Tag: Carlo Prater

UFC 142 Morning After: MMA Needs Better Rules and Better Refs

Filed under: UFCIn the first week of the 2010 NFL season, Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson caught what appeared to be a game winning touchdown pass, only to have a referee overturn the call on an obscure, ill-defined rule about what actually const…

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Mario Yamasaki decided to disqualify a fighter during UFC 142.In the first week of the 2010 NFL season, Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson caught what appeared to be a game winning touchdown pass, only to have a referee overturn the call on an obscure, ill-defined rule about what actually constitutes a catch — a rule that has come to be known as the Calvin Johnson rule by fans who still have a hard time understanding why Johnson’s apparent catch was not a catch.

Few things bother NFL fans more than the way the NFL’s complex rules — and the referees’ enforcement of those rules — detract from an otherwise thriving sport. The same could be said for MMA, where the UFC and the state athletic commissions have worked together to codify a unified set of rules — only to find time after time that those rules aren’t as clear as they should be, and that referees don’t enforce the rules uniformly.

The latest example came at UFC 142, where referee Mario Yamasaki disqualified Erick Silva for hitting Carlo Prater in the back of the head, even though no one seems to agree about whether a disqualification was the correct response, or even about what constitutes the back of the head.

UFC President Dana White wrote on Twitter immediately afterward that disqualifying Silva was a “BS call,” and he was right: Silva deserved to win. The UFC needs to work with the athletic commissions to more clearly define the rules, and to recruit and train better referees to enforce those rules.

I don’t know what the precise rule on strikes to the back of the head is, and neither do you, and neither does anyone. No one knows because there is no precise definition of “back of the head.” Some referees use the term “mohawk,” meaning the back of the head is an inch-side strip right in the middle of the back of the head, the area that would be covered by a mohawk haircut. Other referees use the term “earmuffs,” meaning the back of the head is a larger area that includes everything that would be behind a pair of earmuffs.


Under the “mohawk” definition, Silva didn’t hit Prater in the back of the head. Under the “earmuffs” definition, Silva did hit Prater in the back of the head.

UFC announcer Joe Rogan clearly was buying into the “mohawk” definition, and he went off on Yamasaki during an awkward post-fight interview in which Yamasaki clearly wasn’t prepared to defend his decision. Yamasaki didn’t inspire a lot of confidence by his inability to defend his decision, but in fairness to Yamasaki, referees aren’t generally put on the spot the way Rogan put him on the spot, so it’s not surprising that Yamasaki was caught off guard.

Even if you think SIlva did commit a foul by hitting Prater in the “earmuffs” area, Yamasaki didn’t handle it the right way. If Silva committed an illegal strike, Yamasaki should have stepped in and taken a point away from Silva, and only stopped the fight after having the doctor check on Prater and determine whether Prater could continue. Instead, Yamasaki stepped in and waved his arms to stop the fight instantly.

A disqualification for an illegal strike should only take place if the illegal strike is what caused the fight to end. But it appeared that Silva’s legal strikes — a brutal knee to the body and several powerful hammer fists to the side of the head — were enough to finish Prater off. Prater suggested after the fight that it was really the knee that did him in.

“I’m not a judge,” Prater said afterward. “I didn’t stop the fight. All I know is that he hit me and it sent a shock of pain through my body unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I don’t know if the shots were legal. I just know it was unlike anything I’ve ever felt.”

It’s frustrating for fans — and could be dangerous for fighters — to see how inconsistent referees are about enforcing the rule against hitting opponents in the back of the head. For high-profile examples of much more severe strikes to the back of the head that the referees let go, watch Vitor Belfort‘s victory over Rich Franklin or Shane Carwin‘s win over Frank Mir. In those fights, the victors landed much harder strikes to the back of the loser’s head, and the referees let those strikes go. Consistency is needed in refereeing of any sport, and it’s seriously lacking in MMA.

UFC 142 Notes
— Gabriel Gonzaga landed only four strikes in his win over Ednaldo Oliveira, according to CompuStrike. But Gonzaga successfully completed both of his takedown attempts, achieved two dominant positions on the ground, and sunk in a rear-naked choke to end it. Gonzaga said, “I’m back,” afterward, but that remains to be seen — beating Oliveira doesn’t prove that Gonzaga is back to his previous form as one of the elite heavyweights in the world. But there’s no question that a fighter with Gonzaga’s Brazilian jiu jitsu skills can make short work of a guy with a rudimentary ground game like Oliveira.

— Vitor Belfort finished Anthony Johnson off in the first round, a day after Johnson came in overweight by 11 pounds, and UFC President Dana White said afterward that he plans to cut Johnson. It’s a shame that a fighter as talented as Johnson is losing his job, but if you can’t make weight, you can’t fight. And Johnson has repeatedly failed to make weight.

UFC 142 Quotes
— “This was my first fight without Shawn. It was definitely an adjustment not having him in my corner. I hope Shawn would be proud.”–Sam Stout, losing a tough decision in the first fight since his coach, friend and brother-in-law Shawn Tompkins died.

— “I went out there and proved to the people of Brazil that I belong in the Octagon. He was a very tough opponent. I had a tough camp and battled some injuries, but I was able to get in there tonight and control the striking and win.”–Felipe Arantes, who put on a good showing in his victory over Antonio Carvalho and appeared ecstatic to win in front of his fans back home in Brazil.

— “This was like the World Cup for me tonight. To fight against a veteran like him was a true honor. I hope this win proved to the UFC that I’m ready for the main card. I felt like a complete fighter in there tonight.”–Yuri Alcantara, using a soccer analogy to describe the feeling of beating Michihiro Omigawa at home in Brazil.

Good Call
 — When the first fight went to the judges’ scorecards, it was a relief to hear all three judges get it right — 29-28 for Felipe Arantes over Antonio Carvalho. Arantes clearly took the second and third rounds and deserved to win the fight, and it was also good to see that the judges didn’t favor the Brazilian in the first round, as the Canadian Carvalho got off to a good start and deserved to win the first.

Bad Call
–Thiago Tavares took a unanimous decision over Sam Stout in a fight that easily could have been 29-28 either way. But the bad call was UFC announcer Bruce Buffer not announcing the judges’ scores — the fans were left with no idea how the judges arrived at their unanimous decision for Tavares, just that Tavares had won by unanimous decision. Announcing the scores is a must, especially in a decision so close.

Stock Up
 Edson Barboza is now 10-0 in his MMA career after an incredible knockout kick of Terry Etim. We already knew Barboza was one of the most explosive strikers in the lightweight division, but no one could have predicted that he’d produce one of the all-time great knockouts against a good opponent like Etim. Barboza might struggle against some of the lightweight division’s top wrestlers, but as a striker he’s just about as good as it gets at 155 pounds.

Stock Down
Michihiro Omigawa has now lost three of his four fights since returning to the UFC early last year, after getting thoroughly dominated by Yuri Alcantara. Omigawa went on a tear in Japan in 2009 and 2010 and looked like one of the best featherweights in the world, but in the Octagon he simply hasn’t been able to get the job done. He might be finished in the UFC.

Fight I Want To See Next
Jose Aldo put on such a show against Chad Mendes that I just don’t see any challenges emerging for him in the featherweight division. The fight I want to see next is Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar. If Edgar beats Ben Henderson next month, I’d love to see both Aldo and Edgar keep their titles and meet at a catchweight of 150 pounds for a champion vs. champion superfight.

 

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‘UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes’ — Main Event Liveblog

“I’m not even kidding you, man! It must have been four feet of linguiça. And ‘Humble’ ate the whole thing, just now backstage!” (Photo: UFC.com)

It’s 1 AM in Rio De Janeiro and and the locals have turned out in droves to cheer on their countrymen and wish death upon foreigners. It may not be very sporting of them, but we’ve pretty much thrown professionalism out the window this weekend.

Is Mendes the right Alpha Male to topple Aldo in his own backyard? Does Belfort have enough power to put away one of the UFC’s top heavyweights? And will Palhares’s overwhelming desire to tear limbs apart overcome his instinct to stop fighting in the middle of a bout?

Come join me, Chris Colemon, inside for the answers to these questions and more.

“I’m not even kidding you, man! It must have been four feet of linguiça. And ‘Humble’ ate the whole thing, just now backstage!” (Photo: UFC.com)

It’s 1 AM in Rio De Janeiro and and the locals have turned out in droves to cheer on their countrymen and wish death upon foreigners. It may not be very sporting of them, but we’ve pretty much thrown professionalism out the window this weekend.

Is Mendes the right Alpha Male to topple Aldo in his own backyard? Does Belfort have enough power to put away one of the UFC’s top heavyweights? And will Palhares’s overwhelming desire to tear limbs apart overcome his instinct to stop fighting in the middle of a bout?

Come join me, Chris Colemon, inside for the answers to these questions and more.

I thought the FOX era was supposed to signal the end of the Gladiator intro, but I guess that only counts for FOX broadcasts. That’s a shame.

And we aren’t wasting much time. It’s been a strong showing for Brazil thus far. Let’s see if Etim can turn the tides.

Edson Barboza, Jr. vs. Terry Etim

I don’t speak Portuguese, but I had an easier time understanding Barboza’s prefight interview than I did Etim’s. Bruce Buffer, man of the world, caters to the home crowd in his introduction.

R1: If you forget who is who, the Brazilian is the one with the tan. Big Dan is in control of things. Both men swing awahy and Etim gets the early takedown, but they quickly pop back up. Barboza blocks a head kick. Etim fakes a punch and shoots for another takedown, but Barboza sweeps and gets back up. They’re feeling each other out, and Barboza misses with a wild punch before finding his mark with a pair of leg kicks. Barboza’s thrown quite a few shots to the break basket. Barboza sees the takedown coming and stuffs the Brit. The crowd is chanting something–it undoubtedly involves Etim meeting his maker. Barboza charges in and connects with a combination. Woo, powerful spinning back kick from Barboza to shut out the round.


R2: Etim comes out much more active, but he’s still eating leg kicks. Etim lands a leg kick and follows up with another to the head but it’s blocked. Etim gets stuffed on a takedown and eats a knee to the gut. If he can’t land these takedowns, he needs to get more aggressive in the standup, and he’s making the effort. Barboza’s been landing heavy kicks to Etim’s lead leg throughout the bout, and he’s sticking with the formula. Etim with a head kick and spinning back kick of his own. Etim with a takedown from across the cage. He lands it but it’s as short lived as the others. Barboza digs in with a body shot and follows it up top. Strong switch kick to the body by the Brazilian to close out the round.

R3: Really wish they would have secured local talent for the ring card girls. Am I alone in that? They’re trading early in round three. Etim with a failed flying knee, or “jumping knee” as Goldy called it earlier. Both men are sticking to their plan: Barboza lands a leg kick and Etim fails a takedown. Annnnd Barboza whips around with a magnificent spinning wheel kick! Tiiiiimbeeer! He catches Etim square in the face and this is a wrap!

Edson Barboza def. Terry Etim by Knock Out (2:02 R3)

Rogan calls this the first ever spinning heel kick knock out in UFC history. He’d probably know. A nice finish to kick off the PPV card, and the Brazilians are rolling tonight.

UFC 142 Results: Erick Silva Disqualified by Referee Mario Yamasaki

Filed under: UFC, NewsWe have a major controversy at UFC 142.

Erick Silva, one of the most exciting young welterweights in mixed martial arts, was disqualified despite putting on a great show in his native Brazil because referee Mario Yamasaki ruled t…

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Erick Silva was disqualified at UFC 142.We have a major controversy at UFC 142.

Erick Silva, one of the most exciting young welterweights in mixed martial arts, was disqualified despite putting on a great show in his native Brazil because referee Mario Yamasaki ruled that Silva had landed illegal punches to the back of opponent Carlo Prater‘s head.

Silva swarmed on Prater from the opening bell, landing a hard knee at the start of the fight to knock Prater down and then pummeling Prater with hammer fists on the ground until Yamasaki had no choice but to step in and stop the fight after just 29 seconds. But while it looked like Silva would win by TKO, instead Yamasaki disqualified him.

“I’m not a judge. I didn’t stop the fight,” Prater said. “All I know is that he hit me and it sent a shock of pain through my body unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I don’t know if the shots were legal. I just know it was unlike anything I’ve ever felt.”


Yamasaki was briefly interviewed by UFC announcer Joe Rogan after the fight, and Rogan was incensed, insisting that all of Silva’s fights were legal. Yamasaki, however, insisted that Silva did hit Prater on the back of the head, and Yamasaki said that once he made his decision it was final.

“I had to decide right there and then. There’s nothing I can do,” Yamasaki said.

Silva showed a great deal of class after the fight and declined to criticize Yamasaki, even though he was obviously disappointed to have lost a fight he dominated.

“I have great respect for the referee but I see that most of them hit the side of the head. I don’t see that any of them hit the back of the head,” Silva said.

Silva has now fought twice in the UFC, for a total of just 1 minute, 9 seconds. He made his UFC debut at UFC 134 and beat Luis Ramos by TKO in just 40 seconds. Technically, his record has now dropped to 13-2, but there’s no question that Silva was the better fighter in the Octagon on Saturday night, even as he walks away with a disappointing loss.

 

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UFC 142 Live Blog: Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater Updates

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Erick Silva will face Carlo Prater at UFC 142.This is the UFC 142 live blog for Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater, a welterweight bout on tonight’s UFC pay-per-view from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Silva (13-1) won his UFC debut with a knockout in 40 seconds over Luis Ramos at the last UFC in Brazil, UFC 134. Prater (29-10-1), a well-traveled fighter, makes his UFC debut riding a four-fight win streak.

The live blog is below.


Mario Yamasaki is the referee of this contest between two Brazilians.

Round 1: The two trade feints and it’s Silva who steps through with a right hand that misses and a knee to the body that drops Prater. Silva finishes with hammerfists and the fight is stopped.

— However, Silva is disqualified for illegal punches to the head.

Official Result: Prater wins via DQ – Round 1, 0:29

The replay shows most of the punches connected legally on the side of the head. Joe Rogan interviews/interrogates Yamasaki and Yamasaki explains he made a judgement call at the moment. Tough call all around.

 

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Erick Silva will face Carlo Prater at UFC 142.This is the UFC 142 live blog for Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater, a welterweight bout on tonight’s UFC pay-per-view from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Silva (13-1) won his UFC debut with a knockout in 40 seconds over Luis Ramos at the last UFC in Brazil, UFC 134. Prater (29-10-1), a well-traveled fighter, makes his UFC debut riding a four-fight win streak.

The live blog is below.


Mario Yamasaki is the referee of this contest between two Brazilians.

Round 1: The two trade feints and it’s Silva who steps through with a right hand that misses and a knee to the body that drops Prater. Silva finishes with hammerfists and the fight is stopped.

— However, Silva is disqualified for illegal punches to the head.

Official Result: Prater wins via DQ – Round 1, 0:29

The replay shows most of the punches connected legally on the side of the head. Joe Rogan interviews/interrogates Yamasaki and Yamasaki explains he made a judgement call at the moment. Tough call all around.

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UFC 142: By the Odds

Filed under: UFCThe last time the UFC went to Rio de Janeiro, it was a learning experience for everyone — particularly those of us in the media who needed a solid hour to find our way into the arena.

Among the other lessons we learned that night was…

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Chad MendesThe last time the UFC went to Rio de Janeiro, it was a learning experience for everyone — particularly those of us in the media who needed a solid hour to find our way into the arena.

Among the other lessons we learned that night was: bet against a Brazilian in Brazil, and you’d better be prepared never to see that money again.

Of the eight foreigners who faced Brazilians at UFC 134, only one — Stanislav Nedkov — left Rio a winner. Granted, it’s a small sample size from which to form broad conclusions, but it does give us something to think about heading into UFC 142 on Saturday night. All four foreigners on the main card come in as underdogs to one degree or another. Surely there must be at least one Stanislav Nedkov in the bunch, but who’s it going to be?

Jose Aldo (-250) vs. Chad Mendes (+200)

The tough part about analyzing two fighters who have 32 fights and only one loss between them is that there’s not much of a blueprint for defeat on either man. Mendes has about half as many fights, but he’s never been beaten. Aldo’s lost once, but I think we can all agree that he’s come a long way since “Jungle Fight 5,” which was more than six years ago. While it’s possible that Mendes could be knocked out or Aldo could be totally outwrestled, we haven’t seen either scenario play out in the cage before. So why do oddsmakers favor Aldo so heavily?

For starters, Aldo’s been tested. He’s beaten the likes of Kenny Florian, Mark Hominick, and Urijah Faber, which, let’s be honest, is far more impressive than Mendes’ list of victims. Aldo’s win over Faber alone — who seems like a more experienced and well-rounded version of Mendes — is probably enough to justify the line all by itself. You factor in the home country advantage, which could really make a difference in the very likely event that the fight goes the distance, and suddenly the numbers start to make a lot of sense. It’s not at all far-fetched to think that Mendes could wear Aldo out over the course of five rounds. After all, we saw how Aldo faded in the Hominick fight. But if Aldo is of sound mind and body here, it seems more likely that he’ll purée Mendes’ legs with kicks the same way he did to Faber’s.
My pick: Aldo. I’ll admit that I had to talk myself down from the underdog pick, and I still think Mendes might be worth small action if the line creeps past +250. But it’s hard for me to go against the champ in his own backyard.


Vitor Belfort (-120) vs. Anthony Johnson (-110)

This one is basically a pick-em that oddsmakers have cleverly skewed in their favor, and why not? It’s the kind of fight that derelict sports gamblers love, because you can talk yourself into believing almost anything about it. Belfort fans will convince themselves that this is another blitzkrieg knockout in the making, while “Rumble” supporters can be certain that their man will be an unstoppable juggernaut in his new weight class. So who’s right? I’d put my money on the Johnson camp, but not by much. Belfort is always a danger in the first few minutes of any fight, but the threat-level diminishes significantly as soon as he hears the words ’round two.’ Johnson’s never been knocked out in his MMA career, and you have to think he’ll only be better at tiring out and breaking down opponents now that he’s gone up a weight class. Both these guys hit hard enough to reduce any reasoned analysis to an unpredictable game of drunken rock-paper-scissors in the end, but Johnson has more ways to win and fewer ways to lose.
My pick: Johnson. Who knows if he’ll make it out of the arena in one piece if he beats a Brazilian MMA icon like Belfort, but I like his chances to take this into the later rounds and win a decision or a late stoppage.

Rousimar Palhares (-485) vs. Mike Massenzio (+385)

On skill alone, sure, Palhares deserves to be this big of a favorite. But as we’ve seen in the past, when Palhares fights it’s not always that simple. To put it gently, the guy’s a bit of a head case. Remember when he decided to try and call a mid-fight timeout against Nate Marquardt? How about when he leapt on top of the cage in celebration of a victory that he hadn’t yet achieved in his fight with Dan Miller? Then there’s the other end of the spectrum, like when he refused to release Tomasz Drwal from a heel hook even after the fight was clearly over. One bizarre incident might be a fluke, but Palhares has established a habit of weirdo happenings. Is it worth the risk that one such mental mishap could hand a victory to the major underdog Massenzio? If Massenzio were just a little better, and maybe not so dependent on his wrestling, I might say yes. Against Palhares, however, I fear he has the exact wrong style to take advantage of a guy whose brain isn’t always operating in perfect harmony with his body.
My pick: Palhares. But you know what? He’s so mercurial I don’t even want him in my parlay. There’s just too great a chance that he’ll screw everything up by deciding to quit in the middle of the fight and go work a concession stand instead.

Erick Silva (-485) vs. Carlo Prater (+385)

We still haven’t seen enough of Erick Silva to have a great handle on what he’s capable of, but what we have seen has been pretty impressive. He starched Luis Ramos in his Octagon debut the last time the UFC was in Rio. This time he’ll get a tougher opponent, but not necessarily an overwhelming one. Prater’s a replacement for Siyar Bahadurzada, who would have likely been a much stiffer test for the young Brazilian. Not that Prater’s an easy mark, mind you. He’s been around, has fought some recognizable names, but doesn’t have much to show for it. His willingness to step up here will earn him a UFC roster spot for the first time in a nearly ten-year career, but I don’t even like his odds to hang on to that for very long, much less pull out a win on relatively short notice.
My pick: Silva. I still think he’s overvalued at almost 5-1, but I’m willing to take the bait and put it in my parlay out of a lack of better ideas.

Edson Barboza (-280) vs. Terry Etim (+220)

Can we cut the crap and be real with each other for a minute, fellow derelicts? Don’t tell anyone, but I’m starting to suspect that Barboza might be just the tiniest bit overrated. I know, I know: he looked great in his UFC debut against Mike Lullo. And he also looked sharp against Anthony Njokuani. And then he did just enough to get a decision over Ross Pearson. But have you noticed that as the competition gets better, he seems to stay more or less the same? It makes me wonder if he’s like one of those pitchers who strikes out everyone when he first gets called up to the majors, but gets steadily shelled as hitters start to figure him out. Granted, Barboza’s still undefeated, so it’s not like he’s giving up grand slams (to stick with this already troublesome mixed sports metaphor), but I can’t help but feel like this line is a reflection of his hype more than his skills. Etim is better than many people realize, and this style match-up is right in his wheelhouse. I understand why he’s the underdog, but he could surprise some people. I just wouldn’t want to go to the judges in this fight if I were him.
My pick: Etim. Is this another instance of me talking myself into an underdog pick just to avoid looking like a jerk who takes all the favorites? Maybe. But still…

Quick picks:

– Michihiro Omigawa (+110) over Yuri Alcantara (-140). I’m not sold on Alcantara, and Omigawa is better than his record in the UFC reflects.

– Ednaldo Oliveira (+120) over Gabriel Gonzaga (-150). Most have never heard his name, but word is that Oliveira has acquitted himself well as Junior dos Santos’ sparring partner. Meanwhile, Gonzaga hasn’t had a truly significant win since 2007.

The ‘For Entertainment Purposes Only’ Parlay: Aldo + Johnson + Silva + Omigawa.

 

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UFC 142 Predictions

Filed under: UFCWill Jose Aldo continue to run roughshod over the featherweight division? Or will Chad Mendes pull off a huge upset in Aldo’s homeland? Will Anthony Johnson look even more powerful now that he’s not killing himself to cut down to welter…

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Jose Aldo will battle Chad Mendes in the main event of UFC 142 on Saturday night.Will Jose Aldo continue to run roughshod over the featherweight division? Or will Chad Mendes pull off a huge upset in Aldo’s homeland? Will Anthony Johnson look even more powerful now that he’s not killing himself to cut down to welterweight? Or will Vitor Belfort‘s patented power punches put Johnson to sleep? Will any of the favored Brazilians lose in front of the fans in Rio?

I’ll attempt to answer those questions and more as I predict the winners at UFC 142 below.

What: UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes

When: Saturday, the FX preliminary card begins at 8 p.m. ET and the main card begins on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET.

Where: HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Predictions on the five pay-per-view fights below.


José Aldo vs. Chad Mendes
The undefeated Mendes has talked in recent weeks about how he’s sure he has the right game plan for Aldo, and about how he has the best wrestling credentials of anyone Aldo has ever fought, and he’s coming into this fight with a lot of confidence. And if you look at the fight from a certain point of view, you can see where that confidence comes from: Mendes has, after all, used that superior wrestling to take decisions from some pretty good opponents, and even though this will be Mendes’ first five-round fight, he may have a cardio edge over Aldo.

But that’s my analysis when I’m trying to look for a reason to think Mendes could win. The hard truth for Mendes is that while he’s a better wrestler than anyone Aldo has ever fought before, Aldo is a much, much, much better striker than anyone Mendes has ever fought before. Aldo has become more cautious and tentative in recent fights, and so I’m not expecting to see the kind of devastating knockout that the Aldo of 2008-2009 could be counted on to provide. But I am expecting Aldo to employ leg kicks to keep Mendes at distance, perhaps some knees when Mendes shoots for takedowns, and enough punches to bloody Mendes’s face. This fight should be another good opportunity for Aldo to show that he’s hands down the best featherweight in MMA.
Pick: Aldo
Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson
 Johnson’s decision to move up to middleweight is long overdue — while fighting at welterweight he twice came in more than five pounds over. So will he look better now that he’s fighting in a division where he can actually make weight comfortably? I think he will, but I’m not sure how much of a difference that makes because I see this fight as being more about Belfort’s power than Johnson’s.

Belfort has had five fights since moving down to middleweight in 2008, and in four of them he knocked his opponent cold with punches. In the fifth, he got knocked cold himself by Anderson Silva‘s front kick. Johnson certainly has the ability to land a head kick and knock Belfort out with it, but I see Belfort catching Johnson with his hands down and knocking him out.
Pick: Belfort
Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio
 Massenzio is a good wrestler and a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt, and he’s coming off a solid win over Steve Cantwell at UFC 136. But he’s not even close to Palhares’ level on the ground, and I’ll be surprised if this fight doesn’t end with Palhares cranking on Massenzio’s leg, and Massenzio tapping.
Pick: Palhares
Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater
 Silva made his UFC debut at the last Rio show and needed just 40 seconds to knock out Luis Ramos. Prater, who’s finally making his UFC debut 40 fights into his MMA career, has a good chin and won’t be knocked out as quickly as Ramos was. But Prater took this fight on short notice and really isn’t on the same level as Silva, and it would be shocking if Silva doesn’t win this fight handily.
Pick: Silva

Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim
Barboza has built up a 9-0 record without ever really being tested on the ground, and Etim has a very dangerous submission game (he’s won the Submission of the Night bonus in each of his last three wins). So if he can get this fight to the ground, Etim may just be the first person to beat Barboza. But Barboza is such a lethal striker that I expect him to hurt Etim badly standing up.
Pick: Barboza

 

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