Tag: UFC Picks

UFC on Fuel TV 4 – MMAFix Staff Picks

Most of the staff is still recovering from UFC 148 so for UFC on Fuel TV 4, only Ryan and I will bringing you picks. But after his 6-0 performance on Saturday, who else’s picks.

Most of the staff is still recovering from UFC 148 so for UFC on Fuel TV 4, only Ryan and I will bringing you picks. But after his 6-0 performance on Saturday, who else’s picks do you really need?


Chris Weidman (-145) vs. Mark Munoz (+115)
Ryan: No clue why Weidman is the favorite to win. Munoz has faced higher level opponents and he looked more impressive than Weidman when you compare both their fights against Demian Maia. Munoz will shrug off Weidman’s submission attempts and control him on the ground. Munoz by TKO via GNP. Winner: Munoz

Alan: I’m with Ryan here. I don’t expect a finish but I don’t see why Weidman is the favorite. And not only is he the favorite, but the line has moved more in his favor since the end of last week, which means people are betting Weidman. I don’t understand it. Two great wrestlers usually equals a striking match and Munoz has a pretty clear advantage there. What am I missing? Winner: Munoz


James Te Huna vs. Joey Beltran
Ryan: Te-Huna is coming off 2 impressive knockout wins, while Beltran lost his last 2 fights in the octagon. Te-Huna is better than Beltran in every aspect of the game. Te-Huna by KO. Winner: Te Huna

Alan: This is going to be a slugfest and I’m taking Te Huna as well. Beltran has a brick chin but Te Huna has a brick fist so as long as he lands first, he should get a quick TKO victory. Winner: Te Huna


Aaron Simpson vs. Kenny Robertson
Ryan: As long as Simpson isn’t drained by his first weight cut to 170lbs (which he shouldn’t because he his a veteran wrestler), he should have no problem beating Robertson. Simpson is a better wrestler and a more powerful striker. Simpson by TKO. Winner: Simpson

Alan: What we have here is a great minds think alike type situation. The biggest challenge for Simpson in this fight will be the weight cut. As long as he doesn’t gas, he should win this one easily. No disrespect to Robertson but Simpson went from a huge underdog to a huge favorite when Robertson was announced to replace Jon Fitch. Winner: Simpson


Karlos Vemola vs. Francis Carmont
Ryan: Vemola is a beast at 185lbs. He will have no problem out wrestling Carmont and look to take his back. If Vemola can’t sink in the RNC he will finish the fight by GNP. Winner: Vemola

Alan: We agree again. I don’t think the gap is as big between these two and Vemola could be in trouble if he decides to stand and trade but as long as he looks to get the takedown and control Carmont on the mat, he should be able to earn the victory. Winner: Vemola


T.J. Dillashaw vs. Vaughan Lee
Ryan: Lee is a well rounded fighter, but Dillashaw will sooner or later take Lee down and submit him (most likely with a RNC). Winner: Dillashaw

Alan: I don’t think this one will be close. Dillashaw is constantly improving training at Team Alpha Male and Lee was supposed to be a feeder for Kid Yamamoto. Dillashaw did everything but finish Walel Watson in his last fight and hopefully he can take that next step against Lee. Winner: Dillashaw


Anthony Njokuani vs. Rafael Dos Anjos
Ryan: Njokuani has trouble with good ground fighters. On top of that, Rafael dos Anjos has developed some excellent striking. Rafael dos Anjos by submission. Winner: Dos Anjos

Alan: We finally disagree! But after Ryan’s perfect night, I don’t feel great about it. I don’t think Dos Anjos has the wrestling to get Njokuani down and keep him down. Danny Castillo struggled to keep him down and I don’t think Dos Anjos has that kind of wrestling. I expect Njokuani to keep this fight mostly on the feet and strike his way to victory. Winner: Njokuani

UFC 148 Aftermath : Who’s Next?

UFC 148 definitely lived up to the hype, and was easily one of the most exciting MMA events this year. Now that the fights have come to a conclusion, the UFC has to decide what’s.

UFC 148 definitely lived up to the hype, and was easily one of the most exciting MMA events this year. Now that the fights have come to a conclusion, the UFC has to decide what’s next for the fighters. For those who were defeated, just how far did they get knocked down the ranking ladder? For those victorious, how much closer does this bring them to a fight for the title? Is there anyone who will not be returning to the octagon? These are just some a few of the questions that are being asked after UFC 148.

Mike Easton and Ivan Menjivar had a three round back and forth fight that saw Easton getting his hand raised. After the performance that Easton showcased, his next opponent should be a top ten contender. Eddie Wineland or Michael McDonald would most likely be the best choice to ensure another exciting striking war. Menjivar was the underdog, but still displayed a commendable performance. A perfect opponent for Menjivar to face next is Scott Jorgensen. Both are coming off a loss, but are still considered to be two high-level fighters in the division.

Chad Mendes’ quick finish of Cody McKenzie just shows how bizarre this match up was. Mendes should have been matched with someone of a much higher ranking, especially seeing his last fight was against Jose Aldo for the lightweight title. Mendes should fight Ricardo Llams next, but if it ends up being someone talented like Charles Oliveria, then that would still be justifiable opponent. Who knows who KcKenzie’s next opponent will be, but clearly it shouldn’t be an elite contender. He’s just not ready for that yet, and his fight with Mendes is proof of that.

In a stunning upset, Demian Maia make quick work of Dong Hyun Kim, proving that he is a force to be reckoned with at welterweight. Many people speculated that the weight cut would hurt his performance, but it actually helped it, and made him much faster. Whether or not the fight was stopped due to an injury received by Kim is irrelevant. Maia got Kim right where he wanted him and unleashed a fury of punches, the referee would’ve had to step in regardless. After taking out a fighter as good as Kim like it was child‘s play, Joe Silva should give Maia a fighter either in the top ten or just outside the top ten. Diego Sanchez would be ideal if he doesn’t decide to return to lightweight. However, it would be understandable if Maia were to pull a fighter like Jake Ellenberger.

After Cung Le’s performance over Patrick Cote, people are realizing that maybe they were to quick to turn on him. After all, he was out striking Wanderlei Silva for the majority of their fight, and scored multiple knock downs. Not to mention, Patrick Cote was cut from the UFC in 2010, after three consecutive losses. The only reason he was brought back was to fill a spot when Rich Franklin was pulled from the bout. Since being cut from the UFC, Cote had fought less talented competition and just isn’t on Le’s striking level. Joe Silva should match up Le and Costa Philippou seeing they both won their last fight, and fought on the same card. If the UFC grants Cote another fight, a rematch with Chris Leben is one that fans would go crazy for. Leben’s suspension will end in November, so the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

Fight of the night award winners, Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz had a very controversial decision in the eyes of the crowd. However, most MMA website agree with the decision that Griffin won the first two rounds. What was more shocking was Griffin running out of the octagon before the official decision came out, and then later taking
Joe Rogan’s microphone to interview Ortiz himself. Griffin later apologized for his actions and simply stated he wasn’t thinking and wish he could take it all back. Ortiz officially retired after the fight, and was inducted in the UFC Hall of Fame. Griffin was asked if he had planned to retire as well, but Griffin stated that he definitely had a few more fights in him. Many have suggested a rematch with Rampage Jackson or Stephan Bonnar for Griffin’s next fight, which are most likely the most interesting fights for the fans.

Chael Sonnen made round one of his rematch with Anderson Silva look like a reenactment of their first encounter. After securing a takedown just seconds into the fight, Sonnen was able to control Silva on the ground and land over seventy strikes, while taking zero. What was more impressive, was Sonnen passing Silva’s guard and achieving the mount position, instead of being content with staying in Silva’s full guard like in their first fight. However Silva turned things around in round two. He was able to keep the fight standing and avoid the takedown attempts of Sonnen. The most important strike Silva was able to dodge was a spinning back fist that when missed, threw Sonnen off balance and caused him to tumble to the mat. Once Sonnen was down, Silva seized his opportunity to pressure Sonnen with a plethora of strikes. Once Silva took control, it was the beginning of the end for Sonnen, and the referee eventually had to step in. As far as who is next for Silva, there aren’t many options to go with. If Mark Munoz beats Chris Weidman, it would most likely make Munoz the number one contender. However, if Weidman is victorious, the UFC may wait to see how the fight between Hector Lombard and Tim Boetsch plays out. As for Chael Sonnen, A fight with Vitor Belfort would be a bout fans would like to see due to the added tension with neither fighter being to fond of the other. However, before that fight can happen, Sonnen needs to decide whether or not he will continue fighting. He said he would like to take some time before making a final decision, but the majority of the fans are confident that we will see the American gangster come back to the octagon.

Written by : Ryan “Fight Freek” Poli

Crisper Betting Picks – UFC 148 Sonnen vs. Silva

OK boys and girls, lets get down to business. This is one of the most anticipated fights in as long as I can remember. I am definitely PUMPED for this one so lets go make.

OK boys and girls, lets get down to business. This is one of the most anticipated fights in as long as I can remember. I am definitely PUMPED for this one so lets go make some MONEY.

As for my FAVORITE FAVORITES, tonight there are 2.

1. Patrick Cote (-245) over Cung Le. Cote is younger and in better shape. The 40 year old Cung Le looks real good throwing all of his spin kicks, but Cote knows this and will be ready. Cote’s patience pays off and he gets the fight to the ground and finishes off Cung Le in the 3rd. 1 unit in the Cookie Jar!

2. Forrest Griffin (-290) over Tito Ortiz. Its time for Tito to start working on things again with Jenna Jameson. Forrest has the size and reach advantage, and Tito will get worn down in this one. I see this as a bit of a boring win for Forrest, unless Tito tries to open it up and go for the KO. Either way lay the 2.9 units here and give Tito a standing ovation in his swan song, even though it will be in losing fashion. Up 2 units going into the finale!

DOG OF THE NIGHT!!!

Yes, I’m sure you all see this coming. It’s shock the world time baby, Chael Sonnen (+250) over Anderson Silva. He did it once, and he’ll do it again (well sorta). Sonnen has Silva all hot and bothered by his comments and disrespect. He will use this strategy to frustrate Silva once again and get takedowns. The ground and pound will again be effective, but this time Sonnen will not get caught. Split decision goes to Sonnen and a 3rd and final fight between these 2 goes on the schedule. Add 2.5 units for a total of 4.5 on the night. Maybe part of me just wants to watch Sonnen talk smack about his next opponent.

BOOM

UFC 148 MMAFix Staff Picks: Part I

Anderson Silva (-280) vs. Chael Sonnen (+240) Ryan Poli: I have to go with Silva on this one. He has the striking and jiu-jitsu advantage, plus plenty of time to work on his takedown defense..

Anderson Silva (-280) vs. Chael Sonnen (+240)
Ryan Poli: I have to go with Silva on this one. He has the striking and jiu-jitsu advantage, plus plenty of time to work on his takedown defense. I don’t see Sonnen being able to change his strategy and that will be his downfall. Although the odds were much less generous for all of Silva’s other opponents, I am somewhat surprised that the odds are as high as they are in Silva’s favor just based on the how their first fight played out. Winner: Silva

John Rivera: Anderson Silva wins by KO/TKO in the 2nd Round. “The Spider” will publicly execute Chael Sonnen….we know this because he is the greatest fighter in the history of the sport. Winner: Silva

Emily Kapala: I personally think that Chael Sonnen is being undervalued in the eyes of the oddsmakers. Not only would I pick Sonnen as the winner, but I think he is the highest value bet. While the odds are against him, I think he will be able to pull through with the victory this time around when he faces Silva in the octagon. Winner: Sonnen

Elise Kapala: In almost every fight with Silva, the opposing fighter is the underdog. However, the last matchup with Sonnen and Silva was so intense and draining on Silva, there truly is no underdog here. If I had to choose a winner, I would say Sonnen via knockout in the 3rd or 4th round. Winner: Sonnen

Alan Wells: If I’m picking a winner, I’m going with Silva but if I’m betting the money line, I’m going with Sonnen. I’m not interested in -280 odds and after Sonnen’s performance in the first fight, I’m willing to take a flyer on him. I’m not expecting to win but if I need action on this fight, I’m going with Sonnen. Winner: Silva

MMAFix Staff Pick: Silva (3-2)



Tito Ortiz (+255) vs. Forrest Griffin (-310)
Ryan Poli: I’m going with the favorite to win. Although I wasn’t impressed by either of them in their last fight, Shogun is a more dangerous opponent than Lil’ Nog. Plus I would say with the exception of wrestling, Forrest has every advantage (age, cardio, reach, striking, jiu- jitsu). Winner: Griffin

John Rivera: I think Forrest takes a unanimous decision this time around. As much as I love Tito, I think as a fighter, his best days are behind him. Rashad ravaged him, and Lil’ Nog took the rest…. Winner: Griffin

Alan Wells: I hate this line. I don’t understand why Griffin is such a significant favorite. I like him to win but -310 makes him a waste of money. Once again, if I feel the need to wet my beak for this fight, I’m going with the underdog but I don’t feel great about my chances of getting that money back. Winner: Griffin

MMAFix Staff Pick: Griffin (3-0)

Cung Le (+180) vs. Patrick Cote (-220)
Ryan Poli: Cung Le all the way. His striking is more diverse and Cote has been fighting against much lower level competition for quite some time. He just isn’t at Cung Le’s level. Winner: Le

John Rivera: The headline will read: ‘Cote KO’s ex Strikeforce Champ, Cung Le in the 2nd round due to the former’s punching power and the latter’s lack of cardio.’ Winner: Cote

Alan Wells: I think the oddsmakers are just screwing with me at this point. If MMA was a more popular sport, this line would be a lot closer because the public would be moving it toward Le. But the betting pool for MMA isn’t nearly as big as other sports so the line is right where it should be. I like Cote to win and that’s where my money is going if I have to bet. The odds aren’t great but at least they’re better than the two headliners. Winner: Cote

MMAFix Staff Pick: Cote (2-1)

UFC 148 MMAFix Staff Picks: Part II

Dong Hyun Kim (-155) vs. Demien Maia (+135) Ryan Poli: Despite a poor performance in his last fight, I’m picking Demian Maia to win. Stun Gun is at his best on the ground, which I.

Dong Hyun Kim (-155) vs. Demien Maia (+135)
Ryan Poli: Despite a poor performance in his last fight, I’m picking Demian Maia to win. Stun Gun is at his best on the ground, which I feel plays right in to Maia’s hand. Plus as long as Maia can showcase his improved stand up (like he did against Mark Munoz), he will also have the advantage on the feet. I disagree with the odds. It may be because of his last fight, but I still disagree. Winner: Maia

John Rivera: This fight can go one of two ways: Kim, uses a moderate kickboxing advantage and solid judo skills to keep the fight upright for a unanimous decision victory…. OR…Demian Maia submits the motherf*cker with his insane jiu-jitsu skills inside of round one. Even though I want the badass Brazilian to win via flying omaplata to reverse spinning heel hook, I got Kim with the decision this time. Winner: Kim

Alan Wells: I expect DHK to take a decision victory here. This will probably be another mediocre striking match right in line with Maia’s recent fights and Kim has the slight advantage in the striking. At -155, this is the first fight that feels worth a bet. Winner: Kim

MMAFix Staff Pick: Kim (2-1)

Chad Mendes (-640) vs. Cody McKenzie (+470)
Ryan Poli: Chad Mendes is too strong and too skilled for McKenzie. His only chance to win is with his signature guillotine choke which Mendes can easily avoid. Winner: Mendes

John Rivera: I got Chad Mendes via boring decision victory. Mendes is a good enough wrestler to keep McKenzie on his back for most of the fight but the latter is good enough on the ground to avoid any submissions from the Team Alpha Male product. As sick as he is with the guillotine (Dude has 12 submission victories all by guillotine) I don’t see McKenzie tapping out the NCAA All-American Wrestler. Winner: Mendes

Alan Wells: This fight is a joke. The only reason to bet here is to either take a flyer on McKenzie because of the ridiculous odds or to use Mendes as a parlay to get better odds on either Silva or Griffin. Parlaying is normally a sucker bet but I really can’t imagine Mendes losing this fight. Winner: Mendes

MMAFix Staff Pick: Mendes (3-0)

Ivan Menjivar (+105) vs. Mike Easton (-125)
Ryan Poli: I think Menjivar is overrated. He is extremely talented, but his last few fights have been against lower ranked competition that gave him a great deal of trouble and put him in some bad positions where I feel if Mike Easton had the same position, he would be able to put Menjivar away. Mike Easton brings it every fight and will get the TKO over Menjivar. Winner: Easton

John Rivera: We are in for a treat. First of all Menjivar fought GSP when he debuted at 170lbs—the guy is a monster, especially when you consider this fight is at bantamweight. Second, Mike Easton is a Lloyd Irvin black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu who PREFERS to fight standing up. I have no idea what is going to happen. Mike Easton is on a tear, killing guys left and right with very dangerous muay thai, but this is definitely a step up in competition. The UFC is testing Easton with this matchup. They want to see if he can make the leap from rising prospect to legitimate contender. A fourth victory against a high profile fighter such as Menjivar could sign Easton’s ticket to the title show. I think he will rise to the occasion for a very close split decision victory. Winner: Easton

Alan Wells: This is the closest fight of the night. It started as a pick ‘em but the line has now moved slightly in favor of Easton. I consider this a stay away for betting purposes because it’s too close. But if I have to pick a winner, I’m going with Easton. I’d love to pick Menjivar because I’ve been a fan of his game for a long time but I think Easton will be a bit too strong for him. Winner: Easton

MMAFix Staff Pick: Easton (3-0)

Why is Chris Weidman the Favorite?

Although rapidly approaching , UFC on Fuel TV 4 hasn’t gotten much attention from the media due to the highly anticipated UFC 148. However, just four days after Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen square off.

Although rapidly approaching , UFC on Fuel TV 4 hasn’t gotten much attention from the media due to the highly anticipated UFC 148. However, just four days after Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen square off for the second time, two other top middleweights will face off in an attempt to continue their run at the middleweight title.

Top contenders, Mark Munoz and Chris Weidman, will be headlining UFC on Fuel TV 4, which will take place July 11th. The betting odds for the main event have come out, and surprisingly, it is Weidman who is the favorite over Munoz. Now while casual MMA fans may not question this, it does raise a few eyebrows from the more enthusiastic fans. Both fighters have demonstrated their skills over talented opponents, which places both fighters among the top of the division, arguably in the top ten. However, nobody can argue with the repertoire of Munoz being more impressive.

Mark Munoz has won seven of his last eight fights, losing only a split decision to Yushin Okami, who at the time, was ranked in the top five. He has since beaten four high-level opponents, with only two of those fights seeing judges score cards. Chris Weidman hasn’t faced the number of high-level opponents that Munoz has. Although Weidman was able to finish UFC veteran, Tom Lawlor, with a guillotine choke in just over two minutes, it was his decision win over jiu-jitsu specialist, Demian Maia, that labeled him as a top middleweight contender. Coincidently, Munoz and Weidman share Demian Maia as a common opponent, and it’s the comparison of their bouts with Maia that reveal just how baffling these betting odds truly are.

Mark Munoz fought a confident, energetic Demian Maia, who came out aggressive, throwing a plethora of solid, accurate strikes. It was the first time Maia demonstrated his newly achieved striking skills and completely caught Munoz off guard with them. However, Munoz was able to come back in the last two rounds, using powerful strikes and elite wrestling to stifle the jiu-jitsu attempts of Maia, and win a unanimous decision. In Chris Weidman’s bout with Maia, eight months later, Maia’s performance was sluggish and mundane. His strikes were hesitant and predictable, while his take down attempts were feeble. Even commentators, Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg, made the comment that the performance of Maia and Weidman wasn’t installing any fear to the rest of the division, and that they both looked physically exhausted. While this was understandable for Weidman, seeing he agreed to the fight with Maia on only eleven days notice, there was no explanation for Maia’s poor performance. Bottom line, Mark Munoz defeated an elite contender at the top of his game, and Chris Weidman didn’t.

By no means should anyone count Chris Weidman out of this fight. He may very well remain undefeated when it’s all over. However, there is a reason that every MMA website has Munoz ranked above Weidman. When looking at the skills, past performances, and overall resumes that both of these fighters poses, Mark Munoz has simply accomplished more. Clearly somebody was misinformed when making these betting odds, and if not, then favoring Weidman is just plain ignorant and bias.

By: Ryan “Fight Freek” Poli