Category: UFC

The card for UFC 108 looked pretty weak due to the fact that so many fights had to be cancelled within the last few months due to an inordinate string of injuries that forced fighters to pull out. However, a lot of credit should be given to the UFC for putting together what turned out to be decent card that featured some very competitive fights.

The main event, Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva, was a very interesting, hard fought contest. Evans won by decision, but he definitely had his hands full with Silva, who came close to knocking Evans out in the third round. I picked Silva to win based on his punching power. Evans, to his credit, used his wrestling ability to take down Silva numerous times in first two rounds and neutralize his striking.

Welterweight Paul Daley and Heavyweight Junior Dos Santos also distinguished themselves win devastating KO’s of their opponents, each in the first round.

I am picking Rich Franklin to defeat Vitor Belfort and Junior dos Santos to defeat Cro Cop. Both fights were tough for me to pick because I haven’t seen much fight video for 3 out of 4 of these guys, the exception being Rich Franklin.

I based my predictions on my assessement of their records and fighting styles. All four seem to prefer stand up to ground game and they like to throw big punches, and in the case of Cro Cop big kicks too. I expect both fights to end with KO’s or TKO’s, one way or another. I feel like I’m putting more guesswork into these picks than I usually do, but I have no choice.

UFC 103 POST FIGHT

Well, I went 1 and 1 on predicted outcomes. Franklin was KO’d fairly easily by Belfort in the first round and dos Santos won a hard fought, brutal battle with Cro Cop in three rounds. Cro Cop had to ask the ref to stop the fight due to catching a punch right in the eye. He simply could not see and defend himself at that stage.

With those defeats the UFC careers of both Cro Cop and Franklin may have come to an end. It definitely looks like Cro Cop is done after that beating. Franklin did not sustain a lot damage in his quick defeat, but one has to wonder where he goes from here. The Middle weight division is dominated by Anderson Silva, who destroyed Franklin twice and the Light Heavy weight division probably has at least 5 or 6 fighters who are superior to Franklin. The road back to the top will be a hard one for him.

Some post fight thoughts on UFC 102. All in all, it turned out to be a fairly entertaining night of fights, highlighted by the Heavyweight battle between Randy Couture and Antonio Noguiera.

I made predictions on the co-main events and went 1 and 1 (my predictions were posted on my Twitter page). I was right on Thiago Silva beating Keith Jardine and I wrong on Couture beating Noguiera. My overall UFC prediction record, started at UFC 100, is now 5 right and 2 wrong.

Well, I went 2 for 2 tonight, although I thought Forest Griffin would last longer than 1 round. Anderson Silva totally dominated Griffin and KO’d him at 3:23 in the first Rd. It wasn’t close in any way. I now hope Dana White can arrange a fight between Silva and Lyoto Machida.

Penn submitted Florian in the 4th Rd. I got the round right, but I predicted TKO. Well, it came close to a TKO at several points. Florian gave it his all, but he was outclassed in the strength dept. and had no advantage in skills. Penn’s take down defense was very effective. Penn won every round in my opinion, but it was still a competitive fight. BJ Penn was a major step up for Florian and he is going to have to study this fight and improve in a number of areas if he hopes to defeat a fighter of Penn’s caliber in the future.

I posted my predictions for UFC 100 on You Tube, but I can’t do that this time around due to a sore throat. So, I am going to take this opportunity to make my predictions here on the gmf journal blog. It has been my intention to get this blog rolling for the past few weeks and this seems to be as good a topic as any for my first post. I am going to use this blog to comment on a wide range of subjects that are of interest to me. Everything from sports and politics to science and religion. That and more. At some point in the future I would like to write other blogs that will that will be about specific subjects, but for now I’m going stick with writing one general interest blog. OK, on to UFC 101.

Light HWT Fight

Anderson Silva vs. Forest Griffin: I don’t see how Griffin can win this fight. Anderson Silva is just too good. The guy has no weaknesses. He can fight well on his feet or on the ground. Forest Griffin is also very well rounded. He will be well prepared and fights with a lot of spirit. I like Griffin, but I don’t see how he will last 3 rounds with Silva, because Griffin does not have KO power in his strikes. If Griffin could not KO Rampage Jackson or Rashad Evans I don’t see how he KO’s Silva. Anderson Silva, on the other hand, has plenty of KO power and can KO opponents with either his hands or his feet.

Silva wins by TKO, 2nd Rd.

Lightweight Fight

B.J. Penn vs. Kenny Florian: I have gone back and forth on this fight in past few weeks because these two seem to be pretty evenly matched. Each has their advantages, Penn is probably the better striker and Florian has stronger kicks (hey, he was a Div. I soccer player at Boston College). Both have strong ground games. Both also seem to be highly motivated for this fight. Penn wants restore his reputation after his one sided loss to Georges St. Pierre and Florian badly wants the recognition that a championship belt will bring him.

I think Penn wins this fight, but it will be a hard fought battle. In the end I still think Penn is most skilled UFC fighter at 155 pounds. Going up to 170 to face GSP was a bridge too far for him. He simply got overpowered by GSP and was also up against one of few fighters in UFC who had a superior MMA skill set. Florian will not be able to overpower Penn at 155 and does not have an MMA skill set that is superior to Penn’s imo.

Penn wins by TKO, 4th Rd.