Subscribe

UFC 2013 Spring/Summer Events Preview

April 18, 2013 By: Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

As the UFC schedule continues to roll along at breakneck speeds, MMA fans should be gearing up for an action-packed Spring-Early summer schedule as the world’s leading promotion has a number of events scheduled over the next few months. In this blog we’ll take a look at a schedule of the upcoming cards and highlight the fighters and fights to watch out for. Before we get started, I should point out the usual UFC disclaimer that all fight cards are scheduled to change, and if the past is any indication, there could be a number of these cards shuffled, main events scrapped or changed as fighters become injured.

APRIL

Event: UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez

Date: April 20, 2013

Venue: HP Pavilion in San Jose, California

The first stop on our preview takes us to the Sunshine State of California where Benson Henderson will once again defend his UFC Lightweight title on free television. He’ll welcome Striekforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez to the UFC in a match between two champions. The co-main event will see debut of Heavyweight star Daniel Cormier as he makes his UFC debut by taking on former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir. A lightweight scrap that seems destined for Fight of the Night honors is also on tap as Nate Diaz battles Strikeforce import Josh Thompson. Recently debuted Jordan Mein fresh off his impressive stoppage of Dan Miller at UFC 158 replaces injured Dan Hardy to take on the surging Matt Brown.

CARD GOES HERE

Fight of the Night Award Projection: Nate Diaz vs. Josh Thompson or Joseph Benavidez vs. Darren Uyenoyama

Event: UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen

Date: April 27, 2013

Venue: Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey

Grudge match? Says who? If you watched the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter you certainly wouldn’t think that these two men were bitter rivals preparing for a huge battle against each other. While I’m sure the UFC was banking on fireworks and trash talk, Jones and Sonnen remained mostly courteous and calm when dealing with each other during the show. Trash talk will certainly ramp up as the show ends and Sonnen goes into full on promotion mode. The co-main event of the evening features another grudge match as Middleweight sluggers Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher are set to square off. Also featured on the main Pay Per View card is a Heavyweight fight between Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo, a Light Heavyweight bout between Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes and a Lightweight bout between Jim Miller and Pat Healy.

CARD GOES HERE

Fight of the Night Award Projection: Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher or Erik Perez vs. Johnny Bedford

MAY

Event: UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold

Date: May 18, 2013

Venue: Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil

The UFC returns to one of it’s new favorite destinations as they head to Brazil for yet another summer card on FX. The main event is a highly intriguing bout between Brazilian MMA pioneer Vitor Belfort and the final Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold. Both men are well known for their striking prowess, so I would expect that the majority of this bout will take place on the feet, at least until someone gets knocked out. The co-main event of the evening features 2 more rising stars in the Middleweight division as Constantios Philippou looks to continue his winning streak against debuting Strikeforce veteran Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza. That bout will certainly be an interesting styles-clash pitting the powerful boxing of Philippou against the top-level Brazilian Jiu Jitsu of Souza. Other main card bouts include Rafael dos Anjos vs. Evan Dunham in a potential Lightweight thriller and Chris Camozzi battling Rafael Natal in Middleweight action.

CARD GOES HERE

Fight of the Night Award Projection: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Evan Dunham or Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold

Event: UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2

Date: May 25, 2013

Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada

Heavyweight action is on the docket for the UFC’s return to Las Vegas. Although the main event is a rematch that no one was really asking for, it’s nice to see a title bout where the challenger actually earns his shot. Something that Antonio Silva did by smashing former number one contender Alistair Overeem. Speaking of Overeem he was expected to battle Junior dos Santos in a Heavyweight grudge match in the co-main event, but an injury to him has seen him replaced by former K-1 kickboxer Mark Hunt. Other main card action sees Glover Teixeira trying to continue his run up the Light Heavyweight rankings as he battles hard-hitting James Te-Huna. A pair of Lightweight bouts round off the main card in what could both be potential Fight of the Night award winners. First off Donald Cerrone battles Strikeforce import KJ Noons in a battle between two guys who love to stand and trade. The second is a bout between fringe contenders in the Lightweight division TJ Grant and Gray Maynard.

CARD GOES HERE

Fight of the Night Award Prediction: Donald Cerrone vs. KJ Noons or Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo

JUNE

Event: UFC on Fuel TV 10: Nogueira vs. Werdum

Date: June 8, 2013

Venue: Paulo Sarasate Arena in Fortaleza, Brazil

This event will serve as the finale for the second season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil. Head coaches for the season are Heavyweights Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fabricio Werdum, those two men will square off in the main event with a potential title shot likely looming for the victor. The card will feature the finals of the Welterweight season of the show. Other main card bouts scheduled for the show include Light Heavyweights Thiago Silva taking on former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Rafael Cavalcante and Welterweight young guns Erick Silva and John Hathaway.

CARD GOES HERE

Fight of the Night Award Projection: Erick Silva vs. John Hathaway or Thiago Silva vs. Rafael Cavalcante

Event: UFC 161: Barao vs. Wineland

Date: June 15, 2013

Venue: MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

The UFC makes its debut in Winnipeg as they head to the MTS Centre, the home of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. The card features a main event for the UFC’s Interim Bantamweight Championship as Renan Barao defends his title against former WEC Bantamweight Champion Eddie Wineland. A throwback to the golden days of PRIDE is also planned for the co-main event as Mauricio Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira rematch in Light Heavyweight action. Former Light Heavyweight Champions do battle when Rashad Evans battles Dan Henderson. A women’s Bantamweight bout will open the Pay Per View event as Rosi Sexton battles Alexis Davis. Heavyweight action rounds out the main PPV card as Pat Barry battles Shawn Jordan.

CARD GOES HERE

Fight of the Night Award Projection: Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira or Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland

JULY & BEYOND

Event: UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman

Date: July 6, 2013

Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Spider finally returns to the octagon, as Anderson Silva is set to defend his Middleweight title in the main event against undefeated challenger Chris Weidman. Weidman is an interesting style match up for the champion and that combined with his undefeated professional record has many people interested in this bout. The co-main event of the night has fireworks written all over it as top Featherweight contenders Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas do battle for a shot at the UFC Featherweight Championship. Middleweight scrappers Mark Munoz and Tim Boetsch will look to get their octagon careers back on the right track against one another. More top Featherweight contenders will be in action as Frankie Edgar looks for his first victory in his new weightclass when he battled Charles Oliveira. In the opening bout of the Pay Per View Featherweight sluggers Cub Swanson and Dennis Siver will lock horns.

CARD GOES HERE

Fight of the Night Award Projection: There are just way too many on this card. Without exception all of the fights on the PPV card could be potential Fight of the Night candidates, some of them maybe even Fight of the Year candidates. Since that’s a bit of a cop out, I’ll take Siver vs. Swanson as my pick.

Event: UFC on Fox 8

Date: July 27, 2013

Venue: Key Arena in Seattle Washington

Currently the only bout announced for this card is a bout between struggling Lightweights Melvin Guillard and Mac Danzig. I don’t suspect those two will even earn a spot on the Fox card by the time this event fills up, especially with the way the UFC has been stacking these cards recently. I would expect to see a title defended in the main event. The leading contender is probably the Flyweight title, provided that champion Demetrious Johnson can recover from his injury in time.

Event: UFC 163: Aldo vs. Pettis

Date: August 3, 2013

Venue: HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Georges St-Pierre: The Way of the Fight Book

Anderson Silva: Like Water

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com

10 Most Anticipated UFC 2013 Fights

January 09, 2013 By: Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

2012 will go down as a mixed year in the UFC. Unable to deliver the big super fights, the UFC will attempt to rebound in 2013 with several highly anticipated fights both scheduled and in planning.

If there was one disappointment with the UFC in 2012 it was the inability to pull off big fights. Even realistic super fights in division like Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz failed to materialize for a variety of reasons. With an all-star roster on deck featuring new fighters from Strikeforce, the UFC has the potential to blow away 2012 with several big fights this year. Now whether the UFC can pull these off or not is another story altogether.

I sat down with the idea of writing about the 10 most anticipated UFC fights of 2013. Unfortunately I had a rough time coming up with anything past five. It isn’t as if the big fights aren’t available, it just appears that the biggest ones aren’t close to taking place. So in order to get to ten, I had to throw a lot of hypothetical matchups into the mix. I tried keeping it realistic and staying away from fights like GSP vs. Silva which while gigantic, doesn’t appear to be taking place in 2013. Of course the UFC is always full of surprises but on the first week of January, here is a look at what I think are the 10 most anticipated fights both signed and likely to happen in the next twelve months.

Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz UFC 158 - This one is signed but is far away from being sealed, and further away from being delivered. Diaz is still unlicensed so until he appears before the NSAC to get reinstated, this fight is far from a lock. However, if everything comes together as planned this is undoubtedly the biggest fight on the docket in 2013 now and for the rest of the year. Grudge fights sell in the UFC and I can’t think of a bigger grudge that will be settled in 2013 than this one.

Chael Sonnen vs. Jon Jones UFC 159 - If you are a hardcore fan and have followed Sonnen and Jones over the last few months, you are probably less excited about this fight than you were when it was announced. If you are a casual fan who peeks in and out, well then you are probably just as amped. So far the “grudge” between these two has turned into a bit of a love affair. I have to think that as the fight grows closer that Sonnen will go into his usual bag of promotional tricks and start talking. Regardless you have a fight between two stars with a title on the line. That will always draw to an extent.

Anderson Silva vs. Michael Bisping/Chris Weidman TBD - Anderson’s next move is as much of a mystery as anything else in the UFC. Dana White has said that Silva would fight Bisping if he wins his next fight but when is the last time Bisping hasn’t choked in this scenario? If it isn’t Bisping than Chris Weidman looks to be the next man up for the Spider. Regardless of the opponent, Anderson will always be a draw on pay per view. Unfortunately it isn’t likely to be the two opponents that would draw him the most money in either GSP or Bones Jones.

Frankie Edgar vs. Jose Aldo UFC 156 - I am probably one of the few MMA fans incredibly psyched for this fight. I am a big fan of both and I think that this one has enormous potential to be fight of the year. Unfortunately neither are a draw on pay per view, yet I think the weak schedule puts this one at least in consideration for top 10 anticipated fights.

Cain Velasquez vs. Alistair Overeem TBD - Now is where we start diving into hypothetical fights. Have you seen Bigfoot Silva fight elite competition? He doesn’t fare so well. So I am going to presume that Overeem beats him. This one has the makings of a classic. Overeem has something that nobody else in the heavyweight division has had since Brock Lesnar left…charisma. That charisma equals money and that charisma matched up with Velasquez’s mystique will draw mega money here.

Ronda Rousey vs. Cristiane Cyborg Santos TBD - Rousey and White can scream all that they want about Cyborg having to make 135 but at the end of the day I am still of the belief that this fight happens. Dave Meltzer recently reported that negotiations are very close to making this fight happen at 135. I think you have the makings of what could be the third or fourth biggest fight of 2013 in the UFC. I hate to say it but the fate of the women’s division rests on this fight.

Georges St-Pierre vs. Johny Hendricks TBD - This one could come sooner than you think if Diaz can’t play ball in time for UFC 158. Hendricks is on an impressive winning streak in the division and by rights, should be the number one contender. Hendricks has one more hurdle to jump and I can’t imagine him stumbling at this point. Another Hendricks KO will bring some big money to this welterweight title fight. The KO artist vs. the supreme athlete is gold. Hendricks is already running his mouth about GSP. By the time this fight happens you’ll have yourself a nice grudge match. I smell a lot of green here.

Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson TBD - I’ll continue with the hypothetical fights here and go back to the light heavyweight division. Dana White has talked about Daniel Cormier getting the next title shot but I think a Hendo win over Machida seals the deal. Henderson continues to talk trash about Jones and as fickle as Jones is, I can see him demanding a fight to shut him up. Ticket sales weren’t strong for their first scheduled fight but I think this one is different. Henderson’s streak and list of victims will be a who’s who in the division and will make him a believable contender against Jones. This division desperately needs a credible contender. Continuing the circus with Cormier will do nobody any favors. I think Henderson gets the next shot and these guys do some better than expected business.

Benson Henderson vs. Gilbert Melendez TBD - There are grumblings that this first time battle of Strikeforce vs. UFC champions will take place at the UFC on FOX 7 broadcast, although those are just rumors right now. One thing is confirmed and that is that the UFC is working hard to make this fight happen. I think Henderson has now solidified himself as one of the faces of the UFC and the idea of someone with Melendez’s pedigree and winning streak coming in to challenge him is money. Additionally, there is always added intrigue when you have a battle of champions. I know this division has struggled for attention since BJ Penn lost the title but I think Henderson brings it back to relevance in 2013.

Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira TBD - I’ll close out the hypothetical schedule with a fight that I think could be absolutely huge. Unfortunately Teixeira did himself no favors in his fight with Fabio Maldonado. He won but I think a bit of the mystique was off. He’ll have the chance to snatch that back when he fights on network television against Rampage Jackson. If he can brutalize Jackson as most expect, he’ll make himself a star overnight. He will look like the unstoppable killing machine getting ready to end the reign of Jones. There is major money in this fight if Teixeira gets past Rampage convincingly. Maybe they go with Teixeira vs. Henderson, Gustaffson, or Cormier in an eliminator first, but I think Teixeira gets his crack at Jones by year’s end in what turns out to be a big time fight.

UFC: Ultimate Fight Collection 2012

Chael Sonnen: The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment

Anderson Spider Silva (Em Portugues do Brasil

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com

Anderson Silva: Who’s Next?

October 18, 2012 By: Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

I had made a gentlemen’s bet on UFC 153’s main event with a friend of mine. “Bonnar won’t make it out of the first round,” he said.   Based on Bonnar’s chin, size advantage and jiu-jitsu, I had confidence in Bonnar to at least make it out of the first round.  “I think he’ll lose, sure, but I think he’ll make it to at least the second round before he gets knocked out,” I said in reply.

…in related news, I hate losing a bet, even one without any money on the line.

Anderson Silva is the pound-for-pound best fighter in mixed martial arts, having left sixteen bodies in his wake without a loss since joining the UFC in 2006.  Okay, that might be a bit of hyperbole if “leaving bodies in his wake” means he finished everyone he’s faced in the company.  If we’re going by those standards, he’s left thirteen in his wake, one was spared due to a fluke injury and the other two were treated to a well-improvised clowning/dancing clinic.

THE POINT IS he’s undefeated and has become very vocal about who his next opponents should and should not be.

As our own Lee McGregor alluded to at the end of his always thorough and insightful UFC 153 wrap up, Silva’s next opponent is somewhat already determined, but playing wheelchair matchmaker is a fun game we MMA fans love to play so let’s boogie, shall we?

The “Price Better Be So Right That I Relent” Option

Chris Weidman is a good fighter.  He’s a big guy with good wrestling credentials and is undefeated at 9-0.  In the eyes of the Champ, however, he is too green to be worth risking the streak and the ol’ piggy bank.  Weidman will take on a surging Tim Boetsch in December to help increase his stock, but unless he enrolls in the “Chael Sonnen School of S*** Talk” and graduates with honors really quickly, I don’t foresee this fight happening for another year or more until he pads his resume to Silva’s liking.  Yes, I understand the UFC can undoubtedly make Silva an offer he can’t refuse if they want this fight to happen, but there are more intriguing prospects out there before Strong Island’s own gets a crack at The Spider.

The “Cash Across The Pond” Option

Oh, bloody hell.  I’ll admit it. I want to hate Michael Bisping, but the bloke has grown on me.  He may not be magnificent at any one particular discipline, but this is mixed martial arts.  The Count has become not only well rounded in the Octagon, but his brash personality and wit on camera and on the interwebs has gone past obnoxious to the point of being funny and even charming.   He is clearly the golden boy of the U.K. and a title fight in England, while still one that I think Silva wins handily, would be a fight Bisping could sell the heck out of and would make our British brethren very happy to be hosting a big name title fight.  If Silva’s potential next opponent (which we’ll get to in just a minute) is injured, I think this would be worth his while given the continued exposure and big money involved.

The “Dream Fight” Option

Let’s get this one over with: Jon Jones.  Both he and Silva have publicly stated they have no desire to fight one another.  However, this would be pay-per-view gold, my friends.  I’m open to differing analogies, but for sports fans who only dabble in watching MMA, this would be like watching a still-dominant-though-heading-toward-the-end-of-his-career Michael Jordan against Lebron James in Game 7 of the NBA Championship.

Given how prize fighting is structured (one-on-one competitions among differing weight classes) it is harder to determine who is truly best in the world.  I understand that there is a degree of subjectivity to “rankings” in this sport and, unlike conventional team sports where there are playoff systems and elimination rounds to determine a league champion, the best in any MMA weight class may not necessarily be declared the best in that league by the system at large.

When you have the consensus #1 and #2 fighters within reasonable weight and size limits of one another in the biggest promotion in the world, however, shouldn’t they duke it out to find out who really is THE best?  I have no doubt if the fans want it, Dana & Co. will make it happen come hell or high water, but I think we’ll have to wait just a little bit longer for it.  As the old saying goes, “good things come to those who wait (unless you’re Rashad Evans).”

The “Most Likely To Happen Next” Option

Georges St-Pierre, despite the long layoff, is still one of the best fighters in mixed martial arts and will go down in history as perhaps the greatest welterweight of all time.  The idea of GSP vs. Silva in a whatever-weight bout seemed to be the “Dream Fight” before GSP’s injury and Jon Jone’s meteoric rise over the past year and a half.  Is GSP vs. Silva still a fight that people want to see that’d do “boy band” numbers on PPV? Absolutely.  Has it fizzled a bit for the reasons I just described? Perhaps.  Silva has stated that he wants GSP next even if GSP loses his title unification bout with Carlos Condit on November 17th, but I do believe that if GSP rolls through Condit in impressive fashion, GSP vs. Silva earns back some of that sizzle and, barring injury, would make for an incredible spring event in 2013.

UFC: Ultimate Fight Collection 2012 Edition[/amazon_link]

Chael Sonnen: The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment Anderson Spider Silva (Em Portugues do Brasil

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com

Anderson Silva’s Camp Want GSP, Franklin, Or Diaz

August 01, 2012 By: Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

Ed Soares Anderson SilvaThe UFC has a big problem on their hands. The UFC has a champion that only wants to fight marquee fighters as opposed to the “amateurs.” Anderson Silva’s camp doesn’t care what your record is. If you aren’t a name, go to the back of the line.

While the UFC middleweight champion doesn’t do much speaking, his managers Ed Soares and Jorge Guimaraes do plenty. Both managers (because when you are that good, you need more than one) recently talked to the press about potential upcoming fights for their champion and let’s just say they aren’t nearly as excited about a Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva fight as you are.

Silva’s co-manager Guimaraes was the first to make headlines last week when he was asked about Silva’s next opponent.

“No opponent makes sense for Anderson at this moment. Unless we do a catchweight against Georges St-Pierre,” said Silva’s co-manager to Tatame.com. “They (the UFC) didn’t offer the fight, but he’s the only one that could do a super fight. Anderson has the biggest paycheck in the UFC, and you can’t promote an event with these amateur kids that are coming up now.

Yep, that is right. Silva’s management team is referring to the growing list of potential middleweight title challengers as “amateurs”. “That’s a big joke,” Guimaraes said. “Everybody saw that it worked for Chael, and he got really famous with that, and now everybody wants to be in the spotlight.

The more level headed manager, Ed Soares was a little more tactful in his response to the same question to MMAJunkie.com.

I don’t think any opponent in that category is a joke,” Soares said. “I just think that some of his opponents just aren’t as attractive. When I look at Weidman, I think he’s a very talented guy. He’s got a bright future. But when I look at it, he’s 9-0. Anderson has got double the wins he has in his career in the UFC. So I just don’t see the value of being able to fight a guy like this right now. That’s my opinion.

Soares reiterated the champion’s desire to fight Georges St-Pierre but also mentioned a familiar name. Soares said that Silva would be interested in a third fight with Rich Franklin. You know, the same Rich Franklin Silva brutalized on two different occasions.

A new potential super fight recently emerged when Nick Diaz’s camp challenged Anderson to a super fight. Soares was very receptive to the challenge on Twitter.

I think the idea of @SpiderAnderson vs @nickdiaz209 is pretty good. Let’s see what the @ufc thinks?” – @edblackhouse

There is something very obnoxious about these statements coming from Silva’s camp. These people sit around complaining about amateurs and lack of competition, while calling out or being open to fights with fighters that either Silva would undoubtedly destroy or have big weight disadvantages against their fighter. It is one thing to complain about lack of competition or insult other fighters, but it is a whole other story when you do this while ducking the obvious choice…Jon Jones.

Anderson has outright refused to fight Jon Jones. I don’t think anyone reading this blog could disagree that Jones would give Silva his biggest test in MMA. Additionally, Silva has already fought at light heavyweight and is undefeated in UFC’s division. This isn’t a case of GSP or Diaz moving up in weight or anyone being at a weight disadvantage. This is a fight that would pit arguably the two best in the sport against each other with all odds being even. Yet Silva’s camp refuses to even consider the fight, while complaining about a lack of competition?

Whether Silva’s team think that the crop of challengers are amateurs or not, is irrelevant as long as their client holds the title. Silva needs to defend against the top contenders as deemed by the UFC. I can understand Silva wanting to get the most money for his fights with high profile dream fights. That is fine, but if that is the case than Silva needs to relinquish the middleweight title. His camp can’t have it both ways.

At the end of the day this is all a real easy decision to make. Stop picking on the fighter that fights in a division below yours and take the fight against Jones. Unless Silva is that scared of getting KO’d by Bones, it is the only option. The fact they refuse to fight him and complain about lack of competition is the real joke.

Urijah Faber: The Laws of the Ring

Chael Sonnen – The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com

Introducing the Official UFC Apparel of Jon Jones! Walkout Shirt & Performance Gear.

UFC On Fuel 4 Predictions & Analysis

July 11, 2012 By: Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

Say whatever you want about the UFC, but no one can accuse them of being slow. With the octagon barely packed up from a landmark Pay Per View event at UFC 148, they are heading back to the land of free TV for UFC on Fuel TV 4 this Wednesday night. The UFC heads westward to the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Although lacking in the big name value or the hype of an intense grudge match like it’s PPV cousin, it does have a Middleweight main event, which could provide Anderson Silva’s next challenger, as well as a number of intriguing bouts that could provide significant excitement and entertainment value.

As mentioned, the main event is a five-round Middleweight bout between consensus Top 10 Middleweight Mark Munoz and fast-rising undefeated prospect Chris Weidman. Also featured on the Main card is the Light Heavyweight debut of Joey Beltran against hard-hitting New Zealander James Te-Huna. Aaron Simpson sheds fifteen pounds and makes his Welterweight debut against late replacement Kenny Robertson in the other featured bout. Three more bouts round out the main card including hard-hitting Lightweights Rafael dos Anjos and Anthony Njokuani, a scrappy Bantamweight bout between TJ Dillashaw and Britain’s Vaughan Lee and a bout between two European Middleweights; Karlos Vemola and Francis Carmont.

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Bantamweight Bout: Raphael Assuncao vs. Issei Tamura

Rafael Assuncao is a 29-year-old fighter from Recife, Brazil. Assuncao is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who relies heavily on his grappling game during his bouts. Assuncao is a member of the Ascension MMA Gym in Atlanta, Georgia. After going 3-3 at 145-pounds in the UFC and WEC he dropped to Bantamweight and has gone 1-0 since. He holds a career record of 17-4. Issei Tamura is a 28-year-old fighter from Tokyo, Japan. Tamura is a member of the Krazy Bee Gym in Tokyo and is a wrestling based fighter. Tamura has fought the majority of his bouts for major Asian MMA promotion; Shooto.  This will be Tamura’s first fight at Bantamweight and his first fight outside of his home country. Tamura holds a career record of 7-2 and is 1-0 inside the UFC.

Analysis and Prediction: Tamura seems like a fighter who is custom built to defeat Assuncao. Tamura is the definition of a grinder, he uses takedowns and top position to pound away at his opponents and earn points on the judge’s scorecards. Assuncao uses control and submission offense, but it’s unlikely he’ll be able to wrestle his way to top position against Tamura. I’m slightly worried since it’s Tamura’s first fight at 135-pounds, but he’s always been small for Featherweight, the bigger concern is it being his first bout in the USA. Still, if he’s well adjusted he can control Assuncao for three rounds. Issei Tamura via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Welterweight Bout: Marcelo Guimaraes vs. Dan Stittgen

Marcelo “Magrao” Guimaraes is a Brazilian fighter from the Caveira Fight Team. Guimaraes has fought most of his career at Middleweight and was the inaugural Jungle Fight Middleweight Champion before being signed by the UFC. Guimaraes uses takedowns and vicious ground and pound to outwork his opponents on the mat. He holds an undefeated professional record of 7-0-1. Dan “The Anvil” Stittgen is an American fighter from Woodstock, Illinois. He is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who is a member of the Midwest Training Center in Schaumburg, Illinois. Stittgen was the sacrificial lamb to Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in both of their UFC debuts earlier this year. Stittgen is mostly a wrestler whose stand up looked pretty awful in his UFC debut. Still he owns a career record of 7-2 with both of his losses coming against fighters currently in the UFC.

Analysis and Prediction: This is another fight where one should be able to control the other, as Guimaraes should be able to outwork and control Stittgen on the ground. Standing, neither fighter is a real knockout threat and neither of them is really all that talented, so it will likely be a ground battle, which is unlikely to make this bout overly exciting. This will be Guimaraes’ first bout at Welterweight and his first bout in the USA, so those factors are always a concern, but he’s better than Stittgen in almost every way. Don’t expect fireworks, but the Brazilian should take it. Marcelo Guimaraes via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Middleweight Bout: Rafael Natal vs. Andrew Craig

Rafael “Sapo” Natal is a 29-year-old Brazilian fighter who now lives and trains in New York City. Natal is a member of the Gracie Fusion Gym in NYC and is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Natal’s striking skills aren’t amazing, but his takedowns are actually pretty good for someone who doesn’t have a wrestling background. Natal holds a professional record of 14-3-1. Andrew Craig is an American fighter from Houston, Texas. Craig is a strong grappler who is a member of the Team Tooke Gym in Houston, Texas. Craig holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and surprised Kyle Noke in his UFC debut, after taking the bout on short notice. Craig has a perfect professional record of 7-0.

Analysis and Prediction: Craig’s UFC debut was impressive as Kyle Noke is a very talented fighter. However, he was pretty easily handled in the first round and made the comeback after Noke blew out his knee. Natal is proven at the UFC level and although his striking still leaves something to be desired Craig doesn’t strike me as someone able to exploit that. Natal earns more takedowns and controls the action on the ground in what could possibly be another lackluster affair. Rafael Natal via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Flyweight Bout: Chris Cariaso vs. Josh Ferguson

Chris “Kamikaze” Cariaso is an American fighter from San Jose, California. Cariaso will be making his Flyweight debut in this fight, after spending the majority of his career at Bantamweight. Cariaso has decent striking skills and has good takedowns, although he isn’t a significantly talented grappler who does a lot with his takedowns. Cariaso fights out of the Fight and Fitness Gym in San Francisco, California. He holds a professional record of 13-3, with his only two losses since 2008 coming to top Bantamweight contenders Renan Barao and Michael McDonald. Josh “Taz” Ferguson is an American fighter from Louisville, Kentucky. Ferguson is a member of the All American MMA Gym in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a former cast-member of The Ultimate Fighter who is also making his Flyweight debut. He holds a career record of 8-4.

Analysis and Prediction: Although this will be the UFC debut of both fighters, their resumes are completely different heading into this fight. Ferguson enters the bout on a two-fight losing skid and is probably fighting for his job. Cariaso is coming off of a big win over a Top-10 opponent and is making the drop on his own decision. Cariaso is the more talented fighter basically anywhere the fight goes unless he ends up on the bottom of a takedown, which given his wrestling ability is unlikely. Cariaso should be able to earn a late stoppage. Chris Cariaso via TKO in Round Two

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Bantamweight Bout: Damacio Page vs. Alex Caceres

Damacio “The Angel of Death” Page is an American fighter from Greg Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Page is a tough and gritty fighter who is known for his strong chin and his ability to absorb punishment. He has never been knocked out in his MMA career despite getting in a number of wild brawls and taking a number of big punches. He enters this bout on a three fight-losing skid, although all losses have come against elite Bantamweight fighters. He has a career record of 15-7. Alex “Bruce Leeroy” Caceres is a 24-year-old fighter who is best known for his stint on The Ultimate Fighter. Caceres is a member of the Young Tigers Foundation Gym in Miami, Florida. Caceres initially fought as a bareknuckle fighter in a backyard fighting promotion in his hometown. He is coming off of a decision loss to Edwin Figueroa.

Main Card (Fuel TV): Lightweight Bout: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Anthony Njokuani

Rafael dos Anjos is a 27-year-old Brazilian fighter from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is a member of the Evolve MMA Gym and is known primarily for his black belt level Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills. Despite being known mostly for his submission savvy he is a capable striker who can strike with significant power for the Lightweight division. Dos Anjos has tight defense and relatively decent footwork, which he uses to dart in and out of the pocket while throwing power punches but avoiding significant return fire from his opponents. Dos Anjos holds a career record of 16-6. Anthony “The Assassin” Njokuani is a Nigerian fighter who now resides and trains out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a member of the Janjira Muay Thai Gym in Las Vegas. He is mostly a stand up fighter who has struggled against competent wrestlers who are able to drag him to the ground. At 6’1” and with a 75.5-inch reach, he is extremely tall and lengthy for the division. Njokuani does his best work when he is able to stand outside and use his vast array of kicks to punish his opponents’ legs and bodies. Njokuani is also very strong in the Thai Clinch and can throw dangerous elbows and knees from that position, that may be extremely important for this bout as scoring trips from the clinch is one of dos Anjos’ favorite techniques. Njokuani holds a professional record of 15-6 with 1 No Contest.

Analysis and Prediction: Njokuani has struggled against fighters who can control him on the mat and dos Anjos is certainly a grappler capable of controlling the bout on the mat. The question will remain whether or not he can work the fight there. Njokuani is excellent at fighting at range and is fully capable of outworking dos Anjos from range if he can use proper footwork and leg kicks to keep dos Anjos at bay. As I mentioned Njokuani is very strong in the clinch so it’s unlikely that will be an avenue for dos Anjos to pursue. If Njokuani can use his distance and keep the fight upright he has the chance for the upset. Anthony Njokuani via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (Fuel TV): Bantamweight Bout: T.J. Dillashaw vs. Vaughan Lee

T.J. “The Viper” DIllashaw is an American fighter from Sonora, California. He is a member of the Team Alpha Male Gym in Sacramento, California. He is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Cal State Fullerton. Dillashaw is best known for his time as a cast-member on The Ultimate Fighter 14, where he finished runner up to John Dodson. Dillashaw has fairly basic striking but is an absolute nightmare on the ground. He is dominant with takedowns and has a strong power double leg takedown. Dillashaw holds a career record of 5-1. Vaughan “Love” Lee is an English fighter from Birmingham, England. Lee is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who trains out of the Ultimate Training Center in Birmingham. Lee is a talented grappler who has excellent sweeps and submissions, but is somewhat lacking in striking skills. Lee is coming off of the biggest win of his career; a Submission upset over Norifumi Yamamoto at UFC 144. Lee holds a career record of 12-7-1.

Analysis and Prediction: Lee looked impressive in his win over Yamamoto, but Dillashaw is on a completely different level. DIllashaw absolutely dominated Walel Watson in his last bout, winning with scores of 30-25 twice. Dillashaw is going to go right after Lee and take him down. Dillashaw’s submission defense is good enough to not get caught off of his back and I think he probably pounds out a victory in the first round. T.J. Dillashaw via TKO in Round One

Main Card (Fuel TV): Middleweight Bout: Karlos Vemola vs. Francis Carmont

Karlos “The Terminator” Vemola is a 27-year-old fighter from Olomouc, Czech Republic. He is a former body builder who made his MMA debut in 2008.  He actually made his debut as a Heavyweight and has since dropped two weight-classes. Vemola is a former Czech Republic National Freestyle Wrestling champion who trains with the London Shootfighters Gym in London, England. He uses his short but compact frame to wrestle his opponents to the ground where he can unleash his vicious ground and pound. He holds a professional record of 9-2. Francis “Limitless” Carmont is a 30-year-old striker from France. Since making his MMA debut he has moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada where he is a member of the famed Tristar Gym. Carmont is a former Light Heavyweight fighter who has looked impressive since dropping to Middleweight and joining the UFC. Carmont is a talented striker who has a well-balanced attack with accurate hands and solid leg kicks. Carmont holds a career record of 18-7, but is 2-0 in the UFC.

Analysis and Prediction: Vemola is certainly going to need to strike first if he is to have a chance in this bout. Vemola has wild striking that will certainly be countered by a precise striker like Carmont. Vemola also may not have the strength to simply overpower Carmont who is a large Middleweight himself. Vemola however does have the power to hurt Carmont standing. The likely scenario at play here is that if Carmont survives the first, he can come back to win later in the bout. If Vemola can land the big shot, or drag this fight to the ground, he certainly has the ability to pound his way to a Rear Naked Choke victory. It’s a coin-flip for me, but I like Vemola, even if he’s not the most talented, I still like him. Karlos Vemola via Submission in Round One

Main Card (Fuel TV): Welterweight Bout: Aaron Simpson vs. Kenny Robertson

Aaron “A-Train” Simpson makes his return to the octagon for this bout at a new weight class, as he sheds 15 pounds to drop to the Welterweight limit. Simpson is a 37-year-old fighter from Gunnison, Colorado who now resides and trains in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a member of the Power MMA Team in Phoenix. Simpson is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Arizona State University. He holds a professional MMA record of 11-3, with all three losses coming in the UFC. Kenny Robertson is an American fighter from East Peoria, Illinois. He is a member of the Central Illinois Combat Club and is a talented grappler. His striking skills are fairly mediocre, but he does have enough power to rock a fighter. He has struggled against fighters who do not allow him to control them on the mat, and considering Simpson’s wrestling background, that may prove to be a problem. Robertson holds a career record of 11-1.

Analysis and Prediction: I’m not sure Simpson is making the right move for his career. At the weigh-ins he looked incredibly drained, so it will be interesting to see how he deals with the weight cut. He has gassed in some of his bouts before, so that could be an even bigger problem with the added weight cut. If he handles the cut fine he can definitely win this bout basically by neutralizing Robertson’s ability to grapple and by using his improving boxing skills. If he fades late, Robertson may be able to capitalize. As it is, I’ll stick with Simpson because he’s more proven, but I’m not sold on him as a Welterweight yet. Aaron Simpson via TKO in Round Two

Main Card (Fuel TV): Light Heavyweight Bout: James Te-Huna vs. Joey Beltran

James Te-Huna is a New Zealand born fighter from Darfield, New Zealand. He is a member of the Elite Fight Gym out of Sydney Australia. Te-Huna is known for his fan-friendly style, as he is an extremely aggressive striker who brings violence to the cage in any bout that he’s in. Te-Huna’s favorite strategy is to move forward behind big power punches both in the form of looping left hooks and big uppercuts. Te-Huna is a very athletic Light Heavyweight. At 6’2” and with a 75-inch reach he moves well for the weight class and has shown an incredible finishing instinct. He holds a career record of 14-5, with 13 stoppages. Joey “The Mexecutioner” Beltran is an American fighter who is making his return to the UFC as a Light Heavyweight. The 30-year-old striker from San Diego was cut from the UFC after being knocked out cold by Lavar Johnson. A cut to 205-pounds, a regional victory and an injury has opened the door to his return. A member of the Alliance MMA Gym in California, Beltran is known for his brawling style of fighting and his ability to absorb huge amounts of punishment. He holds a professional record of 14-7, being stopped by strikes only once.

Analysis and Prediction: This is a pretty awful match up for Beltran. He throws loopy punches and prefers to brawl rather than fight technically. Te-Huna is a big, strong, agile and athletic Light Heavyweight who throws tight boxing combinations with big power and bad intentions. Despite Beltran’s past as a Heavyweight, at the weigh-ins Te-Huna looked significantly larger than Beltran. I don’t expect Te-Huna can straight knock Beltran out standing, but I think he can stagger him before tripping him into a takedown and pounding out a stoppage from there. James Te-Huna via TKO in Round One

Main Card (Fuel TV): Five Round Middleweight Main Event: Mark Munoz vs. Chris Weidman

Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Munoz is a 34-year-old fighter from the Reign Training Center in Lake Forest, California. Munoz is a former California State Wrestling Champion and an NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Oklahoma State University. Munoz has big power in his hands and can rattle the brains of even the most granite-chinned fighters, as he proved in his bout against Chris Leben. Despite his impressive collegiate wrestling background, Munoz has struggled to translate those skills into his MMA skillset. In his UFC and WEC career, Munoz’s takedown percentage is barely above 20%, which is extremely low for such an accomplished amateur wrestler. As his basic boxing has improved, he has been more successful, as he sets up his takedowns by closing the distance more efficiently. Munoz holds a career record of 12-2.

Chris “The Hangman” Weidman is a 28-year-old fighter from Baldwin, New York. Weidman is a member of the Serra-Longo Fight Team from Garden City, New York. He is also a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler, who plied his trade at Hofstra University. Weidman is a very competent and talented grappler, who actually competed at the ADCC Submission Championships with only one year of formal training. He is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under former UFC fighter Matt Serra. Weidman has decent technical striking for someone as new to the sport as he is and is improving at a very rapid pace. It’s also important for him that he will have a 7-inch reach advantage in this bout. His ability to mix in leg kicks and keep his attack varied while fighting from the outside will be important for him in this bout. Weidman has a perfect professional record of 8-0.

Analysis and Prediction: These two have a very recent common opponent in Demian Maia. Both men were victorious, but both struggled against Maia for differing reasons. Munoz was able to work well on the feet against Maia, but was tagged several times and even rocked by Maia, who is not known for his boxing prowess. Weidman also struggled down the stretch, but he took the bout on ten days notice and had to cut a significant amount of weight (30 plus pounds, according to some reports.)

The wrestling game is likely to equal out in this one. Munoz is extremely strong, but Weidman is no push over. On the mat Munoz has strong submission defense, but has very little offense other than his ground and pound skills. Weidman on the other hand is very aggressive with his submission offense and uses his lanky arms to snare limbs and snatch opportunities as they present themselves. From top control both men are very aggressive with their ground and pound. Munoz prefers to hang out in guard and throw big powerful strikes. Weidman on the other hand constantly passes, trying to work all the way to full mount, where his ground and pound may open up an opportunity for a submission.

On the feet Munoz throws big power, but he throws in looping wild punches. Weidman throws tighter punches, with better accuracy and will be very successful countering Munoz, if he doesn’t tighten things up. Also, Munoz’s striking defense is poor and he gets hit entirely too often, as Maia proved. If he isn’t able to tighten up his striking, Weidman is likely going to use that seven-inch reach advantage to punish Munoz. As it is, I think Munoz will struggle to get Weidman down and Weidman holds the edge standing. I expect he finds a late submission after rocking Munoz on the feet. Chris Weidman via Submission in Round Four

Chael Sonnen – The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com

Introducing the Official UFC Apparel of Jon Jones! Walkout Shirt & Performance Gear.

Sonnen & Evans Winners On UFC On Fox 2

January 28, 2012 By: Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

UFC on Fox 2 resultsIt was a bitter sweet night for the UFC when it comes to UFC on Fox 2 results. On the bright side, they got the right winners for their future UFC money matches. On the downside, they probably won’t have many new viewers the next time out on Fox after tonight’s grinding broadcast.

The UFC took advantage of new viewers and publicity with their first FOX broadcast and delivered expected fireworks. Unfortunately for a show that needed to follow that momentum, they came up real small tonight in Chicago. Three decision fights with very little fire power may have stalled any momentum from the first broadcast right in its place.

Let me be clear as an MMA fan, I enjoyed most of the night. Yet even I couldn’t find much redemption in the opening fight. As much as I enjoyed the Bisping vs. Sonnen fight, I can’t imagine many casual viewers stuck around to watch the fight or the headliner. It was certainly not a great night in terms of the broadcast.

Quite frankly, the choice of matchups boggled my mind all along. Booking Demian Maia, Michael Bisping, and Rashad Evans on such a high profile show just sounded absurd to me. If there is one thing that most of these guys have in common, it is that they have boring fights. They are all grinders and they delivered exactly what any regular MMA follower would have expected. The UFC has nobody to blame but their own matchmakers for tonight’s debacle. I still have no idea what they were thinking.

The highlight of the night to me was Chael Sonnen defeating Michael Bisping via unanimous decision. I thought this fight was much better than most according to the early feedback I read. Bisping never seemed out of it like Phil Davis did, which had me excited about watching the Count pull off a possible comeback. Unfortunately those casual eyes unfamiliar with the fun back and forth between Bisping and Sonnen probably didn’t find it as interesting.

Sonnen will now go on to fight Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title. The fight is currently scheduled for June in Brazil, although Silva has been very non-committal about the date. I have mixed feelings on the fight. I think when a challenger is popped for PEDs after a title fight, that there needs to be a lengthy period before he could even think about a title shot. The ramifications would not have been good if Sonnen did beat Silva, ended his streak, won the title, and then got popped for the PEDs. Sonnen put the company in a lot of jeopardy which is why I don’t understand why he is being quickly rewarded.

But I get it and business is business. This has the potential to be the biggest fight in UFC history. Between the background, Chael’s wacky interviews, the Brazilian atmosphere, and the long anticipation, I predict that this fight will break UFC records. So I do get it. Lucky for Chael he won’t have to worry about any commissions fighting in Brazil. How convenient.

In the main-event, Rashad Evans dominated Phil Davis, winning a unanimous decision. Davis just looked slow and completely outclassed from the start of the fight. Evans didn’t finish him which is always a criticism of the former champion, but he didn’t look to be in real danger at any point in the fight. He went five rounds and didn’t appear to be gassed. It was a great showcase, but hardly the kind of fight you want to use as a selling point for UFC 145.

Evans vs. Jones will take place at UFC 145, or at least that is the plan. This fight has been canceled several times due to injuries to both fighters. I know Evans may not have looked as dangerous as he did against Tito Ortiz but I am still picking him over Jones. I think Evans is one of the smartest fighters in MMA. He studies his opponents and adjusts his style to break their will and dominate them. I think he will do the same against Jones and do enough to capitalize on Jones’ inexperience. You may find that hard to believe after watching his fight tonight, but the guy is a chameleon. I think he regains the title at UFC 145.

The next UFC on Fox broadcast is scheduled for March. If the ratings come in where I think they’ll come in, they will have enormous pressure on them with the UFC on Fox 3. Cain Velasquez vs. Frank Mir is rumored to headline the show which is a fight that could go either way. Regardless, the UFC really needs to do a better job of putting better matches together for the broadcast. They need to put on smaller, faster guys, big guys with knockout power, and styles that make better fights. If not, they will wind up finding themselves swimming upstream for the remainder of the FOX contract.

While this isn’t pro wrestling and nothing can ever go as expected, sadly for the UFC every fight went as expected tonight.

Full UFC on Fox 2 results…
Chris Camozzi defeated Dustin Jacoby, Submission, Round 3
Lavar Johnson defeated Joey Beltran, KO, Round 1
Michael Johnson defeated Shane Roller via unanimous decision
Charles Oliveira defeated Eric Wisely, Submission, Round 1
Cub Swanson defeated George Roop, KO, Round 2
Mike Russow defeated John-Olav Einemo, unanimous decision
Evan Dunham defeated Nik Lentz, TKO, ref stoppage due to cut, end of Round 2
Chris Weidman defeated Demian Maia via split decision
Chael Sonnen defeated Michael Bisping via unanimous decision
Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis via unanimous decision

Throwdown Phil Davis UFC on FOX 2 Odius Walkout T-Shirt

Affliction Michael Bisping UFC on FOX 2 Flag Walkout T-Shirt

TapouT Chael Sonnen UFC On Fox 2 American Gangster Walkout T-Shirt [White]

Bad Boy Demian Maia UFC On Fox 2 Walkout T-Shirt

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com

New Items Marked Down! Shop the UFC Sale at the UFC Store.

UFC on Fox T-Shirt [Red]

UFC On Fox 2 Predictions & Analysis

January 27, 2012 By: Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

UFC on Fox 2It has been a whirlwind of activity lately for the world’s largest Mixed Martial Arts promotion. The UFC continues to start 2012 with a roar of activity this weekend with their return to network television as the UFC presents UFC on FOX 2 from Chicago, Illinois. The main card features a trio of fights, capped off by Light Heavyweight and Middleweight title eliminator bouts. A late injury to former main event fighter Mark Munoz caused some card-shuffling, but many would argue that this has only made the card more exciting with more marketable bouts.

In the main event of the evening “Sugar” Rashad Evans continues his never-ending quest towards former teammate and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones when he takes on Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis. The co-main event of the evening sees a battle between two trash talking experts as Chael Sonnen battles Michael “The Count” Bisping. The final scheduled bout for the main card features former Middleweight contender Demian Maia taking on fast-rising prospect Chris Weidman. The undercard broadcast on Fuel TV features eight more bouts, several of which have serious potential for fireworks. But enough talking about it, let’s get right into breaking down these fights.

Preliminary Card Bout (Facebook): Middleweight Bout: Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby

Chris “Kamikaze” Camozzi is a 25-year-old fighter from the Factory X Muay Thai and MMA Gym in Lakewood, Colorado. Camozzi is a former competitor on the eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. Camozzi is a well-rounded fighter whose best strength is probably his grit and determination. Camozzi is a very workmanlike fighter, his striking is technically sound, but he doesn’t really possess KO power, relying instead on damage accumulation and point scoring in his strikes. On the ground he’s a capable grappler, but isn’t exactly a submission aficionado. Camozzi holds a professional MMA record of 15-5.

Dustin Jacoby is a young up-and-coming fighter from Fort Morgan, Colorado. The 23-year-old is a member of the HIT Squad Gym in Springfield, Illinois, so he should have some hometown support as he searches for his first Octagon victory in his second try. Undefeated at 6-0, he was given his first shot at the UFC at 137 where he suffered a decision loss to the also debuting Clifford Starks. At 6’4” with five first-round stoppages on his resume, Jacoby looked to be a hot prospect but his wrestling defense and grappling skills were severely exposed in the bout against Starks. He’ll need to have shored up some of those deficiencies if he’s going to have any chance against Camozzi in this one. Jacoby enters the fight with a career record of 6-1.

Analysis and Prediction: Camozzi may not be great at anything, but he is well-rounded enough to win this fight. In his UFC debut Jacoby looked absolutely terrible on the ground and was unable to mount any offense whatsoever from guard. At 6’4” with decent striking, Jacoby definitely has the physical tools to control this bout, if he can effectively control the range. But it’s more likely that Camozzi closes the distance searches out a takedown and completely outworks Jacoby for three rounds. Chris Camozzi via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card Bout (Fuel TV): Heavyweight Bout: Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson

Joey “The Mexecutioner” Beltran is a Mexican-American fighter from San Diego, California. Despite his relatively mediocre record inside the octagon (3-3) he is probably one of the fighters who enjoys the most job-security due to his fan-friendly brawling style. Beltran is a straight up brawler, who relies on his iron chin and his heavy-handed stand up style. He is a member of the Alliance MMA gym and also a member of the Blackline Fight Group. Beltran’s biggest weapons are by far his hands, as he constantly pushes forward, no matter what his opponents throw at him. His 11 victories by way of knockout or TKO prove that fact. Overall Beltran owns a professional record of 13-6.

Lavar “Big” Johnson has one of the most impressive stories of anybody in professional MMA today. During a family reunion in 2009, he was shot twice only to survive and return to the cage a year later. Johnson is an extremely powerful puncher who owns 13 wins by way of KO or TKO. However, he is severely lacking in the ground game department, as in his past two fights he was somewhat exploited on the ground by superior grapplers. Nevertheless, he remains dangerous as he can end the fight at any time that the fight remains upright. Johnson also owns a rare statistic that he has never had a fight go to a decision, win or lose this guy comes to fight. He owns a professional record of 15-5.

Analysis and Prediction: My early prediction is that this fight is a serious contender for Fight of the Night. This has all the makings of a potential brawl and it’s likely that fans are going to be treated to a Heavyweight slugfest. Johnson is absolutely terrible on the ground, but unless he is getting completely smashed on the feet, Beltran is unlikely to search for a takedown to exploit it. In a stand up game, Beltran’s defense is horrible and he’s never met a punch he didn’t mind taking on the chin, luckily for him however, that chin is made of granite. However, that poses a big liability for him as Johnson is likely going to be the most powerful puncher that he has ever faced. If Beltran is smart he’d take this fight to the mat, it’s more likely he goes out there and brawls for the fans. He’s never been KO’ed but he’s never fought a power puncher like Johnson. In a brawl, I like the upset here. Lavar Johnson via KO in Round Two

Preliminary Card Bout (Fuel TV): Lightweight Bout: Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller

Michael “The Menace” Johnson is a former cast member of The Ultimate Fighter: GSP vs. Koscheck, he finished the season as the runner-up, losing at the live finale to champion Jonathan Brookins. Johnson is primarily a wrestler, who relies on his takedowns and top control to win him fights. Johnson is a 25-year-old from St. Louis, Missouri, he now however trains out of Boca Raton, Florida with the Imperial Athletics Team. Johnson has been working to improve his boxing skills, but he still is a fairly rudimentary striker, who uses his punches simply to set up takedowns and close distances. Johnson owns a career record of 9-6.

Shane Roller is a 32-year-old fighter from Bixby, Oklahoma. He has a very decorated background as a collegiate wrestler for Oklahoma State University where he was a three-time All-American. Roller is a member of the Team Takedown Gym based out of Las Vegas, Nevada, where he is continually working on his stand up skills to compliment his strong wrestling. Roller has transitioned his wrestling skills well to MMA, as he is a very competent grappler, who uses ground and pound to search for submission opportunities and has actually won most of his fights by Submission. Roller has struggled in his past few bouts, going 1-2 during the stretch and is in need of a win, still he does own a solid professional resume with a 10-5 record with most losses coming to some very high-level 155-pounders.

Analysis and Prediction: These two men are very likely fighting for their jobs, because anything other than impressive performances from both will likely earn the loser a pink-slip. Unfortunately, both fighters’ backgrounds are rooted in wrestling so a brawl isn’t likely in the cards. Roller is a big power puncher who can end the fight any time that he connects with that big right hand and he’s too good of a wrestler to be taken down and controlled by Johnson. Without the takedown Johnson doesn’t have a solid path to victory and it’s likely he gets controlled on the mat by a superior wrestler in Roller. Expect Roller to use ground and pound to set up a submission late in the second round. Shane Roller via Submission in Round Two

Preliminary Card Bout (Fuel TV): Featherweight Bout: Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely

Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira is a Brazilian fighter and was a highly touted prospect when he entered the UFC. He has since struggled slightly, but at only 22-years old and having recently dropped to the Featherweight division he is looking to get his career back on track and has plenty of time to do so. Oliveira like most of his Brazilian counter-parts is a Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter, who owns a brown belt in BJJ. Oliveira is a very aggressive fighter who is constantly pushing the pace against his opponents and is always looking for a finish. In 17 career bouts, he has gone to a decision only once. He has a professional record of 14-2, with 1 No Contest.

Eric “Little Lee” Wisely is a 27-year-old fighter from the Team Conquest camp in Clinton, Iowa. A decent striker with a solid grappling acumen he most recently fought at a Strikeforce event where he gave top Lightweight prospect Pat Healy all he could handle on the mat. Wisely owns career victories over former UFC fighters Matt Veach and Hermes Franca, outworking both fighters on the mat using his submission savvy style. Wisely is also making the drop to Featherweight for this bout as well as it being his UFC debut, he gets a stiff test though in Oliveira. Wisely’s career record stands at 19-6.

Analysis and Prediction: Oliveira may look like he’s getting thrown a softball here, but really he has a lot to lose. He came into the UFC with a lot of hype and while he deserved most of it, he didn’t deliver. He’s being given an opponent with zero name value, but who can provide a stern and scrappy test by turning this fight ugly on Oliveira. What the Brazilian needs to do is use his strong boxing skills to control the distance that this fight gets fought at. Using leg kicks will slow down Wisely and allow him to control the pace. From there in the second and third rounds he can open up a bit, and use takedowns to set up an eventual win via Submission. Charles Oliveira via Submission in Round Three

Preliminary Card Bout (Fuel TV): Featherweight Bout: Cub Swanson vs. George Roop

Cub Swanson is a 28-year-old fighter from Palm Springs, California. A veteran of the WEC, Swanson is a Jackson’s MMA disciple with a strong background in kickboxing and decent grappling skills to compliment. Swanson is best known as the victim of Jose Aldo’s flying knee KO which is the feature of almost every Aldo highlight reel, however, he is a very fan-friendly fighter who prefers to stand and trade with his opponents and is always fighting at a high pace. Swanson is really not great in any particular area, but is solid in all aspects of the fight game, however, he has proven to be a bit to happy to exchange in brawls where it does not suit him. Nonetheless he has enjoyed some success in his career and holds a record of 15-5 as a professional.

Check out the full Camel Clutch Blog Pro Wrestling and MMA store for videos, t-shirts, books, and more.

George Roop has been one of the most surprising comeback stories in UFC history. He is a former cast member of the Ultimate Fighter who made his debut in the stacked 155-Pound class. After going 1-2 in the UFC he was promptly released which caused him to return to his natural weight of 145-pounds. At 6’1” Roop is the largest Featherweight fighter on the UFC’s payroll and provides a stylistic mismatch for any striker in the division due to his long limbs and range. Roop is a Team Tompkins striker whose expertise lies in the striking department. He uses kicks well to establish range and then picks his opponents apart from the outside utilizing his massive reach. Despite early struggles in the UFC, Roop has shown rapid improvement in his overall MMA game as of late. He holds a pro record of 12-8.

Analysis and Prediction: If you asked me who would win this fight when both men were still in the WEC, I would have picked Swanson in a heartbeat, however Roop has shown a lot of improvement lately. Many people felt that he actually defeated Hatsu Hioki, and while I scored that bout 29-28 in favor of Hioki, the fight was a lot closer than I expected. Roop’s biggest strength is his size and he has finally learned to use his height to his advantage. Instead of fighting crunched up, he now stands tall and throws tons of kicks to keep his opponents at bay. Swanson is well rounded enough to stick with Roop every step of the way, but I think he’ll struggle getting inside on Roop, which could lead to him taking a few knees and elbows from a clinch. It’ll be close but it’ll be Unanimous for Roop. George Roop via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card Bout (Fuel TV): Heavyweight Bout: Mike Russow vs. John-Olav Einemo

Mike Russow is a 35-year-old fighter from Chicago, Illinois who will be fighting in front of some hometown fans for this bout. He is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler and is a former member of Brock Lesnar’s DeathClutch Gym in Minnesota. Russow has decent wrestling skills, but is best known for his ability to take punishment and brawl his heart out. Most fans would recognize Russow from his fight against Todd Duffee where he absorbed nearly 13 minutes of punishment and was well on his way to losing a decision before blasting Duffee with a huge overhand right that knocked the massive Heavyweight out cold. Russow holds a pro record of 14-1 with 1 no contest and is currently riding a ten fight winning streak.

John-Olav “The Viking” Einemo is a fighter from Oslo, Norway. Despite being 36-years-old he is one of the Heavyweight divisions best grapplers and one of the top BJJ practitioners in the world. He is the 2003 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Champion in the 98 KG weight-class and holds the distinction of being the only man to defeat Roger Gracie in the Abu Dhabi tournament. He is a black belt in BJJ and is a member of the Golden Glory Gym, the former home of Alistair Overeem. Despite taking a five year break he gave Dave Herman all he could handle in his last bout at UFC 131, and will be looking for his first octagon victory in this bout. He holds a pro record of 6-2.

Analysis and Prediction: Despite his somewhat impressive record, I’ve never been overly impressed by Russow. His striking is decent, loaded with power, but it’s often slow and sloppy. He’s also shown a propensity to gas slightly in the later rounds of fights, which could come back to haunt him in a bout against a solid grappler like Einemo. Einemo is a very large Heavyweight, who will enjoy a four inch height advantage and a fifteen or so pound weight advantage. Russow has strong wrestling, but like most wrestlers is very poor fighting from his back. If Einemo can hold his own boxing long enough to snatch a takedown he can easily win this bout by out-grappling the American. I smell an upset. John-Olav Einemo via Submission in Round Three

Preliminary Card Bout (Fuel TV): Lightweight Bout: Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz

Evan “3-D” Dunham is a 30-year-old fighter from Eugene, Oregon who now trains at the Throwdown Training Center and Xtreme Couture Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dunham is a solid striker who throws combinations well but can be somewhat poor defensively. However, when the fight hits the mat is when he excels. He has strong wrestling with good takedowns and is a black belt in BJJ. Dunham is an aggressive fighter who constantly pressures opponents, oftentimes forcing them into mistakes where he can take advantage with power punches or by searching for submissions. Dunham was one of the top prospects of the Lightweight class before a Knockout loss to Melvin Guillard, he will be looking to put the hype train back in full gear with a big win in this bout. He enters the bout with a pro record of 12-2.

Nik “The Carnie” Lentz is actually a late-replacement for Paul Sass, taking this fight on just over a month’s notice. The 27-year-old from El Paso, Texas recently lost one of the most impressive winning streaks in MMA after going 15 fights without a loss, he was recently out-grappled and out-worked by Canadian Mark Bocek at UFC 140. Lentz is a former NCAA Division 1 wrestler from the University of Minnesota. A member of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, he relies heavily on his wrestling base to win him fights. He often struggles against fighters that he cannot overwhelm with wrestling as he lacks a strong striking game to back up his grappling prowess. Lentz holds a pro record of 21-4-2 with 1 no contest.

Analysis and Prediction: While some people are impressed by Lentz’s long unbeaten streak, I think it had a lot to do with luck and circumstance. He was being completely demolished by Charles Oliveira before an Illegal Knee turned an eventual TKO loss into a No Contest. The biggest factor in this fight is Lentz’s last bout against Mark Bocek. Bocek was able to overpower him with wrestling and superior grappling positioning. Dunham is a better wrestler with just as much positional awareness as Bocek and more aggression. However, Lentz is still incredibly tough to finish having been stopped only twice in his career. As it is, I expect an almost exact replica of the Bocek fight for Lentz but with more damage taken. However, he’ll likely make it to the final bell. Evan Dunham via Unanimous Decision

Main Card Bout (FOX): Middleweight Bout: Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman

Demian Maia is a 34-year-old fighter from Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is among the best pure grapplers in the UFC’s Middleweight division and is adding strong technical boxing to back up his impressive BJJ skills. A 4th degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Maia is a former winner of the acclaimed ADCC Submission Fighting World Championships. To improve his striking skills Maia has recently joined the Wand Fight Team. He is a former title challenger for the UFC’s Middleweight title and also has decent Judo skills which he often uses in lieu of straight wrestling takedowns to get the fight to the mat. Maia is an aggressive grappler who is always searching for submission opportunities, but he fares much better when he is in top position as opposed to fighting from his back. Maia owns a career record of 15-3 with 8 wins via Submission.

Chris “The All-American” Weidman is a highly touted prospect from Baldwin, New York. He is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Hofstra University where he was a two-time Division 1 All-American. Weidman has continued to add to his wrestling base and is rapidly improving his submission grappling skills under the tutelage of coach Matt Serra. Weidman is part of the Serra-Long Fight Team in Long Island, New York. Weidman like his opponent for this bout does not possess great striking skills, however he has been consistently improving his stand up skills as he matures as a fighter. Weidman is a late-replacement for Michael Bisping who received a promotion to the co-main event, Weidman accepted this fight on less than three weeks notice. Currently undefeated as a professional, Weidman owns a record of 7-0 with 5 wins via stoppage in the first round.

Analysis and Prediction: This is a very interesting bout with a lot of angles that could play out. I actually like this bout more than Maia and original opponent Michael Bisping. Let’s breakdown some of the areas of the fight. Strength and athleticism edge has to go to Weidman, although he has gassed in the later rounds of previous fights, while Maia is usually able to go the full three rounds at top speed. The grappling edge is pretty much a toss-up, Maia has better grappling skills, but will spend most of this fight on his back, which is not somewhere that he excels at submission offense. Weidman holds the clear wrestling edge, which will likely be the key path to victory for him. Standing, both have shown raw but improving stand up and have good coaches in their corners, again I’d say this one is a toss up, with Maia having a slight edge.

So where does that take us? Weidman is likely going to shoot for takedowns early and often, and if they get stuffed, he’s likely going to throw a couple of punches and then shoot again and again until he earns a takedown. He’ll need to have improved his cardio, because if he slows down in the third round it’s very likely that Maia will be able to latch onto a limb for a submission. However, it’s more likely that Weidman uses his strong wrestling base to control Maia on the mat and negate his grappling edge. Maia is too smart positionally to be caught in any intricate submissions by Weidman, so the only likely way Weidman wins by Submission is by a guillotine or Rear naked choke. The most likely outcome is that Weidman uses his wrestling to control the bout on the mat, using a lot of ground and pound to wear out Maia en-route to a Unanimous Decision victory

Main Card Bout (FOX): Middleweight Bout: Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen

Michael “The Count” Bisping is an English fighter from Manchester, England. He is a member of the Wolfslair MMA Academy in the UK. Bisping is best known to fans for his brash and cocky attitude and his trash-talking skills, but has legit fighting skills to go along with all his talking. Bisping was the Light heavyweight winner of the third season of The Ultimate Fighter. Bisping lacks strong wrestling skills, however, he has solid takedown defense and strong defensive BJJ, although his main focus is creating sweeps to get back to his feet as opposed to searching for takedowns. His striking is technically sound and although he doesn’t strike with power, he is an expert at using his quick footwork to dart in and out against opponents, landing in combinations and retreating before taking too much damage. Bisping owns a career record of 22-3 with his lone losses coming from the elite fighters of the sport Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans.

Chael Sonnen is quite possibly the most hated fighter in the UFC. He will continue his quest for a rematch with Middleweight champion Anderson Silva on network television and if he gets a microphone after this fight, look out, because sparks will surely fly. Sonnen is a 34-year-old fighter from West Linn, Oregon. Sonnen is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from the University of Oregon, and was also a USA Olympic team alternate for Greco-Roman Wrestling. Sonnen is a member of the Portland, Oregon chapter of Team Quest. His striking skills are fairly mediocre, however, his wrestling is top notch. He uses strong wrestling and top control to grind away at and pound away at his opponents. He is best known to casual fans for his bout against Anderson Silva, where he controlled the champion on the mat for nearly five full rounds, before being submitted in the last minute of the fight. Submission defense has always been Sonnen’s Achilles heel, as he has eight career losses by way of Submission. Sonnen enters this fight with a career record of 26-11-1.

Analysis and Prediction: A lot of people seem to be hyping a Michael Bisping upset special, but I think many gamblers are being lured by the long-shot odds currently being offered by bookies to Bisping supporters. Bisping has earned the nickname “Pillowfists” on the internet, and while I don’t necessarily agree with the criticism, it’s hard to argue as Bisping relies on cumulative damage as opposed to one-punch KO’s. Nevertheless, he will still hold the stand up edge against Sonnen whose striking game is fairly rudimentary and used only as a means to close distance and shoot for a takedown.

The question for Bisping will be how good is his takedown defense? How long can he sprawl-and-brawl and keep himself upright before Sonnen drags him to the mat. Everyone knows Sonnen’s game plan, it’s not hard to figure out, the hard thing is stopping his constant takedowns from eventually getting you to your back. Bisping must constantly change angles and stay away from Sonnen if he is going to have any chance at stealing this fight. However, I think the more likely outcome is three rounds of Sonnen takedowns followed by grinding ground and pound all the way to a clear cut devision victory. Sonnen’s submission defense is basically non-existent and there is always the chance that Bisping throws up a hail mary triangle choke from guard, but his grappling is more focussed on getting himself to his feet than searching for submissions from his back, so I think the likelihood of that happening is relatively slim. Chael Sonnen via Unanimous Decision

Main Card Bout (FOX): Light Heavyweight Bout: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis

“Sugar” Rashad Evans is a 32-year-old fighter from Niagara Falls, New York. Evans was the winner of the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighter 2 and is also a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans has a background in wrestling as he was a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Michigan State University. However, Evans has continually improved his overall game and has some extremely slick boxing skills to go along with his excellent wrestling base. Evans is a former Team Jackson fighter who after a public feud with current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (and current Greg Jackson Fighter) Jon Jones, he left the camp to join the Imperial Athletics Gym in Boca Raton, Florida. Earlier in his career Evans received a reputation as a lay and pray fighter who used wrestling to control his opponents, but could do little else. His knockout victories over Sean Salmon, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell have definitely changed that assumption. He possesses great hand speed and some of the best footwork in the Light Heavyweight division. Evans owns a professional record of 16-1-1.

Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis is a 27-year-old fighter from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Undefeated as a professional, Davis is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from the Penn State University. Now fighting out of San Diego, California he is a member of the Alliance MMA Team where he trains regularly with fights such as Dominick Cruz, Brandon Vera and Alexander Gustafsson. Davis mostly utilizes his wrestling skills to search for takedowns and top control to earn points on the judge’s scorecards. However, he has continued to improve his striking skills and has rapidly improved his submission offense from top control. Davis holds a career record of 9-0.

Analysis and Prediction: This is yet another intriguing bout and is one of the main reasons why I’m looking so forward to this weekends card, (that and the fact that it’s on free TV.) Wrestlers have a constant criticism that follows them wherever they go, that they can’t fight off of their backs and it is almost universally true. The question here will be, which fighter is more likely to impose his game plan on his opponent and actually what will each fighter’s game plan be? Let’s breakdown each fighter’s most likely path to victory.

For Phil Davis to win this fight, he’s going to need to rely on his ground game. Rashad has constantly improved his stand up game and while working with Dominick Cruz and Alexander Gustafsson is sure to have improved Davis’ skills, he’s likely still far behind Evans in terms of striking abilities. However, Evans has never really been put on his back against a strong wrestler and Davis is the superior grappler of the two men, so should the fight hit the mat with him on top it will be interesting to see what he does with it. His long limbs allow him to throw ground and pound, while still being able to control his opponents on the mat, and those limbs also allow him a strong ability to latch onto chokes while on the ground, if he can get Evans to the mat, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him snatch a submission if Evans gets careless. There is also the issue of Evans’ less-than-stellar chin. Rashad has been rocked in fights before, but that was against big name strikers like Thiago Silva, Rampage Jackson and Lyoto Machida, so while it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that Davis rocks Rashad with strikes, it’s more likely that the key to his victory comes on the ground.

Rashad Evans will likely be looking to strike. Once a feared wrestler known for his controlling lay-and-pray style, Evans has tossed that version of himself aside. Now he instead thinks of himself as the second-coming of Muhammed Ali, preferring to stand and trade with nearly all of his opponents. He will likely have the striking advantage and definitely holds the edge in hand and foot speed, so he should be able to outwork Davis in the stand up department. Davis is also a wrestler, which means he would likely fare poorly from his back. Rashad can still control fighters, look at his first two rounds against Rampage for proof, and if he executes a similar game plan against Davis, it’s unlikely that Davis has the grappling skills to catch a submission from the bottom.

Overall I think Evans just has more ways to win. I wouldn’t be surprised to see either fighter walk out of the main event with their hand raised, but Evans has more ways to accomplish that feat. If he can keep the bout standing it’s likely that he will beat Davis to the punch consistently and accumulate damage against his younger foe. On the mat, I’d give the edge to whoever ends up on top. My best guess is that Davis throws a couple of curveballs to Evans along the way, but Evans earns the Unanimous Decision nod after the dust settles. Rashad Evans via Unanimous Decision

Lee McGregor is the owner and editor-in-chief of Source4MMA.com which will be launching in early 2012.

Throwdown Phil Davis UFC on FOX 2 Odius Walkout T-Shirt


Affliction Michael Bisping UFC on FOX 2 Flag Walkout T-Shirt


TapouT Chael Sonnen UFC On Fox 2 American Gangster Walkout T-Shirt [White]


Bad Boy Demian Maia UFC On Fox 2 Walkout T-Shirt

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com

New Items Marked Down! Shop the UFC Sale at the UFC Store.

UFC on Fox T-Shirt [Red]