The UFC had its first card of the weekend last night and it was successful until the main event. Cub Swanson had an awesome knockout that was followed by a great back and forth brawl between Brian Ebersole and TJ Waldburger. The Stout-Fisher trilogy fight featured a steady dose of takedowns by Stout but was far from boring.
Then Pantera hit and crowd favorite Clay Guida came out bopping around like usual. Everyone expected the fight of the weekend between him and Gray Maynard. What they got was a track meet with Guida refusing to engage most of the contest. The judges ultimately rewarded Maynard with a split decision while the Jersey stopped fist pumping long enough to boo the Carpenter mercilessly.
On the bright side, my amazing fight prediction was a perfect 4 for 4 on the night, time for that streak to continue.
Now, on to the picks....
Then Pantera hit and crowd favorite Clay Guida came out bopping around like usual. Everyone expected the fight of the weekend between him and Gray Maynard. What they got was a track meet with Guida refusing to engage most of the contest. The judges ultimately rewarded Maynard with a split decision while the Jersey stopped fist pumping long enough to boo the Carpenter mercilessly.
On the bright side, my amazing fight prediction was a perfect 4 for 4 on the night, time for that streak to continue.
Now, on to the picks....
Previews and Predictions
Yesterday 4-0
Year: 39-24
When people think of the featherweight division Alcantara is a name that should be on the top of many people's minds but for some reason is not. He is riding a 13 fight win streak (2-0 UFC) and has not lost since 2009. That streak includes a knockout over RIcardo Lamas who beat the #2 gut in the vision last night.
Admittedly Dias is much more an unknown to me. What I do know is a record of 20-1-1 is impressive no matter who you are facing and the fact he trains with the champion of the division, Jose Aldo, certainly cannot hurt. HIs jiu-jitsu is a strength with 9 of his wins coming by submission and certainly give Alcantara trouble if the fight goes to the ground.
Alcantar Decision (29-28)
Fabricio "Vai Cavalo" Werdum vs. Mike Russow
The first and only heavyweight bout of the weekend takes place between the Brazil and the Chicago Police Officer. I am torn here as my dad is also a police officer in the great city of Chicago but I also have been touting Werdum for awhile now.
Werdum may have the best jiu-jitsu in the division, just look at all his world championships. His striking is no joke either, just look at his last fight with Roy Nelson where he put on a thai clinch clinic.Hi sonly losses in recent memory are to Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem, the top heavyweights in the world.
Russow walks into enemy territory as one of only two Americans on the card. He is undefeated in the UFC at 4-0 but still has plenty of doubters, myself included. The most memorable moment of his UFC career was in his second fight against Todd Duffee that can only be compared to the legendary battle between Homer SImpson and Boxcar Bob. Who knows how Russow wins fights, because I sure dont? Russow cannot be knocked out, it is just a fact. Werdum is easily his toughest opponent yet and will pose many problems.
Werdum Decision (30-26)
Godofredo Pepey vs. Rony Mariano Bezerra
This is the fight that could steal the show on the entire card. Anytime you put two dynamic featherweights together you are most liking going to get people talking. Pepey is a perfect 8-0, finishing all of his opponents. Despite the impressive record he was the 12th overall pick in the house. A decision win followed by a submission victory has landed the Brazilian in the final.
Rony is a guy that had many people talking before the show even started. In only his third professional fight he faced off and lost by split decision to Renan Barao, a man fighting for the interim bantamweight title against Urijah Faber. There was a reason Rony was the #1 overall pick. Rony is a brutal, almost ripping off his close friend's arm in the quarterfinals just so he could advance.
Rony Submission 1st Round
Cezar Ferreira vs. Sergio Moraes
In the other TUF Brazil Finale pits Ferreria, the #2 overall pick, against Moraes, a late injury replacement. At only 4-2 Ferreria has outperformed his record. He kicked off his tournament run with two guillotine submission wins and put an exclamation mark with a devastating head kick knock out.
Moraes submitted a jiu-jitsu world champion to get into the house so he obviously has skills. A rear naked choke sent him into the semi finals where he was knocked out in the first round by Daniel Sarafian, the man he ended up replacing. He will need to make the most of his second chance but I worry about how much the knockout will last with him.
Ferreira KO 1st Round
Wanderlei "the Axe Murderer" Silva vs. Rich "Ace" Franklin
This main event has gone through more changes than Cher has had plastic surgeries. What was originally supposed to be the most anticipated rematch of all-time has become a rematch in a fight that every one could live without. There is no denying the fact that Wanderlei is a legend. New UFC fans do not realize what this guy did while he competed in Pride in Japan. He has lost three of five and even though he has earned the right to go out on his own terms I can easily see this fight, win or lose, being his retirement fight.
Rich Franklin is the quintessential company man. When the brand was growing he was the perfect poster boy, a former school teacher turned champion. Ever since dropping his title to Anderson Silva and then losing the rematch Franklin hasn't been concerned with what benefits him. He constantly takes catchweight fights in foreign countries and always performs. HIs last fight, a decision loss to Forrest Griffin last February, was disappointing but I expect a bounce-back performance for Ace.
Franklin TKO Round 3
Admittedly Dias is much more an unknown to me. What I do know is a record of 20-1-1 is impressive no matter who you are facing and the fact he trains with the champion of the division, Jose Aldo, certainly cannot hurt. HIs jiu-jitsu is a strength with 9 of his wins coming by submission and certainly give Alcantara trouble if the fight goes to the ground.
Alcantar Decision (29-28)
Fabricio "Vai Cavalo" Werdum vs. Mike Russow
The first and only heavyweight bout of the weekend takes place between the Brazil and the Chicago Police Officer. I am torn here as my dad is also a police officer in the great city of Chicago but I also have been touting Werdum for awhile now.
Werdum may have the best jiu-jitsu in the division, just look at all his world championships. His striking is no joke either, just look at his last fight with Roy Nelson where he put on a thai clinch clinic.Hi sonly losses in recent memory are to Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem, the top heavyweights in the world.
Russow walks into enemy territory as one of only two Americans on the card. He is undefeated in the UFC at 4-0 but still has plenty of doubters, myself included. The most memorable moment of his UFC career was in his second fight against Todd Duffee that can only be compared to the legendary battle between Homer SImpson and Boxcar Bob. Who knows how Russow wins fights, because I sure dont? Russow cannot be knocked out, it is just a fact. Werdum is easily his toughest opponent yet and will pose many problems.
Werdum Decision (30-26)
Godofredo Pepey vs. Rony Mariano Bezerra
This is the fight that could steal the show on the entire card. Anytime you put two dynamic featherweights together you are most liking going to get people talking. Pepey is a perfect 8-0, finishing all of his opponents. Despite the impressive record he was the 12th overall pick in the house. A decision win followed by a submission victory has landed the Brazilian in the final.
Rony is a guy that had many people talking before the show even started. In only his third professional fight he faced off and lost by split decision to Renan Barao, a man fighting for the interim bantamweight title against Urijah Faber. There was a reason Rony was the #1 overall pick. Rony is a brutal, almost ripping off his close friend's arm in the quarterfinals just so he could advance.
Rony Submission 1st Round
Cezar Ferreira vs. Sergio Moraes
In the other TUF Brazil Finale pits Ferreria, the #2 overall pick, against Moraes, a late injury replacement. At only 4-2 Ferreria has outperformed his record. He kicked off his tournament run with two guillotine submission wins and put an exclamation mark with a devastating head kick knock out.
Moraes submitted a jiu-jitsu world champion to get into the house so he obviously has skills. A rear naked choke sent him into the semi finals where he was knocked out in the first round by Daniel Sarafian, the man he ended up replacing. He will need to make the most of his second chance but I worry about how much the knockout will last with him.
Ferreira KO 1st Round
Wanderlei "the Axe Murderer" Silva vs. Rich "Ace" Franklin
This main event has gone through more changes than Cher has had plastic surgeries. What was originally supposed to be the most anticipated rematch of all-time has become a rematch in a fight that every one could live without. There is no denying the fact that Wanderlei is a legend. New UFC fans do not realize what this guy did while he competed in Pride in Japan. He has lost three of five and even though he has earned the right to go out on his own terms I can easily see this fight, win or lose, being his retirement fight.
Rich Franklin is the quintessential company man. When the brand was growing he was the perfect poster boy, a former school teacher turned champion. Ever since dropping his title to Anderson Silva and then losing the rematch Franklin hasn't been concerned with what benefits him. He constantly takes catchweight fights in foreign countries and always performs. HIs last fight, a decision loss to Forrest Griffin last February, was disappointing but I expect a bounce-back performance for Ace.
Franklin TKO Round 3
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| Still not sure how I feel about Franklin's hair Credit: MMAFighting.com |
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