UFC 128, QUICK PICKS AND RING GIRLIES

  



I'VE BEEN BUSY DEAL WITH IT

     I know I havn't posted an update in a minute, but I've just started a few new jobs and got a lot going on.  I will never miss a big event for predictions, or post fight for recaps however.  Sorry for no breakdowns or in depths as well, but like i said, busy, busy, busy.  Get your picks in if you think you know anything, and i'll update your picks record tomorrow.



STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.
UFC 128 PICKS TO STAY AHEAD OF THE GANG.

Jon Jones vs Shogun Rua -  Rua via 3rd round TKO
Urijah Faber vs Eddie Wineland - Faber via 3 round Majority Decision
Joseph Benavidez vs Ian loveland - Benavidez via 3 round Majority Decision
Cropcop vs Brenda Schaub - Cropcop via 1st round KO (head kick dream)
Jim Miller vs Kamal Shalorus - Miller bros via miller bros decision
Nate Marquart vs Dan Miller - Miller bros via miller bros decision
Kurt Pellegrino vs Glieson Tibau - Glieson Tibau via 3rd round Split Decision

   

THE UPSET, THE SPIT, THE DRAW.

                                UFC 127 SHORTCAP

     The show kicked off on a Sunday during daylight in Australia just to keep it live in the states on a Saturday night.  The show was speculated weeks in advance to be a weak card, and even appeared sort of weak on paper.  Certainly not for the first time, the majority was wrong, and UFC 127 delivered.  The main event ended in a draw that sets up a very interesting situation, while the surprisingly massed hyped co-main event delivered with some eye candy.  The under cards did not fall short either as underdogs pulled off upsets to keep the lightweight and welterweight divisions up in a steady mix.

            PENN AND FITCH, MAJORITY...DRAW?

     Penn and Fitch had an interesting fight that raised eyebrows and questions from every direction at the end of the fight.  Did Penn just try to take down Fitch after years of fighting without trying to take anyone down?  Did Penn really win the second round?  Did the effort of Fitch in the 3rd round warrant a 10-8 on the scorecards, based on two takedowns, and no position passed the guard?  Was either fighter expecting the decision?  Does Fitch win a 5 round fight?  Who is more motivated in the rematch?  Given the circumstances of the division, is the rematch for the welterweight title?  Was the results of this fight the best case scenario for the fans, the UFC, and Fitch and Penn both?  Fights that raise this many questions are an obvious success.

BISPING SPITS FIRE WITH HANDS, SALIVA WITH MOUTH


     Bisping and Rivera had enough hard talk and smack leading up to it to sell as a headliner, despite the current standings of the fighters.  Rivera came into the fight as quite an underdog, yet he was the leader of the two in the pre fight antics.  Bisping had stated how offended he was of the videos and the mocking of his accent leading up to the fight, but really hid his true emotions until fight night.  Between some aggressive striking and relatively easy takedowns, Bisping dominated the fight up and until the stoppage.  The respectful embrace that occurs in 99 percent of fights after the final bell or a stoppage was the last thing Bisping intended.  He first rushed to Riveras corner and spit at one of the corner men, who Bisping had said was involved with the videos and mocking of his heritage and family.  He then rushed over to Jorge demanding an apology.  This fight was a good one and could lay some leeway for more pre fight hype in the future between fighters.



T3H OTHER RESULTS
Fitch and Penn fight 3 rounds to a majority DRAW
Bisping defeats Rivera via 2nd round TKO
Dennis Siver defeats George Sotiropoulos via Unanimous Decision
Brian Ebersole defeats Brian Ebersole via Unanimous Decision
Kyle Noke defeats Chris Camozzi via 1st round sub (RNC)
Ross Pearson defeats Spencer Fisher via Unanimous Decision
Alexander Gustafsson defeats James Te Huna via 1st round sub (RNC)
Nick Ring defeats Riki Fukuda via Unanimous Decision
Anthony Perosh defeats Tom Blackledge via 1st round sub (RNC)
Tiequan Zhang defeats Jason Reinhardt via 1st round sub (Guillotine Choke)
Mark Hunt defeats Chris Tuchscherer via 2nd round KO
Curt Warburton defeats Maciej Jewtuszko via Unanimous Decision




Prediction record outcomes of UFC 127 via teh Bruiser;
Samuel- 3-4
Beegle- 3-4
Goose- 2-5
Wineland- 1-6
Ray- 0-7

Overall;
Goose- 15-10 
Samuel- 13-9
Travbuc- 10-3
Beegle- 7-6
Chad- 5-0
O.o- 5-2 
Snow- 3-2
Schmit- 2-1
Wineland- 2-8
Ray- 0-7

 

PREDICTIONS, PENN VS FITCH, UFC 127

                                              LAYOFF


     First off I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates over the week.  I went through a move and am now living back in my hometown, so I haven't had a lot of free time.  The same goes for today as I won't be able to give great breakdowns, but will post my predictions, and still would like you all to post yours to see how well you can pick em.  I'll be picking for a lot of the fights but not all of them, feel free to pick as many or as little as you'd like to.




                                 T3H PICKS
BJ Penn vs John Fitch -  Penn via 2nd round submission.
Michael Bisping vs Jorge Rivera - Bisping via 3 round majority decision
George Sotiropoulous vs Dennis Siver - Siver via Liver kick/TKO round 1
Chris Lytle vs Brian Ebersole - Lights out Lytle via 3 round split decision
Kyle Noke vs Chris Camozzi -  Camozzi via 1st round KO
Ross Pearson vs Spencer Fisher - Pearson via 2nd round TKO
Nick Ring vs Riki Fukuda -Pretty Riki via 1st round TKO

Good luck picking, I took a few underdogs and think it's gonna be a stellar night.

UPSET, RETIREMENT, AND A CONTROVERSIAL :)

    NEW PERSPECTIVE

     Saturday night marked the start of the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament featuring some of the highest profiled heavyweights in the mma world.  Prior to the two main events which consisted of the first half of the first round of the tournament, Strikeforce held a texting poll asking for predictions on who would win out and win the tournament.  Nearly 40 percent of fans had chosen Fedor, and the third highest vote went to Andrei Arlovski with 11 percent.    These ideas were quickly trashed as a huge night unfolded.


         

                            EMERGING MAIN EVENT STORIES

FEDORS STREAK- Fedor dropped his second straight fight Saturday night.  Until his prior loss to Werdum, Fedor was 31-1, and the only loss was a cut stoppage 17 seconds into the first round in his 5th fight.  The last emperor announced after his fight his idea of retirement.  This could be the last time we ever see one of the greatest fighters of all time.
THE :) - Following the upset, UFC president Dana white had several very controversial, and unprofessional tweets including a ':)' and a few heated fire shots at fans tweeting to stick up for Fedor. 
THE UNDERDOG - With all of the media and attention centered on Fedor, we are quick to overlook and barely discuss Antonio Silva's accomplishment.  Silva came into the fight as a 5 and a half to 1 underdog which is HUGE in mma lines.  Not only did he pull off a victory and upset, he literally dominated the fight, with most sportscasters saying they would score the second round 10-8.  A new force to be watched in the tournament(those of you still going to watch)?  I believe so.

                             CO-MAIN EVENT STORIES

ANDREI'S LAST DANCE- Less surprising than Fedors loss was Andrei Arlovski dropping his 4th straight fight to heavy hitter Sergei Kharitonov.  Andrei did not make any mentions of retirement after the bout, but in my oppinion I think it is about that time for him.
LADIES AND GENTS, I GIVE YOU SERGEI- For the  majority of the first round, Arlovski looked smoother with his strikes, quicker with his feet and head, and crisper with his combo's.  When it came time to test his chin once again however, Arlovski provided the familiar glass for Sergei to shatter.  Sergei is now my horse to ride through the rest of the tournament.  Let's go.



Prediction record outcomes of Fedor-Silva via the bruiser;
Samuel- 3-1
Snow- 3-2
Travbuc- 3-2
Goose- 2-3

Overall;
Goose- 13-5
Travbuc- 10-3
Samuel- 10-5
Chad- 5-0
O.o- 5-2
Beegle- 4-2
Snow- 3-2
Schmitt- 2-1
Wineland- 1-2


                            HAPPY VALENTINES DAY....

 




              

FEDOR VS SILVA

   STRIKE FORCE HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNEY ROUND 1

     Kicking off tonight, the Strikeforce card will feature the first two matches in the first round of the tournament of 8 heavyweight fighters.  Set to take place is Fedor - Bigfoot Silva, and Arlovski - Sergei.  There are 8 other bouts on the card, some of which are alternative bouts for the tournament.  I'll be picking for the main fights of the tournament and two side fights, feel free to leave picks for any.

                                             THE LAST EMPEROR


     The main event of the night is Fedor Emelianenko facing Antonio 'Big Foot' Silva.  It's hard for me not to go with the favorite and overall legendary Fedor based on odds and careers alone, but stylistically, Fedor holds advantages all over this fight.  If you tune in tonight and think Fedor is way to small to win this fight, then take a second to youtube Fedor vs Schilt, or vs Zulu, or vs Hong, or vs Tim.  Fedor has made a hobby out of slaying giants and he can thank his awesome striking, great chin, and beautiful armbars.  My prediction is Fedor pulling this one off, midway through the second round, via his 7th career armbar.

                          

                             THE PIT BULL PUT DOWN



     The other fight on tonights card involving the heavyweight tournament puts ex-UFC standout Andrei Arlovski against a prime candidate in Sergei Kharitonov.  Former UFC heavyweight champion, Andrei has hit a slump in his career that he desperately needs to get out of.  He has lost three straight, but has the hands to get back on the right track.  That being said, I'm taking Sergei to take this fight via TKO in the second round.  If you've never heard of the man, he holds wins over Semmy Schilt, Werdum, and Ubereem.  His only losses have come against Big Nog, Ubereem, A.Emelianenko (Fedors brother), and submission specialist Jeff Monson.  Looking to see a possible end to Andrei's career and a rising surge of Sergei's.




        TWO QUICKIES

Valentijn Overeem (Ubers brother) over Ray Sefo via first round KO
Chad Griggs Over Gian Villante via TKO round 2

YOUR UFC CHAMPIONS, SON

     With the merger of the WEC and two new weight classes,  the largest mma organization in the world now holds 7 champions at any given time (aside from any belt stripping incident).  Get a basic rundown on your champs, and why they deserve to be where they are at.




                            HEAVYWEIGHT - CAIN VELASQUEZ

  
Record - 9-0

Last loss - Runnin strong

Most notable moment - UFC 121, Cain came in as a slight underdog and manhandled Brock Lesnar from the opening bell clear up til the stoppage 4 minutes and 12 seconds later, to obtain the UFC heavyweight belt and carry the pride of a Mexican American community through the sport.

Reason to love - Cain sits atop the world right now with an impressive resume in the hardest hitting division.  If you love to see fighters finishing fights, then Cain is your man 8 out of 9 times.  Finishing 6 of his nine fights in the first round and 2 of his fights in the 2nd round, Cain is an action first fighter that loves to mix it up quick.

Biggest challenge - Shane Carwin or Junior Dos Santos.  Two heavyweights with the same amount or more stoppages in only a couple more fights, JDS and Carwin bring heavy hands to the table if they get a shot in the future.  Cain has shown he has a chin in his fight against Kongo, but the new heavyweights are a whole new breed of power.








      LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT - MAURICIO 'SHOWGUN' RUA

Record - 19-4

Last loss - UFC 104 October 2009, controversial decision that gained Shogun immediate rematch.  Previous loss in UFC debut in 2007 against Forrest Griffin.

Most notable moment - August 28th, 2005.  At the age of just 23, Shogun had racked up a record of 10-1, with his only loss to Babalu, and 9 of his 10 wins coming by knockout, only winning one decision to his last opponent, Little Nog.  Needless to say he was a superstar in the making, and this date sealed his deal as he would face Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona on the same night of a tournament, and would go on to win both by TKO in the first round.

Reason to love - Another striking artist, Shogun holds 16 of his 19 wins by way of KO or TKO, and 1 of the other 3 were by submission.  At the age of 29 he has many years left in the sport, but also an incredible resume behind him.  Flying under the rader because of all the hype of UFCs other superstars, Shogun stays respectful, and confident.

Biggest challenge - Jon Jones recently defeated Ryan Bader and was offered a short notice (6 weeks to prepare) title shot.  I'm fairly certain even the mention of the name Jones brings up highlight reels, but that isn't the only thing dangerous about the kid.  Jones shares the same mass success at an early age that Shogun once had himself, and that propelled Shogun to the position he sits atop today.  





                         MIDDLE WEIGHT - ANDERSON SILVA

  

Record - 28-4

Last loss - 5 years ago to Yushin Okami, where he knocked Okami out with a kick from his back, but was DQ'ed because the strike was illegal.  Previous loss was in 2004 to Ryo Chonan via flying scissor heel hook.

Most notable moment -  This one is up in the air for me.  His record streak of wins and title defenses as well as his victories when traveling up in weight have all been impressive.  For now I'm saying every most recent fight he wins is the most impressive as it keeps his legendary streak alive.

Reason to love -  The reasons not to love list would be a lot easier and shorter.  Anderson is a true athlete, and a true entertainer.  He has recently developed the ability to really sell fights, and might have picked it up from Chael Sonnen.  Now whether you love him for his five round uphill battle and last minute sub on Sonnen, or his collection of sick KOs (front kick to Vitor, standing back elbow to Fryklund, soft jab on Forrest, leg catch on Irvin, knees twice to Franklin) is totally your choice.

Biggest challenge - At middleweight, no one poses much of a threat to him.  The obvious match up and toughest test of his career will come if GSP is able to best Jake Shields.  GSP will come into the fight with a game plan that you can guarantee will play to the biggest weaknesses of Silva.




                     WELTERWEIGHT - GEORGE ST-PIERRE 

Record - 21-2

Last loss - April 2007 to Matt Serra (avenged), previous loss October 2004 to Matt Hughes (avenged)

Most notable moment - UFC 94, January 2009.  Aside from his two losses, GSP had only one close fight, and it was with his first fight against BJ Penn, where GSP won a split decision.  At the time of the rematch, BJ Penn was in the top 5 of pound for pound fighters along with GSP, Silva, and Fedor.  GSP wanted to leave no room for doubt and absolutely dominated every round of the rematch.  Eventually BJ's corner threw in the towl at the end of the fourth round.  This hurt me as a BJ fan, but was a huge accomplishment for GSP and his career.

Reason to love -  It takes a true appreciation of the sport to enjoy GSP's fights.  He turns every fight into a chess match, months before the actual bout.  He studies every second of tape available on his opponents, makes a solid game plan, and sticks with it.   This strategy has allowed him to not only beat, but dominate and humiliate his opponents in what's considered one of the deepest talent pool divisions.  If you call GSP boring and don't think he is one of the smartest competitors in the sport, you are mistaken.

Biggest challenge -  Don't think for one second that it is Anderson Silva just yet.  Standing in the way of the super fight and then legacy of GSP is one inspired Jake Shields.  Jake has been counted out and opened up the lines as a 5-1 underdog.  Hard to imagine with a 26-4 record, a 15 fight win streak, and wins over Henderson, Kampman, Jason Miller, Robbie Lawler, Paul Daley, and Yushin Okami.





                       LIGHTWEIGHT - FRANKIE EDGAR 

Record - 13-1-1

Last loss -  April 2008 to Gray Maynard via decision

Most notable moment - UFC 125 Draw to Gray Maynard.  Going into the fight as an underdog for his third straight bout, and second as champion, Edgar was able to survive the most brutal 1st round I have seen in a long time.  He battled back form what could of been scored a 10-8 or 10-7 round to what I believe should of been a victory, but  as judging goes, came out to a draw.

Reason to love - Most every lightweight is considerably fast, but the footwork of Edgar is something to marvel at.  He has the ability to outscore opponents round after round by way of strikes, or takedowns depending on how he's feeling.

Biggest challenge - Gray Maynard and about 12 other lightweights.  What has quickly become  the deepest division in the UFC following the merger, the lightweight division will have no problem throwing challengers left and right at Frankie as long as he holds the belt.  First on the menu however is a much anticipated 3rd chapter on the Edgar-Maynard saga.





                        FEATHERWEIGHT - JOSE ALDO

  

Record - 18-1

Last loss - November 2005 to Luciano Azevedo

Most notable moment - WEC 48 vs Urijah Faber.  Jose was going into the fight to defend his newly earned title for the first time against a former P4P king in the California Kid.  What was expected to be a brawl turned into a one sided, masterful executed, leg kick inspired fight.   Jose gained mass recognition from his dismantling of the formers champs leg.

Reason to love - The lighter the weight class, the more impressive it is to rack up KO's and TKO's, and submissions on your resume.  Holding 14 of his 18 wins via stoppage, and 7 of his last 8 via KO or TKO, Aldo is electrifying to watch right now.  stay tuned.

Biggest challenge -  Mark Hominick will challenge for the title on April 30th, and make no mistake about it, this fight will come to a finish before the first round.  Mark has claimed to be a striker on a whole other level than anyone Jose has ever faced, and I am quick to take his word for it.  If you need any proof, take a look at his last bout with roop and imagine that kind of percision and power at any weight class. 




                      BANTAMWEIGHT - DOMINICK CRUZ 

Record - 17-1

Last loss - WEC 26 March 2007 to Urijah Faber.


Most notable moment - WEC 47 against Brian Bowels.  Cruz was able to stop a Bowels who had just obtained the title himself from the always dangerous and legendary Miguel Torres.  


Reason to love -  Cruz has a stand up game that is fun to watch because it is very unique.  with unconventional head movement, and strikes comings from every which way at any given time, Cruz stays busy start to finish, guaranteed.


Biggest challenge -  Mighty Mouse, Torres, Faber.  The UFC hasn't announced who the will give him next, but any of these matchups will make for a very large draw.  More then likely Mouse will get the shot and Faber and Torres will end up in a number one contenders match later on down the line i believe.










    That's it, get ready for this weekend for the first installment of the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament featuring Fedor vs Silva.
 






    

UFC 126 DELIVERED

     Last nights fights set mma fans up for a stellar year with the UFC.  The card was absolutely stacked on paper, and proved it's worth with the night of action.  Better than the huge story lines coming into the fights are the ones emerging after.  How will the rest of Andersons career play out, and who's next?  Is Jon Jones the future of the light heavyweight division and is his style going to set a new style standard to follow in mma?  Whats next for Griffin after his win, and Ace after the loss?

                       PHENOMS FOOT TO THE FACE FETISH


     The hype behind the main event had people extremely excited for this fight.  People were doubting Silva's interest and ability at this age in the sport and this spot in his career.  People also were overflowing Vitor bandwagons coming into the fight thinking Vitor was going to put Anderson away quickly and violently.  All of this was put to rest along with Vitor with one stunning and unique front kick to the face delivered by Anderson in the first round.  The kick sparked titles online such as 'The kick heard round the world' which have also been used for the Pettis kick recently.  While I think the Showtime kick is more impressive, Silva's should been taken as it's own in a very special way and not compared.    The outcome has rejuvenated Silvas fans and has awakened the urges for a super fight push with GSP.  This is in the near future my friends, and I believe will happen near the end of this year. 

                                         BONES BLASTS BADER
                           


     Jon Jones is a complete and exciting mma fighter.  He has all the standard tools necessary and then some custom made ones for fun.  Despite his highlight reel previous to this fight, Jones strayed from his usual flash to show us his pure dominant side.  There wasn't much Bader could do, being kept at bay from the long reach of Jones.  Some impressive grappling and transitioning later and Jones found him self with a nice guillotine  submission over the previously unbeaten Bader in the second round.  The UFC had Joe Rogan announce to Jones after the fight that he would be offered a title shot.  This of course sets up a mega fight with Shogun that I couldn't be happier about.  Bring on the anticipation.  I guess I'll watch Jones highlights again and again for months til this fight happens, and avoid watching Shoguns devastating UFC and PRIDE highlights as if to fool myself.

                   FORREST-FRANKLIN FANTASTIC FIGHT

     You could tell heading up to this fight it was going to be a close fight and milk out to a decision.  Even after the fight was over and before the winner was announced, the fighters were not positive who had won.  Forrest won the fight on points and it was thanks to his size and power advantage.  He was able to take Rich down and hold him down throughout the fight.  Neither of these guys could of possibly lost a fan of me in this fight, but it's nice to see forrest get a win to get his career back in a strong direction.  The fighters had talked and joked about the loser of this bout getting a tattoo.  Lets see if this holds true, I would like to see Forrest make Rich get a bunch of trees on one of his legs.


                           WORTHY WEEKEND WRAP UP


     The rest of the card was very exciting as well, seeing UFC debuts of Donald Cerrone, Miguel Torres, and Chad Mendes all rep victories for the WEC proving the merger to be a great sucess and set up steller fights.  The results were as follows.

Jake Ellenberger over Carlos Rocha via split decision
Miguel Torres over Antonio Banuelos via unanimous decision
Donald Ceronne over Paul Kelly via submission round 2 (RNC)
Chad Mendes over Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decision
Demetrious Johnson over Norifumi 'KID' Yamamoto via unanimous decision
Paul Taylor over Gabe Ruediger via KO round 2
Kyle Kingsbury over Ricardo Romero via TKO round 1
Mike Pierce over Kenny Robertson via TKO round 2




Here are the prediction record outcomes from UFC:126 via the bruiser;
Me 5-3
Beegle 4-2
Goose 9-2
Wineland 1-2
Chad 5-0
Travbuc 7-1

Making overall standings (2 events)
Me 7-4
Goose 11-3
Travbuc 7-1
Chad 5-0
O.o(Anonymous) 5-2
Beegle 4-2
Shmit 2-1
Wineland 1-2






   GREAT FIGHTS, ON DECK; FEDOR VS ANTONIO SILVA

                                                       ENJOI

SILVA VS VITOR, PICK A WINNER

                                           STACKED SATURDAY


     UFC 126 will kick off tomorrow night with the headliner showcasing the two most explosive and precise strikers put together in the cage in a long time.  The rest of the main card is also dynamite, and the under card is no water cooler joke either.  I'll be doing several more picks than the last Strikeforce, so sit back and read some breakdowns and predictions, or skip straight to the comment box and post your own picks.  Take a side note that you can all watch the under card fight with KID and Johnson on facebook and only facebook as it will not be aired with the prelims on spike.  DON'T MISS THAT FIGHT.

                                         PHENOMENAL SPIDER     


     Vitor's nickname doesn't apply as much as it did at the begining of his career, much like BJ penns nickname.  He has had a circus ride of an MMA career with many highs and many lows, rivaling careers such as Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz.  The thing is, out of the three, he is at the peak of his career at the age of 33.  His other high points were peaks too, but he has never had an oppurtunity as big as to fight the biggest current fighting legend in the making in the sport.  If Vitor pulls off a victory tomorrow night, his win will propel his own legacy to superstar status and there is no denying that.

    Anderson comes into the bout with a slightly different view on the matter.  While he knows of Vitor and his whole story(Anderson was watching Vitors success years before he was fighting himself), this fight for him is about solidifying everything he has already achieved himself.  He holds the record for most consecutive wins, and most consecutive title defenses in the UFC, and he wants to stretch these streaks as far as he can as well as leaving highlight footage to never be forgotten.  I'd say he is doing a pretty good job so far.  The only question for Silva coming into this fight, is "will he underestimate Vitor?"  I don't think so.

     I'm picking this fight to be one of three possible 'fight of the night' fights.  It's also a three way tie in my mind between the same bouts for 'knockout of the night'.  I think Silva is going to surprise Vitor badly here.  Everyone is saying that Silva will have to be on the defensive this time around, and that he can't try that 'crap' that he did with all his other fights.  If there is something I have learned watching Anderson, it is that he hates hearing what he should or will do.  I think he is going to come out trying to be the aggressor after a minute or two of feeling out Vitor.  I'm picking this fight late first or early second round KO in brutal highlight reel fashion.

        


                         
                                 BONES FOR BADER

 
     Ryan Bader and Jon Jones is the second of the three (KOOTN, FOTN) front runner bouts.  They are both on hype trains  from hell on a crash course head on collision with each other.  This fight reminds me of when they squared up undefeated fighters Rashad Evans and Michael Bisping, and later on still unblemished Rashad Evans versus Lyoto Machida.  Talk trash on the UFC all you want for them 'feeding' potential stars early in their careers, but when they get somewhat recognized they are thrown into fights that we all want to see, whether they like it or not.  This was the case more so for Bader.  I think that Baders only chance in this fight is to get inside QUICK and land a heavy shot or land a power double takedown.  This is a lot easier for me to type then it is for Bader to execute, seeing as how Jones is easily faster, and has the longest reach in the UFC.  Bader has promised 'flashiness' in multiple interviews, and as a fan I love it.  Look for Bader to put up more of a fight then people are giving him credit for, but coming up short and getting caught in the third round.  Prediction is Jones stunning him then hopping on top for the kill mid-late third round for a TKO stoppage.

            
       FORREST FRANKLIN AND RICH GRIFFIN. HUH?



     Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin are the correct names respectively, but the way this fight has been built up the past month would lead you to believe these fighters are mirror images of each other.  And I have been lead to that belief strongly.  They might not have the same styles exactly, but as a person their characteristics are identical.  The both are very laid back, respective fighters with huge nice guy fan bases and are both willing to fight anybody they are fed too and will both fight til a brutal KO and forget thinking about gassing when it comes to them.  It makes this fight hard to call, but fun to watch.  Look for them sharing just about every single round throughout the score cards.  I think Griffin fighting at his natural weight has the slight advantage, and I see him grinding this one out.  Griffin by 3 round split decision.

                                             KIDS IN THE CAGE

                                                                                     



     The last fight on my list of potential bonus bouts is Norifumi 'KID' Yamamoto versus Demetrious 'mighty mouse' Johnson.  Lighter weightclasses have always been more exciting as far as pace goes.  These guys are coming in at 135 pounds, think about it.  After seeing this fight you will thank the stars that UFC brought over the UFC and signed KID over from Japan organization.  Kid has a career and youtube footage to make people stop and awe.  He should be focused to put on a dominant performance and lay his hands into Johnson.  The porblem KID will run into is Johnsons extreme speed.  Johnson is 5'3 and is lightning quick.  I expect kid to bring his A game from the past and put to rest the discussion on Japans lack of mma talent.  I'm calling for this fight to end in the third round, but not by the way I'd hope.  Look for KID to get a submission on an outclassed Johnson in the final three minutes of the third frame.


    

                                  QUICKEST PICKS


     There are multiple other noteworthy bouts filled with eye candy, but I will just leave them with quick picks.  Feel free to pick just the main bout(Vitor, Silva) or anywhere up to all 11 bouts.  Here are my quick hits.

-Carlos Rocha over Jake Ellenberger via first round submission
-Miguel Torres over Antonio Banuelos via majority decision
-The cowboy Cerrone over Paul kelly via first round KO*
-Michihiro Omigawa over Chad Mendes via split decision*


*Make sure to watch these two prelims on spike, and the KID fight on facebook live tomorrow night.  Tune in for the weigh-ins tonight for a couple humorous stare downs.
-
  


     

GSP vs SILVA

                              SUPER FIGHT SUPER HYPED



     GSP vs Silva has been a fantasy fight for a long time now.  Both fighters have outclassed their opponents by miles the past few years.  Ranked first and second as the best pound for pound fighters on the planet, this could easily be the best fight rankings wise that you will ever experience in your lifetime.  The match up summed up(cut down from 3 pages I could write about it) would come down to if GSP's best take downs in the UFC would be enough to get and keep Silva down, given his size advantage.  Dana, Silva, and GSP have all been commenting on the fight for sometime now, and there is some good chances of it materializing.



                                   THE SOURCE



     Following the fight for the troops card, Dana White said if Silva and GSP finished their next opponents, that this fight would be all but sealed.  Dana has said this in the past however.  Before and during the Maia vs Silva fight, Dana said next for Silva would be GSP at 170 lbs.  Now Dana is leaning more towards making GSP move up in weight, Dana has always been a lot of talk, but this feels real this time.  The problems standing in the way of the treat of a lifetime for a fan?  Vitor Belfort, and Jake Shields.


              ODDS STACKED AGAINST SILVA AND GSP



     When is the last time you remembered Silva or GSP being an underdog?  The reality is that when the fight comes to be, one of them is going to play that role once again.  My guess is GSP.  As of right now however the underdog is the likelihood of the what if's happening to set the fight up.  Vitor and Shields are not to be taken lightly.  Shields is on a 15 fight winning streak and is a pound for pound king himself.  Vitor is Vitor, look the wrong way at the wrong second and your waking up on your back in a couple moments.



                                   COULD BE A PROMISE


     Dana White has declared to have a big announcement at today's press conference.    Now I will be watching the conference because its just nice to try and get inside fighters heads pre fight to see how they are approaching it, but this is an added delight.  Dana's announcements have always varied from super stacked news, to something completely useless that we have already known.  The last announcement was the WEC-UFC merger, and I'm sure no one is upset about that.  I'm pretty certain it will be concerning the potential super fight, but to find out first you will have to watch the press conference that comes on at 4 pm EST. 


    

California Kid? Here's the real KID.

     Guarenteed one of the best fighters you have never heard of.  Now signed to the UFC, this highlight reel brawler will make his debut Saturday at UFC 126.  Dana has hinted a way of showing this prelim, and you all should hope he does.  Here is a little taste of the treat you are in for...

Underestimated Underdog

                              The 'Phenom' and his slim chances

     Vegas lines right now have Vitor at a 2-1 underdog for his scheduled title challenge against mastermind Anderson Silva this Saturday.  There are many people that don't think the line should even be this close, but I'm going to show you why this fight could be as close as a coin flip.  Here is some insight to Vitor Belfort, and his unappreciated career.

                                      The explanation to his role


     Vitor has been fighting in mma for 15 years.  With 27 fights that's less than 2 fights a year.  The first 12 years he was fighting at open, heavy, and light heavyweight.  In the last 3 years he has fought only twice at middleweight, and most recently a catch weight at 195 with Rich Franklin.  When I say most recently I mean September 2009.  It's not entirely his fault for these long layoffs, and the recent ones, because injuries have plagued him and his opponents and that's how things work in mma.  Now whether he deserves a title shot is up for debate.  I personally don't think his short but long(time span) and midly impressive run at middleweight entitles him a title shot a year and a half later with no fillers.  The truth however, is whether he deserves the shot or not in no way determines whether he can perform on the level to win the title.  Let's take a little look at his career in numbers.  

-Vitor has finished 15 of his 19 fights
-13 of these wins were knockouts
-12 of his 13 knockouts came in the first round
-He TKOed his first 4 opponents ever
-As well as his last 3 opponents
-He has overwhelmed top competition over the years such as Tank Abbott, Wanderlei Silva, Gilbert Yvel, Heath Herring, Marvin Eastman, Randy Couture, Matt Lindland, and Rich Franklin


                               But Sam, he's 19-8.  Come on now...


   Okay lets take a quick peak at these losses and we'll see how you feel after.

-First career loss, age 20, to Randy the natural Couture.
-Second loss to Kazushi Sakuraba* at pride 5, via decision
-Third loss to Chuck Liddel
-Fourth loss to Randy Couture (rubber match)
-Fifth loss to Tito Ortiz
-Sixth and seventh losses to Alistair Overeem
-Eighth loss to Dan Henderson.
 


                                  Oh I recognize those names......

    
     That list could easily be mistaken for a mma hall of fame list.  If your unfamiliar with Kazushi Sakuraba, then do some research because that man is just as worthy as any other on the list.  Nicknamed the Gracie Killer for having victories over 4 members of the Gracie family, he once fought a 90 minute mma bout(longest recorded in mma).  Vitor's losses are about as irrelevant as Randy Coutures.  You can't just look at the numbers you have to look at who he has fought.



                                      YOUNG GUNS A BLAZIN

     Here's a video for anyone with time of vitors first few fights in stunning fashion.  If he is even a shell of his younger self, then believe he has a 'punchers chance' times 5.

 


                                             His chances now?


     I'm still taking Anderson, but I will not call it an upset if Vitor wins.  If you are under the impression that too much time has past or that Vitor is too old, you could eat your words.  Vito is only 33, where Anderson will sit across the cage from him at the Age of 35.  This is a fight your better off not putting a wager on, but if you must, 2-1 are not bad odds and that is where you could lay good money. 

RECAP, SON

     Above is some fans flipping off Champion Nick Diaz moments after his title defense Saturday night on Stirkeforce, Diaz vs Cyborg.  The fights for the most part were chalk wins, but fairly entertaining none the less.  A few people had predicted a few fights and the results are as follows.  Myself went 2-1, while Adam and Goose went 2-1 as well with slightly different picks.  Anonymous Went 4-2, and predicted a funny KO but the wrong winner for the Moore-Coy bout. Now I can discuss Saturdays promotion, and a quick recap of my thoughts on the fights.

                                               STOP STOP STOP

     There are multiple things Strikeforce messed up Saturday night and the biggest thing I believe was how many times the camera clipped to Chris Cyborg.  I get that her husband is the main event, and I get she is your female Champion, but it's really really unnecessary and unprofessional to show her that many times, and to show her bawling post fight and giving a manly war cry during the fight.  I want to see as little of her as possible in my mma fanboy career.   Aside from the shots of Christine, Strikeforce was able to flaw many more times, mostly on words.  Thank goodness for good fights or people might have focused on things such as the commentators telling the viewers to go check out such and such fight on youtube.  I LOVE youtube and I encourage people seeing as many past fights as possible to build mma knowledge through archives, but from promotions standpoints that is very unprofessional as youtube is frowned upon when it comes to showing copyrighted fights for free, losing companies a lot of money.  You also get a sense that the commentators are there a lot more for their voice than their eye and mind of mma.  The audio play by play is garbage and could really confuse someone that didn't actually know what was going on in the grappling game.  Also during a post fight interview it was asked 'Do you think it's too late to call him 'Showtime'?!'  and the other guys just sort of stray from that statement because they or any other casual fan know that nickname is firm to Anthony Pettis.  Lets talk about the reason Strikeforce is still in good buisness, and it isn't the broadcast team, it's the fighters.

                  Stop kicking my leg, and gimme your arm, bro


     Nick Diaz(bottom left) submitted Evangelista Santos at the end of the second round on Saturday.  When I first heard about this fight, clear up until the opening bell, I wasn't too excited for the match up.  I was mainly interested in seeing how Diaz was going to perform or what antics he would do pre and post fight.  Then to my surprise Cyborg came out of the gates and had a SOLID game plan.  The same game plan that saw underdog Forrest Griffin dethrone Rampage for the UFC light heavyweight title, and the same game plan that led to Jose Aldos 5 round destruction of Urijah Faber.  Cyborg chopped at the lead leg of Diaz for the first round landing 7 or 8 very heavy kicks.  Diaz stuck to his game plan as well, standing in the line of fire, talking during the fight, and jabbing his way in to viscous combos.  Very hard to call the first round but I would say because of the last efforts it was Diaz 10-9.  The second round came and no surprise, more thunderous leg kicks that had me sore at home.  Diaz kept forward, kept standing, kept striking, kept talking.  Some very hard shots from Diaz and moments later, Cyborg dropped the game plan.  Cyborg soon after got a quick take down and it was over from there.  Diaz raised his hips quick and his legs to Cyborgs shoulders within a second.  Some smooth technique, a flip of Cyborgs body, and a little tug and Diaz was victorious via arm bar with only ten seconds remaining in the second round.  The training camp rushed in along with Gilbert Melendez and I half expected Jason Miller to come from the ceiling Sting style and get a revenge brawl.

                                              GATOR STYLE


     Jacare(top) vs Lawler was another fight that lasted a little longer then I predicted.  This was my most anticipated fight because I knew Lawler was a world class striker with knock out power, and Jacare is arguably top five in the world when it comes to grapplers.  As expected Lawler landed some big shots, and not quite as expected Jacare tried standing with Lawler for a little while.  Once Jacare realized the myths of Lawlers concrete fists were true he got back to his confort zone.  The end of the second round is worth watching about 75 more times.  Lawler does some beautiful, and fortunate escapes back to back to back.  What makes it so much more impressive is who he did it against, just think about it.  The inevitable happened two minutes into the third round as Jacare had his way in the scrambles and wound up with Lawlers back with all hooks sunk in.  The end result was a rear naked choke and Jacare retaining the middleweight belt.

                                                      THE FREAK


     I picked Herchel Walker to show his age(48) and lose his first(out of 2 so far) mma bout.  Boy was I wrong.  He was pitted against Scott Carson, who may not be a household name, but believe me when I say that any B-A level promotions have rosters full of guys that come to seriously compete for big checks and to keep their jobs.  Herschel however made this guy look like he just came out of his high school gym class and tried boxing the coach.  Quick work was made and Walker got the TKO victory before Carson could ever see a second round.  I'm on board, do your thing Herschel.






      Tomorrow...   I'll be doing a piece on The Phenom.  If you have ever counted anyone out of a fight because they were a 2-1 underdog, make sure it isn't next weekend.  Keep your money safe and enjoy the fight because it is going to be a firework show.  You all know and have seen Andersons otherworldly skills and stand up, but Vitors tape has been lost and his career overlooked.  I'm personally a big Anderson fan, but I will show you why he is severely threatened coming into this fight.  Click back tomorrow for the hook-up.