MMA 2012

144 predictions.

Frankie Edgar vs Ben Henderson - I don't know how after 4 title fights Edgar is STILL an underdog. The only thing I don't like about Bendo is how he beings god into every post fight interview, but there is no denying how he's really hit his stride since the WEC folded. That being said, I think Frankie is going to leave with his title despite the size disadvantage he'll be at, I think his heart, endless gas tank, and speed are going to be too much for Ben to overcome.

Frankie by UD.

Quinton Jackson vs Ryan Bader - Logic says Rampage should take this due to his power and experience, but he's nowhere near the same fighter he used to be, the last few years have shown how he's regressed skill wise and how lazy he is with his training. Granted, he looked to be in great physical shape for the Jones fight, but he used the same old gameplan of plodding forward while only throwing punches. For this fight he's moved his camp to Cali because the last one was in Colorado and he didn't want to be where it's cold... that's just another red flag to me. So I'm going with Bader because he's young and hungry and he has the wrestling cred to take Jackson down and possibly pound him out. Bader is also a lot younger and is hungry to advance up the rankings while Rampage figures he should get another title shot after this.

Bader by TKO.

Mark Hunt vs Cheick Kongo - It's 2012 and a Mark Hunt match is third from the top of a UFC PPV... who saw this happening just 12 months ago? I'm going with Hunt here for obvious reasons, I just hope his gas tank holds up better than it did last time out.

Hunt by KO.

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs Jake Shields - This should be a loser leaves town match, but I'm sure both will be kept around no matter who loses. As I've said before, Akiyama just has a way of failing upwards, he loses 3 in a row and gets a high profile opponent each time out. I'm not willing to write off Jake's last loss because of the death of his father, if he wasn't 100% ready for that fight he could have pulled out and no one would think any less of him, but he climbed in the cage and got KTFO so he doesn't get a pass from me. I see no way Akiyama can beat Shields here unless some very sketchy judging goes down.

Shields by UD.

Yushin Okami vs Tim Boetsch - My gut says this will be the start of a long skid for Okami.

Boetsch by I don't know.

Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon - This should be an exciting fight but I think Joe is going to get another submission victory on his record.
 
From a recent interview Big Nog did.

"Americans have a rivalry with Brazilians, that is obvious. And why is that? It?s because the UFC has three hundred fighters under contract, and from those three hundred fighters we are fifty. The Brazilians are fifty, and we have more belts than they do."

"So from three hundred we are fifty, and with those fifty we get there and take care of business. They win (more) because they have more (people), they have a bigger infrastructure inside their gyms, they have support for the sport since they?re kids. But the sport is growing in Brazil and I believe that..."

"They look at us with (malicious) eyes, let?s say it like that. If you?re going to fight an American in the US you have to win the fight with emphasis because otherwise? You can?t win it by a thin margin."
Click to expand...

And with that, he's used up the last of my goodwill.

Redliner, I'd love to hear you chime in on this.
 
I am biased, but he has a tiny bit of truth in what he says, specially about the support since kids and infrastructure, etc.
As for being only fifty and blablabla, I have no idea. Is this true?.

If I try being 100% neutral, I would say it's natural to have this rivalry, because since the first UFC, the Gracies were the ones to beat, and of course that changed, but that first impression was a lasting one. Apart from that, would I be silly in thinking that Brazil is the biggest force in MMA after the USA?

EDIT: Of course he talked shit too, they all do, why would he be any different? :p
 
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predictions

Bendo
Rampage
Akiyama (I want him to send Shields packing)
Kongo
Okami
Pettis
 
Not been a good night for me on the picks, let's see how the co-main and main event go.
 
So ends the reign of Frankie Edgar.

Some of my other picks failed, but my primary pick was Bendo and I am happy that he won, he pretty much dominated the fight.
 
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Frankie/Henderson - I thought it was a VERY close fight and incredibly hard to score, I gave Frankie the nod by a thin margin but I'm not upset about the outcome. I'd like to see a rematch sometime down the road. I don't know where either fighter goes after this.

Bader/Jackson - Like I said, Rampage isn't the same fighter he used to be, he's gotten fat and lazy and doesn't really seem to care anymore. I know Jackson had that one moment where he dropped Bader on his head, but it 3 seconds out of 15 minutes does not make a winner, Bader dominated him from the bell to bell and should have regained the respect he lost with the Tito fight. I'm sure Rampage and/or his fans will start making excuses, but they need to realize that his time has passed.

Hunt/Kongo - The stoppage might have been a little fast, but another 5 seconds and Kongo would have been totally out of it.

Shields/Akiyama - Crappy fight, Shields looked horrible and Akiyama wasn't much better, but credit to him for stuffing most of Jake's takedowns. Ole sexymama needs to be shit canned right now.

Okami/Boetsch - I told you I had a feeling Okami was going to begin a losing skid.

Pettis/Lauzon - I actually missed this fight, but from what I hear it was a very impressive knockout.
 
As always, Sherdog is there to make excuses for their favorite fighter loosing, and tonight is no exception. They're saying the Bader/Jackson fight was boring and it's all Bader's fault, he did nothing the whole match, Pride era Jackson would have smashed him, and Quinton is a warrior for fighting after having his leg torn off and then reattached mere hours before the fight went down. I guess Ryan is a terrible person because he didn't just stand there and let Quinton pound on him before letting himself get powerbombed into next week, because that's what Rampage promised and Bader didn't let him deliver it. If Rampage had a serious injury and couldn't train properly, then he should have backed out, if the injury is legit then he doesn't to take a mulligan. It's people like this that make me ashamed to be an MMA fan.

Bader beat him standing up and on the ground, not only did he deal out some nice GnP but probably would have gotten a tapout from that guillotine if he had another 10 seconds. He was just a better fighter tonight and won in dominant fashion, stop trying to discredit him just because you didn't get 15 minutes of Pride nostalgia to rub one out to.

They're also now calling for Jackson/Henderson II to take place, and I think that's fucking nuts. Why should Jackson (2-3 in his last 5 and should be 1-4 in my eyes) get a shot at possibly the next LHW title contender who's on a 4 fight win streak?
 
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Nice! :D
 
The UFC event to be held in Sweden is the fastest selling European UFC even evar!
It sold out in 3h!
 
Jesus christ on a cracker that was a nasty arm bar by Rousey, that slowmo replay was hard to watch. I don't like her as a person and I think her skills are very limited, but I will not deny that she's VERY good at the few things she can do. As for Tate, I'd say she has bigger balls that Big Nog for holding on till her arm was being bent a full 90 degrees from where it should be.
 
Yeah, even the first armbar was nasty.
 
Double post!!

Here is chael sonnens letter to Silva:
 
Overeem has failed his pre fight drug test and it now looks like he will not fight JDS for the UFC HW Belt.

He failed on the basis on having an elevated testosterone:epitestosterone reading on one of his samples.

Sauce:

http://mmajunkie.com/news/28109/ali...ug-test-likely-out-of-ufc-146-title-fight.mma

If this turns out to because he was roiding I would not be surprised at all.

UPDATE: So Frank Mir has put word out there that he would like to take Overeem's place in the title fight against JDS.

Sauce:

http://mmajunkie.com/news/28112/fra...title-shot-following-overeems-failed-test.mma

I don't think he'd beat JDS especially if it stays standing, but he has a legit chance if this hits the mat.
 
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If Overeem is pulled, which is a very real possibility, I say give Mir the shot. While his wins over Cro Cop and Nelson were not the most impressive in the world he's still on a 3 fight streak. Giving the shot to Cain would be total bullshit, I'd like to see him rematch JDS one day but considering how the first fight ended and he's hasn't even fought since then, he has no claim to it.
 
Bah, I was SO excited about seeing Overeem X Cigano...really hope it still happens.
At least I will see JDS fight, which is always good. :p
 
My picks for 145.

Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans - After the performance Evans gave against Davis a few months ago, I'd be willing to say he has the best MMA wrestling in the division, he may not have had the same pedigree but he totally shut Davis down on the ground. Rashad will also have an ever so slight speed advantage, but his smaller size and reach are really going to hurt him. Add to the fact that Greg Jackson and his team know Evans inside and out and that everyone besides him who's started training at Blackzillians/Imperial Athletics has not looked good lately.

Jones, I rewatched his match with Machida yesterday and I'm still amazed at how he handled him. He's still a work in progress, but even then he's years ahead of everyone else at LHW, which is a scary thought considering how much he can improve in the coming years. Like in the Lyoto fight, if he's smart he'll leave the flashy spin kicks and spinning elbows at the door, people know about them and can see them coming now.

I think the first round will mostly just be a feeling out period for both fighters, Evans will charge in to see how far he can get while Jones keeps him at bay with those long arms. Then they'll both turn up the pressure and start going for takedowns and/or the kill. I see it ending in the 3rd or 4th round via KO or submission for Jones. I just really hope they can at least shake hands or huge or something to get back on good terms with each other.

Rory MacDonald vs Che Mills - I'll always love Rory for what he did to Nate Diaz and I think he's the future of the WW division, but I have this nagging feeling this fight isn't going to go his way. I'm still picking him to win, but I just have something telling me there will be a shocking upset.

Rory by TKO.

Brendan Schaub vs Ben Rothwell - After the performance Big Ben put on against hunt, he should be ashamed of himself, he's a big tough guy but Schub is the better striker, if it hits the mat look for things to become real sloppy.

Schaub by UD.

Miguel Torres vs Michael McDonald - I like Torres, but I think he's going to get run over here, he's a good fighter but no longer one of the top.

McDonald.

Travis Browne vs Chad Griggs - They're both mediocre HW's at best and will never amount to much, but I think Browne is the more skilled of the two and has fought better opponents. Look for the winner to be facing Kongo in their next fight.

Browne by KO.
 
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