I'm pretty pumped for tonight's UFC 145 event from Atlanta, GA. And my company, Swirl, was awesome enough to let a few of us MMA junkies at the office use the big screen in the creative lounge to watch the fights together tonight. Should be a great time. We're all bringing our favorite fast food meals to enjoy while we watch some of the best athletes on the planet go toe-to-toe. Oh, the irony.
Tonight's main event is going to have a tremendous ripple effect in the MMA community, regardless of the outcome. I was talking about this with a co-worker yesterday, and the point I made is that the UFC will be in a great place no matter which fighter wins the title bout. If Jones defends successfully, the UFC's decision to sponsor him and essentially put their eggs in the proverbial one basket will be paid off tremendously. Jones will have defeated his rival and biggest test to date, one that was looming in the background the past year since he won the title from Shogun back in March 2011. Evans has always been the guy people wanted to see Jones fight, and it'll finally happen. If he wins, there's Dan Henderson and perhaps Alexander Gustafson down the road, but I think discussions will start to turn to Jones moving up to the heavyweight. He's now walking around at 230 and filling out his frame as he matures. And with Lesnar gone from the heavyweight picture, Jones could fill the void as "the big draw" in that division. And do what Brandon Vera never even came close to doing, despite many, including himself, predicting he would: be the first man to hold both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles at the same time.
On the flip side, if Evans wins, the light heavyweight division will get flipped upside down. Jones invincibility will be gone, the major deals potentially off the table for the time being, and a major rematch will loom. One that will be bigger than the Silva-Sonnen bout later this year. That would be HUGE money, and the UFC would not be in a bad place if that's the case.
The easy money is to bet on Jones tonight. He's a physical freak: the reach, the athleticism, the added strength, and the ability to soak up so much MMA knowledge in only a matter of 4-5 years. He's the best out there. But the smart money is on Evans. He's a 5 to 1 dog in Vegas, and quite frankly, I think that's a bit aggressive. Evans has shown the ability to finish fights on his feet and on the ground, something he was crucified for early in his career. Ever since the brutal Sean Salmon head kick KO, Evans has gone on to finish multiple opponents in exciting fashion: Liddell via one-punch KO, Griffin for the title via vicious ground-and-pound, and Tito Ortiz via knee to the body. And in other fights where he won via decision, he added excitement and overcame adversity in some cases. Against both Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson, he survived late scares, overcoming knockdowns to recover quickly and save the win. And against the latter, he put Jackson on his butt early in the fight, turning the tables on the once feared KO artist. His fight against Phil Davis was a tutorial, a glorified practice - or so it seemed. Davis, a highly touted prospect, had nothing for Evans. Literally. Evans is a stud, and he's got enough tools in his box to dethrone the champ.
The difference in the fight will be the jab and front kick of Jones. He'll need to use those at will to keep Evans at bay and avoid the challenger from closing the gap and dictating the pace and location of the fight. If he doesn't consistently jab and kick, Evans will work his way inside and either land a takedown or put fists to face. And either will be a problem for Jones. But for Evans, that's the rub. If he can't get in tight, he doesn't have a chance. No one in the UFC can win a fight from the outside against Jones simply b/c of his reach. Machida did it for a round, but Jones made the adjustment and was able to clip Machida several times in the 2nd round from the outside, the final one putting Machida on the mat, eventually leading to a nasty gash from a Jones elbow and ultimately ending with a standing guillotine.
I'm picking Jones to win, but if I decide to put money on the fight tonight, I'm taking Evans. The odds are too good not to. As for the action, I see Jones and Evans going toe-to-toe for a battle. It will be the defining fight for both fighters; Jones passes a grueling test against his biggest challenge yet, while Rashad shows the world that he really is one of the best EVER at light heavyweight. This won't be a 5-0 shutout. It'll be a 48-47 type of card, one that will earn a tremendous amount of respect for both fighters, and hopefully put an end to this ridiculous, bitter war of words between the two of them.
Main Event
Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans via UD
Other Main Card fights
Rory MacDonald defeats Che Mills via 2nd round (T)KO
Ben Rothwell defeats Brendan Schaub via UD
Miguel Torres defeats Mike McDonald via 2nd round submission (rear-naked choke)
Mark Hominick defeats Eddie Yagan via 1st round KO (punch)
Showing posts with label Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Show all posts
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
UFC 144 picks
Today I'm up in El Dorado Hills, California. My client, Lennar, is hosting a Grand Opening for their new home concept Next Gen(TM) - the Home Within a Home(TM). It comes w/ a completely separate private suite that's built into the home and monthly mortgage payment. A kid moves out, a kid moves back in, or maybe your parents come live with you. You could even use it for a "mancave" or private guest suite when friends and family come visit. To learn more, visit Lennar.com/Sacramento.
Apologies for the shameless plug, now onto the picks. Given that I have to be there for 11am, I'm keeping this short and sweet.
Apologies for the shameless plug, now onto the picks. Given that I have to be there for 11am, I'm keeping this short and sweet.
Main Event
Frankie Edgar defeats Benson Henderson via (T)KO (strikes) in the 5th round (2:48)
Co-Main Event
*Quinton "Rampage" Jackson weighed in 6lbs over and later disclosed it was an injury in training that led to the foul on the scales
Originally, I picked "Rampage" by KO (punch) in the 2nd round - it would have been his first since 2008 at UFC 92 vs. Wanderlei Silva. However, given the circumstances of yesterday, I'm switching my pick.
Ryan Bader defeats Quinton "Rampage" Jackson via (T)KO (strikes) in the 3rd round (3:19)
"Rampage" will announce after the fight that he wants one last fight vs. "Shogun" in Japan before retiring.
Main Card
Mark Hunt defeats Cheick Kongo via KO (punch) in the 1st round (2:26)
Yoshihiro Akiyami defeats Jake Shields via (T)KO in the 1st round (4:33)
Yushin Okami defeats Tim Boetsch via decision
Hatsu Hioki defeats Bart Palaszewski via decision
Joe Lauzon defeats Anthony Pettis via submission in the 2nd round (2:29)
I'm also taking part in a UFC pool at work. Five of us submitted picks only on the seven main card fights, with the result of the main event (method and time) being the primary tiebreaker. $5 a pop, so hopefully this will help pay for the dough I'm shelling out to watch this tonight.
Enjoy the fights!
-Besse
Friday, February 24, 2012
Audio: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
Rich Keefe talked to former UFC Light Heavyweight Champ Quinton "Rampage" Jackson prior to his fight against Ryan Bader at UFC 144 in Japan. The two discussed Rampage's return to Japan, Jon Jones, and his acting.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Is this the greatest UFC entrance of all time?
Headline says it all, let us know your thoughts.
-Bess
-Bess
Sunday, November 21, 2010
UFC 123 Results
UFC 123 took place last night at the home of the Detroit Pistons, the Palace at Auburn Hills. Here are the quick results.
MAIN CARD:
- Quinton "Rampage"
- B.J. Penn def. Matt Hughes via KO (punches) - Round 1, 0:21
- Maiquel Falcao def. Gerald Harris via unanimous decision (29-27. 29-28, 29-28)
- Phil Davis def. Tim Boetsch via submission (kimura) - Round 2,
- George Sotiropoulos def. Joe Lauzon via submission (kimura) - Round 2,
UNDER CARD:
- Brian Foster def. Matt Brown via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2,
- Mark Munoz def. Aaron Simpson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Dennis Hallman def. Karo Parisyan via TKO (strikes) - Round 1,
- Edson Barboza def. Mike Lullo via TKO (leg kicks) - Round 3, 0:26
- Paul Kelly def. T.J. O'Brien via TKO (strikes) - Round 2,
- Nik Lentz def. Tyson Griffin via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
Main Card Picks from the Brief:
Besse: 3-2
Keefe: 3-2
Friday, November 19, 2010
UFC 123 Breakdown and Picks
We are now a day away from UFC 123, which features a headline bout between two former light heavyweight champions in Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida. In addition, the top MMA organization offers us a co-main event between former welterweight champion Matt Hughes and former lightweight and welterweight champion BJ "The Prodigy" Penn. This will be the third bout in what will surely go down as one of the greater trilogies in the history of combat sport. The entire card is very solid, and without further delay, let's get to the breakdown and picks courtesy of The Sports Brief. We'll start with a technical breakdown of each fight on the main card and follow with picks from both myself and Keefe. Enjoy.
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson v. Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida
Machida started out his mma career winning 16 straight fights, utilizing his unorthodox striking and karate background to remain elusive and lure his opponents into uncomfortable spots where he was able to capitalize with excellent counter striking. For a while, fans and mma pundits often characterized his style as "boring", noting his failure to finish fights on a frequent basis and excite the crowd. He was certainly not a guy you were expecting to cash in on a "Fight of the Night" bonus. But knocked Thiago Silva out cold at UFC 94, then really burst into the spotlight with his devastating KO of Rashad Evans at UFC 98. He picked Evans apart, almost finishing the fight in the first round before putting Evans to sleep with a barrage of strikes; Evans was left snoring up against the cage, and at the time, UFC commentator Joe Rogan exclaimed, "Welcome to the Machida Era".
Incredibly, that era almost came to an abrupt end at UFC 104, when many thought Mauricio "Shogun" Rua put forth a winning effort before losing a disputed unanimous decision. In the rematch at UFC 113, Rua did not leave it to the judges, putting the champion out on his back and claiming what many thought was his after the first fight: The UFC Light Heavyweight title. The two fights with Shogun were a bit of an eye opener, as it showed someone with effective strikes from the outside that can cut off Machida could score points and flip the script, putting him in uncomfortable positions. If you go back and look at the Tito Ortiz fight, Machida did a lot of back peddling and lateral movement, and Tito chased. He didn't cut him off, just chased him in the direction he was moving. Because of that, Machida could stop on a dime and land a strike or series of strikes as Tito was still coming forward, not expecting Machida to engage. This caught Ortiz off-guard, and ultimately led to a decision victory for "The Dragon".
His opponent, however, is as tough on the feet as you'll find in this sport. Jackson has some of the best boxing skills in MMA and can light up an opponent with power in both hands. He also has impressive counter strikes, ala his KO of Chuck Liddell, and a chin that makes him hard to put down, nevermind put out. He has excellent wrestling skills and his brute strength is incredible; just ask Ricardo Arona:
In order for Rampage to be successful on Saturday night, I think he'll need to force Machida to engage. Take the center of the Octagon, cut him off with angles and footwork, and stand in the pocket and trade. While Machida has shown power and great counter striking, I think Rampage has the ability to take multiple shots while in the pocket in the hopes of landing one that can change the momentum in an instant. If he fails to get in Machida's face, he'll probably end up losing a decision much in the same fashion as his loss to Forrest Griffin. At UFC 86, Griffin seized the belt from Jackson by hurting him with leg kicks and volume striking. Griffin got knocked down a couple times, but managed to strike and move away before Jackson could land a knockout blow.
Matt Hughes v. BJ Penn
The series is tied at one apiece, and Saturday night will put an end to a fantastic trilogy between two of the sports greatest ever. What's so fascinating about this fight is that while the first two seemed like the ultimate grudge matches between two men that truly disliked one another, there doesn't seem to be that same sentiment between the two anymore, at least not in what they're saying publicly. Both appear to have a mutual respect for not only each other's game, but what the two have accomplished over the course of their storied careers.
The key to this matchup will be Hughes decision to either stand or attempt to bring the fight to the mat(t) (pun intended). As we've seen in his fights with GSP, Penn can be brought down and controlled by a bigger, stronger man. The problem is whether or not you can actually get him on his back. GSP's wrestling is probably the best in the game; Hughes' used to be, but isn't anymore. While it's still great, it's not at the same level it used to be. In addition, Hughes had improved remarkably on his feet, as shown in his fights with Royce Gracie and Ricardo Almeida.
The issue is whether or not he becomes too confident on his feet. Penn's boxing is excellent, and against a bigger, slower opponent who doesn't present a threat in terms of power, Penn could have his way with Hughes in the stand up. He's not facing a smaller, faster Frankie Edgar here, so I don't expect him to be outboxed like he was in his two losses to the champion. But what I do fear for Hughes is for this fight to end up much like Penn's fight against Sean Sherk. Sherk had also shown improved standup, and he wasn't able to drag Penn to the floor like he could less talented fighters. So Sherk tried to overpower Penn on his feet and was outboxed for three rounds before Penn put the rubber stamp on (T)KO win.
For Hughes to win, there's no doubt he'll need to find a way to put Penn on his back and control him there. If he does, expect something similar to his performance against Chris Lytle back at UFC 68, where he took Lytle down and basically held him there for three rounds. Penn's guard is tremendous, and even if he can't back to his feet, he'll try and threaten with submissions and offense from the bottom while trying to neutralize Hughes' offense. Because Hughes has been submitted by Penn before, I don't expect he'll go all out in fear of being caught again. But, that's if he can get Penn down, and for me, that's a major if.
Joe Lauzon v. George Sotiropoulos
Sotiropoulos has been plowing through opponents since his stint on TUF, where he was controversially knocked out by Tommy Speer in a semi-final bout. Sotiropoulos suffered an eye poke prior to taking the punch that put him out cold. But that was an exhibition, and he's undefeated at 6-0 in his UFC career, beating the likes of Kurt Pellegrino and Joe Stevenson. There seems to be a lot of hoopla behind him, and this will be a good test to see if it's warranted, or if he's the beneficiary of wins over strictly middle-tier opponents with bigger names than their actual games.
In Lauzon, we have a solid striker with unquestionable jiu-jitsu skills. He transitions from one submission to another in a seamless, flawless way that almost seems fluid and somewhat poetic. That's what makes him so good and so dangerous. But he is long and lean, and Sotiropoulos is more compact and powerful. So I think the course of the fight will be dictated by which fighter is able to handle the difference better. In other words, can Sotiropoulos use his size and strength to his advantage, or will Lauzon be able to nullify it? That's the question, and it's a big one, one that will ultimately determined which of these fighters is actually deserving of a spot in line for title contention.
Phil Davis v. Tim Boetsch
Davis is a prospect, but personally I'll leave it at that. I don't want to say he's a blue-chip, certainly not in the way I considered Jon "Bones" Jones before he legitimized himself as a title contender. Jones, by the way, will have a chance to solidify his stature against another blue-chip in Ryan Bader in February. But back to Davis, who is 3-0 in his young UFC career, and for the most part has look pretty impressive albeit against middle of the road talent, if that. He won a decision on former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann, but in case you haven't heard, "All-American" is dropping to middleweight to face Chris Leben on the New Year's card. That should say something.
Boetsch, meanwhile, fights like his nickname: "The Barbarian". Some of you may remember his mauling of David Heath back at UFC 81, when he tossed Heath around like a ragdoll. It was an incredible scene, and many thought Boetsch may be a force in the UFC until he met Matt Hamill, who silenced him inside of two rounds. Boetsch stepped out of the UFC for a brief three fight winning streak before returning with a lackluster win at UFC 117 over Todd Brown. He has good wrestling, and obviously a ton of strength.
The interesting dynamic of this fight is how Davis will stack up against Boetsch in terms of strength. Davis' wrestling is superior in terms of resume, and his striking is still evolving. If he can handle Boetsch's strength and get him to the mat, working from top position will probably be his best bet. If he keeps it standing in an attempt to display improved striking, it could be a dangerous affair for the up and coming prospect. He'll need to be cerebral and stick with what works. If Boetsch lures him into exchanges, or gets his hands and/or arms on him, he could employ some of that brute strength we saw in the Heath fight, and that could stop the prospect train in its tracks.
Gerald Harris v. Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves
Harris is the guy you saw on Sportscenter's Top 10 after slamming Dave Branch to near death at UFC 116. He's a talented guy who was the favorite to win TUF 7, but ran into a guy named Amir Sadollah. A lot of people did the same, and none of them won against the mma novice, so certainly it was nothing to hang his head about. But he's proven his worth with a three fight win streak inside the UFC, and a win Saturday will earn him another step up the ladder. He's still pretty far down, but an impressive win might earn him a couple steps.
His opponent is making his UFC debut, and I know two things: 1) He owns a 25-3 record; 2) He didn't impress me in this training video posted last month:
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson v. Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida
Machida started out his mma career winning 16 straight fights, utilizing his unorthodox striking and karate background to remain elusive and lure his opponents into uncomfortable spots where he was able to capitalize with excellent counter striking. For a while, fans and mma pundits often characterized his style as "boring", noting his failure to finish fights on a frequent basis and excite the crowd. He was certainly not a guy you were expecting to cash in on a "Fight of the Night" bonus. But knocked Thiago Silva out cold at UFC 94, then really burst into the spotlight with his devastating KO of Rashad Evans at UFC 98. He picked Evans apart, almost finishing the fight in the first round before putting Evans to sleep with a barrage of strikes; Evans was left snoring up against the cage, and at the time, UFC commentator Joe Rogan exclaimed, "Welcome to the Machida Era".
Incredibly, that era almost came to an abrupt end at UFC 104, when many thought Mauricio "Shogun" Rua put forth a winning effort before losing a disputed unanimous decision. In the rematch at UFC 113, Rua did not leave it to the judges, putting the champion out on his back and claiming what many thought was his after the first fight: The UFC Light Heavyweight title. The two fights with Shogun were a bit of an eye opener, as it showed someone with effective strikes from the outside that can cut off Machida could score points and flip the script, putting him in uncomfortable positions. If you go back and look at the Tito Ortiz fight, Machida did a lot of back peddling and lateral movement, and Tito chased. He didn't cut him off, just chased him in the direction he was moving. Because of that, Machida could stop on a dime and land a strike or series of strikes as Tito was still coming forward, not expecting Machida to engage. This caught Ortiz off-guard, and ultimately led to a decision victory for "The Dragon".
His opponent, however, is as tough on the feet as you'll find in this sport. Jackson has some of the best boxing skills in MMA and can light up an opponent with power in both hands. He also has impressive counter strikes, ala his KO of Chuck Liddell, and a chin that makes him hard to put down, nevermind put out. He has excellent wrestling skills and his brute strength is incredible; just ask Ricardo Arona:
In order for Rampage to be successful on Saturday night, I think he'll need to force Machida to engage. Take the center of the Octagon, cut him off with angles and footwork, and stand in the pocket and trade. While Machida has shown power and great counter striking, I think Rampage has the ability to take multiple shots while in the pocket in the hopes of landing one that can change the momentum in an instant. If he fails to get in Machida's face, he'll probably end up losing a decision much in the same fashion as his loss to Forrest Griffin. At UFC 86, Griffin seized the belt from Jackson by hurting him with leg kicks and volume striking. Griffin got knocked down a couple times, but managed to strike and move away before Jackson could land a knockout blow.
Matt Hughes v. BJ Penn
The series is tied at one apiece, and Saturday night will put an end to a fantastic trilogy between two of the sports greatest ever. What's so fascinating about this fight is that while the first two seemed like the ultimate grudge matches between two men that truly disliked one another, there doesn't seem to be that same sentiment between the two anymore, at least not in what they're saying publicly. Both appear to have a mutual respect for not only each other's game, but what the two have accomplished over the course of their storied careers.
The key to this matchup will be Hughes decision to either stand or attempt to bring the fight to the mat(t) (pun intended). As we've seen in his fights with GSP, Penn can be brought down and controlled by a bigger, stronger man. The problem is whether or not you can actually get him on his back. GSP's wrestling is probably the best in the game; Hughes' used to be, but isn't anymore. While it's still great, it's not at the same level it used to be. In addition, Hughes had improved remarkably on his feet, as shown in his fights with Royce Gracie and Ricardo Almeida.
The issue is whether or not he becomes too confident on his feet. Penn's boxing is excellent, and against a bigger, slower opponent who doesn't present a threat in terms of power, Penn could have his way with Hughes in the stand up. He's not facing a smaller, faster Frankie Edgar here, so I don't expect him to be outboxed like he was in his two losses to the champion. But what I do fear for Hughes is for this fight to end up much like Penn's fight against Sean Sherk. Sherk had also shown improved standup, and he wasn't able to drag Penn to the floor like he could less talented fighters. So Sherk tried to overpower Penn on his feet and was outboxed for three rounds before Penn put the rubber stamp on (T)KO win.
For Hughes to win, there's no doubt he'll need to find a way to put Penn on his back and control him there. If he does, expect something similar to his performance against Chris Lytle back at UFC 68, where he took Lytle down and basically held him there for three rounds. Penn's guard is tremendous, and even if he can't back to his feet, he'll try and threaten with submissions and offense from the bottom while trying to neutralize Hughes' offense. Because Hughes has been submitted by Penn before, I don't expect he'll go all out in fear of being caught again. But, that's if he can get Penn down, and for me, that's a major if.
Joe Lauzon v. George Sotiropoulos
Sotiropoulos has been plowing through opponents since his stint on TUF, where he was controversially knocked out by Tommy Speer in a semi-final bout. Sotiropoulos suffered an eye poke prior to taking the punch that put him out cold. But that was an exhibition, and he's undefeated at 6-0 in his UFC career, beating the likes of Kurt Pellegrino and Joe Stevenson. There seems to be a lot of hoopla behind him, and this will be a good test to see if it's warranted, or if he's the beneficiary of wins over strictly middle-tier opponents with bigger names than their actual games.
In Lauzon, we have a solid striker with unquestionable jiu-jitsu skills. He transitions from one submission to another in a seamless, flawless way that almost seems fluid and somewhat poetic. That's what makes him so good and so dangerous. But he is long and lean, and Sotiropoulos is more compact and powerful. So I think the course of the fight will be dictated by which fighter is able to handle the difference better. In other words, can Sotiropoulos use his size and strength to his advantage, or will Lauzon be able to nullify it? That's the question, and it's a big one, one that will ultimately determined which of these fighters is actually deserving of a spot in line for title contention.
Phil Davis v. Tim Boetsch
Davis is a prospect, but personally I'll leave it at that. I don't want to say he's a blue-chip, certainly not in the way I considered Jon "Bones" Jones before he legitimized himself as a title contender. Jones, by the way, will have a chance to solidify his stature against another blue-chip in Ryan Bader in February. But back to Davis, who is 3-0 in his young UFC career, and for the most part has look pretty impressive albeit against middle of the road talent, if that. He won a decision on former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann, but in case you haven't heard, "All-American" is dropping to middleweight to face Chris Leben on the New Year's card. That should say something.
Boetsch, meanwhile, fights like his nickname: "The Barbarian". Some of you may remember his mauling of David Heath back at UFC 81, when he tossed Heath around like a ragdoll. It was an incredible scene, and many thought Boetsch may be a force in the UFC until he met Matt Hamill, who silenced him inside of two rounds. Boetsch stepped out of the UFC for a brief three fight winning streak before returning with a lackluster win at UFC 117 over Todd Brown. He has good wrestling, and obviously a ton of strength.
The interesting dynamic of this fight is how Davis will stack up against Boetsch in terms of strength. Davis' wrestling is superior in terms of resume, and his striking is still evolving. If he can handle Boetsch's strength and get him to the mat, working from top position will probably be his best bet. If he keeps it standing in an attempt to display improved striking, it could be a dangerous affair for the up and coming prospect. He'll need to be cerebral and stick with what works. If Boetsch lures him into exchanges, or gets his hands and/or arms on him, he could employ some of that brute strength we saw in the Heath fight, and that could stop the prospect train in its tracks.
Gerald Harris v. Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves
Harris is the guy you saw on Sportscenter's Top 10 after slamming Dave Branch to near death at UFC 116. He's a talented guy who was the favorite to win TUF 7, but ran into a guy named Amir Sadollah. A lot of people did the same, and none of them won against the mma novice, so certainly it was nothing to hang his head about. But he's proven his worth with a three fight win streak inside the UFC, and a win Saturday will earn him another step up the ladder. He's still pretty far down, but an impressive win might earn him a couple steps.
His opponent is making his UFC debut, and I know two things: 1) He owns a 25-3 record; 2) He didn't impress me in this training video posted last month:
Here's the thing...he's obviously big, strong and very athletic, but it looks to me like he's not getting enough oxygen to his muscles. He looked fatigued, his strikes, although powerful, were somewhat slow and I anticipate may be predictable to a solid fighter. You have to be careful with guys that come into the UFC with inflated records. Jason Reinhardt made his UFC debut against Joe Lauzon with an 18-0 record, and Lauzon made him look like a training partner he uses to warm up. I sense we may see the same thing here. Goncalves is a guy that can dominate lesser opponents on the small shows, but in against a more competent fighter, even someone still on the rise like Harris, he may struggle. If Harris can avoid serious damage on the feet in the first round, and perhaps take this to the mat for a bit, I could see Goncalves tiring and breaking down. But Harris will need be cautious with his striking. The guy didn't get the name "Big Rig" because he drives one.
And now, onto the actual picks:
Rampage v. Machida
Besse: Rampage via (T)KO late in round 1 - everyone says Rampage won't catch up to him. Shogun did, why can't he?
Keefe: Rampage via (T)KO in round 2.
Hughes v. Penn
Besse: Penn via (T)KO in round 2 - Baby Jay slowly breaks down Hughes in round 1, avoids a late takedown and finishes in the 2nd.
Keefe: Penn via decision.
Lauzon v. Sotiropoulos
Besse: Lauzon via submission in round 3 - Lauzon survives some scary moments and pulls off a leg lock, potentially behind on the cards.
Keefe: Lauzon via decision.
Davis v. Boetsch
Besse: Davis via decision - Boetsch's strength and competence prevent Davis from the stoppage.
Keefe: Davis via submission in round 1.
Harris v. Goncalves
Besse: Harris via decision - Goncalves starts strong, but Harris survives with a takedown and tires out "Big Rig" for a strong decision victory.
Keefe: Harris via KO in round 2.
There you have it. We'll check in after the fights with results and see how both of us did in picking the winners. Enjoy what should be an exciting fight card in Detroit!
-Bess
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Besse's UFC 107 picks
Several months ago, tonight was a night we couldn't wait for. We were finally going to see Quinton "Rampage" Jackson square off against Rashad Evans after some of the most intense sh*t talking this sport has seen. And TUF10 was going to get us even more jacked up for the fight. Unfortunately, "Rampage" got cast as the old Mr. T in the new "A-team" flick - with Liam Neeson, who's a badass, and Bradley Cooper, who was the man in "The Hangover". According to Dana White and "Rampage" himself, he'll return soon to settle the score.
But instead of that being tonight's main event, we get a lightweight title fight between BJ Penn and Diego Sanchez. Penn is uber talented at lightweight, and Sanchez is maniacal. I can't help but think part of the antics Sanchez displays are merely an act, but good lord this dude is awkward. I just don't see anyone beating Penn at lightweight. I thought Florian had a chance, but his brother is retarded and developed the worst gameplan in the history of MMA. And instead of holding Keith culpable, Ken-Flo dumps one of the best trainers in the game, Mark Dellagrotte, so he can go hang on GSP's nuts a little more with Firas up at Tri-Star. Here are my picks for the three main fights tonight...
BJ Penn defeats Diego Sanchez via submission (rear-naked choke) in the 3rd round
Frank Mir defeats Chieck Kongo via submission (kimura) in the 1st round
Kenny Florian defeats Clay Guida via decision
-Bess
But instead of that being tonight's main event, we get a lightweight title fight between BJ Penn and Diego Sanchez. Penn is uber talented at lightweight, and Sanchez is maniacal. I can't help but think part of the antics Sanchez displays are merely an act, but good lord this dude is awkward. I just don't see anyone beating Penn at lightweight. I thought Florian had a chance, but his brother is retarded and developed the worst gameplan in the history of MMA. And instead of holding Keith culpable, Ken-Flo dumps one of the best trainers in the game, Mark Dellagrotte, so he can go hang on GSP's nuts a little more with Firas up at Tri-Star. Here are my picks for the three main fights tonight...
BJ Penn defeats Diego Sanchez via submission (rear-naked choke) in the 3rd round
Frank Mir defeats Chieck Kongo via submission (kimura) in the 1st round
Kenny Florian defeats Clay Guida via decision
-Bess
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Kimbo Slice on The Ultimate Fighter
Kimbo to the UFC? Well sort of. Dana White has always said the only way Kimbo would compete in the UFC is if he went on and won the reality show. For Kimbo, step 1 is in the books. He will join 15 other Heavyweights for the upcoming season of TUF to be coached by Rampage Jackson and Rashad Evans, two former Light Heavyweight Champions. Theres two will also square off when the season if over, meaning the next challenger for Lyoto Machida will be none other than Shogun Rua.
Anyway I am excited to hear the news that Kimbo will be on TUF. Just a few days ago I wrote "Enough of TUF" (scroll down a bit to see it). I was getting sick of the stale show that focused much more on the coaches than that of the new fighters. Well Kimbo just changed all of that. I'm going to watch every show. Nice job out of Kimbo for stepping up and taking this challenge and hey, good job out of Dana for putting him on the show after talking so much crap about him. Plus he knows the rating are going to "spike" right back up. Should be very interesting to see how he does.
-Keefe
Also be sure to check out all the "great" 1st pitches Besse has found below and vote on our poll (top right.)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Enough of "TUF"
I loved The Ultimate Fighter reality show on Spike TV. The UFC came up with an idea for a show to promote the sport, the organization, and some new fighters. With such fighters as Forrest Griffin, Josh Koscheck, Diego Sanchez, Chris Leben, Stephen Bonnar, Kenny Florian, Mike Swick, Nate Quarry, Rashad Evans, Joe Stevenson, Marcus Davis, Michael Bisping, Mac Danzig, not to mention the comeback cast that included Matt Serra, Chris Lytle, and Travis Lutter, all living in the Ultimate Fighter house, it couldn't miss.
The coaches early on were UFC stars, that were being introduced to the majority of the public. Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Rich Franklin, and Matt Hughes put their "teams" through work outs preparing them for elimination fights. But Season 3, Dana White got an idea. Let's promote an upcoming fight, a grudge match. Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock would coach opposite sides, then square off in the octogon. It made for good tv. You had to tune in each week to see the confrontations between Tito and Shamrock, two guys that couldn't wait to fight each other.
The problem may have been that this was successful. Now Dana and the UFC wanted to promote big fights through TUF. Rather than letting a guy fight for or defend the belt in a couple months, they would film a season of the show and then finally have their fight. (See: Rampage vs. Forrest & Mir vs. Big Nog.) As Besse and I have pointed out many times, it essentially puts a hold on a division.
Well mmajunkie.com and other outlets have confirmed that Season 10 of TUF will be coached by Rampage Jackson (again) and former TUF winner Rashad Evans. What? Why recycle coaches? Why put a guy in who's getting a title fight against some one else? Is Rampage still getting the first crack at Lyoto? I don't get it. The season is going to be all heavyweights, 16 of them, and possibly including a few former NFL players. Rashad, the former Light Heavyweight Champ, was the only Heavyweight Champion of TUF, so I understand bringing him back to the show, but Rampage?
The focus has become more on the coaches then the new talent, plus let's face it, the show has run its course. They took out the Real World/ Road Rules Challenge type tasks after the first or second season, but since then its been basically the same stuff. I'll still watch every once in awhile, but it used to be appointment television. Can't say the same thing now.
TUF brought in a ton of fans to MMA, the Griffin vs. Bonnar fight at the TUF 1 Finale may very well be the most important fight in the history of mixed martial arts. Despite all that it's time to hang it up.
Enough of TUF.
-Keefe
Side note: Frank Trigg signed a new deal with the UFC. Should be very interesting to see what he has left, and who he will face next.
The coaches early on were UFC stars, that were being introduced to the majority of the public. Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Rich Franklin, and Matt Hughes put their "teams" through work outs preparing them for elimination fights. But Season 3, Dana White got an idea. Let's promote an upcoming fight, a grudge match. Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock would coach opposite sides, then square off in the octogon. It made for good tv. You had to tune in each week to see the confrontations between Tito and Shamrock, two guys that couldn't wait to fight each other.
The problem may have been that this was successful. Now Dana and the UFC wanted to promote big fights through TUF. Rather than letting a guy fight for or defend the belt in a couple months, they would film a season of the show and then finally have their fight. (See: Rampage vs. Forrest & Mir vs. Big Nog.) As Besse and I have pointed out many times, it essentially puts a hold on a division.
Well mmajunkie.com and other outlets have confirmed that Season 10 of TUF will be coached by Rampage Jackson (again) and former TUF winner Rashad Evans. What? Why recycle coaches? Why put a guy in who's getting a title fight against some one else? Is Rampage still getting the first crack at Lyoto? I don't get it. The season is going to be all heavyweights, 16 of them, and possibly including a few former NFL players. Rashad, the former Light Heavyweight Champ, was the only Heavyweight Champion of TUF, so I understand bringing him back to the show, but Rampage?
The focus has become more on the coaches then the new talent, plus let's face it, the show has run its course. They took out the Real World/ Road Rules Challenge type tasks after the first or second season, but since then its been basically the same stuff. I'll still watch every once in awhile, but it used to be appointment television. Can't say the same thing now.
TUF brought in a ton of fans to MMA, the Griffin vs. Bonnar fight at the TUF 1 Finale may very well be the most important fight in the history of mixed martial arts. Despite all that it's time to hang it up.
Enough of TUF.
-Keefe
Side note: Frank Trigg signed a new deal with the UFC. Should be very interesting to see what he has left, and who he will face next.
Monday, May 25, 2009
The fruits of one's labor
Lyoto Machida is one scary, scary dude. Should be a lot of fun watching him take on "Rampage" Jackson later this year. There are rumors swirling about him and Jackson taking opposing sides as coaches on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. I have mixed emotions about this. The positive in doing this is that it would give Machida even more exposure to American fans, perhaps even moreso to casual fans who may be checking the show out. It's hard to believe that a lot of hardcore fans still watch TUF because of the antics within the house, the fact that it's the same boring format every season, and quite frankly, the fighters are decent at best. But for a casual or new fan to the sport, it's a solid way to become introduce to MMA and UFC, and also gives them exposure to some of the sports stars who are serving as coaches.
However, I'm weary of Jackson and Machida being coaches on this show for a couple reasons. First and foremost is that show starts filming in the first week of June. It wouldn't start airing until September and thus Jackson and Machida would not square off for "The Dragon's" belt until the end of the year, most likely headlining the final card of 2009. Secondly, Jackson has already served as a coach on the show against Forrest Griffin. Admittedly, Jackson said he didn't really enjoy it and that he got extremely overweight being on the show. Obviously it could serve as a nice PR move to continue rebuilding his reputation with fans after his meltdown following the loss of his title to Griffin, but I'm skeptical. I want to see the best Rampage take on Machida because it could make for an all-time classic matchup. Rampage has terrific standup with his boxing skillset and his defense, and he also brings great wrestling and tremendous ground and pound to the table. I honestly don't know if he has the tools to take out Machida - he is one dangerous BAMF - but it could make for an exciting fight. Rampage always brings the fight, and it would be interesting to see Machida karate take on such an aggressive, yet calculated and disciplined style of boxing and wrestling. Dana White's announcement comes on June 2nd, so we'll just have to wait and see, but with every other title currently scheduled for upcoming matchups, all signs point to it happened. Unless they're bringing Tito and Ken Shamrock back for another grudge match.
-Bess
Monday, March 9, 2009
Weekend Synopsis
-Terrell Owens signs with the Buffalo Bills for 1 year at $6.5 million.
-Rampage Jackson defeats Keith Jardine by unanimous decision at UFC 96 earning himself a Light Heavyweight title fight against Rashad Evans.
-Frank Mir was injured during training, pushing his Heavyweight title bout with Brock Lesnar to July.
-Stephon Marbury starts his 1st game in a Celtics uniform for an injured Rajon Rondo. The C's lost to Orlando 86-79.
-Jon Lester and Red Sox agree to a 5 year $30 million extension, with a $13 million club option in 2014.
-UConn better hope they don't have to see Pitt in the NCAA tournament.
-Rampage Jackson defeats Keith Jardine by unanimous decision at UFC 96 earning himself a Light Heavyweight title fight against Rashad Evans.
-Frank Mir was injured during training, pushing his Heavyweight title bout with Brock Lesnar to July.
-Stephon Marbury starts his 1st game in a Celtics uniform for an injured Rajon Rondo. The C's lost to Orlando 86-79.
-Jon Lester and Red Sox agree to a 5 year $30 million extension, with a $13 million club option in 2014.
-UConn better hope they don't have to see Pitt in the NCAA tournament.
Monday, July 14, 2008
The Sports Brief's UFC Rankings (7/14/08)
This will probably mark the final “UFC” Rankings here on the Sports Brief. On July 19th (this Saturday) Affliction launches their debut show with one of the best cards in MMA history, that features the likes of Fedor, Sylvia, Barnett, Rizzo, Arlovski, Rothwell, (best group of heavyweights ever assembled), Lil Nog, Vitor Belfort, Matt Lindland, Babalu, and others. We will change formats to an all MMA Ranking following that event. But for now here are the best fighters that the UFC have to offer.
Heavyweight:
1. Randy Couture
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
3. Fabricio Werdum
4. Brandon Vera
5. Frank Mir
6. Heath Herring
7. Cheick Kongo
8. Gabriel Gonzaga
9. Brock Lesnar
10. Shane Carwin
No changes since last month. Gonzaga earned a win in UFC 86 over Justin McCully, but not one that will move him up. Check back next month as the boys from Affliction will dominate this weight class.
Light Heavyweight:
1. Forrest Griffin
2. Quinton Jackson
3. Chuck Liddell
4. Lyoto Machida
5. Wanderlei Silva
6. Maurcio ‘Shogun’ Rua
7. Thiago Silva
8. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
9. Keith Jardine
10. Rashad Evans
Forrest shakes up the light heavyweight division with his victory – controversial or not – over Rampage. Let’s hope there’s a rematch soon, but a number of intriguing matchups lie ahead. Liddell v. Evans in September and the return of Shogun, both Silvas and Machida will be exciting. Anderson Silva makes his debut at 205 this weekend, as does Brandon Vera, so it will be interesting to see what kind of players both are in this stacked division.
Middleweight:
1. Anderson Silva
2. Dan Henderson
3. Rich Franklin
4. Yushin Okami
5. Patrick Cote
6. Nathan Marquardt
7. Ricardo Almeida
8. Thales Leites
9. Chris Leben
10. Michael Bisping
Knocking on the door: Jason MacDonald, Nathan Quarry, Damain Maia
The Cote v. Almeida fight was underwhelming, disappointing and we almost wish it didn’t happen. But nonetheless, Cote is now in line for a title shot, which is baffling considering Silva v. Okami has been rumored. With Silva fighting on Saturday, you assume his next fight would be in September or October, leaving Cote waiting in the wings until the end of the year. He needs to take another fight like Thiago Alves did.
Welterweight:
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Josh Koscheck
t-5. Matt Hughes
t-5. Matt Serra
7. Diego Sanchez
8. Karo Parisyan
9. Mike Swick
10. Marcus Davis
Koscheck earned one of the bloodiest decisions ever over Chris Lytle in UFC 86. He’s entrenched in the middle of this weight class. GSP vs. Fitch for the title is coming on in August. If GSP wins look for him to face BJ Penn.
Lightweight:
1. BJ Penn
2. Sean Sherk
3. Joe Stevenson
4. Kenny Florian
5. Roger Huerta
6. Tyson Griffin
7. Clay Guida
8. Frankie Edgar
9. Nate Diaz
10. Gray Maynard
Knocking at the door: Spencer Fisher, Matt Wiman, Rich Clementi
Stevenson and Griffin both took home wins over a week ago. Not entirely familiar with lightweights in other organizations, but from all accounts they are better than everyone not in this top tier. Should be interesting to see the UFC continue to develop their 155 pound class.
Heavyweight:
1. Randy Couture
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
3. Fabricio Werdum
4. Brandon Vera
5. Frank Mir
6. Heath Herring
7. Cheick Kongo
8. Gabriel Gonzaga
9. Brock Lesnar
10. Shane Carwin
No changes since last month. Gonzaga earned a win in UFC 86 over Justin McCully, but not one that will move him up. Check back next month as the boys from Affliction will dominate this weight class.
Light Heavyweight:
1. Forrest Griffin
2. Quinton Jackson
3. Chuck Liddell
4. Lyoto Machida
5. Wanderlei Silva
6. Maurcio ‘Shogun’ Rua
7. Thiago Silva
8. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
9. Keith Jardine
10. Rashad Evans
Forrest shakes up the light heavyweight division with his victory – controversial or not – over Rampage. Let’s hope there’s a rematch soon, but a number of intriguing matchups lie ahead. Liddell v. Evans in September and the return of Shogun, both Silvas and Machida will be exciting. Anderson Silva makes his debut at 205 this weekend, as does Brandon Vera, so it will be interesting to see what kind of players both are in this stacked division.
Middleweight:
1. Anderson Silva
2. Dan Henderson
3. Rich Franklin
4. Yushin Okami
5. Patrick Cote
6. Nathan Marquardt
7. Ricardo Almeida
8. Thales Leites
9. Chris Leben
10. Michael Bisping
Knocking on the door: Jason MacDonald, Nathan Quarry, Damain Maia
The Cote v. Almeida fight was underwhelming, disappointing and we almost wish it didn’t happen. But nonetheless, Cote is now in line for a title shot, which is baffling considering Silva v. Okami has been rumored. With Silva fighting on Saturday, you assume his next fight would be in September or October, leaving Cote waiting in the wings until the end of the year. He needs to take another fight like Thiago Alves did.
Welterweight:
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Josh Koscheck
t-5. Matt Hughes
t-5. Matt Serra
7. Diego Sanchez
8. Karo Parisyan
9. Mike Swick
10. Marcus Davis
Koscheck earned one of the bloodiest decisions ever over Chris Lytle in UFC 86. He’s entrenched in the middle of this weight class. GSP vs. Fitch for the title is coming on in August. If GSP wins look for him to face BJ Penn.
Lightweight:
1. BJ Penn
2. Sean Sherk
3. Joe Stevenson
4. Kenny Florian
5. Roger Huerta
6. Tyson Griffin
7. Clay Guida
8. Frankie Edgar
9. Nate Diaz
10. Gray Maynard
Knocking at the door: Spencer Fisher, Matt Wiman, Rich Clementi
Stevenson and Griffin both took home wins over a week ago. Not entirely familiar with lightweights in other organizations, but from all accounts they are better than everyone not in this top tier. Should be interesting to see the UFC continue to develop their 155 pound class.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
UFC 86 Predictions
With Keefe on vacation this week in the lovely town of Auburn, NY, I’m flying solo for this rendition of The Sports Brief’s UFC 86 predictions. I’ll actually be on vacation myself in Virginia Beach, VA, but don’t think for a second that I’ll miss two of my favorite fighters on this card in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Ricardo Almeida.
Top to bottom, I don’t think this card has the luster and allure as others, such as UFC 84 have had in the past. Part of the reason is the lack of marketability in the fighters. “Rampage” and Griffin is a very marketable main event, but with both fighters being shelved for the taping of TUF7, I think it’s hurt their appeal and interest from the fans, which is becoming a bit of an unfortunate trend for some of the high-profile stars in the UFC. The most recent case has come in the announcement of TUF8, which will pit former Heavyweight champ Frank Mir opposite current interim UFC Heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. They’ll most likely fight at the end-of-the-year show around New Year’s, which means neither will have fought for over 10 months when they finally clash. God forbid one of them gets hurt, Matt Serra.
But that’s enough ranting from me. On to the picks!
Preliminary bouts
Jorge Gurgel def. Cole Miller via decision
Ben Saunders def. Jared Rollins via 2nd round submission
Melvin Guillard def. Dennis Siver via (T)KO in the 1st round
Justin Bucholz def. Corey Hill via submission in the 2nd round
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Justin McCully via decision
Televised bouts
Tyson Griffin v. Marcus Aurelio
Aurelio fought some of the best lightweights in the world for three years over in PRIDE; he’s never been stopped in his career. Griffin, meanwhile, hasn’t finished an opponent since 2006. You can credit Griffin for stopping several opponents early in his career, including current WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber, but I attribute that more to Faber fighting out of his weight class as opposed to being soundly beaten by a better opponent. I thought Griffin elevated his status in his last victory over Gleison Tibau at UFC 81, but Aurelio has rattled off two impressive wins since dropping three straight fights. One of those wins came on one of the best armbar maneuvers I’ve seen since watching MMA. Aurelio is a proven veteran, and while Griffin will be game, I think Aurelio will simply be too wily, smart and more prepared.
Marcus Aurelio def. Tyson Griffin via decision
Joe Stevenson v. Gleison Tibau
This is a great matchup for Stevenson in a comeback fight after his championship loss to BJ Penn earlier this year at UFC 80. He was outclassed by Penn in that fight, but show he can compete at an extremely high level. In Gleison Tibau, I think Stevenson gets to face a fringe prospect at best whose name carries more weight than his game. He’ll be a low level threat for “Daddy”, and I think he’ll look for the takedown to control the fight from there. However, I see Stevenson working well out of guard and eventually sweeping Tibau, achieving the mount and then working a rear-naked choke.
Joe Stevenson def. Gleison Tibau via submission (rear-naked choke) in the 2nd round
Josh Koscheck v. Chris Lytle
For me, this is one of those classic fights where I am completely biased to one of the combatants and pick for him out of adoration or against him out of pure spite. I’d say I’ve been wrong on picks like that 9 out of 10 times. And something tells me this is one of those trap fights, so I’m going to pick Koscheck even though I’ll rooting for Lytle. Koscheck has always come across as an arrogant d-bag since his days with Bobby Southworth on the original TUF series. He was a lay-n-pray guy back in his early days, and for the most part, I still think he is. I thought he was fortunate in his victory over Hazelett, and I don’t think he’d beat him in a rematch.
Lytle, meanwhile, is becoming the Chris Leben, Heath Herring and Tito Ortiz of the welterweight division. He’s essentially a gate-keeper; if you’re a rising prospect or fringe contender, throw him in with Lytle and see how it pans out. I’m hoping Lytle catches him with a right hook then pounces for the finish in the 2nd round, but something tells me Koscheck will utilizes his incredible wrestling skills and ride out a lackluster decision.
Josh Koscheck def. Chris Lytle via decision
Patrick Cote v. Ricardo Almeida
This is my favorite fight on the card. I enjoy watching both of these fighters, but Almeida has become a personal favorite. His black belt jiu-jitsu is world class, and his submission over Rob Yundt was amazing. I think there’s still ring rust there, as he took off almost four years from MMA competition. But if he gets this fight to the ground, it’ll be over before Cote’s back even hits the mat. Cote has dynamite in his hands and has put that on full display in his recent string of knockout victories over Jason Day, Kendall Grove and Drew McFedries, who was a feared and respected striker in his own right. If Cote keeps this on his feet, he’ll certainly prevail, but I don’t see that happening. I look back on his losses to Travis Lutter and Joe Doerksen; those give me enough support to believe that Almeida will lock in a submission and re-establish himself as one of the elite contenders at 185.
Ricardo Almeida def. Patrick Cote via submission in the 1st round
Main Event
Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson v. Forrest Griffin
Up until his victory over Shogun, I can’t say that Griffin had a substantial victory over a big name opponent yet. In my eyes, he was still a fringe contender who had yet to prove he belonged among the UFC’s elite, nevermind the world’s. And while I do believe Rua’s health – or lack thereof – played a role in that fight, Griffin smother him with attacks and wore down the last man to defeat Jackson before finally securing a fight-ending rear-naked choke. It was an impressive victory for Griffin, and while I don’t think he was the most deserving of a title shot, he was certainly a very marketable solution.
I’m reading comments by many people who seem to think that Griffin training with Wanderlei Silva means he’ll have the gameplan to dethrone the champ by smothering Jackson up against the cage and overwhelming him with strikes. It’s a valid argument, and certainly one worth discussing. But I don’t agree with it. At all.
Silva is a completely different fighter than Griffin. He has a better chin, better, more compact and powerful strikes, and knees are at a premium in his arsenal. Griffin is a more tactical fighter. He’ll throw kicks and his punches are accurate, precise and very deliberate. But that’s when he’s on the outside. He has a tendency to stand in the pocket when he’s in trouble and trade, and when you have a glass jaw and your punches aren’t as powerful as your opponents, that won’t work out very well.
Jackson, meanwhile, has evolved into one of the most complete MMA fighters in the world. Against Eastman and Liddell, he showed that his striking is efficient, powerful and well groomed. Against Dan Henderson, he displayed an excellent ground game, terrific cardio and has shown time and time again that he has a solid chin.
I think Griffin will put up a solid fight here, and I think he may actually have the champ in trouble at some point. But Jackson is too well rounded and very tough. He’ll work his way inside, sustaining any punishment on his way in, and find himself in the pocket with Griffin trading bombs. At that point, advantage goes to Jackson, who will wobble the challenger, land a big takedown and finish the fight with some ground-n-pound before the ref stops the fight and Jackson retains the belt.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson defeats Forrest Griffin via (T)KO in the 2nd round
I’d love to hear your feedback on these fights and who you think will win this weekend in Las Vegas. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the fights.
-Bess
Top to bottom, I don’t think this card has the luster and allure as others, such as UFC 84 have had in the past. Part of the reason is the lack of marketability in the fighters. “Rampage” and Griffin is a very marketable main event, but with both fighters being shelved for the taping of TUF7, I think it’s hurt their appeal and interest from the fans, which is becoming a bit of an unfortunate trend for some of the high-profile stars in the UFC. The most recent case has come in the announcement of TUF8, which will pit former Heavyweight champ Frank Mir opposite current interim UFC Heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. They’ll most likely fight at the end-of-the-year show around New Year’s, which means neither will have fought for over 10 months when they finally clash. God forbid one of them gets hurt, Matt Serra.
But that’s enough ranting from me. On to the picks!
Preliminary bouts
Jorge Gurgel def. Cole Miller via decision
Ben Saunders def. Jared Rollins via 2nd round submission
Melvin Guillard def. Dennis Siver via (T)KO in the 1st round
Justin Bucholz def. Corey Hill via submission in the 2nd round
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Justin McCully via decision
Televised bouts
Tyson Griffin v. Marcus Aurelio
Aurelio fought some of the best lightweights in the world for three years over in PRIDE; he’s never been stopped in his career. Griffin, meanwhile, hasn’t finished an opponent since 2006. You can credit Griffin for stopping several opponents early in his career, including current WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber, but I attribute that more to Faber fighting out of his weight class as opposed to being soundly beaten by a better opponent. I thought Griffin elevated his status in his last victory over Gleison Tibau at UFC 81, but Aurelio has rattled off two impressive wins since dropping three straight fights. One of those wins came on one of the best armbar maneuvers I’ve seen since watching MMA. Aurelio is a proven veteran, and while Griffin will be game, I think Aurelio will simply be too wily, smart and more prepared.
Marcus Aurelio def. Tyson Griffin via decision
Joe Stevenson v. Gleison Tibau
This is a great matchup for Stevenson in a comeback fight after his championship loss to BJ Penn earlier this year at UFC 80. He was outclassed by Penn in that fight, but show he can compete at an extremely high level. In Gleison Tibau, I think Stevenson gets to face a fringe prospect at best whose name carries more weight than his game. He’ll be a low level threat for “Daddy”, and I think he’ll look for the takedown to control the fight from there. However, I see Stevenson working well out of guard and eventually sweeping Tibau, achieving the mount and then working a rear-naked choke.
Joe Stevenson def. Gleison Tibau via submission (rear-naked choke) in the 2nd round
Josh Koscheck v. Chris Lytle
For me, this is one of those classic fights where I am completely biased to one of the combatants and pick for him out of adoration or against him out of pure spite. I’d say I’ve been wrong on picks like that 9 out of 10 times. And something tells me this is one of those trap fights, so I’m going to pick Koscheck even though I’ll rooting for Lytle. Koscheck has always come across as an arrogant d-bag since his days with Bobby Southworth on the original TUF series. He was a lay-n-pray guy back in his early days, and for the most part, I still think he is. I thought he was fortunate in his victory over Hazelett, and I don’t think he’d beat him in a rematch.
Lytle, meanwhile, is becoming the Chris Leben, Heath Herring and Tito Ortiz of the welterweight division. He’s essentially a gate-keeper; if you’re a rising prospect or fringe contender, throw him in with Lytle and see how it pans out. I’m hoping Lytle catches him with a right hook then pounces for the finish in the 2nd round, but something tells me Koscheck will utilizes his incredible wrestling skills and ride out a lackluster decision.
Josh Koscheck def. Chris Lytle via decision
Patrick Cote v. Ricardo Almeida
This is my favorite fight on the card. I enjoy watching both of these fighters, but Almeida has become a personal favorite. His black belt jiu-jitsu is world class, and his submission over Rob Yundt was amazing. I think there’s still ring rust there, as he took off almost four years from MMA competition. But if he gets this fight to the ground, it’ll be over before Cote’s back even hits the mat. Cote has dynamite in his hands and has put that on full display in his recent string of knockout victories over Jason Day, Kendall Grove and Drew McFedries, who was a feared and respected striker in his own right. If Cote keeps this on his feet, he’ll certainly prevail, but I don’t see that happening. I look back on his losses to Travis Lutter and Joe Doerksen; those give me enough support to believe that Almeida will lock in a submission and re-establish himself as one of the elite contenders at 185.
Ricardo Almeida def. Patrick Cote via submission in the 1st round
Main Event
Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson v. Forrest Griffin
Up until his victory over Shogun, I can’t say that Griffin had a substantial victory over a big name opponent yet. In my eyes, he was still a fringe contender who had yet to prove he belonged among the UFC’s elite, nevermind the world’s. And while I do believe Rua’s health – or lack thereof – played a role in that fight, Griffin smother him with attacks and wore down the last man to defeat Jackson before finally securing a fight-ending rear-naked choke. It was an impressive victory for Griffin, and while I don’t think he was the most deserving of a title shot, he was certainly a very marketable solution.
I’m reading comments by many people who seem to think that Griffin training with Wanderlei Silva means he’ll have the gameplan to dethrone the champ by smothering Jackson up against the cage and overwhelming him with strikes. It’s a valid argument, and certainly one worth discussing. But I don’t agree with it. At all.
Silva is a completely different fighter than Griffin. He has a better chin, better, more compact and powerful strikes, and knees are at a premium in his arsenal. Griffin is a more tactical fighter. He’ll throw kicks and his punches are accurate, precise and very deliberate. But that’s when he’s on the outside. He has a tendency to stand in the pocket when he’s in trouble and trade, and when you have a glass jaw and your punches aren’t as powerful as your opponents, that won’t work out very well.
Jackson, meanwhile, has evolved into one of the most complete MMA fighters in the world. Against Eastman and Liddell, he showed that his striking is efficient, powerful and well groomed. Against Dan Henderson, he displayed an excellent ground game, terrific cardio and has shown time and time again that he has a solid chin.
I think Griffin will put up a solid fight here, and I think he may actually have the champ in trouble at some point. But Jackson is too well rounded and very tough. He’ll work his way inside, sustaining any punishment on his way in, and find himself in the pocket with Griffin trading bombs. At that point, advantage goes to Jackson, who will wobble the challenger, land a big takedown and finish the fight with some ground-n-pound before the ref stops the fight and Jackson retains the belt.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson defeats Forrest Griffin via (T)KO in the 2nd round
I’d love to hear your feedback on these fights and who you think will win this weekend in Las Vegas. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the fights.
-Bess
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