UFC 182: 5-6
2015 Overall: 5-6
2015 Title Matches: 0-1
Now on to the next event!
The undercard
Matt Van Buren vs. Sean O'Connell
Van Buren really is one of those Luke Cummo-esque silent assassins from The Ultimate Fighter. This is a really tight matchup that is fairly evenly matched overall. In the end, I think that reach will be the advantage in a fight that will like stay standing. Van Buren by decision
Tateki Matsuda vs. Joby Sanchez
Sanchez has finished every fight he has won, with a 6-1 record but I think this really is a tossup fight. Matsuda by decision
Charles Rosa vs. Sean Soriano
Soriano has some great experience but Rosa is a finisher with a high submission rate. Rosa is very slick anywhere this fight takes place, even off his back. Rosa by submission
Johnny Case vs. Frankie Perez
Perez is making his UFC debut and Case has a growing fan base of those in the industry in the know. The kid has 23 fights at 25 years old and his experience on all levels. His guillotine in his UFC debut was a thing of beauty and I think he has a future, though probably not at his current weight. Case by TKO
Patrick Holohan vs. Shane Howell
Howell is a strong underdog and I don't care about anything in this fight but the crowd. I am still not sold on Holohan as a prospect with longevity, but this night...in Boston...he rules this one. Holohan by TKO
Zhang Lipeng vs. Chris Wade
Where does this fight go? My guess is that Lipeng does not have the ability to keep it off the ground and he gets in trouble often. Not that I think Wade is a finisher. Wade by decision
John Howard vs. Lorenz Larkin
Can I please get a slugfest? Popular opinion here is that this goes to a decision but I think that is because too many prognosticators won't commit. This one could, should and hopefully will get nasty and violent. However, Howard has me doubting that because of his high-five fest with Uriah Hall that could have been awesome. My guess is he won't let that happen twice and Larkin will also have to throw bombs. Someone is going night-night. Howard by KO
Cathal Pendred vs. Sean Spencer
The UFC so badly wants Pendred to be a power at 170 that can match McGregor's draw. He isn't and he won't be. But they gave him a quite favorable matchup here. Pendred, like all the Irish, will feed off the Boston crowd. He desperately needs an impressive performance and probably a finish here to keep fans interested in the hype. Pendred by decision
Main card
Norman Parke vs. Gleison Tibau
This is a huge opportunity for Parke and also to show that the entire TUF: The Smashes season was not a waste. He's coming in as the underdog because Tibau has loads and loads of experience in 49 pro fights and still has massively heavy hands. This one too could be a grind them out type of war and could see both men in loads of trouble. While I don't doubt Tibau's strength, I have always been a fan of Parke's versatility. Parke by decision
Uriah Hall vs. Ron Stallings
Who is Ron Stallings? Does it matter. Hall knows that he has to stop caring about people again. If he can do that mentally, then he is a head smashing machine with cringe inducing power. Hall by KO
Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone
As much as I looked forward to the Alvarez fight, this one should be great too. UFC card #2 for 2015 and Cerrone fight #2 of 2015. He is on the way up, Henderson is on the way down. Bendo needs to win this fight to stay relevant at the top of this division or if he does actually move up to Welterweight. Unfortunately for Cerrone, a win here still probably leaves him a win away from a title shot because of the log jam at 155. I think Bendo gets desperate and Bendo desperate is Bendo reckless. Plus, I made a crucial mistake in not picking 'Cowboy" a couple of weeks ago against Myles Jury. Cerrone by TKO
Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver
We know what this. Dennis Siver isn't supposed to win. He can't win, can he? He has been in the UFC since 2007 when McGregor was 19 and had not had a pro fight. In that time, Siver has only lost to six guys and a collection that includes Cub Swanson, Donald Cerrone, Ross Pearson, Melvin Guillard and Gray Maynard isn't so bad. But those names also show that Siver wilts under the pressure. McGregor hasn't lost since 2010 and regardless of who is better here, he would ride the hype, the momentum and the Boston crowd into the night. Lucky for him, he is just better at this stage of his career. Siver is a hulking fighter at any weight, especially 145, but he doesn't have the speed, stamina or youth to keep up with McGregor. Expect Siver to land something, to remind McGregor he is in a fight and not a side show. But that strike won't be significant enough, not even by a little bit. McGregor is just too good for Dennis Siver with a Jose Aldo title shot looming. McGregor by TKO
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