Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine Predictions

Sam’s Picks

Main Card

Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffeidine: Heading into this fight, Saffeidine is being extremely overlooked, and for good reason. Marquardt was one of the best middleweights in the world before he made his drop down to welterweight and went to war with Tyron Woodley. Lots of people were predicting Woodley to ride out a decision, but instead it was a standup war. Marquardt did eventually demolish him in the 4th though, with one of the sickest combos of 2012. Saffeidine is an extremely talented fighter who has been under appreciated throughout his MMA career. His well-rounded attack can leave anyone at 170 flustered.  But his greatest enemy is wrestling and a constant forward attack. Marquardt is a very aggressive fighter with great wrestling, I see Marquardt out-grappling Saffeidine from the get go = Marquardt via unanimous decision.

Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring: The only aspect that Staring has an advantage in is the size and intimidation factors. Other than that, Cormier will demolish him = Cormier via 1st round TKO (ground and pound).

Josh Barnett vs. Nandor Guelmino: This is a very similar case with the Cormier/Staring fight. Intimidation and size goes to Guelmino but Barnett will dispatch of him with ease = Barnett via 1st round submission (arm triangle).

Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle: This is another easy pick. Kyle is a scrapper with little technique and a poor ground game. Mousasi has some of the best kickboxing in MMA and an improving ground game that is starting to actually turn out pretty decent. Kyle has a lot of power but Mousasi has never even really been rocked. The best idea for Gegard is to punch down the pipe and pick Kyle apart = Mousasi via unanimous decision.

Ronaldo Souza vs. Ed Herman: This is a really interesting matchup. I’m really leaning towards picking Herman but Souza is the safer pick. Herman has the standup advantage and a great ground game and submission defense but Souza’s standup is starting to get better and his ground game is possibly top-5 P4P. Herman is the scrappy-enough fighter to ride out a close decision win but I have a feeling that Souza will fight similarly to Jake Shields = Souza via unanimous decision.

Prelims

Pat Healy vs. Kurt Holobaugh = Healy via 2nd round submission (guillotine).

Roger Gracie vs. Anthony Smith = Gracie via 1st round submission (armbar).

Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith = Kennedy via 3rd round submission (RNC).

KJ Noons vs. Ryan Couture = Noons via 3rd round TKO.

Jorge Gurgel vs. Antonio Martins = Martins via unanimous decision.

Estevan Payan vs. Mike Bravo = Bravo via split decision.

Dave’s Picks

Main Card

Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffeidine: This will be a much closer fight then anyone will see coming. Tarec is a phenomenal fighter who can do everything and do it well. However, so can Nate but Nate is also a little bit better everywhere. This fight might not be a ton of fun to watch for some because I believe it will be very technical but I can’t wait. I think Nate will be the aggressor and take control early on. Nate is just more proven at this point but believe me it will be a close one. = Nate by unanimous decision.

Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring: This fight sums up why I am so glad Cormier is finally coming over to the UFC: he needs stronger competition. I know Cormier was supposed to fight Mir at first but even then I think Cormier would KO Mir quickly. Cormier will berserk Staring and will not let up until it’s over. = Cormier by KO in round 1.

Josh Barnett vs. Nandor Guelmino: Oh boy. This fight will be fun for the casual fan who wants to see quick finishes. Barnett is better everywhere but especially on the ground. = Barnett by submission in round 1.

Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle: This fight will be nuts. Mike Kyle fights are always crazy…mainly because Mike Kyle is crazy. But Gegard is just way too technical for the wild Kyle. Kyle could KO anyone in the world if he lands cleanly but I don’t see that happening here. I see Gegard keeping him at bay and then finding openings for solid strikes. I am not sure if Gegard can finish him but for his sake he better try because as long as Kyle is conscious he is dangerous. = Gegard by unanimous decision.

Ronaldo Souza vs. Ed Herman:  This fight is going to be very close in my mind. I know Souza’s BJJ is way better than Herman’s but Herman is no joke and is a tough as they come. However, Souza will just be too much for Herman on the ground. My only fear is that Souza will try and keep it standing and will get KO’ed. But I think Souza wants a UFC contract so he will fight smart. = Souza by unanimous decision.

Prelims

Pat Healy vs. Kurt Holobaugh = Healy by submission in round 1.

Roger Gracie vs. Anthony Smith = Gracie by submission in round 1.

Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith = Kennedy by submission in round 2.

KJ Noons vs. Ryan Couture = Noons by KO in round 2.

Jorge Gurgel vs. Antonio Martins = Martins by unanimous decision.

Estevan Payan vs. Mike Bravo = Payan by split decision.

UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II Main Card Recap

Max Holloway finishing Justin Lawrence.
Photo by MMAWeekly.com

This was a solid night of fights that was sadly capped off with controversy. Every fight but one was entertaining and the prelims only had one fight go to a decision. This entire card was stacked from top to bottom with lower weight class fighters, something that has been slowly taking over the UFC with their entertaining fights and incredible speed. Let’s take a look at those fights and give some possible matchups.

Justin Lawrence vs. Max Holloway: This fight was the one that I was looking forward to the most, with the exception of the main event, heading into UFC 150. It lived up to my expectations. They showed some of the more technical striking in the UFC, and they only have a combined age of 42 years old. That’s pretty incredible. The first round was very close as Lawrence pushed forward for the majority of the round but Holloway landed more combinations, utilizing his significant reach advantage. Eventually, Holloway landed a knee to the body that hurt Lawrence and followed it up with a punch to the liver, ala Bas Rutten, which dropped Justin and Holloway finished him with a hectic flurry.

Possible matchups for Holloway: Holloway is the next big thing, and that’s to say the least. At 20 years old, he has some of the best striking at 145 pounds, and arguably the most technical. But he’s not the only 145er to be making a name for himself; Jimy Hettes is also being considered a future title contender as he will be fighting Marcus Brimage at 152. The winner of that fight should face off with Holloway to see who’s truly ready for that title contender status.

Possible matchups for Lawrence: Pablo Garza was on his way to title contention before he lost to both Bermudez and Dustin Poirier. They are now both looking for rebound fights and Garza would be a good test for Lawrence’s ground game.

Yushin Okami vs. Buddy Roberts: I have to say, Roberts’ standup really impressed me in this fight. He started off very solid and was landing great jabs on Okami before Yushin realized he was losing. Okami then dragged him to the ground, not without difficulty at first though. Eventually in the 2^nd round, Okami would finish the fight with strikes in a very lackluster TKO finish.

Possible matchups for Okami: It really seems that Okami’s title contention days are behind him as he was losing the standup to Roberts. Him and Jake Shields both won very lackluster performances Saturday night and a fight between them makes perfect sense and I'm guessing that Okami would like revenge against Shields for their fight several years ago.

Possible matchups for Roberts: I think that Roberts really surprised most of us with his solid striking attack against Okami. Andrew Craig is coming off an amazing comeback KO win over Rafael Natal and even though Roberts is coming off a loss, Roberts looked solid and deserves a move up the rankings despite the 0-1 added to his resume.

Ed Herman vs. Jake Shields: This fight was awful. I am personally a huge fan of a ground fight but Shields simply just didn’t do anything when he got there. He almost had a kimura at one point, but he never got it. He ended up winning the unanimous decision, but it didn’t do much to help his status in title talks.

Possible matchups for Herman: One of the more promising middleweights in the UFC, Ronny Markes, does not have his next fight set up yet and I’m sure that Herman wants to put this horrible loss to Shields behind him as quickly as possible.

Donald Cerrone vs. Melvin Guillard: It is very rare to see a Fight of the Night bonus go to a fight that didn’t go to a decision. It’s even more rare for a fight to earn Fight of the Night when it didn’t go past the second round. But for a fight to earn Fight of the Night when it only lasts 76 seconds, that's unheard of. Yes, the fight was only 76 seconds, and it undoubtedly earned Fight of the Night. Guillard landed a solid counter right hand that dropped Cerrone, which was a first in his UFC career. Guillard rushed in, trying to finish the fight with all his might, but was eventually caught with a head kick that clipped the top of his head. Guillard was out on his feet as Cerrone landed the final blow with a right straight that put “The Young Assassin” out.  Back-and-forth action is always the perfect formula for FOTN.

Possible matchups for Cerrone: Before this fight even happened, Cerrone was calling out Anthony Pettis. Joe Silva, it’s time to make this fight happen!

Possible matchups for Guillard: Not only did this loss make him 1-3 in his last four, but it was also his first ever TKO/KO loss in his MMA career. I still believe he is an elite lightweight in the UFC, his standup is incredible, but setbacks are inescapable in the slump he is going through. Danny Castillo and Michael Johnson are fighting at UFC 151 and they are certainly looking for a step up in competition with whoever wins that fight. Guillard could be that exact leap in competition they are looking for.

Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar: This fight was amazing, but it was almost completely overshadowed by its decision. It almost seems like it’s in Henderson’s DNA to not put on a boring fight, and he didn’t fail this time. Edgar and Henderson put on an amazing fight that I, and many other journalists and fans, had scored for Edgar. It was an extremely close fight, but I personally thought that it was a clear-cut decision win for Edgar. A fight can sometimes be razor thin but still clear-cut. I had the last four rounds scored for Edgar with the 3^rd round being the only one I would give to Henderson, if I had to change one. I was very upset with this decision, and luckily, I’m not alone.

Possible matchups for Henderson: Nate Diaz was announced before this fight that he was the next challenger. I truly believe in my heart that Diaz can become the new lightweight champion.

Possible matchups for Edgar: After looking through the UFC’s lightweight roster, there are very few fights that make sense for Frankie. The one that stands out to me the most though, is a fourth fight with Maynard. Gray is coming off a, bizarre to say the least, win over Clay Guida and Frankie is still the second best in the world in my eyes. This would be a great fight to headline a Fox card to finally finish their 1-1-1 record with each other in what could be a number 1 contender's bout.

Click here for the prelim recap!

UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar 2 Predictions

Sam’s Picks

Main Card

Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar: Oh, how I've been looking forward to this rematch. The first fight was an absolute war and I don't see this fight being any different. Their first encounter was as close as can be and I personally scored 3 rounds to 2 for the present day champ. Now that being said I thought that Henderson won, if you look at Frankie Edgar's record with rematches, it's 2-0-1 with each performance better than the last. Once you fight Edgar, he figures you out the next time around. Adaptability is one of the most important features in a champion and I see Edgar continuing his rematch rhythm and get his title back in another classic = Edgar by unanimous decision. My 1st pick for FOTN!

Donald Cerrone vs. Melvin Guillard: BARNBURNER ALERT: This fight will undoubtedly produce fireworks in the opening stages. Donald Cerrone needs to take this to the ground if he wants to win this easier. I think Cerrone will open up in the beginning, stalking him down and eventually clinching in for a takedown = Cerrone by 1st round submission (choke). My pick for SOTN and 2nd for FOTN!!

Jake Shields vs. Ed Herman: I really, really want to pick Herman. Ever since his return to the UFC, he's looked like a title contender. Jake Shields has not. Shields is still technically an elite fighter though and Herman is right on the tip of that consideration. I simply cannot in my right mind though pick Herman over a guy like Shields = Shields by split decision.

Yushin Okami vs. Buddy Roberts: To say the least, this fight is bizarre. Sure, Roberts has a promising future and Okami is on a two fight losing streak, but let's face it, Roberts isn't going to win this fight. It will be a big learning experience for him and I see him becoming a top-15 or top-20 middleweight but now is too soon = Okami by unanimous decision.

Justin Lawrence vs. Max Holloway: This is the fight that I am looking forward to the most behind the main event. These two will certainly be title contenders in their futures and now is the time for them to prove that point. The major difference for me in this fight is the reach and technique. Holloway is much more technical and taller than Lawrence. Also, Holloway has very good fight IQ which is something that someone his age, and Justin Lawrence, lack. This fight should have some amazing standup = Holloway by unanimous decision. My 3rd pick for FOTN! (For Holloway interview click here)

Prelims
Dennis Bermudez vs. Tom Hayden = Bermudez by 2nd round TKO.

Jared Hamman vs. Michael Kuiper = Hamman by 3rd round TKO. My pick for KOOTN! (For Hamman interview click here)

Nik Lentz vs. Eiji Mitsuoka = Lentz by split decision.

Ken Stone vs. Erik Perez = Perez by 1st round submission.

Dustin Pague vs. Chico Camus = Camus by split decision.

Dave’s Picks

Main Card

Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar: Frankie Edgar is the master of the rematch. He has had rematches with some of the sport’s best. He defeated BJ Penn in their rematch; which I saw live and Edgar won every round. Then Edgar defeated Gray Maynard in their third fight. He won both of those rematch contests even more decisively then the first fights. So, Henderson and Edgar’s first matchup was very close and I see Edgar repeating his usual rematch quality performance. It will be very close again but Edgar’s speed was a huge problem for Henderson and I think it still will be. It will be a close one but I am going with what I believe is the smartest choice. = Edgar by unanimous decision.

Donald Cerrone vs. Melvin Guillard: This fight will be awesome. Cerrone has the more technical striking and a much better ground game but Melvin hits harder than anyone at 155 pounds. I think Melvin’s only chance is to land a huge punch and KO or TKO Cerrone. But Cerrone has an amazing chin and I think he will be too much for Melvin. I think this will go to the ground at some point and Cerrone will finish it there. = Cerrone by submission in round 2. My Pick for Submission of the Night!

Jake Shields vs. Ed Herman: This will be an interesting fight and I think it will end up with who has the better cardio and heart. Neither have real KO power and both prefer the submission game. I think Shields is much more technical and higher level but sometimes can be very slow and lose out on good opportunities. Herman has a ton of heart and grit and decent cardio. This fight will be interesting but Shields has beaten better talent in the past and I think he can take this. = Shields by split decision.

Yushin Okami vs. Buddy Roberts: Roberts has not defeated or even faced a fighter even close to Okami’s level. Okami will be stronger with better grappling and striking. This might be ultra boring as well. The “potty break” fight I guess. = Okami by unanimous decision.

Justin Lawrence vs. Max Holloway: This fight is going to be amazing! Both of these guys are very young and talented athletes that are well rounded and exciting. Both of them also fight smarter than then their age would normally imply. Holloway showed in his last fight against Pat Schilling that his fight IQ and maturity is light years ahead of a lot of the young fighters at 145. His striking is scary good and it is just crazy that he is only 20 years old. Lawrence holds a lot of power and speed but is a little sloppier in his approach. Holloway should have the reach advantage as well. I see Holloway picking Lawrence apart and taking the decision. = Holloway by unanimous decision. My Pick for Fight of the Night! (For Holloway interview click here)

Prelims

Dennis Bermudez vs. Tom Hayden: Bermudez by split decision.

Jared Hamman vs. Michael Kuiper: Hamman by unanimous decision. (For Hamman interview click here)

Ken Stone vs. Erik Perez: Perez by split decision.

Nik Lentz vs. Eiji Mitsuoka: Lentz by unanimous decision.

Dustin Pague vs. Chico Camus: Pague by submission in round 1.