The MMA Daily

MMA Babes: Arianny Celeste

February 14, 2016

Arianny Celeste is easily up their with the most beautiful women on the planet, as she has stunned for many years as a UFC ring card girl. It’s honestly hard to look away as she does her duties of walking around the octagon with the sign that indicates what round it is. Celeste is an icon among ring card girls, a staple in the UFC and a down right awesome person (From what I’ve seen in interviews). I’m happy for her success in modeling and hosting a show, it’s super cool to see anyone in mixed martial arts become successful in other ventures. Anyways, without further ado, the hotness that is Arianny Celeste…

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UFC Survivor Game

February 6, 2016

This literally is just super random and what I thought to be a cool idea to test myself and knowledge of MMA (or in this instance the UFC). I have only a few rules at the moment, given the freshness of this idea. They are as follows; I can only select one fighter to be my lock of the week and that said fighter, can only be selected once this year. I earn 1 point for a correct pick, however a wrong pick will reset me back to 0. I can add an additional 1 point to my total by picking an upset that does not reset my total if it’s wrong (That’s to make me look better). Again, this is a fresh idea and I’m sure I’ll tweak along the way!

Lock of the Day: Joseph Benavidez

Note: Something tells me to pick the biggest favorite on the card Misha Cirkunov, but I refuse to pick anyone I have no idea about. I really like Benavidez in this fight, who I think will dominate as I stated in my predictions. Makovsky is a good flyweight, but Benavidez is elite. It’s unfortunate he can’t get the job done in title fight, which seems to be the case for Team Alpha Male…but I think he might of moved on from there???

Upset of the Day: K.J. Noons

Note: Initially I was going to go with Derrick Lewis, but it seems unfair given that line keeps swaying closer to a pick-em. So, I’ll go with Noons, who I think will get it done for me. Burkman isn’t a cardio cat and shed an additional 15 pounds to make his lightweight debut…I’m not a fan of that. I think Noons will pick him apart and finish him late when Burkman has nothing in the gas tank and just winging punches.
UFC Fight Night 82: Hendricks vs. Thompson Predictions

February 6, 2016

Main card (FOX Sports 1 at 10 p.m. ET)

Johny Hendricks vs. Stephen Thompson – If this were a three round fight, I’d be more obliged to side with Thompson. BUT, it’s five rounds and Hendricks looks physically the best I’ve ever seen him, which is probably is due to his restaurant shutting down (getting high on his own supply or basically fat). Anyways, I expect to see Hendricks high caliber wrestling grind away at Thompson.

Roy Nelson vs. Jared Rosholt – This fight is a big opportunity for Rosholt and a must win for Roy Nelson. I however, don’t see how Rosholt wins this fight. He’s going to shoot and try to grind down Roy Nelson, but he’s eventually going to get caught as his striking is plain ole bad. Nelson by KO!

Ovince St. Preux vs. Rafael Cavalcante – Cavalcante was once a coveted light heavyweight, keyword once. Since he’s arrived in the UFC, it’s like he’s a shade of himself. Now, he has to beat a stud like OSP? Not happening, this is a terrible matchup for Calvacante. OSP should have his way with Cavalcante once he wears his down with wrestling and eventually finishing him late.

Joseph Benavidez vs. Zach Makovsky – This is a good fight on paper, however I think Joey B is going to dominate. AND after this win, it might be time for a trilogy fight against Demetrious Johnson. I mean, Joey B is wiping out the division and it’s contenders for Demetrious Johnson.

Misha Cirkunov vs. Alex Nicholson – Don’t know anything about these guys, so I’m going to go with the Russian sounding cat Cirkunov.

Mike Pyle vs. Sean Spencer – Spencer got robbed in his last fight against Cathal Pendered, but in my opinion didn’t look like he progressed from his last outing. That’s a good sign for the 40 year old Mike Pyle who stylistically could present issues for Spencer. The only factor against Pyle is speed, but I’m going to side with experience and a guy who’s back is up against the wall in Pyle.

Undercard (FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET)

Josh Burkman vs. K.J. Noons – This is an awesome fight and should be interesting given both guys really need to win to keep their jobs in the UFC. I side with Noons on this though, as Burkman is dropping down to lightweight and with his cardio being an issue at 170, I can’t see how it will be better with a weight cut dropping him 15 pounds more. Noons is going to pick him apart on the feet and finish Burkman late.

Derrick Lewis vs. Damian Grabowski – Finally the UFC signed Grabowski, a talent that the Heavyweight division lacks. Unfortunately, this is not a great matchup. I think Lewis is has too much weight on Grabowski who will obviously try and take him down. Lewis will stuff takedowns and either batter Grabowski on the ground or flat out KO him on the feet.

Ray Borg vs. Justin Scoggins – Borg is one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the UFC, but since he weight 125 pounds, not to many eyes are watching the talent. I think he rolls in this fight, as Scoggins continues to not live up to the high expectations I once had on him.

Noad Lahat vs. Diego Rivas – Ever since getting KO’d via a flying knee by Godofredo Castro, Lahat has looked like an entirely different fighter. An actual talent…which I think will dominate Rivas from start to finish.

Undercard (UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. ET)

Mickey Gall vs. Mike Jackson – The C.M Punk sweepstakes has finally arrived and boy do I know nothing about either guy. So, in short, I’m going to with Gall because I don’t the UFC is dumb in getting what they want….Punk vs Gall at UFC 200.
Artem Lobov vs. Alex White – Honestly this fight just has violence all over it and I’m not sure who to pick. I hate that Lobov keeps his hands low and has no wrestling. White though isn’t the prospect I thought he was, getting starched in back to back losses. I’ll side with Lobov though because I did a coin flip…
UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor Predictions

December 12, 2015

The day has FINALLY arrived!!!! Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo will FINALLY fight, as we’ve reached the third consecutive and final event to a crazy week of fights in the UFC. It’s almost crazy to digest to the entire card because UFC 194 is flat out STACKED! We got an insane Middleweight Title fight featuring the champion Chris Weidman against the challenger Luke Rockhold. This fight is being slept on due to the fact that Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor are stealing the spotlight, but we’ve had this before very recently…UFC 189. That event was supposed to feature Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor, but Aldo pulled out and in stepped Chad Mendes. The co-main event on UFC 189 was Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald and that fight was an absolute war. I think that Weidman and Rockhold are going to deliver, just like that fight did and maybe even better. We also have Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza against Yoel Romero, which conceivable is to determine the next challenger in the Middleweight division. These two have been paired up multiple times, but I think the fight actually couldn’t come at a better time than now. We also have Demian Maia against Gunnar Nelson, Max Holloway against Jeremy Stephens…Urijah Faber is on the card too. INSANE!

To The Predictions!

Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor will be epic and this is all because of Conor McGregor. Jose Aldo is a great fighter and one of the pound for pound greats, but has never elevated a card based on that. Conor McGregor is very eccentric and witty in his approach to talking smack and happens to be dam good fighter. He makes you want to either watch him continue to make history or watch him finally fall…either way you’re watching! I think this is the best thing to happen to Joe Aldo, he found his Joe Frazier. As for the fight, man it’s honestly a toss up like the odds and probably most people believe. Stylistically, this is a better fight for Conor McGregor due to the belief that it should remain standing, which is his strength. Jose Aldo though and rarely seeing it, is a solid grappler and I’m confident he can get this to the mat. Will that be his gameplan? Who know’s? I actually think though that McGregor did himself a service talking smack because it could have Aldo wanting to knock him out on the feet, exactly where McGregor wants it to be. He has the height and reach advantage, physical aspects he has used to his advantage thus far. The one thing I’ve seen however, is he actually has shown to be hittable, despite so far being able to eat a punch. Siver and Mendes both tagged him, none of which he seemed fazed about, but Jose Aldo is a different animal than those guys. He will hit you with two punches and leg kick before you know it. Gosh, I’m done trying to act like I know what’s going to happen and just give you the prediction. Jose Aldo via TKO, leg kicks and takedowns to soften him up first though.

I was going to break down the Chris Weidman against Luke Rockhold fight, but I’m more excited to watch than write at this point! So, as for the rest of the card, I’m going to be brief!

UFC 194 PPV Co-Main Event:

185 lbs.: UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold – Stylistically this is a dead even fight, but I’m siding with Weidman due to his rising confidence and champion mentality since defeating one the greatest of all time in Anderson Silva twice.

UFC 194 PPV Main Card (10 p.m. ET):

185 lbs.: Yoel Romero vs. Ronaldo Souza – A toss up, but what happens when Romero is on his back or Souza’s guard…not good things in my opinion.
170 lbs.: Demian Maia vs. Gunnar Nelson – Until anyone shows they are better than Maia grappling, I won’t pick against him against a fellow practitioner.
145 lbs.: Max Holloway vs. Jeremy Stephens – Holloway will pick apart a tough and durable Stephens, just like Bermudez did…minus getting KO’d late.

UFC 194 “Prelims” on FOX Sports 1 (8 p.m. ET):

135 lbs.: Urijah Faber vs. Frankie Saenz – Saenz’s last fight wasn’t impressive and Urijah Faber despite getting older, is almost undefeated in non-title fights.
115 lbs.: Tecia Torres vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger – Torres brings volume striking and explosiveness to the table here, which will get it done here.
170 lbs.: Warlley Alves vs. Colby Covington – Covington is a top notch wrestler, who will probably look to wear down Alves in route to a decision.
155 lbs.: Kevin Lee vs. Leonardo Santos – Lee is a stud and will continue his winning ways by beating up Santos anywhere this fight goes.

UFC 194 “Prelims” on UFC Fight Pass (7 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Magomed Mustafaev vs. Joe Proctor – I like this fight, but Mustafaev is a finisher with immense power in his hands.
155 lbs.: John Makdessi vs. Yancy Medeiros – Medeiros is extremely hittable and Makdessi is technical and precise, I smell Knockout.
170 lbs.: Marcio Alexandre Jr. vs. Court McGee – McGee has a knack for winning fights, even if they aren’t pretty.
TUF 22 Finale: Edgar vs. Mendes Predictions

December 11, 2015

We’ve officially made it to the second consecutive event in an insane week of fights in the UFC and boy are we in store for another treat! Top to bottom, this card has a bunch of gems on it, but the headliner is a must watch. Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes are the elite of the elite fighters in the UFC and boy I can’t wait till they throw down, as this fight is going to perhaps elevate whomever to be the next contender for the Featherweight title. For Frankie Edgar, pending he wins and also pending Jose Aldo can defeat Conor McGregor, then there is no doubt in my mind he gets the next title shot. If Conor McGregor wins however, Edgar will get passed over due to the immediate rematch of Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor. To throw another hypothetical in there, if Max Holloway defeats Jeremy Stephens, then Edgar vs. Holloway will undoubtedly fight to be the next contender, again only if Conor McGregor beats Jose Aldo. For Chad Mendes, I think a win over Frankie Edgar is huge for his legacy and status in the featherweight division, but I think the waters are murky on getting a title shot. I could see him being passed over by A. Aldo vs. McGregor rematch, B. The fact he lost to Aldo twice already, C. The fact he lost to Conor McGregor most recently and D. Being passed over by Max Holloway. I apologize for this hypothetical madness I present, but I can’t wait for the fight to go down and to see what that does for the victor.

To The Predictions!

Let’s breakdown this Main Event first with one the pound for pound greats Frankie Edgar locking horns with the powerful Chad Mendes. Edgar will bring his insane pace, solid MMA wrestling and volume punching to the table, as Mendes will try to counter with his top notch wrestling abilities and heavy hands. I think this fight will really come down to who brings the non stop pace for five rounds and that’s Frankie Edgar. Mendes himself, has shown to have excellent cardio when he has a full training camp (which he does), so I’m not discounting that. I just firmly believe that no one in the UFC has the pace and volume striking Frankie Edgar has. He has the ability to literally break you down to the point where you basically succumb ala Cub Swanson. Mendes does feature something that perhaps Edgar hasn’t faced, is a fighter with real power in hands. Now, I know that Gray Maynard had Frankie Edgar rocked multiple times, but Maynard has only knocked out two fighters in his career. Mendes has knocked out six of the last seven fighters he defeated. So, I think it’s obvious when I say, he’s got legit power. However, Edgar is one of the most elusive fighters in the Featherweight division and I actually think since the last two Maynard fights in which he got rocked in, he hasn’t really been hit or rocked in any since. So, what I think is going to happen, is that Edgar is going to use that guerrilla warfare-like tactics on the feet. He’s going to mix in some takedowns and systematically look to wear down Chad Mendes as each round goes on. We should see a lot of rinsing and repeating and I believe that Frankie Edgar will either finish this fight late or take a decisive decision.

As for the rest of the card, I’m going to be brief!

FOX Sports 1 Main Card (10 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Artem Lobov vs. Ryan Hall (TUF 22 lightweight final) – I honestly barely watched this season, but I’m siding with Ryan Hall due to his submission prowess
155 lbs.: Tony Ferguson vs. Edson Barboza – Two Dynamic strikers, but Ferguson is the better overall fighter and has a chin, as opposed to Barboza.
155 lbs.: Evan Dunham vs. Joe Lauzon – Great matchmaking, but I think Lauzon is too crafty of fighter and will submit Dunham at some point.
145 lbs.: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Jason Knight – Kawajiri impressed me against Siver and has one of the best top heavy ground games, it’s honestly suffocating.
155 lbs.: Julian Erosa vs. Marcin Wrzosek – Never seen them fight, so Erosa I guess…

FOX Sports 1 Prelims (8 p.m. ET):

265 lbs.: Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Konstantin Erokhin – Erokhin got manhandled in his last fight and Gonzaga specializes in that, well the non-K1 Gonzaga.
170 lbs.: Ryan LaFlare vs. Mike Pierce – I think we may have a split decision in this one, but I’m siding with Laflare due to his volume striking.
125 lbs.: Joby Sanchez vs. Geane Herrera – Herrera is a stud and is going to open some eyes here, in a super under the radar fight.
155 lbs.: Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Abner Lloveras – Again, I’ve never seen them fight, but the coin flip goes to Gruetzemacher.
UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. VanZant Predictions

December 10, 2015

On December 10th, UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. VanZant will kick off a wild week of fights in the UFC, which includes three events in three days. As stated, UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. VanZant will start us off, then the following day will feature the TUF Finale: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber, which is headlined by Frankie Edgar against Chad Mendes. Lastly, the most anticipated fight of the year will finally take place, as UFC superstar Conor McGregor faces off against Featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo at UFC 194. The stacked card also includes a Middleweight Title fight, as the champion Chris Weidman looks to defend his title against challenger Luke Rockhold, as well a number one contender fight in the Middleweight division, pitting Yoel Romero against Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. It doesn’t get any better than this as a fight fan!

To the PREDICTIONS!

Originally, Paige VanZant was set to headline against Joanne Calderwood, in an intriguing fight. However, Calderwood got hurt and in stepped “Thug” Rose Namajunas, which didn’t downgrade the main event at all. Calderwood would of been a stiff test, but Rose Namajunas is a scrapper and will be willing to throw down. I expect the pace of this fight to be off the charts, as well as the number one determining factor in who wins. Which, I’m going to side with Paige VanZant, who has showed to keep a relentless pace for three rounds, albeit this is a five round fight. Namajunas is a crafty finisher, who has won all three of her fights by submission, two in the first round. Namajunas has only had one decision in her short career, which was a defeat to Tecia Torres. I believe this fight won’t be contested on the feet, as I think VanZant will use volume and pressure to back Namajunas up by the cage, where she will inflict damage via clinch work and ultimately takedowns. As far as this fight going the distance, I’m honestly can’t see it with the pace I expect. This fight maybe goes 4 rounds, but ultimately I’m siding with the victor to be Paige VanZant.

As for the rest of the card, I’m going to be brief!

UFC Fight Night 80 Main Card (10 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Jim Miller vs. Mike Chiesa – Tough fight to call, but I think Chiesa’s lengthy limbs will be a problem for Miller when it comes to grappling.
155 lbs.: Sage Northcutt vs. Cody Pfister – This is just a stepping stone in the the UFC’s building up of Northcutt.
185 lbs.: Thiago Santos vs. Elias Theodorou – Santos is dangerous on the feet, but Theodorou will take him down at will.

UFC Fight Night 80 Prelims (7 p.m. ET):

170 lbs.: John Howard vs. Tim Means – Awesome fight, but I’m siding with the “Dirty Bird” to use his reach advantage to pick apart Howard.
170 lbs.: Omari Akhmedov vs. Sergio Moraes – I think Akhmedov avoids Moraes on the ground and picks him apart on the feet.
185 lbs.: Kevin Casey vs. Antonio Carlos Junior – Casey is a strong starter, but Carlos Junior is durable and will finish this late.
145 lbs.: Johnny Eduardo vs. Aljamain Sterling – Sterling has been waiting to fight forever and is going to let that anger vent out on Eduardo.
170 lbs.: Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Andreas Stahl – Ponzinibbio bounces back here after showing promise against Lorenz Larkin.
170 lbs.: Nathan Coy vs. Danny Roberts – Coy is a vet, but on late notice I don’t like his chances against an the athletic striker Danny Roberts.
145 lbs.: Phillipe Nover vs. Zubaira Tukhugov – Nover’s last fight left nothing to be desired and Tukhugov is way better than his last opponent.
115 lbs.: Kailin Curran vs. Emily Kagan – Curran is going to put pressure and pace Kagan can’t sustain for three rounds.
UFC Fight Night 52: Hunt vs. Nelson Predictions

September 19, 2014

On September 20th, two heavy handed heavyweights will collide at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Implications are high, as the winner will undoubtedly be in the mix, in what is seemingly a shallow heavyweight title picture. Hunt, is coming off a five round draw against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, in which is considered, one of the best heavyweight fights in UFC history. It was an absolute war of nutrition and despite Antonio Silva being later popped for elevated testosterone, Hunt was able to showcase his iron chin, heart and overall abilities. Nelson, is coming off a highlight reel knockout win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, which is just one of many during his UFC tenure.

Now, as the days wane closer, the anticipation for this fight is real. It’s one of those dream matchups that you’ve always envisioned about and now it’s finally here. It’s drawn up on paper to be a slugfest, promising of a knockout and I can’t say I disagree. I’ve said it in the past, but how can this fight possibly go five rounds? I’ve now grown a bit to the art of surprise in MMA, but seriously, two heavyweights that are aggressive strikers, are expected to need five rounds? Umm, No… but, we shall see very soon.

Anyways, this is going to be a fun fight to watch, as I’ve probably indicated a thousand times already. The durability of both men will make for an interesting result. I mean, Roy Nelson has only been knocked out once and has been in some fights where I think almost any other heavyweight would of fallen down. His ability to take punishment is uncanny. The same could be said about Mark Hunt, although knocked out twice, has endured punches in bunches from the best. Also, dare I say, his last fight went the full five rounds and for heavyweights, that’s rare milestone to complete.

As for a prediction and I’ll keep short and sweet, I believe that Mark Hunt will finish Roy Nelson at some point. Nelson, as I mentioned before has only been finished once, so it’s almost hard to say that he will be finished. I just think, in a five round fight, his gas tank will be an issue. Hunt, who’s been finished in everyone of his eight losses (6 via submission, 2 via knockout), will have to avoid Nelson’s signature looping right hand and slick top ground game. That’s really the X-factor here, as Nelson is far superior on the ground than Mark Hunt. BUT, I believe that Hunt will do whatever to keep this one on the feet and work his way inside of Nelson’s defense, punishing him. From there, Nelson will only have the ability to survive so long and Hunt will force the referee’s hand to step in at some point. Just don’t blink guys…

The co-main event features an interesting fight in the lightweight division, as the undefeated Myles Jury looks to add a signature win to his resume in the form of “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi. This fight has the expression “the changing of the guard” written all over it, as the new breed of fighters including Myles Jury look to surpass the legends such as Takanori Gomi.

Stylistically, this fight favors Jury, as he he’s very well diverse in striking and grappling. He’s capable of bringing the fight down to the mat and controlling his opponent, just watch his fight against Michael Johnson. As for Gomi, it’s clear he wants this one on the feet, where he displays a very technical and at the same time aggressive approach. However, Gomi needs to avoid grappling with Jury, as he’s had a hard time against wrestlers and superior grapplers. And despite an improving takedown defense, once Jury goes for a takedown, he’s committed and usually succeeds.

As for a prediction, I’d have to say Myles Jury takes this fight via decision. I just think that Jury has too many weapons in his arsenal, which should keep Gomi uncomfortable and guessing. And while I think Gomi is still a credible fighter, it just seems that his fighting style is more geared towards PRIDE. In the UFC, you have to be well diverse because the new crop of fighters that are coming in now, have a strong wrestling background and are learning the other martial arts. The wrestling base will give them an advantage, especially against mainly strikers like Gomi. I’m hoping for an exciting fight and I wouldn’t be upset to see either guy win, although if Gomi wins, it would make for an interesting last hoorah, to his already legendary career. In my mind however, this is Jury’s time and his fight to lose. He is too well rounded to succumb to Gomi and should avoid getting into a brawl, although he has power himself.

Talk about a fight among fighters who haven’t competed in sometime, as Yoshihiro Akiyama returns over two years later, looking to end a 4 fights losing streak against Amir Sadollah, who hasn’t competed in nearly two years. It will be interesting to see if ring rust plays a factor here, as both men have endured lengthy layoffs. Akiyama, better known as “Sexyama” has been a fan favorite ever since gracing the UFC, earning three “Fight of the Night” bonuses in his first three fights in the Octagon. Sadollah, the Ultimate Fighter 7 winner, is among a rare breed of fighters who have only competed professionally for the UFC. With a record of 6-4, Sadollah will look to get things going and put behind injuries that have cost him fighting for the last two years.

Akiyama is a banger with excellent judo and takedown defense. However, his striking defense is rather poor, often allowing opponents to tag him. Sadollah, who strikes in volume, would like to keep this one on the feet where he can technically defeat Akiyama. Saddolah should try to avoid any grappling exchanges because Akiyama has excellent throws, just watch the Jake Shields fight. Akiyama can sometimes be hesitant to let his hands go, which worries me, but I’m hoping this layoff has revamped Akiyama’s overall game. I really think that while Sadollah might have the edge in striking, Akiyama certainly has the more power and a better chin, as well as the edge in grappling. That’s not to say Sadollah doesn’t have any grappling because he certainly does and he can threaten with a submission, it’s just that I see him on his back more than Akiyama in grappling exchanges. This leads me to my prediction, in which “Sexyama” ends the 4 fight losing streak and takes this via decision, prolonging his UFC career. I’ve honestly always enjoyed watching Akiyama, he never fails to deliver an exciting fight, to the fans, so should he lose, I hope he goes out on his shield.

An intriguing bout in the women’s bantamweight division, as Miesha “Cupcake” Tate looks to build off her controversial win over Liz Carmouche, while Rin Nakai looks to make a successful UFC debut and stay undefeated. Tate, who finally notched her first UFC win in a rather uninspiring fight against Liz Carmouche, really needs to win this fight. Being the former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion can only keep you afloat so long, so wins are very important at this stage, especially when you are 1-2 in the UFC. Nakai, who is rather unknown despite a very impressive 16-0-1 record, looks to make an instant splash onto the scene.

I will admit, I haven’t really watched too much tape on Rin Nakai. The little I’ve seen, it appears she is a good grappler, with great strength. She is short and bulky, so it would appear she has a strong base. Her striking appeared ok, nothing too impressive. Tate on the other end is well rounded, although she could use some work on her standup. The second time against Ronda Rousey, her striking defense was very poor, so hopefully she shored that up. When looking at Rin Nakai’s record, it’s a little alarming to see some of the competition she has faced, even drawing against Danielle West (4-5 record). I’m not quiet sure she is ready to face the caliber of a fighter that Miesha Tate is, although Liz Carmouche kind of set a blueprint of smothering Tate. I doubt that happens however and I believe that Tate’s cardio should help her prevail. With that, I predict that Miesha Tate will finish Rin Nakai sometime late into the fight. I’d be semi shocked if Nakai pulled the upset, but since she is rather unknown and this is MMA, anything could happen. Regardless, it should be a unique and interesting fight in the women’s bantamweight division, with interesting implications for the winner.

Rest of the Card Predictions (Winner Bolded):

Kiichi Kunimoto vs. Richard Walsh (Submission)

Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Jon Delos Reyes (Submission)

Alex Caceres vs. Masanori Kanehara (T/KO)

Sam Sacilia vs. Katsunari Kikuno (T/KO)

Hyun Gyu Lim vs. Takenori Sato (T/KO)

Michinori Tanaka vs. Kyung Ho Kang (Decision)

Kazuki Tokudome vs. Johnny Case (Decision)

Maximo Blanco vs. Dan Hooker (T/KO)
UFC on Fox 12: Predictions

July 26, 2014

Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Brown

When this fight was announced, I immediately thought this would be fireworks and possibly a round of the year candidate. It features two heavy handed strikers with a knack of finishing fights. Add in the extra motivation, in which the winner get’s a title shot and expect both men determined to win by any means necessary. It’s going to be a fun one, with both men on somewhat of a similar resurgence in their careers. Lawler, who was with Strikeforce from 2009-2012, was certainly not the title contender he is today. In fact, Lawler went 3-5 during his tenure with Strikeforce. Then, which perhaps can be credited for saving his career, “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler returned to the UFC, as Strikeforce was purchased and the roster was merged into the UFC. Since, Lawler is 4-1 with three knockout victories, an impressive win over the highly touted welterweight contender Rory MacDonald and a closely contested title defeat to champion Johny Hendricks. Lawler is regarded as the second best welterweight, when two years ago, Lawler was not even in the welterweight picture. As for Brown, besides changing his life in which was once engulfed with drug usage, he is now considered one of the best welterweight fighters in the world. Rewind to 2011, in a fight against John “Doomsday” Howard, Brown was on the verge of being released from the UFC. He had lost three fights in a row, all by second round submissions. However, in a back and forth fight, Brown came out as the victor by decision. It certainly was a must win because a four fight losing streak in the UFC, would of undoubtedly had Brown’s next fight elsewhere. Despite going on to lose his next fight, Brown with a record of 14-11, went on to do the unthinkable. He pulled off a seven fight win streak, in which included gritty veterans and prospects looking for a stepping stone. Brown, finished six of those seven opponents by knockout and has emerged himself not only into the title picture, but one fight away from fighting for the welterweight belt. Remarkable and exciting at the same time, these two men’s resurgence’s have intertwined with each other. With everything on the line, the script that follows will certainly be a joy, so strap in, cause this one is shaping up to be a war.

Stylistically, this fight is almost certain to take place on the feet. The only other belief I have is that Matt Brown tries to turn this into a grappling affair, considering how good of a striker Robbie Lawler is. I mean, with a title shot on the line, it’s possible Brown could try for that, given Lawler’s past weakness of succumbing to takedowns. But, knowing Matt Brown, I’m not sure he’s going to change up his in-your-face style. I expect Brown to come at Lawler and try to put on a pace that Lawler can’t keep up with. However, I think he’s going to get countered and unlike Brown’s past opponents whom have had Brown in danger, when Lawler smells blood, it’s more than likely over.

Lawler has an 87% finishing rate and a 60% finished rate, while Brown has a 89% finishing rate and a 82% finished rate. If anything is clear from these statistics and keep in mind it’s a five round fight, there is no way this one is going the distance. Someone is getting stopped and in my opinion and by popular belief, it’s Matt Brown. So, my prediction is that Robbie Lawler defeats Matt Brown by knockout sometime before round three.

In the co-main event, we have Anthony Johnson, who fresh off a dominant win over Phil Davis, taking on a gritty veteran in Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. This will be Johnson’s second fight since re-signing with the UFC and his stock couldn’t be any higher at the moment. The win over Phil Davis was a shock to me, given how Johnson was fluctuating through weight classes. I mean, this is a now light heavyweight (205 lbs.) that fought at welterweight (170 lbs.) and as high as Heavyweight (206-265 lbs.). So, I wasn’t sure that he would be able to settle at light heavyweight and fight a top ranked fighter such as Phil Davis so quickly. However, he dominated Phil Davis like I never seen before and appears like he’s legit contender in the light heavyweight division.

As for Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, people might forget, but his last fight was a victory over Rashad Evans. The momentum of that victory, however was stopped due to injuries that sidelined Nogueira for more than a year. In fact, Nogueira has only fought twice since December of 2011. It’s possibly father time has caught up with Nogueira given his injury proneness. It’s a shame too because of his skillset and the shallowness of the light heavyweight division these days.

Anyways, as for a prediction, I really like Anthony Johnson here to win based off athleticism and speed. I think Nogueira has great boxing, but Johnson is going to be to quick for him to get anything off. Statistically, Johnson has a 65% finishing rate and a 100% finished rate, while Nogueira has a 57% finishing rate and a 20% finished rate. So, while both men have the ability to put someone away, I don’t think that’s going to be the case here, although Johnson has never lost a fight without being finished. At the end of the day, I think age and ring rust are going to catch up to Nogueira here. Johnson takes this via decision.

Clay Guida takes on Dennis Bermudez in an all important featherweight contest. Guida, a veteran of 19 fights in the UFC, will look to build off his impressive victory over Tatsuya Kawajiri. Guida, since dropping down to the featherweight division is 2-1, with the only defeat coming to title challenger Chad Mendes. A simple drop in weight and two victories, has Guida as the #7 ranked featherweight and looking like a possible contender in the division. It’s interesting to see if Guida has one more run in him, which is why a fight against Bermudez is a really good test to see if Guida can hang with the up-and-coming talent.

Bermudez, quietly has stringed together a six fight win streak and is creeping his way into the echelon of the featherweight division. Rewind to December of 2011, Bermudez was fighting Diego Brandao to become the Ultimate Fighter season 14 winner. During the fight, Bermudez dropped Brandao and smelt blood. While going for the finish, Brandao had recovered and caught Bermudez in an armbar. This marked Bermudez’s first loss in the UFC and third straight defeat. Then, fight after fight including a “Fight of the Year” candidate against Matt Grice, Bermudez was putting together and extremely impressive win streak. The last fight, earned Bermudez a performance of the night bonus, as he outworked and finished Jimy Hettes at UFC 171. Now, if Bermudez can defeat Clay Guida, look for his next challenger to be within the top five, as he inches his way closer to a title shot.

As for a prediction, I think this is going to be a close and fun fight. Whether they stand or turn this into a grappling affair, I think both fighters well roundness will show. I’m leaning towards Bermudez getting the job done via a 29-28 or split decision. Once again, statistically Guida has a 61% finishing rate and a 50% finished rate, while Bermudez has a 46% finishing rate and a 100% finished rate. None of that sways me because I don’t think Guida can finish Bermudez and when it goes to a decision, Bermudez has had the edge. Tough fight, but I got Bermudez.

Josh “The Punk” Thomson takes on Bobby “King” Green in an interesting and always pivotal fight in the lightweight division. Thomson, is coming off a loss to Benson Henderson, a fight in which he broke his hand in the first round and continued on for another four rounds. Also, many believed including myself that he had won the fight, but the judges saw otherwise. It was a heart breaker for Thomson, given that he was in line for a title shot until the champion, Anthony Pettis pulled out with an injury. It couldn’t of been scripted worse for Thomson, who made it known during the press conference that he might be headed for retirement after the series of misfortune. However, after taking some time to reflect, “The Punk” is back, as he fights in a familiar place, his hometown.

Bobby Green, a late replacement, will look to add on to his impressive 3-0 start in the UFC. Green’s last fight against Pat Healy was super impressive, as he showed off a dynamic striking game, resembling that of Roy Jones Jr. The hands were down, footwork and head movement were on point and the jab was there all day. It was a coming out party for the talented Bobby Green who now faces a stiff test as a late replacement, fighting a championship caliber opponent in Josh Thomson. However, it appears that Green is not one to shy away from anything. I mean, this guy just lost his brother and three other family members were shot due to gang violence in June. This is a rather quick turnaround to a tragedy and I’m a little concerned for Green’s mental state in this fight, but then again, this is a foster child that has been through the ringer and made it out a UFC star.

As for a prediction, I like Josh Thomson here to outwork Bobby Green everywhere. Thomson is super well rounded and won’t be fazed by Green’s striking. It’s going to be interesting to see if Green fights with his hands down, given that Thomson is no slouch on the feet. Anyways, I don’t like the timing of this fight for Green, nor stylistically. I still think Green has a bright future ahead of him, but this one of those “too soon” fights. Statistically, Thomson has a 70% finishing rate and a 17% finished rate, while Green has a 77% finishing rate and a 60% finished rate. Again, this is Thomson’s fight to lose, he’s too good everywhere to succumb to Green. It’s possible that Thomson could finish Green as well, most likely via submission, as Green’s past weakness has been submission defense. So, my prediction is that Josh Thomson will defeat Bobby Green via submission.

From the preliminary card:

Jorge Masvidal def. Daron Cruickshank

Patrick Cummins def. Kyle Kingsbury (Tough fight to call)

Tim Means def. Hernani Perpetuo

Mike De La Torre def. Brian Ortega

Tiago Dos Santos def. Akbarh Arreola

Steven Siler def. Noad Lahat

Gilbert Burns def. Andreas Stahl

Joanna Jedrzejcyzk def. Juliana Lima
UFC 171: Previewing the Welterweight Landscape

March 15, 2014

As the hours wain down until UFC 171, the state of the welterweight division will be drastically changed come fight night. A new champion will be crowned and a new contender will rise. If UFC 171 is anything, it’s an opportunity. One that was limited by long reigning and now retired UFC Welterweight Champion George St. Pierre. As it stands now, there are four welterweight bouts on the card, three of which are featured on the main card. Also, seven of the eight welterweights are ranked in the Top 15. It’s almost like UFC 171 is a mini tournament, although the UFC has dubbed the co-main event as a number one contender fight.

Now, I have no disagreements if Carlos Condit wins that he should be in line, but if Tyron Woodley wins, I’m not so sure he deserving, pending the results of all the other fights of course. For example, what if Jake Shields defeats Hector Lombard? He not only just beat Tyron Woodley (on paper), but he’s defeated Demian Maia, Yoshihiro Akiyama and arguably Ed Herman (failed a drug test, bout turned No Contest) during a four fight stretch. Again though, there are countless possibilities that will unravel following UFC 171. Anyways, I’ll quickly access for each bout what a win means for both fighters

Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler

Johny Hendricks

What a Win Does : Solidifies Hendricks as the best welterweight in the world, as well as gives him the only thing he’s wanted; the Belt and the Target on his back.

Robbie Lawler

What a Win Does : Completes one of the most improbable runs in UFC history in my opinion. It’s almost weird to think that Robbie Lawler is a win away from being the UFC welterweight champion.

Carlos Condit vs. Tyron Woodley

Carlos Condit

What a Win Does : It’s already been said that if Condit wins, he is next in line for a title shot.

Tyron Woodley

What a Win Does : IF Woodley finishes Condit, then I can see a warranted title fight. However, if he grinds out a decision victory, expect Woodley to have to fight again to get a title shot.

Jake Shields vs. Hector Lombard

Jake Shields

What a Win Does : If Shields defeats Lombard, I have a hard time of denying him a title shot. Of course though, if Condit wins, then it’s a tough decision. Do I fight again or claim my case and wait until I get a title shot? Should be interesting….

Hector Lombard

What a Win Does : Shoots Lombard up the Welterweight ranks and puts him one fight away from fighting for the title. Would be a great win on the resume too, as Lombard is building his credibility in the Welterweight division.

Rick Story vs. Kevin Gastelum

Rick Story

What a Win Does : Bumps Story near the Top 10 and puts him in a bigger fight, perhaps Mike Pyle or Dong Hyun Kim?

Kevin Gastelum

What a Win Does : Notches a solid win to the resume and continues an improbable run that wasn’t supposed to be. Easily bumps Gastelum into the Top 15 of the division.
Heavyweights the UFC should Target

March 7, 2014

The UFC Heavyweight division perhaps, lacks the most depth of any division. Sure the Men’s Flyweight and Woman’s bantamweight might actually be the shallowest of divisions, but then again, they are both fairly new divisions in the UFC. I’ve scouted the talent available out there and there is more than enough to add depth to the division. This is only Part 1!

By Vtbr (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Sergei Kharitonov – There has been an invasion of Russians in the UFC of late, with some looking like early contenders in Khabib Nurmagomedov and Rustam Khabilov. So, why hasn’t one of the best Russian Heavyweights for some time, not yet graced the Octagon? And, with notable wins such as Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski and Pedro Rizzo, it makes you wonder how guys like Walt Harris (no offense) are in the UFC and guys like Sergei Kharitonov are not? Well, Kharitonov has an upcoming bout against a prospect in Tyler East (KOTC Heavyweight Champion), who has not lost since 2010 and is riding a seven fight win streak, six of which come via finish. A win for Kharitonov would solidify him as the best Heavyweight not in the UFC. And, there are just too many fun fights for Kharitonov not to be in the UFC, could you imagine striking battles with Mark Hunt, Roy Nelson or Junior Dos Santos? Legendary…

Dguzman44 “Andrei Arlovski”

Andrei Arlovski – I almost excluded the once UFC champion from a return, but with Anthony “Rumble” Johnson returning to the UFC and WSOF waiving the matching process, it could happen. Now, I think Arlovski has a little more work to do, but he certainly has had a career resurgence of late and has proved he is no longer “chinny”. A term often used after a four fight losing streak, three of which ended by knockout. Anyways, with the UFC expanding worldwide and soon in Poland and Turkey, the Belarusian could be of assistance.

Damian Grabowski – Sporting a solid 19-1 record, it’s odd to see how Grabowski has yet to have a chance in the UFC. However, he has fought for Bellator, where he received his only defeat to the now retired and undefeated ex-Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad. But, since then, Grabowski has tallied six wins in a row, four via finish. And, during the winning streak, has defeated notables such as Joaquim Ferreira (defeated Junior Dos Santos), Eddie Sanchez (UFC Veteran), Dave Huckaba (Recently defeated Ray Sefo), Stav Economou (Prospect) and Kenny Garner (Former M-1 Global champion). An upcoming fight against a touted prospect in Marcin Tybura could be a statement fight for Grabowski to finally get noticed. Also, with the UFC heading to Poland, some Polish star power could help sell tickets for sure.