UFC 144: Mark Hunt, Cheick Kongo and the 5 Best Strikers at Heavyweight

This Saturday, the UFC returns to the Japan for the first time in over a decade, as a lightweight title tilt pitting champion Frankie Edgar against Benson Henderson is set to rock the Saitama Super Arena. Thought the 155-pound class is eclipsing the ta…

This Saturday, the UFC returns to the Japan for the first time in over a decade, as a lightweight title tilt pitting champion Frankie Edgar against Benson Henderson is set to rock the Saitama Super Arena. Thought the 155-pound class is eclipsing the talent-laden event, many notable matchups deserve to garner high praise, most notably […]

UFC 142 Predictions Aldo vs Mendes

Featherweight Championship: José Aldo (champion) vs Chad Mendes It’s cliche at this point as any opponent that a champion faces next should be his toughest opponent to date, but truly Mendes poses the biggest threat Aldo has faced yet. Toughest opponent in terms of winning, not in damage. See Mendes is a wrestler who likes

Featherweight Championship: José Aldo (champion) vs Chad Mendes

It’s cliche at this point as any opponent that a champion faces next should be his toughest opponent to date, but truly Mendes poses the biggest threat Aldo has faced yet. Toughest opponent in terms of winning, not in damage. See Mendes is a wrestler who likes to the control the fight and kill clock from the top side. He has won 80% of the time via decision and always by decision against top competition. Conditioning has never been a problem in any fight I’ve seen. He likes to control the pace tiring out his opponents in typical wrestler fashion.

Aldo will have problems that he didn’t have against Faber. While Aldo was able to keep a takedown-timid Faber away with leg kicks, Mendes is much more risk taking and will walk through some strikes to get his take down. Its everything to Mendes.

Aldo will be on his back, the question will be for how long. The likelihood of Mendes controlling all 5 rounds against one of the best fighters in all of MMA is going to be tough, but I think Mendes can squeak out 3 of them.

Aldo has closed 12 out of 20 fights before the 3rd round. He is a great striker and great jiujitsu player too. His wrestling has gotten better for sure. One thing though is that he has taken his last few fights the distance, but won the decision in all. He was recently injured too, maybe this is part of it.

Mendes here at roughly +200 is decent value.

Middleweight bout: Vitor Belfort vs Anthony Johnson

Will the length be the problem for Belfort? Johnson makes a huge weight cut to make every fight. Belfort needs to get back on the winning side. Both fighters are excellent strikers and have ended fights in the 1st round on more than 5 occasions.

Odds have this as a pickem. If you can find Johnson in the underdog at your favorite bookmaker take it. Johnson is bigger and lengthier.

Middleweight bout: Rousimar Palhares vs Mike Massenzio

Rousimar Palhares. The style matchup favors Palhares. Fight is going to be on the ground and that is where Palhares lives.

Welterweight bout: Erick Silva vs Carlo Prater

No pick, but odds are crazy skewed for Silva. Prater is too risky to place anything on as he is up and down.

Lightweight bout: Edson Barboza vs Terry Etim

Barboza despite Etim’s rising star. Etim hasn’t been tested by a Barboza like fighter.

Preliminary card (FX)

Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs Sam Stout

Should be a great matchup.

Heavyweight bout: Gabriel Gonzaga vs Ednaldo Oliveira

I don’t know enough or seen Ednaldo to make a call. At a cursory look, he’s 6’7″ and a shitload of tko’s on his record. Gonzaga is always good for taking a big beating or dishing one out of his own. Oliveira looks dangerous though. Passing.

Featherweight bout: Yuri Alcantara vs Michihiro Omigawa

This fight is going Yuri’s way.

Welterweight bout: Ricardo Funch vs Mike Pyle

Pyle. Aside from Rory MacDonald loss, Pyle has shown a much better skillset and has improved his weak points.

Preliminary card (Facebook)

Featherweight bout: Felipe Arantes vs Antonio Carvalho

Pass

BJ Penn and the 5 Best Grapplers Turned Strikers in MMA

In mixed martial arts’ heyday, fighters only specialized in one style or aspect of fighting. Grapplers had the advantage early on, as most MMA fighters had never seen or heard of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Fighters today are more well rounded than thei…

In mixed martial arts’ heyday, fighters only specialized in one style or aspect of fighting. Grapplers had the advantage early on, as most MMA fighters had never seen or heard of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Fighters today are more well rounded than their predecessors, forcing up and comers and veterans alike to evolve. Many grapplers have had […]

UFC Betting

BJ Penn and the 5 Best Grapplers Turned Strikers in MMA

7 Most Creative Strikers in MMA History

The number of ways a fight could end is one reason combat sports fans prefer mixed martial arts over boxing.  A buffet of elbows, knees, punches, and kicks is more electrifying than just punches.  Over the years, we’…

The number of ways a fight could end is one reason combat sports fans prefer mixed martial arts over boxing.  A buffet of elbows, knees, punches, and kicks is more electrifying than just punches.  Over the years, we’ve seen many great strikers come and go.  A few stood out in the crowd by popularizing previously unseen moves.  This article pays tribute to those pioneers who revolutionized striking and […]

UFC Betting

7 Most Creative Strikers in MMA History

The Best Strikers In Every UFC Weight Class

MMA is constantly evolving, and a good fighter has to be well rounded in all skills. However, there are many fighters who are known exclusively for their excellent striking. This is a list of the best strikers in every weight division in the UFC. Some …

MMA is constantly evolving, and a good fighter has to be well rounded in all skills. However, there are many fighters who are known exclusively for their excellent striking. This is a list of the best strikers in every weight division in the UFC. Some weight classes were harder to decide than others, so feel […]

UFC Betting

The Best Strikers In Every UFC Weight Class

The Atomic Bombers: MMA’s Top 10 Heavyweight Strikers of All Time (with Video)

When Mirko Filipovic enters the Octagon on Sept. 25 at the Conseco Fieldhouse, there will be much more at stake than simply the outcome of an Ultimate Fighting Championship main event.
Both “Cro Cop” and his adversary at UFC 119, Frank Mir,…

When Mirko Filipovic enters the Octagon on Sept. 25 at the Conseco Fieldhouse, there will be much more at stake than simply the outcome of an Ultimate Fighting Championship main event.
Both “Cro Cop” and his adversary at UFC 119, Frank Mir, will be fighting for their legitimate-contender lives, as both have only been able to […]

UFC Betting

The Atomic Bombers: MMA’s Top 10 Heavyweight Strikers of All Time (with Video)