UFC 155 Predictions

Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship
Junior Dos Santos (c) v. Cain Velasquez

Image via Themmanews

Doctor Law: The second of what I hope will be many fights between these two great heavyweights. The first one left much to be desired and really answered no questions. Both guys having fairly significant injuries almost makes you want to throw the result out for the first match up. I think everybody knows what each guy is planning on doing in this fight. Junior is going to want to keep it standing while Cain will hope to take Junior down and beat him up there. I think Cain will get Junior down, but Junior will find a way back to his feet. This is close call, but I think I’m going with the champ to repeat. I also want to see happy JDS. That’s always pretty funny. JDS by 3^rd round TKO.

DJ Mark with a "K": Their first fight was so short that it’s difficult to take away a lot from it. The one thing we learned is that Junior has the power to stop Cain early in the fight, which isn’t all that surprising but is still a very important factor.  I thought Cain’s strategy in the first fight was a pretty decent one (he seemed to be focusing on leg kicks to counter the distance of a boxer like Junior) but was also putting himself in a lot of danger. This time around I would think Cain would try a different approach and try to make this a grappling match. Cain’s bread and butter is wrestling and I think using those skills is the safest way for him to get his title back. The problem is that Junior is extremely good at staying off his back. It’ll be interesting to see if Cain is able to get the match on the ground and if he has the skill to keep Junior there. I fear if Cain can’t gain control of this fight by either getting it to the ground or pushing Junior up against the fence it’ll just be a matter of time till Junior can lay his hands on Cain and retain his title. Since I have yet to see anyone be able to use this type of game plan against Junior I’m siding with him. Junior via 2^nd round TKO 2:31.

Kid Presentable: First things first, no matter who wins here, these are the top two heavyweights in the world. Even if Cain gets put to sleep a minute into the fight once more, I still wouldn’t hesitate to pick him to smash the rest of the division. That said, I think we’ll see something a little different this time. Cain is a smart and fast evolving fighter. Everyone and their mother knows the big question mark is what if Cain took the fight to the mat? It will be interesting to see Cain’s game plan because you can’t just simply take it to the mat, you have to train how you are going to set up taking your shot. JDS has some of the most successful take down defense in the division and even then he has long trained under the Nogueiras and won’t be helpless if it goes there. I really hope that Cain takes this just to keep this feud going, because if there are any two fighters deserving of more than just a trilogy of fights, it’s these two guys here. Overall though, I can’t really pick Cain until he proves that he can take down and neutralize JDS biggest weapons. Cain so far has proven to be quite hitable in every one of his fights, and Overeem is probably the only other guy in the division that hits this hard. JDS by TKO round 3.

Image via Bleacherreport

Lavender Gooms:I think to call Cain the number #1 contender would be an insult to just how good he really is.  In the heavyweight division Junior Dos Santos and Cain are 1 and 1A.  Both of these fighters are young(ish) and extremely talented. This might be premature, but I think this could be the beginning of the first true rivalry in MMA on the same level as Ali-Frazier. I would not be surprised if the heavyweight title changes hands between the two of them three or four times in the next five years.  There is no denying that JDS caught him (very well) in their fight a year ago and dropped him very early in their fight.  However I attribute that more to Cain losing his head for a bit and trying to stand with an extremely feared striker and being much more hesitant than he has ever been.  This time around I see Cain using the high level wrestling he wasn’t able to use in the first fight.  I think Cain wins this time, mainly because you can’t have a good rivalry stating off 0-2 right? Velasquez by TKO in 3^rd round.  

Picking Dos Santos-Dr. Law, Kid P, DJ Mark
Picking Velasquez- Gooms

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 30

The gang returns from 3 weeks off to bring a super sized show to the fans. They break down UFC on Fox 5: Henderson v. Diaz, UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos v. Pearson and The Ultimate Fighter Finale. They also go deep into the Street Fighter article and preview UFC 155: Dos Santos v. Velasquez II. Finally. the gang ends the show with a round up of recent news.

Listen here

The Top Ten (Excluding Ryu/Ken/Akuma) Street Fighter Characters

The definitive list of the top ten Street Fighter characters

UFC on FOX 5 Predictions

The Itsmmazing crew (minus yours truly Lavender Gooms) travels to Seattle, the land of the Space Needle, McDreamy, and Frasier Crane to watch the possible coronation of a Diaz brother.  Much like all of you, I expect pictures.

Undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship
Benson Henderson (c) v. Nate Diaz

Image via Wikipedia

Kid Presentable: It wasn't the brother we were expecting, but a Diaz is finally fighting for a UFC title. It has been a weird ride in the lead up and build up to this fight because I have long been an avid supporter of Bendo through his time in the WEC and now UFC. Yet here we are and I will be riding absolutely against him. ItsMMAzing is 50% sports blog, 50% Diaz brother fan club. We ride for the 209. More than anything I am hoping and expecting to see a battle in every facet of the mma game. Part of what makes both these guys so enjoyable as fighters is the are proficient if not great at every aspect of the game. Bendo uses speed and unconventional Tae Kwon Do techniques, while Nate brings that classic Diaz boxing style. You have a good wrestler who has proven unchokeable and unsubmitable and the Gracie black belt. Bendo has never been an easy out but recently Nate has stepped up his game to a whole different level. At some point Bendo will start to take one too many shots and will lose position in a scramble and from there the unthinkable will happen, Bendo will be put to sleep, and Diaz brother will hold the gold. Nate by submission round 4.

DJ Mark with a "K": This is easily a PPV worthy main event. Henderson got his first title defense out of the way and is facing one of the most skilled and toughest fighters in the lightweight division. Nate has really come into his own during his last couple of fights and has seemed to finally put all the pieces of his MMA game puzzle together. His stand up is vastly improved and he’s tightened up some aspects of his already outstanding ground game. Which is great because he’s going to have to come in completed prepared to take the belt away from Henderson. As a long time Diaz brothers fan I can’t pick against Nate here but I basically see this fight being a 50/50 call. There’s so many questions about how these two will stack up together I’m really just looking forward to seeing these two guys display their warrior spirits and put on a fight worthy of a UFC championship. Diaz late 4^th round submission (RNC) 4:54


Lavender Gooms: I am going to try my best and be objective.  I am going to try my best to not predict this fight from my Diaz tinted glasses.  Nate Diaz has made quantum leaps in each of his fights since his return to light-weight.  Ravaged Gomi, made a very good kickboxer in Cerrone look foolish standing up and displayed gain strength in the clinch and a nifty judo toss against Miller.  Diaz has had trouble with wrestlers in the past and Ben Henderson is a strong wrestler with good submission defense which doesn’t bode well for Diaz.  While Diaz will likely try and pressure Henderson for all five rounds, Henderson has displayed an ability to go the distance for a whole five rounds. This fight has the makings for a close fight and Henderson could very well win, but my loyalty lies in the 209 all the time.  Guess I can’t be objective.  Diaz by close decision(I know I have a better chance of riding a unicorn than him winning a close decision).

Picking Henderson-
Picking Diaz- All of us

Mauricio Rua v. Alexander Gustafsson

Kid Presentable: You have a major heat check match up here for both men. On the one hand Gus is the riser, on the cusp of contention. On the other Rua is checking to see if he lost a step or if he is still right there... he just happened to get rolled like everyone else in the division by Jon Jones. Shogun has proven he still has an iron chin, and it is tough to see where Gus will have the advantage. Gus likely has the better conditioning, and could do his best Dominic Cruz impression again to maybe wear out and out-point Shogun, but Shogun is too technically sound to not get his licks in as well. I believe Gus is a legit prospect, but at the same time I have been leaning more and more toward the old lions lately. Shogun by TKO round 2.

Image via Bleacher Report

DJ Mark with a "K": On paper I think this is a tough fight for Gustafsson, Shogun is easily the biggest name and toughest challenge he’s faced yet. Personally I feel like he might not be ready for Shogun just yet but at the same time I can easily see this being his coming out party into the top of the 205 division. My reservations on Gustafsson are mostly due from his last fight where he seemed to play it a little safer at times. I think Shogun will be able to use his low kicks to slow down Gustafsson and allow him to get in close and do more damage with his hands.  Gustafsson has the tools for an upset (in my mind, but not the bookmakers oddly enough) but I’m siding with shogun. Shogun TKO 2^nd round  3:08

Lavender Gooms: I have to ask a question. When did Shogun become washed up?  Because I can’t understand him being an underdog to Gustafsson.  I don’t just think he’s going to beat Gustafsson.  I think it won’t be close.  Shogun by TKO in 1^st round.

Picking Rua- All of us
Picking Gustafsson-

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 29

The gang (is it still a gang when it's only 2 people) talks about their rankings for the month of November and breaks down potentially the best card of the year: UFC on Fox: Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz.

Listen here

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 28

The gang breaks down UFC 154 from top to the bottom. They also discuss the prospects of the GSP/Silva superfight, Johny Hendricks chances of victory in a possible matchup with GSP and the news of the week.

Listen here

UFC 154 Predictions

Image via UFC Facebook page

Undisputed UFC Welterweight Championship 
Georges St-Pierre (c) v. Carlos Condit (ic) 

Doctor Law: He’s finally back. Georges St-Pierre returns to the cage for the first time since him and Jake Shields bored 70,000 Canadians for 5 rounds 19 months ago. To recap: GSP was supposed to fight Nick Diaz in October 2011 at UFC 137, but Nick got pulled from that fight because he got high and lost in Stockton. Condit stepped in for Diaz, but GSP had to pull out due to a hamstring injury (you owe us all $80 GSP). Then, Diaz called him a bunch of mean names after whooping BJ Penn’s ass and GSP decided he wanted to fight him at UFC 143. However, injured hamstring was actually torn ACL so GSP pulled out of that fight and Condit was given a decision over Diaz for the belt. Condit then sat on his ass for 9 months. Alright, let’s be real folks; if GSP wasn’t coming off of injury, no one would give Condit a chance and quite frankly…I still don’t think he has one. On the Countdown show they were talking about how “elite” Condit’s BJJ is. Please note that when Nick Diaz got him down it took him all of 8 seconds to take his back. GSP takes this and it won’t be close. GSP by 4th round TKO. 

Kid Presentable: Why did Condit get an interim belt? Like they say, you aren't really the champ until you've defended it, oh wait... that's right Mr. Condit. Clearly no fan of the Natural Born Killer since his fight with Nick Diaz, I see this fight going for the returning champion. The Prime Time show has served to focus on GSP's road to recovery from an ACL tear and how GSP might be a shell of himself. GSP is one of the hardest working fighters in the biz though, and my guess is that he will return and look as strong as ever. Hype this fight however you need to, but in my mind I see this fight so clearly in the favor of GSP. People forget how good Georges can be on the feet, and that it is exactly what he made his name on. GSP's aptitude for wrestling made most people forget about what his background really is, but that is OK because Condit has very porous takedown defense. I think GSP will not only return to form, but I think GSP finally will have the drive to pursue the finish here. I expect and hope for a thrashing. But more importantly, the corners will both be Greg Jackson free. GSP by TKO round 3.

DJ Mark with a “K”: It’s hard to pick against GSP at this point in his career. His two loses are now faint memories that have more or less been replaced with dominating decisions. The one thing you can look at and maybe spot some weakness is in his last fight were he struggled to win a stand up war against Jake Shields (granted an eye point seemed to really take the fight out of him). If GSP fights the same way against Condit It’ll be a rough night for the rightful champ. Personally I don’t see that happening, I think GSP will be able to stand with Condit enough to set up and take down and work from the top to get the victory. GSP - 5 round decision. 

Lavender Gooms: It's great to have GSP back in the octagon. He is a martial artist in every sense of the word and normally everyone would have no problem picking him to beat Condit handily. But this fight isn't happening in a vacuum and GSP is returning from a year and a half lay off because of a knee injury. So the question on everyone's mind is how will GSP look in his first fight back? Has a chink appeared in armor of the Canadian GOAT? Personally I think GSP attacked his rehab with the same dedication he shows his craft and he'll be better than ever. His game plan for this fight will be similar to his fight against Alves, who was also a very dangerous striker. He'll keep out of the way of any dangerous strikes, secure the takedown when he can and control the stand up. GSP by Unanimous decision. 

Picking St-Pierre: All of us
Picking Condit: 

Image via bleacherreport.com

Martin Kampmann v. Johny Hendricks

Doctor Law: The winner of this fight is going to be #1 contender of the welterweight divison. Well…kinda. If GSP beats Condit, most signs point to him taking on Anderson Silva in a superfight in early to mid-2013. Also, there is this guy coming back from suspension in February named Nick Diaz who may have something to say about who gets the next shot. My guess is that the winner of this fight has the honor of being the guy Nick Diaz fights while everybody waits for GSP to come back from fighting Anderson. Anyways, this is a pretty interesting matchup. You have Kampmann, who does everything pretty well, against Hendricks, who does exactly two things well. If you stop Hendricks from taking you down and from hitting you with the big overhand left, you’re probably going to win. Unless your name is Koscheck and Doctor Law has money on you (Hendricks owes me $462.75). Martin is really the whole package and I think he finds a way to get it done here. Kampmann by 3rd round TKO.

Kid Presentable: This fight is for the interim... wait I mean #1 contendership. So really, WHY did Condit get a belt exactly? Hendricks was initially wanting to simple wait out for his earlier promised title shot, but I think at least somewhere along the way Dana realized this entire division shouldn't just take the year off. Hendricks star mostly comes from his immediate Kraken unleashing on Jon Fitch, but I really don't buy into it yet. Hendicks is basically the new, well more like version 1.2 of Josh Koscheck. Good wrestler, strong overhand. Kampmann has long been one of the most underappreciated guys in the division, possessing a complete MMA game. Terrible judging is the only thing keeping Martin from having an even more impressive run right now. Sure Kampmann has a tendency to get hit, but with a far superior technical standup and very strong takedown defense, Kampmann will find his spots throughout this fight. I look for Kampmann to drop Hendricks, take the fight to the ground and finish with a choke. Kampmann by submission round 2. 

DJ Mark with a “K”: Personally I’ve been pretty high on Hendricks and have downplayed Kampmann but I think I’ll finally turning around on Kampmann. While Hendricks has all the momentum in his favor I think Kampmann is a really tough fight for him. If Hendricks can’t get Kampmann down he’s going to have a tough time on his feet. Factor in Kampmann’s cardio and I think he has enough factors in his favor to get the W here. Kampmann TKO 3rd round 2:12 

Lavender Gooms: Crazy implications for this fight. If there's no superfight for GSP, whoever wins gets the next shot at GSP. If there is a superfight...well this is just another fight isn't it? This is a hard fight to pick. While Kampmann has superior striking technique, Hendricks has wrestling and a distinct edge in power. I love Kampmann's polished technique, he has shown a penchant for getting hit and that is not a flaw you want to have when fighting someone with gorilla strength like Hendricks. While I can see Kampmann taking this fight to decision, it's completely possible Kampmann gets caught early. Even so I think Kampmann has learned his lesson (i.e. the Thiago Alves fight), will keep his hands up, not get his bell rung and earn a decision. Kampmann by decision. 

Picking Kampmann: All of us
Picking Hendricks: 

Strikeforce announces it will fold. In related news, the sun will rise in the East tomorrow

Here are a few things in life we all saw coming from a mile away.  Liberace being gay, Ross ending up with Rachel, the 4th Hokage being Naruto's dad and we can't forget when we learned that bears DO in fact go twos in the woods. We have one more nugget to add to this list.  On Friday it was announced that after their January card, Strikeforce would shut its doors, with many of it's fighters (hopefully) joining the UFC.

If there was any surprise or shock to be had from this news was that it took so long for this to happen.  As soon as it was announced that Zuffa had purchased the San Jose based promotion, there wasn't a person on this planet that didn't think it would go the way of Pride after it was purchased.  BUT...we were told SF would NOT be folded into the UFC and would remain a separate promotion.  A fairy tale on par with the Tooth Fairy and Sasquatch.

Even as they fed us this story, many of their top fighters defected to the UFC, leaving the roster so depleted they had to cancel two separate cards on account of a lack of quality fights. If the writing wasn't plain to see on the wall in March 2011 when they were purchased, a fat lady with a megaphone singing your favorite hits was added during the last two months.  You're all listeners of the podcast, so you likely already know about how we've talked ad nausea about how if managed properly, SF could have been operated as a "minor-league" promotion for the UFC, where young fighters could grow.  However, we all know there's no crying over spilled milk or wondering about what soon to be defunct fight promotions could have done.

However, from the ashes of a once proud (-ish?) promotion comes the possibility for intriguing (well I do at least) story lines in the next year and a half:

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 27

The gang breaks down the results of UFC on Fuel TV: Le vs. Franklin, discuss the news of Strikeforce's demise, talk about women now being part of the UFC and preview the return of GSP along with the rest of the UFC 154 card.

Listen here

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 26

The gang breaks down the inaugural World Series of Fighting card, talk about Anthony Johnson, Tyrone Spong and Andrei Arlovski's respective futures, break down Bellator 79, discuss the most recent episode of TUF, preview the just announced Bisping v. Belfort card and go in depth on UFC on Fuel TV: Macao. Also, 4 minutes of political nonsense.

Listen here

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 25

The gang tries to pull an hour of MMA conversation out of their ass after arguably the most uneventful week of the year. Incredibly, they pulled it off.

Listen here

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 24

The gang celebrates joining the Stitcher family and then go through a number of topics including: Jones v. Sonnen on the Ultimate Fighter, the future of Strikeforce on Showtime, this week's episode of the Ultimate Fighter, Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin's PED dispute, Bellator 77 and the new fights announced by the UFC this week.


Listen here

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 23

The gang goes DEEP into UFC 153, breaking down Anderson's ridiculous victory over Stephan Bonnar, the middleweight champion's possible super-fights against Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones, whether Jones or GSP "need" a super-fight, Big Nog's victory over Dave Herman, Jon Fitch and Erick Silva's Fight of the Night, Glover Teixeira's destruction of Fabio Maldonado, his possible future fight against Quinton Jackson, Phil Davis's improvement as a fighter and Demian Maia choking the juice out of Rick Story's head. All that and much, much more.

Listen here

UFC 153 Predictions

Image via UFC Facebook

Anderson Silva v. Stephan Bonnar

Doctor Law: So it’s come to this. The main event was supposed to be Aldo v. Edgar for the featherweight title, but Aldo got hit my car while on his motorcycle. The greatest fighter ever versus Stephan Bonnar sounds like a ridiculous mismatch…and it is. Whatever. I think this is going to be a fun fight. Bonnar has a good chin and keeps going forward. The second part of that statement insures that we are going to see this gentleman get knocked the f*ck out. The good chin that Bonnar possesses will make it get to the second round at least. Anderson via Death Valley Driver (probably strikes…TKO).

Kid Presentable: Was it so long ago already that people were sh*tting on Nick Diaz wanting to have a non title mega fight with Anderson, thinking he was not deserving? So we get this instead. No disrespect to Bonnar, I still get a kick every time he channels Batman and does the American Psycho pose-off. But at least they haven't been bs'ing us on what this fight is: a lopsided fight that would be a historic upset otherwise. The spot with Bonnar getting tips from Griffin on how to fight Anderson pretty much sums it up, there is no real area where Bonnar is better than Anderson. Hell, there is no area where he is even within scoring distance of Anderson. Part of me wants to think the fix is in here and Anderson is going to throw this fight, and if that happens I will say I told you so, but otherwise I expect a show for the crowd. Anderson by KO round 2. 

Image via cagepotato.com

DJ Mark with a “K”: In all honestly this fight makes no logical sense, however that doesn't mean it’s not a fun fight. Personally, I miss fights like this. UFC has positioned itself as a sport where only the top contenders get shots at champions but for some reason when Anderson fights at Light Heavyweight they make these type of match ups and I love it. It’s pretty much fact that Anderson is pound for pound the best fighter in the world (Jones is steadily right behind him) but since the vast majority of his fights are for his MW title he has to be carefully not to make any mistakes. Here there’s less pressure and hopefully that will result in a more relaxed Anderson and make for much more exciting fight. Add in the fact that Bonnar is just a game fighter and you have the makings of something really exciting. The end result is all but certain but in MMA you never know. Anderson by KO 3:46 into the 1st round via punches and thai clinch knee. 

Lavender Gooms: So after laughing hysterically and uncontrollably for a solid 10 minutes thinking about the prospect of Silva losing to Bonnar, thought about the what it would mean if Silva lost to Bonnar. It would be the biggest upset in the history of the sport by far. If Bonnar was somehow able to defeat Silva, I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say David’s win over Goliath has nothing on it, doesn't hold a candle to it. Of course in this alternate reality where Bonnar wins, Heroes didn't suck after one season and the Jets wouldn't disappoint me so much. Silva by decision. 

Picking Silva: Everybody…in the world
Picking Bonnar: 

UFC on FX 5: Browne v. Silva Predictions

Image via UFC newsletter

Travis Browne v. Antonio Silva 

Doctor Law: Two big boys going at it here. The fight is scheduled for 5 rounds, but it’s almost a guarantee that this doesn’t make it past the second round. Travis Browne is coming off of a drubbing of Chad Griggs (to the surprise of no one) and is unbeaten in his UFC career. Bigfoot Silva, on the other hand, has taken two AKA ass kickings in the past year from the hands of Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez. I wasn't as high on Travis Browne as everybody else when he first started, but he is slowly turning me around. He has good hands and is a decent wrestler. Bigfoot Silva, on the other hand, has great ground and pound and is a BJJ black belt. I think this is a close one, but I think Bigfoot finds a way to pull this one out. Bigfoot by 2nd round submission. 

Kid Presentable: The sell here is a clash of two very large heavyweights, but at the same time I am not entirely sold on either one of these guys. The only thing I am certain of in this fight as I am with all Silva fights, is that win or lose Browne will have some broken bones in his hands. Of the two I guess I am least sold on Browne as I have at least had Silva hover around the top 10 in rankings. Silva is the more well-rounded of the two and Browne has a propensity to gas. Silva believes he has the best stand up and ground game in the division much in the same sense that I believe I would be in the NBA if I were 3 inches taller(yeah, still no chance). But I still call the sub here. Bigfoot by submission 2nd round. 

Image via uproxx.com

DJ Mark with a “K”: Over the last year or so I’ve become a fan of Travis Browne. At first he just seemed like another body in the UFC Heavyweight division for the top tier guys to get some practice in with but he’s really grown on me. I think this fight is perfect for Browne as well. Bigfoot Silva has a massive dome, that’s just a fact, and Browne hits hard. I think it’s only a matter of time before he lays his right hand all over his face. The real question is, will he break his hand on his head? To me, that’s always the most interesting part of a Bigfoot Silva fight. Browne by 1st round TKO 3:38 in. 

Lavender Gooms: Antonio Silva’s greatest trait is a dome piece that has a penchant of breaking the hands of people who crack him upside that large noggin. What I’m trying to tell you by highlighting such a useless trait is….he’s not going to win. Silva has slick BJJ and can cause trouble if he gets on top. As long as Browne can avoid that, he should be able to knock Silva out and send him to a three fight losing streak. Here’s to hoping he doesn’t break a hand though. Browne by KO in the 1st round.

Picking Browne: DJ Mark, Gooms
Picking Silva: Dr. Law, Kid P

It's MMAzing Consensus Rankings for September 2012

**Note: For an explanation of how we came to these rankings, please listen to Episode 22 of It's MMAzing Radio**

Image via cagepotato.com

Heavyweight

1. Junior Dos Santos
2. Cain Velasquez
3. Alistair Overeem
4. Daniel Cormier
5. Fabricio Werdum
6. Frank Mir
7. Josh Barnett
8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
9. Roy Nelson
10. Stefan Struve

Light Heavyweight

1. Jon Jones
2. Dan Henderson
3. Rashad Evans

screencap

4. Mauricio Rua
5. Lyoto Machida
6. Alexander Gustafsson
7. Phil Davis
8. Ryan Bader
9. Quinton Jackson
10. Glover Teixeira

Middleweight

1. Anderson Silva
2. Michael Bisping
3. Chris Weidman
4. Vitor Belfort
5. Tim Boetsch

6. Yushin Okami

Image via diazbrothers.com

7. Alan Belcher
8. Mark Munoz
9. Luke Rockhold
10. Jake Shields

Welterweight

1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Carlos Condit
3. Nick Diaz
4. Johny Hendricks
5. Martin Kampmann
6. Jon Fitch
7. Jake Ellenberger
8. Josh Koscheck
9. Rory MacDonald
10. Nate Marquardt

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 22

The gang breaks down the events of UFC on Fuel TV: Struve v. Miocic, Struve's future in the division and possible next opponent, Dan Hardy's evolution as a mixed martial artist, Brad Pickett's knockout of Yves Jabouin and Duane Ludwig's tragic injury. They also bring you their bi-monthly rankings and preview this Friday's UFC on FX: Browne v. Bigfoot event.

Listen Here

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 21

The gang talks about the results of UFC 152, Vitor's near arm bar, Jon Jones' overall performance, the flyweight title fight, Demetrious Johnson as UFC champion, Michael Bisping's performance against Stann and his future title hopes, and Marcus Brimage's big upset. They also preview UFC on Fuel TV: Struve v. Miocic and Strikeforce: Melendez v. Healy.

UFC 152 Predictions

Image via UFC newsletter

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon Jones (c) v. Vitor Belfort

Doctor Law: There is really no reason to go through all of the stuff that happened with Jon Jones with respect to the UFC 151. We went through it in detail in episodes 18 and 19 of It’s MMAzing Radio (click here to get the episodes through iTunes). Overall, let’s just say this: if there is a less media-savvy athlete in MMA, I haven’t seen him. This kid’s head appears to be firmly lodged up his own ass. That being said, he is one of the greatest fighters in the world and I don’t see him losing this fight. He’s just too big, too athletic and too good of a wrestler for Vitor. That being said, Vitor has dynamite in his fists and will be very dangerous for the first 3 minutes of this after. After Jones gets past that, he’s gravy. Jones by 2nd round submission.

Kid Presentable: Had you given me a thousand guesses as to who would have replaced an injured Hendo, I never would have responded with this match. Vitor leaves being on the verge of a MW title shot, to leaving the pack behind for a chance at the belt a weight class higher. I often theorize the question of what it must be like for people like Vitor who know they could knock out any man on the planet, and Belfort certainly can. That fact means that he will always have a chance in a fight but this one doesn't look good. In his most recent light heavyweight tilt, due to missed weight, even a dead on his feet Rumble Johnson managed to take Vitor to the ground. Had it not been for an oddly quick standup, maybe that fight doesn't end the same. Bones will certainly take Vitor down, because he has taken everyone in the division down. There, Bones will be right for once about something he said to the media... that he does indeed have the most vicious ground and pound since Tito Ortiz made it famous. Jones by savage GnP elbows, Round 2

Image via mmavideoforum.com

DJ Mark with a “K”: There’s a ton of pressure on Jon Jones right now. He just signed a massive deal with Nike and is in the worse standing with his ‘fans’ then he’s ever been because of his choices regarding UFC 151, listen to our older podcast on all of that ;) so he needs a win here bad. Luckily I think Jones is more than capable of dispatching Belfort. While Belfort has the x-factor here with his amazing hands, I don’t see him doing what Shogun/Rampage/Lyoto failed to do. Jones via TKO 2nd round.

Lavender Gooms: PR wise, Jon Jones hasn’t had a good month to say the least. It’s not a stretch to say that he is diminished in the eyes of many and many more people think less of him now. Even so, he is an absolute cold-blooded killer. The only chance Belfort has is if somehow, someway, he can get inside the considerable reach of Jones and knock him out. That’s not going to happen however, Jones will style on Belfort like he does all his other opponents so far. And hail to the Buffalo State Bengal football team for defeating the #1 ranked UW-Whitewater last Saturday. I know it’s D-3 but cut me some slack. Jones by submission in 2nd.

Picking Jones: All of us.
Picking Belfort:

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 20

The gang talks about the massive changes to UFC 153, Cole Konrad's retirement, King Mo's future in both Bellator and TNA, Kurt Angle as an MMA announcer, Renzo Gracie's crime fighting exploits, and the first episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin v. Team Nelson. Also, the gang previews this weekend's UFC 152 card in its entirety.

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 19

The gang talks about the card that never was: UFC 151. Also, they break down this weeks additions to the Jon Jones saga, talk about Atlantis and Aquaman, the One FC card, Phil Baroni and Jens Pulvers' respective futures in the sport, the weirdness of One FC's rules, the viability of Pride rules in Modern MMA, the new show about AKA, and the big news of the week: Aldo v. Edgar being booked for UFC 153.

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 18

The gang talks about the Jon Jones/UFC 151 debacle...for a long time. Trust us, our analysis is the best and surely cannot be found at any other news source. That's why you listen to It's MMAzing Radio...our analysis. Also, we curse and have sweet music

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 17

The gang returns to discuss the three events they missed while they were gone: UFC on Fox: Shogun v. Vera, UFC 150: Henderson v. Edgar 2 and Strikeforce: Rousey v. Kaufman. The gang breaks down the results from these cards, talk about Lyoto Machida as #1 contender, Alexander Gustafsson's chances versus Shogun Rua, Nate Diaz as the next contender for Ben Henderson and who could possibly give Ronda Rousey a fight.

It's MMAzing Consensus Rankings for July 2012

**Note: For an explanation of how we came to these rankings, please listen to Episode 16 of It's MMAzing Radio**

Heavyweight

Image via mmafrenzy.com

1. Junior Dos Santos
2. Cain Velasquez
3. Alistair Overeem
4. Daniel Cormier
5. Fabricio Werdum
6. Frank Mir
7. Josh Barnett
8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
9. Roy Nelson
10. Travis Browne

Light Heavyweight

1. Jon Jones
2. Dan Henderson
3. Rashad Evans

Image via Anderson Silva's Twitter

4. Mauricio Rua
5. Lyoto Machida
6. Ryan Bader
7. Phil Davis
8. Alexander Gustafsson
9. Quinton Jackson
10. Glover Teixeira

Middleweight

1. Anderson Silva
2. Vitor Belfort
3. Chael Sonnen
4. Chris Weidman
5. Tim Boetsch

6. Michael Bisping
7. Mark Munoz
8. Alan Belcher
9. Luke Rockhold
10. Yushin Okami

Welterweight

1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Carlos Condit
3. Nick Diaz
4. Johny Hendricks
5. Martin Kampmann
6. Jon Fitch
7. Jake Ellenberger
8. Josh Koscheck
9. Rory MacDonald
10. Nate Marquardt

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 16

The gang returns from a long hiatus and do their best to make up for lost time in this super-sized episode. While going through their rankings, the gang debates where Vitor Belfort lands in the middleweight hierarchy, talk about Shane Carwin's overall uselessness, unfairly disrespect Yushin Okami, fail to give Chad Mendes his due, break down UFC on Fox 4 & UFC 150, and remain clueless about the flyweight division. Also, audio problems galore!

UFC 149 Predictions

Image via mma-king.com

UFC Interim Bantamweight Championship
Urijah Faber v. Renan Barao

Kid Presentable: If Faber hopes to get a UFC title, this is it for him. Though it's an interim title, this really represents his last great chance at one. I just don't see him being able to take it from Dominic at this point, and he's not going back to featherweight unless Aldo leaves in the near future. But just because this is best shot, it doesn't mean I think he is going to get it. Renan is a beast, maybe not in the fight ending devastating way that Nova Uniao teammate Jose Aldo is,  but he has basically gone undefeated since his first fight, and possesses great speed and a very well-rounded game. Faber has always been known for his speed as well though, and you can never count him out of a fight. Faber additionally displayed some new found power in his fists against Brian Bowles, but overall I see Renan being too quick, and too technically sound to get finished. This should make for a great fight, but I see Renan taking 3 on Faber. Barao by decision.

DJ Mark with a "K": As a replacement for the other TUF coach and Bantamweight champ Cruz, Barao is the perfect choice. Since he was most likely next in line after Faber to get a title shot this replacement is pretty solid. I think I’m even more excited for this fight because I don’t think Barao’s game plan will be to out “move” Faber, as Cruz and others have now made famous. I think this will be an action pack fight and that’s good because this and the co main are going to be doing the heavy lifting in the selling department for this PPV. While a part of me wants to pick Barao, as a six year native of Sacramento I really can’t. Faber by choke submission 3rd round.

Lavender Gooms: When it comes to title matches, Faber is on a losing streak that dates back to the WEC and another weight class. In his last four title matches he’s lost to Mike Brown twice (once losing the WEC featherweight belt, another trying to get it back), was absolutely destroyed by Aldo, and lost a close decision to Cruz. Doctor Law is MIA (you got this dude) this week and if he was writing a post this week he’d likely talk about how much he loves Faber. I lived with the Doctor for two years….this man seriously slurps Faber.  But I guess I can’t fault him, I would root 125% percent if a high level athlete came out of my athletically inept college as well(Buffalo State what what).  While I don’t count Faber out, I think he’ll be facing an uphill challenge.  Barao will have to deal with Faber’s speed, but Faber is going to encounter serious problems with Barao’s defensive abilities, particularly when it comes to wrestling.  Faber won’t be able to get much headway with his wrestling and I don’t see him finishing Barao. Sorry Bobby.  Barao by Decision

Picking Faber: DJ Mark, the missing in action Dr. Law
Picking Barao: Kid P, Gooms

image via heavy.com

Hector Lombard v. Tim Boetsch

Kid Presentable: The moment has finally come... Hector the prince of the Trojans is here. I have been waving Lombard's banner for quite some time and am very anxious to see him finally fight in the octagon. Admittedly he has crushed man a can outside of the UFC, but if you are talented that is what you do against inferior competition right? You destroy them. Undoubtedly Boetsch will be his biggest test to date, as most people slate him around #6 in their rankings. However, you must admit even though he is on a good run right now, his victory over Okami seemed a little bit flukey as he was absolutely handled for the first two rounds. But credit where its due, he is incredibly tough and has a lot of heart which is why he could be a lot of trouble for Hector if he survives the early storm. After the second round it is Tim's fight, I just don't see it getting out of the second round. Hector by KO round 1.

DJ Mark with a "K": This is the fight of the night as far as I’m concerned. Lombard is making his debut and has a lot of momentum riding a massive win streak. However, the same can be said about Boetsch who is coming off the biggest win in his career over Okami. Style wise this should be a war, as both guys have heavy hands and strong clinch games that should make for an explosive fight. For me, this one is really a coin toss but in my minds eye I just see Boetsch being too tough and Lombard getting discouraged and gassing. Boetsch late 2nd round TKO.

Lavender Gooms: 

Redneck judo gets its toughest test.  Hector hasn’t lost in almost six years and comes into the UFC one (at most two) wins away from a title shot.  Boetsch has made a run in the middle weight division after dropping down from light heavyweight.  In his last fight he almost lost to Yushin Okami before coming back to win by knockout in dramatic fashion. Boetsch has the brute (dare I say Barbarian like?) strength and takedown ability to cause problems for Lombard if the fight gets to the later rounds. Even so, Lombard’s speed, vast experience and better technique (which I garnered from a 10 minute highlight video) tip the scales in his favor. Lombard by TKO in 2nd round.

Picking Lombard: Kid P, Gooms

Picking Boetsch:  DJ Mark

State of the Middleweight Landscape

Image via terezowens.com

Hey there folks. It has been a while since I've had a chance to comment on all things mma as Comic Con took my attention away for a spell. In my catching up on the mma world it seems like the middleweight picture has become quite a mess and I have decided to take up the duty to try and sort out the picture for all you wonderful readers. (One side Comic Con note: apparently Josh Barnett was there and somehow we did NOT meet him. Lame.) So up next we'll take a look at the top names in the game, where they stand, and where do they go from here.

Anderson Silva: Fresh off the biggest win of his career, it seems most likely that Anderson will take some time off to enjoy his new A-list celebrity status in his home country, and have some fun with those fresh millions in his bank account. It does not seem likely he will fight again any sooner than the Spring or Summer of next year. I don't think he is retiring quite yet, but he might be moving toward the Undertaker annual super fight circuit mode sooner than later.

Chael Sonnen: Poor Chael. Your tremendous wrestling ability and gift of gab got you right near the top, but a "what were you thinking?" spinning back elbow probably cost you all of it. With a second loss, this time in devastating fashion, Chael will not likely get a third crack at Silva. He goes into Jon Fitch mode now with the option of being a gate keeper to the division unless Silva should fall or decide to retire. Next up he likely gets to settle his feud with Wanderlei Silva, or possibly retirement, though I would hope not.

Mark Munoz: Munoz was supposed to be up next, but he was quite simply tooled in his last fight. He's the decorated wrestler whose take downs aren't quite good in an mma setting, whose standup is only ok, and whose chin is questionable. Munoz probably falls out of the title picture and will need to put together 3-4 wins again before he's in it once more.

Chris Weidman: Just like Batman on Thursday, Weidman rises. For Munoz being up next, Weidman made that fight look like some routine can crushing. He probably has more momentum than any other fighter in the division going right now, but due to no one watching Fuel, likely needs another high profile fight as a co-main event to help sell his probably shot against Silva after.

UFC 148 Predictions

Image via UFC newsletter

UFC Middleweight Championship
Anderson Silva (c) v. Chael Sonnen

Doctor Law: Biggest rematch in UFC history? Yeah, I’ll buy it. Kid Presentable, DJ Mark and I were at the first fight between Silva and Sonnen at UFC 117. It was really quite a sight. When the fight started, everybody was rooting for Silva. Somewhere in the second round, the “USA” chants started. This whole time, Kid P is getting angrier and angrier about the beatdown Silva was receiving. (Sidenote, check out the mini-essay Kid P wrote below to justify picking against his favorite fighter.) The 5th round came and the fight appeared to be clearly over. When Anderson pulled that triangle out of his ass, the entire building lost their sh*t. It was incredible. Ok, back to present times. I don’t think Sonnen is going to win this fight and I don’t think it’s going to be that close. Sonnen had everything go perfectly for him (minus one thing) and he still didn’t pull it off. Also, he had an unreasonable amount of testosterone in his body. For an example of what he looks like at normal levels, see his very close decision win over Michael Bisping. Chael is in Anderson’s head…and that’s not a good thing. Remember that guy who kept calling Muhammad Ali “Clay” or when John Starks started chirping at Michael Jordan. How did it go for those guys? Anderson by 3rd round TKO.

Kid Presentable: Anderson is probably my favorite fighter of all time. Even at his most boring, I just find him incredibly compelling to watch because at any moment he might just do something that no one will ever replicate again. Yet somehow I find myself about to do something that I have only once ever done before, and though it cost me dearly financially, I am again picking against Silva. Sure a big part of me expects him to steam roll Chael now that he is healthy and motivated, and the fact that there is nearly no way this fight lives up to the precedent set by their first encounter, but maybe just maybe the stars align here and there is a story line to rock the MMA universe’s landscape. Hey even Pacquiao managed to lose an incredibly BS decision. So as a fellow Oregon Duck alum I will wave the banner of Chael Sonnen, who has talked himself to so far back into a corner that the pressure to perform and live up to his words must be an incredible burden right now. He will come at Anderson with everything he has, and the fight will get taken to the ground, and maybe just this once he will have the savvy not to get submitted, and with the help of Vinny Magalhaes, maybe just get one of his own. I believe in Chael Sonnen. Chael by arm triangle submission 4th round.

Image via askmen.com

DJ Mark with a “K”: Even though it’s almost impossible for this fight to live up to the first, it’s still an incredibly interesting fight. Personally I think the first fight was just Anderson passing on the Chonan Curse/Blessing (sometime in Chael’s career he’ll take a one sided beating and pull off a last min submission for the upset). I don’t know how similar this fight will look like the last; personally I think things will play out a little bit differently. If nothing else Anderson should know exactly what to expect, Chael is going to come straight at him and push the pace and apply a lot of pressure. I think Anderson will play it a lot smarter in this fight and use his footwork to control the distance and try to keep this fight standing. Even though Chael completely controlled the first fight, I would still be shocked if he beat Anderson now. Anderson by 2nd round KO

Lavender Gooms: I’ve been going back and forth on who I think is going to win this fight for the last month. When I first heard Silva’s comments about making Sonnen eat his teeth and breaking every bone in his body I thought Sonnen was going to get smashed. The next week I re-watched the first fight, saw how dominant Sonnen was for most of the fight and changed my mind. When this is posted I may have very well changed my mind again, but as I’m writing right now I believe that Anderson went into that last fight hurt, and didn’t believe that Sonnen would be a problem. In addition, take into account Anderson has never had this type of motivation(Sonnen disparaging Anderson, his team, his wife, his country, the list goes on) to cause serious physical harm to another human being. Pissing off the world’s greatest martial artist likely wasn’t the smartest move. Today I think Anderson will destroy Sonnen, but I’ve changed my mind 4 times already, who knows what I’ll think on Saturday. Silva by KO in the 3rd round.

Picking Silva: Dr. Law, DJ Mark, Gooms
Picking Sonnen: Kid P

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 15

The gang does an in depth breakdown of UFC 148; going over Anderson v. Chael, whether this is Anderson's last fight, whether Anderson took the first fight seriously, where Chael goes if he doesn't get it done, Tito Ortiz's final fight in Octagon, Forrest Griffin's future in the sport, Cung Le's ability to gas out in second round, Damian Maia's continuing efforts to disappoint Doctor Law and how big a PPV UFC 148 will be.

The End of an Era: Fedor Emelianenko retires

Image via azune.xsa.ch

Fedor Emelianenko retired from MMA last week to little fan fare. In a lot of ways it’s sad that Fedor never really got the full respect and attention he deserved from the American audience. With “The Last Emperor" fighting in smaller organizations against lesser known competition during his twilight years, the average MMA fan might recognize the name but not fully grasp the important that Fedor had on the sport.

I remember the first time I saw Fedor fight. Like many others I didn’t think he looked like anything special physically and his last name was one of the weirdest I’d had seen at the time. However, the highlight video I saw of him man-handling Semmy Schilt (K-1 Legend) was impressive. When I found out his next fight would be against one of my favorite Pride Heavyweights, Heath Herring, for a #1 contenders spot, I was excited. For those of you that might not have been fans then, Heath Herring and Big Nog fought for the first Heavyweight title in Pride history. At the time it was easily the best heavyweight fight I’d ever seen. I was amped for my boy to make quick work of this doughy Russian so we could finally see the rematch the whole MMA world wanted to see. However, I was in for a rude awakening and the first real glimpse of Fedor’s greatness.

When Fedor fought Herring it almost seemed unreal. Heath had been on a tear in Pride, at the time only losing the super competitive fight against Big Nog and smashing all others that were in his way. However, Fedor handled Herring in that fight with relative ease, getting big throws and some of the nastiest GnP I’d ever seen. Even though towards the end of the first round it seemed like Fedor was gassing a bit, the damage had already been done. Heath Herring wasn’t allowed to continue on to the second round due to a nasty cut. With this fight I knew Fedor was for real, but I still didn’t think he had a chance to beat Big Nog. At that time Big Nog was the man in Pride, besides the “freak show” fight with Bob Sapp no one had been able to put Big Nog in any type of real trouble. I remember it was around this time the Pride FC video game for Playstation 2 was coming out and I had befriended one of the developers on an MMA Forum. I remember he told me he thought Fedor was going to win and I thought this guy was nuts and, as a result, that game would surely suck. How wrong I was.

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 14

The gang breaks down the results of UFC on FX: Maynard v. Guida, spends a large amount of time talking about how poorly Guida performed, discuss what is next for Gray Maynard, go over the results of UFC 147, break down the TUF: Brazil fights and talk about a great main event between Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva. Also, the gang says goodbye to Fedor.

UFC 147 Predictions

Image via UFC newsletter

Wanderlei Silva v. Rich Franklin

Doctor Law: Thank Christ we avoided Wanderlei v. Vitor II. Seriously, that was just going to be an execution. Don’t get me wrong, I love Wanderlei Silva. The man is just violent. That being said, he couldn’t beat Vitor when he had a chin. God knows what would have happened to him now that his chin is super questionable. Rich Franklin steps in for Vitor (who broke his hand) and takes this fight on short notice, showing that he is the ultimate company man. This a rematch of an awesome fight at UFC 99 that Franklin won. I think Wanderlei wins this because, well, it’s what I want. Sidenote, Belo Horizonte is beautiful...you all should go there. Wanderlei by 3rd round TKO.

Kid Presentable: Hey Calgary, Brazil feels your pain as this is another card ravaged by injuries. Franklin the consummate company man steps in to fight Wanderlei at the franklin-weight catchweight. It's a chance for Silva to avenge his earlier loss to Rich, and a chance for both to show if either of them is still relevant in the fight world. How relevant is a stretch though considering once again, its at a catch weight. It was a close fight last time, though I still thought it was clearly Franklin's fight, though this time I look for Silva to even the score due to home field advantage. There is something about that Brazilian crowd that lights a fire under these fighter's asses, unless of course you are Luiz Cane and you kick the fence in your near unconscious state. Wanderlei has to win, otherwise how is he going to ever get that Vitor rematch? Axe Murderer by TKO 3rd round.

DJ Mark with a “K”: While it sucks that we aren’t going to see the two TUF coaches fight eachother, I feel like Wanderlei dodged a bullet. With Silva’s worsening chin and Belfort devastating hands the original match up had Wanderlei’s destruction written all over it. This fight however, seems more evenly matched. While I still have serious questions about Silva’s chin, he looked awesome in his last fight and I hope we see that Silva again. Normally I would pick Franklin because I think he has more fuel in his tank then Silva does, but given that it’s pretty short notice and Silva’s last fight I’m going with Silva. Silva by decision.

Lavender Gooms: I was happy when Silva came back against Cung Le to get the TKO. Being a newcomer as a fan of MMA, I never saw Silva fight while in Pride, when he was just wrecking dudes. The only Silva I’ve seen is the one who got broken by Rampage and lost to Chris Leben. Logically, I know that Silva’s days as being one of the best in the world are long over, but he still has more than enough in the tank for Franklin. If Franklin can keep his distance or get on top he’ll likely win. Silva will (hopefully) be able to get inside and cause major damage from the clinch and earn himself a second straight TKO victory. Silva by TKO in the 2nd.

Picking Silva: All of us (Seriously guys…someone should have picked Rich Franklin)
Picking Franklin:

UFC on FX 4 Predictions

Image via UFC newsletter

Gray Maynard v. Clay Guida

Doctor Law: This card is headlined by a fun fight (does Clay Guida have any other kind) between Guida and Maynard. Guida is coming off of a clear decision loss (stop raising your hand at the end of every fight Guida; it makes you seem delusional) against current 155 lb champ Ben Henderson. Maynard is coming off of 2 fights with Frankie Edgar. I think Clay is in some serious trouble in this fight. The only place he has the advantage is in the gas tank department, which could be a factor in this five round fight. However, Maynard is ever improving and I expect him to be in great shape after moving to AKA earlier this year. Guida is hard to finish, but he isn’t above getting choked. Maynard by 3rd round submission.

Kid Presentable: Poor Mr. Maynard, you were so close to being the champ twice, now it might be a long uphill climb. Gray can re-establish himself in the upper echelon of the division with a win here. To be fair though, the often labeled "boring" fighter showed vast improvements in his boxing against former champ Edgar. This should be a nightmare matchup for Guida who gets by on motor and heart more often than technical skill. Guida is a solid wrestler but is likely to struggle mightily against the power wrestling style of Maynard. I think Gray has the power to tko Guida, but that is a feat rarely seen, so I will go with the much safer call of a dominant decision for Gray. Maynard by UD.

Image via heavy.com

DJ Mark with a “K”: Maynard comes back after being knocked out for the first time in his career, kinda, if you don’t count the time he DDT’ed himself against Rob Emerson. Maynard is still in the top five for lightweight and a solid win over Guida here will keep him there. On paper Maynard has all the advantages, heavier hands and better wrestling. Guida’s best shot is to try and grind Maynard and get him tired for the later rounds, I don’t see that happening. Maynard TKO (GnP) 4th round

Lavender Gooms: For those six people who have been reading this blog since November, you’ve probably realized by now that my criteria for liking a fighter can range from their general attitude(the Diaz brothers) to their choice in hair color (Louis Gaudinout). My reasons for who I have in my hate list are just as fickle. Maynard logging a complaint against Guida’s hair is a punk move. Half of the reason I love watching Guida fight is because he looks like a Wartime Jesus action figure…and Jesus doesn’t cornrow his hair. Maynard’s only loss is to the former champ and he should be able to utilize his wrestling to control the always effervescent Guida. While on my hate list, I still think he wins this fight. Maynard by decision.

Picking Maynard: All of us
Picking Guida:

Image via ufcgaming.com

Spencer Fisher v. Sam Stout

Doctor Law: A trilogy fight that no one was really asking for, but I doubt anybody is complaining about. The first two fights between these two veterans have been highly entertaining 3 round decisions and I doubt this one will be any different. I honestly wanted to pick Fisher because I didn’t this was a one-sided enough fight for all of us to pick the same fighter, but in his last few fights he has had the look in his eyes that says “I’m done.” He’s lost 5 of 6 and is very likely fighting for his job on Friday night. You know what? Screw it. Spencer Fisher wants to keep making a decent income. Fisher by decision.

Kid Presentable: This fight was probably more relevant several years ago, and it seems like for Fisher's final fight Joe Silva is hoping for the bout that helped Sam Stout make a name for himself. What you get here are solid, decently-rounded mid card level vets. I expect it to be a standup fight where each fighter will have their moments, but I give the slight edge to Stout. Hands of Pillo... I mean Stone will probably not be able to finish Fisher, and I could see these guys scrapping for a fight of the night type bout for Fisher's swan song. Stout by decision.

DJ Mark with a “K”: This fight seems kinda odd to me. Don’t get me wrong, I like both of these guys and their past two fights against each other have been very exciting. I just think it’s weird to have a trilogy with two guys who aren’t ranked in the top ten (maybe not even top 20) in a very deep division. Never the less it should be a good one. I’m picking Stout here because I think the wear of a super long and productive career for Fisher is starting to take it’s toll. Stout by split decision.

Lavender Gooms: This is the third fight for these two men, with Fisher winning the last matchup that garnered “Fight of the Night.” I think it’ll be different this time. I expect to be entertained and for the fight to go the distance. They’re both coming off losses (oddly enough both to Thiago Tavares). Stout, however has looked better in his last few fights so I’m giving him the decision. Stout by decision.

Picking Fisher: Dr. Law
Picking Stout: Kid P, DJ Mark, Gooms

Anderson Silva on the cover of Brazilian Rolling Stone

Image via mundo-mma.tmblr.com

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva graces the June 2012 cover of the Brazilian version of Rolling Stone magazine dressed as Michael Jackson. Why is a cage fighter on the cover of a music magazine, you ask? It's because Anderson has become a rock star in his native country ever since knocking out Vitor Belfort at UFC 126. His status was further bolstered by his two round embarassment of Yushin Okami in front his home country at UFC 134.

Anderson makes his return to the octagon at UFC 147 next month where he will re-matching Chael Sonnen. Sonnen and Silva famously fought at UFC 117 in a fight that Chael was dominating before being caught in a triangle choke/armbar in the 5th round. The fight will take place in Las Vegas, but was originally supposed to take place in Brazil before a United Nations conference forced the cancellation. Anyways, the point of this article was to let you know that Anderson's love of Michael Jackson has been known for years. Check out this video of him doing MJ proud back when he was in Pride.

It's MMAzing Radio - Episode 13

The gang (minus one) discusses the results of UFC on FX 3: Johnson v. McCall, the future Benavidez v. Johnson title shot, the merits of a possible Jorgensen move to flyweight, the injury bug that has hit the UFC, whether Shogun is coming off like a "p*ssy," the pointlessness of Shogun v. Vera, the likely fireworks of Lombard v. Boetsch and the tragedy that took place on Saturday night in the Pacquaio v. Bradley fight.

UFC on FX 3 Predictions

Via UFC newsletter

Demetrious Johnson v. Ian McCall

Doctor Law: Rematch time. These two are taking another crack at each other as their fight in March was ruled a draw. In case you forgot, these two are fighting for the chance to take on Joseph "Joekozuna" Benavidez in the finals of the UFC Flyweight Championship Tournament. I picked Mighty Mouse the first time, but I have to pick McCall this time. McCall got his feet wet in his first fight and took control of the fight as time went on. Also, Mighty Mouse just got married a week ago (his legs won't be there *wink* *wink*). McCall by decision.

Kid Presentable: We're finally back after the commissions messed up the first fight that ever had a sudden death round in play as a special provision. I picked McCall last time, and since his stache has only become more awesome I am taking him again. If you account for the potential of octagon jitters in your first fight out and add that with how clearly he swung the momentum at the end of the fight, McCall should feel that much more comfortable and confident this go around. McCall by decision.

Image via fighters.com

DJ Mark with a "K": The UFC knew this fight was going to be so close they made a special rule to make sure it didn’t end in a draw, course the commission said “screw you, watch us still mess this up”. After the dust settled we were left with a draw and this rematch. Now I’m going with Johnson because as far as I'm concerned last time they met Johnson did get his hand raised, that’s a fact. Also after watching this year’s Microsoft E3 press conference I’m pretty sure MS was focusing more on Mighty Mouse’s sponsorship then that horrible display they put on this Monday. Johnson by decision.

Lavender Gooms: This fight was a show case in why the flyweights were brought into the UFC. Their fight was easily an instant classic and was made even more memorable by idiot tabulations. I’m not complaining though since we get to see these guys fight again. I thought Johnson won the fight the first time out. However, I think McCall goes into the rematch with no ring jitters and gets the W. Hopefully this time they double check the results. McCall by decision.

Picking Johnson: DJ Mark
Picking McCall: Dr. Law, Kid P, Gooms

Image via fiveouncesofpain.com

Charlie Brenneman v. Erick Silva

Doctor Law: Erick Silva is a killer. Charlie Brenneman spends his free time at Enrique Iglesias autograph signings. You do the math. Silva by 1st round KO.

Kid Presentable: Ever since I was first introduced to Brenneman on an episode of Ariel Helwani's MMA hour I have been a fan. The guy is genuinely likeable, down to earth, and seems to be a real fan of the sport himself. Also, he won Pros vs. Joes for crying out loud. Unfortunately for him, Erick Silva is a muthafuggin monsta. This kid has the talent to be a top contender one day, and if it wasn't for the fail that epitomizes the Super Yamasaki Bros. Silva would be coming in on a hotter streak. Silva by KO round 1.

DJ Mark with a "K": I like Brenneman, he’s a very likeable guy. I fear Silva, he’s the guy you wake up from and find out your face has been smashed in. I think Silva is a very hot prospect, he’s young and deadly. Brenneman is a grinder and that type of fighter can be successful against just about anyone. However, I want excitement and I think Silva will deliver. Silva by KO 1st round.

Lavender Gooms: Silva got hosed in his last fight in a bout he would have won if not for the refs. I’ve also never liked Brenneman. He beats Rick Story on one day notice and I’m supposed to be impressed? No thanks. Silva by TKO in the 3rd round.

Picking Brenneman:
Picking Silva: All of us