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The UFC returns this weekend with a card headlined by UFC Light-Heavyweight Lyoto Machida defending his title against the always dangerous Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. As usual, here is the card with my predictions.
Stefan Struve vs. Chase Gormley
I like the debuting Gormley
Razak Al-Hassan vs. Kyle Kingsbury
Al-Hassan returns from his pretty nasty armbar injury in his last fight in the UFC. Here, he takes on Coach Sean Payton's evil twin. I like Kingsbury in this fight and not just because he looks like Payton.
Rob Kimmons vs. Jorge Rivera
Kimmons
Yushin Okami vs. Chael Sonnen
Once again, the man that many feel should have gotten a title shot long ago against Anderson Silva is relegated to the prelims. Okami doesn't have the awe-inspiring crowd pleasing offensive attack that many like to see. He is a very sound and good fighter which sadly keeps him on the undercards. I like his chances here against Sonnen. I think Okami wins yet again.
Antoni Hardonk vs. Patrick Barry
Two very good kickboxers with brutal legkicks collide in this fight. Hardonk will have the size advantage here, but I like Barry to win this fight. I think his speed will be too much for Hardonk who doesn't have the ground skills to do much of anything if the fight gets dicey on the feet. I will take New Orleans native Pat Barry in this fight and pray that he does the Techno Viking on his way to the ring.
Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer
Interesting fight. Bader looked less than spectacular in his last fight inside the octagon. Granted, he did injure his knee in that fight. He is taking on a fighter with very good jj skills in Schafer. I think Bader tries to do what he does best and sticks to his wrestling. His sub-defense will be tested. I think though, that Bader will be able to control Schafer long enough to get a dec win.
Spencer Fisher vs. Joe Stevenson
Interesting fight. I don't think I have ever seen a boring SPencer Fisher fight. I think his hopes in this fight depends on if Stevenson remembers that he can use good wrestling to keep Fisher off the feet. Stevenson has shown that he likes to stand and bang, which could get him in trouble in this fight. I think he should fight a smart fight and keep Fisher down on the mat. If he does that and doesn't want to get his face punched many many times, he will win a dec. Stevenson via Dec.
Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
I like Johnson in this fight. His reach and power should be enough to keep Yoshida from using his judo in this fight. I like Johnson via ko.
Josh Neer vs. Gleison Tibau
I like Neer in this fight. I have a hunch that he is going to be too much for Tibau. I think Tibau works from the top early and often but I just think that Neer will catch him with something in round two. Neer via tko.
Ben Rothwell vs. Cain Velasquez
Interesting fight. I haven't picked Rothwell to win a fight since I saw the video of him fighting a very fat kid that believed he could win an MMA fight with WWE moves. Granted, he was a very young fighter at the time and was trying to make money and the fat kid pretty much asked for it. The video is pretty easy to find on Youtube and one last thing, Jeremy Horn was the ref of the fight.
Back on subject, I like Velasquez in this fight. I think he should fight smart and use his wrestling to wear down Big Ben. Velasquez is the better wrestler and I expect him to be able to use that wrestling in this fight to take a Unanimous dec victory.
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua
I am pumped for this fight. Rua finally gets the title figth that I thought he would get when he first came into the UFC. Injuries and time off were rough to him. Now, he gets to take on a man that is very hard to figure out.
Machida has been almost untouchable in all his fights. The most danger I remember him in was a triangle against Tito Ortiz. His standup style has been very hard for all his opponents. The man is so good at what he does it is like watching an artist paint a masterpiece (still can't believe I used that line) But it is true, he is a master of his style of fighting and every opponent he has faced has been unable to figure it out.
Here, he faces a very dangerous opponent. At one time, Rua was considered the best Light-Heavy in the world. He had dangerous striking and an almost deadlier ground game. I think because of his all out style, people forget that Rua is very dangerous on the ground.
We have a fight that is very intriguing. Will Rua display his typical aggressive fight style? Will he fight a more conservative fight and try to get Machida down? Will he be able to Solve Machida's striking and karate?
I think that Machida is at the top of his game right now. His style is amazing and he is so good at imposing it on everyone he has faced. As much as I like Rua, who is without a doubt one of my favorite fighters, I think Machida will be too much for him. I think this fight goes into at least the fourth round. I think Machida will wear Rua down and get a stoppage victory in the late fourth early fifth round.
Well, there it is. Let's hear yours.
On a side note, my wife and I found out that we will be having a girl. Our first child is due in early March. I won't have a fighter, just yet.
Stefan Struve vs. Chase Gormley
I like the debuting Gormley
Razak Al-Hassan vs. Kyle Kingsbury
Al-Hassan returns from his pretty nasty armbar injury in his last fight in the UFC. Here, he takes on Coach Sean Payton's evil twin. I like Kingsbury in this fight and not just because he looks like Payton.
Rob Kimmons vs. Jorge Rivera
Kimmons
Yushin Okami vs. Chael Sonnen
Once again, the man that many feel should have gotten a title shot long ago against Anderson Silva is relegated to the prelims. Okami doesn't have the awe-inspiring crowd pleasing offensive attack that many like to see. He is a very sound and good fighter which sadly keeps him on the undercards. I like his chances here against Sonnen. I think Okami wins yet again.
Antoni Hardonk vs. Patrick Barry
Two very good kickboxers with brutal legkicks collide in this fight. Hardonk will have the size advantage here, but I like Barry to win this fight. I think his speed will be too much for Hardonk who doesn't have the ground skills to do much of anything if the fight gets dicey on the feet. I will take New Orleans native Pat Barry in this fight and pray that he does the Techno Viking on his way to the ring.
Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer
Interesting fight. Bader looked less than spectacular in his last fight inside the octagon. Granted, he did injure his knee in that fight. He is taking on a fighter with very good jj skills in Schafer. I think Bader tries to do what he does best and sticks to his wrestling. His sub-defense will be tested. I think though, that Bader will be able to control Schafer long enough to get a dec win.
Spencer Fisher vs. Joe Stevenson
Interesting fight. I don't think I have ever seen a boring SPencer Fisher fight. I think his hopes in this fight depends on if Stevenson remembers that he can use good wrestling to keep Fisher off the feet. Stevenson has shown that he likes to stand and bang, which could get him in trouble in this fight. I think he should fight a smart fight and keep Fisher down on the mat. If he does that and doesn't want to get his face punched many many times, he will win a dec. Stevenson via Dec.
Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
I like Johnson in this fight. His reach and power should be enough to keep Yoshida from using his judo in this fight. I like Johnson via ko.
Josh Neer vs. Gleison Tibau
I like Neer in this fight. I have a hunch that he is going to be too much for Tibau. I think Tibau works from the top early and often but I just think that Neer will catch him with something in round two. Neer via tko.
Ben Rothwell vs. Cain Velasquez
Interesting fight. I haven't picked Rothwell to win a fight since I saw the video of him fighting a very fat kid that believed he could win an MMA fight with WWE moves. Granted, he was a very young fighter at the time and was trying to make money and the fat kid pretty much asked for it. The video is pretty easy to find on Youtube and one last thing, Jeremy Horn was the ref of the fight.
Back on subject, I like Velasquez in this fight. I think he should fight smart and use his wrestling to wear down Big Ben. Velasquez is the better wrestler and I expect him to be able to use that wrestling in this fight to take a Unanimous dec victory.
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua
I am pumped for this fight. Rua finally gets the title figth that I thought he would get when he first came into the UFC. Injuries and time off were rough to him. Now, he gets to take on a man that is very hard to figure out.
Machida has been almost untouchable in all his fights. The most danger I remember him in was a triangle against Tito Ortiz. His standup style has been very hard for all his opponents. The man is so good at what he does it is like watching an artist paint a masterpiece (still can't believe I used that line) But it is true, he is a master of his style of fighting and every opponent he has faced has been unable to figure it out.
Here, he faces a very dangerous opponent. At one time, Rua was considered the best Light-Heavy in the world. He had dangerous striking and an almost deadlier ground game. I think because of his all out style, people forget that Rua is very dangerous on the ground.
We have a fight that is very intriguing. Will Rua display his typical aggressive fight style? Will he fight a more conservative fight and try to get Machida down? Will he be able to Solve Machida's striking and karate?
I think that Machida is at the top of his game right now. His style is amazing and he is so good at imposing it on everyone he has faced. As much as I like Rua, who is without a doubt one of my favorite fighters, I think Machida will be too much for him. I think this fight goes into at least the fourth round. I think Machida will wear Rua down and get a stoppage victory in the late fourth early fifth round.
Well, there it is. Let's hear yours.
On a side note, my wife and I found out that we will be having a girl. Our first child is due in early March. I won't have a fighter, just yet.