UFC 127 Results

I missed this event, so I'm just going off reports and what I caught via the Interwebs.

BJ Penn vs Jon Fitch (majority draw)
Majority draw? What's up with that? Two had it 28-28, one had it 29-28. Was there really a 10-8 round for Penn? Probably not, which means two judges had it 29-28, really, for Penn, but since one round was 10-8 Fitch, it was 28-28. Ugh. (0-0-1)

Michael Bisping def. Jorge Rivera (TKO 2)
The only fight I did see. Hard to judge this one, 'cause there's no telling what impact that CRAZY illegal knee had on Rivera. He looked a little lost after that, just kinda winging his punches and not able to take the slightest abuse. Bisping isn't known for his power and yet he had Rivera wilting easily. Wonder what the docs thought of his condition. (0-1-1)

Dennis Siver def. George Sotiropoulos (TKO 2)
Bugger. George had little to gain and much to lose in this fight. And he lost. Bad first round cost him. (0-2-1)

Brian Ebersole def. Chris Lytle (unanimous)
Lytle couldn't finish him, so he lost yet another decision. (0-3-1)

Kyle Noke def. Chris Camozzi (sub 1)
Didn't see it. (1-3-1)

Ross Pearson def. Spencer Fisher (unanimous)
Gotta wonder if Spencer has lost a step. Bit of a surprise that the vet got beat. (1-4-1)

Alexander Gustafsson def. James Te Huna def. (sub 1)
Gustafsson impresses again. Bit of a mismatch, really. (2-4-1)

Nick Ring def. Riki Fukuda (unanimous)
Ring is good enough to finish guys. He needs to do that to stick around and get noticed. (3-4-1)

Anthony Perosh def. Tom Blackledge (sub 1)
Another quick one for Perosh. (4-4-1)

Tiequan Zhang def. Jason Reinhardt (sub 1)
Is Reinhardt a choker? Crazy good record, but loses both of his UFC fights in lightning quick submissions. WTFH? (4-5-1)

Mark Hunt def. Chris Tuchscherer (KO 2)
Maybe I didn't give Hunt enough props. Dominated the tough guy. (4-6-1)

Curt Warburton def. Maciej Jewtuszko (unanimous)
Stats tell a different story. Strange. (4-7-1)

Ugh. Crappy record.

UFC 127 Penn vs Fitch Picks

In a bit of a hurry, so gonna have to make this quick.

BJ Penn vs Jon Fitch (welterweight)
I honestly don't know how Penn earned this number one contender's fight. He loses to GSP and Hughes, drops to lightweight, gets another crack at GSP for some bizarro reason, gets slaughtered, loses his lightweight title to Frankie Edgar, loses AGAIN to Edgar to prove it wasn't a fluke, moves back up to welterweight and beats Hughes - a fighter who can't seem to beat any top ten fighter these days - and he gets this fight as a reward? WTF? How about beating some real fighters first? Fitch, meanwhile, has stayed in the top 5, beaten tough guys, but still hasn't earned a rematch with GSP, probably because he got smoked the last time out. Since losing to GSP, he has beaten Thiago Alves, Paulo Thiago, Ben Saunders and Mike Pierce. Penn has beaten Hughes. WTF? If Penn wins, he theoretically gets GSP for a third time (though that won't happen, whether GSP wins or loses). Penn getting a shot only makes sense if GSP beats Jake Shields, moves up to middleweight and vacates the belt. THEN a victorious Penn might deserve to fight for the title against...uh...who? Penn might jab Fitch to death the way GSP did, but if Fitch fights smart, he'll take this to the ground and wear Penn out. I'm picking Fitch.

Michael Bisping vs Jorge Rivera (middleweight)
Two fighters who have never really been to the top of the middleweight heap. Bisping hasn't improved all that much since his UFC debut. He still has no KO power to speak of, relying on a quick pace to get him through his fights. This is usually accomplished by running backwards and getting decisions. Rivera, on the other hand, is on his way up in the twilight of his career. A top guy? No, not really, but dangerous. If Rivera catches Bisping, it may end quick. If Bisping can keep his distance and fight his usual fight, he could get the decision. I'm gonna go with the upset and pick Rivera.

George Sotiropoulos vs Dennis Siver (lightweight)
This is a step back for George. He deserves to be ranked higher than Siver, which means he probably has more to lose than to gain from this fight. If he can submit Siver quickly, maybe he gets more respect from the match makers. I'm picking Sotiropoulos.

Chris Lytle vs Brian Ebersole (welterweight)
Lytle's original opponent (highly-touted Carlos Condit) had to back out, so in steps the experienced but relatively unknown Ebersole. Ebersole's biggest win may have been his recent decision nod over former UFC champ Carlos Newton; not exactly a top dog these days. He seems like a relatively dangerous fighter with submission skills, but I'm still picking Lytle.

Kyle Noke vs Chris Camozzi (middleweight)
A TUF reunion. Camozzi has a decent record, but Noke has fought tougher guys. He holds a win over George Sotiropoulos (a loss, too) and Brian Ebersole who is fighting Lytle. I'm picking Noke.

Ross Pearson vs Spencer Fisher (lightweight)
This could be fun. Pearson has done well, but Fisher is a tough test. Fisher has had a tough time recently, it seems, but is coming off a win, whereas Pearson is coming off a loss. Fisher lost to Siver, while Pearson beat him. Toss up. I feel a war coming, with a decision in the balance... I'm picking Fisher.

James Te Huna vs Alexander Gustafsson (light heavyweight)
Gustafsson is super dangerous, having only lost to Phil Davis by choke (no shame there). Otherwise, he destroys guys in the first or second round. Te Huna is decent, too, but hasn't faced anyone tough. I'm picking Gustafsson.

Nick Ring vs Riki Fukuda (middleweight)
Gotta go with the Canadian in this one. I'm picking Ring.

Anthony Perosh vs Tom Blackledge (light heavyweight)
Who? Both are 10-6. Perosh is a BJJ guy who wins or loses fast, Blackledge is a banger who wins or loses fast. I've heard of Perosh. I'll pick Perosh.

Tiequan Zhang vs Jason Reinhardt (featherweight)
The lighter boys. Reinhardt was undefeated until he fought Joe Lauzon at lightweight in his UFC debut. Tough start. ALL of his wins were in the FIRST ROUND. Wow. Zhang is 12-1 with some WEC experience. I like Reinhardt, so I'll pull for him.

Mark Hunt vs Chris Tuchscherer (heavyweight)
BIG boys. Chris has a good record, but, from what I understand, ought to be 0-3 in the UFC, what with his controversial win over Tim Hague. Hunt is coming off 6 straight losses (against some top Strikeforce guys, mind you) but SOMEHOW is getting a UFC spot. WTF? Oh...he's from New Zealand and the card is in Australia. See, this is where the UFC gets itself in trouble. Hunt has NO BUSINESS on this card. The UFC promotes itself as the best of the best and they bring in this guy? I call bullshit. I'm picking Tuchscherer.

Maciej Jewtuszko vs Curt Warburton (lightweight)
Who? MJ is a tough dude with an unblemished record. CW is a British banger who can knock you out, but has been submitte din less than a minute. I'm picking Jewtusko.

And I'm outta here!

UFC 120 Results

Ok, UFC 120 was last weekend and 121 is this weekend, so I'd better get these results up fast so I can move on to my predictions!

Michael Bisping def. Yoshihiro Akiyama (unanimous)
Yup, picked this one right on - Bisping by decision in a so-so fight. It was pretty lacklustre. neither of these guys are true contenders in a division that has Anderson Silva at its head. Both of these guys would get killed by the champ. Akiyama has heavier hands and a solid chin, but he pretty much just stood there and took what Bisping had to dish. That will get you on the short end of a decision pretty much every time. I'm not looking forward to seeing either of these guys again. (1-0)

Carlos Condit def. Dan Hardy (KO 1)
Wow. Fireworks is this one. If you had told people that this would be a first round KO, most would probably have picked Hardy to be the man standing. Not so. Condit caught Hardy clean on a highlight reel double swing and it was Hardy who fell. We'll be seeing this one for a while. Hardy was gracious in defeat. (2-0)

Mike Pyle def. John Hathaway (unanimous)
Not a very interesting fight. Lots of dull ground game. Hathaway couldn't get anything going and seldom scored. Pyle fought smart if not spectacularly. (2-1)

Cheick Kongo vs Travis Browne - draw (unanimous)
Wow. Kongo really really really sucks. Browne was gassed, otherwise he may have earned the victory. As it was, this was only a draw because Kongo had been docked a point for grabbing a hold of Browne's shorts once too often. Boring. (2-1-1)

Claude Patrick def. James Wilks (unanimous)
Another fight that lacked spark. They pretty much just jockeyed for position the whole time. Unimpressive. (3-1-1)

Alexander Gustafson def. Cyrille Diabate (sub 2)
Another awful fight. Did either guy want this? The fact that Gustafson didn't finish the fight sooner speaks volumes as to his lack of skill in jiu-jitsu. Dibate gave him his neck repeatedly and Gustafson tried choking his chin. WTF? (3-2-1)

Rob Broughton def. Vinicius Queiroz (sub 3)
Looks like Queiroz was doing well in the first round and then gassed. Broughton eventually wakes up and gets the rear naked choke for the win. Not sure these guys impressed. (4-2-1)

Steve Cantwell vs Stanislav Nedkov
Cantwell apparently injured himself on Thursday and had to withdraw. So the fight didn't happen - but since I picked Nedkov, it's kind of like I got it right...

Paul Sass def. Mark Holst (sub 1)
Yup - should have stuck with my head. Holst might have won this had he fought smarter. he just kept leaping into Sass's guard. Sass was wicked on the ground. (4-3-1)

Spencer Fisher def. Curt Warburton (unanimous)
Sounds like it was a close fight and Fisher was fortunate not to drop a decision to this nobody. (5-3-1)

Fabio Maldonado def. James McSweeney (TKO 3)
Now we know why McSweeney has a losing record. Let's hope we don't see him again. He gassed out in this one and was useless after the first round. Maldonado toyed with him by the sounds of it. (6-3-1)

A winning record. Not bad.

UFC 120 Predictions

Ok, some quick picks for UFC 120 being held in London, England this weekend.

Michael Bisping vs Yoshihiro Akiyama (middleweight)
When Bisping is your main event draw you know it's a pretty weak card, UK locale or not. Neither of these fighters has been impressive of late. Akiyama came in to the UFC with much fanfare and delivered sub-par performances, earning a contentious decision over Alan Belcher and being submitted by Chris Leben (who is not exactly known for his ground game). Since losing to Dan Henderson, Bisping has been on a rollercoaster ride - beating Denis Kang, losing to Wanderlei Silva, beating Dan Miller. Both of these guys like to stand and box. Bisping is four inches taller, but they have the same reach. Maybe Bisping will use his kicks to his advantage. I'll pick Bisping by decision in an ok fight at most.

Dan Hardy vs Carlos Condit (welterweight)
If Condit is smart he would do well to avoid trading with the heavy handed Hardy and take this fight to the ground. If he does, he will submit Hardy. Hardy showed against GSP that he doesn't have much of a ground game. He survived only because GSP attempted very few submissions. Condit won't give Hardy that chance. I'm picking Condit.

John Hathaway vs Mike Pyle (welterweight)
This is the real fighter Britons ought to get behind. This guy has potential. Hathaway is young, but he has beaten Rick Story, Paul Taylor and Diego Sanchez. No small feat. Other than wins over journeyman Shonie Carter and a very young Jon Fitch, Pyle hasn't won any big fights against big names. But he does have experience. Still, I'm going to pick the hometown boy - Hathaway.

Cheick Kongo vs Travis Browne (heavyweight)
Kongo might be in for a quick night. Unknown Browne has a perfect record and knocks guys out quick. He KO'd TUF fighter James McSweeney last time out, and has taken a major step up in competition. If he can make a highlight reel out of Congo, look for him to catapult up the rankings in the thin heavyweight division. Neither of these guys likes to hit the mat by the looks of it so it might just be a matter of who connects best. Kongo has a slight reach advantage, but he's been unimpressive recently. I'll pick the dog - Browne.

James Wilks vs Claude Patrick (welterweight)
Gotta go with the Canadian, right? TUF champ Wilks will be the favourite, but Commonwealth cousin Patrick has a very impressive record. If it goes to the ground, it ought to be interesting. I'll pick Patrick.

Cyrille Diabate vs Alexander Gustafson (light heavyweight)
This ought to be over quick. Both of these guys end fights fast and in devastating fashion. Diabate bulldozed Luiz Cane last time out, a guy who was the talk of the town at one point. Gustafson has a very impressive record, but Diabate has more experience. I'll pick Diabate.

Rob Broughton vs Vinicius Queiroz (heavyweight)
Wow. How sad is this card? This fight features two guys who do not have a profile on UFC.com. WTF? Broughton is "Britain's top heavyweight" while Queiroz doesn't even exist on Wikipedia or any other significant website. I'll pick Broughton.

Steve Cantwell vs Stanislav Nedkov (light heavyweight)
Cantwell made some noise that has largely disappeared while Nedkov is another "nobody". Nedkov does have an impressive record with wins over a couple of names. Cantwell, meanwhile, has fought the same guy 3 times! Out of 10 fights! I'll pick Nedkov for fun.

Paul Sass vs Mark Holst (lightweight)
Our first lightweight match - in a card filled with "lightweights". Sass is another mystery man with an impressive record. Holst is a Canadian with good jits as well. My mind says to pick Sass, but my heart is with the Canadian. I'll pick Holst against my better judgement.

Spencer Fisher vs Curt Warburton (lightweight)
Wait...why is this fight so far down the card? Fisher is a legit tough dude with a good record and big wins. Who the eff is Warburton? I'm picking Fisher.

James McSweeney vs Fabio Maldonado (heavyweight)
A guy with a losing record fighting in the UFC... Honestly, WTF? I don't care where he's from, it looks bad on the company. Maldonado has a very good record, but is another nobody. I'll pick Maldonado, despite the fact he is giving a great deal of weight up.

Tune in free to Spike TV on Saturday.

UFC 114 Results

All in all, this was a disappointing night of fights, on the main card at the very least. A bunch of decisions that lacked excitement, as it turns out. I'd hoped these guys would bring it more since they were mostly mid-cards types, but that didn't happen for the most part.

Alright, let's break down the results...

Rashad Evans def. Quinton Rampage Jackson (unanimous)
Rashad did exactly what I expected. He played it smart, stayed away from Jackson's power, and used his wrestling skills to get the decision. Not a popular strategy, but effective against an opponent who couldn't get off his back. Rampage needs a new coach; he isn't going to learn how to defend against the takedown by training in the UK. I'm imagining Rua will be a tougher test for Rashad. I wouldn't favour him in that fight, I don't think. (1-0)

Michael Bisping def. Dan Miller (unanimous)
Another lacklustre fight as both guys essentially stood and boxed for 15 minutes. So much for mixed martial arts. Since neigther has KO power, it was clear early on that this would go to a decision and Bisping would get the nod. Not sure what Miller's plan was, but he needed to shoot more. Of course, his takedown attempts weren't exactly GSP quality, so who knows if he was actually trying his best. Once again, a poor game plan costs a fighter. (1-1)

Mike Russow def. Todd Duffee (KO 3)
This was the shocker of the night. Russow looked awful in this one, and was getting teed off on for two and a half rounds until he caught Duffee with a shot to the ear that sent the latest UFC darling crashing backwards to the mat. The bar went nuts. It had been a pretty dull fight until then, with Duffe punching at will and the only surprise being the strength of Russow's chin. This seriously derails Duffee's rise, as Russow is far from an upper echelon fighter. In fact, he sucks. No idea how he amassed the record that he has. He seriously needs to lose weight. He's probably a middleweight under all that flab. (2-1)

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Jason Brilz (split)
Another one that lacked sexiness. It was too close to call, but the judges gave Little Nog the little nod. I think he was pretty lucky to get out of there with his status as an up-and-comer intact. Brilz will live to fight another day. (3-1)

John Hathaway de. Diego Sanchez (unanimous)
I'm not sure what to make of Sanchez. He seemed to have all the tools to be a great champion a few years ago, but lately he seems to be off his game. He dropped down to 155 where I expected him to be a beast, but after losing to BJ Penn, he goes back up to 170 where even tougher competition exists and where he isn't nearly the biggest guy in the sandbox. WTF? He ended up boxing with a Brit on Saturday, and came out on the short end of the stick, just as he did with Penn. Where has Sanchez's clinch game gone? He used to be at his best on the inside, taking guys down and grounding and pounding them into the floor. No more. He's another one who needs a change of training scenery. What he's doing now is not working for him. His career is going off the rails in a hurry. Go back to 155, Diego. (3-2)

Dong Hyun Kim def. Amir Sadollah (unanimous)
Yay, another decision. Kim dominated this fight. Sadollah was never really in it. Kim just kept taking him down, controlling him and got the decision. Look for Kim to get a big name next. (4-2)

Efrain Escudero def. Dan Lauzon (unanimous)
What the f*** was with Lauzon? He looked terrible. He didn't engage much and his cardio apparently failed him. Amazingly, he was almost handed a gift when Escudero kicked him in the cup a couple of times, thus earning a point deduction, and then Escudero got so bored that he traded big shots in a flurry with Lauzon, thus risked losing the third round. Had Lauzon won the round, he would have "earned" a draw in what was really a ridiculously lopsided affair. Lauzon ought to be cut for putting in such a lacklustre performance. (5-2)

Melvin Guillard def. Waylon Rowe (KO 1)
Guillard was handed a gift in this one - a smaller opponent who was willing to stand and trade with him. But this wasn't the knockout some might have expected; Guillard caught Rowe with a knee to the gut that found a sweet spot and put Rowe down for the count. (6-2)

Cyrille Diabate def. Luiz Cane (TKO 1)
This was a sloppy affair, but entertaining. both guys threw bombs and had little defence. Tall, lanky Diabate found his range eventually and knocked Cane on his ass, after it looked like he might suffer the same fate. We'll see where this guys goes from here. (6-3)

Aaron Riley def. Joe Brammer (unanimous)
Another decision. Didn't see it. Apparently it was good. (7-3)

Ryan Jensen def. Jesse Forbes (sub 1)
Didn't see it, but it was the only submission of the night so Jensen earned a bonus. Forbes disappoints once again. (8-3)

Well, that was much better than last time, wasn't it? Thank goodness!

UFC 114 Picks

Weird card. This is one of those cards that doesn't look like much on the surface, but I'm betting will actually surprise some folks and provide decent entertainment.

Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Rashad Evans (light heavyweight)
This is the long-awaited fight stemming from The Ultimate Fighter season where these two acted as coaches. The fight was delayed 'cause Jackson took a role in the A-Team movie, much to the disgust and chagrin of the UFC who had gone to the trouble of booking the event in Memphis, Jackson's hometown. Who will win the fight? Hard to say. Both guys have power, Rashad has wrestling skills and speed, so he should get the nod. But Jackson is one of those guys who can end the night with one quick punch as we saw against Wanderlei and others. Jackson has been off for a long time, though, so there's no telling what kind fo shape he'll be in. I can see this fight being dull as hell if Evans can take Jackson down and stay on top. I could also see this fight ending with a highlight-reel knockout. There's a lot on the line here, as the winner is expected to get the first shot at champion Rua. For that reason, I bet Rashad plays it smart, keeps his distance, then takes Jackson down with a quick shot. Jackson, as we saw against Griffin, has zero ability to get off his back. Rashad will do that for 15 minutes and get the nod. Boring, but effective. I'm picking Evans.

Michael Bisping vs Dan Miller (middleweight)
Michael Bisping is the favourite, having had bigger fights and having been a star on TUF. Don't count Miller out, though. Sure, he's coming off two losses, but they were to Demian Maia and Chael Sonnen who are title contenders. Bisping isn't quite in that class, despite what he might think. Before that, Miller had reeled off three straight wins to kick off his UFC career, two by first round submission. We haven't seen Bisping on his back much (at least not conscious) so it's hard to say how he'd fare if Miller got him down. I'm going with the upset. I bet Miller, who can push the pace just like Bisping, gets Bisping down and submits him or earns the decision. I'll take Miller.

Todd Duffee vs Mike Russow (heavyweight)
Duffee holds the UFC record for fastest knockout (7 seconds) and it may not have been a fluke. He has a 15-second win and a 16-second win. Wow. This guy has crazy power. Russow, though, has a great record himself and tends to submit guys in the first round. So the question may be whether Russow can get Duffee on the ground. I'm gonna say...yes. Again, I'm gonna pick the dog and go with Russow by submission. I bet experience pays off in this one.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Jason Brilz (light heavyweight)
This one is a bit of a disappointment, of course, as it was supposed to be Nogueira versus Forrest Griffin. Nogueira is one of the UFC's new darlings and he hasn't disappointed yet. He has a terrific record (18-3) including wins over Dan Henderson, Luiz Cane, Vladimir Matyushenko, and two over Strikeforce Heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem. Brilz, on the other hand, is no pushover. He's at 18-2, though his fights have been mostly agianst mid-carders. This could be a great fight. If Brilz wins, it'd be a huge launching pad for him. But I don't see it happeneing. I'm picking Nogueira.

Diego Sanchez vs John Hathaway (welterweight)
I have no idea why Diego is back at welterweight. Lightweight seemed perfect for him and he was clearly on the rise there. A loss to BJ Penn is no tragedy and he might have been right back in the mix if the UFC staged a Sanchez-Florian rematch. Inexplicably, he has jumped back up to welterweight where he is a small fish in a very big pond, ruled by the biggest shark in the aquarium, GSP. Honestly, WTF? Diego seems to have lost a bit of steam recently, going to decision far too often after previously overwhleming his opponents. Hathaway has a perfect record, but hasn't fought anyone anywhere near Diego's status. This is a huge fight for him. If he wins, he'll be in title contention quick. If Diego wins, I'm not sure the same holds true (unless the UFC is desperate for new opponents for GSP). If Diego loses...well...zoinks, yo. I'm betting Diego finds a way to win this one, if only by experience.

Amir Sadollah vs Dong Hyun Kim (welterweight)
Amir was the surprising winner of TUF 7 and has gone 2-1 since with some impressive cardio work. Kim is "The Stun Gun" and although he was impressive in his debut, has been less than spectacular since. His loss to Karo Parisyan was overtruned after Karo tested positive for banned painkillers, so he maintains his undefeated record (12-0-1 [1]). Still, I'm gonna bet Kim finds a way to overwhelm Sadollah and finish him before it reaches a decision. I'm picking Kim.

Efrain Escudero vs Dan Lauzon (lightweight)
Another TUF winner in Escudero. He has looked pretty good, but is coming off a loss. Lauzon is the brother of TUF competitor Joe Lauzon, but hasn't impressed me all tnat much, despite his record. Both of these fighters are known for their submission skills and ending fights early. This could be the fight of the night. I'll pick Escudero.

Melvin Guillard vs Waylon Rowe (lightweight)
Guillard was a rising star once upon a time. Rowe doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. That gives you some idea how much Guillard's stock has fallen. Both of these guys are known for their KO power. This could be a barnburner and over quick. Since Guillard doesn't have to worry about submissions, he may actually win this one (and not undeservedly, like he did against Ronnys Torres). I'll pick Guillard.

Luiz Cane vs Cyrille Diabate (light heavyweight)
Cane will be looking to rebound form his loss to Little Nog. I'd never heard of Diabate, but he has a good record and has fought some big names (and lost, mind you). Still, I'm gonna pick Cane.

Aaron Riley vs Joe Brammer (lightweight)
Riley is one of those fighters who is tough to peg. He looks good once, then crap the next. Brammer has a nice record to start his career but has lost to the only name he's faced. I'm gonna pick Riley on experience.

Jesse Forbes vs Ryan Jensen (middleweight?)
A lot was expected from Forbes as he competed in TUF 3, but he hasn't lived up to the hype (certainly not his own!). He's been fighting in the smaller circuits for a while, ammassing a respectable record (13-4). Jensen has had a rough go recently, going 3-5 after being 11-1. But he was thrown to the wolves in his early UFC days, losing to Demian Maia and Thales Leites. I'm not sure how he has managed to stick around this second time around, going 1-2 in his last three UFC fights. This is one of those fights where the winner earns a reprieve and the loser goes home, I bet. Neither of these guys is used to going the distance, so this could be another quick one. I'll pick...Jensen.

Who you got?

UFC 110 Results

It's really too bad that I had to miss most of this event. I knew it'd be a pretty good card, with some interesting match-ups. I hope to see most of these fights on UFC Unleashed soon.

Cain Velasquez def. Antonio Minotauro Nogueira (KO 1) - I knew I was asking for it when I said I didn't see Cain knocking Nogueira out. Sure enough, he did. It wasn't pretty, but it shows how much power Cain is able to summon. Cain will be fast-tracked to a title shot now, though I'd prefer to see him fight someone the likes of Mir or Carwin or Couture to get one more feather before his big shot. Cain vs Lesnar would be a clash of similar titans. (0-1)

Wanderlei Silva def. Michael Bisping (unanimous) - I wish I had seen more of this. Caught the last round and a bit. I could tell as soon as I saw the screen that it was close, and likely not going in Wanderlei's favour. Bisping was still dancing and didn't appear to have a mark on him. It appeared Wanderlei was hesitant to let his hands go in that berserker style he has trademarked. Sure enough, when he let his hands go, he knocked Bisping down and that helped him secure the third round and the victory (29-28 across the board). Had he not done that, I'm not sure he would have won that round, or the fight. This really hurts Bisping and may prompt the UFC to fast-track Wanderlei into a #1 contender's fight so they can get the bad blood Wanderlei vs Silva match-up. If Silva is due to fight Maia then Sonnen, look for Wanderlei to get Vitor Belfort or Nate Marquardt in the interim (around the Sonnen fight), with the winner getting the shot after that. (1-1)

George Sotiropoulos def. Joe Stevenson (unanimous) - Another one I really want to see. This was an interesting match-up and apparently saw George dominate Joe Daddy. I thought it'd be a tough test for George, but apparently he came through with flying colours. This is a huge win for him and will see him propelled into the upper echelons of the lightweight division, one that is starving for challengers for BJ Penn. Look for George to get one more big test before a title shot. (2-1)

Ryan Bader def. Keith Jardine (KO 3) - Yet another fight that saw an up-and-comer get a huge win over the favourite. Bader beat Jardine on his feet, where some might have thought Jardine had the edge. Jardine gets KO'd yet again and this definitely opens the door for his departure. Not sure he'll get cut, but he's headed in that direction. Losing 5 of 7 including 3 in a row will do that. (3-1)

Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic def. Anthony Perosh (TKO 1) - Perosh didn't have much of a chance, did he? Taking the fight against Cro Cop on two days' notice would have been suicide three years ago, and despite the Croatian's recent troubles, it was still a recipe for disaster this weekend. I didn't see it, but Perosh was a bloody mess by the end of the first and the fight was stopped due to cuts. Did this do anything for Cro Cop's career? Maybe it gave him a small boost of confidence... He still has a ways to go before he's relevant in the heavyweight division again. (4-1)

Krzysztof Soszynski def. Stephan Bonner (TKO 3) - I'd be shocked if this wasn't changed to a no contest. The cut that stopped the fight was clearly the result of a clash of heads. Bonner was actually doing surprisingly well (or perhaps Soszynski was unimpressive) before the stoppage. I expected more out of the Polish Experiment. He needs a better game plan, for sure. He should have taken Bonner down and submitted him, but instead he chose to box against the former golden gloves champ. Soszynski needs to smarten up. If he can't beat one-dimensional meatheads like Bonner... Bonner is also 2 for 7 and loser of 3 in a row. Still, it'd be a surprise if he or Jardine were cut. That's the break you get for being a face from the TUF show - no normal fighter would still be around. (5-1)

Chris Lytle def. Brian Foster (submission 1) - Wow. Lytle by submission? Wow. Another bonus for Lytle (Submission of the Night). Nice. (6-1)

CB Dollaway def. Goran Reljic (unanimous) - Ugh. Dollaway earns another reprieve. Lovely. Now let's see him beat anybody of significance. (6-2)

James Te-Huna def. Igor Pokrajac (TKO 3) - Didn't see it. It was the pick-'em special and I guess I gambled wrong. (6-3)

6-3 - not bad at all. 6-1 in the meaningful fights. Damn.

UFC 110 Predictions

The UFC is headed down under for UFC 110. It'll be intersting to see if any fighters bitch about the start time (around noon local time) in the post-fight commentary. It can't be easy to have a matinee fight when you're used to evening fights.

Let's get to the predictions, shall we?

Antonio Minotauro Nogueira vs Cain Velasquez (heavyweight) - People keep talking about how old Nogueira is, but he's still one of the top dogs. Sure he had a rough night against Frank Mir, but he was coming off an illness and clearly wasn't himself. Cain, meanwhile, is super-hyped by the UFC and so they'd probably like to see him get the nod. I'd take Nogueira in a heartbeat, but the only reason I hesitate is because this is a 3 round fight, not 5 rounds. In a 3 round fight, Cain might be able to secure some takedowns and lay and pray. I don't see him knocking Nogueira out. Still...I'll take Nogueira.

Wanderlei Silva vs Michael Bisping (middleweight) - This is the Axe Murderer's first forray into the middleweight division and it'll be interesting to see if the weight cut hurts him. I don't think it will, since he has always appeared to be a small light heavyweight. Bisping's chin has been exposed thanks to Dan Henderson, and Wanderlei will be looking to smash it in. If he catches Bisping, it's over. Bisping is known for back-pedalling against aggressive opponents and squeaking out wins with jabs. His speed is his best weapon in this fight. Still...I'll pick Wanderlei for once. I can't see Bisping withstanding a wild puncher like Wanderlei. (and I used to be such a fan of Bisping...)

Joe Stevenson vs George Sotiropoulos (lightweight) - I'm a fan of George's but this is a bad match up for him. Stevenson will probably take him down with ease and will be able to avoid submissions. As the wrestler, Stevenson can also choose to stand and bang, where I might also give him the edge. This is a big step up in competition for George and a win would propel him to the upper echelons of the lightweight division. My head says Joe, my heart says George...which way am I supposed to go again? I forget. I'll pick George for fun. It'd be a shocker, though.

Keith Jardine vs Ryan Bader (light heavyweight) - Yet another fight featuring an up-and-comer against an established veteran in need of a win. Jardine should have the advantage here and it'll all come down to how he handles Bader's wrestling. Will Bader choose to stand and bang or take Jardine down? Jardine's a nice guy but overrated. He's lost 4 of 6 including his last 2 in a row, but I don't think the UFC would cut him with another loss. Still... His biggest win came against Griffin in a fight he hadn't earned, with honourable mention to his win over Chuck which was debtable and from which he looked much worse the wear. He's had trouble with bangers (Wanderlei and Houston Alexander) and Bader has shown some power in the past. I'll take the upset - Bader.

Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic vs Anthony Perosh (heavyweight) - Perosh is taking this fight on two days notice. That's nuts. Ben Rothwell backed out due to illness, which sucks 'cause the result would have had a greater impact within the UFC. If Cro Cop wins, oh well, no big deal, this guy was a sacrifical lamb anyways. If Perosh wins, Cro Cop retires/gets cut but it doesn't really say much for him since most people think Cro Cop is washed up anyways. Perosh tends to win by submission and lose by KO/TKO. That's not great when you're fighting a pure stand-up guy like Cro Cop who refuses to be taken down. I'll take Cro Cop.

Stephan Bonner vs Krzysztof Soszynski (light heavyweight) - This is the fight I want to see. Soszynski has talent and needs to string together some wins, get some experience and then hopefully start moving up the ladder. Losing to Vera was a setback but not unexpected. Vera went on to fight Couture, for Pete's sake. Bonner has been sputtering since his big fight against Forrest Griffin (the first one, not the mismatch second one). Like Jardine, Bonnar has lost 4 of 6 including his last 2, but against weaker opponents than Jardine (he lost to MARK COLEMAN). He's a UFC darling, but he's in more danger of being cut than Jardine, I figure, especially with his steroid past. Here's hoping Soszynski's the one who puts him out to pasture. I'll pick Krzysztof.

Chris Lytle vs Brian Foster (welterweight) - Our first welterweight fight. I didn't know Lytle was on the card until just now. Nice. He's always good for an entertaining fight. In fact, he's won Fight of the Night honours in his last three fights. That's insane. This could be #4 in a row 'cause Foster is known to stand and bang, too. I'll pick Lytle.

CB Dollaway vs Goran Reljic (middleweight) - Dollaway needs to Goaway. Seriously. He needs to go to a smaller circuit, get some experience, earn his stripes anad come back with a new attitude. So far he's been hand-fed by the UFC and still he's only 3-2 in the octagon. Reljic had a huge win over Wilson Gouveia in his last outing, so maybe he's not the stepping stone Dollaway is usually given. I'm hoping Reljic wins.

James Te-Huna vs Igor Pokrajac (light heavyweight) - Don't know jack about these guys. Te-Huna has won 5 in a row, including one over Cro Cop's opponent. Pokrajac has a decent record (21-6) and had won 8 in a row before losing in his UFC debut against Vladimir Matyushenko. Both appear to be bangers with some submission thrown in. It's a toss up. I'll take Igor 'cause at least he's been there before.

The Elvis Sinosic vs Chris Haseman fight has been canceled 'cause of a shoulder injury to Elvis. He would have lost anyways, 'cause he sucks.

UFC 105 Results

Yeah, yeah, I know: that was SO two events ago - but I have been super busy and didn't get around to putting in my picks or discuss the event, so... But, you know, I did make some quick picks via email to a friend of mine, so let's discuss:

Randy Couture def. Brandon Vera (unanimous) - I had picked Couture. I thought it would go much as it did - since Vera was much taller and had a significant reach advantage, I expected Couture to take the same approach as he did against Gonzaga - just hug him up aganst the fence and squeak out the win. He did. Vera got in a few good shots in the second which won him the round, but Couture dictated the tempo in the first and third and the ref let him. Had the ref separated them more often, it might have been a different result, but... Vera was upset by the decision, but, geez, man - move your ass. You can't be pinned for 3/4 of the fight and expect to have made an impression. (1-0)

Hardy def. Swick (unanimous) - I had picked Swick. He got stunned early and didn't let his hands go as much as I thought he would. I expected a trade war at some point with Swick getting the big shot, but it just didn't happen. Swick seemed out of step for most of the fight and Hardy was able to counter punch effectively. He earned the decision, though I can't say the same for a title shot. Hardy hasn't faced anyone of established significant calibre (Swick is still new to 170) so why get the GSP fight? You'd think Hardy would have to dethrone Fitch or Silva or Koscheck first. Or even Parysian or Diaz for Pete's sake! Sure, Davis is a tough guy, but he wasn't exactly getting love from the UFC either in terms of marquee match-ups. (1-1)

Bisping def. Kang (TKO 2) - I had Kang, figuring he'd find a way to submit the Brit. It looked good early, with Kang dominating the first and even putting Bisping down with a solid punch, but that all disappeared in the second. Not sure if conditioning was a factor, but Kang was a different man in the second round and Bisping put him away with some pretty straight forward ground and pound. A disappointing loss for Kang. (1-2)

Brown def. Wilks (TKO 3) - I can't believe I picked Wilks. I quite like Brown, but I thought he'd be susceptible to submissions. Wilks never really got the chance. It was close at times, but Brown is a tough mutha and took it to Wilks. Good for Brown. (1-3)

Pearson def. Riley (TKO 2) - I picked Pearson and he didn't let me down. It was hard to decide what to make of him after the TUF competition where he looked so good to start and then kinda faded (though he won the show by the narrowest of margins). He looked good here, though. Big win over a game opponent. (2-3)

Hathaway def. Taylor (unanimous) - I picked Taylor. I'd have to see this to believe it. Taylor's a tough guy and it would take a tough guy to decision him. (2-4)

Etim def. Gugerty (sub 2) - I picked Etim. He's a very skilled guy and I didn't know much about Gugerty (didn't have time to research). Would like to see this one. (3-4)

Osipczak def. Riddle (TKO 3) - I picked Riddle. Would like to se this one, too. Both of these guys show flashes of brilliance but are inconsistent. Both likeable guys. (3-5)

Siver def. Kelly (TKO 2) - I picked Kelly who is a tough mammajamma, but Siver is impressive. Gonan keep my eye on this guy. (3-6)

Gustafsson def. Hamman (KO 1) - I picked Gustafsson who had an impressive record. Man, was this ever a knockout from hell. Look for this guy to be back in the UFC soon. (4-6)

Winner def. Delgado (KO 1) - I picked Winner, who has been impressive, while Delgado is talented but flawed. Winner nearly toook Delgado's head off with a monster shot that had Delgado in dreamland before his head hit the mat. Wow. (5-6)

So 5-6 on picks off the top of my head. Not sure I would have picked differently had I had time to think about it, so I'll have to take the heat.

Franklin vs Henderson (again) at UFC 103

I don’t get it.

The UFC announced that Rich Franklin will get a rematch against Dan Henderson at UFC 103.

…Why?

As you may recall, the two met at UFC 93 to determine who would get to coach Team USA against team UK in The Ultimate Fighter 9. Henderson got the split decision nod. The scoring was a bit odd, as two judges had it 29-28 Hendo while the third had Franklin winning all three rounds. I seem to recall the fight being close, but I can’t remember what I thought of the decision. I think I agreed that Hendo won the fight…

Here’s the thing: what’s the point? I mean, sure, it’s a rematch of a close fight featuring two popular guys, but what’s the upside here? If Franklin wins, then it’s 1-1 and, what, we get a third fight? If Hendo wins, it’s yet another big step back for the former champ.

There seems to be some hinting that the winner will get a shot at Anderson Silva.

Huh?

This would seem to imply that the fight will take place at middleweight. Why is Franklin coming back down? And if he wins, who in their right mind wants to see him fight Silva AGAIN? So that he can get destroyed again? I thought the whole point of Franklin moving back up to light heavyweight was to get away from Silva and improve his odds of getting a belt. So why return to middleweight?

I just don’t get it.

Is the middleweight division THAT pathetic that we need to see Silva-Henderson II or Silva-Franklin III?

…Guess so.

I think the UFC was really banking on Bisping beating Henderson and earning a title shot overseas. Now they’re scrambling.

As stupid as it sounds (since he's lost 5 out of 6 fights - mostly at light heavy), wouldn't Henderson-Wanderlei make more sense? At least those two have split previous meetings, there's bad blood between Wanderlei and Anderson (if he earns a title fight), and Wanderlei WANTS to be a middleweight... The UFC wants to see a Wanderlei-Anderson fight. Wouldn't this be a good way to earn it in the proper weight class?

Right now, Franklin is on a road to ruin. He should stay at light heavyweight and not look back.

Nothing else makes sense.

UFC 100 - Results

Ok, let's see how I did...

Lesnar def. Mir - I picked Mir 'cause I figured he'd withstand the initial attack, better than he did last time. Well, I guess that didn't happen. I'm glad Lesnar won, but man he was a douche afterwards. Glad he apologized in the press conference. Props to Dana White for taking him to task. Lesnar can now play the villain champ, which will be good for UFC PPV buys - everyone will wanna see him lose. I picked wrong (0-1), but my fav won.

GSP def. Thiago Alves - Not a close fight. GSP dominated from the opening bell. He was on his back for about a minute only because he gave up position while going for a submission. Let's hope his injury isn't serious. I picked right (1-1).

Henderson def. Bisping - It went the way I thougth it would, aside from Bisping getting clobbered. Bisping inexplicably kept circling to the left, putting him in range of Henderson's killer right. That was certainly a highligh reel knockout. Was the follow-up shot overdoing it? Dunno. Sure, he could have pulle dup, but at least it was one shot, not the 5-10 some guys throw in after the guy is out. This is a serious speed bump in Bisping's title journey. Picked wrong, though I waffled back and forth and actually changed my pick at the last minute (1-2).

Fitch def. Thiago - Not a great fight. Fitch looked pretty good, but not as stellar as we've seen recently. He'll have to put together a few wins if he wants another title shot against GSP, who smoked his ass. Picked right (2-2).

Akiyama def. Belcher - I went back and forth on this one and changed my vote at the last minute. After doing some research, I figured Akiyama was overhyped and Belcher would squeeze it out with experience. It looked that way in the ring, too. Akiyama won the second round for sure, but I felt he lost the third and the first was a toss-up. Belcher and the announcers clearly thought Belcher had won. It suited UFC's purposes to see the new star, Akiyama, get the nod and he did. This may have been an example of reputation getting the edge. How one judge saw it 30-27 is beyond me. Picked wrong (2-3).

Coleman def. Bonnar - I have to see this to believe it. Bonnar ought to be let go from the UFC after this. He clearly is not improving, unlike other TUF alumni like Griffin and Evans. Picked wrong (2-4).

Miller def. Danzig - Wanna see this one too. Danzig is in trouble and may see his UFC career end prematurely. He's had tough bouts, but he hasn't impressed. Picked right (3-4).

Jones def. O'Brien - This guy is one to watch. Too bad we didn't get to. Picked right (4-4).

Kim def. Grant - Too bad the Canadian lost. Picked right (5-4).

Lawlor def. Dollaway - Yet another where I changed my vote at the last minute and paid for it. Definitely wanna see this. Dollaway is on his way out. Picked wrong (5-5).

Gugerty def. Grice - Grice was pissed after this one. Picked right (6-5).

So 2-3 on the main card (should have been 4-1) and 4-2 on the undercard. Not too bad, but no one's hiring me as an analyst at this rate!

Next up: Griffin vs. Silva and Penn vs. Florian. Ought to be interesting!

UFC 100 - Predictions

Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir (heavyweight)

Lesnar has to learn how to finish. He can be overwhelming early, but if he has to go 25 minutes with Mir, odds are good Mir will find a way to submit the big man somehow. Mir won’t be surprised by Lesnar’s speed and power again, and ought to be able to weather the early storm.

My money’s on: Mir. I like Lesnar and hope he wins, but I just think Mir is smart enough to find some way to submit the monster.

Georges St. Pierre vs Thiago Alves (welterweight)

This ought to be interesting. Alves is powerful and that’s usually GSP’s game. GSP will use his reach and boxing to keep Thiago at bay and then maybe throw him on his ass when he has the advantage. It’ll be interesting to see if Thiago can take GSP down.

My money’s on: GSP. No way I bet against him. He’s too smart and too good. He only loses by fluke.

Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping (middleweight)

This could have been a main event fight, but with this being UFC 100, well… This is of course the Ultimate Fighter coaches match. Team UK clearly won the show, but who will win the final battle? Henderson is the vet but he really hasn’t been very impressive since coming over from Pride where he was a champ in two weight classes.

My money’s on: Bisping. I’ve been back and forth on this one. I think Henderson would have won if he were 5 years younger, but he just seems to have lost a step. I see Bisping winning a decision if it stays on the feet. Could be a pretty boring fight. Hope I’m wrong.

John Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago (welterweight)

I don’t know too much about Thiago, but Fitch is a beast. He was humbled by GSP, but who hasn’t been recently?

My money’s on: Fitch. He’s a warrior.

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher (middleweight)

Akiyama has an impressive record, but Belcher has been the guy in the UFC trenches. He also enjoys a significant size advantage. The UFC will want Akiyama to get the nod so that they can start building him up. Both have beaten Denis Kang, which is no small feat.

My money’s on: Belcher. It’s about time he stepped up and lived up to the rep.

UNDERCARD

Mark Coleman vs. Stephan Bonnar (light heavyweight) - If Bonnar doesn’t win, he ought to quit. I mean, come on, Coleman? He’s ancient! I’m picking Bonnar. Could be a war.

Mac Danzig vs. Jim Miller (lightweight) – Danzig had momentum coming off the TUF win, but he’s been less than stellar since, to be honest. I’ll pick Miller.

Jon Jones vs. Jake O’Brien (light heavyweight) – Both have had impressive outings. I’ll go with the Martian Manhunter – Jones.

Dong Hyun Kim vs. TJ Grant (welterweight) – Don’t know too much about these guys, but Kim has been impressive and is undefeated. Anyone who can go to a split decision with Karo Parisyan deserves respect. I’ll pick Kim, even though Grant is Canadian.

CB Dollaway vs. Tom Lawlor (middleweight) – Features two TUF grads. On paper, Dollaway ought to be favoured, but he usually finds a way to make fights closer than they ought to be. Lawlor wasn’t impressive on the show. I’ll pick Dollaway in this one.

Matt Grice vs. Shannon Gugerty (lightweight) – Don’t know these guys. Normally I’d go with the height advantage or better record, but they’re not that different. Grice’s UFC results aren’t very impressive while Gugerty went almost three rounds with Spencer Fisher. I’ll take Gugerty.