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.

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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.

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