CR's 2012 MMA Awards!

 We are doing an end of the year award post for this amazing year of MMA in 2012. We cover a variety of subjects and give you our take on what was the best of the best. Let us know your choices in the comments section below!

Sam’s Awards

Fighter of the Year – Ronda Rousey: MMA had a rocky 2012, this is something that the UFC will try to change in in the year 2013. But when men’s MMA had a rocky year, women’s MMA had the best year in its history and it’s all due to one women: Ronda Rousey. Being a former Olympic bronze medalist, she smoothly made her transition into MMA with seven first round armbar finishes heading into 2012. After snapping Miesha Tate’s arm in half and doing much of the same to Sarah Kaufman in her first title defense, Rousey became a star. Her natural sex appeal, aggressive personality, and dominant fighting style put women’s MMA in the mainstream light. With what Rousey has done in only 365 days is what makes her the Fighter of the Year.

Fight of the Year – Chan Sung Jung def. Dustin Poirier via D’Arce choke at 1:07 of round 4: The equation for a fight of the year candidate consists of a back and forth brawl, people being dropped, submission attempts, and an exhilarating finish. This fight had that and a little more.  They slugged it on the feet, Jung went for multiple submissions in the second with almost getting a few, and ended up finishing Poirier with Poirier’s favorite technique. There was only one other fight that could be considered better and Dave picked it.

Round of the Year – Dustin Poirier def. Jonathan Brookins via D’Arce choke at 4:15 of round 1: Apparently Poirier loves to be in amazing fights. After he lost in his Fight of the Year bout against Jung, he was looking for a rebound fight against TUF winner, Jonathan Brookins. Brookins came out strong and aggressive, pushing Poirier against the fence and swinging for the fences. Poirier returned and eventually caught Brookins, dropping him into a sloppy takedown attempt. Poirier countered with a D’Arce choke and finished him off.

Submission of the Year – Ronda Rousey def. Miesha Tate via armbar at 4:27 of round 1: When picking a submission or knockout of the year, it will typically be a comeback win, the first of its kind, or a win with huge implications. This is the third, but we didn’t know it at the time. Rousey won the fight, but the huge explosion for women’s MMA is what causes this win to be my submission of the year. Also the arm snapping didn't hurt, well, except Miesha Tate.

KO of the Year – Edson Barboza def. Terry Etim via KO (Spinning wheel kick) at 2:02 of round 3: Did you really expect anything else? This knockout was insane. I couldn’t stop watching it for weeks. Remember the three different things a “Finish Of the Year” would need? This was the first of its kind. No one has ever knocked anyone out with a spinning wheel kick in the UFC. And Etim just happened to be frozen in time while falling unconscious.

Upset of the Year – Jamie Varner def. Edson Barboza via TKO (punches) at 3:23 of round 1: Varner’s return was a very unexpected surprise but he was supposed to be absolutely blasted by Edson Barboza, who was coming off his win over Terry Etim. Varner was about a 5-1 underdog in the betting lines heading in, but an even bigger one in people’s opinions. Varner bum rushed him and easily finished him in the first round.

Event of the Year – UFC 144: With a card filled with brutal knockouts, awesome submissions, stunning upsets, insane comebacks, and all out wars, this card was absolutely nuts. Sure there were one or two fights that weren’t that great but seriously this card was one of the best in UFC history.

Comeback of the Year – Tim Boetsch def. Yushin Okami via TKO (punches) at 0:54 of round 3: Heading into this fight, Boetsch was meant to be a rebound win for Okami, who was coming off of his failed title shot. Okami was well on his way to a possible 30-26 or 29-27 decision win but Boetsch came out into the third round a different man. He completely demolished Okami in seconds into the third round, pulling off one of the best comebacks of all time and best upsets of the year.

Prospect of the Year – Max Holloway: At only 21 years old, Max Holloway has already amassed a 2-1 record in the UFC. He possesses some of the most technical striking in the UFC’s featherweight division. His last two wins over Justin Lawrence and Pat Schilling are just the beginning of what this young prospect can do.

Most Improved Fighter – Matt Brown: Heading into 2012, Matt Brown was on the brink of being released from the UFC. He was 1-4 with all his losses being submissions in the second round. His New Year resolution was apparently to become a better fighter, and boy did he succeed at that. He ended up going 4-0 in 2012 with two big upsets and three T/KO finishes. That is the definition of improved.

Moment of the Year – Jose Aldo Celebrating with Brazilian Crowd: At UFC 142 in Brazil, the featherweight champion Jose Aldo capped off the night with a first round KO win over Chad Mendes. After his win, he ran into the wild crowd. At first, I was worried because it seemed as though he was being mauled. But then he was put upon the shoulders of a fan and was carried while swinging the Brazilian flag. It was a very emotional and amazing scene.

Story of the Year – UFC 149 Injury Bug: Not only is this the story of the year because it’s insane, but because it’s extremely comical. The amount of injuries that this card sustained is absolutely mindboggling. I will give you a quick rundown of what happened: Bisping was replaced by Lombard against Boetsch. Yoshihiro Akiyama was supposed to fight Thiago Alves but pulled out, Siyar Bahadurzada filled in. Alves pulled out and Chris Clements filled in. Bahadurzada pulled out and Matt Riddle filled in. Thiago Silva was supposed to fight Shogun but pulled out and Shogun left the card to fight Brandon Vera later on. Jose Aldo, originally headlining against Erik Koch, pulled out and Urijah Faber and Renan Barao ended up headlining after Dominick Cruz pulled out of his fight with Faber. George Roop was supposed to fight Antonio Carvalho but pulled out and Daniel Pineda filled in. Big Nog, originally fighting Cheick Kongo, was still healing from his broken arm he got from Frank Mir. And last but not least, Claude Patrick was going to fight James Head but pulled out and Brian Ebersole filled in. It not only was terrible but led to one of the worst cards in MMA history.

Dave’s Awards

Fighter of the Year – Matt Brown: Yes, Matt “The Immortal” Brown. Brown went 4-0 with 3 of those being finished by (T)KO. He destroyed one of the most highly touted prospects in MMA in Stephen Thompson. And put a screeching halt to Mike Swick’s comeback ride. Brown not only did all of this in a dominating fashion but also made each fight incredibly fun to watch. Matt Brown is why I watch MMA. He is talented and fun to watch. And in 2012 Matt Brown was the best.

Fight of the Year – Joe Lauzon def. Jamie Varner via triangle choke at 2:44 of Round 3: This fight was freaking insane! Everyone watching this around me lost their minds on at least 5 different times. It was a back-and-forth affair that ended with a fantastic scramble that summed up the fight as a whole and got Lauzon back in the win column.

Round of the Year – Ivan Menjivar def. John Albert via RNC at 3:45 of Round 1: This round was my favorite because I was certain it was over 2 times and each time the other guy pulled it out somehow. Albert came at Menjivar like a wild animal. Albert was destroying him but Menjivar, the wily vet, kept his cool and somehow came back and won in one of the most fun fights you’ll ever see.

Submission of the Year – Wolfgang Janssen def. Aaron Armstrong via Flying Reverse Triangle at 1:57 of Round 2: This fight didn’t mean much and it was in a small promotion but it is one of the most amazing technical grappling maneuvers I have ever seen. He didn’t get lucky in a scramble and run with it. Janssen was looking for it and got it. Please go watch it on YouTube NOW!

KO of the Year – Johny Hendricks def. Martin Kampmann via KO at :46 of Round 1: Both of these guys had a ton of steam coming into this fight and it lived up to the hype. Most people thought Hendricks would outwrestle Kampmann but he instantly put a big left hand on Kampmann and Kampmann went flying back like a punch from Superman in a comic book. 46 seconds in and we found the scariest man at 170. Watch out GSP!

Upset of the Year – Tim Boetsch def. Yushin Okami via TKO at :54 of Round 3: This fight was supposed to be a one sided beating, and for 2 rounds, it was. Most people thought Okami would just throw Boetsch around and blanket him, and for 2 rounds, he did. But then Boetsch decided to take Okami’s head off and he did. Incredible.

Event – UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort: I’m a little biased because I was there close to the action but the action was nonstop during this one. The night started out with 3 straight 1^st round finishes. Then there was Grant vs. Dunham which could have been Fight of the Year. Then Vinny Magalhaes’ submission over Igor Pokrajac was a thing of beauty. A few fun fights later and you get two amazing title fights! The first ever Flyweight Title fight which was a back-and-forth technical battle and then Jon Jones defended his light heavyweight title against legend Vitor Belfort. That fight alone was amazing. All in all it was the best time I had watching MMA this year.

Comeback of the Year- Martin Kampmann def. Jake Ellenberger via TKO at 1:40 of Round 2: I thought Jake was going to destroy Martin. And he was well on his way to doing so until Martin somehow landed a knee out of nowhere that sent Jake to the ground in a heap. I was speechless at the time. I truly felt that Ellenberger would easily win that fight, but you can't ever count out Kampmann.

Prospect of the Year – Erik Perez: Perez is only 23 years old, is 2-0 in the UFC and both of those wins came against quality opponents. Not only that, but both of those wins ended in the first round. On top of all of this, he trains at Jackson’s camp. This kid has a huge chance to do something amazing at 135 pounds.

Most Improved Fighter – Cub Swanson: Cub has always been good but if you were to tell me a year ago he would go 3-0 against great competition and all of those wins coming by way of KO, I would think you’re nuts. He got manhandled by Chad Mendes, barely won against Mackens Semerzier and then got destroyed by Ricardo Lamas. But Cub went on a rampage in 2012 and most recently destroyed fellow rising star, Charles Oliveira in just under 3 minutes. The sky is the limit for Cub.

Moment of the Year – Vitor Belfort’s armbar attempt on Jon Jones at UFC 152: This fight was a joke to begin with. You had the scariest man alive, Jon Jones, taking on aging and undersized Belfort squaring off on short notice. It was ridiculous and you could tell from the ring of the bell that Jones was going to destroy Belfort. Jones took Belfort down immediately and started to land vicious elbows. But then out of nowhere, Belfort locks on an armbar that made Jones wince in pain and the Air Canada Centre arena erupted in a noise like no other. I’m a huge Jones fan and even I wanted to see Belfort pull it off. It was incredible and even though Jones defended it off, it was an amazing moment in MMA history.

Story of the Year – Women’s MMA makes it to the UFC: This was a huge moment for MMA history as women will now be able to fight under the UFC banner. It was a long time coming and I am so glad it has happened. I just hope that they sign a ton of fighters and handle the women’s divisions better than they have handled the 145, 135 and 125 divisions for men. Dana needs to keep them off of Facebook and feature them often. I can’t wait  for this chapter in UFC’s history to begin.

UFC 154: St. Pierre vs. Condit Predictions

Dave’s Picks

Main Card

Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit: Such a fun fight! I am a huge GSP fan and I am so happy he has recovered from that horrific injury. I am very nervous he will not be the same fighter he was before but he did everything a human can possibly do to recover from a knee injury. Carlos Condit has finally put it altogether and has reached his peak. He is a smart, calculated and intense fighter who is very well rounded. But here is the big issue for me. Condit’s takedown defense has always been his weakest point in his game. GSP arguably has the best double leg takedown in MMA. I think Condit has the best chance to beat GSP in over 5 years but I think the safest bet is GSP smothering Condit and staying out of Condit’s deadly submission game. I like both of these guys but I would hate to see GSP comeback just to lose and I have a fear he might retire if he does. I’ll be watching this one while covering my eyes with my hands. = GSP by unanimous decision. My Pick for Fight of the Night!

Martin Kampmann vs. Johny Hendricks: This fight is the hardest for me to pick. I have picked against Kampmann in his last two fights and in both of those fights Kampmann was getting destroyed and then won with barely anytime on the clock. Those were two crazy fights. I feel like picking against Kampmann again but with the obvious fear the same will happen. I have no idea what to do. Hendricks should be able to destroy Kampmann in the wrestling department but sometimes can be stubborn because he wants the KO so badly. I just see this fight being a grinding win for Hendricks by out wrestling the dangerous Kampmann. But my warning to you all is do not stop watching this fight because Kampmann is the king of comebacks. = Hendricks by unanimous decision.

Francis Carmont vs. Tom Lawlor: I have been very impressed with Carmont. He looked great in his last fight against Vemola. Lawlor looked good in his last fight as well. However, Lawlor has always relied on his size and strength advantage but I think that will not be a factor in this fight. Carmont is a huge dude and I think he will be able to out grapple Lawlor for the win. = Carmont by unanimous decision.

Mark Hominick vs. Pablo Garza: I love Mark Hominick. Watching him put up that valiant effort against Jose Aldo live and in person at UFC 129 earned my respect for life. On paper Hominick is a better fighter. His technique is much better and can handle himself on the ground. But Hominick’s chin is gone. It is completely gone and Garza has enough power to KO Hominick and I think he will. = Garza by TKO in round 2. My Pick for KO of the Night!

Rafael dos Anjos vs. Mark Bocek: I have said this before and I will say it again RDA is the most underrated fighter in the UFC. He is amazing in every aspect of MMA and continues to get better. Bocek’s ground game is superb but his overall game is not good enough to handle RDA. RDA has striking many levels above Bocek’s and his wrestling is better too. I see RDA fighting a very smart fight and totally dominating this. I’m big on Bocek too but he won’t be able to take this one. = RDA by unanimous decision.

Prelims

Patrick Cote vs. Alessio Sakara: This fight should be a blast to watch. Both of these guys always keep it standing and look for the finish. This is an absolute repeat of the Hominick vs. Garza fight. Sakara is a better fighter. Sakara’s standup is world class but the same issue is that his chin is done and Cote definitely has to power to turn his lights off. = Cote by TKO in round 2.

Cyrille Diabate vs. Chad Griggs: This is such a weird fight to me. But Cyrille’s standup is so much fun to watch and Griggs can put on a good show as well. Griggs has an ugly style of fighting and Cyrille has a slick and quick style. We will see who can keep their style going. Can Cyrille keep Griggs at a distance and execute his precision fighting? Or will Griggs make it ugly and land that lucky punch? I see Griggs rocking Cyrille and finishing it on the ground = Griggs by TKO in round 3.

Sam Stout vs. John Makdessi: This should be an awesome fight to watch. Sam Stout definitely should take this with his superior technique and overall game. Makdessi has good standup but in the end Stout should be able to take the decision. I think Stout should take it to the ground because Makdessi’s ground game is not good and Stout’s is good enough to dominant there. = Stout by unanimous decision.

Antonio Carvalho vs. Rodrigo Damm = Carvalho by TKO in round 2. (Interview with Carvalho here)

John Maguire vs. Matt Riddle = Maguire by unanimous decision.

Azamat Gashimov vs. Ivan Menjivar = Menjivar by 3^rd round submission.

Darren Elkins vs. Steven Siler = Siler by 2^nd round submission. My Pick for Submission of the Night!

Sam’s Picks

Main Card

Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit: Finally, the return of the most dominant champion in the UFC’s welterweight division’s history. I honestly don’t know how I feel about this fight, and I honestly don’t know how it might go. After being gone since April of 2010, GSP will undoubtedly have a bad case of ring rust, especially considering that he is coming off of a horrible knee injury. Even though Condit hasn’t fought in a while either, February of 2012, he will certainly be very loose and ready for war. Of course, the question at the center of this fight is how will GSP’s leg be during the fight after taking leg kicks and going in for takedowns? Condit is certainly the man to test the former as he landed the most leg kicks in UFC history in his last fight with Nick Diaz. When GSP goes in for takedowns, my guess is that he will be much slower than he typically is. He won’t have the same explosive power as he did before, at least for now. Condit also has the agility and elusiveness to avoid the takedowns. Even if GSP can get the takedown, Condit will constantly be attempting submissions from the bottom. Also on the feet, Condit will be the more powerful and technical fighter. You know, as I keep talking about this fight, the more I’m starting to feel as though Condit will win. Sure he’ll most likely lose a round or two but he certainly has a lot more going for him than GSP does going for  him = Condit via unanimous decision. My 3^rd pick for FOTN!

Martin Kampmann vs. Johny Hendricks: This is the fight that I am most excited for. I feel as though this could very well possibly be one of the best fights of the year. Johny Hendricks shocked the world with his 12 second KTFO of Jon Fitch, a fight in which he was a hefty, hefty underdog in. Kampmann on the other hand has been looking both good and bad. He keeps on losing fights, but coming back and finishing his opponents. And I mean like really losing fights. Thiago Alves was easily on his way to a unanimous decision victory when Kampmann pulled out a guillotine with 30 seconds left. Jake Ellenberger had rocked Kampmann just a few seconds into their fight. And I was shocked it wasn’t stopped during Ellenberger’s barrage of ground and pound. I can’t tell if Kampmann has been looking bad or good. Hendricks certainly looked questionable in his bout with Koscheck, a fight in which could have been scored either way. I feel as though this fight will go the same as the last two Kampmann fights: rocked and losing, end up winning = Kampmann via 2^nd round guillotine choke. My pick for SOTN! My 1^st pick for FOTN!

Francis Carmont vs. Tom Lawlor: I am very intrigued by this middleweight scrap. Carmont has a lot of hype surrounding him and has a lot of potential to back it up. But that’s only potential. He has yet to really show me that he is ready for the big test that everyone wants him to fight. I will admit, I do think he will win this fight, but is he truly as good as his nickname, “Limitless”, states. It is very possible. He will definitely make it far in this sport and challenge for the title in the coming years. But how will he do against a guy like Tom Lawlor, who brings in a strong wrestling background? That is why I am so excited to see this fight. I can’t wait to see what Carmont can do against a vet. He needs to keep it standing and utilize his superior size and reach to eventually finish Lawlor = Carmont via 3^rd round submission (choke).

Mark Hominick vs. Pablo Garza: Oh how far Hominick has fallen, but so has Garza. People, including myself, started to feel as though Garza was the next big thing at featherweight. I still personally feel as though he has a lot of potential. Hominick is showing an increasingly weaker chin after each fight and Garza has the ability to capitalize on that. He has great reach, power, and technique; a deadly combination for a guy with a questionable chin. The other problem is that if Hominick is hurt and goes for a takedown, he could fall straight into a triangle and be submitted. I want to go with Hominick, but I just can’t, Garza has too much in his favor = Garza via 3^rd round KO. My pick for KOOTN!

Rafael dos Anjos vs. Mark Bocek: This is easily the hardest fight to predict. These are two of the most underrated fighters in the UFC today. They constantly prove their doubters wrong and the doubters don’t stop. I have always felt as though Dos Anjos could be a future champion: power, world class grappling, brawling fight style, and lots of heart. Look at the fights he’s lost in the UFC, he was beating Stephens until a great comeback for Jeremy, he was beating Clay Guida until Guida started to crush his already broken jaw and a razor thin split decision loss to Gleison Tibau. His only loss where he didn’t look all that great was his second UFC fight with Tyson Griffin where he lost a unanimous decision. Bocek has been in a similar boat. The Canadian has only lost to some of the top lightweights in the world: Frankie Edgar, Jim Miller, and Ben Henderson. There is nothing to be ashamed of in those losses, except Mac Danzig. But in this fight, they are both primarily grapplers, fantastic BJJ. Dos Anjos has the more aggressive submission style while Bocek is very methodical in his movements. But I have a feeling they will cancel out each other’s ground game. And that leaves the standup. Dos Anjos has a drastic advantage in that category and that’s where he will take this fight = Dos Anjos via unanimous decision.

Prelims

Patrick Cote vs. Alessio Sakara: This fight has all the makings for a Fight of the Night. They always love to slug it out and go for the knockout. I really like both these guys which is what makes me hate making this pick. Sakara has been a fan favorite for years, but his chin is quite obviously deteriorating at a rapid pace. Cote has a granite chin. Two guys who swing for the fences plus a guy with a granite chin plus a guy with a weak chin = Cote via 1^st round KO. My 2^nd pick for FOTN!

Cyrille Diabate vs. Chad Griggs: I think this move to 205 pounds was brilliant for Chad Griggs. He was a fun heavyweight but was always very small. Now with this cut down, he will look lean and finally fight someone closer to his size. Diabate has amazing kickboxing but Griggs has capability to turn this fight into an all-out brawl. I envision a takedown for Griggs and lots of ground and pound = Griggs via 3nd round TKO.

Sam Stout vs. John Makdessi: I really don’t like this fight and here is why: I see a lot of promise in Makdessi and want him to be moved at the right pace and Sam Stout has been a stable mate at 155 in the UFC for years now. Makdessi is on a two fight losing streak and Stout is coming off of a win. Stout will easily win this and Makdessi will be released soon after = Stout via unanimous decision. 

Antonio Carvalho vs. Rodrigo Damm = Carvalho via 1^st round KO. (Interview with Carvalho here)

John Maguire vs. Matt Riddle = Maguire via unanimous decision.

Azamat Gashimov vs. Ivan Menjivar = Menjivar via 3^rd round submission.

Darren Elkins vs. Steven Siler = Siler via split decision.

MMA Welterweight Rankings: September Edition

As we at CR continue our rankings, we make our way to the wrestling dominated welterweight division. Let's get to it!
 

          Ben Askren (Photo by Bellator)

10. Ben Askren – Askren is one of the best wrestlers to ever come to MMA and he has proven that to be true by wrestling his way to a 10-0 record. Askren has beaten some good competition but until he faces off with some guys in the UFC, we won’t be able to truly determine where he rates against the top 9 on this list.

     Nate Marquardt (Photo by MMAjunkie)

 9. Nate Marquardt – After a disappointing and bizarre end to his UFC career, he moved on to Strikeforce where he took of undefeated Tyron Woodley. Nate dominated the fight and ended up KOing Woodley and winning the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship. 

 Rory MacDonald (Photo by MMAjunkie)

8. Rory MacDonald - Rory is arguably the most exciting prospect in MMA today. He is only 23 years old but already has dominating wins against Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle. He has one of the brightest futures in the UFC and his next fight against BJ Penn of the Fox 5 card will show us just how successful he will be.

Jon Fitch (Photo by MMAjunkie)

7. Jon Fitch - Fitch has not fought since December 2011 where he was absolutely demolished in 12 seconds by Johny Hendricks. This was a huge loss for Fitch and brought him down from 2^nd place to 7^th. The welterweight division is a stacked one and a loss like that is devastating. His next opponent won’t be an easy one either as he takes on Erick Silva at UFC 153 in October.

 Jake Ellenberger (Photo by MMAjunkie)

 6. Jake Ellenberger – Ellenberger is coming off of a very disappointing loss to #5 Martin Kampmann in June. He was dominating but was caught flush with a knee to the chin. Before that fight, Ellenberger had won 6 straight with 4 of those coming by way of KO or TKO. The set back was big for him but he has the ability to turn it around when he faces Jay Hieron at UFC on FX 5 in October.

Martin Kampmann (Photo by Fight!)

5. Martin Kampmann – Kampmann could very well be the most exciting fighter in the UFC today. His last two come-from-behind wins over Thiago Alves and Jake Ellenberger were two Fight of the Year candidates. Kampmann is going to fight #4 Johny Hendricks in a fight that should be nothing short of amazing.

Johny Hendricks (Photo by MMAjunkie)

4. Johny Hendricks - The monster from OSU has been on a tear, taking out top competition since entering the UFC. He is coming off of wins against Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck. Hendricks is scheduled to take on #5 Martin Kampmann in a fight that will determine who fights the winner of GSP vs. Carlos Condit.

Nick Diaz (Photo by MMAjunkie)

3. Nick Diaz - Diaz is many things. But mainly a mess and a brilliant fighter. He tested positive for marijuana and was suspended for a year starting of February 4^th, 2012, by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. So, until then Diaz will be inactive.

Carlos Condit (MMAjunkie)

2. Carlos Condit – Currently the UFC Interim Welterweight Champion. Had to beat #3 Nick Diaz to win it. Condit has evolved into a very technical and calculated “Killer”. He has learned to use his reach incredibly well and has added a significant amount of power to his striking as well. He will soon be in the fight of his life against GSP and if he can somehow beat the champ, he will be the best in the world at 170.

GSP (Photo by MMAjunkie)

1. Georges St. Pierre – Has been the perennial UFC Welterweight Champion for many years. He won the title back at UFC 83. It has been that long since he has shown any type of weakness. The guy can be considered one of the top athletes alive in any sport. He will be fighting Carlos Condit in November at UFC 154 to unify the titles.

Exciting times at 170! So what do you guys think? Let us know in the comments on what you either agreed on or disagreed on.