Author: By Damon Martin

The undercard for the upcoming UFC on FX 8 show in Brazil will feature several local fighters looking to make an impact as their families and friends watch close by. There will be more than a few Americans hoping to play spoiler however when they travel to South America for Saturday night’s card.Today we check out the preliminary action, where a number of the fights are so close to call that the difference between winning and losing in the upcoming UFC Pick ‘Em game literally comes down to a few key matchups.1)    Hacran Dias has some very good takedowns – unfortunately, Nik Len … Read the Full Article Here

This weekend at UFC 159, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has a chance to tie Tito Ortiz for the most consecutive title defenses in promotional history at 205 pounds, but he has to get by former middleweight contender Chael Sonnen to do it.

Sonnen will compete for a title in his second straight bout while he seeks to unseat Jones from the top spot in the division.

In addition to the main event, there are several very intriguing bouts on the main card, including a heavyweight bout with fireworks written all over it when Roy Nelson takes on Cheick Kongo and submission ace Vinny Magalhaes battles former NCAA champion Phil Davis.

Today we will take a look at some of the key matchups on the main card for the UFC Pick ‘Em game surrounding UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen.

1)    Jon Jones has earned his spot as the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet and he’s a bad man. Outside of a couple of punches landed by former titleholder Lyoto Machida and an armbar attempt from Vitor Belfort, Jones has looked virtually unstoppable during his entire reign as champion. Looking specifically at the matchup with Sonnen there’s one statistic that will probably come to the forefront in the opening moments of the fight—Jon Jones has never been taken down in the UFC. None. Zero. Zilch. His opponent is a wrestler who takes down almost everybody at will. Can Sonnen take Jones down? Well the smart money is not likely given Jones’ long reach and a wrestling background of his own. Add to that Jones’ uncanny ability to finish from anywhere and the safe bet lands on the champion putting Sonnen away sometime in the first three rounds.

2)    Roy Nelson is a headhunter and he’s deadly with his aim. The former Ultimate Fighter winner lands a remarkable 85.1 percent of his strikes to the head and he’s got the knockouts to prove he’s connecting with power on those shots as well. Nelson has knocked out Brendan Schaub, Stefan Struve, Mirko Cro Cop, Dave Herman and Matt Mitrione since coming to the UFC and he could add Kongo to that list this weekend. Kongo’s best chance to control Nelson comes from the clinch, where he’s landed more strikes than any fighter in UFC history. Still, Kongo has been on the wrong end of a few knockouts in his career, including a defeat to Mark Hunt – who has a frame and power similar to Nelson. It’s obviously a different fight, but if Nelson connects early it could be goodnight for the Frenchman.

3)    The smart money at UFC 159 probably lands on light heavyweight Phil Davis when he meets former Ultimate Fighter finalist Vinny Magalhaes on Saturday night. An NCAA champion in wrestling, Davis has put every single opponent he’s faced in the UFC on their back at some point, and he may have some of the most explosive takedowns in the business. In this fight however he may become the anti-wrestler because when facing a jiu-jitsu artist like Magalhaes, the ground could be a bad place to land. Magalhaes is a multi-time submission grappling champion and will look for the finish any time an opponent allows him to grab a hold of a limb. Now, Davis has only allowed one serious submission attempt during his UFC career, but if there’s a fighter that will test it again, Magalhaes is the man for the job. Magalhaes also earns 175 points as an underdog, so it may be worth keeping an eye on him for Saturday night.

4)    One does not simply beat Jim Miller in the UFC. The New Jersey native has lost three times since coming to the UFC. Those losses have come to Benson Henderson (current champion), Gray Maynard (current top contender) and Nate Diaz (fought for the title in 2012). What does that tell you? Miller feasts on fighters trying to earn their name off of him. He’s beaten every single contender that’s stepped in his way outside of those three fights and he’ll look to do the same when Strikeforce transfer Pat Healy steps into the cage on Saturday night. Miller is the definition of blue collar in the Octagon—relentless with takedowns (put nine out of 12 opponents on their backs when he’s attempted to take them down), he’s a submission machine (second most submission attempts in UFC history) and his striking comes in bunches and he never slows down. Healy is a tough customer and his one loss at lightweight comes by submission to Josh Thomson in a fight he was controlling through two rounds. Look for this one to go to a decision, but with Miller coming out on top.

Before Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen and the rest of the main card at UFC 159 get underway this Saturday night, there are several great fights on the undercard, including a showdown between two former Ultimate Fighter teammates.

Johnny Bedford will meet fellow former Team Mayhem fighter Bryan Caraway this weekend in New Jersey, while numerous top prospects will try to make their impacts felt when they compete in the Octagon.

There are several debuting fighters, including a slew of Strikeforce transfers looking to make a good first impression on UFC president Dana White and matchmaker Joe Silva.

Who is favored to win? More importantly who will get you the most points in the UFC 159 UFC Pick ‘Em game this weekend? Let’s take a look:

1)    Johnny Bedford will face late replacement Bryan Caraway at UFC 159 after an injury forced original opponent Erik Perez out of the fight. It’s never an enviable position for a fighter to be in taking a fight on literally five days’ notice, but that’s what Caraway did. Short notice fighters are always at a bit of a disadvantage, so Caraway will earn you an extra 50 points if you pick him and he comes through, but that’s a tough prospect with this matchup. Bedford has had a full training camp to prepare, he knows Caraway from their time training together during the Ultimate Fighter, and he’s a nasty finisher. Since exiting the show, Bedford has knocked out both of his opponents. Caraway will probably look to get this fight to the ground with his tremendous wrestling base, but taking the fight on just a few days’ notice and cutting down to 135 pounds could take its toll. Bedford will make Caraway work for everything he gets, and by the late second or early third round he will look to put him away.

2)    Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann will look to make an impact in her first fight in the UFC when she takes on blitzing striker Sheila Gaff. This fight really is the classic “striker vs. grappler” showdown, with Gaff bringing the heat on the feet and McMann a medalist in wrestling in the Olympics. McMann should have the chance to continue her climb up the ranks this weekend because beyond her grappling pedigree, she’s also going to have a size advantage in this one. Gaff has competed many times in the past at 125 pounds, and she’ll be giving up considerable size and skill on the mat with a wrestler the likes of McMann. There’s an extra 40 points up for grabs in this fight because both are debuting fighters, but McMann is the one on the fast track towards title contention in the next year.

3)    Rustam Khabilov is a star on the rise in the UFC’s lightweight division. A multi-time Russian Sambo champion, Khabilov now studies under the tutelage of famed trainer Greg Jackson and his team in New Mexico. His UFC debut was nothing short of breathtaking, as he leveled Vinc Pichel with a suplex before finishing the fight with strikes. This go round he’ll take on UFC newcomer Yancy Medieros. Now Medeiros is no pushover, and he comes into the fight with a perfect 9-0 record as a prospect. He’s got a tall order in front of him in this fight however, facing a machine like Khabilov. Medeiros is primarily a striker who likes to stand and bang with opponents, and while Khabilov is not opposed to that method of attack either, his sambo background means he can take this one to the ground as well. He’s a powerful young lightweight to watch once he makes it to the main card and beyond. Khabilov should take that next step at UFC 159.

4)    The fight that will kick off the UFC 159 card features featherweights Steven Siler and Kurt Holobaugh. Both fighters are coming off losses where they faced big, physically gifted wrestlers who held them down for the better part of 15 minutes. Expect both fighters to launch into this fight like a Jack in the Box being let loose off its spring. Holobaugh is a solid young prospect and with debuting points on his side it might be worth the risk to make this pick. Still, the bigger picture lands an extra 120 points for picking correctly in this one because it’s a close matchup and the odds favor Siler slightly as the Octagon veteran. Siler has faced some stiff competition in his UFC career, and he’s most dangerous when an opponent doesn’t see him coming. This could be a great showcase fight to kick off the card, but Siler should come out on top.

The UFC will return to FOX this Saturday night with one of most anticipated cards of the year taking place, as lightweight champion Benson Henderson battles the last ever Strikeforce lightweight champ, Gilbert Melendez, in the main event.

The entire main card is actually comprised of the UFC’s best taking on the brightest stars that once competed under the Strikeforce banner, and it’s created some very interesting matchups.
With four fights happening on the televised portion of the show, for today’s UFC Pick ‘Em Fantasy Game breakdown we look at the key elements that could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

1)    Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez are champions, and going five rounds is nothing new to either of these fighters. With this fight serving as the main event and a title fight, 150 extra points are up for grabs to get this one correct. But in addition to who wins, it’s how they win that could play a crucial role in this fight. Henderson has the longest average fight time in UFC history, and loves to drag his opponents into deep water late into the fourth and fifth rounds. His average fight lasts 20 minutes and he’s got the cardio to go even longer. Add to that the fact that Melendez has never been finished through 23 fights in his career, and it would seem this title bout could easily be a war of attrition for five full rounds.

2)    In terms of the fight pick for this one, Henderson has been on an incredible run of late, taking on the best of the best at lightweight. He defeated former champion Frankie Edgar twice and put on a stellar performance to beat Nate Diaz last December. Melendez is a champion coming into this fight with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove however. He’s been out for almost a year, which never bodes well for a fighter, but he knows this is the chance he’s been waiting for years to finally get and now it’s here. Henderson is going to be the popular pick and he should be, given his championship pedigree and how he’s put together the longest active winning streak in the UFC’s lightweight division at six victories. Melendez does possess great takedown defense (stops 76.7-percent of takedowns), which could negate one of Henderson’s biggest strengths. If Melendez can stop Henderson’s wrestling, he could put together the kind of striking to walk home with the UFC lightweight title. It will be a short walk too because Melendez trains a short time away in the San Francisco Bay Area, which means he may have the hometown crowd on his side as well.

3)    Stylistically, Daniel Cormier could give Frank Mir fits. The former Olympian will make his UFC debut against a legendary UFC heavyweight, and he has all the tools to make quite the debut. On day one in the UFC, Cormier may already be the best wrestler in the sport. Add to that through every fight he ever had in his career, Cormier has never, ever been taken down. On the feet, Cormier is a power puncher that will remind fans of his teammate and current UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez in many ways. Mir moved his training camp this time around to work with famed coach Greg Jackson, but it might not be enough. Throughout his career he’s struggled with big, physically strong wrestlers like former champion Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. Cormier is very similar, and if Mir can’t find a way to drag this to the mat early, he might find himself asleep by the end of the first round. Also, Mir’s six career losses have all come by knockout or TKO. Not a good spot to be in against a power puncher like Cormier.

4)    Josh Thomson returns to the UFC this weekend and he’s got a tough test in former title contender Nate Diaz. One weapon Thomson has on his side however is his wrestling, and that could give Diaz fits in this fight. Thomson has the third most takedowns in Strikeforce history and the most submission attempts as well. Now it’s not likely he’ll sink in a fight-ending hold on a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt like Diaz, but Thomson has the ability to put him on his back and keep him there. Diaz has struggled with wrestlers in the past, losing decisions to Benson Henderson, Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson. The common theme? When they wanted to take Diaz to the mat they did, and he struggled to get up from the bottom. If Thomson employs a similar strategy, he could put Diaz on his butt for the better part of 15 minutes.

UFC on FOX 7 goes down on Saturday night and there are several undercard bouts that could steal the show with a bevy of former title contenders all looking to jump back into the championship picture.

Top ranked featherweight Chad Mendes draws his third replacement opponent in a row when he takes on Darren Elkins in the featured bout on the FX prelims, while former flyweight title challenger Joseph Benavidez looks to lock down another title shot when he faces grappling expert Darren Uyenoyama.

With so much action going down before the main card even starts, today we’ll take a look at the preliminary fights and what UFC Pick ‘Em Fantasy Game players should be aware of this weekend.

1)    Chad Mendes has developed some great striking, but never forget his wrestling roots. In his last two fights, Mendes has shown off his hands more than ever before, landing two quick knockouts in a row. He may get to use them again this time around because his opponent Darren Elkins is also an experienced wrestler, but don’t think that means Mendes won’t look for the shot. In his career, Mendes has a 57-percent success rate with his takedowns and he’s relentless when he’s looking to go to the mat. While Elkins comes back with a 39-percent takedown accuracy, he puts that up against the fact that any time an opponent has tried to take Mendes down, they’ve failed. Yep, Mendes has 100-percent accuracy stopping opponents’ takedowns, so it’s likely if this fight hits the mat it’s because Mendes wanted it there. Elkins also takes this fight just a month after his last fight (although that was a quick KO victory), but Mendes has been preparing for months after his originally scheduled fight at UFC 157 had to be cancelled when his opponent was injured. Mendes is ready and chomping at the bit to get in there and fight and the numbers are in his corner to come away with a victory in this one.

2)    It’s another matchup of wrestlers when two former Ultimate Fighter cast members – Ramsey Nijem and Myles Jury – square off. Both fighters are known for their grappling, but since dropping to 155 pounds, Nijem has looked like a force to be reckoned with. His power didn’t diminish one ounce since moving from welterweight to lightweight, and he recently left his former job working as a bouncer in a bar to start training full-time. Nijem’s takedowns land at 52-percent accuracy, which is just slightly higher than Jury’s rate, but he’s got power to back up his wrestling, which could be the difference in this one. Look for Nijem to block the takedowns from Jury and put him on his back instead. These two have also combined for three decisions out of their last four fights combined, so it’s likely this one could see the judges’ scorecards.

3)    Once upon a time, UFC flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez said he eats Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts for breakfast. He wasn’t lying about that fact either. Throughout his career, Benavidez has faced some of the best grapplers in the UFC/WEC and he’s gone through them all. He’s submitted black belts like Miguel Torres and Wagnney Fabiano, and also holds wins over Jeff Curran and Rani Yahya. That fact doesn’t help Uyenoyama, who is a noted grappling expert. Now there’s a first time for anything, but Benavidez has a tendency of beating guys just like Uyenoyama, and it’s likely he’ll do the same thing at UFC on FOX 7. Benavidez’s movement on the feet is slick and fast, and when he attacks, he lands with power. He’s also not afraid of a submission artist’s best weapons and Benavidez will typically come back with some of his own should the fight hit the ground. Benavidez is a decided favorite, so the key might be whether or not he finishes. On that note, Benavidez has put away three of the four grappling aces he’s faced over the last four years and he could very well add Uyenoyama to that list on Saturday.

4)    Tim Means and Jorge Masvidal are going to bang and it’s probably going to get crazy. These two lightweights are both fans of standing and trading and this could be an early candidate for Fight of the Night. Means is ultra tall for lightweight, standing 6’2″ tall and in many ways he fights in a similar nature to that of former interim UFC champion Carlos Condit. It stands to reason because Means trains under the same man (Tom Vaughn) that brought up Condit all the way to his time as WEC welterweight champion. Means is a rangy, long fighter who currently boasts perfect takedown defense in his UFC career, and he can land from anywhere in the cage. Masvidal is no joke however, and he has a 77-percent defense rate on his feet, so he doesn’t get hit often. Means is the pick here because he’s a hot prospect on the rise, and if he can keep Masvidal at distance he’s as nasty as they come at 155 pounds. Don’t expect Masvidal to fade away or just let Means get a knockout bonus however, so this one could literally be a three round war.

The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen came to a close Tuesday night, and now several of the cast members have been announced for the finale show in Las Vegas this Saturday.

Included on that list, of course, is the final fight pitting Team Sonnen’s Uriah Hall against teammate Kelvin Gastelum as they look to crown the latest winner in the long running reality show’s history.

The finale will also showcase a number of fighters from the cast back in action against their former housemates, while a former Ultimate Fighter cast member (Bristol Marunde) also gets another shot in the Octagon.

Let’s look at the key points of focus for the latest addition of the UFC Fantasy Pick ‘Em game, focusing specifically on the new matchups announced:

1) Uriah Hall is as good as advertised, but don’t sleep on Kelvin Gastelum. During this season of the reality show, Hall was portrayed (and rightly so) as one of the most talented and devastating fighters ever to walk into the Ultimate Fighter gym. His spinning back kick knockout over Adam Cella likely ranks as the greatest in the show’s history. Hall also managed to finish off Bubba McDaniel and Dylan Andrews on his way to the finals. One thing that Hall hasn’t faced yet however is a wrestler like Kelvin Gastelum. An underdog since day one, Gastelum is a tenacious grappler with serious power in his hands. He won’t be underestimated this time because Hall trained with Gastelum everyday while part of Team Sonnen. Still, Gastelum’s boxing mixed with wrestling is the perfect kryptonite to Hall’s flashy, dynamic striking. Hall is the favorite here and will be a very popular pick, but Gastelum has the makeup to pull off the upset.

2) Two early favorites on the show square off when Bubba McDaniel meets Gilbert Smith. McDaniel actually had two different chances to advance in the tournament, but fell short both times (ironically against the two fighters who are now in the finals). Meanwhile, Smith couldn’t deal with the reach of Luke Barnatt, and his cardio seemed to backfire as well. This time around, McDaniel is back home working with his team under Greg Jackson’s tutelage and he still has the potential to be a solid UFC middleweight. McDaniel is very well rounded, with solid standup and quick submissions on the ground. Having his own coaching staff and teammates around full-time will probably lend to his success as well. Smith is still a little green, and while his wrestling and grappling are top notch, he might be a little raw yet for this fight.

3) Like him or not Josh Samman is for real. During this season of the show, Samman was definitely one of the louder and more boastful fighters to appear. He was routinely called “cocky,” and until he got submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in the semifinals, he backed up every word of it. Samman is a gritty fighter with good striking and the ability to recover from bad situations on the ground. While he did get bested on the ground by Gastelum, that came only one fight after he handled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Jimmy Quinlan on the mat. His opponent this time around is Kevin Casey, who is also well versed in submissions. Casey was a favorite going into the show, but failed to unleash any serious threats during his two chances to advance in the tournament. In this fight, he’s going to have to put Samman away early, because as the fight wears on it will fall more and more into his opponent’s favor. Look for Samman to take advantage especially if the bout drifts into round two or three.

4) Dylan Andrews was one of the best surprises on the show this season, going from the last pick overall to making the semifinals against Uriah Hall. Andrews was able to showcase his striking in what likely was the best fight of the season against Luke Barnatt, and he does have some wrestling in his back pocket as well. The matchup he received at the finale did him no favors however. He faces grappling guru Jimmy Quinlan, and it could mean trouble for the Kiwi. Quinlan was a superb wrestler in high school and college and he added to that with his jiu-jitsu pedigree as well. His boxing still has a ways to go, but he’s similar in his attacks to that of UFC middleweight contender Chris Weidman. He can use his hands to set up his forceful takedowns and it could mean a rough night for Andrews. Look for Quinlan to put Andrews down and work for submissions quickly in the first round.