Dave’s Picks
Main Card
Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson (for lightweight title): I’m so pumped for this fight. Both guys put on exciting fast paced fights with great boxing and fantastic wrestling. Ben Henderson has a great chance out overpowering Frankie and smothering him for 5 rounds. Ben is a huge lightweight and Frankie is a small one. However, Frankie just knocked out a guy just like that in Gray Maynard. Ben is used to having the speed advantage in a lot of his fight but he won’t against Frankie. And at this point can you honestly bet against Frankie? = Frankie by unanimous decision. My Pick for Fight of the Night!
Ryan Bader vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson: I don’t know what to think of this fight. Bader could win this if he fights smart and takes away Rampage’s striking by putting Rampage against the fence and going for takedowns. But both times Bader was on the big stage were the only times he lost.Fighting as co-main event in Japan against Rampage will be too much for him. Plus once he feels Rampage’s punching power I think he might crumble like he did against Jones. = Rampage by TKO in round 2.
Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt: On the feet, despite Kongo’s reach advantage, I see Hunt winning. However, anytime in his career, Kongo takes fights to the ground when he needs to. His takedowns are definitely good enough to take down Mark Hunt, keep him there and finish him with some serious ground and pound = Kongo by TKO in round 2. My Pick for KO of the Night!
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields: Akiyama is a good fighter but not elite. This is his first weight cut to welterweight and he is not on the same level as Shields. Jake will struggle with Akiyama’s striking but will get the takedown eventually and at least keep Akiyama down. I’m not sure if Shields will submit him but I wouldn’t be shocked. = Shields by unanimous decision.
Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami: This fight could either be very boring or a lot of fun. Boestsch has been perfect since dropping down to middleweight but he hasn’t faced anyone as good as Okami. Okami will has more precise punching down the pipe, he will be faster and maybe even stronger in the clinch. I think it would be awesome to see Boetsch will but I really doubt it. = Okami by unanimous decision
Hatsu Hioki and Bart Palaszewski: This fight will be much closer than most people think. Bart has a great chance at winning this with his superior striking and underrated ground game. However, I think Hatsu got caught up in the “UFC jitters” and had a rough outing against Roop. I think he will bounce back and take this one but it will be close. = Hioki by unanimous decision.
Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis: This one is the hardest fight to pick. Lauzon has been looking very good lately and Pettis has been looking flat and not as good as he did in the WEC. This one could literally go either way but I think Pettis will have the advantage on the feet and Lauzon should have it on the ground. But I’m going to go against my gut on this one. I think Pettis can outlast Lauzon’s early barrage and then take over and win by decision or submission. Every fight that Lauzon can’t finish early he ends up gassing and losing. = Pettis by submission in round 3. My Pick for Submission of the Night!
Prelims
Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka: Gomi by split decision.
Vaughan Lee vs. Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto: Kid Yamamoto by unanimous decision.
Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda: Fukuda by split decision.
Chris Cariaso vs. Takeya Mizugaki: Takeya by unanimous decision.
Issei Tamura vs. Tiequan Zhang: Zhang by unanimous decision.
Sam’s Picks
Main Card
Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson: This is the fight that I am most looking forward to in 2012. It is also one of the hardest fights to pick, even the betting lines are even. Ever since Henderson has come to the UFC, he has looked unstoppable, running through the likes of Jim Miller, Mark Bocek, and Clay Guida. Frankie, on the other hand, has the heart of a lion, coming back from adversity twice in his fights with Gray Maynard, with the second one winning by KO. There is also a huge size disadvantage for the champ, he really should be fighting at 145 but he still has been able to be a successful champ. Henderson is a very large lightweight which could make this a very bad matchup for Frankie. I really want to go with Henderson on this one but I have been betting against the champions a lot lately and it hasn’t exactly been working out. Frankie should utilize his jab and move out of there quickly, go for the decision = Frankie by unanimous decision. My pick for FOTN!
Rampage Jackson vs. Ryan Bader: Bader seems to really be counted out of this fight. Bader recently came out with a video stating that he is going to play this fight smart and use his wrestling against Rampage, something that he has a clear cut advantage over Rampage in. Also something we have to factor in is Rampage’s love for the Japanese fans, Rampage never stops talking about how much he loves to fight in front of the Japanese fans, he loves them so much, blah blah blah. I really don’t think that Bader cares, Bader is going to outwrestle Rampage en route to a unanimous decision victory = Bader by unanimous decision.
Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt: I have to be frank, I am amazed that not only has Hunt had more than one fight in the UFC, but that he has even made it to the heavyweight gatekeeper, Cheick Kongo. Hunt’s ground game has looked extremely improved with his win over Ben Rothwell, I mean, he almost beat a ground specialist with an armbar. I believe that Kongo knows the fact that Hunt’s standup is extremely dangerous and that he is going to take him to the ground and ground and pound to a unanimous decision victory = Kongo by unanimous decision.
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields: What ever happened with Akiyama? He was really good outside the UFC, enters the UFC and is a piece of crap? The same thing happened with Jake Shields. It’s really hard to believe that looking at this fight that whoever loses this will be cut by the UFC. It really should be a number one contenders fight. Anyway, Shields should get this fight to the ground as quick as possible and submit him, I can also see Akiyama gassing himself out pretty quickly, his cardio is not very good = Shields by 2nd round submission (choke).
Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami: Tim Boetsch is a hightly underrated fighter but Okami just fought for the title against Anderson Silva, Boetsch has nothing for Okami in this one = Okami by 2nd round TKO.
Hatsu Hioki and Bart Palaszewski: No one ever said anything about it but I think this fight may be a number one contenders featherweight matchup. Hioki tries to say in his close win over Roop that Japanese MMA is still alive and well. That just isn’t true. Hioki is really the last chance that Japanese MMA has. Palaszewski is not an easy fight. He destroyed Tyson Griffin in a stunning upset. Hioki’s only chance at winning this fight is getting it to the ground as quickly and going for the sub. If he keeps it on the feet, he will be KO’d quick = Hioki by 1st round submission. My pick for SOTN!
Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis: I really like Joe Lauzon and he is really hard to bet against. Pettis has not looked very good since his entrance into the UFC. He lost a decision to Clay Guida and a split decision over Jeremy Stephens. Lauzon destroyed Melvin Guillard in 47 seconds, one of the biggest upsets that year, proving that you should never count him out. They are both very well rounded fighters but I’m going to go with Lauzon, he’s just too hard to bet against = Lauzon by 2nd round submission (choke).
Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson: This is the fight that I am most looking forward to in 2012. It is also one of the hardest fights to pick, even the betting lines are even. Ever since Henderson has come to the UFC, he has looked unstoppable, running through the likes of Jim Miller, Mark Bocek, and Clay Guida. Frankie, on the other hand, has the heart of a lion, coming back from adversity twice in his fights with Gray Maynard, with the second one winning by KO. There is also a huge size disadvantage for the champ, he really should be fighting at 145 but he still has been able to be a successful champ. Henderson is a very large lightweight which could make this a very bad matchup for Frankie. I really want to go with Henderson on this one but I have been betting against the champions a lot lately and it hasn’t exactly been working out. Frankie should utilize his jab and move out of there quickly, go for the decision = Frankie by unanimous decision. My pick for FOTN!
Rampage Jackson vs. Ryan Bader: Bader seems to really be counted out of this fight. Bader recently came out with a video stating that he is going to play this fight smart and use his wrestling against Rampage, something that he has a clear cut advantage over Rampage in. Also something we have to factor in is Rampage’s love for the Japanese fans, Rampage never stops talking about how much he loves to fight in front of the Japanese fans, he loves them so much, blah blah blah. I really don’t think that Bader cares, Bader is going to outwrestle Rampage en route to a unanimous decision victory = Bader by unanimous decision.
Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt: I have to be frank, I am amazed that not only has Hunt had more than one fight in the UFC, but that he has even made it to the heavyweight gatekeeper, Cheick Kongo. Hunt’s ground game has looked extremely improved with his win over Ben Rothwell, I mean, he almost beat a ground specialist with an armbar. I believe that Kongo knows the fact that Hunt’s standup is extremely dangerous and that he is going to take him to the ground and ground and pound to a unanimous decision victory = Kongo by unanimous decision.
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields: What ever happened with Akiyama? He was really good outside the UFC, enters the UFC and is a piece of crap? The same thing happened with Jake Shields. It’s really hard to believe that looking at this fight that whoever loses this will be cut by the UFC. It really should be a number one contenders fight. Anyway, Shields should get this fight to the ground as quick as possible and submit him, I can also see Akiyama gassing himself out pretty quickly, his cardio is not very good = Shields by 2nd round submission (choke).
Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami: Tim Boetsch is a hightly underrated fighter but Okami just fought for the title against Anderson Silva, Boetsch has nothing for Okami in this one = Okami by 2nd round TKO.
Hatsu Hioki and Bart Palaszewski: No one ever said anything about it but I think this fight may be a number one contenders featherweight matchup. Hioki tries to say in his close win over Roop that Japanese MMA is still alive and well. That just isn’t true. Hioki is really the last chance that Japanese MMA has. Palaszewski is not an easy fight. He destroyed Tyson Griffin in a stunning upset. Hioki’s only chance at winning this fight is getting it to the ground as quickly and going for the sub. If he keeps it on the feet, he will be KO’d quick = Hioki by 1st round submission. My pick for SOTN!
Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis: I really like Joe Lauzon and he is really hard to bet against. Pettis has not looked very good since his entrance into the UFC. He lost a decision to Clay Guida and a split decision over Jeremy Stephens. Lauzon destroyed Melvin Guillard in 47 seconds, one of the biggest upsets that year, proving that you should never count him out. They are both very well rounded fighters but I’m going to go with Lauzon, he’s just too hard to bet against = Lauzon by 2nd round submission (choke).
Prelims
Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka = Gomi by split decision.
Vaughan Lee vs. Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto = Yamamoto by 2nd round KO. My pick for KOOTN!
Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda = Fukuda by split decision.
Chris Cariaso vs. Takeya Mizugaki = Mizugaki by 2nd round TKO.
Issei Tamura vs. Tiequan Zhang = Tamura by unanimous decision.
Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka = Gomi by split decision.
Vaughan Lee vs. Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto = Yamamoto by 2nd round KO. My pick for KOOTN!
Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda = Fukuda by split decision.
Chris Cariaso vs. Takeya Mizugaki = Mizugaki by 2nd round TKO.
Issei Tamura vs. Tiequan Zhang = Tamura by unanimous decision.
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