UFC 185 Predictions

Prediction watch
UFC 184: 4-1
2015 Overall: 33-29
2015 Title fights: 1-1

Now on to the next card!

The undercard
Jared Rosholt versus Josh Copeland
An interesting affair for a division that desperately needs some new names and matchups. This one depends on where the fight happens as Copeland is far better on the ground. But I think he tries to stand and bang and if that happens, Rosholt will knock his lights out. Rosholt by TKO

Daron Cruickshank versus Beneil Dariush
Another pretty even undercard fight. I don't know much about Dariush but I know that Cruickshank is heavy handed and doesn't care. He's too smart to get caught in this matchup. Cruickshank by TKO

Elias Theodorou versus Roger Navarez
Theodorou is an intriguing prospect who I want to see against a higher level of competition but as he is young and undefeated, I think the UFC will take some time in bringing him along. He's just too much of an athlete for Navarez here and while I don't think a finish is in order, Theodorou is going to outclass him. Theodorou by decision

Ross Pearson versus Sam Stout
Stout hasn't strung together back to back wins since 2010/2011, but he also hasn't had consecutive losses since 2008 which is what he is looking to avoid here. He throws heavy and takes punches and this fight could be a war. Pearson is 3-2-1 in his last six fights, but the no-contest with Guillard and the loss to Diego Sanchez should be wins. This could go either way and someone will get clipped, but in 2015, I just see Pearson as the better fighter. Pearson by TKO

The main card
Chris Cariaso versus Henry Cejudo
Cariaso should have never been in a title fight and Cejudo will prove why. This is the biggest no brainer on the card to me. Cejudo by decision

Roy Nelson versus Alistair Overeem
See Pearson v. Stout. Heavy hands, big throwing bombs. Who has the weaker chin? Clearly the Reem. Nelson by KO

Johny Hendricks versus Matt Brown
This will be an interesting fight because of how Hendricks is post-weight cut. He looked and seemingly felt horrid when he lost the title to Robbie Lawler and making 170 consistently is taking its toll. Brown has only fought one guy Hendricks' caliber in the past and needs to step his game up here. Upset pick: Brown by TKO

Women's Straw Weight Title
Carla Esparza (C) versus Joanna Jedrzejczyk
I have become a fan of Jedrzejczyk. Her demeanor, her fighting style, her confidence are all championship level. This will be a brawl and possibly the best fight of the night. Esparza is dangerous anywhere, but clearly excels on the ground as seen in her win over Rose Namajunas. Can Jedrzejczyk use her reach (2 inches) and height (5 inches) advantages to keep the champion away and turn this into a boxing match? Jedrzejczyk by decision

Lightweight Title
Anthony Pettis (C) versus Rafael dos Anjos
I will respect dos Anjos enough to say that he will present some challenges that will push Pettis past the opening round. And Pettis can be beat and beat in this division. But this isn't the guy, not now. Pettis by TKO

The next title fights the UFC should make

It has become a common theme on MMA websites that I frequent to try and play matchmaker. As if Joe Silva or Sean Shelby have it easy. And while those are all good and such, I found myself reading one today and having my own strong feelings on some fights that need to be made for UFC gold.

And no, I don't give a single care about the UFC's rankings when determining this, simply what would be best for business, what would draw interest based slightly on said ratings.

Women's Bantamweight
Who cares? And no that has nothing to do with the gender of the division. Nobody currently in the UFC is going to stop Ronda Rousey. Her next fight is already set and it will end, in my expert opinion, via arm bar. Like all of them. The only draw for a fight she really could have outside of Miesha Tate (and we all knew how that would end), is Cyborg. And that fight isn't happening. The weight classes are different, Dana White isn't risking a Ronda loss and as long as Cyborg has Tito Ortiz representing her, she won't sniff the UFC. What makes this even tougher? The only other fight I could care about is Julianna Pena. Being Tate's right hand woman, her and Rousey's displeasure for each other and her skill level made Pena a clear choice to challenge Ronda had she not torn her entire leg off it's bone (theoretically) and won her next fight.
Next Fight: Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano

Flyweight
I have no...and I mean no desire to see Demetrious Johnson fight a "super fight" in a division he was just part of not too long ago. He was better than almost everyone there, but not good enough to take the title from a guy who Renan Barao would "dominate" (see the pun?). The tough part for Mighty Mouse is that it doesn't take much to clear out this division. The top three contenders have fallen to Johnson and while I think another Dodson fight would be entertaining, I don't see it going any differently. So this is where I split off and say that someone needs to drop down from 135 to face him and the most logical person is someone I see to be between the biggest rock and hard place at said weight.
Next Fight: Demetrious Johnson vs. TJ Dillashaw

Men's Bantamweight
The way last night's fight ended leads to only one conclusion: give the guy ONE MORE SHOT. No one is clamoring to see Raphael Assuncao fight for the title. It would be worse than Ricardo Lamas' featherweight fight last night. And the dude barely (and by barely, I mean not really) beat Dillashaw. McDonald has lost 2 straight, Cruz is still out, Barao just beat Wineland. I see no interest in this division other than rematching what we barely saw last night (thanks Herb Dean).
Next Fight: Renan Barao vs. Urijah Faber 3

Featherweight
So the kingpin has left for 155-ier pastures. Good. Now the next two guys in line without a fight booked can fight for the title right? Think about it, the next featherweight champion of the world is the winner of Chad Mendes and Cub Swanson! Not so fast....I mean, Mendes is ok and I have really grown to like Cub Swanson. But as champion, neither one of them has much more drawing power than stale grilled cheese. We have enough vanilla champions and contenders (see Weidman, Chris and Hendricks, Johny) that we don't need Mendes and I don't think Swanson is championship caliber or would win that fight. There is only one featherweight fight that I am excited about currently, it is already booked (date TBD), so let's make it for the crown. Why not? It may not be the right thing to do, but it will be the most exciting. And hell, at least one of them is ranked high in the division. Time to fill Aldo's impending vacancy.
Next Fight: Frankie Edgar vs. BJ Penn 3

Lightweight
We already know what the next fight is and it is by far the right one. I lend no credence to any thought that says we need Anthony Pettis/Benson Henderson 3....TJ Grant or Josh Thomson would just make me not care...and while Gilbert Melendez getting a shot is interesting (after all, when WEC and Strikeforce were there, one could make an argument that they had the best lightweights in Pettis and Gil), I think anyone who shays away from Pettis/Aldo is crazy. What is also crazy is that we are more than likely about to see that fight for Pettis' 155-pound title a year after we were supposed to see it for Aldo's 145-pound crown. And honestly, I'd like to see the winner be a duel champion. If Aldo wins, don't make his drop the belt at 145 or if Pettis wins, let him drop down to fight the winner of the vacancy. OR!!!! How about old school WWF title vs. title? Winner take all?
Next Fight: Anthony Pettis vs. Jose Aldo

Welterweight
Here is another division where we already know the next fight, again to fill a vacancy. So I again am just going to skip ahead and pretend that I know that Johny Hendricks is going to win the title. I don't think Dana White dares to not let him. Unless Robbie Lawler knocks him clean out cold, there is no way that Lawler leaves their contest with the belt. And even if he does, there is only one top contender because the rest of the division is just kind of eh. And either way, Hendricks or Lawler get beat down by the top contender in my mind.
Next Fight: Johny Hendricks vs. Carlos Condit

Middleweight
Where to begin. I think Chris Weidman is boring. I think he beat Anderson Silva by doing the thing we all knew would beat Anderson Silva, he caught him not being serious. Demian Maia could have beat Anderson Silva if he wasn't acting dumber. The only other way, which Weidman could also have easily done, is to wrestle Anderson Silva. Chael Sonnen could have beat Anderson Silva if he was paying attention at the end of their fight. And in the second fight, well yeah...fluke. Behind him, I care so little to see Vitor Belfort win the title, but at least he would be exciting. Behind them, nobody cares and Ronaldo Souza, Lyoto Machida shouldn't be ranked so high in a division he's never fought in. So if you are going to make Souza/Machida, then you'd have an ok contender. But you aren't. Souza is facing Francois Carmont, for some reason. And Machida is facing the ninth ranked 205-pounder because why not. So call it homer, call it confusion on the UFC's middleweight booking, but give the Michael Bisping/Tim Kennedy winner the next shot. Because at least their fight makes sense.
Next Fight: Vitor Belfort vs. Michael Bisping 2

Light Heavyweight
This is a stupid question.
Next Fight: Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson 2

Heavyweight
This is a moot point for a while until the champion is healthy again. And even then, the UFC is currently in a funk that it will continue to be in for a while. That funk: Junior Dos Santos is better than everyone in the division not named Cain Velasquez. So what do you do with that. There are no heavyweight fights or contenders to clamor for. So we might as well get on the hype train.
Next Fight: Cain Velasquez vs. Travis Browne

An open letter to Mr. Dana White

Dear Dana White,

You are a great businessman. You have taken the UFC to heights that nobody else could have taken them to. Not in the same time, not in the same way. Anyone who doesn't believe in you is a fool.

And the best part of who you are is that you are always 100-percent honest and real with everyone about everything. You know what you want, you have always done it your way. By hook, by crook, by convincing, by demanding. It is Dana White's way or the highway.

But Saturday night wasn't the time or place. You overshadowed your huge 20th anniversary show by buying into a controversy that wasn't so controversial. And you overshadowed the perhaps retirement of arguably the greatest UFC fighter ever. And why? What is your reason?

Because Georges St.Pierre owes you something? Because you need to placate Johny Hendricks' ego with something other than your always go-to "don't leave it in the hands of the judges," belief. Sure, you said that same thing to him post fight, but your conviction didn't support that stance. Not one bit.

And, before we get into the meat and potatoes, about that 20th anniversary? What a huge night! But your spit on Royce Gracie and Rorian Gracie, on Dan Severn and Chuck Liddell, on Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture, on Art Jimmerson and Ken Shamrock....and so, so many others, but letting your hotheaded opinionated self overshadow the event itself. An epic event just because of the magnitude of the anniversary of a sport that was once so dead in the water.

But really, let's strip this down to bear bones Mr. White, let's talk about GSP. You have said, and recently, how he is the biggest draw in the history of your company. Save for an experienced young man losing to Matt Hughes and the most unlikely upset in the history of combat sports to Matt Serra, the man sports a career that is blemish free. He has his haters because he doesn't finish fights. But again, save for a round with Jake Shields and a pair with Carlos Condit (that was more like a solitary kick), he has had no real push until Saturday night. Finish or not, he has systematically picked apart every contender he has been fed from Jon Fitch to Dan Hardy to Nick Diaz.

We will, to save whining, say that he is “arguably” the greatest fighter in the history of your already storied promotion. He has earned you, Frank and Lorenzo millions and millions and millions of dollars. So

what does he really owe you? Hasn't GSP always given you what you wanted? Fight who you want, when you want it, set a record rehab pace coming back from a torn ACL to fight for you. Georges St. Pierre has done everything for the UFC.

On top of all of this is now the report that alleges that St. Pierre wants to take the time off because of an unplanned pregnancy with a woman AND that his father is terminally ill and dying.

So when, if not now, is GSP's turn to be selfish? Anderson Silva has made a mockery at times of the UFC, Jon Jones made you CANCEL a card. Cancel. Not postpone. Cancel. And still, 'Rush' can't take some time away because of an unplanned child and dying father? That is pathetic Dana. If you had a dying father, would you be at a show? Why expect more from GSP than you would expect from yourself?

You are not qualified, nor even slightly allowed to make mental health decisions for Georges St. Pierre. Whether these new rumors are true or not, if GSP is struggling, then he is struggling and the level at which he struggles is not up to you. I don't care if its a dying dad or his favorite Tim Horton's closed. I don't care if it's an unexpected child or he stubbed his toe. GSP's personal life if GSP's personal life and quite frankly sir, it is none of your business.

And don't try to put it on us as fans by saying that Georges St. Pierre owes the fans an immediate rematch with Johny Hendricks. Why should he? Because it was close? Then why didn't Alexander Gustaffson get an immediate rematch against Jon Jones? Pick a precedent and follow it, don't be so fickle. Because true fans, not just Johny Hendricks fans, know that GSP owes us nothing. You say he owes you and the UFC and the fans because you want to cash in on a pay day, nothing more and nothing less and we all know that.

You don't want Hendricks as your Welterweight champion any more than you want Chris Weidman as your Middleweight champion. He's got a boring personality, he's bland and he's not marketable. The best thing he does is knock people out quickly and who oh who is going to pay $60 to watch him headline a pay per view when the main event, if he wins, will end in 23.6 seconds. All you want is the pay day of the immediate rematch. GSP doesn't owe you anything, you just want to take.

As a fan of the sport, I can tell you that GSP has already given us enough. If he never came back, I wouldn't blame him. If he walked away with your belt and your PPV revenue, I (as one of the UFC's truest fans) wouldn't care one bit. Would I be sad that I don't get to see the greatest of all time perform anymore? Sure. But does GSP owe me more than the years of entertainment that he has already provided? No sir.

And for you to expect more is just cheap and pathetic. Your antics this time don't amuse any UFC fans and I think that you need to know that. That is if you truly have our best interests and opinions at heart.

Sincerely,
A UFC Fan