UFC 149: Barao vs. Faber Predictions

Dave’s Picks

Main Card

Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: (our interview with Urijah about this fight and much much more, click here!)This fight is going to be amazing! I am so pumped for this. We will either see 1) Faber win and become one of the best fighters to ever live (if he is not one already) and cement himself as a legend and be only the 3^rd person ever to be a Zuffa champion in 2 different weight classes. Or 2) Barao wins and we see a new star born who has the potential to beat Cruz and own that belt for years to come. Barao will be much bigger and stronger and have better striking but Faber will be faster and have better wrestling. I think the BJJ aspect will be cancelled out because both are amazing. Anything can happen in this fight but I feel more comfortable in picking Barao. I think he has more ways to win and I can see him winning the fight in a similar fashion to when Jose Aldo beat Faber. This one will be fun and I can’t wait! = Barao by unanimous decision. My 1st Pick for Fight of theNight!

Tim Boetsch vs. Hector Lombard: I love Tim Boetsch; from the time I saw him throw David Heath neck-first onto the floor like a rag doll.The guy puts on fights, real fights. Lombard is a high level grappler with crazy strength and decent striking. This will be Lombard’s long awaited UFC debut and Boetsch is no easy test to start your UFC career against. Boetsch has amazing heart and is as strong as they come but is not great at any one thing. I hope Boestsch wins but the safer pick is with Lombard. = Lombard by unanimous decision.

Shawn Jordan vs. Cheick Kongo: This should be a fun standup war. Jordan has impressed me for awhile now and Kongo has been looking worse and worse as of late. Jordan should also have the grappling advantage and he has the better camp. I can’t envision Kongo winning this thing unless Jordan either gets careless or has a horrible night. = Jordan by TKO in round 2. My Pick for KO of the Night!

Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Head looked great against Papy Abedi and he has beaten the formidable Gerald Harris. However, Ebersole is 4-0 in the UFC and has looked good except in the Claude Patrick fight. Ebersole will be shorter and most likely a reach disadvantage but he is much better then Head everywhere and he should take this. = Ebersole by unanimous decision.

Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: This fight will probably be a sloppy brawl but fun to watch. I think Clements is much better then Riddle and I think Riddle will be cut after this fight. Look for Clements to have the speed advantage and take this somewhat easily. = Clements by unanimous decision.

Prelims

Court McGee vs. Nick Ring = Ring by split decision.

Roland Delorme vs. Francisco Rivera = Delorme by split decision. My 2nd pick for Fight of the Night!
(For our interview with Roland Delorme click here, our interview with Fracisco Rivera click here)

Ryan Jimmo vs. Anthony Perosh = Perosh by split decision.

Bryan Caraway vs. Mitch Gagnon = Caraway by unanimous decision.

Antonio Carvalho vs. Daniel Pineda = Pineda by submission in round 2. My Pick for Submission of the Night!

Mitch Clarke vs. Anton Kuivanen = Kuivanen by unanimous decision.

Sam’s Picks

Main Card

Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: (our interview with Urijah about this fight and much much more, click here) This is one of those types of fights that you don’t want either guy to lose. I really want to see the Faber-Cruz trilogy resolved and I also want to see Barao show the world why he is considered Cruz’s biggest threat. Because Barao trains at Nova Uniao, he has a training partner that has fought, and defeated, Urijah Faber. Jose Aldo, the current UFC featherweight champion, dominated Faber in the past which headlined WEC’s largest event. Barao is a very similar fighter to that of Aldo; very technical and quick standup with devastating leg kicks. Barao is going to win this fight with the leg kicks, it worked for Aldo = Barao by unanimous decision. My 2^nd pick for FOTN!

Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch: I am a huge Boetsch fan. I always have been since his amazing slam win over David Heath. I am saying this because I want everyone to know that I am not joining the Lombard hype train. Lombard is a very good fighter. His standup is powerful and technical and his judo is phenomenal. Boetsch is the type of guy who is constantly finding ways to win against fighters who are hefty favorites. He could very well do it in this fight. Lombard is the better grappler but Boetsch can always find a way to win. I will be cheering for "The Barbarian" = Lombard by close unanimous decision.

Shawn Jordan vs. Cheick Kongo: Shawn Jordan is going to be one of the next big things at heavyweight. He has powerful standup and a solid ground game. Cheick Kongo’s chin is gone and his ground game sucks. Everything in this fight favors Jordan = Jordan by 3^rd round TKO. My pick for KOOTN!

Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Head has not impressed me yet, the best thing he has done is beat Gerald Harris. Ebersole is starting to cement himself as a title contender and James Head will never be one. Ebersole will dominate this fight wherever it goes =Ebersole by 1^st round submission. My pick for SOTN!

Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: Riddle is the sloppiest fighter in the UFC. He is just plain bad. I thought that Henry Martinez won their fight and he was half a foot shorter than Riddle. Clements is a fun fighter and should easily win this one = Clements by unanimous decision. My 3^rd pick for FOTN!

Prelims

Court McGee vs. Nick Ring: Ring by split decision.

Roland Delorme vs. Francisco Rivera: Rivera by split decision. My 1^st pick for FOTN!
(For our interview with Roland Delorme click here, our interview with Fracisco Rivera click here)

Ryan Jimmo vs. Anthony Perosh: Jimmo by 1^st round TKO (but this was hard to pick).

Bryan Caraway vs. Mitch Gagnon: Gagnon by 3^rd round submission.

Antonio Carvalho vs. Daniel Pineda: Pineda by 1st round submission (choke).

Mitch Clarke vs. Anton Kuivanen: Clarke by unanimous decision.