of the poor helpless bastard. My brain says to pick Nelson, but I'm gonna go with the upset special and root for Struve.
Nate Quarry vs Jorge Rivera (middleweight) –Not sure how Jorge has managed to stick around the UFC for this long. He’s not going anywhere within the division and seems to lose at least every other fight (3 of 8 actually). Jorge seems to like to stand and bang which is Quarry’s strong suit, too. I like Quarry and his power, so I’ll pick him.
Ross Pearson vs Dennis Siver (lightweight) – Siver is no joke. He can win on his feet or the ground and has a very decent record. Pearson is a fan fav from TUF 9. I like his style and relentless attack. This should be a very entertaining fight. I like Pearson, so I’ll pick him.
Andre Winner vs Rafaello Oliveira (lightweight) – Andre Winner looked good during TUF 9, but his opponent is no slouch himself and has a better record. Both of these guys tend to go to decision. Oliveira is known for pushing the pace. Tough call. I’ll pick Winner for fun.
Jacob Volkmann vs Ronys Torres (welterweight) – Torres looked awesome his last time out (a decision loss to Melvin Guillard) while Volkmann was less than impressive. I’ll pick Torres.
Rob Emerson vs Nik Lentz (lightweight) – I’m not sure how a guy with a 9-8 record stays in the UFC – unless of course he was on TUF. Emerson is 2-2-1NC in the UFC and that’s if you buy the double KO decision rendered at the TUF 5 finale. If you ignore the 2-6 start to his career, maybe he looks a little better. I like Emerson, but I won’t pick him to win this fight. I’ll pick Lentz.
Caol Uno vs Gleison Tibau (lightweight) – Caol Uno is a shadow of his former self (3-4-1 in his last 8 against mid-card fighters). It’s sad, really. Tibau, meanwhile, is a stud with decent success against tough opponents (7-4 in the UFC). I’ll pick Tibau.
Yushin Okami vs Lucio Linhares (middleweight) – Okami has a very respectable; record in the UFC (7-2) but has lost key fights against Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen that have set him back from title shots. He doesn’t have the most exciting style, often boxing his way to a decision. Linhares, meanwhile, has fought mostly in M-1 and lost his UFC debut last time out (to Rousimar Palhares). He has no significant victories, but very seldom goes to a decision. So it appears the winner will be largely determined by when the fight ends. A decision will likely go to Okami, while a submission would go to Linhares. Since Okami is the wrestler, he ought o be able to decide where the fight takes place. That means standing, that means a decision, that means Okami will likely win.
Gerald Harris vs Mario Miranda (middleweight) – …Who? Research, research research… Ok, Harris is listed as a wrestler but most of his fights end with him getting a submission or a knockout. Clearly, this guy has skills – and a 14-2 record. Miranda, meanwhile, is undefeated (11-0) with a variety of finishes. He also has a wrestling background. Interesting. Neither has fought anyone of note, but this is Miranda’s UFC debut, while Harris has a UFC victory and KO of the Night honours. Impressive. I’ll pick Harris to spoil Miranda’s party and record.
Charlie Brenneman vs Jason High (welterweight) – Another battle of good records and UFC debutants. High has a victory over Kevin Burns, granted by doctor stoppage. Brenneman tends to win by TKO or decision, while High has a fair number of submissions and has made it to the DREAM welterweight Grand Prix finals. I’ll pick High.
With no heavyweights or even light heavyweights on the card, this ought to be an exciting, fast-paced event. We’ll see.
Note also: The Ultimate Fighter XI (Liddell vs Ortiz) starts tonight!
Kenny Florian vs Takanori Gomi (lightweight) – I can’t say I know much about Gomi, but apparently he’s a legend in the Japanese circuit (and Pride). He has lost to BJ Penn and Nick Diaz, but has wins over Jens Pulver, Duane Ludwig and Marcus Aurelio. 31-5-1NC is a very impressive record, but this will be his debut in the cage, which is a much different animal than the Pride fighting ring. Florian, meanwhile, has really come into his own following his days on The Ultimate Fighter. He has lost to Sean Sherk and BJ Penn, both title fights. Wins over the likes of Clay Guida, Roger Huerta, Joe Stevenson, Din Thomas and Sam Stout put Florian deservedly in the top ranks of the lightweight division. I’d love to see a rematch with Diego Sanchez someday before a rematch with BJ Penn. This is a tough fight to call having never seen Gomi fight. I’ll pick Florian.
Roy Nelson vs Stefan Struve (heavyweight) – If Struve were ever able to cut weight to 205 he’d be a force, but at heavyweight he is susceptible to the sheer weight of his opponents. I like the kid and hope he wins, but I can see Nelson getting inside, taking him down and lying on top of the poor helpless bastard. My brain says to pick Nelson, but I'm gonna go with the upset special and root for Struve.
Nate Quarry vs Jorge Rivera (middleweight) –Not sure how Jorge has managed to stick around the UFC for this long. He’s not going anywhere within the division and seems to lose at least every other fight (3 of 8 actually). Jorge seems to like to stand and bang which is Quarry’s strong suit, too. I like Quarry and his power, so I’ll pick him.
Ross Pearson vs Dennis Siver (lightweight) – Siver is no joke. He can win on his feet or the ground and has a very decent record. Pearson is a fan fav from TUF 9. I like his style and relentless attack. This should be a very entertaining fight. I like Pearson, so I’ll pick him.
Andre Winner vs Rafaello Oliveira (lightweight) – Andre Winner looked good during TUF 9, but his opponent is no slouch himself and has a better record. Both of these guys tend to go to decision. Oliveira is known for pushing the pace. Tough call. I’ll pick Winner for fun.
Jacob Volkmann vs Ronys Torres (welterweight) – Torres looked awesome his last time out (a decision loss to Melvin Guillard) while Volkmann was less than impressive. I’ll pick Torres.
Rob Emerson vs Nik Lentz (lightweight) – I’m not sure how a guy with a 9-8 record stays in the UFC – unless of course he was on TUF. Emerson is 2-2-1NC in the UFC and that’s if you buy the double KO decision rendered at the TUF 5 finale. If you ignore the 2-6 start to his career, maybe he looks a little better. I like Emerson, but I won’t pick him to win this fight. I’ll pick Lentz.
Caol Uno vs Gleison Tibau (lightweight) – Caol Uno is a shadow of his former self (3-4-1 in his last 8 against mid-card fighters). It’s sad, really. Tibau, meanwhile, is a stud with decent success against tough opponents (7-4 in the UFC). I’ll pick Tibau.
Yushin Okami vs Lucio Linhares (middleweight) – Okami has a very respectable; record in the UFC (7-2) but has lost key fights against Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen that have set him back from title shots. He doesn’t have the most exciting style, often boxing his way to a decision. Linhares, meanwhile, has fought mostly in M-1 and lost his UFC debut last time out (to Rousimar Palhares). He has no significant victories, but very seldom goes to a decision. So it appears the winner will be largely determined by when the fight ends. A decision will likely go to Okami, while a submission would go to Linhares. Since Okami is the wrestler, he ought o be able to decide where the fight takes place. That means standing, that means a decision, that means Okami will likely win.
Gerald Harris vs Mario Miranda (middleweight) – …Who? Research, research research… Ok, Harris is listed as a wrestler but most of his fights end with him getting a submission or a knockout. Clearly, this guy has skills – and a 14-2 record. Miranda, meanwhile, is undefeated (11-0) with a variety of finishes. He also has a wrestling background. Interesting. Neither has fought anyone of note, but this is Miranda’s UFC debut, while Harris has a UFC victory and KO of the Night honours. Impressive. I’ll pick Harris to spoil Miranda’s party and record.
Charlie Brenneman vs Jason High (welterweight) – Another battle of good records and UFC debutants. High has a victory over Kevin Burns, granted by doctor stoppage. Brenneman tends to win by TKO or decision, while High has a fair number of submissions and has made it to the DREAM welterweight Grand Prix finals. I’ll pick High.
With no heavyweights or even light heavyweights on the card, this ought to be an exciting, fast-paced event. We’ll see.
Note also: The Ultimate Fighter XI (Liddell vs Ortiz) starts tonight!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
UFC 106 - Forrest wins, Koscheck still a douche
Ok, so I didn't get my predictions in for this one. My bad. Busy, busy and all that jazz.
I was looking forward to this event, though, as it featured one of my favs, Forrest Griffin, in a redemption fight - the opportunity to not only avenge his split decision loss to Ortiz in the first fight, but also to redeem himself in the eyes of fans who saw him run from the cage after his loss to Anderson Silva.
Here are the results:
Forrest Griffin def. Tito Ortiz (split) - Another debatable result, but, frankly, I thought Forrest won. Maybe it was my rose coloured glasses, but I thought that despite being taken down a couple of times, Forrest was FAR more active in the stand-up and got the best of the exchanges. It does bring up that age-old question of the importance/weight one should place on takedowns. I have always thought they were overrated and, let's face it, contribute to the legend of Randy Couture. A takedown should score points, but not more than a couple of solid shots to the face. It's what a fighter does AFTER they take down an opponent that matters. If they can get punches through, pass, and inflict damage, that's one thing, but laying a praying is b.s. Ortiz just didn't do enough in my book to outweigh Forrest's sustained action. Besides, they weren't exactly clean, skilled takedowns. They were pretty sloppy and Forrest just kinda fell. I would have picked Forrest in this one.
Josh Koscheck def. Anthony Johnson (sub 2) - I really wanted Johnson to knock uber-annoying Koscheck into next week. But c'est la vie. Koscheck did drop another couple of notches in my eyes, though, after blatantly faking an eye injury when Johnson threw a potentially illegal knee that connected with Koscheck's arm - AND NOT HIS HEAD. Johnson was deducted a point for the "foul", but replays showed Koscheck was just stalling for time, like the bitch he is. Way to bring MMA down to the level of soccer, you douche. Hey fighters: there's no point in faking injuries in a fight - you'll lose more respect than you gain when replays show you faked it. Seriously: f**k you, Kos.
Paulo Thiago def. Jacob Volkmann (unanimous) - Not the most exciting pairing, but what with all the injuries and backing out, the UFC bumped this to the main card. Thiago looked good, though.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Luiz Cane (TKO 1) - Little Nog looked good. Cane is no slouch and Nog took him out with extreme prejudice. The light heavyweight division just got more complicated. Wonder if the UFC will have Couture face the other Nogueira after his loss to big bro?
Amir Sadollah def. Phil Baroni (unanimous) - Much like Ortiz, Baroni had nothing after the first couple of rounds. He gassed badly and Sadollah just kept scoring and scoring. Not sure I'm drinking the Sadollah Kool-Aid just yet, but I'm sure the UFC will be testing him in the near future, so we'll see what he can do against better competition.
Ben Saunders def. Marcus Davis (KO 1) - This was a disappointment, but no surprise. It was a terrible match-up for Davis. Saunders is decent, not great, but his reach advantage was just too much. For a muay thai guy, reach is everything. Davis just couldn't handle it. He didn't get inside, which is where he had to be to inflict any damage. Staying at distance just allowed Saunders to soften him up before bringing in the big knees and taking Davis out.
Kendall Grove def. Jake Rosholt (sub 1) - Grove won, but didn't look great. Rosholt was slapping him around until Grove slipped on a triangle choke from his back. Grove is a talented kid, but he has a hard time standing and banging. If Rosholt had just stayed on his feet, it might have been a different outcome.
Brian Foster def. Brock Larson (TKO 2) - Brock Larson continues to underachieve in the UFC. What's up with this guy? Highly-touted, great record... but just doesn't seem to live up to the hype and can't beat anyone of consequence. Disappointing.
Caol Uno & Fabrico Camoes (majority draw) - Sounds like it was a stinker. Didn't see it. Two judges had it for Camoes, but since he had a point deducted, it was 28-28 on those scorecards. One judge had it 29-27 for Uno with the point deduction. Looks like Uno stunk the joint up again. He needs to go away.
George Sotiropolous def. Jason Dent (sub 2) - Dent is a gamer, but Sotiropolous is a very talented fighter who would be a big threat in the UFC if he could get a few things polished.
I think I would have been 5-4-1 in this event... At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I was looking forward to this event, though, as it featured one of my favs, Forrest Griffin, in a redemption fight - the opportunity to not only avenge his split decision loss to Ortiz in the first fight, but also to redeem himself in the eyes of fans who saw him run from the cage after his loss to Anderson Silva.
Here are the results:
Forrest Griffin def. Tito Ortiz (split) - Another debatable result, but, frankly, I thought Forrest won. Maybe it was my rose coloured glasses, but I thought that despite being taken down a couple of times, Forrest was FAR more active in the stand-up and got the best of the exchanges. It does bring up that age-old question of the importance/weight one should place on takedowns. I have always thought they were overrated and, let's face it, contribute to the legend of Randy Couture. A takedown should score points, but not more than a couple of solid shots to the face. It's what a fighter does AFTER they take down an opponent that matters. If they can get punches through, pass, and inflict damage, that's one thing, but laying a praying is b.s. Ortiz just didn't do enough in my book to outweigh Forrest's sustained action. Besides, they weren't exactly clean, skilled takedowns. They were pretty sloppy and Forrest just kinda fell. I would have picked Forrest in this one.
Josh Koscheck def. Anthony Johnson (sub 2) - I really wanted Johnson to knock uber-annoying Koscheck into next week. But c'est la vie. Koscheck did drop another couple of notches in my eyes, though, after blatantly faking an eye injury when Johnson threw a potentially illegal knee that connected with Koscheck's arm - AND NOT HIS HEAD. Johnson was deducted a point for the "foul", but replays showed Koscheck was just stalling for time, like the bitch he is. Way to bring MMA down to the level of soccer, you douche. Hey fighters: there's no point in faking injuries in a fight - you'll lose more respect than you gain when replays show you faked it. Seriously: f**k you, Kos.
Paulo Thiago def. Jacob Volkmann (unanimous) - Not the most exciting pairing, but what with all the injuries and backing out, the UFC bumped this to the main card. Thiago looked good, though.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Luiz Cane (TKO 1) - Little Nog looked good. Cane is no slouch and Nog took him out with extreme prejudice. The light heavyweight division just got more complicated. Wonder if the UFC will have Couture face the other Nogueira after his loss to big bro?
Amir Sadollah def. Phil Baroni (unanimous) - Much like Ortiz, Baroni had nothing after the first couple of rounds. He gassed badly and Sadollah just kept scoring and scoring. Not sure I'm drinking the Sadollah Kool-Aid just yet, but I'm sure the UFC will be testing him in the near future, so we'll see what he can do against better competition.
Ben Saunders def. Marcus Davis (KO 1) - This was a disappointment, but no surprise. It was a terrible match-up for Davis. Saunders is decent, not great, but his reach advantage was just too much. For a muay thai guy, reach is everything. Davis just couldn't handle it. He didn't get inside, which is where he had to be to inflict any damage. Staying at distance just allowed Saunders to soften him up before bringing in the big knees and taking Davis out.
Kendall Grove def. Jake Rosholt (sub 1) - Grove won, but didn't look great. Rosholt was slapping him around until Grove slipped on a triangle choke from his back. Grove is a talented kid, but he has a hard time standing and banging. If Rosholt had just stayed on his feet, it might have been a different outcome.
Brian Foster def. Brock Larson (TKO 2) - Brock Larson continues to underachieve in the UFC. What's up with this guy? Highly-touted, great record... but just doesn't seem to live up to the hype and can't beat anyone of consequence. Disappointing.
Caol Uno & Fabrico Camoes (majority draw) - Sounds like it was a stinker. Didn't see it. Two judges had it for Camoes, but since he had a point deducted, it was 28-28 on those scorecards. One judge had it 29-27 for Uno with the point deduction. Looks like Uno stunk the joint up again. He needs to go away.
George Sotiropolous def. Jason Dent (sub 2) - Dent is a gamer, but Sotiropolous is a very talented fighter who would be a big threat in the UFC if he could get a few things polished.
I think I would have been 5-4-1 in this event... At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
UFC 99 Results
UFC 99 was a so-so event, with the card being one of the least exciting in recent memory. Even with the return of Cro Cop, this was a somewhat sub-par card, exacerbated by the 3pm ET start time.
Ok, let's see how I did on predictions.
Rich Franklin def Wanderlei Silva (Unanimous decision)
"My money’s on: Franklin. Wanderlei has crazy power, but not much reach. Franklin is younger, faster and smarter and will figure out a way to neutralize the disco-loving freak."
Sounds like I was pretty much right on. Franklin found a way to avoid Wanderlei's power and get the decision.
Cain Velasquez def. Cheick Kongo (Unanimous decision)
"My money’s on: Kongo. Boooooooring."
Thank goodness Kongo lost. I'm pretty sick of his dull fights and even in defeat he bored me. Velasquez overcame some pretty heavy shots by Kongo and took the big man down at will. Sure, it wasn't exciting, but if Velasquez can improve his game, he ought to be more exciting than the Frenchman.
Mike Swick def. Ben Saunders (TKO - Rd 2)
"My money’s on: Swick. I see an entertaining fight ending with Swick knocking Saunders on his ass."
Yup - got this one right on, too. This would have been a pretty big win for Saunders and a pretty devastating loss for Swick. With this win behind him, Swick can now look forward to bigger opponents.
Dan Hardy def. Marcus Davis (Split decision)
"My money’s on: Davis. Hardy will give him a run for his money, but Davis will win if he can get inside or take Hardy down. If he wins, hopefully the UFC will give the ageing Davis a real name opponent before he retires!"
I should have had this right on, too. Davis had this fight won, but lost it when he inexplicably gave up top position to attempt an ankle lock. At that point Hardy took top position, punished Davis and won the round. Without question, that was the turning point. This loss really hurts Davis who had an otherwise stellar UFC record. A loss against a mid-level guy like Hardy pretty much spoils any chance Davis had of fighting top flight opposition before he retires.
Spencer Fisher def. Caol Uno (Unanimous decision)
"My money’s on: Fisher. Look for him to start moving up to the top of the ladder after this one. The UFC has denied this guy’s talent for too long."
Right on again. The most boring fight of the night, probably, but Fisher deservedly got the nod.
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic def. Mostapha Al Turk (TKO - Rd 1)
"My money’s on: Cro Cop. Barely. This could be another boring fight if the larger Al Turk takes Cro Cop down, but if it stays standing, Cro Cop could deliver a highlight finish or at least win on points via strikes. This is definitely the iffy fight of the night."
Cro Cop did provide a brutal victory, but not without controversy. How the ref missed the fact Al Turk had been poked is beyond me. Even if he didn't see it, Al Turk was clearly wounded by something other than a strike. Cro Cop is under no obligation to give his opponent any quarter, but the sportsmanlike thing to do would have been to back off.
So 4-2 on the main card. Not bad.
Other matches:
Terry Etim def. Justin Buchholz (Sub - Rd 2) – Go that.
Dennis Siver def. Dale Hartt (Sub - Rd 1) – Got that.
Paul Taylor def. Peter Sobotta (Unanimous decision) – Got that.
Paul Kelly def. Rolando Delgado (Unanimous decision) – Got that.
Denis Stojnic def. Stefan Struve (Sub - Rd 2) – Got that. I wanna see this Struve kid.
John Hathaway def. Rick Story (Unanimous decision) – Got that.
So 6-0 on the undercard - sweet! 10-2 for the night. Wow. I must be psychic.
A lot of the undercard fights went the distance which suggests they weren't very exciting. Like I said - not a fantastic card nor event.
Next up is UFC 100 - without a doubt the biggest card in recent memory if not UFC history. Stay tuned for my predictions!
Ok, let's see how I did on predictions.
Rich Franklin def Wanderlei Silva (Unanimous decision)
"My money’s on: Franklin. Wanderlei has crazy power, but not much reach. Franklin is younger, faster and smarter and will figure out a way to neutralize the disco-loving freak."
Sounds like I was pretty much right on. Franklin found a way to avoid Wanderlei's power and get the decision.
Cain Velasquez def. Cheick Kongo (Unanimous decision)
"My money’s on: Kongo. Boooooooring."
Thank goodness Kongo lost. I'm pretty sick of his dull fights and even in defeat he bored me. Velasquez overcame some pretty heavy shots by Kongo and took the big man down at will. Sure, it wasn't exciting, but if Velasquez can improve his game, he ought to be more exciting than the Frenchman.
Mike Swick def. Ben Saunders (TKO - Rd 2)
"My money’s on: Swick. I see an entertaining fight ending with Swick knocking Saunders on his ass."
Yup - got this one right on, too. This would have been a pretty big win for Saunders and a pretty devastating loss for Swick. With this win behind him, Swick can now look forward to bigger opponents.
Dan Hardy def. Marcus Davis (Split decision)
"My money’s on: Davis. Hardy will give him a run for his money, but Davis will win if he can get inside or take Hardy down. If he wins, hopefully the UFC will give the ageing Davis a real name opponent before he retires!"
I should have had this right on, too. Davis had this fight won, but lost it when he inexplicably gave up top position to attempt an ankle lock. At that point Hardy took top position, punished Davis and won the round. Without question, that was the turning point. This loss really hurts Davis who had an otherwise stellar UFC record. A loss against a mid-level guy like Hardy pretty much spoils any chance Davis had of fighting top flight opposition before he retires.
Spencer Fisher def. Caol Uno (Unanimous decision)
"My money’s on: Fisher. Look for him to start moving up to the top of the ladder after this one. The UFC has denied this guy’s talent for too long."
Right on again. The most boring fight of the night, probably, but Fisher deservedly got the nod.
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic def. Mostapha Al Turk (TKO - Rd 1)
"My money’s on: Cro Cop. Barely. This could be another boring fight if the larger Al Turk takes Cro Cop down, but if it stays standing, Cro Cop could deliver a highlight finish or at least win on points via strikes. This is definitely the iffy fight of the night."
Cro Cop did provide a brutal victory, but not without controversy. How the ref missed the fact Al Turk had been poked is beyond me. Even if he didn't see it, Al Turk was clearly wounded by something other than a strike. Cro Cop is under no obligation to give his opponent any quarter, but the sportsmanlike thing to do would have been to back off.
So 4-2 on the main card. Not bad.
Other matches:
Terry Etim def. Justin Buchholz (Sub - Rd 2) – Go that.
Dennis Siver def. Dale Hartt (Sub - Rd 1) – Got that.
Paul Taylor def. Peter Sobotta (Unanimous decision) – Got that.
Paul Kelly def. Rolando Delgado (Unanimous decision) – Got that.
Denis Stojnic def. Stefan Struve (Sub - Rd 2) – Got that. I wanna see this Struve kid.
John Hathaway def. Rick Story (Unanimous decision) – Got that.
So 6-0 on the undercard - sweet! 10-2 for the night. Wow. I must be psychic.
A lot of the undercard fights went the distance which suggests they weren't very exciting. Like I said - not a fantastic card nor event.
Next up is UFC 100 - without a doubt the biggest card in recent memory if not UFC history. Stay tuned for my predictions!
Monday, June 8, 2009
UFC 99 - Preview
This weekend, the UFC travels to Cologne, Germany for what ought to be a very entertaining card.Rich Franklin vs Wanderlei Silva (195lbs)
This catch weight fight features two guys who need to win. There’s a reason this card is dubbed “The Comeback”. The winner will see their stock rise and perhaps even earn a title shot, whereas the loser will be facing retirement questions.
Silva is on his way down to middleweight (185 lbs) while Franklin has already started his transition to the light heavyweight division (205 lbs). If Silva can pull off the upset, he may very well get a title shot against bitter rival Anderson Silva, thanks in no small part to the fact that every other middleweight seems to be powerless against Silva. (Silva is like the Tiger Woods of that division - everyone is waiting for a serious challenger to appear from the wilderness.) If Franklin wins, he has de-throned a legend and puts himself in the light heavyweight title mix (if he wasn’t there already). The light heavyweight division is stacked, but title shots seem to be thrown around like tic tacs (Mauricio Rua…I’m looking in your direction…) so Franklin could easily see himself in a main event in three months or so.
My money’s on: Franklin. Wanderlei has crazy power, but not much reach. Franklin is younger, faster and smarter and will figure out a way to neutralize the disco-loving freak.
Cheick Kongo Vs. Cain Velasquez (205 lbs)
This fight could be the worst of the night if Kongo stays true to form. Despite wins, he probably hasn’t had a title shot because, quite frankly, he’s boring as hell. If he sits on Velasquez for three rounds, he may very well get the win, but a title shot? I dunno. I sense the UFC doesn’t like his style, either.
My money’s on: Kongo. Boooooooring.
Mike Swick Vs. Ben Saunders (170 lbs)
A battle of tall lanky guys that could end quick. Both of these guys seem to enjoy throwing. I wasn’t impressed with Saunders on the reality show, but he’s been looking pretty good since. I’m a fan of Swick’s though, and he needs this win.
My money’s on: Swick. I see an entertaining fight ending with Swick knocking Saunders on his ass.
Marcus Davis Vs. Dan Hardy (170 lbs)
This could be fight of the night. I like Davis’ style, but I like Hardy’s reach. Hardy has proven he has power, too, but Davis has heart. We’ve seen Davis get knocked on his butt and come back for the W; I don’t know if Hardy can do the same.
My money’s on: Davis. Hardy will give him a run for his money, but Davis will win if he can get inside or take Hardy down. If he wins, hopefully the UFC will give the ageing Davis a real name opponent before he retires!
Spencer Fisher Vs. Caol Uno (155 lbs)
Where the heck has Uno been? He ain’t the fighter he used to be, but maybe he’s still got some juice left in him. Spencer is proven winner, though, and can withstand the best opponents can dish out.
My money’s on: Fisher. Look for him to start moving up to the top of the ladder after this one. The UFC has denied this guy’s talent for too long.
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic Vs. Mostapha Al Turk (205 lbs)
Talk about a must win. Cro Cop’s rep has taken a beating in the past coupe of years after losses to Gabriel Gonzaga (in spectacular fashion) and Cheick Kongo (boooooring). If the UFC is ever to see the dream card of Cro Cop fighting for a belt, he has to start wining fast. Al Turk is clearly a sacrificial lamb, but so was Gonzaga once upon a time.
My money’s on: Cro Cop. Barely. This could be another boring fight if the larger Al Turk takes Cro Cop down, but if it stays standing, Cro Cop could deliver a highlight finish or at least win on points via strikes. This is definitely the iffy fight of the night.
Other matches:
Terry Etim Vs. Justin Buchholz (155 lbs) – don’t know much about Buchholz, but Etim has impressed. I’m picking Etim.
Dennis Siver Vs. Dale Hartt (155 lbs) – Going with experience. That means Siver over Hartt.
Paul Taylor Vs. Peter Sobotta (170 lbs) – Sobotta doesn’t even have a photo on the UFC website. That doesn’t bode well. Taylor losing would be upset of the night material. Taking Taylor to smoke the new guy.
Paul Kelly Vs. Rolando Delgado (155 lbs) – I like Rolando, but the shy kid is gonna get slaughtered by the tough Kelly.
Denis Stojnic Vs. Stefan Struve (205 lbs) – Who versus who? Holy crap; Stojnic is 5’11” & 235 lbs while “Skyscraper" Struve is 238 lbs and – get this – 6’11”!! Wow. Both have impressive records which means I’m taking the giant who knows how to win.
John Hathaway Vs. Rick Story (170 lbs) – Two more strangers with good records, but I’ll take the undefeated guy who at least has a photo. That means Hathaway over Story.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
