UFC On Fox 3: Why Fight When You Can Vacation?

After the first two fight cards on Fox left fans wanting more, Dana White needed a strong performance out of his guys in New Jersey Saturday night. The four fights did that and more.

Pat Barry and Lavar Johnson put on a show in the opening bout and Alan Belcher put himself in the middleweight title picture with his eye-opening performance versus Rousimar Palhares.

The two headliners delivered as well.  Josh Koscheck and Johny Hendricks had a back and forth battle that went the distance resulting in a split decision victory for Hendricks.  Nate Diaz capped off the main event with an exclamation mark by being the first person to finish Jim Miller, almost taking out his tongue in the process.

At first glance there really is not much to be upset about. Has the production improved? Yes. Were the fights great? Yes. Did Nate Diaz save the UFC from a big FCCfine? Yes.

The problem I have is what came out at the press conference afterwards and is a troubling trend in the mixed martial arts world right now. Diaz and Hendricks both earned title shots with their victories. While I do not think either one in an unquestioned #1 contender I do not have a problem with either one receiving this status.

Unfortunately, their respective title shots are not happening any time soon. The champions in their division each have one more fight. In the lightweight division the unnecessary anticipated Henderson-Edgar rematch is not taking place until August. I have two problems with this.

The first is the delay for the rematch is on Edgar, not the champion Henderson. I respect Edgar for all he has done in the division but you can not hold up the belt for the challenger in my opinion. This sport is growing and needs its stars to fight. Since they are waiting so long with Edgar, this means as of now, we will not see Diaz until December.

Hendricks’ layoff will be much longer. Carlos Condit after earning the interim title in early February against Nick Diaz has decided to wait as well to face Georges St. Pierre. Not only does this make an interim title pointless but GSP is not likely going to be ready until November. Hendricks should not have the ability to wait on the sidelines until 2013 because he is afraid of losing his title shot.

The remedy for this long layoff dilemma is simple. The UFC needs to match up Nate Diaz against Anthony Pettis, a guy who has been promised two title shots previously, in the summer and have a clear number one contender at lightweight. Pettis is the only man in the organization to have defeated the champ, in case you somehow forgot this kick. And a matchup between him and Diaz would be guaranteed fireworks.

Johny Hendricks has multiple options.  I would not mind seeing a rematch with Koscheck.  I personally scored the fight 29-28 for Kos and would not mind seeing them face off again. Other match ups in the welterweight division include the Ellenberger-Kampmann winner or if Nick Diaz wins his battle against the NSAC and is released from his suspension.
The UFC needs to take care of this situation fast. The new deal with Fox has them putting on over 30 shows a year. They need to keep their guys active and not on the sidelines playing the waiting game. Dana White can give the contenders this message to convince them to fight...

Credit:  http://dontbescaredhomie.com  

What do you guys think?  Vote on the poll on the right or leave a comment below.

UFC on Fox: Take 3

This weekend marks the UFC’s third card on the FOX network.  When the deal was first signed in August of last year fight fans everywhere were overjoyed with thoughts of all-time classic fights on free television.

Instead of instant classics the two cards have produced a 59 minute-long talk show with a 60 second heavyweight title thrown in and a three fight decision-fest on the following card. While the ratings have been strong you can bet Dana White is hoping for some fireworks Saturday night, especially going up against these guys.

                                                       

UFC 145 was not very kind to the prediction machine.  I continued to pick against Jon Jones for some reason and put trust in veterans Miguel Torres and Mark Hominick… Thanks for nothing guys.

Previews and Predictions

Last Week: 2-4

Year: 20-15

Pat “HD”Barry vs. Lavar “Big” Johnson

How do you cure the disease knows as Decisionitis? Simple answer, have these two slugging heavyweights kick off the main card. The always entertaining Pat Barry is coming off a devastating KO of Christian Morecraft where he showed an improved ground game as well. HD is right there with Junior Dos Santos as the most technical striker in the division and owns the most vicious leg kicks in the company.

Johnson announced his Octagon arrival with authority by doing something no man had ever done in knocking out Joey Beltran, with uppercuts straight out of a video game.  Before his UFC debut Johnson was on a two fight skid against average heavyweight competition in Strikeforce.

Do not blink during this fight because it can end at any second.  Both guys have heavy hands and likely won’t look to take it to the ground.

Barry KO 1^st Round followed by  a celebration almost as cool as this.

Alan “the Talent”Belcher vs. Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares

Belcher put an exclamation mark on his comeback fro ma career threatening eye injury with a submission win over Jason MacDonald at UFC Fight Night 25 last September. After taking another break due to fatherhood “the Talent” looks to propel himself to title contention with his toughest fight to date. Belcher is well rounded and if not for a controversial decision loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama he would be on a 6 fight win streak.

Palhares is one of the most dangerous fighters in the UFC.  Some people consider him dirty but I think he is just aggressive and fights to win at all costs. He is a heel hooking machine and despite the fact everyone knows he is going for it, they can not stop it. He has won 6 of his last 7 fights and is a guy no one wants to face in the division right now.

The winner of this fight will certainly “be in the mix”” as Dana White puts it. This was the hardest fight for me to predict on this card.  If Belcher fights smart I think he can certainly grind out a decision but if he gets too aggressive Belcher could be in the market for a new leg.

Belcher Unanimous Decision 29-28

Josh “Kos” Koscheck vs. Johny Hendricks

Josh Koscheck has been in the UFC since his days on the first season of the Ultimate Fighter. On the show he was strictly a four-time All American wrestler with a very limited striking skill set. Over the years it has been fun to see him develop into one of the best welterweights in the sport.  His last fight against Mike Pierce was a disappointing decision win.  I believe Kos knows this is last chance to make a title run so he did not want to take any chances and risk falling to the middle of the division.

Johny Hendricks is also a four-time All American wrestler, however he posses more raw power than Koscheck. Hendricks who was often seen as another guy in the division is currently on a three fight winning streak, highlighted by a 12 second knockout over Jon Fitch. Now, he finds himself on the brink of a title shot with only one man standing in his way.

Koscheck is the more experienced fighter of the two and is in a good place mentally after switching camps. I have been a Hendricks doubter for awhile now and think this may be too much of a push after just one punch but he definitely can prove me wrong this weekend. Don’t expect a barn burner in this one, look for Koscheck to pick his spots and grind out a victory.

Koscheck Unanimous Decision 30-27

Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller

Now I know I can not hide my love of the Diaz brothers but I love the fact I get to watch one of them fight on free television.  My one concern is does the FCC feel the same way? The brash-Stockton native put on a clinic against Donald Cerrone in ways no one thought possible.  Diaz has looked great since his return to the lightweight division and can win a fight wherever it goes. His boxing, like his brother’s is dangerous and also has earned his black belt in jiu-jitsu from Cesar Gracie.

Jim Miller is one of the most underrated fighters on the planet. He saw his seven fight win streak snapped by champion Benson Henderson but bounced back with a submission victory over Melvin Guillard in January. Miller is a put bull who will look to take Diaz down and use ground and pound along with his own black belt skills to contain the dangerous 209er.

The five round-format favors Nate Diaz but Miller is not one to gas either. Diaz gets in the most trouble against strong wrestlers so this is a great test for him in order to earn a title shot. This is one that is likely to go in the late rounds because they both are smart fighters with great chins. I expect Diaz to out strike Miller in the same way he did Cowboy and take home the #1 contender spot in an entertaining fight of the night. 
Diaz Unanimous Decision 49-46

Future Lightweight Champion! 209 for life.
Credit: MMAlinker

If you liked this article please leave a comment below and vote on the poll to the right a

Also, I started a weekly podcast called Split Decision on http://www.sportsgeeksusa.com/ with my friend Ryan Penney. Feel free to leave your predictions on our facebook page. The show airs 3 PM daily Monday-Friday. 

Please follow myself and the show on Twitter.  We recap all the fights and news in the MMA world while also interviewing fighters, promoters and trainers. 

UFC 145 Preview and Predictions

After a 6 week hiatus the UFC returned to our lives last week with the UFC on Fuel 2 card. The hype only grew Alexander Gustaffson after his win but ultimately that show was nothing more than a pre-game show for UFC 145.

It seems the build up to the Jones-Evans fight has lasted years and Saturday night cannot come soon enough.  The drama between the two has been much publicized as the world waits to see these training partners turned enemies fight for the belt.

But before I go into the predictions and preview section I encourage everyone to check out the Eddie Alvarez-Shinya Aoki rematch taking place at Bellator 66 tonight.  They are two of the best lightweights in the world outside the UFC and for me, is the second most anticipated fight this weekend.

Predictions/Previews

 
Year record: 18-11

John “The Natural” Alessio versus Mark Bocek

John Alessio returns to the octagon for his third stint in the Octagon. He is 0-3 all-time in the UFC but he did experience some success in the WEC going 4-1 back in 2007. After spending 13 years as welterweight he made the cut to 155 pounds last year and has gone 2-0 at the new weight. He comes from a good camp in Xtreme Couture and with 34 wins he definitely has experience necessary to contend in this fight.

Bocek is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with 7 of his 10 career coming from submission.  There is no doubt that he is looking forward to this grappling match up. Bocek possesses a 6-4 record in the UFC but with 3 of those losses to Jim Miller, Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson it’s not as bad as you would think. 

While Bocek may never reach the top of his division he should be able to handle the journeyman Alessio no problem.

Bocek Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Round 2

Mark “the Machine” Hominick versus Eddie “The Filipino Phenom” Yagin

What a difference a year makes for Mark Hominick. A year ago at this time “The Machine” was riding a 5 fight win streak into a title fight against Jose Aldo. After dropping that bout by decision and then getting KOd in his home country by Chang Sung Jung in just 7 seconds, Hominick will be looking to get back in the win column.

At first glance it may look like Yagin will be overmatched by Hominick. But Yagin has played spoiler before when he defeated Joe Soto in the finals of the Tachi Palace Fights tournament and subsequently cost Soto a spot in that season’s Bellator tournament. Yagin did lose by decision debut in his UFC to Junior Assunção, and will need to be much more aggressive in this fight if he hopes to see a third fight in the Octagon.

Hominick TKO Round One

Miguel Torres versus Michael “Mayday” McDonald

Miguel Torres was a star in the WEC three years ago. He was the reigning Bantamweight champion and you were guaranteed to be entertained in every one of his fights. He had a wreckless style that worked out for him. But since his war with Takeya Mizugaki at WEC 40, one of my personal all-time favorite fights, Torres is just a pedestrian 3-3. He fights much safer now but still remains a force in the division.

Mayday is in the position Torres used to be.  He is only 21 years old and currently riding a 7 fight win streak.  Many people look at him and see a future champion. He has finishing power with 8 KOs and 4 submissions among his 14 wins but Torres is easily his toughest opponent to date.

The way to beat Torres is with a strong wrestling base (Benavidez, Johnson fights) and McDonald has not shown that elite skill set yet. If Torres goes back into his old brawling days he’ll be in trouble but he is too smart of a fighter to engage in that style with Mayday.

Torres Unanimous Decision 29-28

Brendan “The Hybrid”Schaub” versus Ben Rothwell

Schaub was cruising to a title shot before falling to Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira in Brazil last summer. Despite the loss, I still Schaub as a top 10 guy in the division who is only 2-3 wins away from a title shot. I hope the former NFL player used his time off to improve because a highlight reel win here could fast track him to a title shot in a shallow heavyweight division.

Rothwell lost his last fight to Mark Hunt in a bout that many will remember for his poor cardio. The high altitude of Denver can only take so much blame and you have to imagine that’s sponsored the Wisconsin native. Rothwell does possess strong ground and pound and a tremendous chin but outside of a one punch KO I don’t see how he wins this fight.

Schaub 3^rd round KO

Rory “Ares” MacDonald versus Che “Beautiful” Mills

Just like the other McDonald of a different spelling, “Ares” has the makings of a future UFC champion. In his four fight stint in the UFC he holds wins over Mike Guymon, Mike Pyle and Nate Diaz. His only loss is to interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit and MacDonald had that fight in the bag before being TKO’d with 7 seconds left.

Mills is coming off a knockout of the night win over Chris Cope in his UFC debut. He possesses strong striking skills and has a ton of potential himself. Unfortunately for him, I don’t see his striking as that big of an advantage and think MacDonald has the edge in every other skill set. Like Rothwell, Mills needs to hope for a one punch KO to win this one.

MacDonald Submission (Arm Bar) Round 2

Jon “Bones” Jones versus “Suga” Rashad Evans

This fight has been waiting to happen since their days sparring at Greg Jackson’s. Rashad feels like Greg Jackson was shady and not loyal to him while Jon Jones thinks he’s just a whiner. Despite a more relaxed approach from the two this week, it is always exciting when there is legitimate bad blood between two guys in a fight.

Jones has been a wrecking ball through the light heavyweight division since he debuted in 2008.  Every fight he gets better and his hit list includes stoppages of the top guys in his division except one guy…

Rashad Evans is a fighter I think is constantly underrated by fans that seem to dislike him without a legitimate reason. He has his own hit list of UFC legends (Ortiz, Liddell) and is 12-1-1 all-time in the Octagon.

Evans has only been stopped once before, in hilarious fashion against Lyota Machida but he has been dropped in three of his last five fights. The wrestling skills match up close to me but the fight gets very interesting if Evans can get Jones on his back, something we have not seen happen yet.

Jones may have had the best year of anyone in MMA history in 2011.  He defeated Ryan Ryan Bader, Shogun Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Knocking off three former champions in one career is impressive, let alone one career.

Jones’ length is the key to this fight. If Evans can get inside he has a shot but no one has quite yet. The fact that Jones is a 4-1 favorite is ridiculous to me, if there is anyone in this division that can stop him its Rashad. Unlike the other fights where I cannot imagine the underdogs winning when I close my eyes I see Evans’ hand raised.

Rashad Evans TKO Round 4

Look for this to happen Saturday night
Credit: CagePotato.com

If you liked this article please leave a comment below and vote on the poll to the right a

Also, I started a weekly podcast called Split Decision on http://www.sportsgeeksusa.com/ with my friend Ryan Penney. Feel free to leave your predictions on our facebook page. The show airs 3 PM daily Monday-Friday. 

Please follow myself and the show on Twitter.  We recap all the fights and news in the MMA world while also interviewing fighters, promoters and trainers. 

Full Updated Rankings

Instead of releasing the rankings in installments I decided it would be easier to release the divisions all at once.  That way in my preview articles I can make note when a top 10 guy is fighting.

Next up for the champ is #2 Alistair Overeem May 26th
Credit: BloodyElbow.com

Heavyweight

1. Junior Dos Santos

2. Alistair Overeem

3. Cain Velasquez

4. Frank Mir

5. Fabrico Werdum

6. Josh Barnett

7. Shane Carwin

8. Daniel Cormier

9. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 

10. Brendan Schaub

Just Outside: Stefan Struve, Mark Hunt, Travis Browne

Light Heavyweight
1. Jon Jones

2. Rashad Evans

3. Dan Henderson

4. Maurico "Shogun" Rua

5. Lyota Machida

6. Phil Davis

7. Ryan Bader

8. Alexander Gustaffson

9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

10. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Just Outside: Gegard Mousasi, Forrest Griffin, Rafael Cavalcante

The rematch everyone has been waiting for
takes place June 16th in Brazil
Credit: fiveouncesofpain.com

Middleweight

1. Anderson Silva

2. Chael Sonnen

3. Michael Bisping

4. Yushin Okami

5. Mark Munoz

6. Vitor Belfort

7. Hector Lombard

8. Brian Stann 

9.  Luke Rockhold

10. Rousimar Palhares

Just Outside: Chris Weidman, Nate Marquardt, Alan Belcher

Welterweight

1. Georges St. Pierre

2. Carlos Condit

3. Nick Diaz

4. Jake Ellenberger

5. Josh Koscheck 

6. Johny Hendricks

7. Martin Kampmann

8. Jon Fitch

9. Jake Shields

10. Ben Askren

Just Outside: Rory McDonald, Diego Sanchez

The new champ is all smiles while he waits his next opponent.
Credit: MMAmania.com

Lightweight
1. Ben Henderson

2. Frankie Edgar

3. Gilbert Melendez

4. Gray Maynard

5.  Anthony Pettis

6. Jim Miller

7. Shinya Aoki

8. Clay Guida

9. Nate Diaz 

10. Michael Chandler

Just Outside: Eddie Alvarez, Donald Cerrone

Featherweight

1. Jose Aldo

2. Hatsu Hioki

3. Chad Mendes

4. Dustin Poirier

5. Kenny Florian

6. Pat Curran

7. Erik Koch

8. Tatsuya Kawajiri

9. Patricio Freire

10. Diego Nunes

Just Outside: Marlon Sandro, Iuri Alcantara

Comment below about what you think about the rankings and vote on the poll to the right.  Also, I am a part of a weekly podcast called Split Decision on http://www.sportsgeeksusa.com/ with my friend Ryan Penney. The show airs 3 PM daily Monday-Friday.

Please follow myself and the show on Twitter and like it on Facebook. We recap all the fights and news in the MMA world while also interviewing fighters, promoters and trainers.

UFC on FX 2: Introducing the Fun Size Divsion

I dare you not to smile.
Credit: MMAfighting.com

Coming off a historic night in Japan where we saw highlight-reel knockouts, a memorable comeback and a new lightweight champion crowned the most important I realized is that every MMA fan now has a soft spot for a Japanese translator.  She is adorable, that’s for sure and who wouldn’t to get their hands on that pen of hers?

Unfortunately, the UFC chose to go to an English speaking country this week so there is no chance of another twitter-fueled crush.  The bright side is that since the since the card is on FX that means more free fights. 

Prediction time

Last Week: 4-3

Year: 16-9

I was hoping for a big night last weekend with my picks but in a card that had surprises like UFC 144 I’ll taking going over .500.

Court “The Crusher” McGee vs. Constantinos Philippou

Court McGee is one of the The Ultimate Fighter champions that I believe people forget about. HE is not a wild personality or an overly flashy fighter but his 13-1 record shows that he gets the job done when he steps into the Octagon.

Philippou had a chance to be on the cast of the TUF season that McGee won, but he lost in the qualifying round to get to the house.  Missing out on the show didn’t deter him as he eventually found his way to the big show and owns a 2-1 record in the brand.

Mcgee looks stiff to me when he fights.  But after three wins to start his UFC career I expect him to be more relaxed and confident going into this fight. Philippou has one punch knockout power but questionable cardio. The first two minutes of this fight will be very important.

McGee Unanimous Decision 30-27

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson vs. Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall

The first ever flyweight tournament could be called the “Drop down a division because we can’t be Dominick Cruz Invitational” as 3 of the 4 fighters have fallen to the bantamweight champion. One thing to keep in mind is that even though Johnson and Benavidez have wrestled at these weights, they have never had a MMA bout at 125 pounds.

Johnson and McCall is a great bout to kick off the division for the UFC. Johnson is a fan favorite who possesses great speed and takedowns, which should only be more explosive fighting as his natural weight.

McCall is a name that the hardcore internet fans know and has a great story. Since losing to the aforementioned Cruz, Uncle Creepy has been unstoppable. He is 4-0 in the flyweight division, including a win over Jussier De Silva, thought to be the #1 flyweight in the world at the time.

If you loved seeing fights like Cruz-Faber, then you do not want to miss the one as it is sure to be action packed.  Johnson may be a great wrestler, but McCall possesses solid takedown defense, great muay thai and can submit Johnson, who struggles off his back.

McCall Submission (Rear Naked Choke)  Round 3

Joseph Benavidez vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani

The second semi-final match up is between Team Alpha Male product and “Joe-Jitsu” creator, Joseph Benavidez. McCall put it best in the promotional video when he called him a 125 pound Urijah Faber.  I would agree with that, but add the note Benavidez has more explosive takedowns.

Urushitani, like McCall is a champion from a different promotion coming in to compete against the best in the world. He is riding a 5 fight win streak that includes capturing and defending the Shoot championship for their 123 pound division. His resume also includes a victory over the latest TUF champion, John Dodson, a fighter who is expected to make waves in the new flyweight division.

Expect Benavidez to utilize his usual game plan of take downs where he will grind his opponent and then look for submissions. Urushitani has the cardio to go the distance and has the striking edge on his younger opponent.

Benavidez Submission (Guillotine Choke) Round 2

Thiago “Pitbull” Alves vs. Martin “Hitman” Kampmann

Alves’ career in the UFC has been interesting to say the least. He has missed weight on multiple occasions, tested positive for banned diuretics and lost his only shot at the title against GSP. Since that loss, Alves has not had a quality win in the Octagon but that could change this weekend.

Kampmann is a top 10 welterweight in my rankings and if not for coming up short a few judges’ scorecards (I gave him the Shields and the Sanchez fights) he could easily be competing for the belt right.  In fact, he holds a win over the current interim champion, Carlos Condit.

The main event is a match up of elite power (Alves) going up against a very technical kick boxer (Kampmann). Both fighters have potential to make noise in the division and a win here could put them one or two fights from a title a shot.

Kampmann Split Decision

BONUS PREDICTIONS!!!!!

Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio Strikeforce has its own card going, headlined by a title fight between Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey.  I have never seen as much hype going into a women’s fight than these two. Carana versus Cyborg was popular but I don’t remember Carano doing a media tour quite like Rousey.

The card on Showtime features lightweight contenders K.J. Noons, of don’t be scared homie fame against Josh Thompson. Also featured is former UFC fighter Paul Daley, former SF Champion Ronaldo Souza and the always entertaining Scott Smith. 

Quick Picks

Smith Round 3 TKO

Souza Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Round 1

Daley KO Round 1

Thompson Unanimous Decision 29-28
Rousey Submission (arm bar) Round 2 

Who will become the biggest non-juicing (Sorry, Cyborg)
badass in Strikeforce's women division?
Credit:MixedMartialArts.com

If you liked this article please leave a comment below and vote on the poll to the right.  Also, as stated above, I started a weekly podcast called Split Decision on http://www.sportsgeeksusa.com/ with my friend Ryan Penney. The show airs 3 PM daily Monday-Friday. 

Please follow myself and the show on Twitter.  We recap all the fights and news in the MMA world while also interviewing fighters, promoters and trainers.