Monday, June 13, 2011
UFC 131 Results
Well, let's see how I did.
Junior Dos Santos def. Shane Carwin (unanimous)
Everyone expected this to end quick, but both fighters showed they have strong chins. And it helped that they didn't really engage all that much. Junior had Carwin down late in the first and really should have ended it, but backed off perhaps for fear of gassing himself out. he might have been able to get a sub though. Carwin showed much better cardio this time. He also used his wrestling a bit more, but still not enough. It cost him. (0-1)
Kenny Florian def. Diego Nunes (unanimous)
Didn't see much of this, but it appears that Florian simply frustrated Nunes and wore him down. (1-1)
Dave Herman def. Jon Olav Einemo (TKO 3)
From the highlights, it appeared Einemo was winning the fight until he got swarmed and caved. It was a good fight and Herman rallied for the win. (2-1)
Mark Munoz def. Demian Maia (unanimous)
I knew this was a bad match-up for Maia. I thought he might be able to find a way, due to his experience, but Munoz held firm, avoided the submissions and once Maia had blown his wad on the stand-up, Munoz took over. (2-2)
Donald Cerrone def. Vagner Rocha (unanimous)
Rocha took the fight on short notice, so good for him. But Cerrone needs top notch competition. He's a top dog. This was a tune-up. (3-2)
Sam Stout def. Yves Edwards (KO 1)
MASSIVE knock out. This one will be on the highlight reels for years to come. Edwrads hit Stout with a big shot and then got clocked in return. Stout showed an iron chin and stone fists. he also showed class in not hitting Edwards once he was out. I'm looking at you, Dan Henderson. (3-3)
Chris Weidman def. Jesse Bongfeldt (sub 1)
Bongfeldt was doing well until he got caught and stuck his neck out too far. (3-4)
Krzysztof Soszynski def. Mike Massenzio (unanimous)
Soszynski got the win he needed. Back on track. (4-4)
Nick Ring def. James Head (sub 3)
Ring won cleanly, which is good for him and may shed some of the heat he took for his last decision. (5-4)
Dustin Poirier def. Jason Young (unanimous)
Didn't see it. Yet another decision. (6-4)
Joey Beltran def. Aaron Rosa (heavyweight)
I didn't know much about Rosa before this. Now I've learned he's a big fat f**k who needs to stop eating burgers. Dude, seriously, lose some weight - you're a middleweight in a heavyweight's body. This guy made BELTRAN look like he had a six pack. Sad. Give these guys credit for swinging for the fences, but these guys are not exactly contenders. This was a bar fight. (6-5)
Darren Elkins def. Michihiro Omigawa (unanimous)
Despite the unanimous decision, this one was apparently controversial. Dana White tweeted that Omigawa was "robbed". Didn't see it. (7-5)
Hm. 7-5. Not great.
Friday, June 10, 2011
UFC 131 Picks
Ok, I've been slacking off here. I got married about a month ago and have been sidetracked. Sorry, folks!
So let's get our 131 picks in before the event starts, shall we?
Junior Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin (heavyweight)
This was supposed to be Dos Santos vs Lesnar, the battle of the two Ultimate Fighter coaches, but Lesnar's stomach problems flared up so he's out til the new year. In steps Carwin and this becomes arguably a better fight. Power vs power. Thing is, Carwin has power for one round, it seems, while Dos Santos can go longer. So the question is whether Dos Santos can get the fight beyond the first round and whether Carwin will have any gas if it does. Dos Santos is tough and has dynamite in his hands, but Carwin has plutonium in his. These guys have identical records and while Dos Santos is two inches taller, Carwin is 30lbs heavier and has a surprising two inch reach advantage. When these two throw bombs, those tiny two inches could make all the difference. I like both of these guys, and while I don’t like Carwin’s chances beyond the first round, I think this fight won’t last that long. I’m picking Carwin to either KO Dos Santos or use his wrestling to get the fight to the ground and pound his way to victory.
Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes (featherweight)
Florian makes his debut at 145lbs versus the WEC vet. Nunes is dangerous, with his only loss by decision – but that’s the thing: he often goes to decision. Florian does a much better job of finishing and will have the edge on the ground. They have similar styles, but Florian should have the size advantage. This is not an easy fight for Florian, but I guess he didn’t want to waste any time getting into title contention at 145. I’m picking Florian.
Jon Olav Einemo vs. Dave Herman (heavyweight)
This is the third ranked fight? Really? Not much of a card, I guess. Might explain the lack of a sell-out in Vancouver. Ok, based on Wikipedia, I’d say Einemo looks very impressive. Not a ton of experience, but he’s a very good BJJ guy who has made guys tap out due to strikes. Nice. Herman has a lot of experience, but nothing very notable. He knocks guys out fast. This could be fun. I was gonna pick the better BJJ guy, but Herman’s a wrestler, which means he ought to be able to avoid the ground and swing for the fences. I’ll pick Herman.
Demian Maia vs. Mark Munoz (middleweight)
Could be interesting, could be boring. Maia is a BJJ ace, while Munoz has power. Being a wrestler, Munoz might be able to avoid the ground where Maia is almost lights out. I don’t like Maia’s chances if he stands and boxes with Munoz. This style match-up would seem to favour Munoz. Maia is smart, though – I think he’ll find a way. I’ll pick Maia.
Donald Cerrone vs. Vagner Rocha (lightweight)
I like Cerrone. He always brings the fight. Rocha is a dangerous BJJ guy, but Cerrone will likely stand and bang out a victory. I’ll pick Cerrone.
Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards (lightweight)
Stout is another entertaining fighter, though he’s a bit one dimensional these days. He pretty much just stands and bangs, without much KO power. Edwards has a crazy amount of experience but has won only 10 of his last 18 fights over 6 years. Not bad, not great. He’s dangerous on the ground, but I don’t imagine Stout will engage him there. This could be fight of the night. I’m gonna pick Edwards by submission.
Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Chris Weidman (middleweight)
Bongfeldt is Canadian and although he does not have a ton of accolades or international experience and is listed as a karate fighter, he has shown that he can finish guys on the ground. Weidman is still pretty green, though he does have a win over Alessio Sakara.I'll pick the Canadian - Bongfeldt.
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Mike Massenzio (light heavyweight)
Soszynski needs this one. Massenzio is a replacement, fighting a bit above his weight. I'll pick Soszynski.
Nick Ring vs. James Head (middleweight)
Ring won a controversial one last time out, so he needs a clean win here to silence the critics. Head has a decent record, but is making his UFC debut while Ring has been there before. I'll pick Ring by decision.
Dustin Poirier vs. Jason Young (featherweight)
Poirier has the better record, better experience and can submit. I'll pick Poirier.
Joey Beltran vs. Aaron Rosa (heavyweight)
I'm not a fan of Beltran's. He has a decent record, but is coming off two losses and his last win was a controversial one over Tim Hague. Rosa, though, is green to the UFC and is a bit large so he may gas. I like his BJJ experience in this one, though. I'll pick Rosa for the upset.
Darren Elkins vs. Michihiro Omigawa (featherweight)
Not a big fan of Omigawa. I expect Elkins will lay and pray to victory. I'll pick Elkins.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
UFC 128 Results
Jon Jones def. Mauricio Rua (TKO 3)
I haven't seen the full fight, just the third and last round, but man, Jones dominated Rua pretty badly. I have long said I didn't think Rua would be champ for long, based on his performances against Griffin and Coleman, but I didn't think he'd get beat this badly. Rarely do we see champions get this outclassed. Things look good for Jones and he certainly has a ton of potential, but he's pretty green and I could see him losing to veteran with a good game plan. After all, we haven't seen how Jones does on HIS back. Randy Couture, anyone? But, really, the ultimate match-up for most would be Jones vs Anderson Silva; two lanky guys with power. If Silva faces and defeats GSP, would this be the next superfight? (1-0)
Urijah Faber def. Eddie Wineland (unanimous)
Looks like Faber is back in the title hunt. (2-0)
Jim Miller def. Kamal Shalorus (TKO 3)
Miller looks good again. (3-0)
Nate Marquardt def. Dan Miller (unanimous)
Marquardt is back on track. (4-0)
Brendan Schaub def. Mirko Filipovic (TKO 3)
Time for Cro Cop to retire, unless a new weight class is created. (5-0)
Luiz Cane def. Eliot Marshall (TKO 1)
Cane made Marshall look useless. (6-0)
Edson Barboza vs Anthony Njokuani (unanimous)
How in the world did Barboza get this decision? I picked him, and he looked great in the first round, but Njokuani woke up in the second and third while Barboza coasted. Barboza landed a highlight-reel spinning head kick at the last moment and had a takedown, but did not capitalize on either and Njokuani was active throughout both rounds. I thought Barboza had given it away for sure. But he celebrated like he had won, while Njokuani was stunned by the kick. Looks like the judges bought what Barboza was selling. Terrible decision. (6-0)
Mike Pyle def. Ricardo Almeida (unanimous)
Looks like I picked the wrong guy to win by decision. (6-1)
Gleison Tibau def. Kurt Pellegrino (split)
Tibau got the split, eh? Wish I'd seen it. (7-1)
Joseph Benavidez def. Ian Loveland (unanimous)
Didn't see it. (8-1)
Erik Koch def. Raphael Assuncao (KO 1)
Koch dropped a BOMB on Assuncao. Highlight KO. (9-1)
Nick Catone def. Constantinos Philippou (unanimous)
This one was a guess. Guessed wrong. (9-2)
9-2! Wow. That's pretty darn sweet if I do say so myself.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
UFC 128 Picks
Mauricio Rua vs Jon Jones (light heavyweight)
This is a funny match-up to me 'cause it features two guys who shouldn't be where they are. Rua was gifted a title shot (two, actually!) against Machida, a guy who, in turn, had not beaten any top 10 fighters to get HIS title shot (Silva was on the cusp). Sure, he won the belt against Rashad Evans, the last real top ten contender, but anyone can win on any night in this sport. Rua got his shot after getting schooled by Forrest Griffin, beating a geriatric Mark Coleman (who he had previously lost to) and then a way-past his-prime Chuck Liddell (who Dana White promptly tried to retire). That's pathetic. Jones is getting his shot because Rashad is injured, they need a last minute replacement, and all the other top dogs are busy or on medical suspension. Sure, he looks pretty good, but he hasn't faced any established top ten guys. Bader? Bader wasn't established either! This shot should have gone to Griffin, Rampage, Couture, Anderson Silva, Thiago Silva or even Machida - theoretically - before Jones got a shot. But this makes for a sexy fight and the UFC is all about making sexy fights for the almighty PPVs. If Jones wins, though, the belt once again spins into chaos with no true champion in sight. Rua has a change of giving the division some stability if he can beat a couple of true contenders, but that all goes out the window if the young buck can pull it off. Something tells me a smart vet could find a hole in Jones' game and exploit it. I wouldn't bet too much on him retaining the belt for long if he wins. And on we merrily go. As for my pick, well, I like Rua's smarts, but he's a stand and bang guy. Jones can stand and bang and he's faster. And he's a wrestler. Rua didn't do so well against Griffin in that department. Can Rus submit Jones? Dunno about that. Rua is by FAR the toughest opponent Jones has faced and is in a different league than Matyushenko, Bonnar and Vera. Can Rua reach Jones? How good is Jones' chin? These questions are what make this fight intriguing. I'm not that impressed with Rua, so I'm gonna go with the challenger in this one: Jones.
Urijah Faber vs Eddie Wineland (bantamweight)
Faber is the golden child, but he hasn't impressed me that much. Lately he seems to be more flash than substance. He's the former WEC featherweight champ and is now facing a former WEC bantamweight champ in the weight class. Wineland is obviously decent, but is susceptible to submissions. Both fighters are making their UFC debuts, though the spotlight is nothing new for Faber. I'll pick Faber.
Jim Miller vs Kamal Shalorus (lightweight)
If Miller wins, look for him to be the next lightweight title challenger (after Aldo, of course). He has the wins under his belt, having only lost to the champ and the #1 contender. Miller has twice the resume Shalorus has. I'm picking Miller.
Nate Marquardt vs Dan Miller (middleweight)
Marquardt is very good, but not "Great" as his nickname suggests. He needs to pull off some clutch wins. Still, he would represent a big notch in Miller's belt, seeing as MIller can't seem to beat anyone of any significant calibre. He has losses to Bisping, Maia and Sonnen and has only beaten mid-carders. Should be a decent fight, but I'll pick Marquardt.
Mirko Filipovic vs Brendan Schaub (heavyweight)
Can't Cro Cop make light heavy? Why does he insist on fighting at heavyweight where he is significantly outsized? If the UFC had a 205-220 division, he might be ok, but against 6'4" 240 Schaub? I dunno. Cro Cop has a shot if Schaub stands and bangs, which is likely. Against a wrestler, Cro Cop would be dead meat. I think a Cro Cop/Couture fight might be fun, but that's for another day. Is Cro Cop being fed to Schaub as a notch in his belt? Maybe. Is it gonna happen? Depends on Schaub's strategy. I'll pick Schaub.
Luiz Cane vs Eliot Marshall (light heavyweight)
Both of these guys have shown promise but have not quite delivered or have suffered big setbacks. Cane is coming off two losses, but against guys with power. Marshall is back on a slow rise after a disappointing loss to Matyushenko. Still, he hasn't exactly faced top dogs. Marshall's skills are his BJJ, but Cane is a black belt himself. The different here lies in Cane's power. I could see him getting the TKO. I'm picking Cane.
Edson Barboza vs Anthony Njokuani (lightweight)
...Who? Njokuani has some significant wins, and has only lost to top dogs. Barboza is undefeated and has power, but no significant opponents yet. Barboza has more belts and is more well-rounded. Njokuani is susceptible to submissions. I'll pick Barboza.
Ricardo Almeida vs Mike Pyle (welterweight)
Almeida is one of those guys who drives me nuts. You think he's on the cusp and then he lays an egg, like he did against Matt Hughes. That loss really killed his buzz. Pyle has lots of submissions, but, on paper, Almeida is the more dangerous BJJ guy. Almeida's wrestling skills may serve him well here. I'll pick Almeida by decision.
Kurt Pellegrino vs Gleison Tibau (lightweight)
This could be a good fight. They have similar styles, similar success in the octagon. I think Tibau has been short-changed at times. Pellegrino is a warrior. Tough call. I'm gonna pick Tibau.
Joseph Benavidez vs Ian Loveland (bantamweight)
The little boys again. I've heard of Benavidez, not so much Loveland. Benavidez is a small guy but has lots of heart and more prestige than Loveland. Loveland is coming off 7 straight wins after going 7-7 before that. No names in there, from what I can tell. I'm not sure how he'll do it, but I'll pick Benavidez.
Erik Koch vs Raphael Assuncao (featherweight)
Koch has been bounced around a bit, with opponents dropping out or switching fights. He looks tough, though and he's significantly bigger than Assuncao. Still, Assuncao should be the favourite as he has more prime time experience. Not a lot of info on Koch, but still he seems to have a record of finishing guys off quick, while Assuncao goes to decision these days. I'll pick Koch.
Nick Catone vs Constantinos Philippou (middleweight)
Isn't Nick Catone from N'Sync or something? He has mixed success in the UFC, losing to names, beating nobodies. Philippou is a ROC guy with a decent record and some quick KOs. Screw it: I'll pick Philippou for fun.
Who you got?
Friday, March 4, 2011
UFC Live: Sanchez vs Kampmann Results
Crazy. Kampmann kinda gave this one away because he let doubt creep into the minds of the judges. he should have run away with this fight. He massacred Sanchez in the first round, but let up a bit in the second and third. Even though he probably won the stand-up in those rounds in terms of accuracy, Sanchez was more ferocious, coming forward, throwing flurries and getting the odd takedown after numerous stuffs. This planted the seed in the judges' minds that maybe Sanchez deserved rounds two and three - hende the decision. If you looked at the fighters' faces after the fight you would have thought the judges were crazy. Sanchez was beaten to a pulp, much like he was by BJ Penn. But somehow he got the decision. I was on the fence as to whether he won those rounds, but I think this lends credence to the idea that there must be a score instituted for who wins the fight overall. Kampmann lost the fight because of the ten point must system. He deserved the win, and he should have won. This is a massive setback for him because Sanchez really isn't going anywhere in this division. Sanchez looked small and pudgy. He should be at lightweight. (0-1)
Another fight more lost than won. Sakara should have won this easily, but he let Weidman get on top and just smother him. Sakara was clearly the better fighter on the feet, but he let this one slip away. But I picked it! (2-1)
This one was never much in doubt. Cantwell couldn't get inside and take the big guy down or get a decent shot in. Diabate coasted to victory. Both of these guys looked awful. (4-2)
Huh. 8-3 and a controversial decision in the main event. 9-2 is pretty amazing, I'd say.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
UFC Live: Sanchez vs Kampmann Picks
Monday, February 28, 2011
UFC 127 Results
BJ Penn vs Jon Fitch (majority draw)
Majority draw? What's up with that? Two had it 28-28, one had it 29-28. Was there really a 10-8 round for Penn? Probably not, which means two judges had it 29-28, really, for Penn, but since one round was 10-8 Fitch, it was 28-28. Ugh. (0-0-1)
Michael Bisping def. Jorge Rivera (TKO 2)
The only fight I did see. Hard to judge this one, 'cause there's no telling what impact that CRAZY illegal knee had on Rivera. He looked a little lost after that, just kinda winging his punches and not able to take the slightest abuse. Bisping isn't known for his power and yet he had Rivera wilting easily. Wonder what the docs thought of his condition. (0-1-1)
Dennis Siver def. George Sotiropoulos (TKO 2)
Bugger. George had little to gain and much to lose in this fight. And he lost. Bad first round cost him. (0-2-1)
Brian Ebersole def. Chris Lytle (unanimous)
Lytle couldn't finish him, so he lost yet another decision. (0-3-1)
Kyle Noke def. Chris Camozzi (sub 1)
Didn't see it. (1-3-1)
Ross Pearson def. Spencer Fisher (unanimous)
Gotta wonder if Spencer has lost a step. Bit of a surprise that the vet got beat. (1-4-1)
Alexander Gustafsson def. James Te Huna def. (sub 1)
Gustafsson impresses again. Bit of a mismatch, really. (2-4-1)
Nick Ring def. Riki Fukuda (unanimous)
Ring is good enough to finish guys. He needs to do that to stick around and get noticed. (3-4-1)
Anthony Perosh def. Tom Blackledge (sub 1)
Another quick one for Perosh. (4-4-1)
Tiequan Zhang def. Jason Reinhardt (sub 1)
Is Reinhardt a choker? Crazy good record, but loses both of his UFC fights in lightning quick submissions. WTFH? (4-5-1)
Mark Hunt def. Chris Tuchscherer (KO 2)
Maybe I didn't give Hunt enough props. Dominated the tough guy. (4-6-1)
Curt Warburton def. Maciej Jewtuszko (unanimous)
Stats tell a different story. Strange. (4-7-1)
Ugh. Crappy record.
