Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Check out the Bloody Elbow staff’s picks and predictions for Saturday’s UFC VEGAS 12: ‘HALL VS SILVA’ card.
The Bloody Elbow team has made its predictions for UFC VEGAS 12 on ESPN+, and only Tim Bissell believes Anderson Silva will (potentially) end his UFC career on a high note by beating Uriah Hall. He’s also the only one to pick Andre Fili over Bryce Mitchell in the co-main. Hmm… hang on a minute… Tim Bissell has engaged in a serious commitment to contrarianism unlike anything I’ve ever seen. At least not since Tim Burke’s absurd Strikeforce: Oklahoma City display back in 2013.
Mookie Alexander: Maybe this fight gives us flashes of vintage Spider like the Adesanya fight did. Or we get a staring contest between two counterstrikers and there’s an ugly split decision ahead. Or Silva’s leg gives out on him again. Uriah Hall by unanimous decision.
Zane Simon: Few fighters command so much in-cage reverence of their opponents as Anderson Silva seems to get. With the exception of Chris Weidman and Jared Cannonier everyone who has fought the ‘Spider’ seems to treat it as more of a once in a lifetime honor than a fight they really need, or even want, to win. At one point that would almost certainly have been enough to beat Uriah Hall, who seems exactly like the kind of guy who would get wrapped up in the moment. But the current iteration of Silva is beyond passive. All the feints, all the misdirection, all the classic Silva clowning is there, but the venom rarely comes behind it. When he does step in to make something happen, more often than not he’s the one getting cracked. I expect Hall will give Silva lots of time and space to have a fun, enjoyable fight to watch. Something along the lines of Silva’s bouts with Adesanya and Nick Diaz, but end of the day, I just can’t trust Silva to win rounds anymore. Uriah Hall via decision.
Staff picking Hall: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Phil, Stephie
Staff picking Silva: Bissell
Andre Fili vs. Bryce Mitchell
Mookie Alexander: This is a great fight. Fili is clearly the better striker and an underrated offensive wrestler, but he’s dealing with a specialist who is absolutely good enough to outgrapple him and making his day miserable. In many ways this is pretty much a stylistic clash, but I think we have to acknowledge that Mitchell will likely wear camouflage in the cage so Fili may literally be unable to find him. Bryce Mitchell by unanimous decision.
Zane Simon: This fight will tell us a whole hell of a lot about Bryce Mitchell’s immediate potential in the featherweight division. Andre Fili is a capable, consistent, and durable fighter everywhere. He can push a busy pace as a striker, either going forwards or backwards. He can hit some nice takedowns to change momentum when he needs to. And he’s generally been solid in the scrambles, with submissions coming more off single opportunistic moments than prolonged ground battles. He certainly should be capable of pushing the pace with Mitchell and potentially keeping this standing. But, I just don’t think he will. While his striking has improved a lot, Fili is still very hittable, especially when he’s stepping into the pocket. And more and more, his wrestling has been a way of slowing down good strikers. That said, it’s much more likely that Mitchell rushes him and tries to take him down. Can Fili avoid a messy fight? Can he fight a clean, technical out-game for three rounds? I think Mitchell is just too dangerous. Bryce Mitchell by submission.
Staff picking Fili: Bissell
Staff picking Mitchell: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Phil, Stephie
Kevin Holland vs. Charlie Ontiveros
Mookie Alexander: Late replacement against even later replacement. This will be a squash match. Kevin Holland by TKO, round 1.
Staff picking Holland: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Phil, Stephie
Staff picking Ontiveros: Bissell
Maurice Greene vs. Greg Hardy
Mookie Alexander: It’d be funny is Greene subbed Hardy with a triangle choke but more likely this is a horrible range kickboxing match. Also lol at Hardy almost missing weight. Greg Hardy by unanimous decision.
Zane Simon: Hardy seems like he’s just a little harder to shut down as a persistent rangy striker. Greg Hardy by decision.
Staff picking Hardy: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Phil, Stephie
Staff picking Greene: Bissell
Bobby Green vs. Thiago Moises
Mookie Alexander: This should look a lot like the Michael Johnson fight except Bobby Green does not have Johnson’s unique ability to throw fights away. Green looks better than ever and if he wanted to grapple with Moises it wouldn’t be a death sentence. Moises is going to be thoroughly outclassed on the feet from start to finish. Bobby Green by unanimous decision.
Zane Simon: Moises caught a hail mary sub on Michael Johnson last time out, but up until that point he was getting absolutely eaten alive on the feet. And while Bobby Green doesn’t always press the action in his fights, he’s no Johnson when it comes to self destructing. Green’s always been an impossibly difficult fighter to out-grapple. And if he can keep his output up the way he has lately, he’ll probably have a pretty clear path to a decision win. Bobby Green by decision.
Staff picking Green: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Phil, Stephie
Staff picking Moises: Bissell
Adrian Yanez vs. Victor Rodriguez
Mookie Alexander: Vic is going to ban the shit out of Adrian Yanez! Rule 4 up in this MF! (Note: Yanez is going to win). Adrian Yanez by KO, round 1.
Zane Simon: Vic apparently saw Eddie Mercado out getting all that love for his pro debut and decided to do him one better. You really gonna let this fool get to the UFC before you, Eddie? Adrian Yanez via KO, round 1.
Tim Bissell: No one is giving our man a chance! I believe in you bud. Victor Rodriguez by technical submission (Peruvian necktie), round 1.
Staff picking Yanez: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Stephie
Staff picking Rodriguez: Bissell, Phil
Rest of the card
Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Alexander Hernandez
Staff picking Gruetzemacher: Bissell
Staff picking Hernandez: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Phil, Stephie
Sean Strickland vs. Jack Marshman
Staff picking Strickland: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Phil, Stephie
Staff picking Marshman: Bissell
Cole Williams vs. Jason Witt
Staff picking Williams: Zane, Mookie, Bissell, Phil, Stephie
Staff picking Witt: Dayne
Dustin Jacoby vs. Justin Ledet
Staff picking Jacoby: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Phil, Stephie
Staff picking Ledet: Bissell
Miles Johns vs. Kevin Natividad
Staff picking Johns: Zane, Mookie, Dayne, Stephie
Staff picking Natividad: Bissell