UFC Fight Night: Rothwell vs. Dos Santos Predictions

I'm still so angry from the nonsense the other three fools said during the last podcast.  Not about anything MMA related,  but from the fact they revealed they can't be trusted when it comes to their super hero movie tastes.  The fact they did not agree with me that "Batman vs. Superman; Dawn of Justice"  wasn't the hottest of gaaabage (that's right gaabage, not garbage...garbage would be too good for it).  I may or may not air some more of my grievances I didn't get to in my long rant on the last show so be forewarned in case you haven't seen that travesty of a movie.  But you aren't reading this blog to hear me complain about my loss of respect for my fellow bloggers.  This Saturday features four heavyweights we know pretty well and the rest of the card consists of virtual unknowns.  I've had to go back and actually find the fight pass prelim fights or fights on YouTube to know what the hell I'm talking about with these guys.  That is what you get from a card in Eastern Europe that's airing in the early afternoon on a Sunday.


Ben Rothwell vs. Junior Dos Santos

via instragram @rothwellfighter

Normally heavyweights begin to enter their prime in their mid 30s.  However, in Junior's case it feels as if that won't be happening.  It's not a stretch to say that his wars with Cain changed him as a fighter and he has never been the same since that trilogy.  Rothwell on the other hand has been finishing dudes in impressive and inventive fashion (check out his last fight, a freaking gogo choke?).   In his win streak, Rothwell has looked the best he has ever looked. Three or four years ago it would have been inconveivable to pick Rothwell.  Even in his wins, Junior has seemed unable to pull the trigger.  Even in his fight against Hunt, you could argue that he only fires that spinning back kick because he had all  the time in the world to let it go. We're going to be hearing Ben's creepy post-fight laugh again. Rothwell by 3rd round submission.

Picking Rothwell- All of us

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Derrick Lewis

I know my boy Bobby loves this gif.  Here you go buddy

Gonzaga has a no nonsense fighting style.  While he has some pretty serious power, he will come at you with an attack that's not very varied outside of a few leg kicks.  However, we all know Gonzaga's specialty is in his grappling.  If he can get the fight to the ground, it wouldn't take long for him to find Lewis's neck. However, Lewis is a physical specimen who is the rare fighter who can out violence Gonzaga with how brutal he can hit someone.  While Lewis is extremely quick and powerful, he has some technical ability so just he isn't out there just winging shots and Gonzaga has tendency to catch one. If this fight stays standing it's going to be a short night. Lewis by 1st round TKO

Picking Napao!- Kid P
Picking Lewis- Gooms, Bobby, DJ Mark

Curtis Blaydes vs. Francis Ngannou

via Instagram @razorblaydes265

During the podcast, I was the lone person who picked Curtis Blaydes.  I can't lie, the main reason I picked Curtis was because he has a sweet last name.  After rewatching Ngannou's UFC debut back in December I am even more sure I made the right call.  While Francis KO'd Luis Henrique in the 2nd round, that result was misleading.  Henrique took Ngannou down easily in the 1st, showed no ability to get back to his feet and
was only saved from spending the last 4 minutes of the round by dubious stand up.  Ngannou was also being dominated against the wall in the clinch 2nd round and was yet again saved by another dubious call by the ref.  Take all of that and then combine with that fact his next opponent is an All-American wrestler.  Yeesh. Blaydes by decision.

Picking Blaydes- Gooms
Picking Ngannou- DJ Mark, Dr. Law, Kid P

Timothy Johnson vs. Marcin Tybura

via Instagram @tyburamarcin

Tybura is highly touted prospect who was the M-1 heavyweight champion who beat a lot of the top talent in Europe.  But I love to pick the grinder against prospects, it's a nice "Welcome to the UFC" type of moment. ***Spoiler Alert***  When Batman has Superman beat and is about to give out the finishing blow, Supes screams out "They've got Martha!" and the fact that she has the same name as Batman's mother is what stop his hand and throws poor orphan Bruce for a loop.  After the odd realization that Bruce and Clark had mothers with the same name, the next thought was if Superman had been raised by a nice lady whose name was Marie, Batman would skewered that Kryptonian like street meat and Clark's mom would be dead. Johnson by decision.

Picking Johnson- Dr. Law, DJ Mark, Gooms
Picking Tybura- Kid P

Jan Blachowicz vs. Igor Pokarjac

via Instagram @janblachowicz

This is perfect example of the UFC loading up a card with hometown guys doesn't look great.  Pokarjac comes into this fight on a three fight winning streak on the regional circuit but his UFC record is an abysmal 4-8.  Blachowicz is technical striker with good power, strong clinch and has shown strong wrestling....***Spoiler***. The whole irrelevant political drama they put in the movie.  What was that bullsh*t?  Blachowicz by KO in first. 

Picking Blachowicz- All of us

Maryna Moroz vs. Cristina Stanciu

via Instagram @maryna_moroz_fn

I've seen Moroz fight and beat a very good girl in JoJo Calderwood, while I know nothing about the Stanciu so that makes picking this fight easy.  Well, I know two things about Stanciu, she's undefeated in her five fights and her nickname is "Barbie".  If she comes out to "Barbie Girl" by Aqua I reserve the right to retroactively to change my pick.  ***Spoiler***  This needs to be said again, Gotham and Metropolis are right across the bay from each other in this movie.  In a movie where Superman can be across the world in seconds to save a Russian space craft, he can't spend some time in the city across the bay to help stop crime?  I think Supes is an elitist.  No other explanation for why he's letting the city he can see from his apartment in sparkly Metropolis die a slow death from rampant crime. Moroz by decision.

Picking Moroz- All of us

It's MMAzing 2016 Standings

1. Doctor Law - (30-16) - .652
2. DJ Mark- (28-18) - .609
3. Lavender Gooms  - (25-21) - .543
4. Kid Presentable - (24-22) - .522