Tag: UFC

Chuck “The Iceman” Lidell vs Rich “Ace” Franklin

Lidell’s Strengths: KO Power. Has knocked out a lot of fighters. Takedown defense, footwork, very good at avoiding being hit over his career, while less so in his last few fights.

Lidell’s Weaknesses: Age, Pretty much a singular fighting strategy for quite awhile, jaw, lack of head movement (tends to hold chin high and stands straight up).

Franklin’s strengths: Jiu-jitsu, Tends to throw combinations most times when striking, cardio, toughness. Franklin has always been more a multiple hit/tko type of fighter than a power puncher.

Franklin’s weaknesses: Not many weaknesses. Franklin had trouble defending strikes while in Anderson Silva’s Thai clinch. However, any fighter would’ve went down taking those type of knees to the body.

Chuck’s singular strategy I think is not enough to beat Rich Franklin on a good day. Now is Rich fighting on short notice? Yes. He is taking over for Tito Ortiz who has dropped out due to injury.

If Rich can get this fight to the ground I think, Franklin wins this one via TKO or submission. If it stays on the feet….I still think Franklin wins — via decision. Can Chuck win this fight of course. 1 punch and Rich will be tasting the canvas and Chuck can get that TKO very easily.

Mirko “Cro Cop” vs Pat Barry

The ultimate kick off between two excellent kickboxing fighting stylists. There is probably little chance this is going to the ground. CroCop is known for his left high kick which was so devastating against opponents in Pride. In the UFC he hasn’t really even thrown it much and has instead gone for constant punching. At the same time, his stand up has looked rather poor in the UFC cage as well. While Pat Barry’s standup has looked great. He has caused severe damage to several opponents legs due to his low kicks. Barry is probably one of if not the most powerful “leg kicker” in all of MMA right now.

Pat Barry is favored in this fight and I can see him winning. The one thing that Mirko has over Barry is height and reach. That could become an issue for Barry and would increase the odds for Mirko’s left high kick to connect.

Despite that I think Barry will win based on superior standup and conditioning.

Paulo Thiago vs Martin Kampmann

This is a fight Kampmann can win on his feet. If Paulo Thiago gets it to the ground though I think Thiago will win there. If stays up, Kampmann wins due to dynamic striking. Thiago is not the most amazing striker despite KO’ing Koscheck.

Ben Rothwell vs Gilbert Yvel

If Ben follows the Josh Barnett plan, this fight will be over real fast. If Ben follows the Cain Velasquez plan, then Yvel has a real good chance of winning.

Carlos Condit vs Rory MacDonald

Two good strikers, but one great ground specialist. I give the edge to Carlos Condit because he has shown he can take some serious standup punishment and that is what Rory MacDonald is best at. However, MacDonald does not have the same ground game that Condit possesses.

Condit wins.

UFC 115 Prelim Fights Shown on SpikeTV

Tyson Griffin vs Evan Dunham

The guaranteed good fight contender, Tyson Griffin, is taking on Evan Dunham. Someone who was new to the UFC and we called him to beat Efrain Escudero. Efrain Escudero is sort of like Tyson Griffin. Great cardio, great wrestling, good standup, and difficult to submit. Dunham will have his hands full trying to submit Griffin as many other fighters have not been able to do so.

Griffin wins most fights by decision. Dunham is actually more of a finisher than Griffin and has a tough chin and good standup. He is the taller fighter and will have reach on Griffin. Will Griffin submit Dunham who is a black belt in jiu jitsu? I don’t see it. I think this fight is going to the cards. Dunham is good with both hands and feet, while Griffin has some really good leg kicks.

That said I like Dunham in this fight.

Mac Danzig vs Matt Wiman

Too tough guys with similar skill sets. Danzig is slightly favored at some bookmakers, but this is closer to a pickem. Danzig probably has the better cardio. I lean towards Danzig here due to his aggressive nature will overcome the zombie style of Wiman.

The Undercard Matches

David Loiseau vs Mario Miranda

James Wilks vs Peter Sobotta

Ricardo Funch vs Claude Patrick

Mike Pyle vs Jesse Lennox

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (30-7) vs Rashad Evans (14-1-1)

Both of these guys are two of my favorite fighters. You have the comedian that will slam you through the mat in Rampage Jackson vs the smooth and elusive Rashad Evans who has the speed, KO power, and wrestling ability to match up with anybody. Both of them are former champions in arguably the most contested division in all of MMA (UFC light heavyweight).

Strengths for Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson: Size, wrestling, power

Strengths for ‘Sugar’ Rashad Evans: Speed, wrestling, cardio, power

I think Rashad is going to have issues taking the bigger, maybe stronger, Jackson down. Will he have to though. Rashad’s hands and head movement are better than what Jackson has shown in the cage. However, how much better can Rashad get? He has already shown over his last 4 fights pretty much the same skillset (which is great), where Rampage has been improving from that raw fighter back in Pride, to the guy who has KO’d Wand and Chuck. Moreover, Quinton Jackson has had some lame fights recently, going to decision against Keith Jardine, decision with Dan Henderson, and losing to Forrest Griffin.

With the fight at a pick em, I like Rashad Evans to win here due to the better skillset, much better head movement, equal or better wrestling to nullify Jackson’s 2nd best advantage, and training camp.

Michael Bisping (18-3) vs. Dan Miller (11-3)

You have Bisping who is a good striker against Dan Miller is more of the jiu jitsu guy rather than a great striker. If Miller locks up on Bisping it can be over quickly as Miller has submitted people inside the 1st round more than 8 times. Bisping no doubt if he can avoid tangling with Miller in the wrestling range, should be able to outpoint or TKO Miller, I lean towards Bisping taking the decision.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (18-3) vs. Jason Brilz (18-2-1)

Nogueira definitely.

Todd Duffee (6-0) vs Mike Russow (12-1)

Russow is a tough guy, a big guy, and I think hes a cop if I remember correctly. Duffee holds the record for fastest or tied for fastest KO in the UFC. 7 seconds. Yep 7 friggin seconds. Russow has power, but his cardio if I remember correctly wasn’t up to snuff against a dude that could be the best contender to take on Brock Lesnar, in Todd Duffee. I think Todd Duffee takes this via TKO.

Diego Sanchez (21-3) vs John Hathaway (12-0)

This is a great matchup two very gritty fighters who have great striking. Hathaway’s standup is pretty sick (good). Diego has the better ground game I’m sure. I haven’t seen Hathaway on the ground (not that I can remember anyways).

I’m picking Diego “Yes” Sanchez as I think the ground game will be the difference.

These Prelims Will Be Televised On SpikeTV

Amir Sadollah (3-1) vs Dong Hyun Kim (12-0-1)

The Stun Gun is back! Too bad he is going against a superior striker and someone with more cardio than he has. Kim is a zombie that keeps walking forward, but doesn’t have the variety of strikes that Sadollah can win with. As much as a fan I am of Dong Hyun Kim, I think Amir Sadollah is going to win this one via decision.

Efrain Escudero (12-1) vs Dan Lauzon (12-3)

This is a great matchup. Two guys who are great on the ground, but that like to stand up and punch. You know the type. Not win fights with their best skill. I’m going to avoid making a pick here. I think its really close.

Untelevised Preliminary Fights

Melvin Guillard (23-8-2) vs Thiago Tavares (14-3-1)

Luis Cane (10-2) vs Cyril Diabate (15-6-1)

Aaron Riley (28-12-1) vs Joe Brammer (7-1-1)

Jesse Forbes (11-4) vs Ryan Jensen (14-6)