Unreal Comeback By Joe Warren

Posted on 02. Sep, 2010 by moneybags.

Joe Soto was winning the first round 10-8. However, against Joe Warren, a guy you can’t count out…ever.

Warren comes out clips Soto on the ear, Soto falls, but is clearly ok. Warren follows with punches from above, Soto gets up. As they move towards the cage, Warren catches Soto with a knee followed by a left hook that folds Soto with a KO ref stoppage and takes the belt.

Amazing come back. Catch it on youtube or wherever.

*I picked Joe Warren to beat Kid Yamamoto, just saying.

Continue Reading

UFC 118 Card

Posted on 28. Aug, 2010 by moneybags.

Preliminary card

* Welterweight bout: Mike Pierce vs Amilcar Alves

* Welterweight bout: Nick Osipczak vs Greg Soto

* Middleweight bout: Dan Miller vs John Salter

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

* Lightweight bout: Andre Winner vs Nik Lentz

* Lightweight bout: Joe Lauzon vs Gabe Ruediger

Main card

* Welterweight bout: Nate Diaz vs Marcus Davis

* Lightweight bout: Kenny Florian vs Gray Maynard

* Middleweight bout: Demian Maia vs Mario Miranda

* Heavyweight bout: Randy Couture vs James Toney

* Lightweight Championship bout: Frankie Edgar vs B.J. Penn

Continue Reading

Strikeforce Feijao TKOs King Mo

Posted on 22. Aug, 2010 by moneybags.

King Mo was defeated via TKO after first being caught with a nice series of offense from the Brazilian. First Mo drove Feijao into the cage and followed with a great body shot. Feijao has the Thai clinch and delivers two knees to Mo’s head. The first one misses, the second one staggers Mo. He stumbles backwards and Feijao grazes Mo’s chin with a reaching hook. It was probably more of a stumble, but Mo was rocked badly. Feijao follows with rabbit punches that keep Mo dazed, but the wrestler goes to what he knows and secures a single leg and pushes Feijao to the cage. Feijao kicks his hips out with Mo leaning on Feijao all the while Feijao is dropping hammerfists and now moves to elbows to the side of Mo’s noggin. Mo is doing nothing and then his arm goes limp. Big John McCarthy stops the fight in the second round.

Other fight recaps:

Tim Kennedy got robbed against Jacare Souza (in my opinion), but it was a razor close fight. However, Kennedy did the most variety of things.

George Gurgel got manhandled by KJ Noons and was KOd.

Bobby Lashley was beat by Chad Griggs in a 2nd round TKO. Very similar fight in the King Mo Fejao fight. Both guys were beaten while attempting and leaning in for a double leg while getting hammer fisted and elbowed from above. Weird.

Continue Reading

UFC 118

Posted on 13. Aug, 2010 by moneybags.

Main card

Lightweight Championship bout: Frankie Edgar vs B.J. Penn

Heavyweight bout: Randy Couture vs James Toney
Middleweight bout: Demian Maia vs Mario Miranda
Lightweight bout: Kenny Florian vs Gray Maynard
Welterweight bout: Nate Diaz vs Marcus Davis

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Lightweight bout: Joe Lauzon vs Gabe Ruediger
Lightweight bout: Andre Winner vs Nik Lentz

Preliminary card

Middleweight bout: Dan Miller vs John Salter
Welterweight bout: Nick Osipczak vs Greg Soto
Welterweight bout: Mike Pierce vs Amilcar Alves

Continue Reading

UFC 117 Predictions

Posted on 05. Aug, 2010 by moneybags.

Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen

I’ll admit it. I’m buying into the one sided hype. Sonnen destroyed Marquardt when Marquardt was running high. He made Okami look silly. Sonnen has the takedown prowess of Dan Henderson. Henderson took down Anderson Silva, ultimately losing by rear naked, but that is besides the point. This one is likely going to the judges cards and I think Sonnen is going to win on takedowns. Yes I think Anderson Silva loses this fight. His cardio has shown to have problems ever since Patrick Cote’s kneecap slipped out of place 4 or 5 fights ago. Sonnen doesn’t have that problem. The major thing Sonnen has to worry about is not the striking, but the submission game of Silva. Those lanky long legs are perfect for triangling and armbaring. Something Sonnen has had mixed trouble with in his past is against high quality jiu-jitsu players. Sonnen lost to Paulo Filho in a controversial ref stoppage in their first match and Filho ran from Sonnen for 3 rounds in the rematch. Demian Maia tapped Sonnen with a sweet triangle in their match. Anderson Silva has a jiu-jitsu game that is right up there with the best in the business and has the length and reach to cause more problems than most others.

Well after writing out my thoughts above, its really going to come down to one thing for Sonnen. Conditioning. Its probably the one advantage he has to utilize to beat Silva. The way to do it would be getting Silva against the cage and make him fight off takedowns for the 3 rounds. Then maybe Silva will be too burnt out to strike back with the fervor he is known for. A tired Silva also gives Sonnen the best shot at a ground and pound TKO.

When I look at this on paper, Silva should win. Too many tools that Sonnen has had a history of trouble against. However, nobody is invincible, and I think Sonnen is good at getting in fighters faces and pressuring Silva enough to have a great shot at winning a judge’s decision. The real item here is that Silva is too much a favorite in the odds that it makes a decent spot to take the underdog in Sonnen.

Jon Fitch vs Thiago Alves

The fight is finally happening. Although Fitch has a shot at doing his usual grinder type style over Alves, I think Alves will win this fight. The reason Alves wins is that Fitch’s style is becoming predictable. Alves on the other hand has improved his standup to devastating levels. Another item is Alves takedown defense and getting back up off the mat has improved from a level of 0 to about a 7. Look at the difference between his UFC fight night fights against Spencer Fisher compared to his fights against Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck.

I like Thiago Alves to win this fight.

Matt Hughes vs Ricardo Almeida

If Matt Hughes beats Ricardo Almeida in this fight I will take a one UFC sabbatical from making picks. Renzo, Ricardo’s teacher, was made to look silly against Hughes. Renzo is older though and officially he showed how out of fight shape he was. Almeida on the other hand is a different breed and imo will give Matt Hughes some serious problems.

I like Almeida at all odds.

Clay Guida vs Rafael Dos Anjos

Whoever Clay Guida fights you can expect a great entertaining fight. I’m immediately discounting most of Dos Anjos submission capabilities due to several reasons. One Dos Anjos likes to stand up. Two Guida has tremendous submission defense. However, his style leads him into submissions quite often.

The stand up of Dos Anjos is pretty good and he has some really good leg kicks. If you were to guess who can do the most damage, its Dos Anjos. If you add up the takedowns Guida is going to get, vs the damage that Dos Anjos is going to do, and the escapes that Guida is likely to get, I think the odds are perfect here. Guida is slightly favored.

I’m looking Guida, but feeling Dos Anjos

Roy Nelson vs Junior Dos Santos

We don’t know how good Junior Dos Santos ground game is, but I’m sure Roy Nelson wants the fight to go there. The last person Nelson met with similar high quality boxing capability was Andrei Arlovski before Nelson went on TUF. Arlovski beat Nelson badly earning a ref stoppage. IMO Dos Santos is a more powerful puncher than Arlovski and has incredible boxing skills for someone of his size. Nelson will have problems on his feet. However, and since I’m unfamiliar with Dos Santos ground ability, when the fight hits the floor Nelson’s belly is almost like a third arm. It is going to be EXTREMELY difficult to get up if Nelson gets on top of Dos Santos.

With the extra advantage of Nelson’s belly and his tremendous fighting experience being the IFL heavyweight champion and the TUF champion, I think Nelson’s body type will be a problem for Dos Santos.

I like Nelson to avoid the Dos Santos wrecking machine and take the win.

Ben Saunders vs Dennis Hallman

Two tall guys, Saunders with the good standup game when he lets his hands go. Hallman is the crafty submission specialist. I think Hallman (probably on his last fight of his contract) is most likely to get beat. That would be the intelligent way to look at it. However, Saunders has had some disappointing matchups imo. I’d rather go with Hallman and see the old dog teach the young dog a new trick.

Dustin Hazelett vs Rick Story

Phil Davis vs Rodney Wallace

Tim Boetsch vs Todd Brown

Johny Hendricks vs Charlie Brenneman

Hendricks.

Stefan Struve vs Christian Morecraft

Struve.

Continue Reading

UFC Live On Versus2 Predictions 4-2

Posted on 01. Aug, 2010 by moneybags.

The predictions for the second showing of UFC Live On Versus went 4-2 with the Yushin Okami/Mark Munoz match having a razor close split decision. If Munoz didn’t take the third round off, he wins that fight. Imo Munoz won the first two rounds, but the first round was close enough that the third round was the determining round.

Jon Bones Jones took care of business and easily dismantled Matyushenko.

The stunner was the return of Gomi. I was ready to write him off, but that guy is back! He dropped Tyson Griffin with his trademark right hook. Gomi looked alot bigger than Griffin as well in this fight. Gomi finished off Griffin with punches from above as Griffin fell directly on his face.

Continue Reading

UFC On Versus

Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by moneybags.

Jon Jones vs Vladimir Matyushenko

Frankly I’ll be shocked if Jon Jones loses to a top game grinder like Matyushenko. Jones is far far far far superior on the feet and can more than handle himself in the wrestling department. I’m not expecting Matyushenko to be thrown around like some of Jones’ previous opponents, but I expect him to be back tripped and maybe some other Judo trips that take Matyushenko down where Jon will TKO Vlad.

Jones is a monster favorite here and I can’t see it otherwise. I like Jones to win.

Mark Munoz vs Yushin Okami

Two wrestlers with mediocre stand up. Well Munoz has really changed his standup actually. I should give him alot more credit. He is wild though with his strikes. Wrestling advantage likely in favor of Munoz with the submission edge and top game edge to Okami. Munoz is also the better power puncher though. If Munoz gets Okami in a bad spot expect Munoz to start looking like a gorilla looking to get its baby back.

I lean towards Munoz because striking is not Okami’s top priority and I think Munoz’s wrestling prowess is enough to negate Okami’s wrestling/positioning edge to some degree.

John Howard vs Jake Ellenberger

If I have to pick here I’d go with Ellenberger. He always finds a way to win and when he doesn’t win its a razor thin loss. John Howard is no joke and should give Ellenberger a very tough fight.

Tyson Griffin vs Takanori Gomi

Tyson Griffin. Too many leg kicks, too good of submission defense. Gomi probably has a reach advantage and could of course stun Griffin, but I think Griffin is too busy of a fighter for Gomi to deal with. Gomi’s mystique really diminishes after this fight imo.

Griffin to win. Griffin is also favored.

Paul Kelly vs Jacob Volkmann

I like Volkmann here. He is the favorite in this fight. Volkmann’s wrestling ability is most likely going to have Kelly on his back the whole fight.

DaMarques Johnson vs Matthew Riddle

I think Riddle is too strong. Don’t really have a strong opinion here.

Continue Reading

DREAM 15 Mixed Martial Arts

Posted on 04. Jul, 2010 by moneybags.

Shinya Aoki vs Tatsuya Kawajiri

Kawajiri does what Aoki wants. To be fighting on his back. You could look at the Gilbert Melendez/Aoki fight as a roadmap for what Kawajiri has to do. I’m thinking that Aoki is going to get pointed or TKO’d here.

Gesias Cavalcante vs Katsunori Kikuno

Kikuno is a crafty talented fighter who will give JZ trouble.

Melvin Manhoef vs Tatsuya Mizuno

Manhoef via KO.

Gegard Mousasi vs Jake O’Brien

If you look at the Mousasi vs Mo Lawal fight, this one seems to fit the same pattern. Since Jake O’Brien is a fighter whose skillset is essentially take the dude down and get a ref stoppage via TKO. Gegard couldn’t get up from the ground and couldn’t stop the takedown. The only difference in this fight is that King MO is faster than Jake O’Brien.

As much as a technical striker Mousasi is on his feet, if he can’t wrestle with wrestlers Mousasi is going to be in trouble.

I like O’Brien here in the upset.

Mitsuhiro Ishida vs Daiki Hata

Ishida

Nakamura vs Karl Amoussou

Nakamura

Michihiro Omigawa vs Jong Young Sam

Omigawa

Continue Reading

UFC 116 A Very Tight Fight Card

Posted on 04. Jul, 2010 by moneybags.

There were so many comebacks in this card that it really made it a tough one to predict.

There were two judging errors imo.

The Kendall Grove / Goran Reljic fight one judge scored 30-27 for all rounds. I don’t know how Grove wins that last round. One judge scores the fight for Reljic and another judge scores Grove 30-27…ridiculous.

Also how Kurt Pellgrino doesn’t win the third round is beyond reproach. I think two judges had it 30-27 and Pelligrino definitely won the third round it wasn’t close.

The Lesnar/Carwin fight. On any other day….the fight gets stopped with Carwin punching over a covered up Lesnar for 2 minutes straight.

Then there were the comebacks of Stephen Bonnar, Chris Leben, and Ricardo Romero. Petruzelli literally knocked Romero on the ground 3 times, stumbled him a few times and had what I would say was a 10-8 round. Petruzelli’s cardio is not up to snuff he punched himself out and took a rest. Unfortunately that rest cost him the loss via armbar. As something in his arm snapped he bucked up. Why not do that before tapping?

The Stephen Bonnar, Sosynzki fight was good. I’m glad Bonnar won, as I wanted him too, but thought Krystoff was too much muscle. However, Bonnar pulled it out after looking like he was on his way to a 4th loss.

The Akiyama / Leben fight went as I thought it would. Akiyama takes damage, but he did more damage to Leben, stumbling and crumbling Leben several times. The problem, Akiyama got tired. He took a rest in the full guard and Leben who has really evolved, slapped on a triangle choke. Akiyama was ok, but Chris underhooked the knee and Akiyama fell back. Once Akiyma’s butt was on the floor, Chris did the right thing and pulled the head. All the leverage was on the choke right there. It was over with 20 seconds left in the third round. Akiyama was clearly winning that fight.

It was a very entertaining card to watch, a horrible one to handicap.

Continue Reading

Lesnar Submits Carwin With Arm Triangle

Posted on 03. Jul, 2010 by moneybags.

Brock Lesnar just submitted Shane Carwin with an arm triangle. I’m a little in disbelief considering how badly Carwin was beating up Lesnar in the first round. Carwin looked so tired and I’m yelling at the TV “don’t leave your arm there Shane.”

Unbelieveable.

Continue Reading