UFC 135 Picks

Sam's Picks

Main Card

Jon Jones vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson: Some people are saying that this fight is going to be a war. I utterly and completely disagree, war means that each side has an equal chance of winning which is clearly not the case.  This fight is going to be (once again) one of the most one sided championship fights of all time.  Rampage has only one chance of even coming close to winning this fight, one punch.  Rampage has some of the best one punch power in the sport and we haven’t really seen Jones’ chin get tested yet.  Jones is so dynamic, fast, and unorthodox and Rampage is so slow and very orthodox that it’s going to be just an absolute beat down = Jones by 2^nd round destruction (TKO). My pick for KO of the night!

Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck: I hate this fight, I truly hate this fight.  I love Hughes and hate Koscheck and I know Koscheck is going to win.  After seeing BJ Penn KO Hughes in just 21 seconds, I knew it was time for Hughes to hang up the gloves, but of course, no.  He decides to accept a fight against Diego Sanchez.  Sanchez had to pull out a few weeks before the fight, giving Koscheck the opening.  This fight is going to be ugly = Koscheck by 1^st  round KO.

Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne: This is going to be an interesting fight.  Browne is starting to look like hes getting ready for a title shot, after having a few good fights with Struve (KO) and a draw with Kongo, a fight in which I thought he won.  Broughton has looked mediocre, not anything special, definitely not main card worthy = Browne by 3^rd round TKO.

Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi: Easily the hardest fight to pick out of all these fights.  Gomi hasn’t looked all that great since he joined the UFC and a little bit before that even.  Diaz also hasn’t been looking all that great.  One’s a grappler with good striking and the other is a powerhouse striker.  I’m going to go with my gut = Diaz by 3^rd round submission (choke). My pick for Fight and submission of the night!

Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell: Rothwell’s getting lucky, Yvel and then this? This fight is going to be even easier for him = Rothwell by 1^st round submission.

Prelims

Aaron Riley vs. Tony Ferguson = Riley by unanimous decision.

Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring = Boetsch by 1^st round TKO.

Ricardo Romero vs. James Te Huna = Te Huna by split decision.

Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki = Mizugaki by 2^nd round TKO.

Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin = Assuncao by unanimous decision. 

Dave's Picks
Dave is out of town this week so he couldn't give a write up for the mian card.

Main Card
Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson: Jones by TKO in round 3.
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck: Koscheck by TKO in round 2
Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne: Browne by TKO in round 2
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi: Fiaz by split decision
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell: Rothwell by unanimous decision

Prelims
Aaron Riley vs. Tony Ferguson: Riley by split decision
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring: Boetsch by TKO in round 2
Ricardo Romero vs. James Te Huna: Te Huna by unanimous decision
Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki: Mizugaki by split deicision
Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin: Assuncao by unanimous decision

Fight Night 25: Shields vs. Ellenberger

Dave’s Picks

Main Card

Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger: This fight will end up on the ground and there are some things we have to consider. The first is that Shields is one of the best BJJ players in the welterweight division. The second is that Shields is much bigger than Ellenberger, so if Shields gets top position on the ground he could do some real damage. But with Ellenberger the two things are that he has better striking and he couldn’t get submitted by Rocha when he was on his back which is awesome. If Shields loses he will be 1-2 with the one win being a close split decision which he did not look good in. = Shields by split decision.

Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang: Probably the worst Co-Main event in Zuffa history. But Yang is smaller and lost to an even smaller Chris Camozzi. Court has looked okay and should take this = Court by submission in round 2.

Jonathan Brookins vs. Erik Koch: I like Brookins as a person and he is fun to watch fight but Koch is just a much better fighter. Look for Koch to be a title contender very soon. = Koch by TKO in the 2^nd round. My Pick for Fight of the Night!

Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald: I am so happy Belcher is healthy again. For those who were unaware Belcher has major problems with detached retinas which is a fighters ultimate nightmare because most of the time they don’t heal enough for doctors to ever let you fight again. Well Belcher is so much better on the feet that this should end in a flurry. = Belcher by TKO in round 3. My Pick for KO of the Night!

Prelims

Cody McKenzie vs. Vagner Rocha: Rocha by submission in round 2.

Evan Dunham vs. Shamar Bailey: Dunham by submission in round 1. My Pick for Submission of the Night!

Matt Riddle vs. Lance Benoist: Riddle by split decision.

Ken Stone vs. Donny Walker: Stone by split decision.

Clay Harvison vs. Seth Baczynski: Seth by TKO in round 3.

Mike Stumpf vs. T.J. Waldburger: T.J. by unanimous decision.

Mike Lullo vs. Robert Peralta: Peralate by unanimous decision.

Justin Edwards vs. Jorge Lopez: Lopez by TKO round 1.

Sam’s Picks

Main Card
Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger: This is an interesting fight. I really like both guys and Ellenberger had a really bright future ahead of him the UFC. This is a huge step ahead for Ellenberger, coming off a KO win over Sean Pierson at 129. Shields coming off a close loss to GSP at the same card, this is a bit of a step back for the world class grappler. If Ellenberger can utilize his wrestling skills to keep it on the feet, he could win this fight, but Shield’s ground is so amazing, if he gets it to the ground, game over= Shields by 3rd round submission.

Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang: This fight is on the main card? Wait, this fight is the co-main event? Yes, this fight is the co-main event of a UFC card. Court McGee isn’t even that big of a draw and very few people even know who Dongi Yang is. Well, in case you don’t know who Yang is, he is a Korean TKO artist and has finished all of his fights, 9 of them being TKOs. He would be a big draw… if he has beaten any big names. The biggest name he has beaten is Rob Kimmons, who kind of sucks. Court McGee showed a really weak chin with almost getting KO’d by Ryan Jensen, who is a joke. I seriously couldn’t care less about this fight= Yang by 2nd round TKO.

Jonathon Brookins vs. Erik Koch: This is an awesome fight, this is the one I am most excited for. This is going to show who is ready for the big show, who is ready to stand with the best in the world. Erik “New Breed” Koch’s nickname is perfect, he is the future of this sport and could end up being the champ at 145. Brookins on the other hand is a very calm and collected, very skilled fighter who has only lost three times, one of them coming at the hands of top 5 P4P fighter, Jose Aldo, a fight he was doing very well in. Brookins’ chin is pretty bad, he was destroyed in the first round against Michael Johnson. This is a hard fight to pick but I belive both these guys have very bright futures= Koch by 2nd round TKO

Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald: I’m really happy to see Belcher back. He was getting close to a title shot when he tore one of his retinas, nearly ending his career. MacDonald says he wants to pull a “Lytle” in retiring with win tonight. I see this fight going super one-sided with Belcher just manhandling Macdonald but we’ll see how he does after such a long layoff= Belcher by unanimous decision.

Prelims

Cody McKenzie vs. Vagner Rocha= Rocha by 2nd round submission.
Shamar Bailey vs. Evan Dunham(?)= Dunham by unanimous decision.
Lance Benoist vs. Matthew Riddle= Riddle by unanimous decision.
Ken Stone vs. Donny Walker= Stone by split decision.
Seth Baczynski vs. Clay Harvison= Seth by unanimous decision.
Mike Stumpf vs. T.J. Waldburger= Stumpf by 2nd round submission (RNC).
Mike Lullo vs. Robert Peralta= Peralta by split decision.
Justin Edwards vs. Jorge Lopez= Lopez by 1st round TKO.

Predictions for Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov and Bellator 49

Dave’s Picks:

Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov

Josh Barnett vs. Sergei Kharitonov: Barnett by submission in round 2.

Antonio Silva vs. Daniel Cormier: Cormier by split decision.

Ronaldo Souza vs. Luke Rockhold: Souza by submission in round 1.

Roger Gracie vs. Muhammed Lawal: Mo by unanimous decision.

Pat Healy vs. Maximo Blanco: Blanco by KO in round 2.

Bellator 49

 Dan Hornbuckle vs. Luis Santos = Hornbuckle by unanimous decision

Chris Cisneros vs. Ben Saunders = Saunders by TKO round 2

Chris Lozano vs. Brent Weedman = Weedman by unanimous decision

Steve Carl vs. Douglas Lima = Lima by unanimous decision

Sam’s Picks:

Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov

Josh Barnett vs. Sergei Kharitonov = Kharitonov by TKO round 2
Daniel Cormier vs., Antonio Silva = Cormier by unanimous decision
Ronaldo Souza vs. Luke Rockhold = Souza by submission (choke) round 2
Roger Gracie vs. “King Mo” Lawal = Gracie by submission (RNC) round 1
Maximo Blanco vs. Pat Healy = Healy by Split decision

Bellator 49

Dan Hornbuckle vs. Luis Santos = Hornbuckle by unanimous decision

Chris Cisneros vs. Ben Saunders = Saunders by TKO round 3

Chris Lozano vs. Brent Weedman = Weedman by unanimous decision

Steve Carl vs. Douglas Lima = Lima by Split decision