UFC 136 Results

Let's have a look...

Frankie Edgar def. Gray Maynard (TKO 4)
Looks like Maynard had Edgar in trouble in the first once again and, yet again, could not finish him. Edgar clipped Maynard in the fourth and managed to get the job done. (0-1)

Jose Aldo def. Kenny Florian (unanimous)
Florian was game, but Aldo was better. (1-1)

Chael Sonnen def. Brian Stann (sub 2)
Big win for Sonnen puts him right back in the title picture. (2-1)

Joe Lauzon def. Melvin Guillard (sub 1)
So much for Guillard's title run. A loss to a guy who is arguably just outside the top ten is a big setback. A loss in under a minute? Fuggetaboutit. (3-1)

Nam Phan def. Leonard Garcia (unanimous)
Phan came out of the right side of this one. LOTS of punches thrown. (4-1)

Demian Maia def. Jorge Santiago (unanimous)
They stayed on their feet until Maia decided to wrestle Santiago to the ground. Not a very interesting fight. (5-1)

Anthony Pettis def. Jeremy Stevens (split)
Decent stand up fight. But Pettis was better. (6-1)

Stipe Miocic def. Joey Beltran (unanimous)
Upset special! (7-1)

Darren Elkins def. Tiequan Zhang (unanimous)
Looks like Zhang couldn't get the KO shot he hunts for. (7-2)

Aaron Simpson def. Eric Schafer (uanimous)
Looks like Shafer may be on his way out again. (8-2)

Mike Massenzio def. Steve Cantwell (unanimous)
Loser goes home? (8-3)

Lots of decisions in this one. Not a very entertaining night, it seems; at least on the undercard. Still, 8-3? I'll take that!

UFC 136 Edgar vs Maynard III Picks

Here we go again!

These two put on a good show, so I'm not complaining. Who's gonna win? Let's find out.

Frankie Edgar vs Gray Maynard (lightweight)
Third time's a charm, right? So by that rationale, Edgar ought to take this... These guys are pretty evenly matched, with Edgar having the edge in speed and Maynard the edge in power. What will be different this time? Probably not much. Maynard could certainly fight smarter. He had Edgar at his mercy last time out, but instead of finishing off the champ with precision punches and elbows or even a choke, he threw punches in bunches and tired himself out without doing enough damage to end the fight. Lots of guys make this mistake when they have a guy on the ropes. If he fights smarter, I have Maynard taking it. If not, Edgar will take the decision. I'm picking Maynard.

Jose Aldo vs Kenny Florian (featherweight)
It's hard to go against Kenny. He's a smart fighter and knows what he has to do to win. But this is only his second fight at featherweight and he is taking on a very game champ. They are both BJJ/Muay Thai/boxing guys, with Aldo having the edge in power and Kenny having a slight reach/size advantage. Can Aldo knock out Kenny? Can Kenny choke out Aldo? Honestly, I don't like Kenny's chances here. He doesn't have featherweight speed. I could see him gassing or getting caught by a big punch. I'd like to pick him, but it wouldn't be smart. I'm picking Aldo.

Chael Sonnen vs Brian Stann (middleweight)
These two are very evenly matched as well, but Sonnen is the smarter fighter and has more to prove. ...But he hasn't fought in a year. Stann has two fights this calendar year alone. Impressive as they were, they were both against guys willing to bang. I don't see Sonnen being that stupid. He'll take Stann down and work him from there. Stann has proven in the past to have trouble off his back. A year ago, I would have picked Sonnen hands down. Now I'm not so sure. A year off is a long time. Still, I'll pick Sonnen.

Melvin Guillard vs Joe Lauzon (lightweight)
This ought to be interesting. A true clash of styles. Guillard is lightning fast with incredible power. Lauzon is a tactician with great submissions skills. Can Lauzon get Guillard to the ground? If he does, he takes it. If he doesn't, he's toast. I could see Lauzon getting KTFO or taking it easily by submission in the first round. I like Lauzon, while Guillard still comes off as a child in a man's body. I'll pick Lauzon.

Leonard Garcia vs Nam Phan (featherweight)
The rematch. Garcia got the decision the first time while Phan got robbed. He deserved the decision, but somehow the judges saw it differently. It was an ugly fight and this one probably won't be much prettier. Garcia is a wild man. He throws looping punches with abandon. Phan will be more technical and the winner will likely be determined by which judges are sitting octagon-side. While Phan did well on TUF he is hardly a top-notch fighter. He has lost his last two fights, 4 of his last 5, 5 of 7, and 7 of 11. Garcia, for his part, is hit and miss, but at least has faced decent opponents. He just can't beat any of them. His claim to fame is a controversial (again) win over the Korean Zombie as well as a KO win over an over-ripe Jens Pulver. So who takes this one? Let's go with Phan for fun.

Demian Maia vs Jorge Santiago (middleweight)
I like Maia. As long as he takes the fight to the ground. Recently, he has been relying a bit too much on his standup and taking fights to a decision. Santiago lost to Brian Stann the last time out and seems to have trouble inside the octagon in general. He has also lost fights to Diego Sanchez and Manvel Gamburyan (a 0:21 KO!). He has a lot of experience, but Maia is a top-notch BJJ fighter and I sense Santiago isn't quite up to his level. I'm picking Maia.

Anthony Pettis vs Jeremy Stevens (lightweight)
Could be fight of the night. Pettis is the former WEC lightweight champ and might have been UFC lightweight champ had he not dropped the ball against the always tough Clay Guida. Stevens is always game, always shows up to fight - he just tends to come out on the short end of decisions against top-flight competition. Pettis is definitely top flight. I'm picking Pettis.

Joey Beltran vs Stipe Miocic (heavyweight)
Beltran is hit and miss. You never know what you're going to get. He isn't fancy, but he's tough. But...Stipe who? Exactly. But guess what: this guy is a former Golden Gloves champ and NCAA Div I wrestler. He's also 6-0 with KO wins and a submission by LEG KICKS. His resume seems weird, though, with wins over guys named Gregory Maynard (not Gray), Jeremy Holm (not Horn) and Paul Barry (not Pat). Assuming this isn't a gag, this guy could prove to be very tough. Let's hope for fireworks. I've never been a big fan of Beltran's, so I'm gonna go with the dark horse upset special here and pick Miocic.

Tiequan Zhang vs Darren Elkins (featherweight)
Elkins is a wrestler with KO power and submission skills. Very dangerous. Zhang finishes guys fast and has only one loss - by decision. This could be over quick. Zhang has some wrestling in his background but he is definitely a submissions guy. If Elkins tries to take this to the ground, it could get very interesting. I'll pick Zhang.

Aaron Simpson vs Eric Schafer (middleweight)
Both of these guys are mid-carders looking for a break. Both tend to lose against top guys but have otherwise been impressive. Schafer is getting a second chance with the UFC as an injury replacement after being cut a year and a half ago. Simpson is 5-2 in the UFC and in no immediate danger of being cut, it seems. So will desperation lead to a win for Schafer? I don't see it that way. I'm picking Simpson.

Steve Cantwell vs Mike Massenzio (middleweight)
I'm not quite sure why this fight is on the card. Cantwell has lost three in a row and is dropping down to middleweight. Massenzio is often cannon fodder as well, having lost 3 of 4 and 5 of 7. I assume the loser goes home in this one. I don't like the looks of either of these guys but Cantwell is a former WEC champ and Masenzio has a loss to CB effing Dollaway on his resume. I'm picking Cantwell.

Too bad I'm gonna miss this event due to Thanksgiving. Most of the card looks great.

UFC 131 Results

Missed the event - again. Ugh. My schedule is a mess.

Well, let's see how I did.

Junior Dos Santos def. Shane Carwin (unanimous)
Everyone expected this to end quick, but both fighters showed they have strong chins. And it helped that they didn't really engage all that much. Junior had Carwin down late in the first and really should have ended it, but backed off perhaps for fear of gassing himself out. he might have been able to get a sub though. Carwin showed much better cardio this time. He also used his wrestling a bit more, but still not enough. It cost him. (0-1)

Kenny Florian def. Diego Nunes (unanimous)
Didn't see much of this, but it appears that Florian simply frustrated Nunes and wore him down. (1-1)

Dave Herman def. Jon Olav Einemo (TKO 3)
From the highlights, it appeared Einemo was winning the fight until he got swarmed and caved. It was a good fight and Herman rallied for the win. (2-1)

Mark Munoz def. Demian Maia (unanimous)
I knew this was a bad match-up for Maia. I thought he might be able to find a way, due to his experience, but Munoz held firm, avoided the submissions and once Maia had blown his wad on the stand-up, Munoz took over. (2-2)

Donald Cerrone def. Vagner Rocha (unanimous)
Rocha took the fight on short notice, so good for him. But Cerrone needs top notch competition. He's a top dog. This was a tune-up. (3-2)

Sam Stout def. Yves Edwards (KO 1)
MASSIVE knock out. This one will be on the highlight reels for years to come. Edwrads hit Stout with a big shot and then got clocked in return. Stout showed an iron chin and stone fists. he also showed class in not hitting Edwards once he was out. I'm looking at you, Dan Henderson. (3-3)

Chris Weidman def. Jesse Bongfeldt (sub 1)
Bongfeldt was doing well until he got caught and stuck his neck out too far. (3-4)

Krzysztof Soszynski def. Mike Massenzio (unanimous)
Soszynski got the win he needed. Back on track. (4-4)

Nick Ring def. James Head (sub 3)
Ring won cleanly, which is good for him and may shed some of the heat he took for his last decision. (5-4)

Dustin Poirier def. Jason Young (unanimous)
Didn't see it. Yet another decision. (6-4)

Joey Beltran def. Aaron Rosa (heavyweight)
I didn't know much about Rosa before this. Now I've learned he's a big fat f**k who needs to stop eating burgers. Dude, seriously, lose some weight - you're a middleweight in a heavyweight's body. This guy made BELTRAN look like he had a six pack. Sad. Give these guys credit for swinging for the fences, but these guys are not exactly contenders. This was a bar fight. (6-5)

Darren Elkins def. Michihiro Omigawa (unanimous)
Despite the unanimous decision, this one was apparently controversial. Dana White tweeted that Omigawa was "robbed". Didn't see it. (7-5)

Hm. 7-5. Not great.

UFC 131 Picks

Ok, I've been slacking off here. I got married about a month ago and have been sidetracked. Sorry, folks!

So let's get our 131 picks in before the event starts, shall we?

Junior Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin (heavyweight)
This was supposed to be Dos Santos vs Lesnar, the battle of the two Ultimate Fighter coaches, but Lesnar's stomach problems flared up so he's out til the new year. In steps Carwin and this becomes arguably a better fight. Power vs power. Thing is, Carwin has power for one round, it seems, while Dos Santos can go longer. So the question is whether Dos Santos can get the fight beyond the first round and whether Carwin will have any gas if it does. Dos Santos is tough and has dynamite in his hands, but Carwin has plutonium in his. These guys have identical records and while Dos Santos is two inches taller, Carwin is 30lbs heavier and has a surprising two inch reach advantage. When these two throw bombs, those tiny two inches could make all the difference. I like both of these guys, and while I don’t like Carwin’s chances beyond the first round, I think this fight won’t last that long. I’m picking Carwin to either KO Dos Santos or use his wrestling to get the fight to the ground and pound his way to victory.

Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes (featherweight)

Florian makes his debut at 145lbs versus the WEC vet. Nunes is dangerous, with his only loss by decision – but that’s the thing: he often goes to decision. Florian does a much better job of finishing and will have the edge on the ground. They have similar styles, but Florian should have the size advantage. This is not an easy fight for Florian, but I guess he didn’t want to waste any time getting into title contention at 145. I’m picking Florian.

Jon Olav Einemo vs. Dave Herman (heavyweight)

This is the third ranked fight? Really? Not much of a card, I guess. Might explain the lack of a sell-out in Vancouver. Ok, based on Wikipedia, I’d say Einemo looks very impressive. Not a ton of experience, but he’s a very good BJJ guy who has made guys tap out due to strikes. Nice. Herman has a lot of experience, but nothing very notable. He knocks guys out fast. This could be fun. I was gonna pick the better BJJ guy, but Herman’s a wrestler, which means he ought to be able to avoid the ground and swing for the fences. I’ll pick Herman.

Demian Maia vs. Mark Munoz (middleweight)

Could be interesting, could be boring. Maia is a BJJ ace, while Munoz has power. Being a wrestler, Munoz might be able to avoid the ground where Maia is almost lights out. I don’t like Maia’s chances if he stands and boxes with Munoz. This style match-up would seem to favour Munoz. Maia is smart, though – I think he’ll find a way. I’ll pick Maia.

Donald Cerrone vs. Vagner Rocha (lightweight)

I like Cerrone. He always brings the fight. Rocha is a dangerous BJJ guy, but Cerrone will likely stand and bang out a victory. I’ll pick Cerrone.

Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards (lightweight)

Stout is another entertaining fighter, though he’s a bit one dimensional these days. He pretty much just stands and bangs, without much KO power. Edwards has a crazy amount of experience but has won only 10 of his last 18 fights over 6 years. Not bad, not great. He’s dangerous on the ground, but I don’t imagine Stout will engage him there. This could be fight of the night. I’m gonna pick Edwards by submission.

Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Chris Weidman (middleweight)

Bongfeldt is Canadian and although he does not have a ton of accolades or international experience and is listed as a karate fighter, he has shown that he can finish guys on the ground. Weidman is still pretty green, though he does have a win over Alessio Sakara.I'll pick the Canadian - Bongfeldt.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Mike Massenzio (light heavyweight)

Soszynski needs this one. Massenzio is a replacement, fighting a bit above his weight. I'll pick Soszynski.

Nick Ring vs. James Head (middleweight)

Ring won a controversial one last time out, so he needs a clean win here to silence the critics. Head has a decent record, but is making his UFC debut while Ring has been there before. I'll pick Ring by decision.

Dustin Poirier vs. Jason Young (featherweight)

Poirier has the better record, better experience and can submit. I'll pick Poirier.

Joey Beltran vs. Aaron Rosa (heavyweight)

I'm not a fan of Beltran's. He has a decent record, but is coming off two losses and his last win was a controversial one over Tim Hague. Rosa, though, is green to the UFC and is a bit large so he may gas. I like his BJJ experience in this one, though. I'll pick Rosa for the upset.

Darren Elkins vs. Michihiro Omigawa (featherweight)

Not a big fan of Omigawa. I expect Elkins will lay and pray to victory. I'll pick Elkins.

UFC 118 Results

Ok, let's see how I did on the predictions:

Frankie Edgar def. BJ Penn (unanimous)

Like I said, I was shocked when Edgar got the nod the first time, but this one was a no-doubter. I'd be interested to hear whether or not Penn had any illness or injuries coming into this fight because the minute I saw him he didn't seem right. Was he nervous? Sick? Was he wearing coloured contact lenses? He looked like a different man. It showed in the fight, too, as he had no answer for The Answer and looked completely out of it. So now there's talk of him moving back up to welterweight? What for? So he can killed again by GSP? Why run away from the lightweight division where only one man seems capable of beating him, only to take on bigger guys and yet another man he can't beat? Stay at lightweight, BJ. (0-1)

Randy Couture def James Toney (Sub 1)

This was over as soon as Couture got Toney down,just as everyone predicted. The only drama was in the first 13 seconds. The rest was academic. Why in the world would the UFC want more boxers to come over to MMA? Unless they train for years and become multi-disciplined, it's just another waste of everyone's time. This fight was a joke. (1-1)

Demian Maia def. Mario Miranda (unanimous)

Maia clearly outclassed Miranda who was an overhyped substitute. In this battle fo jiu-jitsu practitioners, Maia looked incredible. (2-1)

Gray Maynard def. Kenny Florian (unanimous)

This was the real main event as it had the most drama. These two have been on a collision course for a while and Maynard finally got to prove that he deserves the title shot. His fights might be boring as hell, but you can't argue with results. Edgar vs Maynard ought to be interesting as it pits two wrestlers against each other. Edgar is by far the better boxer so Maynard will have to try to challenge Edgar's wrestling skills if he is to have a snowball's chance of winning. (3-1)

Nate Diaz def. Marcus Davis (Sub 3)

This was a bit sad to watch as Davis was getting pummeled by Diaz. The problem, though, is that Davis was clearly cut by an accidental clash of heads. That put Davis at a disadvantage in the striking game and Diaz took advantage. When Davis was forced to the ground, it was over. Davis is entertaining, but this likely spells the end of any title shot hopes he might have had. Diaz, on the other hand, will be groomed for a title run. (4-1)

Joe Lauzon def. Gabe Ruediger (Sub 1)

Wow. Lauzon looked awesome. Ruediger was beyond outclassed. He was supposed to have turned his career around and be on the comeback trail, but this ended that in a hurry. Lauzon was at his jiu-jitsu best. Unbelievably good. (5-1)

Nik Lentz def. Andre Winner (unanimous)

Hardly a barn-burner, but Lentz clearly earned the win. Winner looked lost. (6-1)

Dan Miller vs John Salter (middleweight)

Miller looked solid as always. (7-1)

Nick Osipczak vs Greg Soto (welterweight)

Didn't see it. (8-1)

Mike Pierce vs Amilcar Alves (welterweight)

Pierce submitted Alves. Wow. Guess my upset special didn't pan out. (8-2)

8-2! Not bad...

UFC 118 Picks

UFC 118 promises to be interesting if not comical. It features the return match between BJ Penn and the man who (shockingly) took his title, Frankie Edgar – but it also features a ridiculous match-up between hall of famer Randy Couture and boxing legend James Toney.

Whatever.

Let’s get to the picks:

Frankie Edgar vs BJ Penn (lightweight)

I was shocked when Edgar got the nod the first time. Sure, he got a takedown or two, but overall I thought Penn won the boxing match-up, despite Edgar being more active. Add in the fact that Penn was the champ and I thought for sure he’d get the decision. Now we’ll see the real contest. Penn won’t take Edgar lightly and he’ll be hungrier than in their first meeting. I’m not sure what Penn can do differently other than use his jab more effectively to keep Edgar at a distance and maybe score a knockdown or two. Edgar has the tools to beat Penn, but I just don’t see it happening this time. I’m picking Penn.

Randy Couture vs James Toney (heavyweight)

How does this fight get sanctioned? I thought the gaming commission would have to agree that the fighters are evenly matched and of similar experience. Experience in a boxing ring is not experience in a cage. Couture ought to win this fight in under a minute and by submission. Of course there’s always the possibility that Toney will crack Couture in the jaw before the Natural can take him down. There’s no way Toney makes it beyond the second round before completely gassing out, so, barring that first punch knockout, I’m picking Couture.

Demian Maia vs Mario Miranda (middleweight)

Mario who? How did this guy earn a fight against a top contender? Well, he has a nice record, for one, but is 1-1 in the UFC, losing to Gerald Harris by TKO but then turning the tables on David Loiseau. I like Loiseau but he’s not exactly a top guy. So is this meant to be a rebound fight for Maia so he can get back on track toward a title shot? Who knows what Joe Silva is thinking (see Toney fight). Miranda has power, but Maia is a ground god. I’m still gonna pick Maia.

Kenny Florian vs Gray Maynard (lightweight)

This is the fight I want to see. This will likely determine who gets the next title shot. I like both of these guys, but it’s Maynard’s time. KenFlo has had his chances and Maynard already has a win over champ Frankie Edgar (which is why he should have had first crack and Penn should have had to win one before getting a rematch – like most deposed champs do). A win by Florian makes the division messy; does he get a THIRD shot? I’m gonna be pulling for Maynard.

Nate Diaz vs Marcus Davis (welterweight)

Still not sure what Diaz is doing at welterweight. He ought to drop back down and take his chances against the lightweights. I can’t see him going very far at welterweight where the fighters are bigger and smarter. That said, Marcus Davis is almost tailor-made for Diaz. Davis is a boxer who has decent but not spectacular ground skills. If the fight goes to the ground, Diaz ought to be able to submit the Irish Hand Grenade. On the feet, Diaz will have a reach advantage and might be able to keep Davis from landing anything too devastating. As we’ve seen with Ben Saunders and Mike Swick, Davis does not do well against taller opponents. I don’t like his chances here. I like Davis and Diaz is a bit of a douche, but my brain tells me to go with Diaz.

Joe Lauzon vs Gabe Ruediger (lightweight)

WTF? What is Ruediger doing back in the UFC? The guy drops out of the Ultimate Fighter for not making weight, gets schooled in the octagon when he does get the chance and somehow he gets a fight against the talented Joe Lauzon? I guess winning 6 fights in a row (and a title) against nobodies will do that for you. Still, Lauzon ought to walk through this guy unless he has re-invented himself. I’m picking Lauzon.

Andre Winner vs Nik Lentz (lightweight)

Night of the lightweights, I guess. Both of these guys tend to go to decision. Lentz has faced and beaten tougher competition, though. Winner is decent, but I think he might lack some seasoning. I’m picking Lentz.

Dan Miller vs John Salter (middleweight)

Dan Miller on the undercard? Not getting a lot of respect. Sure, he’s lost three in a row, but two were against guys who then fought for the title and one was against UFC darling Michael Bisping who is certainly being groomed for an eventual title shot. (and all three were decisions) He’s a talented guy. Salter has a nice record, but one win was over Jason MacDonald due to injury, which ought to not count in my books. I’m betting Miller’s experience proves the difference. I’m picking Miller.

Nick Osipczak vs Greg Soto (welterweight)

Both of these guys have decent records for newbies, and both have fought Matt Riddle. Osipczak won by TKO while Soto was DQ’d for an illegal upkick. I don’t know Soto very well, and I like Nick so I’ll pick Osipczak.

Mike Pierce vs Amilcar Alves (welterweight)

Alves doesn’t have a pic up on the UFC page, which is never a good sign. He has a great record though and finishes guys off fast, usually by submission. Pierce is a wrestler and tends to win by decision; he’s also had some tough opponents in the UFC. He has the experience edge, for sure. Can the wrestler smother the jiu-jitsu practitioner or can the Brazilian get the submission? I’m gonna go with the upset and pick Alves.

Let's hope I actually get to SEE this one...

Fight Night Live : Florian vs Gomi Results

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.

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!

UFC 107 Results - Penn survives the Nightmare

Alright, kiddies, let's see how it all went down:

BJ Penn def Diego Sanchez (TKO 5) - If you had told me that BJ would TKO Sanchez in round 5 I would have told you you were nuts. This seemed to be the least likely scenario based on BJ's gas tank and Diego's determination. But since it was a DOCTOR's stoppage, I understand. That was a crazy gash on Diego's forehead. I'm glad BJ was winning handily at the time or it might have been tragic. I didn't see the event, so I can't comment on how Diego was doing, but I understand BJ had things well in hand at that point. In the end, perhaps the fact that it was Diego's first fve rounder caught up to him a little, but a three rounder would have had the same result - BJ is still the champ. It appears that BJ was most impressive on Saturday. I'm somewhat surprised he was as effective as he was, even in rounds four and five. Good for him. As for Diego, this is his first loss in a while and he still has an incredible record and great potential, so we may see him back in the title mix soon. (0-1)

Frank Mir def Cheick Kongo (sub 1) - This appears to have been a non-fight. Was MIr that impressive or did Kongo suck that badly? I've never been all that impressed by Kongo, and have long felt he was overrated by the UFC, but what are you going to do with a depleted heavyweight division? Mir looked huge and is clearly hoping for Mir-Lesnar 3. He may never get it, based on health reports from the Lesnar camp, but he may get his shot at an interim title in the coming months. Look for him to take on the winner of Carwin-Velasquez. (1-1)

Jon Fitch def Mike Pierce (unanimous) - No big surprise, other than perhaps the fact that it went the distance. This is the problem with many of Fitch's recent fights. He needs to finish more. This doesn't appear to be the kind of fight that puts him back in title contention. (2-1)

Kenny Florian def Clay Guida - Wish I had seen this. Looks like the gash that Florian opened up on the side of Guida's head really made the difference. Guida was bleeding like a stuck pig. I'm shocked that Guida was stopped so easily. (2-2)

Stefan Struve def Paul Buentello (majority) - Looks like this was a close fight - perhaps closer than it ought to have been given that Struve apparently put it in cruise control late in the fight. I think the surprising thing was that Struve stood and banged it out with Buentello. I'm glad Struve won (a rare majority decision thanks to one 28-28 score). He seems to be a good kid. I doubt he'll go too far with his lankiness, but he makes for a fun fight to watch. (3-2)

Alan Belcher def Wilson Gouveia (TKO 1) - A bit of a surprising result (the quickness of it). Not sure where this leaves Gouveia. (4-2)

Matt Wiman def Shane Nelson (unanimous) - I hope both fighters impressed, but considering it went to decision... (5-2)

Johny Hendricks def Ricardo Funch (unanimous) - Another decision. Hendricks is still undefeated, so I wonder if he'll go up in competition. Watch out for this guy. (6-2)

Rousimar Palhares def Lucio Linhares (sub 2) - Palhares is a freak. If he can get by against bigger opponents watch out. He's dangerous. I'd like to see this one, just to see how he pulled off the heel hook. (7-2)

DeMarques Johnson def Edgar Garcia (sub 1) - Johnson pulled it off. Garcia dropped his second straight UFC fight, the only two blemishes on his record. Losing in the first round by submission never looks good. Wonder if we'll see this kid again. (7-3)

TJ Grant def Kevin Burns (TKO 1) - Nice to see the Canadian win. First round TKO makes it pretty impressive. Knockout of the Night? Doubly impressive. This ought to get him on another UFC card soon. (8-3)

Whoa: 8-3! That's pretty impressive, too! And had I picked the favourites in KenFLo and BJ I would have been almost perfect. Now we have a bit of a layoff (3 weeks is a layoff?!) before UFC 108 pits Rashad Evans against Thiago Silva on an otherwise less than impressive card.

Happy holidays.

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*

UFC 101 - Results : Penn defends, Griffin humiliated

Well, you can’t say I didn’t call it.

Sure, I wasn’t willing to “bet” against my boy Forrest, but I knew when the fight was first announced that he’d get trounced by Anderson Silva.

I was right.

It wasn’t even close.

They say styles make fights, and this was a complete mismatch. Griffin is a puncher with a relatively weak chin and no knockout power. How the hell was he supposed to beat a guy who has awesome stand up and has insane knockout power? His only hope was to clinch and use his weight to try to take Silva down – that strategy was nowhere to be seen.

The UFC sold some tickets and some PPVs, but in the process, they may have spoiled one of their golden geese by exposing Griffin’s weak chin and, essentially, humiliating him in front of millions.

Griffin certainly didn’t help matters by running out of the ring and, as some are stating, the arena. There were some reports that he ran to the back to get medical attention for a broken jaw and loss of hearing, but those reports appear to be false. I’d still like to hear Griffin’s take on the fight and reason for bolting. I thought he had learned from the fiasco that followed the Keith Jardine fight (another fight that shouldn’t have happened – for completely different reasons), but I guess not. He lost a little bit of my respect, but I’m still hoping there’s a decent explanation.

Who should Silva fight? The obvious choice is champion Lyoto Machida, but apparently that won’t happen since they’re training partners and “like brothers”. Machida is a high calibre fighter with skills similar to Silva’s – hard to hit with good knockout power. Clearly, Silva ought to remain in the light heavyweight division, so if he doesn’t fight the champ… Other “tune-up” fight opponents might include Rampage, Rashad Evans or, get this, Randy Couture. Rampage and Rashad are big guys with good chins and knockout power. Randy, on the other hand, would challenge Silva in close and is known for brilliant strategizing.

If the UFC had big brass balls, though, they’d put Silva in with Lesnar and set up a clash of titans. I’d give Silva even odds against the inexperienced Lesnar - at least.

Ok, let’s move on to the results from UFC 101:

BJ Penn def. Kenny Florian (sub 4) – I thought Florian might pull off the upset, but I didn’t count on a stupid strategy of single-leg takedown attempts and cage hugging. This was clearly not working. I don’t know if Florian was trying to take a page out of training partner GSP’s book, but let’s just say he’s no GSP. Florian had to take Penn down or, failing that, stick to leg kicks all night long and wear down the champ until he could pounce into a ground and pound game. Instead, Florian got outboxed by Penn and hugged his leg while Penn punished him. Seriously. WTF? (picked wrong 0-1)

Silva def. Griffin (TKO 1) – See above. Not even close. This was a non-fight from the start. Had Griffin won it would have been the biggest upset in UFC history. (picked “wrong” 0-2)

Johny Hendricks def. Amir Sadollah (TKO 1) – Despite what some may think, this was a good stoppage. Sadollah was out of it, defenceless (he was on all fours and not looking at his opponent) and at risk of injury. Hendricks looked pretty good in this brief bout. I’m looking forward to his next fight. (picked right 1-2)

Ricardo Almeida def. Kendall Grove (Unan Dec) – Grove was never really in this, except for an arm bar that was set up when he illegally grabbed the cage for leverage (which the ref either missed or dismissed). It drives me nuts when refs don’t call cage grabbing when it leads to a submission opportunity. I’ve seen it a number of times. Anyhow, Almeida didn’t look great, but we ought to see more of him after this. Grove, well, I think he’s out of his league in the UFC, but I’m sure they’ll keep him around due to his name recognition. (picked right 2-2)

Kurt Pellegrino def. Josh Neer (Unan Dec) – I missed most of this fight, but hear it was pretty dull. Looked like a lot of laying and praying in the third. (picked wrong 2-3)

UNDERCARD

Aaron Riley def. Shane Nelson (Unan Dec) – This was the famous rematch. Neither fighter was very impressive, but Riley got the nod, justifiably. (picked wrong 2-4)

John Howard def. Tamdan McCrory (Split Dec) – Wish I’d seen this. Sounds like it was a decent fight, but Howard wore McCrory down late. (picked wrong 2-5)

Alessio Sakara def. Thales Leites (Split Dec) – If reports are true, both of these guys should be kicked out of the UFC as I suggested. I hear it was a crazy boring fight and the fans booed. Thales Leites is coming off a title shot, for Pete’s sake, which goes to show how thin the middleweight division is. (picked wrong 2-6)

Matthew Riddle def. Dan Cramer (Unan Dec) – Would have liked to have seen this, too. (picked right 3-6)

George Sotiropoulos def. George Roop (Sub 2) – George looked good, but should have finished sooner. He had boatloads of opportunities and completely outclassed Roop on the ground. Looking forward to seeing more of him. (picked right 4-6)

Jesse Lennox def. Danillo Villefort (TKO 3) – I picked this blind, so can’t take too much credit. (picked right 5-6)

Ok, so the divining rod let me down, but considering I didn’t really pick Forrest to win, it was more like 6-5 than 5-6. I’ll try to do better next time.

UFC 101 Predictions

The UFC heads to Philadelphia on Friday for UFC 101.

Can it continue the heat and media buzz generated by UFC 100? I doubt it, but it's still shaping up to be a pretty good card.

The main event features BJ Penn vs Kenny Florian for the lightweight belt, but make no mistake: people are tuning in to see Forrest Griffin take on the seemingly unbeatable Anderson Silva in Griffin's light heavyweight class. I'm a big Griffin mark, but I do not like his chances in this one. At the end of the night, I'm either going to be elated or depressed. I guess we'll see.

Now for my predictions:

BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian (lightweight)

This could be a really good fight. BJ likes to stand and bang when he can, but is known primarily for his jiu jitsu. Florian has good stand up and should enjoy a reach advantage. he's also well versed in jiu jitsu and could be on top if the fight hits the mat. If so, he's known for his finishing skills. Penn is still hurting from his destruction at the hands of GSP and could wilt if the fight isn't going his way. Penn is "the master" but he's also a big effing baby. Which Penn will shine through?

My money's on: Florian in a big upset. He doesn't look like much, but with the exception of Sherk's "lay and pray" strategy, Florian seems to be able to take what his opponents dish out and return the punishment in spades. I see a stand up battle at first, with Florian gradually taking the cardio advantage and punishing Penn on the mat.

Forrest Griffin vs. Anderson Silva (light heavyweight)

Silva is a beast at either middleweight or light heavyweight and has hands of stone. Griffin has terrific cardio and is always game, but has shown he can be knocked silly. Is it just a matter of time before he gets caught by the very accurate Brazilian and becomes another victim? Or will he come up with a strategy that will defy the odds and give him the biggest win of his life? (sorry, Rampage) I don't like Griffin's chances, but if you think I'm betting against him, you're nuts.

My money's on: Griffin. Not really, but I can't bet against him and don't want to "push". This would be a way bigger upset than the Florian victory. I give him a 10% shot at best.

Amir Sadollah Vs. Johny Hendricks (welterweight)

I like Sadollah and he has pulled off some surprising wins, but, really, he isn't THAT talented. CB Dollaway is way overrated. Hendricks has been plying his trade in WEC where the talent level isn't quite as high, but at least he has experience - and anyone who has a win by D'Arce Choke deserves respect.

My money's on: Hendricks. I like the look of this guy and think that after this win, the UFC will look to move him up the ladder.

Kendall Grove Vs. Ricardo Almeida (middleweight)

Grove was a guy I really wanted to watch after his TUF win, but he's been disappointing in his last few fights. He really got exposed by Jorge Rivera and Patrick Cote. Sure he has a win over former champ Evan Tanner, but Tanner was never that well rounded. Almeida, on the other hand, seems to be a guy who just doesn't deliver like he should. He's a talented guy, no doubt - he has a submission victory over Nate Marquardt - but he's never been that impressive (he has lost to Patrick Cote and Andrei Semenov).

My money's on: Almeida. If he doesn't beat Grove, send him packing.

Josh Neer Vs. Kurt Pellegrino (lightweight)

People seem to think highly of both of these fighters, but I haven't been that impressed. Pellegrino has lost to Nate Diaz, Joe Stevenson and Drew Fickett and beaten....who?... Rob Emerson? Thiago Tavares?... Junior Assuncao? Clearly he's not top notch. "The Dentist" Josh Neer has beaten a bunch of meatheads (Joe Stevenson and Melvin Guillard the possible exceptions) and lost to Nick AND Nate Diaz, Josh Burkman, Mark Miller, Drew Fickett and Spencer Fisher. Why is this fight on the main card?

My money's on: Neer. It's a toss up. Neer is bigger and more experienced, so there you go.

UNDERCARD

Shane Nelson Vs. Aaron Riley (lightweight) - Neither one has an impressive pedigree. Riley is far more experienced, but has lost to every significant fighter he's faced. This is a rematch set thanks to a controversial stoppage at UFC 96. I didn't see it, but I heard it was bad. Still, I'll take Nelson in the rematch, too.

Tamdan McCrory Vs. John Howard (welterweight) - I like this McCrory kid. If he can avoid those bloody armbars, it would seem he'd have a very promising career. I'll pick McCrory to submit Howard.

Thales Leites Vs. Alessio Sakara (middleweight) - Who would have thought a few months ago that we'd be seeing this fight buried in the undercard? These are two "name" guys who have fallen by the wayside. Leites looked promising at first, but put in such a stinker in his title fight against Anderson Silva that the UFC will probably toss him out on his ass if he lays another egg on Saturday. "Legionarius" was given much fanfare by the UFC commentators when he showed up, but he's been way way way less than impressive. He beat perennial punching bag Elvis Sinosic, but then dropped four of his next six UFC fights, including a devastating knockout by upstart Houton Alexander. How is this guy still in the UFC?! He should be shown the door if he loses Saturday. Oh, I guess my money's on Leites.

Matthew Riddle Vs. Dan Cramer (welterweight) - This ought to be fun. I like Riddle, so I'll pick him.

George Sotiropoulos Vs. George Roop (lightweight) - Some more TUF guys. I like Sotiropoulos, so I guess I'll pick him. He does seem to have the more impressive pedigree.

Jesse Lennox Vs. Danillo Villefort (welterweight) - I don't know these guys at all, so this is blind. Villefort is slightly bigger with Lennox having the slightly better record. He also has a significant number of submissions, so I'll take Lennox.