Dave’s Picks
Main Card
Champ Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes: I love the lower weight classes and every time they are the main event of a card it makes me super happy. If the UFC wants the lower weight classes to be a draw then they must promote them more. This is one way to do it. I have to say I really like Mendes in this fight. No one has come even close to being able to stuff his takedowns or get up once taken down. Mendes has never come close to being submitted or KOed. He has never been defeated or even close to being defeated. He has also defeated some great fighters like Rani Yahya, Omigawa, Cub Swanson, Eric Koch, Javier Vazquez and Steven Siler. The dude is a beast! But when it comes to predictions (or betting, which I don’t do. But I know some of my readers do) you have to go with what makes more sense. Jose Aldo is the pick that makes the most sense. He has shown weakness once in all of his fights. It was at UFC 129, which I saw live, in the 5th round when Hominick was raining down some serious ground and pound. But other than that Aldo has been perfect. Aldo has beaten some very serious competition of his own but mostly all by brutal finishes. His speed is unmatched and I think Mendes will struggle with it. This fight could go either way but like I said, this makes the most sense = Aldo by unanimous decision.
Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson: This fight is crazy. For this fight Johnson is actually permanently moving up a weight class. He has posted photos and a video of what he looks like now. He looks like a monster. He looks to be in great shape and this seems to be for sure a more natural weight class for him. On the other hand you got veteran Vitor Belfort who is a monster as well. Vitor’s last fight, where he destroyed Akiyama, gives me a lot of confidence in picking him to win here but there is one thing that scares me. He has struggled with strong wrestlers. Randy Couture dominated him, Tito had some success and Dan Henderson handled him. Johnson is a pretty good wrestler but I think experience is going to play a huge factor. Vitor has been fighting much harder competition throughout his career. Another factor to take into consideration is that Vitor cuts a ton and can be drained by making 185 but Johnson should have a much easier time making weight and shouldn’t be drained. This fight has a good amount of unknowns but I’m going with Vitor. = Vitor by unanimous decision.
Mike Massenzio vs. Rousimar Palhares: This fight is the easiest fight to call on this card. Palhares is a monster with some of the best grappling in MMA. Massenzio is a mid-tier fighter with decent wrestling. Palhares will outmuscle him and sub him early. = Palhares by submission in round 2. My Pick for Submission of the Night!
Carlo Prater vs. Erick Silva: Silva is a killer and hasn’t lost since 2006. Prater hasn’t beaten anybody worth mentioning since he beat Carlos Condit back in 2004; which Condit avenged easily in 2008. Silva should win this fight but Prater has much more experience. However, Silva has a fight in the UFC and Prater doesn’t. = Silva by unanimous decision.
Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim: This fight is gonna be insane! This fight will be a fast paced technical brawl. I can’t wait. Etim is a very fast well rounded fighter but he never faced anyone with the abilities Barboza has. Barboza will have the standup advantage for sure and on the ground it may be even. Etim has a chance but its slim. = Barboza by unanimous decision. My Pick for Fight of the Night!
Prelims
Sam Stout vs. Thiago Tavares: Stout by TKO in round 2. My Pick for KO of the Night!
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Ednaldo Oliveira: Gonzaga by split decision.
Yuri Alcantara vs. Michihiro Omigawa: Yuri by split decision.
Ricardo Funch vs. Mike Pyle: Pyle by submission in round 1.
Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio "Pato" Carvalho: Carvalho by TKO in round 3.
Sam’s Picks
Main Card
Featherweight champion Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes: Finally, Chad Mendes is getting his highly deserved title shot at Jose Aldo. Mendes easily has the best chance at beating Aldo, so this leads to the burning question; if Aldo can pass Mendes, is he unbeatable? First off, no, no one is unbeatable. Although, this statement is true, there are the undeniably dominant champions like GSP and Anderson Silva. Mendes is easily going to be Aldo’s biggest test to date. Mendes is an extremely powerful wrestler and Aldo’s Wrestling is sub-par at most. Aldo has the best striking of anyone that Mendes has faces, Mendes has the best wrestling that Aldo has faced. In the past, the wrestler comes out on top of the striker a majority of the time. Aldo is hard to bet against but he hasn’t been exactly all that impressive in the past. Mendes, on the other hand, is powerful and hungry. He is ready to be champion = Mendes by unanimous decision.
Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson: When I saw this fight, I was very happy to see Johnson finally at the right weight class. I also thought that this would be an easy fight for Belfort… but then I saw pictures of Anthony Johnson. He is absolutely enormous. Belfort better be ready for a beast on Saturday because Anthony Johnson is ready to shine at 185. Belfort, on the other hand, has the very high experience advantage over Johnson. He also isn’t that old or ready to retire. He wants another shot at Silva. Johnson may have the strength advantage over Belfort but Belfort has the speed advantage by a lot. He also has the jiujutsu advantage but the wrestling goes to Johnson. This one is a close call but I’m going to go with Belfort picking him apart on the feet while stuffing takedowns. If he gets taken down, look for him to be standing right up or looking for the submissions = Belfort by 2nd round TKO. MY pick for KOTN!
Mike Massenzio vs. Rousimar Palhares: Palhares (or Paul Harris) is 2 or 3 big fights away from getting a title shot but this fight is not going to be a big win. Massenzio was just fighting for his job against Cantwell and he is not ready for a jujutsu expert such as Palhares = Palhares by 1st round hell (oops?) hook. My pick for SOTN!
Carlo Prater vs. Erick Silva: Silva is a huge prospect who I find to be a future champ. He is a beast. Prater hasn’t done enough to prove he can hand with guys like Erick Silva. Anytime he has went against a top guy, he lost (Reza Madadi, Drew Fickett, Antonio McKee, Brock Larson, Carlos Condit). His biggest recent win was against a guy named Charlie Brown, yes, Charlie Brown. This is Silva’s = Silva by 2nd round TKO.
Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim: This is the fight that I am most excited for. These guys are very evenly matched. Barboza has amazing striking and a decent ground game. Terry Etim’s standup isn’t very good but his ground game is amazingly slick. Barboza is just a little more well rounded than Etim, leading me to believe that will be the biggest difference in this fight = Barboza by unanimous decision. My pick for FOTN!
Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson: When I saw this fight, I was very happy to see Johnson finally at the right weight class. I also thought that this would be an easy fight for Belfort… but then I saw pictures of Anthony Johnson. He is absolutely enormous. Belfort better be ready for a beast on Saturday because Anthony Johnson is ready to shine at 185. Belfort, on the other hand, has the very high experience advantage over Johnson. He also isn’t that old or ready to retire. He wants another shot at Silva. Johnson may have the strength advantage over Belfort but Belfort has the speed advantage by a lot. He also has the jiujutsu advantage but the wrestling goes to Johnson. This one is a close call but I’m going to go with Belfort picking him apart on the feet while stuffing takedowns. If he gets taken down, look for him to be standing right up or looking for the submissions = Belfort by 2nd round TKO. MY pick for KOTN!
Mike Massenzio vs. Rousimar Palhares: Palhares (or Paul Harris) is 2 or 3 big fights away from getting a title shot but this fight is not going to be a big win. Massenzio was just fighting for his job against Cantwell and he is not ready for a jujutsu expert such as Palhares = Palhares by 1st round hell (oops?) hook. My pick for SOTN!
Carlo Prater vs. Erick Silva: Silva is a huge prospect who I find to be a future champ. He is a beast. Prater hasn’t done enough to prove he can hand with guys like Erick Silva. Anytime he has went against a top guy, he lost (Reza Madadi, Drew Fickett, Antonio McKee, Brock Larson, Carlos Condit). His biggest recent win was against a guy named Charlie Brown, yes, Charlie Brown. This is Silva’s = Silva by 2nd round TKO.
Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim: This is the fight that I am most excited for. These guys are very evenly matched. Barboza has amazing striking and a decent ground game. Terry Etim’s standup isn’t very good but his ground game is amazingly slick. Barboza is just a little more well rounded than Etim, leading me to believe that will be the biggest difference in this fight = Barboza by unanimous decision. My pick for FOTN!
Prelims
Sam Stout vs. Thiago Tavares = Stout by 2nd round TKO.
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Ednaldo Oliveira = Gonzaga by split decision.
Yuri Alcantara vs. Michihiro Omigawa = Alcantara by split decision.
Ricardo Funch vs. Mike Pyle = Pyle by 1st round guillotine choke.
Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho = Arantes by 2nd round TKO.
Sam Stout vs. Thiago Tavares = Stout by 2nd round TKO.
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Ednaldo Oliveira = Gonzaga by split decision.
Yuri Alcantara vs. Michihiro Omigawa = Alcantara by split decision.
Ricardo Funch vs. Mike Pyle = Pyle by 1st round guillotine choke.
Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho = Arantes by 2nd round TKO.
Enjoy the Fights!
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