Tag: Preview/Prediction

UFC 130 Fight Card: Brian Stann vs Jorge Santiago Preview

UFC 130 is set to take place on Saturday, May 28 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.The main event on the card will feature a light heavyweight battle between former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt Ha…

UFC 130 is set to take place on Saturday, May 28 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The main event on the card will feature a light heavyweight battle between former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt Hamill. The co-main event will be a heavyweight showdown between two highly ranked fighters, former UFC champion Frank Mir and Roy “Big Country” Nelson.

Middleweight competitors Brian Stann (10-3) and Jorge Santiago (23-8) will meet on the pay-per-view portion of the fight  card.

Stann made a huge leap in the division when he put a beating on Chris Leben at UFC 125, causing the referee to stop the fight at 3:37 mark of Round One.

Stann then requested a fight with Wanderlei Silva, but Silva was reluctant to face Stann, a fighter that Silva said that everyone loves.

That love and respect comes from the fact that Stann is a former Marine Captain, who was awarded the Silver Star for his service. 

Stann addressed the issue of his service at the UFC 130 pre-fight press conference saying, “It’s never easy to talk about because it always feels like I’m coming off bragging about my military history and that’s not my intention.” Stann continued, “I think some of the more hardcore fans get sick of hearing about it, but I’m not the one that asks the questions, so my job is to answer the questions.”

With his military background the fight on Memorial Day weekend means a lot to Stann, who told UFC.com, “If I could fight Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday on Memorial weekend, I would. If I was another fighter and I had to fight me, Memorial Day weekend would be the last weekend I would ever want to fight me.”

Santiago returns to the UFC this weekend after being away from the promotion for more than four years. During his time away he compiled a record of 11-1 and captured the Sengoku Middleweight championship. Santiago left that struggling promotion to return to the UFC.

UFC president Dana White praised Santiago at the pre-fight press conference saying, “He was cut in 2006 and goes out and goes on an 11 fight win streak, goes out makes the adjustments, does what he has to do, has that competitive drive and the mental toughness to come back. Those are exactly the kinds of guys we are looking for.”

That competitive drive and mental toughness will but put to the test when he faces a very motivated Stann on Saturday night.

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UFC 130 Fight Card: Why Brian Stann-Jorge Santiago Will Win Fight of the Night

Brian Stann and Jorge Santiago are two fighters who will be looking for respect at UFC 130. Stann (10-3) is looking to prove he is a top contender at 185 pounds. Santiago, on the other hand, is looking to prove he belongs in the UFC again. Santiago had…

Brian Stann and Jorge Santiago are two fighters who will be looking for respect at UFC 130.

Stann (10-3) is looking to prove he is a top contender at 185 pounds. Santiago, on the other hand, is looking to prove he belongs in the UFC again.

Santiago had his chance once before, going just 1-2.

After his loses to Alan Belcher and Chris Leben, Santiago went on a tear going 11-1, becoming the Sengoku middleweight champion, and having what some saw as MMA fight of the year when he faced Kazuo Misaki in a hard-fought battle.

Santiago has made a name for himself overseas, and is now hoping to continue on the biggest stage of them all. He’s been here once before, and he does not want to blow the opportunity a second time.

Stann, on the other hand, is becoming one of the most popular fighters in the UFC today.

His military background has automatically made him a fan favorite. Fighting on Memorial Day weekend brings added pressure for Stann to put on a great show.

Both fighters have a chance to make a huge statement. Stann made one in his last fight when he became just the second guy to TKO Chris Leben. Santiago, on the other hand, will have to find a way to beat a highly motivated former Marine.

Although this fight is not getting the attention that Rampage vs. Hamill is, I expect it to be just as exciting, if not more. Both guys are willing to stand and bang, and both are capable of putting on exciting fights.

Although Stann may be extra motivated this weekend, Santiago could be on that same level of motivation. Both guys will put on a great show. 

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UFC 130: Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson Analysis

UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill is a tribute to Zuffa’s talented marketing team, the result of clever last-minute matchmaking and some inspired promotion.Earlier this year, a potentially intriguing match-up between former light-heavyweight champion Quinton…

UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill is a tribute to Zuffa’s talented marketing team, the result of clever last-minute matchmaking and some inspired promotion.

Earlier this year, a potentially intriguing match-up between former light-heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and resurgent contender Thiago Silva was scrubbed.

Silva, back in the title picture after posting an impressive and dominating victory over Brandon “The Truth” Vera, was yanked from the schedule after his UFC 125 pre-fight urinalysis tested positive for banned substances.

If the absence of Jackson vs. Silva slowed down the UFC 130 hype machine, losing the highly-anticipated main event, a rubber match between 155-pound champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar and No. 1 contender Gray “Bully” Maynard, threatened to bring it to a grinding halt.

Edgar and Maynard, arguably the two most evenly-matched fighters in the division, were expected to give fans their money’s worth after thrilling fans on New Year’s Day in a five-round slobberknocker that ended in (what else) a majority draw.

Fortunately, the UFC’s roster is deep enough to furnish Saturday night’s main card with plenty of talented fighters. The match-up I find the most compelling is the heavyweight pairing of former champ Frank Mir vs. Roy “Big Country” Nelson.

 

What We Know

Originally known for his jiu-jitsu skills, Mir has made a name for himself in recent years as one of the UFC’s more well-rounded big men.

He showcased ever-improving stand-up skills against Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cheick Kongo, but brutal stoppage losses to Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin put his status as a bona fide contender in question.

Roy Nelson is in many ways the anti-Frank Mir; pudgy, irreverent and seemingly incapable of taking himself seriously.

While Nelson drew criticism on TUF for coasting through preliminary bouts, his stunning knock-out of Brendan Schaub in the season finale showcased the former IFL champion’s skill.

Even as Nelson’s egregious mullet and self-deprecating arena entrance (to the tune of Weird Al Yankovic’s “Fat”) provide comic relief, his stunning knock-outs of Schaub and Stefan Struve serve to remind fans and opponents that Nelson is an accomplished and dangerous veteran.

 

What Could Happen

There’s little question Frank Mir enters this fight with an advantage in nearly every department…at least on paper.

A cerebral, analytical fighter known for tailoring opponent-specific game plans, Mir expects to capitalize on both a discernible size advantage as well as what he believes is superior stand-up technique.

Where Nelson shines is in the intangibles department. Undersized at heavyweight and sporting a giant pot belly, Nelson uses graceful footwork, poise under pressure and deceptive athleticism to turn the tables on opponents, a quality not unlike Fedor Emelianenko.

Nelson’s most recent fight, a decisive loss to No. 1 contender Junior Dos Santos, was nonetheless a competitive brawl that not only showed Nelson’s skill but also his toughness.

Mir may be bigger and in better shape, and he may even have a sound game plan for Nelson, but unfortunately the element of surprise always seems to favor Mir’s opponents.

That trend doesn’t bode well against an opponent like Nelson, who since entering the UFC has only exceeded expectations.

If recent history is any indication, we shouldn’t be shocked to see Roy Nelson walk away with a “Knockout of the Night” bonus.

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UFC 130 Fight Card: Predictions for Fight, Submission, and KO of the Night

With UFC 130 about to finally kick off less than 24 hours from now, there is little analysis or predictions left to be done for this particular card.However, nobody has yet took a gander to predict who will be taking home those big, fat submission, kno…

With UFC 130 about to finally kick off less than 24 hours from now, there is little analysis or predictions left to be done for this particular card.

However, nobody has yet took a gander to predict who will be taking home those big, fat submission, knockout, and fight of the night bonuses.

Score!

While most have been critical of this card and its lack of intriguing fights, there could be a few surprises in store for us tomorrow night.

Even though the main event leaves much to be desired, the rest of the undercard has a few pretty interesting fights that could turn out to be entertaining.

Anyway, enough of that. Now on to the predictions.

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UFC 130 Fight Card Preview: Frank Mir’s Warm Reception Shows Fans’ Short Memory

Fighting in his hometown of Las Vegas, Frank Mir probably wasn’t going to get booed at the weigh-in for his UFC 130 bout with Roy “Big Country” Nelson.However, after a very tumultuous 2010, the warm reception that the former UFC Heavyweight Champion re…

Fighting in his hometown of Las Vegas, Frank Mir probably wasn’t going to get booed at the weigh-in for his UFC 130 bout with Roy “Big Country” Nelson.

However, after a very tumultuous 2010, the warm reception that the former UFC Heavyweight Champion recieved had to come as at least a bit of a relief.

It was some 15 months ago when Mir caused controversy by saying that he wanted then-Champion Brock Lesnar to be the first fighter to die in the Octagon, and was subsequently relieved of his commentating duties for the WEC. A month later, Mir missed out on an opportunity to challenge Lesnar for the UFC Heavyweight Championship when he lost an interim title bout to Shane Carwin at UFC 111, getting knocked out in the first round. Mir got back on the winning track that fall at UFC 119 with a knockout win over Mirko Cro Cop, but the action leading up to the winning knee strike left fans unimpressed, and the lethargic pace of the fight promptedt Dana White to not award a Knockout of the Night Bonus (Mir had the only knockout of the night). Mir’s son Marcus took to Twitter to air his grievances with the UFC President after the snub, while White questioned Mir’s heart in the wake of the fight. When word circulated that White was considering Mir and Lesnar as coaches for The Ultimate Fighter and opponents for a subsequent pay-per-view main event, a massive outcry on Twitter prompted White to shelve the matchup in favor of Lesnar-Dos Santos (which became Carwin-Dos Santos after Lesnar was forced to withdraw due to medical concerns). 

Time heals many wounds, however, and whether fans had forgotten about last year’s controversies or just felt like cheering a hometown fighter, Mir got a loud ovation when he came to weigh in.

It remains to be seen if Mir will get a similar reception on Saturday night – and honestly, after a forgettable 2010 in the Octagon and a controversial one outside it, Mir badly needs a win – but for now, it seems as if Mir’s PR issues are behind him. 

For now.

UFC 130 Fight Card Preview: Roy Nelson Keeps Sense of Humor at Weigh-in for Mir

UFC weigh-ins are a time for fun. When fighters who are tasked with the very serious business of trying to beat their opponents to the point of knockout or submission come out tossing t-shirts to the crowd – as did fighters like Rick Story, Stefan Stru…

UFC weigh-ins are a time for fun.

When fighters who are tasked with the very serious business of trying to beat their opponents to the point of knockout or submission come out tossing t-shirts to the crowd – as did fighters like Rick Story, Stefan Struve and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson on Friday – you know that the seriousness of Saturday night has not yet arrived. 

Roy “Big Country” Nelson didn’t toss any shirts as he came out to weigh in for his co-main event bout against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir, but the former IFL Heavyweight Champion did find other means of showing his sense of fun: Nelson, who weighed in at 260 pounds for the fight with Mir, had his hair tied up in pigtails as he approached the scale. 

“Big Country” has always kept a sense of humor about him in his UFC career, patting his ample belly after victories and making Weird Al Yankovic’s “Fat” his walkout song of choice. However, in a sport that exudes masculinity, Nelson’s willingness to adopt a hairstyle generally associated with elementary school-aged girls is a reminder of what sets him apart from many of his fellow fighters.

Saturday night, however, the pigtails will be gone, and it will be time for “Big Country” to try to make Mir squeal like a pig.