(How awesome was the retro promo that preceded the conference? Finally, the UFC’s marketing department is making an effort.)
We’re not going to insult anyone’s intelligence; you all know what’s going down this Saturday at UFC 146. There may have been endless change ups, Twitter campaigns, and even change ups involving members of the aforementioned Twitter campaigns, but this weekend promises to be an, excuse the overused term, epic night of fights based on body mass alone.
(How awesome was the retro promo that preceded the conference? Finally, the UFC’s marketing department is making an effort.)
We’re not going to insult anyone’s intelligence; you all know what’s going down this Saturday at UFC 146. There may have been endless change ups, Twitter campaigns, and even change ups involving members of the aforementioned Twitter campaigns, but this weekend promises to be an, excuse the overused term, epic night of fights based on body mass alone.
In fact, we’d be surprised if you were still reading this, knowing that there is really nothing more we can write to convince you where to place your money, who to root for based on the roughness of their upbringing alone, or whether or not the winner will do something incredibly stupid afterward. But just in case you are, here are a few things we took away from the conference:
2. Stefan Struve thinks that, in retrospect, it’s amazing that he fought JDS at just 21 years old. I would’ve gone with “horrifying,” but perhaps that’s why I’m a blogger, not a blogger/fighter. In time, Potato Nation.
3. Despite all the brain scramblings he’s suffered over the past few years, Frank Mir can still articulate himself better than most politicians.
UFC 146 is almost upon us. It is a historic event because the main card is entirely made up of heavyweights. From the raw power of Lavar Johnson, to the dangerous submissions of Frank Mir, to the crisp boxing of Junior Dos Santos, UFC 146 has something…
UFC 146 is almost upon us. It is a historic event because the main card is entirely made up of heavyweights. From the raw power of Lavar Johnson, to the dangerous submissions of Frank Mir, to the crisp boxing of Junior Dos Santos, UFC 146 has something for everyone.
This card has more hype behind it than I have seen in a long time. It has even caught the interest of some of my friends who have little interest in the UFC. Some of them are asking about the fight between Mir and Dos Santos. That alone tells me that UFC 146 is going to be something special.
Heavyweight fights are always fan-friendly affairs. Whether it ends in a huge knockout, a TKO or a slick submission, heavyweight fights never cease to excite me. Why are we, the fans, so infatuated with the heavyweights, the titans of the cage?
I believe I have figured it out.
The heavyweights never put on a boring fight. They fight to finish. Each and every one of them has the power to put their opponent’s lights out with a well-placed punch or kick.
This 146 card consists of so many proven finishers, I have been ranting about it for a month.
For starters, you have the heavy-hitting Junior Dos Santos defending his title against submission machine Frank Mir. Cain Velasquez looks to get back into title contention when he meets Antonio Silva, who is making his UFC debut. Fan favourite Roy Nelson throws down with Dave Herman, while undefeated prospects StipeMiocic and Shane Del Rosario throw leather. In the first fight of the main card, Stefan Struve fights late fill-in Lavar Johnson.
It is obvious that this card is stacked when both Diego Brandao and EdsonBarboza are on the prelims. My advice to fans watching the event this Saturday: Don’t blink, because you’re bound to miss something huge!
If you like this article, leave a comment and share your thoughts. If you want more UFC and other sports thoughts, check me out on twitter @FuscoNation16.
Unfortunately, last Tuesday’s UFC on FUEL: Zombie vs. Poirier card all but completely derailed our recent run of luck with the Gambling Enabler (aside from the decision to purchase some Bud Light Platinums to celebrate another beautiful McKenzietine bet), but hopefully this weekend’s UFC 146 event, which features an all heavyweight main card for the first time in UFC history will help get things back on track. So without further adieu, may we present to you the tasty betting lines, brought to you courtesy of BestFightOdds, along with our brilliant/equally insane advice below.
Unfortunately, last Tuesday’s UFC on FUEL: Zombie vs. Poirier card all but completely derailed our recent run of luck with the Gambling Enabler (aside from the decision to purchase some Bud Light Platinums to celebrate another beautiful McKenzietine bet), but hopefully this weekend’s UFC 146 event, which features an all heavyweight main card for the first time in UFC history will help get things back on track. So without further adieu, may we present to you the tasty betting lines, brought to you courtesy of BestFightOdds, along with our brilliant/equally insane advice below.
The Main Event: Good God, has the world completely forgotten that Frank Mir is a former heavyweight champion for Christ’s sake? When we first came across those odds, not only did we double take, we nearly went into full on SpongeBob Squarepants bubble-blowing mode. Look, we all know that JDS has been damn near untouchable since nuking Fabricio Werdum in his octagon debut. We also know that Frank Mir’s chin leaves something to be desired, but at those odds, you’d think this was the squash match of the century, and that’s already been booked in the featherweight division. Mir is a submission savant with a pretty stellar standup game, and considering the experience advantage he’ll be bringing with him come Saturday, it would be nothing short of foolish to place at least a small bet on him at those ridiculous odds. Keep Junior in your parlay, because he has the kind of cement-filled hands that could end Mir’s night really, really early, but a side bet on Mir is common sense here.
The Good Dogs: We hate to be rude, but judging by their last performances, we’d say that Dave Herman and Antonio Silva are f’ing screwed. Plain and simple. Velasquez is too fast and dynamic for “Bigfoot,” and regardless of how Nelson has looked as of late, he is simply on another level than Herman, so scratch those from your list of viable options. The Rosario/Miocic line is really too close to warrant a big bet, and is one of those guaranteed slugfests that is best enjoyed with a cold beer, some nachos, and zero investment in the fighters at hand. Given his insane power, as well as Struve’s tendency to stand for way too long with people he has no business standing with, Lavar “Big” Johnson looks like a decent bet at +105. Then again, Pat Barry almost pulled off a keylock on him. Then again, Pat Barry almost pulled off a keylock on him. That is no typo; we want to let that notion settle in. Once Struve gets this to the ground, it will be over quicker than you can even kick yourself for betting on “Big” in the first place.
Really, the best underdog pick on this card is Paul Sass. Terrible nickname aside, he’s managed to score a couple impressive victories since jumping into the deep waters of the UFC’s lightweight division, mainly, his most recent heel hook win over TUF 12 finalist Michael Johnson. Volkmann has proven to be a force at 155, scoring five straight since dropping from welterweight, but none of those victories have really convinced us that he can do anything other than out-grapple his opponent for three rounds. Sass is a finisher, and Volkmann is anything but. This fight comes down to where you stand on the BJJ vs. wrestling debate, but we expect to see Sass pull off a second or third round sub and claim his place amongst the upper echelon of the lightweight division.
The Easy Bet: Diego Brandao. Although he saw some ups and downs in his glass plaque-earning effort over Dennis Bermudez at the TUF 14 Finale, he should easily be able to handle Darren Elkins, whose 3-1 octagon record looks a bit different when you realize that one of those victories came as a result of Duane Ludwig’s flimsy ankles, and another came as a result of the incompetence of MMA judges in his fight with Michihiro Omigawa. We feel compelled to mention the Miller/Dolloway match considering what’s at stake, but you might as well just throw your paycheck in the fire before you bet on either of those gentlemen.
Official CagePotato Parlay: dos Santos + Velasquez + Nelson + Brandao
Suggested stake for a $50 parlay
$25 on the parlay
$10 on Mir
$10 on Sass
$5 on Kingsbury (because UFC jitters are a thing)
In advance of this weekend’s UFC 146 headlining match between Junior Dos Santos and Frank Mir, FuelTV has released video of JDS’s Octagon debut at UFC 90 in October 2008. At the time, Dos Santos was 6-1 prospect, completely unknown outside of Brazil, facing a seasoned grappling expert and PRIDE/UFC vet whose list of victims included Alistair Overeem, Alexander Emelianenko, Gabriel Gonzaga (twice) and Brandon Vera, all of whom Werdum beat by stoppage. We gave Junior zero chance to win — and he shocked us all with a earth-shaking uppercut that permanently altered the power-balance in the UFC’s heavyweight division.
In advance of this weekend’s UFC 146 headlining match between Junior Dos Santos and Frank Mir, FuelTV has released video of JDS’s Octagon debut at UFC 90 in October 2008. At the time, Dos Santos was 6-1 prospect, completely unknown outside of Brazil, facing a seasoned grappling expert and PRIDE/UFC vet whose list of victims included Alistair Overeem, Alexander Emelianenko, Gabriel Gonzaga (twice) and Brandon Vera, all of whom Werdum beat by stoppage. We gave Junior zero chance to win — and he shocked us all with a earth-shaking uppercut that permanently altered the power-balance in the UFC’s heavyweight division.
“The one shot power of Junior dos Santos! Who can stop that man?” “…Frank Mir!” Or at least, that is what is being pitched to fans in the UFC’s well-proliferated ad for the upcoming UFC 146 event. As is custom when it comes to…
“The one shot power of Junior dos Santos! Who can stop that man?”
Or at least, that is what is being pitched to fans in the UFC’s well-proliferated ad for the upcoming UFC 146 event.
As is custom when it comes to title fights where one guy is a heavy favorite, MMA pundits and the UFC’s marketing department are trying to confabulate a way that this could be a close fight. We have seen this before.
Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami are all custom-built to beat Anderson Silva. Right?
Dan Hardy totally stood a chance against Georges St. Pierre. Right?
Dan Henderson’s one-punch power is still totally good enough to beat Jon Jones, who has over a foot of reach advantage. Right?
Obviously not. There are people working overtime, trying to figure out ways to trick fans into feeling that this is a tossup of a fight. Make no mistake, though. Junior dos Santos is a heavy, heavy favorite.
Frank Mir is a good fighter, for sure. Definitely a top five heavyweight at this time. Regardless, short of a flukey punch that happens to KO dos Santos, or dos Santos willingly engaging on the ground (all signs indicate that he is too smart for this, however) Mir stands almost no chance against him.
This writer does not find Junior dos Santos as unbeatable as many do. The problem, though, is not dos Santos’ explosive fists. The problem is Frank Mir’s long, storied history of putting together bad game plans in his biggest fights.
Look over Frank Mir’s bouts the last few years, and many of them are marred by this.
At UFC 100, Mir was set for a rematch with Brock Lesnar in a heavyweight title unification bout. Mir, who was walking around at about 245 pounds at the time, was at a serious disadvantage clinched, or on the ground, as Lesnar had a serious size advantage, walking around at about 285 pounds. This was a great compliment to his strong wrestling skills, and would be a big red flag for most fighters.
Lesnar, though, had an untested chin and his stand-up was not especially strong. Mir’s best chance was to work his takedown defense, keep the fight standing and try to rock Lesnar in order to set up for a submission victory.
Mir, instead, opted to try and out-grapple Lesnar, doing little to resist being pinned to the ground while working for a submission. Lesnar pounded him mercilessly for seven minutes until the referee saw that Mir was unable to respond.
After that, Mir scored a quick victory over kickboxer Cheick Kongo to qualify for an interim championship bout with Shane Carwin.
Carwin, at the time 3-0 in the UFC, had beaten all of those opponents by knockout. In fact, he was running through competition so quickly, that he had spent under three and a half minutes in the Octagon in those three fights.
After losing to Lesnar, Mir bulked up in a big way. Size-wise, Mir was about the same size as Carwin (though a little smaller). Mir had reasonably good hands, but not nearly as good as Carwin’s and more importantly, Mir lacked the knockout power his opponent was demonstrating at that point. Carwin was a NCAA Division II wrestler, but had not demonstrated that in the UFC yet while Mir was still undeniably one of the best ground fighters at the time.
Logically, Mir would want to tap into his own wrestling past, take Carwin down and try to submit the relatively inexperienced knockout artist. Nope.
Mir tried to stand and bang with Carwin with unsurprising results. The two clinched and Carwin spun Mir into the cage, and started landing short punches. While those punches would not be much from most fighters, effortlessly generating power is Carwin’s biggest strength, which resulted in Mir wilting to the mat in the first round.
While Mir lost both those fights, poor strategic moves end up a part of his victories, as well.
Mir’s most recent fight, a rematch with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, is a great example of this. Mir and Nogueira, on paper, were comparably skilled both standing and on the ground. Mir’s greatest edge against “Big Nog” was his size. Mir had about 20 pounds on him, and he is quite good at bullying people around the cage.
He would have been wise to clinch Nogueira, strike from that position, keep him against the cage and then employ some lay and pray. This is Frank Mir, though!
While the bout famously ended with Nogueira getting a new joint in his arm, most of it took place standing up. Nogueira rocked Mir twice and was very close to having the referee call it a fight. Though ultimately, this bout is considered one of Mir’s greatest wins, it still showed some of his bigger weaknesses.
This bout with Nogueira (with some help from Alistair Overeem) set up for another title fight for Mir. Junior dos Santos is possibly the best boxer in MMA today, but is yet to be challenged on the ground in the Octagon. This, obviously, is Mir’s biggest strength.
While it would make sense for Mir to try and go for a single-leg takedown, look for him instead to try to clinch, then drag dos Santos down. Mir has a suspect chin making it unlikely that he can get close enough for long enough to pull this off. This adds up to a likely knockout loss.
Again, Mir really is a strong fighter and one of the best stories in MMA. Regardless, he probably lacks the tools to beat Junior dos Santos. But even if he does have them, history shows he is probably going to leave them at home.
When asked his opinion on the NSAC’s aforementioned ruling in the case of Mr. Diaz, Mir seemed to side with the “what kind of bullshit is this?” crowd, stating that “…obviously just having metabolites in his system means that he was not under the influence of marijuana in contest the night they tested him, but I guess that’s why they wear suits and I wear no shirt when I go to work.” I hear you there, bro. Mir also discussed his plans for dos Santos, mainly, that he will pull guard on the champ if need be, because shooting on “Cigano” will likely not be a viable option.
Join us after the jump for Helwani’s interview with dos Santos, who makes some pretty ballsy claims to say the least.
When asked his opinion on the NSAC’s aforementioned ruling in the case of Mr. Diaz, Mir seemed to side with the “what kind of bullshit is this?” crowd, stating that “…obviously just having metabolites in his system means that he was not under the influence of marijuana in contest the night they tested him, but I guess that’s why they wear suits and I wear no shirt when I go to work.” I hear you there, bro. Mir also discussed his plans for dos Santos, mainly, that he will pull guard on the champ if need be, because shooting on “Cigano” will likely not be a viable option.
Helwani’s interview with dos Santos was decidedly different, as “Cigano” spent a good amount of time trying to clarify earlier statements he made about Mir’s lack of heart, and the fact that he is “not a man.” If that sounds like a bit harsh of a criticism considering the source, the heavyweight champion only meant to say that when the going gets tough, Mir gives up. Although Big Nog might disagree with that notion (as well as the driver who nearly took Mir’s life), do you think it’s a fair assessment of the former heavyweight champ, Potato Nation?
But perhaps even more unexpected than dos Santos’ semi trash-talk was his claim that, given a few months of training, he could take WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO & The Ring Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, or anyone else in the world for that matter (conversation begins at the 5:30 mark). Whereas a statement like that might come off as arrogant for any other fighter, there’s something about the way Junior delivers his words (ie. in hilariously broken English), combined with the ever-present smile pasted across his face, that just makes him seem more genuine than some of the other guys out there. SO WATCH YOUR BACK, WLADIMIR.
Since we haven’t asked this in at least a week; who you got, Potato Nation?
UFC 146 is almost upon us. It is a historic event because the main card is entirely made up of heavyweights. From the raw power of 
“The one shot power of Junior dos Santos! Who can stop that man?”
