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Well,it's back this weekend. The UFC returns to PPV with an interim lightweight title fight between one of my favorite fighters in BJ Penn taking on Joe "Daddy" Stevenson. This will be the start of three UFC events that are very close.
Here is my typical rundown and picks that are sure to turn out completely wrong.
Per Eklund Vs. Sam Stout:
Stout is a tough fight for anyone. He is coming off of a tough loss to Spencer Fisher. He is very good on the feet, but he has problems on the ground. Eklund is a Swedish fighter making his UFc debut. He has fought some tough competition in losing to Tatsuya Kawajiri. As usual, I think that the debuting fighter will be somewhat overwhelmed. I see Stout ending this one on the feet.
James Lee Vs. Alessio Sakara:
Lee is also making his UFC debut, but he has fought on the big stage before, defesting Travis Wiuff in Prides second foray into the US. Sakara, to me has been a huge disappointment. He has been hyped as having great boxing skills, but I haven't been impressed by anything I have never seen before. I think Lee makes a good debut with a win against a fighter that I don't see coming back to the UFC for some time.
Paul Kelly Vs. Paul Taylor
Taylor fought well in his last loss to Marcus Davis. I expect him to get back on track with a win against Kelly
Antoni Hardonk Vs. Colin Robinson
Hardonk had a less than stellar UFC debut. Same goes with Robinson. I would like to see Hardonks kickboxing skills that I have heard about, but if Robinson is smart, he won't let that happen. Hardonk is like a fish out of water on the ground and I expect Robinson to take him down and grind out a dec win.
Jorge Rivera Vs. Kendall Grove
I don't like and will never like Grove, therefore I wil never pick him to win. There is something about him that I just can't stand. I hope Rivera wins and I will continue to pick against Grove. Rivera wins.
Wilson Gouveia Vs. Jason Lambert
I think this will be a good fight. I think that Lambert will try to get the takedown and look to ground and pound his way to a dec and I think that this is how this fight will end up. I see Lambert taking this one via Dec
Jess Liaudin Vs. Marcus Davis
Guys like Griffin, Bonnar Stevenson and Guillard have been getting most of the spotlight after leaving TUF, but if there is one fighter that has been very good since appearing on the show, it is Marcus Davis. The man is on a tear and has been getting better and better with each fight. I think he continues his winnig ways.
Gabriel Gonzaga Vs. Fabricio Werdum
This is a rematch between to fighters that are each coming off of losses. Werdum has beaten some very good fighters, the same goes for Gonzaga. These two last met in 2003 when Werdum got the win via TKO. I think Gonzaga has improved leaps and bounds. I see him revenging his loss and getting back into the swing of things in the Heavyweight division.
MAIN EVENT for the LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
BJ Penn vs Joe Stevenson
This fight is happening due to Sean Sherks steroid battle. I think this was a good pick for an interim title fight. Looking at the matchup, I try to look at different aspects of a fight and run them through my mind. In each category, I see Penn as the better fighter. Stevenson is good on the ground, but he is no BJ Penn. On the feet, I think Penn is better. I see no reason that an in shape BJ Penn loses to Stevenson. Word is that Penn is training as hard as ever and I think he will get the win which will set up a Champ vs Champ fight against Sean sherk.
So on the 23rd, we have fight night headlined with Mike Swick against Josh Burkman, then we have UFC 81 on Feb 2nd featuring a loan awaited Pride vs UFC title fight in Time Sylvia vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira as well as former WWE star Brock Lesnar against Frank Mir. More on those cards a little later, but until then lets hear you thoughts.
Here is my typical rundown and picks that are sure to turn out completely wrong.
Per Eklund Vs. Sam Stout:
Stout is a tough fight for anyone. He is coming off of a tough loss to Spencer Fisher. He is very good on the feet, but he has problems on the ground. Eklund is a Swedish fighter making his UFc debut. He has fought some tough competition in losing to Tatsuya Kawajiri. As usual, I think that the debuting fighter will be somewhat overwhelmed. I see Stout ending this one on the feet.
James Lee Vs. Alessio Sakara:
Lee is also making his UFC debut, but he has fought on the big stage before, defesting Travis Wiuff in Prides second foray into the US. Sakara, to me has been a huge disappointment. He has been hyped as having great boxing skills, but I haven't been impressed by anything I have never seen before. I think Lee makes a good debut with a win against a fighter that I don't see coming back to the UFC for some time.
Paul Kelly Vs. Paul Taylor
Taylor fought well in his last loss to Marcus Davis. I expect him to get back on track with a win against Kelly
Antoni Hardonk Vs. Colin Robinson
Hardonk had a less than stellar UFC debut. Same goes with Robinson. I would like to see Hardonks kickboxing skills that I have heard about, but if Robinson is smart, he won't let that happen. Hardonk is like a fish out of water on the ground and I expect Robinson to take him down and grind out a dec win.
Jorge Rivera Vs. Kendall Grove
I don't like and will never like Grove, therefore I wil never pick him to win. There is something about him that I just can't stand. I hope Rivera wins and I will continue to pick against Grove. Rivera wins.
Wilson Gouveia Vs. Jason Lambert
I think this will be a good fight. I think that Lambert will try to get the takedown and look to ground and pound his way to a dec and I think that this is how this fight will end up. I see Lambert taking this one via Dec
Jess Liaudin Vs. Marcus Davis
Guys like Griffin, Bonnar Stevenson and Guillard have been getting most of the spotlight after leaving TUF, but if there is one fighter that has been very good since appearing on the show, it is Marcus Davis. The man is on a tear and has been getting better and better with each fight. I think he continues his winnig ways.
Gabriel Gonzaga Vs. Fabricio Werdum
This is a rematch between to fighters that are each coming off of losses. Werdum has beaten some very good fighters, the same goes for Gonzaga. These two last met in 2003 when Werdum got the win via TKO. I think Gonzaga has improved leaps and bounds. I see him revenging his loss and getting back into the swing of things in the Heavyweight division.
MAIN EVENT for the LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
BJ Penn vs Joe Stevenson
This fight is happening due to Sean Sherks steroid battle. I think this was a good pick for an interim title fight. Looking at the matchup, I try to look at different aspects of a fight and run them through my mind. In each category, I see Penn as the better fighter. Stevenson is good on the ground, but he is no BJ Penn. On the feet, I think Penn is better. I see no reason that an in shape BJ Penn loses to Stevenson. Word is that Penn is training as hard as ever and I think he will get the win which will set up a Champ vs Champ fight against Sean sherk.
So on the 23rd, we have fight night headlined with Mike Swick against Josh Burkman, then we have UFC 81 on Feb 2nd featuring a loan awaited Pride vs UFC title fight in Time Sylvia vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira as well as former WWE star Brock Lesnar against Frank Mir. More on those cards a little later, but until then lets hear you thoughts.
