UFC Predictions (100-102, 104-105): 20-35 - last card: 6-5
Preliminary Card Bouts
Brock Larson def. Brian Foster
3rd Round Submission
Caol Uno def. Fabricio Camoes
2nd Round TKO
George Sotiropoulos def. Jason Dent
1st Round KO
Spike TV Preliminary Bouts
Ben Saunders def. Marcus Davis
2nd Round Referee Stoppage (strikes)
Kendall Grove def. Jake Rosholt
2nd Round Submission
Main Card Card Bouts
Amir Sadollah (170) vs. Phil Baroni (170)
-Baroni needs to prove why he should still be doing this for a living and Amir needs simply to shake off his loss at UFC 101. The stoppage was more than questionable and I don't think the UFC's resident funny man needs to prove anything at this point. If his mind frame is in the right place and not back in the summer, then Sadollah should be too young and spry for Baroni to handle. Sadly, that is a big 'if' at this point in Amir's career.
Sadollah by Unanimous Decision
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (205) vs. Luis Cane (205)
-The long awaited debut of 'Little Nog' won't be so eventful and with all respects to Luis Cane, it shouldn't take long. This is almost going to be the worst fight on the main card.
Nogueira by 3rd Round TKO
Paulo Thiago (169) vs. Jacob Volkmann (170)
-There is a reason this wasn't on the main card until 24 hours prior to the event. Also a reason that Da Spyder/Rosholt or Hand Grenade/Saunders should have been moved up to the main card. Might be a blood bath.
Thiago by 1st Round KO
Josh Koscheck (171) vs. Anthony Johnson (170)
-I am impressed by Johnson's ability to get down to 170 after missing weight for his VERY recent last fight. That shows that he was invested in this match, where the winner can also lay some claim to the next shot at GSP. In fact, the winner facing Dan Hardy and the loser facing Mike Swick should be in the works no matter what in my opinion. Let me say, I dislike no fighter much more than Koscheck, but he is always much improved over his previous match. But he also fights too often out of emotion and can't afford to get caught. If he does, recent off a win or not, Johnson will knock him out with one punch (damn I want to see that). Koscheck's best bet is to go old school, boring, wrestler Josh Koscheck. If he stands and exchanges, it may become my favorite moment in UFC in 2009 with him out staring up at the lights.
Johnson by 2nd Rounds KO
Forrest Griffin (205) vs. Tito Ortiz (204)
-If the Vera/Couture match last week had question marks, then this fight is the definition of the form of punctuation. Nobody knows if Forrest will ever be the same again, but like last week with Bisping, until he shows otherwise, there is no reason to believe that his loss to Anderson Silva has ruined the former light heavyweight champ. And Tito, is he the same? Is he better? Has it been too long? The only thing I really know is that when you fight with emotion, you might get caught....so what happens when they both do? This is going to be a slugfest of (hopefully) epic, history making moments. Neither will leave a damn thing in the cage. So what wins out: Revenge or Retribution? Love both of these guys, but I think the fans will always love one as he continues a solid career and the other will make another legit run at the division's shiny gold belt...
Ortiz by Unanimous Decision
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
>UFC 105 Predictions
Let me start with two things. First off, I see Brits winning seven bouts on this card because they are just that energized usually by the home crowd. And second, it is a shame the Demarques Johnson fight got pulled because I really wanted to see him get boo'd from the building.
UFC Predictions (100-102, 104): 14-30 - last card: 6-5
PRELIMS
Andre Winner def. Rolando Delgado
2nd Round TKO
Alexander Gustafsson def. Jared Hamman
Unanimous Decision
Paul Kelly def. Dennis Silver
Unanimous Decision
Nick Osipczak def. Matthew Riddle
2nd Round TKO
Shannon Gugerty def. Terry Etim
Split Decision
Paul Taylor def. John Hathaway
3rd Round Submission
MAIN CARD
Ross Pearson vs. Aaron Riley
Riley has finally gotten over the Shane Nelson hump, but will find a much better Ultimate Fighter alum in Pearson, one of the winners of the the dominating UK team...not that Riley himself is a pushover. What will make all the difference here are two things: 1. Riley overcame Nelson to avenge an earlier loss, so he is currently in a moderately satisfied state while Pearson is one of the most hungry current UFC young guns...and 2. Just like all these Prelim matches beforehand, there is never a bigger home crowd than the Brits and this could pull them to 5-1.
-Pearson by 3rd Round TKO
James Wilks vs. Matt Brown
If the last match was not enough of a grind, these two are going to have one. While yes, Wilks won TUF with a rear naked choke, I expect this to be ONE OF the best slugfests since Griffin/Bonner. Not as good of a match, but these are just two work horses who are going to slug it out for a win.
-Wilks by Unanimous Decision
Denis Kang vs. Michael Bisping
If a loss to Dan Henderson qualifies someone to be "on the verge of losing his contract with another loss," then we should start asking Zuffa to can some people now. I am not sure why people are allowing ONE punch in ONE fight to sway them from Michael Bisping. The man has lost just two fights IN HIS CAREER. And both of those have come to former UFC champions in Henderson and Rashad Evans. He went from being the next possible contender to the Middleweight crown to a guy on the verge of getting cut? Give me a break. Let's not forget who the real Michael Bisping is. Before that last to Henderson, he was a gritty, smart, full of wit, agile fighter who always took his opponents out of their game plan to play into his hands. There is NO legit reason to believe that has changed. They say his chin will never be the same? Well to know that, someone would have to get close enough to test it, not something he has allowed a lot of in his career. Bottom line is this, that yes with a loss maybe the UFC should cut Michael Bisping, but only because Denis Kang, skilled as he may be, is not in The Count's league. There is a reason the UFC didn't let Bisping headline in the UK...because they gave him one of the most powder opponents he has had since TUF3. I love the Bisping head game decision wins, but I hope he makes a statement here just to shut people up.
-Bisping by 2nd Round KO
Mike Swick vs. Dan Hardy
I don't have as much to say here but this: Mike Swick is right. He has worked harder, longer, and fought more people. Dan Hardy doesn't deserve this spot or a potential shot at GSP. That said, I have never liked Swick since his original TUF days and I do enjoy Hardy; I just think he is in over his head here with a more intelligent fighter.
-Mike Swick by 2nd Round Submission
Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera
Any idea what to think heading into this one? Anybody?.....Hello?....yeah, me too. Fact is that the loser here takes a HUGE step backward and it is unlikely either could ever come back from that big of a drop off. The Natural's career is winding down and every loss makes it look shorter and shorter. He looked ok against Lesnar and manageable against Big Nog. But he hasn't, in those fights, looked like the Hall of Famer that he is. So why keep embarrassing yourself? Vera, he is damn lucky he gets to fight someone the calibar of Captain America. So a loss will possibly just throw him back into semi-retirement. It's a hell of a tossup, but Couture is so hard to go against with his back against the wall. Hope he comes out swinging.
-Couture by 3rd Round TKO
UFC Predictions (100-102, 104): 14-30 - last card: 6-5
PRELIMS
Andre Winner def. Rolando Delgado
2nd Round TKO
Alexander Gustafsson def. Jared Hamman
Unanimous Decision
Paul Kelly def. Dennis Silver
Unanimous Decision
Nick Osipczak def. Matthew Riddle
2nd Round TKO
Shannon Gugerty def. Terry Etim
Split Decision
Paul Taylor def. John Hathaway
3rd Round Submission
MAIN CARD
Ross Pearson vs. Aaron Riley
Riley has finally gotten over the Shane Nelson hump, but will find a much better Ultimate Fighter alum in Pearson, one of the winners of the the dominating UK team...not that Riley himself is a pushover. What will make all the difference here are two things: 1. Riley overcame Nelson to avenge an earlier loss, so he is currently in a moderately satisfied state while Pearson is one of the most hungry current UFC young guns...and 2. Just like all these Prelim matches beforehand, there is never a bigger home crowd than the Brits and this could pull them to 5-1.
-Pearson by 3rd Round TKO
James Wilks vs. Matt Brown
If the last match was not enough of a grind, these two are going to have one. While yes, Wilks won TUF with a rear naked choke, I expect this to be ONE OF the best slugfests since Griffin/Bonner. Not as good of a match, but these are just two work horses who are going to slug it out for a win.
-Wilks by Unanimous Decision
Denis Kang vs. Michael Bisping
If a loss to Dan Henderson qualifies someone to be "on the verge of losing his contract with another loss," then we should start asking Zuffa to can some people now. I am not sure why people are allowing ONE punch in ONE fight to sway them from Michael Bisping. The man has lost just two fights IN HIS CAREER. And both of those have come to former UFC champions in Henderson and Rashad Evans. He went from being the next possible contender to the Middleweight crown to a guy on the verge of getting cut? Give me a break. Let's not forget who the real Michael Bisping is. Before that last to Henderson, he was a gritty, smart, full of wit, agile fighter who always took his opponents out of their game plan to play into his hands. There is NO legit reason to believe that has changed. They say his chin will never be the same? Well to know that, someone would have to get close enough to test it, not something he has allowed a lot of in his career. Bottom line is this, that yes with a loss maybe the UFC should cut Michael Bisping, but only because Denis Kang, skilled as he may be, is not in The Count's league. There is a reason the UFC didn't let Bisping headline in the UK...because they gave him one of the most powder opponents he has had since TUF3. I love the Bisping head game decision wins, but I hope he makes a statement here just to shut people up.
-Bisping by 2nd Round KO
Mike Swick vs. Dan Hardy
I don't have as much to say here but this: Mike Swick is right. He has worked harder, longer, and fought more people. Dan Hardy doesn't deserve this spot or a potential shot at GSP. That said, I have never liked Swick since his original TUF days and I do enjoy Hardy; I just think he is in over his head here with a more intelligent fighter.
-Mike Swick by 2nd Round Submission
Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera
Any idea what to think heading into this one? Anybody?.....Hello?....yeah, me too. Fact is that the loser here takes a HUGE step backward and it is unlikely either could ever come back from that big of a drop off. The Natural's career is winding down and every loss makes it look shorter and shorter. He looked ok against Lesnar and manageable against Big Nog. But he hasn't, in those fights, looked like the Hall of Famer that he is. So why keep embarrassing yourself? Vera, he is damn lucky he gets to fight someone the calibar of Captain America. So a loss will possibly just throw him back into semi-retirement. It's a hell of a tossup, but Couture is so hard to go against with his back against the wall. Hope he comes out swinging.
-Couture by 3rd Round TKO
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