Didn't get to see this event - just a couple of fights on the web or in the prelim show. Let's see how ugly it got.
Jon Jones def. Rampage Jackson (sub 4)
Rampage is ridiculously one-dimensional, and despite his claims of being better prepared and in great shape, he demonstrated once again that he is a one-trick pony. Stay away from the big punches and you can pretty much guarantee yourself a win over Jackson. Jones used his reach to score and finally ended the fight with a rear naked choke. No surprise. (1-0)
Josh Koshcheck def. Matt Hughes (KO 1)
Honestly, is anyone still interested in seeing Hughes fight? Once again HUghes got knocked out early by a decent opponent. If Hughes isn't facing a has been or never was, that's pretty much the tune these days. Time to retire, Matt. Seriously. (2-0)
Travis Browne def. Rob Broughton (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (3-0)
Nate Diaz def. Takanori Gomi (sub 1)
Gomi had 4 punches land. FOUR. GTFO of the UFC, man. Why is Gomi around? (4-0)
Mark Hunt def. Ben Rothwell (unanimous)
Looks like this one might have been surprisingly one-sided. Rothwell is really stalling in the UFC. Hunt wins again? (4-1)
Tony Ferguson def. Aaron Riley (TKO 1)
Ferguson looked good. Broke Riley's jaw, forcing a stoppage after round one. Too bad. (5-1)
Tim Boetsch def. Nick Ring (unanimous)
Not sure what Ring's game plan was here. He backed away from Boetsch all night long. Was he trying to tire him out? Boetsch seemed better in all categories and Ring had nothing. (5-2)
Junior Assuncao def. Eddie Yagin (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (6-2)
Takeya Mizugaki def. Cole Escovedo (KO 2)
Didn't see it. (6-3)
James Te Huna def. Ricardo Romero (KO 1)
Romero...WTF? He looked AWFUL. Poor takedown attempts lead to him getting hammer fisted into unconsciousness. Brutal. I imagine he'll get cut. (6-4)
So 6-4. Not bad. 7-3 really, if you count the fact I actually called Boetsch's win but chose not to go against the Canadian. :P Doesn't that count for something?
Showing posts with label Josh Koscheck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Josh Koscheck. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
UFC 135 Picks
This looks like an ok card. Not great.
Rampage Jackson vs Jon Jones (light heavyweight)
Rampage seems like an interesting, decent guy, but he is WAY beyond his prime and has never impressed me in a UFC fight. He is terribly one-dimensional and not even that good at the one thing he does best: stand-up. Sure, he has great knock out power, but he has to connect first. Jones won't give him that chance. Expect a lot of kicks and takedowns and Rampage to lose a very lopsided decision. I'm taking Jones.
Matt Hughes vs Josh Koshcheck (welterweight)
Hughes is another one who is way past his best-before date. he might have a couple of ok fights left in him, but he is getting outclassed badly by anyone of any talent (Penn, GSP, Alves) and getting wins against has-beens and never-weres (Serra, Gracie, Almeida). He hasn't had an impressive win in 4 years. That's a long time, folks. Hughes is a better fighter than Koscheck who is generally overrated, but Koscheck ought to be much faster. I think that'll make the difference. I expect this one to stay on the feet and Koscheck to clip Hughes sometime within 15 minutes. Expect Hughes to reconsider his career after this one. I'm taking Koscheck.
Travis Browne vs Rob Broughton (heavyweight)
This is the third ranked fight? Yikes. Broughton is a Brit with some submission skills, but Browne is a BJJ guy with power. Browne has also faced MUCH tougher competition. I'm taking Browne.
Nate Diaz vs Takanori Gomi (lightweight)
A battle of underachievers. Diaz has talent but lacks brains and a game plan. Gomi came into the UFC with much fanfare but has not impressed me. He is 1-2 in the UFC and prone to submissions. You know who is great at submissions? Diaz. But he has to get him down first. If Diaz stays on his feet he might be in trouble and if it goes to a decision expect it to go Gomi's way. Diaz is 3-5 in his last eight, all losses by decision, all wins by submission. By all accounts Diaz is a douche; but he's a talented douche. Gomi appears to be neither. I'll take Diaz.
Ben Rothwell vs Mark Hunt (heavyweight)
More big boys. Rothwell is a former IFL champ who hasn't done much in the UFC, though his 2009 loss was to future champ Cain Velasquez (which may or may not have been stopped early). He's 31-7 but only 29 and has some big names on his resume. Hunt had an impressive win his last time out after I had written him off. Still, the guys has LOSING RECORD in MMA. How is he in the UFC? Sure, he has a better kickboxing record, but even that is only hit and miss. He has split decision wins over Cro Cop and Wanderlei Silva but those guys are tiny in comparison and that was 7 years ago. I can't pick this guy. I'm picking Rothwell.
Tony Ferguson vs Aaron Riley (lightweight)
I like Ferguson, a TUF champ, but he may be in over his head here. Riley has an impressive record, but can't seem to get the big wins. This is a test for Ferguson. Riley usually goes to decision, while Ferguson has only gone the distance twice in this 13-fight career. I'm picking Ferguson.
Nick Ring vs Tim Boetsch (middleweight)
Ring has a perfect record (though that includes a bizarre win over Riki Fukuda) but Boetsch has way more experience and much bigger names on his resume. At 13-4, Boetsch is no pushover. I think Boetsch is gonna take this one, but I don't wanna bet against the Canadian, so I'll take Ring.
Junior Assuncao vs Eddie Yagin (featherweight)
Assuncao is dropping down for this one. This marks his return to the UFC after a four year and eight fight absence. Both of these guys have decent records and like submissions. Assuncao is much taller, though and should have the advantage on the feet. I'll take Assuncao.
Takeya Mizugaki vs Cole Escovedo (bantamweight)
I can't remember the last time I weighed 135... High school? Escovedo is a former WEC featherweight champ but has fallen on harder times since and has lost three of his last four. Mizugaki did well in Japan, but had a harder time in the WEC. He has won against so-so guys, lost to all the top guys. Is Escovedo a top guy? Not anymore, but I like his chances better. I'm picking Escovedo.
James Te Huna vs Ricardo Romero (light heavyweight)
Te Huna is a submissoins guy who seems to prefer striking these days. Romero is a talented up and comer who lost quickly and badly his last time out. This is a tough one to pick as both guys show potential and are well matched. Te Huna is the wrestler, though, and that would normally give the edge. I'm gonna buck that trend, though, and pick Romero.
Rampage Jackson vs Jon Jones (light heavyweight)
Rampage seems like an interesting, decent guy, but he is WAY beyond his prime and has never impressed me in a UFC fight. He is terribly one-dimensional and not even that good at the one thing he does best: stand-up. Sure, he has great knock out power, but he has to connect first. Jones won't give him that chance. Expect a lot of kicks and takedowns and Rampage to lose a very lopsided decision. I'm taking Jones.
Matt Hughes vs Josh Koshcheck (welterweight)
Hughes is another one who is way past his best-before date. he might have a couple of ok fights left in him, but he is getting outclassed badly by anyone of any talent (Penn, GSP, Alves) and getting wins against has-beens and never-weres (Serra, Gracie, Almeida). He hasn't had an impressive win in 4 years. That's a long time, folks. Hughes is a better fighter than Koscheck who is generally overrated, but Koscheck ought to be much faster. I think that'll make the difference. I expect this one to stay on the feet and Koscheck to clip Hughes sometime within 15 minutes. Expect Hughes to reconsider his career after this one. I'm taking Koscheck.
Travis Browne vs Rob Broughton (heavyweight)
This is the third ranked fight? Yikes. Broughton is a Brit with some submission skills, but Browne is a BJJ guy with power. Browne has also faced MUCH tougher competition. I'm taking Browne.
Nate Diaz vs Takanori Gomi (lightweight)
A battle of underachievers. Diaz has talent but lacks brains and a game plan. Gomi came into the UFC with much fanfare but has not impressed me. He is 1-2 in the UFC and prone to submissions. You know who is great at submissions? Diaz. But he has to get him down first. If Diaz stays on his feet he might be in trouble and if it goes to a decision expect it to go Gomi's way. Diaz is 3-5 in his last eight, all losses by decision, all wins by submission. By all accounts Diaz is a douche; but he's a talented douche. Gomi appears to be neither. I'll take Diaz.
Ben Rothwell vs Mark Hunt (heavyweight)
More big boys. Rothwell is a former IFL champ who hasn't done much in the UFC, though his 2009 loss was to future champ Cain Velasquez (which may or may not have been stopped early). He's 31-7 but only 29 and has some big names on his resume. Hunt had an impressive win his last time out after I had written him off. Still, the guys has LOSING RECORD in MMA. How is he in the UFC? Sure, he has a better kickboxing record, but even that is only hit and miss. He has split decision wins over Cro Cop and Wanderlei Silva but those guys are tiny in comparison and that was 7 years ago. I can't pick this guy. I'm picking Rothwell.
Tony Ferguson vs Aaron Riley (lightweight)
I like Ferguson, a TUF champ, but he may be in over his head here. Riley has an impressive record, but can't seem to get the big wins. This is a test for Ferguson. Riley usually goes to decision, while Ferguson has only gone the distance twice in this 13-fight career. I'm picking Ferguson.
Nick Ring vs Tim Boetsch (middleweight)
Ring has a perfect record (though that includes a bizarre win over Riki Fukuda) but Boetsch has way more experience and much bigger names on his resume. At 13-4, Boetsch is no pushover. I think Boetsch is gonna take this one, but I don't wanna bet against the Canadian, so I'll take Ring.
Junior Assuncao vs Eddie Yagin (featherweight)
Assuncao is dropping down for this one. This marks his return to the UFC after a four year and eight fight absence. Both of these guys have decent records and like submissions. Assuncao is much taller, though and should have the advantage on the feet. I'll take Assuncao.
Takeya Mizugaki vs Cole Escovedo (bantamweight)
I can't remember the last time I weighed 135... High school? Escovedo is a former WEC featherweight champ but has fallen on harder times since and has lost three of his last four. Mizugaki did well in Japan, but had a harder time in the WEC. He has won against so-so guys, lost to all the top guys. Is Escovedo a top guy? Not anymore, but I like his chances better. I'm picking Escovedo.
James Te Huna vs Ricardo Romero (light heavyweight)
Te Huna is a submissoins guy who seems to prefer striking these days. Romero is a talented up and comer who lost quickly and badly his last time out. This is a tough one to pick as both guys show potential and are well matched. Te Huna is the wrestler, though, and that would normally give the edge. I'm gonna buck that trend, though, and pick Romero.
Monday, December 13, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, December 10, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
UFC 113 Results
Yet again, I missed most of the event. Ah, family.
Let's see how I did.
Shogun Rua def. Lyoto Machida (KO 1)
Wow. Rua really beat him senseless and earned the victory. Did he earn the title? I dunno. As I've said before, I don't think Rua deserved the original title shot, so... It'll be interesting to see if he can hold the belt any longer than his post-Liddell predecessors (Rampage, Griffin, Evans, Machida). Looks like Lyoto didn't learn anything from the first fight as I had thought he might. Well, he paid for it. Look for the winner of Rampage-Evans to get the next shot, especially since Griffin had to back out of his fight with Little Nog and Couture has been served softballs. (0-1)
Josh Koscheck def. Paul Daley (unanimous)
What a mess this fight was. First, Koscheck doesn't stand and bang as his mouth said he would (good thing, 'cause Daley was clocking him when he got the chance), then Daley loses his mind and sucker punches Koscheck after the bell before Koscheck tells the booing crowd where to stick it. Nice. These guys are all class. Unfortunately, Dana White said before the fight that the winner would get GSP after coaching against the champ during the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, so we're stuck with GSP-Koscheck II. If Koscheck wins, I'll cry. I'm serious. Daley, meanwhile, has been kicked out of the UFC which is exactly what I thought would happen as soon as I saw the punch. (0-2)
Jeremy Stephens def. Sam Stout (split)
Missed this Fight of the Night. Looks like Stephens dominated early, Stout came on late, but couldn't get the W. (0-3)
Matt Mitrione def. Kimbo Slice (TKO 2)
Kimbo did well early, but Mitrione came on strong after punishing the street brawler with leg kicks. According to White, Kimbo is done in the UFC. (0-4)
Alan Belcher def. Patrick Cote (sub 2)
This was Cote's first fight back in a long time, so he could be forgiven for being a little rusty. Still, this fight won't help his stock too much as he got manhandled by Belcher, from what I understand. Too bad, as Cote would have been on the fast track back to a title shot had he won. Now it's Belcher calling for his shot. (0-5)
Joe Doerksen def. Tom Lawlor (sub 2)
Doerksen was the only Canadian to win on this night. Yup, that's one of SEVEN. It also explains my miserable record in this event prediction as I tried to pick the Canucks where possible (which excludes Goulet). Apparently Doerksen looked alright. (1-5)
Marcus Davis def. Jonathan Goulet (TKO 2)
As predicted, Davis got a hold of Goulet's glass jaw and shattered it. I seriously believe Goulet has concussion issues or something, because it seems the lightest taps send him reeling. He should retire for his own health. This can't be good. Glad to see Davis back in the win column. (2-5)
Johny Hendricks def. TJ Grant (majority)
I went against the Canadian on this one, too, and it paid off. Hendricks is a great fighter, though he apparently didn't look too good in this. He called it his worst fight ever. And yet he won. (3-5)
Joey Beltran def. Tim Hague (unanimous)
Ugh. Hague loses again. He must be done with the UFC now. Too bad. Seems like a nice guy. (3-6)
Mike Guymon def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (unanimous)
Boy, I just can't catch a break. (3-7)
John Salter def. Jason MacDonald (TKO 1)
This one really shouldn't count as MacDonald broke his leg in two places while taking Salter down. Looks like The Athlete is gonna be on the shelf for a while. That sucks. (3-8)
Ok, surely this event will go down as my worst performance ever. No more picking the Canadian, that's for sure. Ugh.
NEXT!!
Let's see how I did.
Shogun Rua def. Lyoto Machida (KO 1)
Wow. Rua really beat him senseless and earned the victory. Did he earn the title? I dunno. As I've said before, I don't think Rua deserved the original title shot, so... It'll be interesting to see if he can hold the belt any longer than his post-Liddell predecessors (Rampage, Griffin, Evans, Machida). Looks like Lyoto didn't learn anything from the first fight as I had thought he might. Well, he paid for it. Look for the winner of Rampage-Evans to get the next shot, especially since Griffin had to back out of his fight with Little Nog and Couture has been served softballs. (0-1)
Josh Koscheck def. Paul Daley (unanimous)
What a mess this fight was. First, Koscheck doesn't stand and bang as his mouth said he would (good thing, 'cause Daley was clocking him when he got the chance), then Daley loses his mind and sucker punches Koscheck after the bell before Koscheck tells the booing crowd where to stick it. Nice. These guys are all class. Unfortunately, Dana White said before the fight that the winner would get GSP after coaching against the champ during the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, so we're stuck with GSP-Koscheck II. If Koscheck wins, I'll cry. I'm serious. Daley, meanwhile, has been kicked out of the UFC which is exactly what I thought would happen as soon as I saw the punch. (0-2)
Jeremy Stephens def. Sam Stout (split)
Missed this Fight of the Night. Looks like Stephens dominated early, Stout came on late, but couldn't get the W. (0-3)
Matt Mitrione def. Kimbo Slice (TKO 2)
Kimbo did well early, but Mitrione came on strong after punishing the street brawler with leg kicks. According to White, Kimbo is done in the UFC. (0-4)
Alan Belcher def. Patrick Cote (sub 2)
This was Cote's first fight back in a long time, so he could be forgiven for being a little rusty. Still, this fight won't help his stock too much as he got manhandled by Belcher, from what I understand. Too bad, as Cote would have been on the fast track back to a title shot had he won. Now it's Belcher calling for his shot. (0-5)
Joe Doerksen def. Tom Lawlor (sub 2)
Doerksen was the only Canadian to win on this night. Yup, that's one of SEVEN. It also explains my miserable record in this event prediction as I tried to pick the Canucks where possible (which excludes Goulet). Apparently Doerksen looked alright. (1-5)
Marcus Davis def. Jonathan Goulet (TKO 2)
As predicted, Davis got a hold of Goulet's glass jaw and shattered it. I seriously believe Goulet has concussion issues or something, because it seems the lightest taps send him reeling. He should retire for his own health. This can't be good. Glad to see Davis back in the win column. (2-5)
Johny Hendricks def. TJ Grant (majority)
I went against the Canadian on this one, too, and it paid off. Hendricks is a great fighter, though he apparently didn't look too good in this. He called it his worst fight ever. And yet he won. (3-5)
Joey Beltran def. Tim Hague (unanimous)
Ugh. Hague loses again. He must be done with the UFC now. Too bad. Seems like a nice guy. (3-6)
Mike Guymon def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (unanimous)
Boy, I just can't catch a break. (3-7)
John Salter def. Jason MacDonald (TKO 1)
This one really shouldn't count as MacDonald broke his leg in two places while taking Salter down. Looks like The Athlete is gonna be on the shelf for a while. That sucks. (3-8)
Ok, surely this event will go down as my worst performance ever. No more picking the Canadian, that's for sure. Ugh.
NEXT!!
Friday, May 7, 2010
UFC 113 Montreal Picks
Not a lot of time to fart around today, so let's get to the picks for UFC 113 in Montreal.
Lyoto Machida vs Shogun Rua (light heavyweight) - This the "much anticipated" sequel to UFC 104 when a controversial decision prompted the UFC to grant an "immediate" rematch. As I said before, I didn't think Rua deserved the original title fight, but, hey, I don't get to pick the fights, so here we are. I'm not sure either of these guys are in the top two in this division, but circumstances have brought them here. I'm going to assume that Machida will be smarter this time and not be surprised by Rua's leg chops. I'll pick Machida. If Rua wins, every fighter who is Forrest Griffin or beaten Forrest Griffin will be chomping at the bit for a shot.
Josh Koscheck vs Paul Daley (welterweight) - If they stay on the feet, Daley will KO the loud-mouthed bleach blonde but if Koscheck can get the fight to the ground, look for him to lay and pray a decision. Koscheck is cocky enough to challenge Daley on his feet, so I'll pick Daley.
Sam Stout vs Jeremy Stephens (lightweight) - Can I really go against the Canadian? I dunno. Stout can be impressive, but at times he is predictable and one-dimensional. He tends to stand and box, but this is MMA not the WBC. Stephens is a spark plug. Still, I’ll pick Stout by decision.
Kimbo Slice vs Matt Mitrione (heavyweight) – Why does Kimbo fight at heavyweight and not light heavy? I don’t get it. He’s listed at 215, so can’t he cut 10 pounds? It puts him at a disadvantage against bigger, heavier guys. Mitrione isn’t the biggest heavyweight around, but he’s close enough. If Mitrione had serious wrestling skills, I’d pick him in a heartbeat, but he tends to stand and bang. He’s got the fists to back it up, too. My head says to pick Mitrione, but Kimbo needs this win and he is being fed his type of opponent. I’ll pick Kimbo for fun, but I wouldn’t lay money on it.
Patrick Cote vs Alan Belcher (middleweight) – Identical records, but Belcher is the bigger guy and has more skills. Belcher seems to always might mid-card guys whereas Cote has a little more time in the sun thanks to matches against Tito Ortiz, Anderson Silva and his TUF experience. When in doubt, go with the Canadian, I guess. I’ll pick Cote.
Joe Doerksen vs Tom Lawlor (middleweight) – Doerksen has an insane amount of experience and, well, he’s Canadian. Lawlor is a wrestler, Doerksen is a JJ guy. I’ll got with Team Canada again. Doerksen for the nod.
Marcus Davis vs Jonathan Goulet (welterweight) – I’m picking Davis. No doubt about it. If you’re betting on Goulet you have too much money to burn. Goulet does occasionally show up, but not recently in the UFC (though he did shockingly win Fight of the Night last time in Montreal – didn’t see it). His fights have been highlight reel fodder for his opponents. Make no mistake: Goulet is on the card ONLY because the event is in Montreal. I’m picking my boy Davis. Let’s hope this is the start of a new winning streak for him.
TJ Grant vs Johny Hendricks (welterweight) – Once again, I’m going to go against the Canadian. TJ Grant has a very decent record but Hendricks has been amazing and remains undefeated. I’m picking Hendricks.
Tim Hague vs Joey Beltran (heavyweight) – Which Hague will show up? The one who debuted with the UFC and choked a dude out or the one who got KO’d in 7 seconds? He was apparently robbed his last time out (didn’t see it) so here’s thinking he’ll be hungry and looking to finish. Beltran has an impressive record but his last fight against Rolles Gracie was far form impressive. I’ll pick Hague.
Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs Mike Guymon (welterweight) – Yoshida ended up on Koscheck’s highlight reel but he has a better record than that. Guymon really has zip on his resume though he has a decent record. I’ll pick Yoshida.
Jason MacDonald vs John Salter (middleweight) – MacDonald stepped in for David Loiseau who stepped in for Nick Catone. You gotta wonder what this does to Salter. When guys don’t get to prepare for a specific opponent, it’s all about your skill. MacDonald has more experience and he does have skills when he uses his head and sticks to his game plan. I’ll pick MacDonald.
Lyoto Machida vs Shogun Rua (light heavyweight) - This the "much anticipated" sequel to UFC 104 when a controversial decision prompted the UFC to grant an "immediate" rematch. As I said before, I didn't think Rua deserved the original title fight, but, hey, I don't get to pick the fights, so here we are. I'm not sure either of these guys are in the top two in this division, but circumstances have brought them here. I'm going to assume that Machida will be smarter this time and not be surprised by Rua's leg chops. I'll pick Machida. If Rua wins, every fighter who is Forrest Griffin or beaten Forrest Griffin will be chomping at the bit for a shot.
Josh Koscheck vs Paul Daley (welterweight) - If they stay on the feet, Daley will KO the loud-mouthed bleach blonde but if Koscheck can get the fight to the ground, look for him to lay and pray a decision. Koscheck is cocky enough to challenge Daley on his feet, so I'll pick Daley.
Sam Stout vs Jeremy Stephens (lightweight) - Can I really go against the Canadian? I dunno. Stout can be impressive, but at times he is predictable and one-dimensional. He tends to stand and box, but this is MMA not the WBC. Stephens is a spark plug. Still, I’ll pick Stout by decision.
Kimbo Slice vs Matt Mitrione (heavyweight) – Why does Kimbo fight at heavyweight and not light heavy? I don’t get it. He’s listed at 215, so can’t he cut 10 pounds? It puts him at a disadvantage against bigger, heavier guys. Mitrione isn’t the biggest heavyweight around, but he’s close enough. If Mitrione had serious wrestling skills, I’d pick him in a heartbeat, but he tends to stand and bang. He’s got the fists to back it up, too. My head says to pick Mitrione, but Kimbo needs this win and he is being fed his type of opponent. I’ll pick Kimbo for fun, but I wouldn’t lay money on it.
Patrick Cote vs Alan Belcher (middleweight) – Identical records, but Belcher is the bigger guy and has more skills. Belcher seems to always might mid-card guys whereas Cote has a little more time in the sun thanks to matches against Tito Ortiz, Anderson Silva and his TUF experience. When in doubt, go with the Canadian, I guess. I’ll pick Cote.
Joe Doerksen vs Tom Lawlor (middleweight) – Doerksen has an insane amount of experience and, well, he’s Canadian. Lawlor is a wrestler, Doerksen is a JJ guy. I’ll got with Team Canada again. Doerksen for the nod.
Marcus Davis vs Jonathan Goulet (welterweight) – I’m picking Davis. No doubt about it. If you’re betting on Goulet you have too much money to burn. Goulet does occasionally show up, but not recently in the UFC (though he did shockingly win Fight of the Night last time in Montreal – didn’t see it). His fights have been highlight reel fodder for his opponents. Make no mistake: Goulet is on the card ONLY because the event is in Montreal. I’m picking my boy Davis. Let’s hope this is the start of a new winning streak for him.
TJ Grant vs Johny Hendricks (welterweight) – Once again, I’m going to go against the Canadian. TJ Grant has a very decent record but Hendricks has been amazing and remains undefeated. I’m picking Hendricks.
Tim Hague vs Joey Beltran (heavyweight) – Which Hague will show up? The one who debuted with the UFC and choked a dude out or the one who got KO’d in 7 seconds? He was apparently robbed his last time out (didn’t see it) so here’s thinking he’ll be hungry and looking to finish. Beltran has an impressive record but his last fight against Rolles Gracie was far form impressive. I’ll pick Hague.
Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs Mike Guymon (welterweight) – Yoshida ended up on Koscheck’s highlight reel but he has a better record than that. Guymon really has zip on his resume though he has a decent record. I’ll pick Yoshida.
Jason MacDonald vs John Salter (middleweight) – MacDonald stepped in for David Loiseau who stepped in for Nick Catone. You gotta wonder what this does to Salter. When guys don’t get to prepare for a specific opponent, it’s all about your skill. MacDonald has more experience and he does have skills when he uses his head and sticks to his game plan. I’ll pick MacDonald.
Friday, December 11, 2009
UFC 107 Predictions
Another week, another UFC event - this time on PPV - and yet again, I'm gonna miss it. This time, even TiVo won't save me. F*ck!
It's shaping up to be a good one, too. And with the health of most elite UFC fighters these days being fragile at best, it may be the best collection of fights we'll see for a while.
Ok, my picks:
BJ Penn vs Diego Sanchez
Am I the only one who gives Sanchez even odds in this fight? Sanchez ought to be the bigger, stronger fighter and he has a wide range of skills, much like Penn. He's no rookie, either, and aside from a bad health stretch a while back, his record is pretty much spotless. He could have easily been undefeated at this point. Yet people seem to think he's a ridiculous underdog in this fight. Ridiculous? Maybe. Underdog? Not by much. If this fight goes into the third round and beyond, Sanchez's odds of winning increase exponentially. Sanchez doesn't seem to tire and Penn still has an anemic gas tank as we saw with GSP. I think Penn is the smarter fighter and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he gets a decision (I can't see him finishing Sanchez), but I'm gonna go balls out and pick Sanchez to pull off the "upset" and become the new lightweight champ.
Frank Mir vs Cheick Kongo
Kongo could lay and pray all night and try to blast Mir like Lesnar did, but I don't see it. I think Kongo will try to stand all night while Mir will be desperate to get this fight to the ground. If it does go to the mat, look for Mir to secure a submission. Otherwise, this could turn out to be yet another boring Kongo dance. I'm pulling for Mir.
Jon Fitch vs Mike Pierce
Pierce seems ok, but I don't think too many fighters are in Fitch's class. I think this fight will get Fitch back into contention and possibly set up a Fitch-Koschceck #1 contender's fight to face the GSP-Hardy winner.
Kenny Florian vs Clay Guida
A potential fight of the night battle between two guys who like to go and try to finish fights. Guida is a freak of nature with his cardio, so Florian will have his hands full. It's almost impossible to knock Guida out, so Florian will likely try to work the submissions, likely from the bottom as Guida uses his wrestling skills. I don't like Florian's odds in this one. I could see Guida getting the decision. Sorry, KenFlo.
Paul Buentello vs Stefan Struve
Buentello returns to the UFC. Can't say I was a fan of his the first time around. He was famously knocked out by Andrei Arlovski. Struve will have his usual massive height and reach advantage, so it'll be interesting to see if Buentello can get inside and use his power - otherwise, he's screwed. I could see Struve wearing Buentello out, and securing a submission in the third round. I'll pick him.
Alan Belcher vs Wilson Gouveia - Two guys who tend not to impress but somehow manage to get wins when you least expect them. Not sure who to pick here. Belcher works hard, at least, whereas Gouveia seems to fluke out knockouts. I'll pick...Belcher?
Matt Wiman vs Shane Nelson - I'm a fan of Wiman's so I'd like to see him get back on the winning track. Three losses in a row could be the end of him. I'll pick Wiman.
Johny Hendricks vs Ricardo Funch - Hendricks is good and Funch is a nobody who has fought no one of consequence. I'll take the experienced guy.
Rousimar Palhares vs Lucio Linhares - Palhares is awesome but needs to drop a weight class. He's too small at middleweight. He'll be six inches shorter than his opponent. Still, I'll pick him for fun.
DeMarques Johnson vs Edgar Garcia - Johnson didn't exactly overwhelm me with his talent on TUF, so I'll go with the darkhorse Garcia who will have something to prove after dropping his UFC debut (his only MMA loss).
Kevin Burns vs TJ Grant - Can't go against the Canadian in a toss up fight. I'll pick Grant.
I look forward to reading the results... *sigh*
It's shaping up to be a good one, too. And with the health of most elite UFC fighters these days being fragile at best, it may be the best collection of fights we'll see for a while.
Ok, my picks:
BJ Penn vs Diego Sanchez
Am I the only one who gives Sanchez even odds in this fight? Sanchez ought to be the bigger, stronger fighter and he has a wide range of skills, much like Penn. He's no rookie, either, and aside from a bad health stretch a while back, his record is pretty much spotless. He could have easily been undefeated at this point. Yet people seem to think he's a ridiculous underdog in this fight. Ridiculous? Maybe. Underdog? Not by much. If this fight goes into the third round and beyond, Sanchez's odds of winning increase exponentially. Sanchez doesn't seem to tire and Penn still has an anemic gas tank as we saw with GSP. I think Penn is the smarter fighter and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he gets a decision (I can't see him finishing Sanchez), but I'm gonna go balls out and pick Sanchez to pull off the "upset" and become the new lightweight champ.
Frank Mir vs Cheick Kongo
Kongo could lay and pray all night and try to blast Mir like Lesnar did, but I don't see it. I think Kongo will try to stand all night while Mir will be desperate to get this fight to the ground. If it does go to the mat, look for Mir to secure a submission. Otherwise, this could turn out to be yet another boring Kongo dance. I'm pulling for Mir.
Jon Fitch vs Mike Pierce
Pierce seems ok, but I don't think too many fighters are in Fitch's class. I think this fight will get Fitch back into contention and possibly set up a Fitch-Koschceck #1 contender's fight to face the GSP-Hardy winner.
Kenny Florian vs Clay Guida
A potential fight of the night battle between two guys who like to go and try to finish fights. Guida is a freak of nature with his cardio, so Florian will have his hands full. It's almost impossible to knock Guida out, so Florian will likely try to work the submissions, likely from the bottom as Guida uses his wrestling skills. I don't like Florian's odds in this one. I could see Guida getting the decision. Sorry, KenFlo.
Paul Buentello vs Stefan Struve
Buentello returns to the UFC. Can't say I was a fan of his the first time around. He was famously knocked out by Andrei Arlovski. Struve will have his usual massive height and reach advantage, so it'll be interesting to see if Buentello can get inside and use his power - otherwise, he's screwed. I could see Struve wearing Buentello out, and securing a submission in the third round. I'll pick him.
Alan Belcher vs Wilson Gouveia - Two guys who tend not to impress but somehow manage to get wins when you least expect them. Not sure who to pick here. Belcher works hard, at least, whereas Gouveia seems to fluke out knockouts. I'll pick...Belcher?
Matt Wiman vs Shane Nelson - I'm a fan of Wiman's so I'd like to see him get back on the winning track. Three losses in a row could be the end of him. I'll pick Wiman.
Johny Hendricks vs Ricardo Funch - Hendricks is good and Funch is a nobody who has fought no one of consequence. I'll take the experienced guy.
Rousimar Palhares vs Lucio Linhares - Palhares is awesome but needs to drop a weight class. He's too small at middleweight. He'll be six inches shorter than his opponent. Still, I'll pick him for fun.
DeMarques Johnson vs Edgar Garcia - Johnson didn't exactly overwhelm me with his talent on TUF, so I'll go with the darkhorse Garcia who will have something to prove after dropping his UFC debut (his only MMA loss).
Kevin Burns vs TJ Grant - Can't go against the Canadian in a toss up fight. I'll pick Grant.
I look forward to reading the results... *sigh*
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.
Friday, October 30, 2009
My Psychic Powers: Koscheck to fight Johnson at UFC 106
Holy crap! I really am a mind-bender! I can even make Dana White and Joe Silva do my bidding!
Yesterday - YESTERDAY - in my UFC 104 recap, I wrote the following (as I'm sure you remember):
Guess what? I open TSN.ca today and find out that the two are now scheduled to meet in a hastily-arranged battle at UFC 106, in part because the card has suffered the loss of Lesnar vs Carwin.
This ought to be a great fight and a BIG test for Johnson. If he wins this, look for him to go right to the top of the rankings and perhaps be next in line to fight GSP (because he'd be one of the few top-flighters GSP hasn't beaten yet).
So: how should I use my psychic powers next?
Remember: with great power comes great responsibility.
Yesterday - YESTERDAY - in my UFC 104 recap, I wrote the following (as I'm sure you remember):
Anthony Johnson def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (TKO 1) - I'll be shocked if this isn't
the end of Yoshida in the UFC after two massive knockouts. Johnson is gonna get
a bigger push now. I'd pay to see him and Koscheck. (2-3)
Guess what? I open TSN.ca today and find out that the two are now scheduled to meet in a hastily-arranged battle at UFC 106, in part because the card has suffered the loss of Lesnar vs Carwin.
This ought to be a great fight and a BIG test for Johnson. If he wins this, look for him to go right to the top of the rankings and perhaps be next in line to fight GSP (because he'd be one of the few top-flighters GSP hasn't beaten yet).
So: how should I use my psychic powers next?
Remember: with great power comes great responsibility.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
UFC 104 Results
Turns out I pretty much completely missed the event, what with all the hob-knobbing I had to do that night, so I couldn't telepathically tell the fighters what to do. And so, many of my picks lost.
Let's inspect the dammage:
Lyoto Machida def. Mauricio Rua (unanimous) - It seems the three judges at ringside were the only ones who could unanimously agree Machida won this fight. There was an immediate uproar and booing of the champ when he retained the title. I only saw the last two rounds but when I walked in the door, the other guys were already calling it for Rua. One guy even paid his losing bet before the fight was over. We were stunned - STUNNED - when Machida's arm was raised. Judging by the champ's reaction, he was, too. Now there's talk of a rematch. Seriously? Ok, I get it that the UFC thinks Rua might have been robbed, but there are a bunch of guys waiting to fight the champ. Guys who HAVEN'T lost to him. Former champs who didn't get a rematch. When do THEY get their shot? Well, at least I picked the "winner" right. (1-0)
Cain Velasquez def. Ben Rothwell (TKO 2) - More controversy. Apparently this one was stopped early. From what I saw of replays, it looks like Rothwell was getting hammered, but was in no real danger. Oh, the ref was Mazzagatti, by the way. Go figure. From what I hear, Velasquez wasn't exactly impressive in terms of punching power. We'll see how far his wrestling takes him. (1-1)
Gleison Tibau def. Josh Neer (unanimous) - Yup. Should have gone with my heart. (1-2)
Joe Stevenson def. Spencer Fisher (sub 2) - This was a shocker for me. Looks like Stevenson threw Fisher around and then lay the smack down. I'm still in disbelief. Wanna see the replay. (1-3)
Anthony Johnson def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (TKO 1) - I'll be shocked if this isn't the end of Yoshida in the UFC after two massive knockouts. Johnson is gonna get a bigger push now. I'd pay to see him and Koscheck. (2-3)
Ryan Bader Vs. Eric Schafer (unanimous) - Bader dominated most of the fight. He lost some gas in the second but regained enough composure to take the third. Hopefully he learns not to tucker himself out in the first round. Schafer impressed with his chin (is that a compliment?). (3-3)
Pat Barry def. Antoni Hardonk (TKO 2) - Wow. Did Barry ever impress! Look for him to get more face time in the UFC. Fight of the Night for sure. (4-3)
Chael Sonnen def. Yushin Okami (unanimous) - No idea what happened here. I think Okami is likely on his way out of the UFC. (4-4)
Jorge Rivera def. Rob Kimmons (TKO 3) - Apparently Kimmons lost yet another big fight. Didn't see it. (4-5)
Kyle Kingsbury def. Razak Al-Hassan (split) - No idea. (4-6)
Stefan Struve def. Chase Gormley (sub 1) - Seems I did well on the fights I saw. Struve used his height to his advantage, wrapping his legs around Gormley for the choke. Not surprisingly, it won Submission of the Night - it was the only one! (5-6)
So 4-0 on the fights I saw (yay telepathy!) and 1-6 otherwise. I should have been one of those goat staring guys.
Let's inspect the dammage:
Lyoto Machida def. Mauricio Rua (unanimous) - It seems the three judges at ringside were the only ones who could unanimously agree Machida won this fight. There was an immediate uproar and booing of the champ when he retained the title. I only saw the last two rounds but when I walked in the door, the other guys were already calling it for Rua. One guy even paid his losing bet before the fight was over. We were stunned - STUNNED - when Machida's arm was raised. Judging by the champ's reaction, he was, too. Now there's talk of a rematch. Seriously? Ok, I get it that the UFC thinks Rua might have been robbed, but there are a bunch of guys waiting to fight the champ. Guys who HAVEN'T lost to him. Former champs who didn't get a rematch. When do THEY get their shot? Well, at least I picked the "winner" right. (1-0)
Cain Velasquez def. Ben Rothwell (TKO 2) - More controversy. Apparently this one was stopped early. From what I saw of replays, it looks like Rothwell was getting hammered, but was in no real danger. Oh, the ref was Mazzagatti, by the way. Go figure. From what I hear, Velasquez wasn't exactly impressive in terms of punching power. We'll see how far his wrestling takes him. (1-1)
Gleison Tibau def. Josh Neer (unanimous) - Yup. Should have gone with my heart. (1-2)
Joe Stevenson def. Spencer Fisher (sub 2) - This was a shocker for me. Looks like Stevenson threw Fisher around and then lay the smack down. I'm still in disbelief. Wanna see the replay. (1-3)
Anthony Johnson def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (TKO 1) - I'll be shocked if this isn't the end of Yoshida in the UFC after two massive knockouts. Johnson is gonna get a bigger push now. I'd pay to see him and Koscheck. (2-3)
Ryan Bader Vs. Eric Schafer (unanimous) - Bader dominated most of the fight. He lost some gas in the second but regained enough composure to take the third. Hopefully he learns not to tucker himself out in the first round. Schafer impressed with his chin (is that a compliment?). (3-3)
Pat Barry def. Antoni Hardonk (TKO 2) - Wow. Did Barry ever impress! Look for him to get more face time in the UFC. Fight of the Night for sure. (4-3)
Chael Sonnen def. Yushin Okami (unanimous) - No idea what happened here. I think Okami is likely on his way out of the UFC. (4-4)
Jorge Rivera def. Rob Kimmons (TKO 3) - Apparently Kimmons lost yet another big fight. Didn't see it. (4-5)
Kyle Kingsbury def. Razak Al-Hassan (split) - No idea. (4-6)
Stefan Struve def. Chase Gormley (sub 1) - Seems I did well on the fights I saw. Struve used his height to his advantage, wrapping his legs around Gormley for the choke. Not surprisingly, it won Submission of the Night - it was the only one! (5-6)
So 4-0 on the fights I saw (yay telepathy!) and 1-6 otherwise. I should have been one of those goat staring guys.
Monday, September 21, 2009
UFC 103 Results
Ok, how'd I do?
Vitor Belfort def. Rich Franklin (KO 1) - Although I had been pulling for Franklin and pegged him to win a decision, I could sense he was gonna get run over very early in the fight. There was this sense that this main event wasn't going to live up to the hype. Sometimes you can almost feel it - that the fight is going to end quickly and in a disappointing fashion. I don't say disappointing here because Franklin lost, but because of the way the fight ended. I mean, there really wasn't any action, and then, like GSP v Serra I, the fighter gets hit with a weird, top-of-the-head kind of glancing blow that stuns him enough that he's on the road to sleepyland. Did the fight make Belfort seem more dangerous? Not really, because he didn't really dominate or get to show his stuff. It was...unsatisfying. (0-1)
Junior Dos Santos def. Mirko Cro Cop (sub 3) - I'm officially done with Cro Cop. And he's done with MMA, as far as I can tell. He may still show up and get paid, but he shows very little heart or effort. And where are his legendary skills? I mean, he spends half his time backing up and pushing his opponent away. He rarely unloads and when he does he tends to miss. He seems to be intimidated by bigger more aggressive opponents. I get the sense he should try dropping to light heavytweight. Dos Santos looked ok, but I'm not buying into his hype yet. (1-1)
Paul Daley def. Martin Kampmann (KO 1) - This was a pretty massive upset. Kampmann was supposed to fight Mike Swick for the #1 contender's spot, but instead he gets new kid Daley and promptly sees his title hopes derailed. He won't get GSP anytime soon after that performance. Swick may actually have backed into the slot. Look for Daley to get a push and face another big name soon. (1-2)
Josh Koscheck def. Frank Trigg (KO 1) - And the UFC signed Trigg to a multiple fight contract? I bet they're second-guessing that decision now. Trigg got smoked and it'll take a big performance in his next fight to earn any credibility back, as far as I'm concerned. He wasn't exactly well-rounded back in the day, and now, at his age, he's practically a relic. I would love to see Koscheck and Matt Hughes go at it, if only to see one of them lose. :P It would be a great fight, though. (2-2)
Tyson Griffin def. Hermes Franca (TKO 2) - Please get Hermes Franca out of the UFC. That performance was pathetic. Was he high? With that purple hair, you never know. He basically didn't show up. I assume he was looking to counter in the first because he hardly threw a punch. The second started off better, but he still looked out of it, leaving himself completely exposed for the jab that led to the end. Terrible. (3-2)
UNDERCARD
Efrain Escudero def. Cole Miller (KO 1) - I was surprised by this result, and I think Miller was, too. Miller is a better fighter than that and he just got caught. I got the sense he knew right away he had blown a fight he expected to win. (3-3)
Tomasz Drwal def. Drew McFedries (sub 2) - McFedries may have dynamite in his hands, but he had oil in his lungs. No stamina whatsoever. As expected, once Drwal survived the first 2 minutes, he was in the clear. The rest was academic. (4-3)
Jim Miller def. Steve Lopez (TKO 2) - Didn't exactly end as expected. Lopez's shoulder looked pretty nasty afterwards. Shame to lose by injury like that. (5-3)
Nik Lentz def. Rafaello Oliveira (unanimous) - Lentz pulled it off though it was in doubt for a while. (6-3)
Rick Story def. Brian Foster (sub 1) - Weird finish with Story winning by arm triangle from within the guard. Missed most of this fight though apparently it was a doozy. (7-3)
Eliot Marshall def. Jason Brilz (split) - One of two fights not shown, I think. Sounds like it might have been a dull one with Marshall squeaking uot the decision. (8-3)
Vladimir Matyushenko def. Igor Pokrajac (unanimous) - The other one we didn't see. (9-3)
Rafael Dos Anjos def. Rob Emerson (unanimous) - Emerson is a nice guy but I don't think he belongs in the UFC. Dos Anjos looked decent and has likely earned a reprieve. (10-3)
Whoa: 10-3! That's pretty impressive. :) Maybe I can get that analyst's job after all!
Entertaining event. It didn't look like much on paper, but it delivered some good fights with a variety of interesting finishes.
Vitor Belfort def. Rich Franklin (KO 1) - Although I had been pulling for Franklin and pegged him to win a decision, I could sense he was gonna get run over very early in the fight. There was this sense that this main event wasn't going to live up to the hype. Sometimes you can almost feel it - that the fight is going to end quickly and in a disappointing fashion. I don't say disappointing here because Franklin lost, but because of the way the fight ended. I mean, there really wasn't any action, and then, like GSP v Serra I, the fighter gets hit with a weird, top-of-the-head kind of glancing blow that stuns him enough that he's on the road to sleepyland. Did the fight make Belfort seem more dangerous? Not really, because he didn't really dominate or get to show his stuff. It was...unsatisfying. (0-1)
Junior Dos Santos def. Mirko Cro Cop (sub 3) - I'm officially done with Cro Cop. And he's done with MMA, as far as I can tell. He may still show up and get paid, but he shows very little heart or effort. And where are his legendary skills? I mean, he spends half his time backing up and pushing his opponent away. He rarely unloads and when he does he tends to miss. He seems to be intimidated by bigger more aggressive opponents. I get the sense he should try dropping to light heavytweight. Dos Santos looked ok, but I'm not buying into his hype yet. (1-1)
Paul Daley def. Martin Kampmann (KO 1) - This was a pretty massive upset. Kampmann was supposed to fight Mike Swick for the #1 contender's spot, but instead he gets new kid Daley and promptly sees his title hopes derailed. He won't get GSP anytime soon after that performance. Swick may actually have backed into the slot. Look for Daley to get a push and face another big name soon. (1-2)
Josh Koscheck def. Frank Trigg (KO 1) - And the UFC signed Trigg to a multiple fight contract? I bet they're second-guessing that decision now. Trigg got smoked and it'll take a big performance in his next fight to earn any credibility back, as far as I'm concerned. He wasn't exactly well-rounded back in the day, and now, at his age, he's practically a relic. I would love to see Koscheck and Matt Hughes go at it, if only to see one of them lose. :P It would be a great fight, though. (2-2)
Tyson Griffin def. Hermes Franca (TKO 2) - Please get Hermes Franca out of the UFC. That performance was pathetic. Was he high? With that purple hair, you never know. He basically didn't show up. I assume he was looking to counter in the first because he hardly threw a punch. The second started off better, but he still looked out of it, leaving himself completely exposed for the jab that led to the end. Terrible. (3-2)
UNDERCARD
Efrain Escudero def. Cole Miller (KO 1) - I was surprised by this result, and I think Miller was, too. Miller is a better fighter than that and he just got caught. I got the sense he knew right away he had blown a fight he expected to win. (3-3)
Tomasz Drwal def. Drew McFedries (sub 2) - McFedries may have dynamite in his hands, but he had oil in his lungs. No stamina whatsoever. As expected, once Drwal survived the first 2 minutes, he was in the clear. The rest was academic. (4-3)
Jim Miller def. Steve Lopez (TKO 2) - Didn't exactly end as expected. Lopez's shoulder looked pretty nasty afterwards. Shame to lose by injury like that. (5-3)
Nik Lentz def. Rafaello Oliveira (unanimous) - Lentz pulled it off though it was in doubt for a while. (6-3)
Rick Story def. Brian Foster (sub 1) - Weird finish with Story winning by arm triangle from within the guard. Missed most of this fight though apparently it was a doozy. (7-3)
Eliot Marshall def. Jason Brilz (split) - One of two fights not shown, I think. Sounds like it might have been a dull one with Marshall squeaking uot the decision. (8-3)
Vladimir Matyushenko def. Igor Pokrajac (unanimous) - The other one we didn't see. (9-3)
Rafael Dos Anjos def. Rob Emerson (unanimous) - Emerson is a nice guy but I don't think he belongs in the UFC. Dos Anjos looked decent and has likely earned a reprieve. (10-3)
Whoa: 10-3! That's pretty impressive. :) Maybe I can get that analyst's job after all!
Entertaining event. It didn't look like much on paper, but it delivered some good fights with a variety of interesting finishes.
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