Though Silva probably has little recollection of the last time he competed in Saitama, the Axe Murderer became an MMA superstar in Japan, where he went undefeated through his first 20 fights in PRIDE and held the middleweight title for over five years. But his current stint in the UFC — where he’s won just three of eight fights since 2007 — has suggested that Silva is nearing the end of the road, and his next bad loss could be his last. Can he come up with another heroic effort against the All American?
Speaking of PRIDE legends, longtime lightweight champ Takanori Gomi will be welcoming Diego Sanchez back to the lightweight division at UFC on FUEL 8. Gomi has won his last two UFC fights against Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig, while Sanchez is coming off a decision defeat against Jake Ellenberger in February. Sanchez hasn’t competed at 155 pounds since being utterly shredded by BJ Penn during their lightweight title fight three years ago.
Though Silva probably has little recollection of the last time he competed in Saitama, the Axe Murderer became an MMA superstar in Japan, where he went undefeated through his first 20 fights in PRIDE and held the middleweight title for over five years. But his current stint in the UFC — where he’s won just three of eight fights since 2007 — has suggested that Silva is nearing the end of the road, and his next bad loss could be his last. Can he come up with another heroic effort against the All American?
Speaking of PRIDE legends, longtime lightweight champ Takanori Gomi will be welcoming Diego Sanchez back to the lightweight division at UFC on FUEL 8. Gomi has won his last two UFC fights against Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig, while Sanchez is coming off a decision defeat against Jake Ellenberger in February. Sanchez hasn’t competed at 155 pounds since being utterly shredded by BJ Penn during their lightweight title fight three years ago.
Dong-Hyun Kim vs. Siyar Bahadurzada (WW): Coincidentally, both of these guys are coming off wins against Paulo Thiago. However, Bahadurzada hasn’t competed since April due to a hand injury.
Riki Fukuda vs. Brad Tavares (MW): Tavares is on a two-fight win streak with decisions against Dongi Yang and Tom Watson, while Fukuda retired Tom DeBlass in his last appearance.
Cristiano Marcello vs. Kazuki Tokudome (LW): Though he entered the UFC through TUF: Live, Cristiano Marcello may be best known as the guy who choked out Krazy Horse Bennett backstage at a PRIDE event. (He also competed once in PRIDE, losing a decision to Mitsuhiro Ishida in 2006.) Fresh off a decision win against Reza Madadi, he’ll be facing Tokodune, an 11-3 Pancrase vet who will be making his UFC debut.
Alex Caceres vs. Kyung Ho Kang (BW): With back-to-back victories over Damacio Page and Motonobu Tezuka — and shout-outs from Ben Henderson himself — things have been looking up for the former yard-fighter known as “Bruce Leroy.” He’ll be welcoming Road FC champ Kyung Ho Kang into the Octagon.
(I kept telling the bouncers that I was over 21; I even showed them my ID and told them that it was *my* afterparty that they were bouncing, yet this happens once again…)
After enduring the longest card free drought in nearly two years, the UFC returned to action last Saturday, delivering an event that was thoroughly satisfying from top-to-bottom, unless you happened to be in the small minority of people who wished ill upon either Michael Bisping or Jon Jones, that is. But as is the case with most UFC events, the evening was not without its share of ups and downs, so join us as we take take off our fanboy pants, pull our analrapist stockings over our heads, and take a look back at the event that was…
The Good:
Seth Baczynski’s Second Tour of Duty: One of the more improbable, if not unknown, comeback stories currently circulating the MMA world, the story of “The Polish Pistola’s” second octagon run has seen him score submission victories over TUF 13 alum Clay Harvison, TUF 7 alum Matt Brown, and earn a split decision victory over Lance Benoist. His beautiful knockout of Simeon Thoreson this past weekend should have easily earned him the KOTN award, but we imagine that Baczynski will be happy enough knowing that he has more than earned a shot at some stiffer competition — and considering his finishing rate, a main card spot — in the near future.
Vinny Magalhaes‘ Second Tour of Duty: While we’re on the subject of TUF alums kicking major ass their second time around, we can’t overlook TUF 8 finalist Vinny Magalhaes, who clearly packed some of his M-1 swagger for his return to the big show (figuratively speaking, of course). Granted, it makes your job a hell of a lot easier when your opponent decides to play directly into your strengths, but for now, we’ll just congratulate Vinny on a sweet finish and a successful return.
(I kept telling the bouncers that I was over 21; I even showed them my ID and told them that it was *my* afterparty that they were bouncing, yet this happens once again…)
After enduring the longest card free drought in nearly two years, the UFC returned to action last Saturday, delivering an event that was thoroughly satisfying from top-to-bottom, unless you happened to be in the small minority of people who wished ill upon either Michael Bisping or Jon Jones, that is. But as is the case with most UFC events, the evening was not without its share of ups and downs, so join us as we take take off our fanboy pants, pull our analrapist stockings over our heads, and take a look back at the event that was…
The Good:
Seth Baczynski’s Second Tour of Duty: One of the more improbable, if not unknown, comeback stories currently circulating the MMA world, the story of “The Polish Pistola’s” second octagon run has seen him score submission victories over TUF 13 alum Clay Harvison, TUF 7 alum Matt Brown, and earn a split decision victory over Lance Benoist. His beautiful knockout of Simeon Thoreson this past weekend should have easily earned him the KOTN award, but we imagine that Baczynski will be happy enough knowing that he has more than earned a shot at some stiffer competition — and considering his finishing rate, a main card spot — in the near future.
Vinny Magalhaes‘ Second Tour of Duty: While we’re on the subject of TUF alums kicking major ass their second time around, we can’t overlook TUF 8 finalist Vinny Magalhaes, who clearly packed some of his M-1 swagger for his return to the big show (figuratively speaking, of course). Granted, it makes your job a hell of a lot easier when your opponent decides to play directly into your strengths, but for now, we’ll just congratulate Vinny on a sweet finish and a successful return.
Marcus Brimage – Hype Spoiler: With back-to-back victories over highly-touted prospects Maximo Blanco and Jimy Hettes, it’s safe to say that the TUF 14 alum has not only launched up the featherweight ranks, but is easily the most successful member to come out of the season despite only making it to the quarterfinals of the show (sorry, Diego). If Brimage can learn to control his pace a little better over the course of three rounds, we could be looking at a future contender.
The Bloodbath That was T.J Grant vs. Evan Dunham: Perhaps the only thing more surprising in this fight, other than the incredible improvement in Grant’s striking game, were the chins these two displayed while beating the ever-loving dog shit out of each other for three straight rounds. Dunham, who is no stranger to nasty cuts, had his forehead split so wide open in the second round that Grant could see his thoughts for the rest of the fight and prepare accordingly. Although Dunham has fallen on hard times as of late when it comes to getting the victory, the $65,000 bonus he walked away with should ease some of the pain, especially if he decides to stuff it directly into his open wound, which ironically resembles an empty wallet as viewed from above.
The First Flyweight Title Fight: Here’s how Dana White summed up Benavidez/Johnson:
If you didn’t like that flyweight fight, please, I’m begging you, don’t ever buy another UFC pay-per-view again…You’re a moron, you don’t like fighting and you don’t appreciate great talent or heart if you didn’t like that flyweight fight.
Now, although we wouldn’t put it as bluntly as DW (go figure), we’d have to agree with him on a fundamental level here. No, there weren’t as many grueling exchanges, insane submission attempts, or high-flying maneuvers as we’d hoped for in the first ever flyweight title fight, but it was an enjoyable five round affair nonetheless. The speed of “Mighty Mouse,” which has been described as “like pixie sticks on crack” by at least one person, led him to a decisive decision victory over a man who was considered “the uncrowned king of the flyweight division.” But judging by the comments section of CP and various other MMA sites, the questions that most people have about the flyweight division appear the same as before:
1. Can such tiny fists actually finish fights?
2. Will the lack of depth in the division lead to the recycling of contenders down the line?
Bipsing and Jones Silence Opponents/Haters: Aside from a rocky moment in the first round for both gentlemen, Michael Bisping and Jon Jones looked pretty flawless last weekend, impressively out grappling Brian Stann and Vitor Belfort, respectively. Bisping’s case for the next middleweight title shot is as good as anyone’s at this point, we guess, so if he thinks he can jab-and-jog Anderson Silva into a living death, we say why not let him try? As for Jones, well, there isn’t much to say really. He dominated another former champ and made it look relatively easy. Any questions in regards to his chin or ability to fight out of a bad situation have likely been squashed and hey, at least we got to see him at least tested this time.
Click the “next” tab to see things get real ugly in a hurry.
(“And *that’s* what I think of your wife’s titties. Yeah! Boo me, bitches! BOO MEEEEEEEEEEEE!” / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle. For more photos from this gallery, click here.)
In the breakneck world of the UFC, a six-week hiatus between events feels like an eternity. But absence makes the heart grow fond, and if you’re anything like us, you’re super freakin’ pumped to watch some fights tonight. It doesn’t matter that the UFC light-heavyweight champion is defending his belt against a middleweight in a PRIDE New Year’s Eve-caliber squash match, or that the flyweight championship co-main event will very likely go to decision, or that Michael Bisping is the biggest asshole east of the Atlantic. Because when you add those guys up — and toss in Brian Stann, featherweight fight-finisher Charles Oliveira, and the return of Matt Hamill — you’ve got one of the most talent-rich UFC main cards of the year. Thanks, Jon.
Handling our liveblog for the UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort pay-per-view broadcast is beloved CagePotato feature writer Jim Genia, who will be stacking round-by-round results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and tell us what you’re drinking in the comments section.
(“And *that’s* what I think of your wife’s titties. Yeah! Boo me, bitches! BOO MEEEEEEEEEEEE!” / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle. For more photos from this gallery, click here.)
In the breakneck world of the UFC, a six-week hiatus between events feels like an eternity. But absence makes the heart grow fond, and if you’re anything like us, you’re super freakin’ pumped to watch some fights tonight. It doesn’t matter that the UFC light-heavyweight champion is defending his belt against a middleweight in a PRIDE New Year’s Eve-caliber squash match, or that the flyweight championship co-main event will very likely go to decision, or that Michael Bisping is the biggest asshole east of the Atlantic. Because when you add those guys up — and toss in Brian Stann, featherweight fight-finisher Charles Oliveira, and the return of Matt Hamill — you’ve got one of the most talent-rich UFC main cards of the year. Thanks, Jon.
Handling our liveblog for the UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort pay-per-view broadcast is beloved CagePotato feature writer Jim Genia, who will be stacking round-by-round results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and tell us what you’re drinking in the comments section.
UFC 152 preliminary card quick results:
– Vinny Magalhães def. Igor Pokrajac via submission (armbar), 1:14 of round 2
– TJ Grant def. Evan Dunham via unanimous decision (29-28 x 2, 30-27)
– Sean Pierson def. Lance Benoist via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– Marcus Brimage def. Jimy Hettes via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– Seth Baczynski def. Simeon Thoresen via KO, 4:10 of round 1
– Mitch Gagnon def. Walel Watson via submission (rear-naked choke), 1:09 of round 1
– Kyle Noke def. Charlie Brenneman via TKO, 0:45 of round 1
Greetings, Potato dudes. It is I, Jim Genia, about to render you some UFC 151 livebloggery. You ready for some MMA jibber-jabba?
First up: Cub Swanson vs. Charles Oliveira
Swanson was more or less a ham-and-egger during his tenure in the WEC, but he’s been looking good in the Octagon of late. Oliveira, meanwhile, failed to make the featherweight cutoff by 0.2 pounds, so it’s okay to call him “Fatty” for this bout.
Round 1: Both men start off be feeling each other out with various kicks and punches, with Oliveira’s reach advantage apparent from the outset. The Brazilian gets a takedown before a minute passes, but Swanson’s guard is solid and in no time the WEC vet is back on his feet. If that brief turnabout instills Swanson with any confidence of his chances on the ground, his power on the feet makes it all irrelevant. The American blasts Oliveira with a left hook body blow, and a few second later he wings an overhand right to the eye socket that drops the Brazilian like a sack of potatoes (tenuous pun intended). That’s all she wrote.
Cub Swanson def. Charles Oliveira via KO (Punch) at 2:40, Round 1.
Next: Matt Hamill vs. Roger Hollett
TUF veteran Hamill – the toughest deaf dude around – returns from retirment to take on the Canadian Hollett, whose claim to fame is almost getting ganked by Bellator’s rigorous fighter contracts. Question: how does Hamill choose his walkout music? Okay, I’m going to hell.
Round 1: Hamill comes out aggressive, chasing his foe down with jabs and low-kicks. It takes nearly a minute for Hollett to lose the deer-caught-in-the-headlights look and fire back with a right hand of his own, but someone stepped into this cage with a boatload of confidence, and it ain’t the Canadian. The chase continues, with Hamill landing about six strikes for every one of Hollett’s. The TUFer gets the takedown with a minute and a half left in the round, and after dumping Hollett onto the canvas, he wrestler-rides him and peppers the turtled fighter nonstop with a barrage of short punches. Hollett makes it back to his feet with ten seconds left and nails the American in the gut with a punch, and then the bell rings.
Round 2: Hollett comes out pretty stiff, but Hamill just stands there, so the UFC rookie throws a few single punches and a spinning back-kick. A minute and a half in, Hamill rushes forward and easily gets the takedown, but nothing really happens while he’s in Hollett’s guard, and the Canadian kicks him away and stands. Hamill looks winded – did his barrage in the first round tire him out? Hollett gains in confidence, and when it becomes apparent that Hamill is less-than-dangerous, Hollett opens up a little more with his punches (and he even throws another spinning back-kick). The pace slows even more, with Hamill looking like he didn’t know this bout was slated for three rounds so he trained only for one. He does get another takedown in the waning seconds of the round, but, blah. The bell rings.
Round 3: Hamill comes out moving forward a little more, and after a minute passes, he shoots for a double-leg and succeeds in getting his foe down near the cage. Hollett rolls to his knees and turtles again, so again the American rides him and feeds him some love-taps. With a little over two minutes left Hollett gets back to his feet, but Hamill shoots for another takedown and we’re left wondering if the Canadian spent too much time training spinning kicks and not enough time wrestling. Not much output by Hamill in terms of ground and pound from top position, but when referee Dan Miragliotta stands them, Hamill effortless gets Hollett down. Time runs out with Hamill huffing and puffing while delivering the kind of punches from above that would instill fear in no man. Regardless, it’s pretty obvious who deserves the decision.
Matt Hamill def. Roger Hollett via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Next: Michael Bisping vs. Brian Stann
Bisping, a TUF 3 winner and the UFC’s resident mouthy Brit, is about to do the man-dance with Stann, who’s a strong puncher, a former WEC champ, and is most famous for being a member of the G.I. Joe team.
Round 1: As soon as Bruce Buffer announces that this bout is sponsored by Corn Nuts (“Corn to the core!”), expectations for fireworks are suddenly high. The bout begins with Stann coming forward, Bisping circling out to his opponent’s weak side, and then some huggery against the cage. They seperate about a minute and fifteen seconds in, and for about a minute they stand in front of each other and display some sweet boxing punches and footwork. The Brit tries to mix things up with a takedown attempt – which Stann expertly stuffs – and then to two ding each other with kicks tot he man-berries. After a brief pause they resume the bangfest, and after Bisping fails another takedown attempt, he eats a knuckle sandwich that wobbles him. He survives to the bell.
Round 2: Bisping is clearly the better boxer technically, but Stann’s got the edge in power, so after about thirty seconds have passed in the second he goes for – and succeeds in getting – a takedown. He lands in side-control, yet the dominant position yields no fruit and Stann reverses him. The two scramble and wind up on their knees, and the Brit briefly gains the upper-hand with front head-control before they return to their feet. With thirty seconds left Bisping nails another takedown, dumping the American onto his back, and the round ends with Bisping trying to land some big leather from above.
Round 3: Forty seconds into the third round sees Bisping getting another takedown, but Stann pops back up and feeds the Brit a right hand. The TUF winner can clearly win on points if he can maintain the pressure with his takedowns and his jab, but Stann’s got the power to turn his thick Cockney accent into something Professor Higgins would be proud of, so anything can still happen. Does the American manage to find the KO? No. Thanks to a three more takedown attempts, two of which are successful, Bisping is able to avoid slumber, and when time runs out it’s no stretch to imagine the Brit did enough to take it.
Michael Bisping def. Brian Stann via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Postfight, Bisping gives props to his opponent, stating that Stann is a “tough son of gun”. Joe Rogan strokes him re: his cardio, and Bisping says that he’s hungry. “This is mah time.” Then he asks Rogan if he “laks dags”, and tries to sell him a Perriwinkle blue trailer. Or something.
Next: Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson
It’s time for the first-ever UFC flyweight championship bout, with Benavidez and Johnson vying for a belt that probably weighs more than they do. Seriously, Frank Mir has eaten more than their combined poundage in one sitting, so ascribe value to this fight accordingly.
Round 1: Benavidez takes the center of the Octagon and Johnson flits about like a yellowjacket, wary of the Team Alpha Male reps power while he tries to give him his sting. Johnson succeeds in tagging him with a left, and after some brief (but furious) wrestling clinchwork, they continue to zoom about. After Johnson hits him a right hand, Benavidez turns up the heat with his wrestling – clearly trying to slow his foe down. With about three seconds left in the round, Benavidez rolls for an ill-advised kneebar, and Johnson pegs him with one hammerfist before the bell rings.
Round 2: Johnson continues to be an elusive ball of movement, and when Benavidez manages to tie him up in the opening seconds of the second round, Johnson is able to stifle every attack. When they reset, Benavidez does score here and there with the occasional kick and punch, divining where his opponent will be with probably skill mixed with magic. At the three-and-a-half minute mark Benavidez flubs a takedown, Johnson shucks him off and gets behind him briefly, and Benavidez manages to score in the final seconds.
Round 3: Benavidez keeps up the pressure and tries to land something heavy, and “Mighty Mouse” doesn’t let up in zooming in and out. A right hand by Johnson manages to open a small cut near Benavidez’s eye, and at the three-minute mark Benavidez gets Johnson down for all of .4 seconds before they’re back on the feet. Johnson nails him with another solid punch before the round ends – which probably earns him the round.
Round 4: Benavidez blasts Johnson with a right hand 45 seconds into the fourth, and he pounces on the fallen fighter and sinks a tight guillotine from mount. Johnson survives, though, and swivels into a heelhook attempt. Benavidez defends and gets back on top, but Johnson escapes back to his feet and winds up on top briefly when Benavidez whiffs a throw. A seconds later they’re back on their feet, and Johnson flips the script and gets a takedown of his own, then another. The round ends with Johnson in side-control.
Round 5: The final round, and I’d say it’s nigh-impossible to know for sure who’s ahead on points. Forty seconds in and Johnson gets a double-leg takedown, and when Benavidez gets back up to his feet, Johnson dumps him down again. But again they stand, and we’re back to the lightning-like delivery of strikes. Johnson gets another takedown about a minute later – his ability to change levels making all the difference in the world. Benavidez keeps looking for that stunning punch or kick, and he even goes for a fruitless takedown attempt of his own, and the clock runs down to zero with the crowd booing and Benavidez unable to hit Johnson with anything with meaning. So who is the UFC’s inaugural 125-pound king?
Demetrious Johnson def. Joseph Benavidez via Split Decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46)
Postfight, and Rogan asks him if winning is everything he expected. Johnson says Benavidez is a great opponent, that “it means the world”, and that he did his job.
Next, the main event: Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort
UFC light-heavyweight demigod Jones earned his belt by destroying the best in the division. Belfort earned this shot at the belt because Dan Henderson is old and damn his old knee and UFC 151 being cancelled. Boo!
Round 1: Jones comes out in his usual crouch and Belfort responds by trying to kick him in the head (!). The champ stands, plants a side-kick on Belfort’s knee, and almost effortlessly takes the Brazilian down. However, before Jones can mount any offense, Belfort swings into an armbar from the guard, and sweet Jesus does he almost get it. “Bones” defends, and after some work, manages to slip out of it. From within Belfort’s guard, Jones delivers punishment, rendering him bloody while fending off two more armbar attempts. The round clearly goes to Jones, but damn was that initial armbar close.
Round 2: Belfort starts off the second round winging a high-kick, while Jones seems to find joy by keeping the Brazilian on the end of his low side-kick. The length of the champ’s limbs are most certainly presenting the challenger with a riddle, and though Belfort is able to fire off a couple more high-kicks and throw some punches to the body, the riddle remains unsolved. With about a minute and a half left in the frame, Belfort pulls guard, but aside from a triangle choke attempt with only a few scant seconds left on the clock, neither man really hurts the other.
Round 3: Jones keeps up the long-distance onslaught with his kicks, and a minute into the round he lands one to the body that crumples the Brazilian. Jones delivers an axe-kick to the body, but again, from within Belfort’s guard, he does nothing and they end up back on their feet. With two minutes left, Belfort pulls guard, yet all Jones can seem to do is pass to half-guard and grind him half-heartedly.
Round 4: Belfort has about five seconds of pep in him, and he uses it to throw a high-kick and a few flashes of leather. But he pulls guard and Jones doesn’t hesitate to slide into side-control, where he deftly applies the keylock that earns him the tap out. Jones defends his belt.
Jon Jones def. Vitor Belfort via Submission (Keylock) at :54, Round 4
Postfight, and Jones says “he got that armbar in every way, shape and form… But I worked too hard to give up.” He goes on to say he was going to let it break. “It was numb.” How does the win feel with all the adversity? “It feels great… I really feel like a stronger young man talking to you today.”
Rogan gives kudos to Belfort, too. Says Belfort, the arm “was cracking and popping.” The Brazilian alludes to a training injury that factored in to him dropping from that kick to the body. Then Jones and Belfort join in and praise God together, and toss Watchtowers into the audience.
That’s it for me, amigos. Adios, and don’t forget to tip your waiter.
You know that saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”? Well, such is the case with UFC 151’s trash (which coincidentally resembles the remnants of a totaled Bentley) and UFC 152’s treasure. And those of us who were smart enough to recognize a curse when we saw one and purchase our tickets accordingly will reap the rewards of the 151 fallout by being treated to two title fights on the very same card. Suck it, over-saturation!
This Saturday night, the GAE will attempt to go where no other MMA blog/website/”professional MMA gambler”(my favorite) has gone before, a perfect 4-0 generating plus money dating back to UFC 148. So follow us after the jump as we try to navigate through the good, the bad, and the ugly betting lines of UFC 152: Jones vs Belfort (courtesy of BestFightOdds).
I feel that the Spaniard will be able to get this fight to the mat and establish himself as the dominant fighter. Hovering around -225, the line is appealing when you examine how Kyle Noke has lost his last two UFC bouts coupled with how Charlie has found victory throughout his UFC career (Ed note: Except here). This fight falls into the good category for betting lines and Brenneman will find his way into my parlay as the well priced favorite here.
You know that saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”? Well, such is the case with UFC 151’s trash (which coincidentally resembles the remnants of a totaled Bentley) and UFC 152’s treasure. And those of us who were smart enough to recognize a curse when we saw one and purchase our tickets accordingly will reap the rewards of the 151 fallout by being treated to two title fights on the very same card. Suck it, over-saturation!
This Saturday night, the GAE will attempt to go where no other MMA blog/website/”professional MMA gambler”(my favorite) has gone before, a perfect 4-0 generating plus money dating back to UFC 148. So follow us after the jump as we try to navigate through the good, the bad, and the ugly betting lines of UFC 152: Jones vs Belfort (courtesy of BestFightOdds).
I feel that the Spaniard will be able to get this fight to the mat and establish himself as the dominant fighter. Hovering around -225, the line is appealing when you examine how Kyle Noke has lost his last two UFC bouts coupled with how Charlie has found victory throughout his UFC career (Ed note: Except here). This fight falls into the good category for betting lines and Brenneman will find his way into my parlay as the well priced favorite here.
Hometown underdog Mitch Gagnon will be looking for his first UFC win against another good favorite here in Walel Watson. Watson lost his first ever professional MMA fight via submission, but since then has avoided being submitted and has been in the octagon with fighters of a much higher pedigree than Gagnon. While Mitch has a large list of submissions victories and an impressive UFC debut under his belt, Watson seems like the only fighter of the two that has the ability to win this fight both on the feet and on the ground, and is another solid parlay pick as well.
This fight is sitting around pick’em status with Thoresen as the slight underdog. Seth has a few submission losses on his record, but has a well-rounded ground game that may be the deciding factor considering Thoresen’s striking game is simply not at the level of the “Polish Pistola.” Add in the fact that Thoresen is fighting for the first time in North America and going after the underdog line could prove to be a bad decision. I am much more comfortable looking at the prop that this fight does not go the distance. Thoresen’s last five fights have not seen the judges cards while Baczynski has only been to a decision once in his last five fights.
File this one under the ugly. Jimmy Hettes is the right favorite, but the price is simply too high and not worth the risk to your parlay. Brimage is talented and beat a well respected Maximo Blanco his last time out, but the minute Brimage finds himself locked up with Hettes, he will most likely be on his back defending submission attempt after submission attempt. Marcus will not be easy to put away, but I do believe Hettes will win here, potentially submitting Brimage in the process.
A fun fact here is that both fighters have been on the winning side of the cards in exciting fights against Matthew Riddle. Pierson is a veteran of the Canadian martial arts scene and will be looking to come back strong after losing via KO to Jake Ellenberger the last time he fought in Toronto. Since then, however, Pierson has gone 1-1, splitting a pair of UD’s to Dong Hyun Kim and Jake Hecht. Benoist is the younger fighter and the favorite, but Pierson is worth a look as the underdog and may find himself on the end of a favorable (think Nick Ring/Court McGee) decision win here. It’s Pierson or nothing for me. Not a parlay fight, but a look that the fight goes the distance may be the safest bet.
Not to sound like “that guy,” but Evan Dunham has only really ever lost to Melvin Guillard; his decision loss to Sean Sherk is perhaps the worst decision I have seen in UFC history. Dunham seems to have the advantage in the stand up game here and I think he uses his skills to keep this fight standing while out striking Grant en route to a decision victory. Grant will not be a walk in the park; he is well rounded and has the ability to push this fight to the cards like he has done with Hendricks, Kim, and Almeida in past losing efforts. The line sitting at around -200 for Dunham, however, is too alluring to pass up. Dunham for the win and fight goes the distance are both solid picks.
I will take the bad favorite here and suggest Igor keeps this fight standing, possibly finishing Vinny at some point during the contest. Everyone and their cat knows that if this fight goes to the ground Igor is in big trouble, and while Vinny has the ability to submit anyone, he also seems to be at a marked disadvantage when fighting stand up (Ed note: Vinny’s striking did look much improved in his last fight. Just sayin’.). The -200 territory that Igor is able to stop the takedown is bad, mainly because he seems to welcome the ground game in his fights which could be his undoing here. Lay your money on the prop that the fight does not go the distance because this one ends in either KO or submission before the end of the third.
Cub is tough fighter to figure out and while he has managed to put together two straight wins, there seems to be a ceiling that he cannot break through. It is easy to pick Oliveira here based on the assumption that he will finish Swanson via submission (like Lamas did), but with so few underdogs worthy of picking, I prefer to stay away from this favorite hovering around -250. The prop that the fight does not go the distance feels right as I do not believe that Oliveira and Swanson will waste any time trying to finish each other (Greg Jackson game plan aside).
On one side, Hamill is coming off a year long retirement from MMA (so a vacation, I guess?), while on the other side, you have a relatively unknown fighter coming in on short notice to fight the man he was supposed to have fought before pulling out due to injury. Anyone else confused? The line on Hamill is just fugly, too many unanswered questions to go into -350 territory and not a clear cut case for the underdog to win other than home field advantage/judges gift. I do like the prospect that this fight goes the distance and instead of risking heartbreak betting on Hamill, I would rather pass and go with the fact that Hamill will be able to wrestle his way to a decision victory.
The price is very fair for Bisping if you look at the popular opinion that Bisping is simply better than Stann in every aspect of the sport. Personally, I think Stann is the better striker, not technically, but simply more dangerous. I do not think Wandy was a better technical striker than Bisping, but he won the fight by being more aggressive that night and delivering more damage than Bisping could. I think the book is out on Stann’s grappling deficiency and I would not be surprised at all to see Bisping go for the takedown and look for a submission. The glaring advantage Bisping has on the ground together with Bisping’s ability to take down excellent grapplers (Chael) leads me toward Bisping here.
I am not exactly sure why Benavidez is such a heavy favorite, sitting close to -300 even, when both fighters have seen their only losses come at the hands of Bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz. Joe may have the advantage in the stand up, but this title fight feels more like a pick’em to me. Both fighters have defeated top level competition, both seem to have solid stand up to compliment their ground game, and their cardio levels are out of this world. I am much more comfortable suggesting along with most that this fight goes the distance and depending on what the lines are, I would look at playing over rounds up to fight goes the distance. Gun to the head I will go with Benavidez to bring home Team Alpha Male’s first UFC title.
A -800 line that Jones wins this fight should have most people staying away from this one altogether. A puncher’s chance is what Vitor has and a Pterodactyl wing for an arm is what Jones has. For five to one on your money, do you think Vitor can get through Jones’ extended left arm, open hand, backing away style of defense to find the money with his fists? Sadly, I think not. Simple as that. The prop that this fight does not go the distance is also just as ugly sitting around -500. With minimums on props, risking $100 will bring you $20 is as close to a guaranteed investment as you can get in MMA. I think if there is a prop on under 1 ½ rounds available at -300 territory, jumping on it would be wise; Vitor’s either going to sink or swim quickly in this fight.
Parlay 1
Brenneman-Dunham-Bisping
Parlay 2
Brenneman-Watson-Pokrajac
Props
-Baczynski/Thoresen fight does not go the distance
-Dunham/Grant fight goes the distance
-Pokrajac/Magalhaes fight does not go the distance
-Swanson/Oliveira fight does not go the distance
Follow the usual CP breakdown of betting higher on the parlays and lower on the props and feel free to heckle when/if these parlay’s fall apart. But most importantly: May the winners be yours.
(I don’t always accuse Hector Lombard of using steroids, but when I do, I make this face.)
Potato Nation, I feel like I should say something in regards to Michael Bisping, because it seems that every time we poke fun at the bloke, a few of you get all butt hurt and call us wankers or poofters before begging your mothers to kiss the wound and make it all better. You claim that we are biased against British people, and though we have every right to be, this is simply not the case.
So here’s the deal; I personally have nothing against you Brits. I find your accents to be glorious, dignified, and far more soothing on the ear to than the slack jawed “wickid aaawesomes” New England has to offer. I love the The Inbetweeners, Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Ricky Gervais, and a platter of Bangers and Mash as much as the rest of you probably do, if not more. As a matter of fact, I don’t even hate Michael Bisping. Sure, the guy is a dick by all accounts, but I can’t really claim to hate someone that I’ve never met before. I’m simply not that cynical, and I’m sure the same goes for my fellow writers. But this is CagePotato. We make jokes here. And we just happen to enjoy targeting guys like Bisping, Josh Koscheck, fat BJ Penn, and Dana White, because we enjoy picking the lowest hanging fruit. We good now? Alright, let’s move on.
The reason I give this disclaimer is due to the fact that Bisping recently sat down with Mauro Ranallo for a lengthy interview a month out from his UFC 152 fight with “All American” Brian Stann. We know, you’re thinking we’re going to set him up for a punchline here, but that is not the case today. Everything from the current injury curse to Hector Lombard’s dud of a debut was discussed, but it was when they came to the issue of TRT that Bisping actually made an argument that we could get behind. Our buddies over at MiddleEasy shared our concern. Granted, Bisping had to reduce most of his argument to the crudest terms available, but that doesn’t make it wrong:
I think it’s absolute nonsense, rubbish, bullshit. Listen, we all get old, we all grow up, you know? At some point, as you start getting older, your balls don’t work as well and you don’t make as much testosterone, but, that’s life and you deal with it. A guy that is 40-years old doesn’t make as much testosterone as a 21-year old so he gets an exemption certificate to say, ‘So now we will give him as much testosterone as a 21-year old.’ Well, what about me, I’m 33 (years of age), I’m not making the same amount as a 21-year old, but I make more than a 40-year old.
Where do we draw the line? It’s nonsense.
After the jump: The full interview, wherein Bisping accuses Lombard of steroid use, calls Mark Munoz fat, and says he’s “gonna knock the fucker out” when discussing Stann. And the world returned to normal.
(I don’t always accuse Hector Lombard of using steroids, but when I do, I make this face.)
Potato Nation, I feel like I should say something in regards to Michael Bisping, because it seems that every time we poke fun at the bloke, a few of you get all butt hurt and call us wankers or poofters before begging your mothers to kiss the wound and make it all better. You claim that we are biased against British people, and though we have every right to be, this is simply not the case.
So here’s the deal; I personally have nothing against you Brits. I find your accents to be glorious, dignified, and far more soothing on the ear to than the slack jawed “wickid aaawesomes” New England has to offer. I love the The Inbetweeners, Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Ricky Gervais, and a platter of Bangers and Mash as much as the rest of you probably do, if not more. As a matter of fact, I don’t even hate Michael Bisping. Sure, the guy is a dick by all accounts, but I can’t really claim to hate someone that I’ve never met before. I’m simply not that cynical, and I’m sure the same goes for my fellow writers. But this is CagePotato. We make jokes here. And we just happen to enjoy targeting guys like Bisping, Josh Koscheck, fat BJ Penn, and Dana White, because we enjoy picking the lowest hanging fruit. We good now? Alright, let’s move on.
The reason I give this disclaimer is due to the fact that Bisping recently sat down with Mauro Ranallo for a lengthy interview a month out from his UFC 152 fight with “All American” Brian Stann. We know, you’re thinking we’re going to set him up for a punchline here, but that is not the case today. Everything from the current injury curse to Hector Lombard’s dud of a debut was discussed, but it was when they came to the issue of TRT that Bisping actually made an argument that we could get behind. Our buddies over at MiddleEasy shared our concern. Granted, Bisping had to reduce most of his argument to the crudest terms available, but that doesn’t make it wrong:
I think it’s absolute nonsense, rubbish, bullshit. Listen, we all get old, we all grow up, you know? At some point, as you start getting older, your balls don’t work as well and you don’t make as much testosterone, but, that’s life and you deal with it. A guy that is 40-years old doesn’t make as much testosterone as a 21-year old so he gets an exemption certificate to say, ‘So now we will give him as much testosterone as a 21-year old.’ Well, what about me, I’m 33 (years of age), I’m not making the same amount as a 21-year old, but I make more than a 40-year old.
Where do we draw the line? It’s nonsense.
Bisping continued:
Listen, nature determines that and I don’t think we should interfere with that. I think it’s cheating very, very well, it’s dressed up. Its nonsense, its absolute bullshit and I, for one, am very, very against it. I would never ever do that. I am who I am and I’ve done well doing what I do.
We’re not going to ask you to delve any further into your opinions regarding TRT, because it somehow already feels like old news despite the relatively short period that mainstream society has been aware of it. But suffice it to say, Bisping is spot-on here, and I feel like I’m going to be sick for writing that. Like my world is tearing apart at the seems.
A few more highlights from the interview:
On Brian Stann: “He seems like a great guy. He does. From a personal level, I haven’t got anything against the guy.”
Mauro: “Does that bother you?”
“Yeah, it does a little bit. I’d prefer to give him some shit. I like it when I don’t like them…people say ‘Oh, you don’t want to get thrown off your game. Don’t let it get to you, because it gets you mad and it gets you angry and throws you off your game.’ For me, that’s the best thing you can do to me. I’m an emotional guy. When I’m mad and pissed off, I’m three times more of a handful…it’s like the woman lifting the car off the baby. Get me mad and I’m like that.”
On Training: “I love to fight. My favorite part of training is sparring, that’s all I do all day every day. I don’t wear a head guard. I don’t need to; I don’t get hit. Simple as that. Look at this face. Does it look like a man that’s taken many punches? Come on, sortyouselfoutmaro (one word). I don’t wear a head guard, ’cause I don’t fuckin’ need to! I shouldn’t swear so much, sorry.”
On his general dickishness and how it affects his marketability(Author’s note: See! We weren’t making it up!): “I’ve always been like that, to be honest. I’ve always had too much to say. I’m always trying to have a laugh and be funny and all the rest of it or maybe too opinionated…I make mistakes, I know I do, and I just try not to make the same mistakes twice.” (Note: Don’t worry, Michael, just look into your mirror each morning and say these inspirational words. That’s how we get by.)
