Showing posts with label Stefan Struve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stefan Struve. Show all posts

Monday, October 3, 2011

UFC Live Cruz vs Johnson Results

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

Dominick Cruz def. Demetrious Johnson (unanimous)
This was a lobsided decision, but I was very impressed with Johnson. That guy has an insane gas tank. He might give Clay Guida a run for his money. He couldn't handle Cruz's wrestling and size and that was the difference. If they ever make a 125 lb division, Johnson might dominate that. (1-0)

Stefan Struve def. Pat Barry (sub 2)
Barry never did get inside and made the massive mistake of going to the ground with Struve. The submission came quickly, despite a very impressive slam. Barry should have used his kicks more - they were working. (1-1)

Anthony Johnson def. Charlie Brenneman (TKO 1)
No question, Johnson was kicking Brenneman's ass, but this was an early stoppage. It was a massive head kick and Brenneman went down, but he was clearly not out. It should have gone a bit longer to see if Johnson could finish him. Fights shouldn't be stopped because a guy is in trouble; they should be stopped when the guy is DEFEATED. Johnson looked good. (2-1)

Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig (unanimous)
Close fight. The first round was iffy, but I scored it the same way - 29-28 Wiman, with him taking the first and third rounds. Entertaining fight. Chosen as "Fight of the Night". (3-1)

Yves Edwards def. Rafaello Oliveira (TKO 2)
Oliveira looked good until he got caught. He was far more aggressive, with Edwards barely throwing any leather. He got a bit careless on a series of strikes and ate a big knee. He wasn't the same after that and Edwards caught him again with big shots, putting him down and eventually forcing the ref to step in. (4-1)

Paul Sass def. Michael Johnson (sub 1)
Yup - as predicted, the submission skills were the difference. Sounds like Johnson was overmatched. Dunno if he'll stick around long. (5-1)

Mike Easton def. Byron Bloodworth (TKO 2)
Sounds like this one was a war. (6-1)

TJ GRant def. Shane Roller (sub 3)
Didn't see it. Apparently, Grant was winning the fight, taking the first two rounds. Good for him. Nice feather. (7-1)

Josh Neer def. Keith Wisniewski (TKO 2)
Sounds like Neer carved up Wisniewski and the doctor had to stop it. (8-1)

Walel Watson def. Joseph Sandoval (TKO 1)
Lots of stoppages in the undercard. Sounds like it was a good night for those in attendance. Good night for me, too! (9-1)

NICE!!!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

UFC Live: Cruz vs Johnson Picks

Is it my imagination or is there a UFC event every weekend these days?

Dominick Cruz vs Demetrious Johnson (bantamweight)
I know sweet FA about Johnson, other than he is tiny - even for a bantamweight. He's a wrestler, while Cruz is very well rounded. Both of these guys tend to go to decision recently. I'm gonna pick Cruz.

Pat Barry vs Stefan Struve (heavyweight)
I like both of these guys. On paper, Struve has a crazy advantage thanks to his reach. Both have KO power, but Bary has SERIOUS KO power. Struve's chin is questionable, though while Barry has yet to be KO'd (other than by fluke vs Kongo). I could see this as being a replay of Struve's loss to Travis Browne or Roy Nelson where the smaller guy finally gets inside and lands the big shot to the glass jaw. I also see Barry chopping down the giant with leg kicks. I'm picking Barry.

Anthony Johnson vs Charlie Brenneman (welterweight)
I like Brenneman, but I do not like his chances in this fight. Johnson is an up and comer who has shown great talent and would be contending for the title had it not been for an iffy loss to Josh Koshcheck and the phantom knee strike. Brenneman has the better record, but Johnson has tougher fights under his belt. Both tend to go to decision. Both are wrestlers, but Johnson has some striking pedigree as well. I'm picking Johnson.

Matt Wiman vs Mac Danzig (lightweight)
Could be an interesting fight. Both of these guys are far form having secure places with the company. Mid-carders, essentially, who show little threat for the lightweight belt. Wiman is popular, but has not won any of the big fights he's been in. Danzig is a TUF champ who showed lots of promise but then fell on hard times, losing 3 straight to tough competitors. He is 2-1 since then, including a loss to the same Matt Wiman. It was a controversial stoppage, though, with the ref stepping in to break up a submission despite the fact Danzig had not tapped or been rendered unconscious. Danzig will be looking for revenge, which should give him an edge. Still, I'm gonna pick the more well-rounded Wiman.

Yves Edwards vs Rafaello Oliveira (lightweight)
Edwards has been fighting forever. He's a journeyman who has never really impressed in the UFC. Oliveira has a fine record but loses all of his significant fights. Is this a battle of losers? Tough pick. I think I'll pick Edwards.

Michael Johnson vs Paul Sass (lightweight)
Johnson was a TUF competitor from whom great things were expected. So far, though, he has shown that he is a diamond in the rough at best. He has also shown he can be submitted. Sass has a perfect record, though he has only one UFC fight. He is a submissions ninja, with a penchant for triangle chokes. I'm picking Sass.

Mike Easton vs Byron Bloodworth (bantamweight)
Who? Don't know these guys. Mystery bantamweights. I can't wait for this season of TUF to be over so that we'll have some more recognizable faces in the division. Easton has a good record, including a win over the supposedly well-known Chase Beebe. Easton is a champion (UWC) while Bloodworth doesn't have a Wikipedia page and is an injury replacement. I'm picking Easton.

Shane Roller vs TJ Grant (lightweight)
Could be a good fight. Roller is a well-rounded wrestler who contended for a belt not so long ago, but seems to drop the ball in the really big fights. Grant is a Canadian with very well rounded skills, but has dropped some decisions lately at 170. He's dropping down in weight here, so who knows what kind of effect it'll have. If he cuts right, he ought to have a slight size advantage over Roller and ought to be able to nullify any wrestling. I'd give Grant the edge on the feet, so I'm picking Grant.

Josh Neer vs Keith Wisniewski (welterweight)
After two years away, Neer is back in the UFC, this time at welterweight. He has had success at that weight away from the UFC. Wisniewski is a nobody but has a TON of fights over a 13-year career. The guy has fought in just about every organization and even has a loss to Shonie Carter via spinning back fist! I don't lie his chances here, though, so I'm picking Neer.

Walel Watson vs Joseph Sandoval (bantamweight)
No idea. Watson is a submissions machine, it seems. Very tall for a bantamweight (5'11"). Sandoval is undefeated and has some power, it seems. I hate decisions, though, so let's hope Watson submits him. I'm picking Watson.

Monday, December 13, 2010

UFC 124 Results

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4-6-1? Ugh.

Friday, December 10, 2010

UFC 124 Picks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

UFC 117 Results

Yup. It lived up to the hype. Damn, 'cause I missed it. Caught some fights on the interwebs after, but it's not the same. My social life is killing me!

Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen
(middleweight)
I cannot BELIEVE Sonnen blew this. He was kicking Silva's ass for 23 minutes and then gets caught with a punch to the face and a triangle choke? Are you kidding me? Dude. The f**k? I don't care if Silva had rib issues. That doesn't explain getting punched and knocked down. It doesn't explain getting taken down with double legs repeatedly. Styles make fights and I've long said the style to beat Silva is wrestling. Sonnen had all the tools but had a brain fart and kissed it away. (1-0)

Jon Fitch vs Thiago Alves II (welterweight)
Fitch proved once again that he's a level above Alves. After the long lay off, Alves wasn't ready or qualified to take a #1 contender's fight. (2-0)

Clay Guida vs Rafael Dos Anjos (lightweight)
Too bad Dos Anjos broke his jaw. Still, it looked like Guida was in control. (3-0)

Matt Hughes vs Ricardo Almeida (welterweight)
Hughes caught Almeida with a nice punch and Almeida couldn't recover. Otherwise, no way he gets submitted by Hughes. Too bad it didn't last longer. It didn't really answer any of the questions going in. (3-1)

Roy Nelson vs Junior Dos Santos (heavyweight)
I said Dos Santos would need to box his way to a decision and he did. Nelson took some serious shots and held his own against a recognized contender. I picked the upset, but it didn't quite pan out. (3-2)

Dustin Hazelett vs Rick Story (welterweight)
Story has been looking good. Too bad for Hazelett. (4-2)

Phil Davis vs Rodney Wallace (light heavyweight)
Davis is awesome. Too bad I missed it. (5-2)

Tim Boetsch vs Todd Brown (heavyweight)
Picking the Canadian paid off for once - besides GSP, of course. (6-2)

Johny Hendricks vs Charlie Brenneman (welterweight)
Missed it. Hendricks needs some tougher opponents. (7-2)

Stefan Struve vs Christian Morecraft (heavyweight)
Struve was in trouble until Morecraft decided to get into a jab fest with a guy with crazy long arms. Bad idea. (8-2)

Wow: 8-2. Not bad at all. Had I gone with the favourites in those two matches I would have had the perfect night. Bring on the next PPV! (and let's hope I get to see it!!)

Thursday, August 5, 2010

UFC 117 Silva v Sonnen Picks

Gonna be busy the next couple of days. Better get my picks in quick:

Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen (middleweight)
Much as I would love to see Sonnen win (or, rather, Silva lose), I just don't see it happening. Can Sonnen really lay and pray for FIVE rounds against Silva? I don't see it. I'm picking Silva.

Jon Fitch vs Thiago Alves II (welterweight)
Again? Has Alves earned it? I dunno. Seems to me Fitch is the real #1 contender in the division but considering he got hammered by GSP, it's tough to match him up with anyone. I think the obvious match is Fitch vs Jake Shields for the #1 spot, but it seems the UFC doesn't wanna run the risk of missing out on the anticipated GSP-Shields fight down the road. I'm picking Fitch again.

Clay Guida vs Rafael Dos Anjos (lightweight)
Could be exciting. Guida is a cardio machine. If this guy is high on life alone, he should be studied by scientists. I can see Guida smothering this guy and not getting submitted. I'm picking Guida.

Matt Hughes vs Ricardo Almeida (welterweight)
This is the fight I want to see. Is Hughes done? Having him fight Gracie wasn't gonna answer that question. But if he beats a real fighter like Alemeida then you have to put him back in the title mix. I'm gonna go against the grain and pick Almeida by decision.

Roy Nelson vs Junior Dos Santos (heavyweight)
Another great fight. Dos Santos is awesome, but Nelson is the Blob. Can Dos Santos avoid getting smothered and can he KO the Burger King? I think this is a tough one for Dos Santos. Nelson will be hungrier than usual 'cause a win here puts him in the title hunt for sure. Dos Santos will have to box and hope for a decision. Strange as it seems, I'm picking Nelson.

Dustin Hazelett vs Rick Story (welterweight)
I like both of these fighters. Story is more well-rounded, though and might be able to take down Hazelett while avoiding submissions. I'm picking Story.

Phil Davis vs Rodney Wallace (light heavyweight)
I can't believe I might miss this event... This could be another good one. Fireworks. Davis is incredible. I can't go against him. I'm picking Davis.

Tim Boetsch vs Todd Brown (heavyweight)
I don't know anything about Brown and don't have tie to look him up. I'm picking the Canadian - Boetsch.

Johny Hendricks vs Charlie Brenneman (welterweight)
Crazy card. Hendricks in a dark match? The guy is great. Don't know much about Brenneman. I'm picking Hendricks.

Stefan Struve vs Christian Morecraft (heavyweight)
Struve is a giant, but Morecraft is a big guy, too. Morecraft has a good record with quick finishes. Struve has a history of either winning, or losing by KO early. Just what Morecraft wants. I don't live Struve's chances, but maybe the UFC lights will intimidate Morecraft. I'll pick Struve by submission.

Wicked card. Let's hope it lives up to the hype.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

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.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

UFC Fight Night : Florian vs Gomi Picks

Another week, another Fight Night. Busy times for the UFC. Ok, let’s have a look at this one…

Kenny Florian vs Takanori Gomi (lightweight) – I can’t say I know much about Gomi, but apparently he’s a legend in the Japanese circuit (and Pride). He has lost to BJ Penn and Nick Diaz, but has wins over Jens Pulver, Duane Ludwig and Marcus Aurelio. 31-5-1NC is a very impressive record, but this will be his debut in the cage, which is a much different animal than the Pride fighting ring. Florian, meanwhile, has really come into his own following his days on The Ultimate Fighter. He has lost to Sean Sherk and BJ Penn, both title fights. Wins over the likes of Clay Guida, Roger Huerta, Joe Stevenson, Din Thomas and Sam Stout put Florian deservedly in the top ranks of the lightweight division. I’d love to see a rematch with Diego Sanchez someday before a rematch with BJ Penn. This is a tough fight to call having never seen Gomi fight. I’ll pick Florian.

Roy Nelson vs Stefan Struve (heavyweight) – If Struve were ever able to cut weight to 205 he’d be a force, but at heavyweight he is susceptible to the sheer weight of his opponents. I like the kid and hope he wins, but I can see Nelson getting inside, taking him down and lying on top of the poor helpless bastard. My brain says to pick Nelson, but I'm gonna go with the upset special and root for Struve.

Nate Quarry vs Jorge Rivera (middleweight) –Not sure how Jorge has managed to stick around the UFC for this long. He’s not going anywhere within the division and seems to lose at least every other fight (3 of 8 actually). Jorge seems to like to stand and bang which is Quarry’s strong suit, too. I like Quarry and his power, so I’ll pick him.

Ross Pearson vs Dennis Siver (lightweight) – Siver is no joke. He can win on his feet or the ground and has a very decent record. Pearson is a fan fav from TUF 9. I like his style and relentless attack. This should be a very entertaining fight. I like Pearson, so I’ll pick him.

Andre Winner vs Rafaello Oliveira (lightweight) – Andre Winner looked good during TUF 9, but his opponent is no slouch himself and has a better record. Both of these guys tend to go to decision. Oliveira is known for pushing the pace. Tough call. I’ll pick Winner for fun.

Jacob Volkmann vs Ronys Torres (welterweight) – Torres looked awesome his last time out (a decision loss to Melvin Guillard) while Volkmann was less than impressive. I’ll pick Torres.

Rob Emerson vs Nik Lentz (lightweight) – I’m not sure how a guy with a 9-8 record stays in the UFC – unless of course he was on TUF. Emerson is 2-2-1NC in the UFC and that’s if you buy the double KO decision rendered at the TUF 5 finale. If you ignore the 2-6 start to his career, maybe he looks a little better. I like Emerson, but I won’t pick him to win this fight. I’ll pick Lentz.

Caol Uno vs Gleison Tibau (lightweight) – Caol Uno is a shadow of his former self (3-4-1 in his last 8 against mid-card fighters). It’s sad, really. Tibau, meanwhile, is a stud with decent success against tough opponents (7-4 in the UFC). I’ll pick Tibau.

Yushin Okami vs Lucio Linhares (middleweight) – Okami has a very respectable; record in the UFC (7-2) but has lost key fights against Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen that have set him back from title shots. He doesn’t have the most exciting style, often boxing his way to a decision. Linhares, meanwhile, has fought mostly in M-1 and lost his UFC debut last time out (to Rousimar Palhares). He has no significant victories, but very seldom goes to a decision. So it appears the winner will be largely determined by when the fight ends. A decision will likely go to Okami, while a submission would go to Linhares. Since Okami is the wrestler, he ought o be able to decide where the fight takes place. That means standing, that means a decision, that means Okami will likely win.

Gerald Harris vs Mario Miranda (middleweight) – …Who? Research, research research… Ok, Harris is listed as a wrestler but most of his fights end with him getting a submission or a knockout. Clearly, this guy has skills – and a 14-2 record. Miranda, meanwhile, is undefeated (11-0) with a variety of finishes. He also has a wrestling background. Interesting. Neither has fought anyone of note, but this is Miranda’s UFC debut, while Harris has a UFC victory and KO of the Night honours. Impressive. I’ll pick Harris to spoil Miranda’s party and record.

Charlie Brenneman vs Jason High (welterweight) – Another battle of good records and UFC debutants. High has a victory over Kevin Burns, granted by doctor stoppage. Brenneman tends to win by TKO or decision, while High has a fair number of submissions and has made it to the DREAM welterweight Grand Prix finals. I’ll pick High.

With no heavyweights or even light heavyweights on the card, this ought to be an exciting, fast-paced event. We’ll see.

Note also: The Ultimate Fighter XI (Liddell vs Ortiz) starts tonight!