UFC 139 Results

This was a great card and from what I saw it did not disappoint.

Dan Henderson def. Maurcio Rua (unanimous)
What's a UFC event without controversy? Dan Henderson did very well for the first three rounds and then proceeded to shut it down and get his ass handed to him by Shogun Rua for the next ten minutes. Fortunately for him, the judges gave him 3 out of the 5 rounds and he got the unanimous decision. So where's the controversy? Well, if there was EVER an argument for a 10-8 (or even 10-7) round, Rua's utter dominance of Hendo in round #5 was it. Rua SLAUGHTERED Henderson for five full minutes. Shame on Rua for not finding a way to end it (submission, anyone?) but you HAD to give him 10-8 or better. Not ONE judge gave him the 10-8 margin, though, which would have made all the difference. I had it 47-47 and a draw - a fitting end to a fight that was so evenly matched overall. These guys deserve to go at it again. A win for Hendo was a bit disgraceful, considering how pathetic he looked for the final two rounds. And if he gets a TITLE SHOT after this?! Please. No one tuning in half way through could have possibly imagined the man on the bottom, getting relentlessly pummeled, could have POSSIBLY won that fight. Chalk another on up to bizarre judging. (0-1)

Wanderlei Silva def. Cung Le (TKO 2)
Wow. This was awesome. Silva looked tentative and nervous at first, and hung out on the periphery while Le measured him. But then Silva started letting his shots go and the tide turned quickly. Le has a questionable gas tank and Silva exploited it in the second round. In the end, Silva was just too much and Le was messed up. Great fight between two free swingers. (1-1)

Urijah Faber def. Brian Bowles (sub 2)
Give Faber credit for getting the submission against a tough opponent. Thanks to this, Faber will get YET ANOTHER title shot. Is there a fighter in MMA who gets more credit for wins than Faber? I dunno. Maybe other guys should get a shot once in a while? (1-2)

Martin Kampmann def. Rick Story (split)
Controversy again, in my mind. Story MAY have won round one, but who in their right mind had him winning one of the last two rounds? Kampmann clearly won those two. A split decision does not do Kampmann's win justice. This should have been at least 29-28 across the board. (2-2)

Stephan Bonnar def. Kyle Kingsbury (unanimous)
Bonnar fought smart (but dull) while Kingsbury honestly just did not show up. I thought Kingsbury would have an advantage in the wrestling department, but Bonnar flat-out schooled his less experienced opponent. Once Bonnar got on top, he used his underrated jiujitsu to secure the win. This was a big step back for Kingsbury. (2-3)

Ryan Bader def. Jason Brilz (KO 1)
Quick fight. Bader used his power, clipped Brilz behind the ear and it was all over. Puts Bader back on track. Look for him to get put back on the fast track with a much tougher opponent. (3-3)

Michael McDonald def. Alex Soto (KO 1)
McDonald looked great. He used his stand-up effectively and Soto got KTFO in under one minute. Things are looking up for the youngster. (4-3)

Chris Weidman def. Tom Lawlor (sub 1)
Weidman continues to surprise and look good. Lawlor is no push over, but Weidman seemed to finish him with ease. This kid has lots of potential. (5-3)

Gleison Tibau def. Rafael Dos Anjos (split)
Didn't see it. Fight metrics show Tibau got in more shots and a couple of take downs. (6-3)

Miguel Angel Torres def. Nick Pace (unanimous)
Didn't see it. Looks like it may have been the mismatch I expected. (7-3)

Seth Baczynski def. Matt Brown (sub 2)
This wasn't pretty, but it went the way I thought it would. Brown likes to swing and throw knees inside but he doesn't seem to have the complete game that is needed. He tends to get caught somehow and he did here, once again. Too bad. (8-3)

Danny Castillo def. Shamar Bailey (TKO 1)
Debatable early stoppage - especially with 8 seconds left in the round - but Bailey was pulling the turtle and was warned by the ref to fight back. Castillo pretty much dominated. (9-3)

Not bad!

UFC 139 Picks

I didn't bother making picks for UFC on Fox. It was a pretty crap card aside from the main event and the Henderson-Guida fight, which was awesome. Some people didn't give Dos Santos much of a chance against Velasquez, but it came as no surprise to me that he won. Velasquez had never really had his chin tested, except a bit against Kongo when he got rocked but recovered. I knew that if Dos Santos could stuff the takedowns he'd have a pretty good chance. Turns out he only had to stuff one before getting the big KO.

But now it's on to a real card - UFC 139. Let's get to it.

Dan Henderson vs. Maurcio Rua (light heavyweight)
So Hendo is back in the UFC and still can't seem to settle on a weight class. I think he'd have more success as a middleweight, personally, but if he wants to take on bigger guys, good for him. This is a huge fight for him. If he wins, he's right back in the title picture. If he loses, though, a lot of people will say he has lost it and point to his loss to Jake Shields as proof, despite his more recent victory over previously highly-touted Fedor Emelianenko. Rua is coming off his gimme win over Forrest Griffin (another no-win scenario fight for Griffin to take) and is looking to get back in the title hunt after getting smoked by current champ Jon Bones Jones. Both of these guys have power. Hendo has wrestling going for him, which appears to be a bit of a weakness for Rua. But Rua is smarter, more skilled, and has BJJ on his side. Can Hendo get Rua down? I dunno. I see this as a stand up war. I see Rua getting the decision. I'm picking Rua.

Cung Lee vs Wanderlei Silva (middleweight)
Silva has lost 6 of 8. Normally, that would get you kicked out of the UFC, but the UFC likes keeping legends around. This, again, falls into the category of guys getting fights for who they are not what they are. But Lee is not exactly a top level opponent at this time, so he has a chance. Lee has been away from MMA, pursuing an acting career. Frankly, the only reason we know his name is because he was a big fish in the small Strikeforce pond. For the most part, he has fought guys who couldn't cut it in the UFC. Sure, his record is good, but it's inflated, much like Fedor's. He's flashy and can throw punches and kicks from crazy angles, but can he withstand a Silva berserker attack. Silva isn't exactly known for fighting smart, so it remains to be seen if he can execute a proper gameplan. I could see Lee getting a decision, but Silva getting a KO. I don't like Silva's chances, but I'm gonna pick him anyway. I'm going with Silva.

Brian Bowles vs Urijah Faber (bantamweight)
This could be fight of the night. Talented, relentless guys in a speedy weight class. Faber is the name, but Bowles is the favourite in my mind. Frankly, I think Faber is overrated. Sure, he puts in the effort, but he seems to worry too much about putting on a good show and not enough about winning smart. I'm picking Bowles.

Martin Kampmann vs Rick Story (welterweight)
Another good fight. Both of these guys have done well and were on the rise before getting derailed. On paper, Kampmann is the more talented, well-rounded fighter. Story has shown, though, that he can overcome odds and upset favoured opponents. Still, I think Kampmann will fight smart and get the W. I'm picking Kampmann.

Stephan Bonnar vs Kyle Kingsbury (light heavyweight)
Another terrific match-up. This could be a war. Kingsbury is a beast, but does not necessarily fight smart. Bonnar is a relentless machine who takes punishment and keeps coming. This is not likely to be the prettiest fight of the night, but it's another FOTN candidate. If Kingsbury is smart, this could be a walk in the park - he just needs to take Bonnar down and keep him there. Boxing would be a mistake. I like Bonnar and all, but I'm picking Kingsbury in a disappointingly dull decision.

Ryan Bader vs Jason Brilz (light heavyweight)
How the mighty have fallen. Bader was considered a very strong up-and-comer until he ran into current champ Jon Jones and got slaughtered. Then the got submitted by a very fortunate Tito Ortiz and suddenly he's on the undercard. On paper, this is a mismatch in Bader's favour. He has more skills than Brilz, a better record, and he has beaten guys Brilz has lost to. So, no surprise, I'm picking Bader.

Michael McDonald vs Alex Soto (bantamweight)
Alex Soto is a replacement for Johnny Eduardo and is in tough against the more experienced McDonald. I'm picking McDonald.

Tom Lawlor vs Chris Weidman (middleweight)
Weidman is pretty raw, but has been impressive. Lawlor has talent, but has been upset more than once. Lawlor should have the experience edge, but he's fighting a guy who is also a wrestler, so he can't really rely on his top strength. I'm gonna go with the upset and pick Weidman.

Gleison Tibau vs Rafael Dos Anjos (lightweight)
Tibau is back again. I never know what to make of this guy. Sometimes he looks great, other times he looks awful. Dos Anjos is super talented at BJJ, but Tibau has some skills, too. Tibau is likely better ion the feet, though, which is where this fight will likely remain. Tough call. I'll pick the more experienced Tibau.

Miguel Angel Torres vs Nick Pace (bantamweight)
Speaking of fallen mighties...Holy cow. Torres was a big shot in WEC and a champ they thought would be on top forever. Suddenly he's near the bottom of the undercard? I guess losing 3 of 5 will do that. And how does a guys who is 38-4 get a fight against a guy who is 6-2? I thought they had commissions for this very reason. If Pace wins, I think it'll be a serious upset and perhaps the beginning of the end for Torres' long career. I'm picking Torres.

Matt Brown vs Seth Baczynski (welterweight)
Brown is a likable guy, but to be honest he simply isn't that good. After losing three in a row, he avoided being cut and got a win over John Howard. Baczynski is bigger than Brown and knows submissions - something by which Brown is prone to getting defeated. I'm picking Baczynski.

Shamar Bailey vs Danny Castillo (lightweight)
Bailey is known to TUF fans where he was favoured but did not reach the finals. Castillo does not have Bailey's celebrity, but he does have a more impressive resume, having fought some of the top dogs in the lightweight division. In fact, his only losses are against top guys, with the exception perhaps of Jacob Volkmann to whom he lost 29-28 on all cards. Both are wrestlers, but Castillo is also a striker. I'm gonna pick the upset and take Castillo.

Great card. I hope I get to see it!

UFC 132 Results

Another UFC event on a long weekend means yet another MISSED UFC event. Sorry, but the cottage takes precedent and there's nowhere to watch the event anywhere nearby. Too bad - I thought this might be a good event and it looks like it was.

Dominic Cruz def. Urijah Faber (unanimous)
This division has seen the belt change hands a lot, but Cruz is finally giving it a bit of stability. His win over perennial contender Faber clearly establishes him as the top dog. Faber represents a troubling trend in the UFC, as far as I am concerned. How many title shots is this for him? Sure, I understand it's at bantamweight, but, still, he seems to get title shots every other fight. Deserved? I dunno... He lost this fight cleanly according to the judges (50-45, 49-46, 48-47) but I'm not sure how Cruz would have won that first round. "Dancing around" was not a judging element last time I looked. In the second and third rounds Faber seemed to get the more significant strikes in and even a couple of takedowns, but at least two of the judges saw Cruz having the edge. If the scores are announced with one judge having it 50-45 and no one knows who won until the announcer actually says the guy's name - you have a problem. This fight ws definitely closer than 50-45. (1-0)

Chris Leben def. Wanderlei Silva (KO 1)
Wow. Quick fight. Just what the fans wanted, but perhaps a little TOO short. Wanderlei doesn't have the chin to stand up to guys like Leben anymore. Is he done? Maybe. He still represents a bit of a stepping stone for up-and-comers but he's no longer anywhere near the top. Leben took a hard shot and then gave it right back to Wanderlei in spades. (1-1)

Tito Ortiz def. Ryan Bader (sub 1)
Huh. I didn't give Ortiz much of a chance in this one, but he caught Bader and then threw on the guillotine. Bader looked hesitant and surprisingly smaller than Ortiz. Bader might have won had it lasted longer than a round, but that's what you get in MMA. Ortiz will wanna parlay this into some kind of title contention, but I think this just goes to show how ridiculous it was for Jones to get a title fight after beating Bader. Bader is good, but not that good. (1-2)

Carlos Condit def. Dong Hyun Kim (TKO 1)
Condit is climbing the ranks. He looked pretty good here, though it was a short fight. He has power, for sure. Nice flying knee. (2-2)

Dennis Siver def. Matt Wiman (unanimous)
I heard this one was controversial, but I don't get it. Wiman CLEARLY won the second round, but other than that, all he did was go for weak takedowns. He got one at the end of the first and midway through the third, but Siver was FAR more active on the standup. Takedown attempts should not count for anything, especially if it's a weak ass single leg. This was the right decision. (3-2)

Melvin Guillard def. Shane Roller (KO 1)
Guillard just looked way faster. This is one of those "yeah you're good - WEC good. Welcome to the UFC" kind of fights. (4-2)

Rafael dos Anjos def. George Sotiropoulos (KO 1)
Quick fight. Disappointing for George who was in the title hunt. He just got caught. (4-3)

Brian Bowles def. Takeya Mizugaki (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (5-3)

Aaron Simpson def. Brad Tavares (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (5-4)

Anthony Njokuani def. Andre Winner (unanimous)
Winner looked pretty one-dimensional. You won't win too many MMA fights that way. He hasn't grown since TUF. (5-5)

Jeff Hougland def. Donny Walker (unanimous)
Both of these guys looked good. Good fight. We'll see them again. (5-6)

Good event, but man did I get creamed. Surprising results.

UFC 132 Picks

Not a lot of time, so just quick picks:

Cruz

Wanderlei

Bader

Condit

Siver

Guillard

Sotiropoulos

Bowles

Tavares

Winner

Walker

This actually looks like a decent event. Too bad I'll miss it this cottage weekend.

UFC 116 Picks

I can’t believe I might actually miss this one… Biggest heavyweight fight ever.

Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin (heavyweight)

This is a very tough call. See, these guys are both monsters and it may depend on two things: can Lesnar get Carwin down, and can Carwin catch Lesnar with a solid punch. We haven’t seen Lesnar get caught with a solid shot yet so we have no idea what his chin is like. Carwin, on the other hand, hasn’t had his gas tank tested – so if Lesnar can smother him into the second round… Both of these guys are relatively untested, which makes predicting the outcome that much more difficult. In the end, though, I think Carwin will clock Lesnar but I’m pulling for Lesnar anyway.

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs Chris Leben (middleweight)

Chris Leben as the co-main event? And this isn’t a TUF season finale or an Ultimate Fight Night Live? What gives? Well, that’s what happens when Leben subs in for Wanderlei Silva. I don’t know if this fight will still be second to last, but it certainly has lost a good amount of hype. Yoshihiro Akiyama has beaten Denis Kang and Alan Belcher, no slouches in the division. He’s 13-1, and that lone loss came in his second pro fight against a guy who was almost twice his size. Akiyama has good stand up, but his best bet here is to get Leben to the ground and use his mat skills to submit the man with the granite chin. I’ll pick Akiyama.

Chris Lytle vs Matt Brown (welterweight)

I quite like Matt Brown and this is sure to be an entertaining fight as long as it’s on the feet, but this is a poor match-up for Brown. Lytle is also a stand-up fighter, but has a very good ground game. I don’t see Brown knocking out Lytle, and I can see Lytle fighting smart and getting the decision or submission. I’ll pick Lytle.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs Stephan Bonnar (light heavyweight)

The rematch. Maybe it was a head butt last time out, so this fight was required before the Polish Experiment could claim the next rung up the ladder. I’m pulling for the adopted Canadian, but Bonnar may have more to fight for. As we’ve seen recently with Keith Jardine, no one is immune from getting cut by the UFC, and although Dana White has called both Bonnar and Forrest Griffin his children, Bonnar has lost his last three fights and five of his last seven (granted, three against former or future champs). Bonnar simply isn’t improving his game the way his contemporaries (like Griffin) have. He’s firmly established as a gatekeeper: if you can’t beat him, you probably don’t deserve to stick around. Krzysztof, on the other hand, has looked great since coming onto the set of the the Ultimate Fighter, but needs to fight smarter if he wants to move up. I’m picking Soszynski.

George Sotiropoulos vs Kurt Pellegrino (lightweight)

Could be fight of the night. Both are talented, with Sotiropoulos as the up-and-comer and Pellegrino as the established vet looking to climb the ladder before it’s all over. This is a big fight for George, as a win would move him into the upper echelons of the weight division. I’m pulling for Sotiropoulos.

Brendan Schaub vs Chris Tuchscherer (heavyweight)

Expect a slugfest. The UFC seems to want big things out of Schaub and this may be a bit of a stepping stone for him, especially if Tuchscherer lays an egg like he did against Tim Hague. But it won’t be easy. Schaub has great power and none of his fights have gone beyond the first round. I’ll pick Schaub.

Seth Petruzelli vs Ricardo Romero (light heavyweight)

Is it a coincidence that as Kimbo leaves the UFC, the Kimboslayer returns? The man who single-handedly brought down Elite XC returns to the UFC where he pretty much bombed three years ago, in the hopes of making the best of a second chance. The UFC has arguably spoon fed him a win by matching him up against a guy who has only fought in the Ring of Combat organization and has no big name wins – and no photo on the UFC website. He does have an impressive record, though (10-1) with his lone loss a DQ for an illegal soccer kick. Ouch! You know what? I’ll pick the new guy – Romero.

Kendall Grove vs Goran Reljic (middleweight)

Grove is another fighter with nine lives. He has looked impressive at times, but he has a bit of a glass jaw, which has been exposed a number of times in spectacular fashion. He has lost four of his last seven, but I don’t expect him to get cut, even if he loses. Goran Reljic has a good record and a win over Wilson Gouveia, but he has alos lost to CB effing Dollaway, for Pete’s sake. Both have ground skills, but Reljic does have KO power. I’ll pick Reljic.

Gerald Harris vs Dave Branch (middleweight)

Who? Harris was apparently on TUF, but I don’t remember him at all. And I guess I missed his two previous UFC fights. Branch is 6-0, so one assumes he’s no pushover. I’ll take the guy with UFC experience and KO power, though. I’m picking Harris.

Daniel Roberts vs Forrest Petz (welterweight)

Roberts has a good record with a load of submission wins, including two by strikes. Petz has a load of experience including five UFC fights a while back (2-3). Roberts is a submission king and Petz has a habit of losing by submission. I’ll pick Roberts.

Jon Madsen vs Karlos Vemola (heavyweight)

Madsen, a former TUF competitor, is significantly heavier than the somewhat unknown Vemola. Vemola looks like a beast on paper, though, amassing a perfect 7-0 record, all ending in the first round by TKO or rear naked choke (meaning the opponent essentially turtled at some point). Granted, all of those fights took place in the UK, away from the bright UFC lights. Will the big stage scare the big man? I’m picking Vemola.

UFC 110 Results

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UFC 110 Predictions

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

Let's get to the predictions, shall we?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Franklin vs Henderson (again) at UFC 103

I don’t get it.

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

…Why?

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

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

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

Huh?

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

I just don’t get it.

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

…Guess so.

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

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

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

Nothing else makes sense.

UFC 99 Results

UFC 99 was a so-so event, with the card being one of the least exciting in recent memory. Even with the return of Cro Cop, this was a somewhat sub-par card, exacerbated by the 3pm ET start time.

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

Rich Franklin def Wanderlei Silva (Unanimous decision)

"My money’s on: Franklin. Wanderlei has crazy power, but not much reach. Franklin is younger, faster and smarter and will figure out a way to neutralize the disco-loving freak."

Sounds like I was pretty much right on. Franklin found a way to avoid Wanderlei's power and get the decision.

Cain Velasquez def. Cheick Kongo (Unanimous decision)

"My money’s on: Kongo. Boooooooring."

Thank goodness Kongo lost. I'm pretty sick of his dull fights and even in defeat he bored me. Velasquez overcame some pretty heavy shots by Kongo and took the big man down at will. Sure, it wasn't exciting, but if Velasquez can improve his game, he ought to be more exciting than the Frenchman.

Mike Swick def. Ben Saunders (TKO - Rd 2)

"My money’s on: Swick. I see an entertaining fight ending with Swick knocking Saunders on his ass."

Yup - got this one right on, too. This would have been a pretty big win for Saunders and a pretty devastating loss for Swick. With this win behind him, Swick can now look forward to bigger opponents.

Dan Hardy def. Marcus Davis (Split decision)

"My money’s on: Davis. Hardy will give him a run for his money, but Davis will win if he can get inside or take Hardy down. If he wins, hopefully the UFC will give the ageing Davis a real name opponent before he retires!"

I should have had this right on, too. Davis had this fight won, but lost it when he inexplicably gave up top position to attempt an ankle lock. At that point Hardy took top position, punished Davis and won the round. Without question, that was the turning point. This loss really hurts Davis who had an otherwise stellar UFC record. A loss against a mid-level guy like Hardy pretty much spoils any chance Davis had of fighting top flight opposition before he retires.

Spencer Fisher def. Caol Uno (Unanimous decision)

"My money’s on: Fisher. Look for him to start moving up to the top of the ladder after this one. The UFC has denied this guy’s talent for too long."

Right on again. The most boring fight of the night, probably, but Fisher deservedly got the nod.

Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic def. Mostapha Al Turk (TKO - Rd 1)

"My money’s on: Cro Cop. Barely. This could be another boring fight if the larger Al Turk takes Cro Cop down, but if it stays standing, Cro Cop could deliver a highlight finish or at least win on points via strikes. This is definitely the iffy fight of the night."

Cro Cop did provide a brutal victory, but not without controversy. How the ref missed the fact Al Turk had been poked is beyond me. Even if he didn't see it, Al Turk was clearly wounded by something other than a strike. Cro Cop is under no obligation to give his opponent any quarter, but the sportsmanlike thing to do would have been to back off.

So 4-2 on the main card. Not bad.

Other matches:

Terry Etim def. Justin Buchholz (Sub - Rd 2) – Go that.

Dennis Siver def. Dale Hartt (Sub - Rd 1) – Got that.

Paul Taylor def. Peter Sobotta (Unanimous decision) – Got that.

Paul Kelly def. Rolando Delgado (Unanimous decision) – Got that.

Denis Stojnic def. Stefan Struve (Sub - Rd 2) – Got that. I wanna see this Struve kid.

John Hathaway def. Rick Story (Unanimous decision) – Got that.

So 6-0 on the undercard - sweet! 10-2 for the night. Wow. I must be psychic.

A lot of the undercard fights went the distance which suggests they weren't very exciting. Like I said - not a fantastic card nor event.

Next up is UFC 100 - without a doubt the biggest card in recent memory if not UFC history. Stay tuned for my predictions!

UFC 99 - Preview

This weekend, the UFC travels to Cologne, Germany for what ought to be a very entertaining card.

Rich Franklin vs Wanderlei Silva (195lbs)

This catch weight fight features two guys who need to win. There’s a reason this card is dubbed “The Comeback”. The winner will see their stock rise and perhaps even earn a title shot, whereas the loser will be facing retirement questions.

Silva is on his way down to middleweight (185 lbs) while Franklin has already started his transition to the light heavyweight division (205 lbs). If Silva can pull off the upset, he may very well get a title shot against bitter rival Anderson Silva, thanks in no small part to the fact that every other middleweight seems to be powerless against Silva. (Silva is like the Tiger Woods of that division - everyone is waiting for a serious challenger to appear from the wilderness.) If Franklin wins, he has de-throned a legend and puts himself in the light heavyweight title mix (if he wasn’t there already). The light heavyweight division is stacked, but title shots seem to be thrown around like tic tacs (Mauricio Rua…I’m looking in your direction…) so Franklin could easily see himself in a main event in three months or so.

My money’s on: Franklin. Wanderlei has crazy power, but not much reach. Franklin is younger, faster and smarter and will figure out a way to neutralize the disco-loving freak.

Cheick Kongo Vs. Cain Velasquez (205 lbs)

This fight could be the worst of the night if Kongo stays true to form. Despite wins, he probably hasn’t had a title shot because, quite frankly, he’s boring as hell. If he sits on Velasquez for three rounds, he may very well get the win, but a title shot? I dunno. I sense the UFC doesn’t like his style, either.

My money’s on: Kongo. Boooooooring.

Mike Swick Vs. Ben Saunders (170 lbs)

A battle of tall lanky guys that could end quick. Both of these guys seem to enjoy throwing. I wasn’t impressed with Saunders on the reality show, but he’s been looking pretty good since. I’m a fan of Swick’s though, and he needs this win.

My money’s on: Swick. I see an entertaining fight ending with Swick knocking Saunders on his ass.

Marcus Davis Vs. Dan Hardy (170 lbs)

This could be fight of the night. I like Davis’ style, but I like Hardy’s reach. Hardy has proven he has power, too, but Davis has heart. We’ve seen Davis get knocked on his butt and come back for the W; I don’t know if Hardy can do the same.

My money’s on: Davis. Hardy will give him a run for his money, but Davis will win if he can get inside or take Hardy down. If he wins, hopefully the UFC will give the ageing Davis a real name opponent before he retires!

Spencer Fisher Vs. Caol Uno (155 lbs)

Where the heck has Uno been? He ain’t the fighter he used to be, but maybe he’s still got some juice left in him. Spencer is proven winner, though, and can withstand the best opponents can dish out.

My money’s on: Fisher. Look for him to start moving up to the top of the ladder after this one. The UFC has denied this guy’s talent for too long.

Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic Vs. Mostapha Al Turk (205 lbs)

Talk about a must win. Cro Cop’s rep has taken a beating in the past coupe of years after losses to Gabriel Gonzaga (in spectacular fashion) and Cheick Kongo (boooooring). If the UFC is ever to see the dream card of Cro Cop fighting for a belt, he has to start wining fast. Al Turk is clearly a sacrificial lamb, but so was Gonzaga once upon a time.

My money’s on: Cro Cop. Barely. This could be another boring fight if the larger Al Turk takes Cro Cop down, but if it stays standing, Cro Cop could deliver a highlight finish or at least win on points via strikes. This is definitely the iffy fight of the night.

Other matches:

Terry Etim Vs. Justin Buchholz (155 lbs) – don’t know much about Buchholz, but Etim has impressed. I’m picking Etim.

Dennis Siver Vs. Dale Hartt (155 lbs) – Going with experience. That means Siver over Hartt.

Paul Taylor Vs. Peter Sobotta (170 lbs) – Sobotta doesn’t even have a photo on the UFC website. That doesn’t bode well. Taylor losing would be upset of the night material. Taking Taylor to smoke the new guy.

Paul Kelly Vs. Rolando Delgado (155 lbs) – I like Rolando, but the shy kid is gonna get slaughtered by the tough Kelly.

Denis Stojnic Vs. Stefan Struve (205 lbs) – Who versus who? Holy crap; Stojnic is 5’11” & 235 lbs while “Skyscraper" Struve is 238 lbs and – get this – 6’11”!! Wow. Both have impressive records which means I’m taking the giant who knows how to win.

John Hathaway Vs. Rick Story (170 lbs) – Two more strangers with good records, but I’ll take the undefeated guy who at least has a photo. That means Hathaway over Story.