Missed almost all of this event, catching only the end of the Mitrione/Kongo snoozefest and the main event. I catch the Sportsnet prelims, though.
Nick Diaz def. BJ Penn (unanimous)
Penn looked ok in the first round, but wilted as he is apt to doing and Diaz pummeled him for the next two rounds. Both looked pretty messed up afterwards, but Diaz clearly earned the nod. As a bonus for shooting his mouth off, Diaz gets a title shot against GSP. Makes sense, right? I didn't think so, either. But see, this is marketing for you. A GSP/Diaz fight will garner more PPV buys than GSP/Condit. But is that the way the UFC should be conducting business? Shouldn't the top contender get the shot every time? Is Diaz the top contender? Dana White says Condit stepped aside, but I sense that might not be 100% accurate. Time will tell, I guess. (1-0)
Cheick Kongo def. Matt Mitrione (unanimous)
Seems this was boring as hell. All I saw was the third round where Kongo laid and prayed. Woopie. Seems Kongo didn't bring the heat. Surprised? Me neither. I was hoping Mitrione woudl score the upset, but it wasn't to be. Another boring win for Kongo. (1-1)
Roy Nelson def. Mirko Filipovic (TKO 3)
Like Penn, Cro Cop may be done. Let's hope so. He has nothing left in the tank. That much is obvious. He can't deal with the cage or his age. (2-1)
Scott Jorgensen def. Jeff Curran (unanimous)
Looks like Jorgensen did well. (3-1)
Hatsu Hioki def. George Roop (split)
Controversial. Came down to the first round. Roop did well in the stand-up, but got taken down hard. Guess two of the judges saw that as more significant. (4-1)
Donald Cerrone def. Dennis Siver (TKO 1)
Boy did Cerrone look good. I'm stunned he put Siver on the mat with power, but he did and then choked him out as I expected. (4-1)
Bart Palaszewski def. Tyson Griffin (TKO 1)
Griffin missed weight. By a lot. He was sick, apparently, and let's hope so 'cause this looked bad. I bet he'll get cut. He no-showed on this one. (5-1)
Brandon Vera def. Eliot Marshall (unanimous)
Neither of these guys looked all that impressive, but Vera certainly earned the nod. He almost had his arm broken in the process, as Marshall caught him in a late arm bar. I guess Vera will stick around a while longer. (6-1)
Ramsey Nijem def. Dan Downes (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (6-2)
Francis Carmont def. Chris Camozzi (unanimous)
Good start for Canadian? (7-2)
Clifford Starks def. Dustin Jacoby (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (7-3)
Hey 7-3 is not bad.
Showing posts with label Tyson Griffin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyson Griffin. Show all posts
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
UFC 137 Picks
I'm exhausted for some bizarre reason and not thinking straight, but wanted to get my picks in for tomorrow's event out of principle. If I get half of these right it'll be a miracle.
BJ Penn vs Nick Diaz (welterweight)
Penn back at welterweight, talking title run. As if he deserves to face GSP after losing to him twice already, having lost his last two fights at a lower weight class and his only win since his return to welterweight was against a guy well past his prime who has not beaten a decent opponent in over 5 years. Right. Then there's Nick Diaz, who has been lighting them up since he was rejected by the UFC and moved to Strikeforce.But let;s face it: he hasn't beaten anyone of calibre in over 6 years! Before that, he lost to Joe Riggs, Sean Sherk and Diego Sanchez, who were decent back then, but haven't come close to the welterweight title. So, who is this new Diaz? Is he the real deal or just smoke and mirrors, created out of the dust of a clearly inferior organization? Well, Penn makes for a pretty good test, I guess. If he beats Penn cleanly, it means he's for real. Does it mean he should get a title shot? Hells f***ing no, but the UFC will give him one anyway. I'm not sure who to cheer for 'cause I don't think either of these guys deserves a title shot as a result. I think that if Penn wins, though, the UFC will have a harder time selling a GSP match-up which means MAYBE it won't happen. So that's reason enough to cheer for Penn I guess. This is a very even match-up, with both guys possessing BJJ skills and good stand-up. It may come down to cardio, in which case Diaz wins. I may pull for Penn to win, but my head just doesn't see it happening. I think Diaz will use his jab and eke out a decision.
Cheick Kongo vs Matt Mitrione (heavyweight)
Another good match-up. Big guys who like to strike. Kongo has WAY more experience and that may make the difference. Mitrione has surprised me with his resilience and his ability to get the W, though, and he has yet to get knocked down decisively. I'm gonan go with the upset and pick Mitrione.
Mirko Filipovic vs Roy Nelson (heavyweight)
This one is another intriguiing match-up. Cro Cop is well past his prime and is often dwarfed in the heavyweight division. But this time he's fighting a guy who is actually shorter, though he weights about 40 pounds more. This fight will prove once and for all if Cro Cop has anything left. Nelson will be a big, fat target. If Cro Cop can't head kick him, then that's it for the former tough guy. Nelson's best chance of winning this fight is to get Cro Cop to the ground and use his bulk to cripple his opponent while raining down some ground and pound. I actually think that'll happen. I just can't bet on Cro Cop these days. I'm picking Nelson.
Scott Jorgensen vs Jeff Curran (bantamweight)
Jorgensen is a top level guy while Curran is a vet with lots of experience. Unfortunately for him, most of the recent stuff isn't all that good. I'm picking Jorgensen.
Hatsu Hioki vs George Roop (featherweight)
The UFC really needs to update it's fighter profiles with some pictures. Roop has been around for a while, making an appearance on TUF and having mixed results since. Hioki has a very good record, but none of it in the UFC. I don't normally like to pick Japanese fighters making their UFC debuts, but his record is swaying me. I like Roop and he should have a good reach advantage, but I'm gonna pick the dark horse and go with Hioki.
Dennis Siver vs Donald Cerrone (lightweight)
This could be a very good fight. Siver is on the fringe of the elite and has impressed at times, while Cerrone is a top dog from WEC looking to make a name for himself in the UFC. The key for Cerrone is getting this fight to the ground where he should have the edge, despite Siver's credentials. I'm picking Cerrone.
Tyson Griffin vs Bart Palaszewski (lightweight)
Griffin is a UFC veteran while Bart is making his UFC debut after decent success in WEC. Bart has power on his side, while Griffin will have the wrestling advantage and may be able to get a decision. I like to cheer for a finish, so I'll go with Palaszewski.
Brandon Vera vs Eliot Marshall (light heavyweight)
Is this a loser-goes-home match? Maybe. After making a big splash. Vera has seriously disappointed in recent fights, granted against top guys. Marshall has a decent record, but has not exactly lit the UFC on fire and is coming off a loss. If Vera loses he definitely goes home unless he's sleeping with a UFC executive. A win would likely keep Marshall around for at least another fight. Vera ought to win this fight easily, but it all depends on his heart. I can't believe Vera could have fallen THIS far. I'm picking Vera.
Ramsey Nijem vs Dan Downes (lightweight)
Nijem did fairly well on TUF. Never heard of Downes but he has a better record and can knock guys out - something Nijem is familiar with following his TUF finale loss. I like Nijem, but I like Downes to win this fight.
Chris Camozzi vs Francis Carmont (middleweight)
Camozzi is a TUF competitor who has a decent record but no big wins. Carmont is a newcomer who trains with GSP and finishes fights fast one way or the other. I'm gonan pick the dark horse once again and go with Carmont for fun.
Dustin Jacoby vs Clifford Starks (middleweight)
Newcomers, I guess. This could be fun, though, as both guys are undefeated and have perfect records with lots of KO/TKOs. I'm gonna go with the bigger guy - Jacoby.
BJ Penn vs Nick Diaz (welterweight)
Penn back at welterweight, talking title run. As if he deserves to face GSP after losing to him twice already, having lost his last two fights at a lower weight class and his only win since his return to welterweight was against a guy well past his prime who has not beaten a decent opponent in over 5 years. Right. Then there's Nick Diaz, who has been lighting them up since he was rejected by the UFC and moved to Strikeforce.But let;s face it: he hasn't beaten anyone of calibre in over 6 years! Before that, he lost to Joe Riggs, Sean Sherk and Diego Sanchez, who were decent back then, but haven't come close to the welterweight title. So, who is this new Diaz? Is he the real deal or just smoke and mirrors, created out of the dust of a clearly inferior organization? Well, Penn makes for a pretty good test, I guess. If he beats Penn cleanly, it means he's for real. Does it mean he should get a title shot? Hells f***ing no, but the UFC will give him one anyway. I'm not sure who to cheer for 'cause I don't think either of these guys deserves a title shot as a result. I think that if Penn wins, though, the UFC will have a harder time selling a GSP match-up which means MAYBE it won't happen. So that's reason enough to cheer for Penn I guess. This is a very even match-up, with both guys possessing BJJ skills and good stand-up. It may come down to cardio, in which case Diaz wins. I may pull for Penn to win, but my head just doesn't see it happening. I think Diaz will use his jab and eke out a decision.
Cheick Kongo vs Matt Mitrione (heavyweight)
Another good match-up. Big guys who like to strike. Kongo has WAY more experience and that may make the difference. Mitrione has surprised me with his resilience and his ability to get the W, though, and he has yet to get knocked down decisively. I'm gonan go with the upset and pick Mitrione.
Mirko Filipovic vs Roy Nelson (heavyweight)
This one is another intriguiing match-up. Cro Cop is well past his prime and is often dwarfed in the heavyweight division. But this time he's fighting a guy who is actually shorter, though he weights about 40 pounds more. This fight will prove once and for all if Cro Cop has anything left. Nelson will be a big, fat target. If Cro Cop can't head kick him, then that's it for the former tough guy. Nelson's best chance of winning this fight is to get Cro Cop to the ground and use his bulk to cripple his opponent while raining down some ground and pound. I actually think that'll happen. I just can't bet on Cro Cop these days. I'm picking Nelson.
Scott Jorgensen vs Jeff Curran (bantamweight)
Jorgensen is a top level guy while Curran is a vet with lots of experience. Unfortunately for him, most of the recent stuff isn't all that good. I'm picking Jorgensen.
Hatsu Hioki vs George Roop (featherweight)
The UFC really needs to update it's fighter profiles with some pictures. Roop has been around for a while, making an appearance on TUF and having mixed results since. Hioki has a very good record, but none of it in the UFC. I don't normally like to pick Japanese fighters making their UFC debuts, but his record is swaying me. I like Roop and he should have a good reach advantage, but I'm gonna pick the dark horse and go with Hioki.
Dennis Siver vs Donald Cerrone (lightweight)
This could be a very good fight. Siver is on the fringe of the elite and has impressed at times, while Cerrone is a top dog from WEC looking to make a name for himself in the UFC. The key for Cerrone is getting this fight to the ground where he should have the edge, despite Siver's credentials. I'm picking Cerrone.
Tyson Griffin vs Bart Palaszewski (lightweight)
Griffin is a UFC veteran while Bart is making his UFC debut after decent success in WEC. Bart has power on his side, while Griffin will have the wrestling advantage and may be able to get a decision. I like to cheer for a finish, so I'll go with Palaszewski.
Brandon Vera vs Eliot Marshall (light heavyweight)
Is this a loser-goes-home match? Maybe. After making a big splash. Vera has seriously disappointed in recent fights, granted against top guys. Marshall has a decent record, but has not exactly lit the UFC on fire and is coming off a loss. If Vera loses he definitely goes home unless he's sleeping with a UFC executive. A win would likely keep Marshall around for at least another fight. Vera ought to win this fight easily, but it all depends on his heart. I can't believe Vera could have fallen THIS far. I'm picking Vera.
Ramsey Nijem vs Dan Downes (lightweight)
Nijem did fairly well on TUF. Never heard of Downes but he has a better record and can knock guys out - something Nijem is familiar with following his TUF finale loss. I like Nijem, but I like Downes to win this fight.
Chris Camozzi vs Francis Carmont (middleweight)
Camozzi is a TUF competitor who has a decent record but no big wins. Carmont is a newcomer who trains with GSP and finishes fights fast one way or the other. I'm gonan pick the dark horse once again and go with Carmont for fun.
Dustin Jacoby vs Clifford Starks (middleweight)
Newcomers, I guess. This could be fun, though, as both guys are undefeated and have perfect records with lots of KO/TKOs. I'm gonna go with the bigger guy - Jacoby.
Monday, June 27, 2011
UFC on Versus 4 Results
What a crazy event this turned out to be. There were some really great fights with spectacular finishes, but the big news was Nate Marquardt not being medically cleared and being cut from the UFC. What the heck did he do? Other fighters have tested positive for drugs and not been banned, so what could possibly be the reasoning here? We'll find out Tuesday, supposedly.
Let's get to the results:
This fight didn't happen, as I've said. Instead we got Charlie Brenneman filling in for Marquardt at the last minute.
Charlie Brenneman def. Rick Story (unanimous)
Brenneman had seen his own fight disappear when TJ Grant got hurt. Wonder how Story felt about this? And remember - Story was himself a late replacement for Anthony Rumble Johnson. Story had nothing to gain from this fight and everything to lose. As is the custom in these UFC situations, the guy with everything to lose did in fact lose. This put Brenneman on the map but seriously derailed Story's title aspirations. Despite the victory, Brenneman did not look good. He took Story down a couple of times and laid and prayed his way to the decision. He benefited from a generous ref who did not stand them up despite a lack of action. This is one area where the game has to change. Oh, and since the event took place in Pennsylvania, there were newbie refs for some fights - and it showed. One ref was simply awful, allowing one fighter to take too much abuse and he is the same one who let Brenneman steal his fight.
Cheick Kongo def. Pat Barry (KO 1)
Wow. CRAZY ending. Barry had this fight sewn up, charged in for the kill and got caught by Kongo for the massive come from behind KO. It was shocking, really, that the fight had not been stopped sooner. Kongo was clearly not defending himself, with his hands at his sides and wide open for abuse, but Barry woke him up with punches instead of putting him away. The ref did in fact put his hands on Barry when he was pummeling Kongo as if to stop it, but quickly took them off. I dunno...as soon as a ref puts his hands on a fighter, that ought to be it. The fighter is actually SUPPOSED to relent at that point. But the ref was Dan Miragliotta - the same guy who let the Lesnar-Carwin fight go, allowing Lesnar to recover and win the fight. Barry should have won this fight - but he didn't. Like Sell-Smith, this will be on the highlight reels forever. (0-1)
Matt Brown def. John Howard (unanimous)
This fight was boring as hell. Not sure what the heck Howard was thinking - he tried to take Brown down and gassed out in the process. Stupid. Brown got the win that he desperately needed, but, like Brenneman, he did not impress. He'll probably keep his job, though. (0-2)
Tyson Griffin def. Manny Gamburyan (majority)
Did not see it, but after a slow start it seems Griffin dominated the fight. (2-2)
Javier Vazquez def. Joe Stevenson (unanimous)
SURELY Joe Daddy will be cut after this. I mean, come on! He has not evolved since TUF and has shown he cannot hang with the big boys. Apparently he was dominated in this one. This loss means he is 3-7 in his last ten. That's disgusting. (3-2)
Joe Lauzon def. Curt Warburton (sub 1)
Apparently Lauzon put on anopther sick clinic. Dunno how he looked so bad against Sotiropoulos, but let's hope this is the beginning of a comeback. (4-2)
Rich Attonito def. Daniel Roberts (unanimous)
Apparently Roberts gassed and could not recover. (4-3)
Charles Oliveira def. Nik Lentz (sub 2)
We might see a rematch or no contest out of this one as the end apparently came as a result of an illegal knee that the ref missed. That allowed Oliveira to get the rear naked choke to finish what was till then a very entertaining fight, I hear. (5-3)
Ricardo Lamas def. Matt Grice (TKO 1)
Maybe the weight cut hurt Grice. (5-4)
Michael Johnson def. Edward Faaloloto (KO 1)
I hear Johnson looked decent. (6-4)
Cheick Kongo def. Pat Barry (KO 1)
Wow. CRAZY ending. Barry had this fight sewn up, charged in for the kill and got caught by Kongo for the massive come from behind KO. It was shocking, really, that the fight had not been stopped sooner. Kongo was clearly not defending himself, with his hands at his sides and wide open for abuse, but Barry woke him up with punches instead of putting him away. The ref did in fact put his hands on Barry when he was pummeling Kongo as if to stop it, but quickly took them off. I dunno...as soon as a ref puts his hands on a fighter, that ought to be it. The fighter is actually SUPPOSED to relent at that point. But the ref was Dan Miragliotta - the same guy who let the Lesnar-Carwin fight go, allowing Lesnar to recover and win the fight. Barry should have won this fight - but he didn't. Like Sell-Smith, this will be on the highlight reels forever. (0-1)
Matt Brown def. John Howard (unanimous)
This fight was boring as hell. Not sure what the heck Howard was thinking - he tried to take Brown down and gassed out in the process. Stupid. Brown got the win that he desperately needed, but, like Brenneman, he did not impress. He'll probably keep his job, though. (0-2)
Matt Mitrione def. Christian Morecraft (KO 2)
Great fight, as anticipated. These guys threw bombs and Mitrione proved he is a force to be reckoned with. He put Morecraft on his ass a few times but the ref let it go (he really should have stopped the fight sooner). This was the same ref as the Brenneman-Story fight, though. Let's hope Mitrione sees better opponents in the future. Pat Barry, maybe? (1-2)
Great fight, as anticipated. These guys threw bombs and Mitrione proved he is a force to be reckoned with. He put Morecraft on his ass a few times but the ref let it go (he really should have stopped the fight sooner). This was the same ref as the Brenneman-Story fight, though. Let's hope Mitrione sees better opponents in the future. Pat Barry, maybe? (1-2)
Tyson Griffin def. Manny Gamburyan (majority)
Did not see it, but after a slow start it seems Griffin dominated the fight. (2-2)
Javier Vazquez def. Joe Stevenson (unanimous)
SURELY Joe Daddy will be cut after this. I mean, come on! He has not evolved since TUF and has shown he cannot hang with the big boys. Apparently he was dominated in this one. This loss means he is 3-7 in his last ten. That's disgusting. (3-2)
Joe Lauzon def. Curt Warburton (sub 1)
Apparently Lauzon put on anopther sick clinic. Dunno how he looked so bad against Sotiropoulos, but let's hope this is the beginning of a comeback. (4-2)
Rich Attonito def. Daniel Roberts (unanimous)
Apparently Roberts gassed and could not recover. (4-3)
Charles Oliveira def. Nik Lentz (sub 2)
We might see a rematch or no contest out of this one as the end apparently came as a result of an illegal knee that the ref missed. That allowed Oliveira to get the rear naked choke to finish what was till then a very entertaining fight, I hear. (5-3)
Ricardo Lamas def. Matt Grice (TKO 1)
Maybe the weight cut hurt Grice. (5-4)
Michael Johnson def. Edward Faaloloto (KO 1)
I hear Johnson looked decent. (6-4)
Meh. A winning record, but not so great. I hope I get to see some of those undercard fights on Unleashed.
Friday, June 24, 2011
UFC Live on Versus Picks
Rick Story vs. Nate Marquardt (welterweight)
This ought to be interesting because it marks the debut of Marquardt at welterweight - the same division as his training partner, GSP. If Marquardt wins, he'll move up the ladder quickly and could be in line for a title shot soon. Would he fight GSP? It would probably be a good challenge for the champ. Story is good, but I'm gonna pick Marquardt.
Pat Barry vs Cheick Congo (heavyweight)
Congo kinda sucks. His stand up is decent, but his ground game is atrocious. Good thing for him that Barry has no ground game either. In fact, Congo might look to take Barry down. Congo will enjoy a massive size advantage and it remains to be seen if Barry can get inside and hit the big guy. If these guys were the same size I'd pick Barry in a heartbeat. But with this size differential? It's tough. I think Congo will squeeze out a boring decision, but I hate pulling for that, so I'll pick Barry by TKO.
John Howard vs Matt Brown (welterweight)
I like Brown, but he's not really an elite MMA guy. He's a scrapper who would put on a good show in smaller promotions. He's a bit outclassed in the UFC. But he has a size advantage in this fight, which might make the difference. ...But I don't think so - I'll pick Howard. If Brown loses, he'll get cut for sure.
Matt Mitrione vs Christian Morecraft (heavyweight)
This ought to be fun. Both have significant power. Surprisingly enough, I'd say Mitrione is in better shape, so if he can get this past the first round his odds of winning increase. Morecraft finishes fights quick but we have yet to see Mitrione get knocked done. I'll pick Mitrione.
Manny Gamburyan vs Tyson Griffin (featherweight)
I was a fan of Manny's until he pulled the ultimate douche move in the Cox fight (striking when the opponent went to touch gloves). He's talented but small and does not have the best chin. Tyson was looking great for a while with some big wins and having lost only to champions. But he has lost three in a row, including one to has-been (and overrated) Takanori Gomi. Tyson needs this one badly or he might get cut. This fight also marks his return to featherweight. It could be a really good fight with two evenly-matched fighters who usually put on a good show. If Griffin tries to wrestle, Gamburyan might use his judo to throw Griffin around. Tough call. I'll pick Griffin.
Joe Stevenson vs Javier Vazquez (featherweight)
Another fight that features a move in weight class. This time it's UFC darling Joe Stevenson dropping to featherweight. Surely this is Joe Daddy's last kick at the can, his last chance to remain at all relevant. The guy has lost 6 of his last 9 fights, including 3 in a row and 5 of 7. Nice guy, but not UFC material - not anymore. The UFC must be in his corner, throwing him a bone in the form of Vazquez who has lost 3 of 5. I can't say I like either fighter in terms of UFC potential, but for this fight I'll pick Vazquez by submission.
Joe Lauzon vs Curt Warburton (lightweight)
Not sure what's going on here. Maybe Warburton is on the way up and Lauzon need a rebound fight, but I don't really see how this fight was put together. Lauzon has far more experience and having him fight a British guy form the Wolfslair is a bit of a mismatch. Warburton has a puncher's chance, but otherwise I see Lauzon ending this in the first by submission.
Daniel Roberts vs Rich Attonito (welterweight)
Two guys whose specialties are BJJ and wrestling. If that means a stand up war, I'll pick Attonito. But I see Roberts getting the advantage and taking this to the ground where he has the edge. I'll pick Roberts.
Nik Lentz vs Charles Oliveira (lightweight)
Boy I hope this one is on TV. This could be another great one. Lentz has a crazy record, but Oliveira has insane BJJ (even though he is only a brown belt). If it goes to decision, it'll be Lentz for sure. If not, it's Oliveira by submission. I hate rooting for decisions, so I'll pick Oliveira.
Ricardo Lamas vs Matt Grice (featherweight)
Yet another featherweight debut - this time it's Grice. Lamas looks but so does Grice. Grice is a wrestler but has a number of submission wins, usually by guillotine. I'm gonna pick randomly and go with Grice.
Michael Johnson vs Edward Faaloloto (lightweight)
Johnson is a former TUF finalist, losing to Johnathan Brookins. Johnson looked ok, but not great. Faaloloto is a nobody who somehow managed to get a UFC fight. Maybe it's 'cause he trains with Chris Leben? Who knows. The UFC site has him listed at 5-1 while Sherdog (and every other site) has him at 2-1. So he's a bit of a mystery and quite unproven. He looks decent, but he's so raw that I can't pick him. I'll pick Johnson.
This ought to be interesting because it marks the debut of Marquardt at welterweight - the same division as his training partner, GSP. If Marquardt wins, he'll move up the ladder quickly and could be in line for a title shot soon. Would he fight GSP? It would probably be a good challenge for the champ. Story is good, but I'm gonna pick Marquardt.
Pat Barry vs Cheick Congo (heavyweight)
Congo kinda sucks. His stand up is decent, but his ground game is atrocious. Good thing for him that Barry has no ground game either. In fact, Congo might look to take Barry down. Congo will enjoy a massive size advantage and it remains to be seen if Barry can get inside and hit the big guy. If these guys were the same size I'd pick Barry in a heartbeat. But with this size differential? It's tough. I think Congo will squeeze out a boring decision, but I hate pulling for that, so I'll pick Barry by TKO.
John Howard vs Matt Brown (welterweight)
I like Brown, but he's not really an elite MMA guy. He's a scrapper who would put on a good show in smaller promotions. He's a bit outclassed in the UFC. But he has a size advantage in this fight, which might make the difference. ...But I don't think so - I'll pick Howard. If Brown loses, he'll get cut for sure.
Matt Mitrione vs Christian Morecraft (heavyweight)
This ought to be fun. Both have significant power. Surprisingly enough, I'd say Mitrione is in better shape, so if he can get this past the first round his odds of winning increase. Morecraft finishes fights quick but we have yet to see Mitrione get knocked done. I'll pick Mitrione.
Manny Gamburyan vs Tyson Griffin (featherweight)
I was a fan of Manny's until he pulled the ultimate douche move in the Cox fight (striking when the opponent went to touch gloves). He's talented but small and does not have the best chin. Tyson was looking great for a while with some big wins and having lost only to champions. But he has lost three in a row, including one to has-been (and overrated) Takanori Gomi. Tyson needs this one badly or he might get cut. This fight also marks his return to featherweight. It could be a really good fight with two evenly-matched fighters who usually put on a good show. If Griffin tries to wrestle, Gamburyan might use his judo to throw Griffin around. Tough call. I'll pick Griffin.
Joe Stevenson vs Javier Vazquez (featherweight)
Another fight that features a move in weight class. This time it's UFC darling Joe Stevenson dropping to featherweight. Surely this is Joe Daddy's last kick at the can, his last chance to remain at all relevant. The guy has lost 6 of his last 9 fights, including 3 in a row and 5 of 7. Nice guy, but not UFC material - not anymore. The UFC must be in his corner, throwing him a bone in the form of Vazquez who has lost 3 of 5. I can't say I like either fighter in terms of UFC potential, but for this fight I'll pick Vazquez by submission.
Joe Lauzon vs Curt Warburton (lightweight)
Not sure what's going on here. Maybe Warburton is on the way up and Lauzon need a rebound fight, but I don't really see how this fight was put together. Lauzon has far more experience and having him fight a British guy form the Wolfslair is a bit of a mismatch. Warburton has a puncher's chance, but otherwise I see Lauzon ending this in the first by submission.
Daniel Roberts vs Rich Attonito (welterweight)
Two guys whose specialties are BJJ and wrestling. If that means a stand up war, I'll pick Attonito. But I see Roberts getting the advantage and taking this to the ground where he has the edge. I'll pick Roberts.
Nik Lentz vs Charles Oliveira (lightweight)
Boy I hope this one is on TV. This could be another great one. Lentz has a crazy record, but Oliveira has insane BJJ (even though he is only a brown belt). If it goes to decision, it'll be Lentz for sure. If not, it's Oliveira by submission. I hate rooting for decisions, so I'll pick Oliveira.
Ricardo Lamas vs Matt Grice (featherweight)
Yet another featherweight debut - this time it's Grice. Lamas looks but so does Grice. Grice is a wrestler but has a number of submission wins, usually by guillotine. I'm gonna pick randomly and go with Grice.
Michael Johnson vs Edward Faaloloto (lightweight)
Johnson is a former TUF finalist, losing to Johnathan Brookins. Johnson looked ok, but not great. Faaloloto is a nobody who somehow managed to get a UFC fight. Maybe it's 'cause he trains with Chris Leben? Who knows. The UFC site has him listed at 5-1 while Sherdog (and every other site) has him at 2-1. So he's a bit of a mystery and quite unproven. He looks decent, but he's so raw that I can't pick him. I'll pick Johnson.
Monday, November 22, 2010
UFC 123 Rsults
How'd I do?
Rampage Jackson def. Lyoto Machida (split)
This was hardly an impressive fight for either fighter. The first round was a toss-up, with Rampage taking the second by a nose and Lyoto dominating the third. So it all came down to how you viewed the first round. Rampage got the nod, but he wasn't the only one surprised. Rampage didn't win this fight so much as Lyoto lost it due to inactivity. This doesn't move either fighter up my rankings. (0-1)
BJ Penn def. Matt Hughes (KO 1)
Wow. Even though I picked Penn, I didn't have him winning this quick, this easily. Penn caught Hughes with a nice shot to the side of the head and Hughes was done. Crazy. Penn looked smaller than his opponent, but he showed he was sharper. That's what you get when all of your recent fights are big ones and your opponent is fighting stiffs. If Hughes wants to have any kind of career going forward he has to sharpen his skills and face tougher dudes. Otherwise, he should move to the "Legends" division. (1-1)
Maiquel Falcao def Gerald Harris (unanimous)
Harris looked pathetic. All he had was a jab and a big swing. Falcao had opportunities to win this fight outright, but instead coasted his way to a decision. Is Falcoa dogging it or is he not as talented as it would seem? Remind me not to bet on Harris again. And I came THIS close to picking the dog... (1-2)
Phil Davis def. Tim Boetsch (sub 2)
Davis continues to impress. Boetsch was a spectator in this one. Davis finished him with a one-handed kimura! Wow. (2-2)
George Sotiropoulos def. Joe Lauzon (sub 2)
This was my Fight of the Night pick and I was right. I'm shocked George won this easily, though. Both guys have great jiu jitsu but George is SO dominant when he gets on top - something not all jiu jitsu guys handle well. George is definitely in line for a title shot, I'd say. Maybe one more fight against a Kenny Florian or something. (3-2)
Brian Foster def. Matt Brown (sub 2)
Brown was doing well, but Foster pulled off the choke when Brown stuck his neck out. Too bad for Brown. (4-2)
Mark Munoz def. Aaron Simpson (unanimous)
Close fight, but Munoz had the slight edge and got the nod. (4-3)
Dennis Hallman def. Karo Parisyan (TKO 1)
What has Karo been up to all this time? 'Cause it certainly hasn't been training. He looked AWFUL. He looked small, sick and lacklustre. Hallman made him his bitch in no time. Karo may not get another shot in the UFC. Brutal. A shadow of his former self. (5-3)
Edson Barboza def. Mike Lullo (TKO 3)
Didn't see it, but kinda wish I'd stuck around. TKO by leg kicks? Hm. (6-3)
Paul Kelly def. TJ O'Brien (TKO 2)
Paul Kelly won, but didn't exactly impress. Even when he had O'Brien pinned in a crucifix and had him at his mercy, it took a very obliging ref to stop the fight and give him the win. O'Brien was clearly not hurt. I wish they'd let it go and see if O'Brien could make it to the end of the round. Not that O'Brien looked good, either. (6-4)
Nik Lentz def. Tyson Griffin (split)
Didn't see it. (7-4)
7-4. Not bad.
Rampage Jackson def. Lyoto Machida (split)
This was hardly an impressive fight for either fighter. The first round was a toss-up, with Rampage taking the second by a nose and Lyoto dominating the third. So it all came down to how you viewed the first round. Rampage got the nod, but he wasn't the only one surprised. Rampage didn't win this fight so much as Lyoto lost it due to inactivity. This doesn't move either fighter up my rankings. (0-1)
BJ Penn def. Matt Hughes (KO 1)
Wow. Even though I picked Penn, I didn't have him winning this quick, this easily. Penn caught Hughes with a nice shot to the side of the head and Hughes was done. Crazy. Penn looked smaller than his opponent, but he showed he was sharper. That's what you get when all of your recent fights are big ones and your opponent is fighting stiffs. If Hughes wants to have any kind of career going forward he has to sharpen his skills and face tougher dudes. Otherwise, he should move to the "Legends" division. (1-1)
Maiquel Falcao def Gerald Harris (unanimous)
Harris looked pathetic. All he had was a jab and a big swing. Falcao had opportunities to win this fight outright, but instead coasted his way to a decision. Is Falcoa dogging it or is he not as talented as it would seem? Remind me not to bet on Harris again. And I came THIS close to picking the dog... (1-2)
Phil Davis def. Tim Boetsch (sub 2)
Davis continues to impress. Boetsch was a spectator in this one. Davis finished him with a one-handed kimura! Wow. (2-2)
George Sotiropoulos def. Joe Lauzon (sub 2)
This was my Fight of the Night pick and I was right. I'm shocked George won this easily, though. Both guys have great jiu jitsu but George is SO dominant when he gets on top - something not all jiu jitsu guys handle well. George is definitely in line for a title shot, I'd say. Maybe one more fight against a Kenny Florian or something. (3-2)
Brian Foster def. Matt Brown (sub 2)
Brown was doing well, but Foster pulled off the choke when Brown stuck his neck out. Too bad for Brown. (4-2)
Mark Munoz def. Aaron Simpson (unanimous)
Close fight, but Munoz had the slight edge and got the nod. (4-3)
Dennis Hallman def. Karo Parisyan (TKO 1)
What has Karo been up to all this time? 'Cause it certainly hasn't been training. He looked AWFUL. He looked small, sick and lacklustre. Hallman made him his bitch in no time. Karo may not get another shot in the UFC. Brutal. A shadow of his former self. (5-3)
Edson Barboza def. Mike Lullo (TKO 3)
Didn't see it, but kinda wish I'd stuck around. TKO by leg kicks? Hm. (6-3)
Paul Kelly def. TJ O'Brien (TKO 2)
Paul Kelly won, but didn't exactly impress. Even when he had O'Brien pinned in a crucifix and had him at his mercy, it took a very obliging ref to stop the fight and give him the win. O'Brien was clearly not hurt. I wish they'd let it go and see if O'Brien could make it to the end of the round. Not that O'Brien looked good, either. (6-4)
Nik Lentz def. Tyson Griffin (split)
Didn't see it. (7-4)
7-4. Not bad.
Friday, November 19, 2010
UFC 123 Picks
Alright, some quick picks on the Rampage-Machida card:
Rampage Jackson vs Lyoto Machida (light heavyweight)
This is finesse versus the rabid dog; and it could get embarrassing. I could see Machida easily dodging Rampage's attacks and countering effectively, frustrating Jackson and eventually putting him away or winning a lopsided decision. But, make no mistake, Jackson has a puncher's chance. He may possess Shogun Rua's power, but unless he can move like Rua, it's hard to imagine him getting the KO. I'm picking Machida.
Matt Hughes vs BJ Penn (welterweight)
Penn moves back up to welterweight to settle the score in this rubber match. Is Hughes too old to catch Penn and take him down like he did last time? Is Penn going to use his skills to submit Hughes like he did the first time or will he stand and jab his way to a decision? Hughes hasn't been relevant since he lost his belt, mostly due to a long layoff and a couple of less-than-stellar since his return. (don't get me started on that Almeida fiasco) Hughes isn't the fighter he was, in my eyes, while Penn has been battling top-notch lightweights as champ. Both fighters are on the decline, but Hughes has the head start. I'm picking Penn.
Gerald Harris vs Maiquel Falcao (middleweight)
This has Knock Out of the Night written all over it. These two guys like to bang hard. Falcao is a nobody with an insane record and a mile-long list of first round KOs. I was gonna pick Harris, but this Falcao's record has me second guessing myself. Still, I'll go with the guy who has been under the big lights before - Harris.
Phil Davis vs Tim Boetsch (light heavyweight)
I wish Tim well, but there's NO WAY I'm going against Davis. Forget it. The guy is a machine. I'm picking...Davis.
George Sotiropoulos vs Joe Lauzon (lightweight)
This has Fight of the Night written all over it and I would suggest the winner will be knocking on the Title Shot door. Bot are favourites of mine and possess crazy jiu jitsu skills. But will they respect each other's strengths and choose to box instead? I hope not. I like Joe, but he had his shot at the #1 contendership with his disappointing fight against Florian - I'm cheering for Sotiropoulos.
Matt Brown vs Brian Foster (welterweight)
If Brown loses, I think this might be the last we see of him for a while. Foster has had some tough fights and beaten some decent opponents. I might cheer for Brown, but I'll bet on Foster.
Aaron Simpson vs Mark Munoz (middleweight)
Munoz is a very decent fighter who is much more suited to the middleweight division than his previous status as a light heavyweight. Simpson is a strong wrestler with KO power, which may give him the edge in this fight. I'm picking Simpson.
Karo Parisyan vs Dennis Hallman (welterweight)
Karo (hopefully) makes his return to the octagon against the man who has beaten Matt Hughes twice and never lost (which gives him a leg up over 2-1 GSP). Hallman has VERY good jiu itsu skills with a number of quick submission wins. Can he get Karo to the ground and submit him? Karo has an impressive record himself, but seems to lose big fights just when he's on the cusp of a title shot. He has way too many decision wins for my taste. This is only his second fight in almost two years. I like Karo, but I'll bet on Hallman.
Edson Barboza vs Mike Lullo (lightweight)
Ok, time to make some guesses. Lullo has no profile on Wikipedia and no big fights. Submission skills, though. Barboza is undefeated and knocks guys out. He does have one submission win, so he must have some skills. I'll pick Barboza.
Paul Kelly vs TJ O'Brien (lightweight)
Paul Kelly is a very decent fighter who dropped down to lightweight after a so-so welterweight career. So far he's...so-so. TJ O'Brien is a nobody but has a crazy submission victory record. It's his UFC debut, so Kelly will have a huge experience advantage, but I'll pick the tall, lanky kid to surprise everybody: O'Brien.
Tyson Griffin vs Nik Lentz (lightweight)
The undercard for this event is insane. Is this a dark match? Huh. Lentz is a wrestler who tends to win by decision - a lot of wins, mind you. Griffin is a former contender who is coming off two very disappointing loses. I'll pick the taller Lentz.
Rampage Jackson vs Lyoto Machida (light heavyweight)
This is finesse versus the rabid dog; and it could get embarrassing. I could see Machida easily dodging Rampage's attacks and countering effectively, frustrating Jackson and eventually putting him away or winning a lopsided decision. But, make no mistake, Jackson has a puncher's chance. He may possess Shogun Rua's power, but unless he can move like Rua, it's hard to imagine him getting the KO. I'm picking Machida.
Matt Hughes vs BJ Penn (welterweight)
Penn moves back up to welterweight to settle the score in this rubber match. Is Hughes too old to catch Penn and take him down like he did last time? Is Penn going to use his skills to submit Hughes like he did the first time or will he stand and jab his way to a decision? Hughes hasn't been relevant since he lost his belt, mostly due to a long layoff and a couple of less-than-stellar since his return. (don't get me started on that Almeida fiasco) Hughes isn't the fighter he was, in my eyes, while Penn has been battling top-notch lightweights as champ. Both fighters are on the decline, but Hughes has the head start. I'm picking Penn.
Gerald Harris vs Maiquel Falcao (middleweight)
This has Knock Out of the Night written all over it. These two guys like to bang hard. Falcao is a nobody with an insane record and a mile-long list of first round KOs. I was gonna pick Harris, but this Falcao's record has me second guessing myself. Still, I'll go with the guy who has been under the big lights before - Harris.
Phil Davis vs Tim Boetsch (light heavyweight)
I wish Tim well, but there's NO WAY I'm going against Davis. Forget it. The guy is a machine. I'm picking...Davis.
George Sotiropoulos vs Joe Lauzon (lightweight)
This has Fight of the Night written all over it and I would suggest the winner will be knocking on the Title Shot door. Bot are favourites of mine and possess crazy jiu jitsu skills. But will they respect each other's strengths and choose to box instead? I hope not. I like Joe, but he had his shot at the #1 contendership with his disappointing fight against Florian - I'm cheering for Sotiropoulos.
Matt Brown vs Brian Foster (welterweight)
If Brown loses, I think this might be the last we see of him for a while. Foster has had some tough fights and beaten some decent opponents. I might cheer for Brown, but I'll bet on Foster.
Aaron Simpson vs Mark Munoz (middleweight)
Munoz is a very decent fighter who is much more suited to the middleweight division than his previous status as a light heavyweight. Simpson is a strong wrestler with KO power, which may give him the edge in this fight. I'm picking Simpson.
Karo Parisyan vs Dennis Hallman (welterweight)
Karo (hopefully) makes his return to the octagon against the man who has beaten Matt Hughes twice and never lost (which gives him a leg up over 2-1 GSP). Hallman has VERY good jiu itsu skills with a number of quick submission wins. Can he get Karo to the ground and submit him? Karo has an impressive record himself, but seems to lose big fights just when he's on the cusp of a title shot. He has way too many decision wins for my taste. This is only his second fight in almost two years. I like Karo, but I'll bet on Hallman.
Edson Barboza vs Mike Lullo (lightweight)
Ok, time to make some guesses. Lullo has no profile on Wikipedia and no big fights. Submission skills, though. Barboza is undefeated and knocks guys out. He does have one submission win, so he must have some skills. I'll pick Barboza.
Paul Kelly vs TJ O'Brien (lightweight)
Paul Kelly is a very decent fighter who dropped down to lightweight after a so-so welterweight career. So far he's...so-so. TJ O'Brien is a nobody but has a crazy submission victory record. It's his UFC debut, so Kelly will have a huge experience advantage, but I'll pick the tall, lanky kid to surprise everybody: O'Brien.
Tyson Griffin vs Nik Lentz (lightweight)
The undercard for this event is insane. Is this a dark match? Huh. Lentz is a wrestler who tends to win by decision - a lot of wins, mind you. Griffin is a former contender who is coming off two very disappointing loses. I'll pick the taller Lentz.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
UFC Fight Night Results
I thought this event might suck and it did, for the most part - at least the telecast version.
Jon Jones vs Vladimir Matyushenko
Jones dominated, looking a lot like Anderson Silva in his awkward, gangly approach. He got top position and started dropping some elbows to Vlad's head and it took Herb Dean about 3 seconds to jump in and stop the fight. While Vlad was in deep trouble, he wasn't hurt. This was a premature stoppage in my books. Still, Jones was clearly the better fighter. If Silva ever goes back up to 205, I'd love to see him fight Jones because their styles are so similar. (1-0)
Mark Munoz vs Yushin Okami
Boring as hell. Munoz had a terrible gameplan, attempting lazy single-leg takedowns from five feet away. Okami just had to stuff the takedowns, lie on top of Munoz (who wouldn't let go) and hit him with hammer fists to get the win. Ridiculous. (1-1)
John Howard vs Jake Ellenberger
Howard looked goods until he got smacked in the eye and it swelled shut in an ugly way. He clearly had an injury there and the doctor wisely stopped the fight. Too bad for Howard. (1-2)
Tyson Griffin vs Takanori Gomi
Another pretty dull fight for all that it lasted. Give Gomi credit for turning the lights out on Griffin. (1-3)
Paul Kelly vs Jacob Volkmann
This wasn't aired. I wouldn't mind seeing it to see how the two performed. Once again Volkmann screwed me over. :P (1-4)
DaMarques Johnson vs Matthew Riddle
Should have stuck with my boy Riddle. Johnson is overrated. (1-5)
James Irvin vs Igor Pokrajac
I think the Sandman may be done. Another poor performance. Seems he's a one trick pony. (1-6)
Brian Stann vs Mike Massenzio
Finally! Another win! Massenzio loses to CB Dolloway and then gets submitted by Stann? Dunno if he'll escape getting cut. (2-6)
Darren Elkins vs Charles Oliveira
I didn't know these guys before, but I know Oliveira now. That was quick and impressive. Dunno if he'd catch many UFC vets in such a straightforward triangle that easily, but he has probably earned another couple of fights in the UFC. (2-7)
Rob Kimmons vs Steve Steinbeiss
Steinbeiss has probably earned his walking papers with this one. As I said before, his record is less than impressive. (3-7)
Wow. 3-7. That sucks. Thank goodness I fare better at PPV's when it really counts, right? :P
Jon Jones vs Vladimir Matyushenko
Jones dominated, looking a lot like Anderson Silva in his awkward, gangly approach. He got top position and started dropping some elbows to Vlad's head and it took Herb Dean about 3 seconds to jump in and stop the fight. While Vlad was in deep trouble, he wasn't hurt. This was a premature stoppage in my books. Still, Jones was clearly the better fighter. If Silva ever goes back up to 205, I'd love to see him fight Jones because their styles are so similar. (1-0)
Mark Munoz vs Yushin Okami
Boring as hell. Munoz had a terrible gameplan, attempting lazy single-leg takedowns from five feet away. Okami just had to stuff the takedowns, lie on top of Munoz (who wouldn't let go) and hit him with hammer fists to get the win. Ridiculous. (1-1)
John Howard vs Jake Ellenberger
Howard looked goods until he got smacked in the eye and it swelled shut in an ugly way. He clearly had an injury there and the doctor wisely stopped the fight. Too bad for Howard. (1-2)
Tyson Griffin vs Takanori Gomi
Another pretty dull fight for all that it lasted. Give Gomi credit for turning the lights out on Griffin. (1-3)
Paul Kelly vs Jacob Volkmann
This wasn't aired. I wouldn't mind seeing it to see how the two performed. Once again Volkmann screwed me over. :P (1-4)
DaMarques Johnson vs Matthew Riddle
Should have stuck with my boy Riddle. Johnson is overrated. (1-5)
James Irvin vs Igor Pokrajac
I think the Sandman may be done. Another poor performance. Seems he's a one trick pony. (1-6)
Brian Stann vs Mike Massenzio
Finally! Another win! Massenzio loses to CB Dolloway and then gets submitted by Stann? Dunno if he'll escape getting cut. (2-6)
Darren Elkins vs Charles Oliveira
I didn't know these guys before, but I know Oliveira now. That was quick and impressive. Dunno if he'd catch many UFC vets in such a straightforward triangle that easily, but he has probably earned another couple of fights in the UFC. (2-7)
Rob Kimmons vs Steve Steinbeiss
Steinbeiss has probably earned his walking papers with this one. As I said before, his record is less than impressive. (3-7)
Wow. 3-7. That sucks. Thank goodness I fare better at PPV's when it really counts, right? :P
Friday, July 30, 2010
UFC Fight Night predictions
Can't say I'm terribly excited about this event. Still, let's pick some winners, ok?
Jon Jones vs Vladimir Matyushenko
Vlad is the old dog, facing off against the new blood. Don't know too much about him, which is odd considering this is the main event. His record is impressive, but he is getting up there (39) and most of his fights go to decision. Can he hang with the energetic Jones? I'm gonna say no. I'm picking Jones.
Mark Munoz vs Yushin Okami
Two guys who have good records but who have stumbled when it matters most. Munoz is on Matt Hamill's highlight reel and Okami fell to Rich Frankin, climbed the ladder again, then fell to Chael Sonnen. This could be a close fight, but I'm gonna go with Munoz in a bit of an upset.
John Howard vs Jake Ellenberger
I've missed most of Howard's fights, but he has been impressive, I hear. He has power and submission skills, while Ellenberger is a wrestler. If it goes to decision, I'd pick Ellenberger, but if it stops before the distance, then I'd bet on Howard. This could be an exciting finish or dull as hell. I'm gonna hope for exciting and pick Howard.
Tyson Griffin vs Takanori Gomi
Gomi has been less than impressive since coming over to the UFC from Japan where he was revered. He has lost three of five and four of eight. Not good. Sounds like he's living off his reputation. Griffin is a mystery and is coming off a loss. He seems to be a skilled fighter but never seems to have a good game plan. He has 10 UFC fights, though, and has won fight of the night in five of those fights. That's impressive. I'm not sold on Gomi, so I'm gonna pick Griffin.
Paul Kelly vs Jacob Volkmann
I picked Volkmann once and he let me down. Bet against him the next time and he won a fight he shouldn't have. What to do? Kelly's a tough boy. I'm picking Kelly.
DaMarques Johnson vs Matthew Riddle
I like Riddle, but he's a bit green. Johnson has more experience and I bet that's gonna serve him well. I'm picking Johnson.
James Irvin vs Igor Pokrajac
The Sandman returns. I hope he is all healed up and this won't be another disappointing and brief outing. He was brutalized by Anderson Silva then had to quit when Alessio Sakara punched him in the eye. I don't know much about Pokrajac other than his record is ok and he has beaten no one of consequence. It seems both of these guys can bang. I don't like Irvin's chances on the ground, but I'll pick him anyway.
Brian Stann vs Mike Massenzio
Stann is a pretty tough guy but has a mediocre UFC record. I know squat about Massenzio other than he tends to finish fights early and has lost to CB effing Dollaway for Pete's sake. If Dollaway can TKO this guy, so can Stann. I'm picking Stann.
Darren Elkins vs Charles Oliveira
Who...? Both of these guys have terrific records and finish fights early. maybe they haven't faced tough enough competition? Well, we'll see who responds to the pressure. Elkins or Oliveira? Elkins has fought once in the UFC so I'm gonna bet that helps. I'll pick Elkins.
Rob Kimmons vs Steve Steinbeiss
What is Steinbeiss doing in the UFC? He has lost his last two (one in WEC, one in UFC) and has lost to BILL EFFING MAHOOD for Pete's sake!! WTF? Kimmons has four UFC fights (2-2) with losses to Dan Miller and Jorge Rivera. Something tells me the loser is going home. I'm picking Kimmons for giggles.
This event might totally suck. We'll see.
Jon Jones vs Vladimir Matyushenko
Vlad is the old dog, facing off against the new blood. Don't know too much about him, which is odd considering this is the main event. His record is impressive, but he is getting up there (39) and most of his fights go to decision. Can he hang with the energetic Jones? I'm gonna say no. I'm picking Jones.
Mark Munoz vs Yushin Okami
Two guys who have good records but who have stumbled when it matters most. Munoz is on Matt Hamill's highlight reel and Okami fell to Rich Frankin, climbed the ladder again, then fell to Chael Sonnen. This could be a close fight, but I'm gonna go with Munoz in a bit of an upset.
John Howard vs Jake Ellenberger
I've missed most of Howard's fights, but he has been impressive, I hear. He has power and submission skills, while Ellenberger is a wrestler. If it goes to decision, I'd pick Ellenberger, but if it stops before the distance, then I'd bet on Howard. This could be an exciting finish or dull as hell. I'm gonna hope for exciting and pick Howard.
Tyson Griffin vs Takanori Gomi
Gomi has been less than impressive since coming over to the UFC from Japan where he was revered. He has lost three of five and four of eight. Not good. Sounds like he's living off his reputation. Griffin is a mystery and is coming off a loss. He seems to be a skilled fighter but never seems to have a good game plan. He has 10 UFC fights, though, and has won fight of the night in five of those fights. That's impressive. I'm not sold on Gomi, so I'm gonna pick Griffin.
Paul Kelly vs Jacob Volkmann
I picked Volkmann once and he let me down. Bet against him the next time and he won a fight he shouldn't have. What to do? Kelly's a tough boy. I'm picking Kelly.
DaMarques Johnson vs Matthew Riddle
I like Riddle, but he's a bit green. Johnson has more experience and I bet that's gonna serve him well. I'm picking Johnson.
James Irvin vs Igor Pokrajac
The Sandman returns. I hope he is all healed up and this won't be another disappointing and brief outing. He was brutalized by Anderson Silva then had to quit when Alessio Sakara punched him in the eye. I don't know much about Pokrajac other than his record is ok and he has beaten no one of consequence. It seems both of these guys can bang. I don't like Irvin's chances on the ground, but I'll pick him anyway.
Brian Stann vs Mike Massenzio
Stann is a pretty tough guy but has a mediocre UFC record. I know squat about Massenzio other than he tends to finish fights early and has lost to CB effing Dollaway for Pete's sake. If Dollaway can TKO this guy, so can Stann. I'm picking Stann.
Darren Elkins vs Charles Oliveira
Who...? Both of these guys have terrific records and finish fights early. maybe they haven't faced tough enough competition? Well, we'll see who responds to the pressure. Elkins or Oliveira? Elkins has fought once in the UFC so I'm gonna bet that helps. I'll pick Elkins.
Rob Kimmons vs Steve Steinbeiss
What is Steinbeiss doing in the UFC? He has lost his last two (one in WEC, one in UFC) and has lost to BILL EFFING MAHOOD for Pete's sake!! WTF? Kimmons has four UFC fights (2-2) with losses to Dan Miller and Jorge Rivera. Something tells me the loser is going home. I'm picking Kimmons for giggles.
This event might totally suck. We'll see.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
UFC 115 Results
I missed this one, but let's see how I did.
Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell (KO 1)
I switched my pick and chose Liddell 'cause I didn't wanna root for his demise. But it came, and in surprising fashion as Franklin got the KO. Liddell's chin is glass now and he ought to retire. Too bad. (0-1)
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic def. Pat Barry (sub 3)
Shocking ending as Cro Cop gets a submission. It looks like this was an entertaining fight, though, with the sluggers doing just that for the majority of the three rounds. Eventually, it was Barry who withered and the vet took over. Good for him. Barry will rebound. (0-2)
Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago (unanimous)
Ouch. (0-3)
Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel (unanimous)
Finally - a win! (1-3)
Carlos Condit def. Rory MacDonald (TKO 3)
Apparently MacDonald was winning until he got finished in the third with 7 seconds left! Ouch. (2-3)
Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin (split)
I'm sorry I missed these fights. (3-3)
Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig (sub 1)
Controversy here as Danzig didn't tap. Yves Lavigne thought Danzig was out, but the guillotine was only covering one side. The thing is, though, that Danzig did not respond when Lavigne tried to determine whether he was unconcious. That lack of response prompted Lavigne to watch out for the fighter's safety and he stopped the fight. A rematch is in the works for sure, giving Danzig a reprieve from the chopping block. He's clearly not a top-notch fighter, though. (4-3)
Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau (TKO 2)
Again, I was pulling for a guy who wasn't likely to win. Too bad for Loiseau. (4-4)
James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (5-4)
Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch (sub 2)
Patrick looked pretty good, I have to say. (6-4)
Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox (sub 3)
Didn't see it. (7-4)
Didn't do well on the main card, but not bad overall.
Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell (KO 1)
I switched my pick and chose Liddell 'cause I didn't wanna root for his demise. But it came, and in surprising fashion as Franklin got the KO. Liddell's chin is glass now and he ought to retire. Too bad. (0-1)
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic def. Pat Barry (sub 3)
Shocking ending as Cro Cop gets a submission. It looks like this was an entertaining fight, though, with the sluggers doing just that for the majority of the three rounds. Eventually, it was Barry who withered and the vet took over. Good for him. Barry will rebound. (0-2)
Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago (unanimous)
Ouch. (0-3)
Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel (unanimous)
Finally - a win! (1-3)
Carlos Condit def. Rory MacDonald (TKO 3)
Apparently MacDonald was winning until he got finished in the third with 7 seconds left! Ouch. (2-3)
Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin (split)
I'm sorry I missed these fights. (3-3)
Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig (sub 1)
Controversy here as Danzig didn't tap. Yves Lavigne thought Danzig was out, but the guillotine was only covering one side. The thing is, though, that Danzig did not respond when Lavigne tried to determine whether he was unconcious. That lack of response prompted Lavigne to watch out for the fighter's safety and he stopped the fight. A rematch is in the works for sure, giving Danzig a reprieve from the chopping block. He's clearly not a top-notch fighter, though. (4-3)
Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau (TKO 2)
Again, I was pulling for a guy who wasn't likely to win. Too bad for Loiseau. (4-4)
James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (5-4)
Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch (sub 2)
Patrick looked pretty good, I have to say. (6-4)
Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox (sub 3)
Didn't see it. (7-4)
Didn't do well on the main card, but not bad overall.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
UFC news: Liddell vs Franklin + Penn-Edgar rematch?
Bit of news hitting the wires this morning.
UFC 115
The UFC has released the fight card for UFC 115 taking place in Vancouver, BC. This is another big deal event as it marks the debut of the UFC in Western Canada. Vancouver is only the second city in Canada to host a UFC event, which has made rabid Toronto fans quite envious, to be sure.
The card was supposed to feature a battle between the latest TUF coaches, which everyone presumed to mean Chuck vs Tito III. But a strange thing happened on the way to the octagon as rumours and leaked photos suggested Tito was off the show and Rich Franklin had taken his place. Then, it was made public that Ortiz had been hospitalized. Still, Dana White told all who would listen that the Tito-Chuck fight was still on. Whether this was just a ploy to avoid spoiling the TUF season surprises or his actual belief, I don't know, but it has been confirmed that Tito is out and Franklin is in for UFC 115.
Some are greeting the announcement with disappointment, but, to be honest, I think this makes for a more interesting fight. Liddell-Ortiz III wasn't going to settle anything since Chuck was up 2-0. Besides, Ortiz hasn't been relevant for quite some time while Rich Franklin has still been fighting top dogs and is making a bid for a light heavyweight title shot in the future - something Ortiz was likely never to get.
Franklin is best at middleweight, if you ask me, but he was never going to reclaim the belt while Anderson Silva was patrolling those waters. Now, if Silva moves up to light heavyweight...
But that's another story.
In the meantime, a Chuck-Rich fight is an interesting proposition. Both are popular fighters and former champions. A few years ago, this fight seemed unlikely to ever happen (being in different weight classes), but fortunes have changed for both men and this main event offers them an opportunity to get back into the light heavyweight conversation. There's a lot at stake here. The winner will be elevated in the rankings, while the loser will face retirement questions. UFC 115 will mark a turning point - and that's why it matters.
But the disappointment being expressed at 115 isn't limited to the main event. The undercard is a bit underwhelming on the surface.
Cro Cop vs Barry - Mirko simply isn't the same fighter in recent years.
Thiago vs Kampmann - Ok, but not sexy.
Condit vs MacDonald - Condit is known, MacDonald not so much.
Griffin vs Dunham - Ok, not great.
Danzig vs Wiman - Two inconsistent fighters.
Rothwell vs Yvel - Finally some fireworks! But may not be broadcast. Oh.
Wilks vs Sobotta - Wilks is known, Sobotta not so much.
Funch vs Patrick - Never a good sign when the website doesn't have a photo.
Pyle vs Lennox - Pyle is known, Lennox not so much.
Ok, so it isn't the sexiest card we've ever seen. But let's not bury it just yet. Sometimes these cards end up having the best fights. All of these fighters, known or not, will be looking to make an impression. None of these fighters are the cream of their weight class crop, but that means they won't be complacent. They need the wins. I bet the Thiago-Kampmann fight will be terrific.
Still, one would have hoped that the UFC would have made more of an effort to make the card a monster, it being a new market and all. The problem, of course, is that many of the top dogs in the UFC have fought recently and there are only so many fighters available for this June event.
Let's hope the fighters surprise us and put on a terrific show.
Penn vs Edgar rematch?
Normally, when a champ loses their belt, they are forced to earn a tune-up victory before getting a rematch with the new champion. GSP did this with Koscheck, Hughes did this with Alves (he lost), Liddell did this with Jardine (lost), Couture did this with Van Arsdale, and then there's Griffin, Rampage, Evans, etc etc.
But it seems that the UFC is in talks to reunite BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar in the octagon for the lightweight belt. Edgar, you'll recall, won the belt from Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi in a stunner of an upset and with some questioning the judging. The "controversy" surrounding this one, though, does not appear to be on the same scale as the Mauricio Rua vs Lyoto Machida judging that prompted the perhaps ill-advised (it was a snoozefest, to be honest) rematch to be scheduled for Montreal at 113.
So why the immediate rematch? Is the UFC catering to Penn who had been built up as the "greatest lightweight of all time" in recent months? Does it have anything to do with Penn's rumoured desire to leave the division (with the belt) and move up to 170? Does the UFC lack confidence in the marketability of Edgar vs Maynard? Is the lightweight division so thin that no other match-up is palatable?
Who knows.
I'd love to hear the explanation, though. The real explanation.
UFC 115
The UFC has released the fight card for UFC 115 taking place in Vancouver, BC. This is another big deal event as it marks the debut of the UFC in Western Canada. Vancouver is only the second city in Canada to host a UFC event, which has made rabid Toronto fans quite envious, to be sure.
The card was supposed to feature a battle between the latest TUF coaches, which everyone presumed to mean Chuck vs Tito III. But a strange thing happened on the way to the octagon as rumours and leaked photos suggested Tito was off the show and Rich Franklin had taken his place. Then, it was made public that Ortiz had been hospitalized. Still, Dana White told all who would listen that the Tito-Chuck fight was still on. Whether this was just a ploy to avoid spoiling the TUF season surprises or his actual belief, I don't know, but it has been confirmed that Tito is out and Franklin is in for UFC 115.
Some are greeting the announcement with disappointment, but, to be honest, I think this makes for a more interesting fight. Liddell-Ortiz III wasn't going to settle anything since Chuck was up 2-0. Besides, Ortiz hasn't been relevant for quite some time while Rich Franklin has still been fighting top dogs and is making a bid for a light heavyweight title shot in the future - something Ortiz was likely never to get.
Franklin is best at middleweight, if you ask me, but he was never going to reclaim the belt while Anderson Silva was patrolling those waters. Now, if Silva moves up to light heavyweight...
But that's another story.
In the meantime, a Chuck-Rich fight is an interesting proposition. Both are popular fighters and former champions. A few years ago, this fight seemed unlikely to ever happen (being in different weight classes), but fortunes have changed for both men and this main event offers them an opportunity to get back into the light heavyweight conversation. There's a lot at stake here. The winner will be elevated in the rankings, while the loser will face retirement questions. UFC 115 will mark a turning point - and that's why it matters.
But the disappointment being expressed at 115 isn't limited to the main event. The undercard is a bit underwhelming on the surface.
Cro Cop vs Barry - Mirko simply isn't the same fighter in recent years.
Thiago vs Kampmann - Ok, but not sexy.
Condit vs MacDonald - Condit is known, MacDonald not so much.
Griffin vs Dunham - Ok, not great.
Danzig vs Wiman - Two inconsistent fighters.
Rothwell vs Yvel - Finally some fireworks! But may not be broadcast. Oh.
Wilks vs Sobotta - Wilks is known, Sobotta not so much.
Funch vs Patrick - Never a good sign when the website doesn't have a photo.
Pyle vs Lennox - Pyle is known, Lennox not so much.
Ok, so it isn't the sexiest card we've ever seen. But let's not bury it just yet. Sometimes these cards end up having the best fights. All of these fighters, known or not, will be looking to make an impression. None of these fighters are the cream of their weight class crop, but that means they won't be complacent. They need the wins. I bet the Thiago-Kampmann fight will be terrific.
Still, one would have hoped that the UFC would have made more of an effort to make the card a monster, it being a new market and all. The problem, of course, is that many of the top dogs in the UFC have fought recently and there are only so many fighters available for this June event.
Let's hope the fighters surprise us and put on a terrific show.
Penn vs Edgar rematch?
Normally, when a champ loses their belt, they are forced to earn a tune-up victory before getting a rematch with the new champion. GSP did this with Koscheck, Hughes did this with Alves (he lost), Liddell did this with Jardine (lost), Couture did this with Van Arsdale, and then there's Griffin, Rampage, Evans, etc etc.
But it seems that the UFC is in talks to reunite BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar in the octagon for the lightweight belt. Edgar, you'll recall, won the belt from Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi in a stunner of an upset and with some questioning the judging. The "controversy" surrounding this one, though, does not appear to be on the same scale as the Mauricio Rua vs Lyoto Machida judging that prompted the perhaps ill-advised (it was a snoozefest, to be honest) rematch to be scheduled for Montreal at 113.
So why the immediate rematch? Is the UFC catering to Penn who had been built up as the "greatest lightweight of all time" in recent months? Does it have anything to do with Penn's rumoured desire to leave the division (with the belt) and move up to 170? Does the UFC lack confidence in the marketability of Edgar vs Maynard? Is the lightweight division so thin that no other match-up is palatable?
Who knows.
I'd love to hear the explanation, though. The real explanation.
Monday, September 21, 2009
UFC 103 Results
Ok, how'd I do?
Vitor Belfort def. Rich Franklin (KO 1) - Although I had been pulling for Franklin and pegged him to win a decision, I could sense he was gonna get run over very early in the fight. There was this sense that this main event wasn't going to live up to the hype. Sometimes you can almost feel it - that the fight is going to end quickly and in a disappointing fashion. I don't say disappointing here because Franklin lost, but because of the way the fight ended. I mean, there really wasn't any action, and then, like GSP v Serra I, the fighter gets hit with a weird, top-of-the-head kind of glancing blow that stuns him enough that he's on the road to sleepyland. Did the fight make Belfort seem more dangerous? Not really, because he didn't really dominate or get to show his stuff. It was...unsatisfying. (0-1)
Junior Dos Santos def. Mirko Cro Cop (sub 3) - I'm officially done with Cro Cop. And he's done with MMA, as far as I can tell. He may still show up and get paid, but he shows very little heart or effort. And where are his legendary skills? I mean, he spends half his time backing up and pushing his opponent away. He rarely unloads and when he does he tends to miss. He seems to be intimidated by bigger more aggressive opponents. I get the sense he should try dropping to light heavytweight. Dos Santos looked ok, but I'm not buying into his hype yet. (1-1)
Paul Daley def. Martin Kampmann (KO 1) - This was a pretty massive upset. Kampmann was supposed to fight Mike Swick for the #1 contender's spot, but instead he gets new kid Daley and promptly sees his title hopes derailed. He won't get GSP anytime soon after that performance. Swick may actually have backed into the slot. Look for Daley to get a push and face another big name soon. (1-2)
Josh Koscheck def. Frank Trigg (KO 1) - And the UFC signed Trigg to a multiple fight contract? I bet they're second-guessing that decision now. Trigg got smoked and it'll take a big performance in his next fight to earn any credibility back, as far as I'm concerned. He wasn't exactly well-rounded back in the day, and now, at his age, he's practically a relic. I would love to see Koscheck and Matt Hughes go at it, if only to see one of them lose. :P It would be a great fight, though. (2-2)
Tyson Griffin def. Hermes Franca (TKO 2) - Please get Hermes Franca out of the UFC. That performance was pathetic. Was he high? With that purple hair, you never know. He basically didn't show up. I assume he was looking to counter in the first because he hardly threw a punch. The second started off better, but he still looked out of it, leaving himself completely exposed for the jab that led to the end. Terrible. (3-2)
UNDERCARD
Efrain Escudero def. Cole Miller (KO 1) - I was surprised by this result, and I think Miller was, too. Miller is a better fighter than that and he just got caught. I got the sense he knew right away he had blown a fight he expected to win. (3-3)
Tomasz Drwal def. Drew McFedries (sub 2) - McFedries may have dynamite in his hands, but he had oil in his lungs. No stamina whatsoever. As expected, once Drwal survived the first 2 minutes, he was in the clear. The rest was academic. (4-3)
Jim Miller def. Steve Lopez (TKO 2) - Didn't exactly end as expected. Lopez's shoulder looked pretty nasty afterwards. Shame to lose by injury like that. (5-3)
Nik Lentz def. Rafaello Oliveira (unanimous) - Lentz pulled it off though it was in doubt for a while. (6-3)
Rick Story def. Brian Foster (sub 1) - Weird finish with Story winning by arm triangle from within the guard. Missed most of this fight though apparently it was a doozy. (7-3)
Eliot Marshall def. Jason Brilz (split) - One of two fights not shown, I think. Sounds like it might have been a dull one with Marshall squeaking uot the decision. (8-3)
Vladimir Matyushenko def. Igor Pokrajac (unanimous) - The other one we didn't see. (9-3)
Rafael Dos Anjos def. Rob Emerson (unanimous) - Emerson is a nice guy but I don't think he belongs in the UFC. Dos Anjos looked decent and has likely earned a reprieve. (10-3)
Whoa: 10-3! That's pretty impressive. :) Maybe I can get that analyst's job after all!
Entertaining event. It didn't look like much on paper, but it delivered some good fights with a variety of interesting finishes.
Vitor Belfort def. Rich Franklin (KO 1) - Although I had been pulling for Franklin and pegged him to win a decision, I could sense he was gonna get run over very early in the fight. There was this sense that this main event wasn't going to live up to the hype. Sometimes you can almost feel it - that the fight is going to end quickly and in a disappointing fashion. I don't say disappointing here because Franklin lost, but because of the way the fight ended. I mean, there really wasn't any action, and then, like GSP v Serra I, the fighter gets hit with a weird, top-of-the-head kind of glancing blow that stuns him enough that he's on the road to sleepyland. Did the fight make Belfort seem more dangerous? Not really, because he didn't really dominate or get to show his stuff. It was...unsatisfying. (0-1)
Junior Dos Santos def. Mirko Cro Cop (sub 3) - I'm officially done with Cro Cop. And he's done with MMA, as far as I can tell. He may still show up and get paid, but he shows very little heart or effort. And where are his legendary skills? I mean, he spends half his time backing up and pushing his opponent away. He rarely unloads and when he does he tends to miss. He seems to be intimidated by bigger more aggressive opponents. I get the sense he should try dropping to light heavytweight. Dos Santos looked ok, but I'm not buying into his hype yet. (1-1)
Paul Daley def. Martin Kampmann (KO 1) - This was a pretty massive upset. Kampmann was supposed to fight Mike Swick for the #1 contender's spot, but instead he gets new kid Daley and promptly sees his title hopes derailed. He won't get GSP anytime soon after that performance. Swick may actually have backed into the slot. Look for Daley to get a push and face another big name soon. (1-2)
Josh Koscheck def. Frank Trigg (KO 1) - And the UFC signed Trigg to a multiple fight contract? I bet they're second-guessing that decision now. Trigg got smoked and it'll take a big performance in his next fight to earn any credibility back, as far as I'm concerned. He wasn't exactly well-rounded back in the day, and now, at his age, he's practically a relic. I would love to see Koscheck and Matt Hughes go at it, if only to see one of them lose. :P It would be a great fight, though. (2-2)
Tyson Griffin def. Hermes Franca (TKO 2) - Please get Hermes Franca out of the UFC. That performance was pathetic. Was he high? With that purple hair, you never know. He basically didn't show up. I assume he was looking to counter in the first because he hardly threw a punch. The second started off better, but he still looked out of it, leaving himself completely exposed for the jab that led to the end. Terrible. (3-2)
UNDERCARD
Efrain Escudero def. Cole Miller (KO 1) - I was surprised by this result, and I think Miller was, too. Miller is a better fighter than that and he just got caught. I got the sense he knew right away he had blown a fight he expected to win. (3-3)
Tomasz Drwal def. Drew McFedries (sub 2) - McFedries may have dynamite in his hands, but he had oil in his lungs. No stamina whatsoever. As expected, once Drwal survived the first 2 minutes, he was in the clear. The rest was academic. (4-3)
Jim Miller def. Steve Lopez (TKO 2) - Didn't exactly end as expected. Lopez's shoulder looked pretty nasty afterwards. Shame to lose by injury like that. (5-3)
Nik Lentz def. Rafaello Oliveira (unanimous) - Lentz pulled it off though it was in doubt for a while. (6-3)
Rick Story def. Brian Foster (sub 1) - Weird finish with Story winning by arm triangle from within the guard. Missed most of this fight though apparently it was a doozy. (7-3)
Eliot Marshall def. Jason Brilz (split) - One of two fights not shown, I think. Sounds like it might have been a dull one with Marshall squeaking uot the decision. (8-3)
Vladimir Matyushenko def. Igor Pokrajac (unanimous) - The other one we didn't see. (9-3)
Rafael Dos Anjos def. Rob Emerson (unanimous) - Emerson is a nice guy but I don't think he belongs in the UFC. Dos Anjos looked decent and has likely earned a reprieve. (10-3)
Whoa: 10-3! That's pretty impressive. :) Maybe I can get that analyst's job after all!
Entertaining event. It didn't look like much on paper, but it delivered some good fights with a variety of interesting finishes.
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