UFC 156 Main Card Recap

Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall: When will the flyweights put on a boring fight? These two put on an incredible scrap, technical back and forth slugfest. It was extremely close, but the difference was the fact that Benavidez landed more and landed harder. McCall should have gone for more takedowns, which really could have won him the fight. He had him on the ground at the end of the second and showed his superior grappling. Benavidez did end up winning by decision, but it was such a close fight that McCall is still very relevant in the title picture.

                                                               

Possible matchups for Benavidez: With this huge win over McCall, Benavidez has earned himself a rematch with the champion, Demetrious Johnson.

Possible matchups for McCall: A record of 0-2-1 in the UFC is never good, in fact, it’s terrible. And yet McCall is still somehow one of the top contenders in the UFC. Right now, due to the lack of depth in the UFC’s flyweight division, there aren’t a lot of fights for a person in McCall’s position. I would say the fight that makes the most sense would be against John Dodson, who is coming off of a very close loss to Demetrious Johnson.

Jon Fitch vs. Demain Maia: Maia just defined the word relentless. He was Velcro; Fitch just couldn’t get Maia off of him. It was impossible. Maia kept on going in for the takedown without losing a step. He had Fitch’s back for about thirteen and a half minutes of the total fifteen. It was complete dominance and it launches Maia into the top of the division.

Possible matchups for Maia: A win over Fitch launches you into the top of the welterweight division, no matter how dominant. With a performance as dominant as Maia’s, he is probably one or two wins away from a title shot. He needs to fight a top contender, so he should fight the loser of Jake Ellenberger and Johny Hendricks.

Possible matchups for Fitch: This was an absolutely devastating loss for Fitch. It puts him back pretty far in the welterweight title ladder. I would like to see him fight Dan Hardy to get back on track. Hardy is coming off of a very impressive win over Amir Sadollah, where he showcased a much improved grappling game.

Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva: I was really disappointed at the first two rounds of this fight. The first two, the third though, not so much. Bigfoot came out into the third realizing he might be down by two rounds. He started to land violent hooks left and right. Overeem started to fade off and Bigfoot knocked the K-1 legend completely unconscious. Dave said before the fight, “If Bigfoot can land a solid punch on Overeem, he will go against the cage and try to run away.” Guess what happened.

Possible matchups for Silva: Who do you give this guy? Overeem were guaranteed a title shot if he won and Bigfoot knocked him out. I would like to see him in a number one contender’s bout with Junior dos Santos. That would be a very interesting bout.

Possible matchups for Overeem: There aren’t a lot of choices for Overeem now. The heavyweight division is similar to the flyweight division in its lack of depth. I would like to see him fight the winner of Mark Hunt and Stefan Struve. A fight with Mark Hunt would be especially amazing.

Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira: This fight was absolutely terrible. Despite the fact that Nogueira pulled off the huge upset, both fighters didn’t look particularly great, but Rashad looked especially bad. Nogueira didn’t win this fight; Rashad lost it. I’m very happy that Noguiera won though and I look forward to see who he gets next time out.

Possible matchups for Noguiera: This was an enormous win for the younger Nogueira brother. It puts him right there in the top of the light heavyweight division. I would like to see him fight Glover Teixeira in a fight that would put the winner in a number one contender’s bout.

Possible matchups for Evans: Rashad Evans needs to drop down to middleweight, now. He obviously isn’t going to be fighting Anderson Silva, but I would love to see a fight against Vitor Belfort. That could be a fantastic fight and a potential number one contender’s bout at middleweight.

Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar: This was the exact fight we were all envisioning going in. A back and forth barnburner that ended in controversy. I mean, is that last statement even needed for a Frankie Edgar fight? Unsurprisingly, the first two rounds were very dominant for Aldo. He showed incredible speed and unparalleled accuracy. He rarely missed his target. The leg kicks and jabs were starting to wear down Frankie, but Edgar showed that Jersey toughness. He came out to the third round the fresher fighter and started to find his groove. Edgar was landing solid combinations as Aldo began to visibly tire. Aldo did do much of the same in the third round as he did in the first round, though, as he landed lots of powerful leg kicks and combinations. Once this fight entered the championship rounds, Edgar really began to pick up the pace. He was tagging Aldo with tons of combinations and was really starting to surprise Aldo with some leg kicks as well. The last ten minutes of the fight were Edgar landing lots of solid strikes. But ultimately, Aldo won the very close decision over Frankie.

Possible matchups for Aldo: Last weekend, Ricardo Lamas demolished Erik Koch, the original number one contender, in the second round. If Lamas doesn’t get a title shot (which would be criminal), then Aldo should move up and fight the winner of Ben Henderson and Gilbert Melendez.

Possible matchups for Edgar: Because this fight was so close and entertaining, I believe Frankie will be one win away from a title shot. Chad Mendes and Manny Gamburyan are fighting at UFC 157 so I would like to see Frankie fight the winner of that fight.

UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar Predictions

Dave’s Picks

Main Card

Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar: Wow…wow…I cannot wait for this fight. This is as close as a champion vs. champion matchup can get. It’s no UFC 94 but its close. I believe the fights Frankie had with Benson Henderson are very telling. Benson is slightly faster and stronger than Frankie and that helped Henderson to “win” those fights. Even if you think Frankie won you have to admit he struggled quite a bit. Aldo is faster and maybe even stronger (in my opinion) than Henderson. The speed advantage will be a big deal in this fight. If Aldo can land first and harm Frankie’s semi-weak chin then it will be lights out. The only hope Frankie has to win, and it is a definitely possibility, is to outwrestle Aldo for 5 rounds. But can Frankie do that without being finished and can he repeatedly take Aldo down throughout the fight? I don’t know if he can. This fight interests me more than almost any fight in a long time. I just think Aldo is too much for Frankie. = Aldo by unanimous decision. My Pick for Fight of the Night!

Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira: I love the Nog boys but this will be a beatdown. Rashad, minus his fight with Jones, has really perfected his craft. His MMA wrestling is top notch and will be way too much for Nog to handle. Rashad’s ground and pound might actually be strong enough to finish Nog by TKO but Nog’s chin is extremely good. I see Rashad smothering Nog with takedowns and top control until the final bell rings. = Rashad by unanimous decision.

Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva: Oh boy. This will get ugly. Bigfoot is a great fighter but he is the perfect opponent for Overeem to destroy. He is nowhere near the level of striking that Overeem has achieved and his chin is degrading. I see Bigfoot coming out and trying to get the clinch up against the fence but Alistair having none of it and landing bombs so hard that people will look away. = Overeem by KO in round 1. My Pick for KO of the Night!

Jon Fitch vs. Demian Maia: Another great and interesting matchup. I would normally pick Fitch without too much thought but his fight with Erick Silva scares me. Yes that fight was awesome and he won but Silva had Fitch’s back and had a RNC sunk. If that happens in this fight, Maia will choke him out so fast he won’t even have a chance to tap. So, Fitch will have to fight with a much tighter ground game then he has in his last few fights. Maia has also looked like a fiery beast since dropping to 170 and looks to be easily handling top 10 guys. This fight is by far the hardest to pick but I am going to go with the safer pick. = Fitch by unanimous decision.

Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall: Another great and important fight, such a great card. Sadly fan favorite McCall will lose again in the UFC. I was extremely shocked at Benavidez’s performance against Demetrious Johnson. I thought Benavidez was going to kill Johnson and be Flyweight Champion for a very long time. But I still think he may be the best flyweight alive. This fight will be another speedy technical battle but I think Benavidez just had the greater skill set and will smother McCall for the victory. = Benavidez by unanimous decision.  

Prelims

Evan Dunham vs. Gleison Tibau: This fight is hard to pick as well but Evan struggles against stronger guys. I am not sure if Evan has what it takes to stop Tibau’s takedowns and get back up once he is taken down. In my mind I see Tibau bullying Evan throughout the fight and getting an ugly win. = Tibua by split decision.

Tyron Woodley vs. Jay Hieron: Another difficult fight to predict. I believe Woodley is the better wrestler but Hieron’s style has proven to be hard for wrestler’s to handle. I want to go with Woodley but Hieron just finds ways to win. I am not sure what the safer pick is but I’m going to go with the better wrestler. = Woodley by split decision.

Yves Edwards vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg: I want go with Isaac but Edwards looked so good in his last fight. I think Yves is just too fast and will be able to use his superior footwork and skill set to take a close one. = Edwards by unanimous decision.

Jacob Volkmann vs. Bobby Green: Green is an underrated fighter with great skills but Volkmann is the perfect fighter to be able to beat him. Volkmann will be able to outwrestle Green and just blanket him. Volkmann could get a finish but Green will probably last. = Volkmann by unanimous decision.

Edwin Figueroa vs. Francisco Rivera = Rivera by 2^nd round TKO.

Chico Camus vs. Dustin Kimura = Camus by unanimous decision.

Sam’s Picks

Main Card

Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar: I can’t even remember the last time that the UFC had a super fight. This has been such a long awaited matchup ever since the UFC brought over the lower weight divisions. They are both going to be hardest test for each other, but what does that mean for Frankie, who is riding a two fight losing streak? Those two losses were so close and so debatable that a lot of people don’t even really view them as a full on undisputed losses. Aldo on the other hand, has only lost once and it was earlier in his career is too Luciano Azevedo. Aldo does arguably have the better power than Gray Maynard, but it's in his kicks and knees. Frankie’s best bet is to try and grind Aldo down, similar to what Florian did against Aldo in the first round. When striking. Edgar needs to be very in and out, really working the body and surprising him with a headshot. But Aldo won’t let him do that, at least not for a majority of the fight. Aldo will nearly finish him on a few occasions, but Frankie’s heart will push through. Aldo will win the first three rounds, and Frankie will win the championship rounds = Aldo via unanimous decision (48-47). My 1^st pick for FOTN!

Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira: Though both of these guys are top-10 light heavyweights, this is a bit of a mismatch. Phil Davis absolutely dominated Nogueira on the ground. Rashad Evans dominated Phil Davis on the ground. Nogueira’s only hope is to throw something up from his back or hope to out-technique him in the boxing = Evans via unanimous decision.

Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva: This fight is similar to the co-main event: both top guys, complete mismatch. Silva is coming off of a very impressive first round KO over Travis Browne, which was a big surprise to many, even people picking Silva to win. Overeem, though, is on a whole other planet when it comes to striking ability. His power and technique is unmatched by most and Silva has shown a skeptical chin. Overeem will finish this fight with ease = Overeem via 1^st round KO. My pick for KOOTN!

Jon Fitch vs. Demian Maia: I absolutely love this fight. Ever since Maia made the decision to drop down to welterweight, he has looked amazing. His submission and takedown offense is even more prominent than during his good days in his middleweight run. Fitch is coming off of his fight of the night with Erick Silva, which was an incredible back-and-forth fight. There was one point where Fitch showed off his unchokable-ness. Silva had his back and with a rear naked choke sunk in, Fitch somehow never went unconscious. If Maia had that position with the choked locked in the way Silva did, Fitch would have been done. But Silva only received that back position due to his intense aggressiveness, something that Maia does not have. Maia does have the ability to submit anyone, but Fitch will grind him out while Maia throws up a lot of submission attempts. It will be close = Fitch via split decision.

Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall: Now this is the way that you start a PPV. With both guys coming off of close decision losses to the champion, Demetrious Johnson, a title shot is very well on the line. With Benavidez’ only losses to present day champions, you must question how he does under such pressure. McCall is a guy who does well under the spotlight; he is very charismatic and does well in big-name fights, despite his loss to Johnson in a main event. They are equally skilled grapplers with very even striking. Who will be faster? It’s very hard to say but I would have to go with McCall; he’s been the flyweight for longer therefore he is more adapted to the weight cut. Easier weight cut equals better cardio and speed. McCall seems to have the upper hand in a lot of areas, but Benavidez is just too difficult to bet against = Benavidez via unanimous decision. My 2^nd pick for FOTN!

Prelims

Evan Dunham vs. Gleison Tibau: With both fighters looking rather mediocre as of late, it’s hard to decide who I want to go with. Tibau will most likely be the stronger fighter, an advantage he almost always holds. Dunham will have the speed and ground advantage. Though Tibau does have a fantastic ground game, Dunham has shown more offense with his grappling, something I believe will lead him to victory = Dunham via split decision.

Tyron Woodley vs. Jay Hieron: Back in October of 2011, Jay Hieron was stolen out of a victory over present day Bellator welterweight champ in Ben Askren. Though it was a close fight, Hieron seemed to be the victor. Woodley is a very similar fighter to that of Ben Askren. If Hieron is to use a similar gameplan that he used against Askren, he could very well win. But I just simply can’t bet against a wrestler = Woodley via unanimous decision.

Yves Edwards vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg: Both guys have looked fantastic lately, with Edwards’ KO over Jeremy Stephens and Isaac’s barnburner upset over JZ Cavalcante. Edwards will undoubtedly have the upper hand in the experience category, Vallie-Flagg is the one fighter entering into his prime and with Greg Jackson in his corner, he will most likely have a great gameplan. These guys are very evenly matched, but I see Isaac narrowly pulling this one out for the upset once again = Vallie-Flagg via split decision. My 3^rd pick for FOTN!

Jacob Volkmann vs. Bobby Green: I see this fight going one of two ways: Volkmann gets him down and submits him early, similar to what he did to Shane Roller, or he grinds Green out for a decision win. With Greens under-average ground game, I believe the former is the more likely scenario = Volkmann via 1^st round submission. My pick for SOTN!

Edwin Figueroa vs. Francisco Rivera = Rivera via 3^rd round TKO.

Chico Camus vs. Dustin Kimura = Camus via 3nd round TKO.

UFC 152 Main Card Recap

Jones applying the fight ending Americana on Belfort (Photo by bleacherreport.com)

Cub Swanson vs. Charles Oliveira: This was one of the fights that people we're looking forward to the most. Both of these guys have recently hit their stride in their careers and were looking to make themselves top title contenders at 145 pounds. Oliveira took Swanson down early but Cub has a highly underrated ground game. He got up almost instantly and started to land some solid shots on Oliveira. He eventually landed a sick liver punch that stunned "Do Bronx". He followed it with a monstrous overhand right. It took a second, but Oliveira eventually fell down unconscious. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if it turned out he got a broken orbital bone and was unable to continue.

Possible matchups for Swanson: This win easily makes Cub a top-10 featherweight. Three (T)KO's over 3 really good fighters equals at least top-10 status, if not top-7 or 5. A top fighter that has yet to rebound from his most recent loss is BJJ expert and Japanese star, Hatsu Hioki. Due to the fact that Hioki is still a top-10 featherweight, he will continue to fight top-10 featherweights. If Cub can continue his hot streak against Hatsu Hioki, he could even receive a title shot afterwards.

Possible matchups or Oliveira: Despite the fact that all of his losses in the UFC have come in the first round, you have to remember, Charles Oliveira is only 22 years old still. He still has a lot of time to grow and to mature as q person, not just a fighter. Another fighter that is also just 22 years old is Justin Lawrence. He is coming off a brutal TKO loss at the hands of arguably the most promising fighter in MMA, Max Holloway. Therefore, they are both looking for rebound fights, and this fight could very well be awesome.

Matt Hamill vs. Roger Hollett: Sigh, I really, really don't want to talk about this fight. Absolute garbage. Hollett had no business being in the Octagon. His standup is rudimentary, his wrestling is weak, and he has no submission skills. Like I said, he has no business in the Octagon. Hamill should retire now that he has that last win and Hollet should be immediately cut, if that isn't already clear.

Michael Bisping vs. Brian Stann: I have to admit, this fight surprised in more ways than one. The main thing that surprised me was the fact that Brian Stann did so well. He easily won the first round, which was something that I really didn't expect. When Stann landed that huge right hand at the end of the first that almost finished Bisping, I went crazy and so did the Toronto crowd surrounding me. After that though, Bisping utilized his highly underrated wrestling to land some huge double legs and score a tough unanimous decision win. Brian Stann did a lot better than people were expecting.

Possible matchups for Bisping: I felt that Bisping would dominate this fight and earn a title shot against Anderson Silva. Bisping wasn’t impressive enough. It's too bad though, because Bisping has been doing so well and has been with the UFC for so long. The fight that honestly makes the most sense at this point is Bisping fighting the winner of Chris Weidman and Tim Boestch. That winner will get their shot at Silva.

Possible matchups for Stann: Brian Stann looked great against Bisping. Seriously looked awesome. You could possible even make a case for a decision win for him. He is still one of the top middleweights in the UFC. If Bisping fights the winner of Weidman and Boestch, Stann should fight the loser.

Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez: This fight could end up going down in history as the most underrated fight of all time. I personally thought that this fight was amazing. The technical prowess was incredible, the mistakes were few and far apart, the action was constant, and the speed was blinding. Joseph Benavidez was the highly favored fighter heading into this championship bout and was even in the top-10 of most people's Pound-for-Pound list. I thought that Benavidez would dominate everywhere that the fight went. I thought he had superior striking, wrestling, and submissions. The one thing that I didn't take into account was the speed advantage in which Johnson would have. He would easily go in and out with strikes and dodge Benavidez' attacks. I scored every round for Johnson minus the 3rd round. That round, Benavidez almost finished Johnson with a mounted guillotine. But Johnson used amazing defense as he did this sweep I have never seen before, maybe cricket legs or something. Anyway, Johnson looked amazing and he deserves to be the first ever UFC flyweight champion more than anyone.

Possible matchups for Johnson: Now that he has the belt, he needs to defend it against the best (obviously). John Dodson and Jussier da Silva are fighting at UFC on FX 5. That fight has to be a number one contenders bout.

Possible matchups for Benavidez: The final decision for the championship fight was a split decision, even though I thought Johnson definitely won the fight. The Team Alpha Male fighter should be immediately put in a number one contenders bout with Ian McCall. That fight would be a brawl.

Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort: Who would have ever thought that the biggest underdog to fight Jones would actually be the fighter that came the closest to beating him? The 30-45 seconds in which Vitor had that armbar, the arena went absolutely bonkers. There were a couple Brazilian guys in front of us and I thought they were going to go insane. The armbar was so close to finishing the fight that his arm was actually cracking and popping, but Jones showed something that we have yet to see from him (mainly because there was never an opportunity) and that was the heart of a champion. Most fighters would tap out if they felt that their arm was breaking. But once Jones shook his way out of the armbar, he started to dominate the fight. Vitor kept on pulling guard, much to the Brazilian fans in front of us' chagrin, and it added to our confusion. He did it again in the 4th round and was almost immediately submitted by an Americana that looked like his arm was about to be ripped off. Jones truly is one of the best fighters in the world and of all time.

Possible matchups for Jones: This is the next big question. Who is the next number one contender at light heavyweight? Dana announced that Dan Henderson and Lyoto Machida have to fight one more time before they get a crack at the 205 belt. But the next big light heavyweight fight that is coming up is between Alexander Gustafsson and Shogun Rua. I feel that the winner of that should fight Jones.

Possible matchups for Belfort: I really highly doubt that Vitor will stay at 205. He was really starting to hit his stride down at 185. Before he accepted his fight with Jones, he was scheduled to fight Wanderlei Silva but had to pull out due to an injury. Although the fight doesn't make sense, it didn’t before and I think that fight could be extremely fun.

For Prelim Recap click here

UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort Predictions

We are going to this event live and the weigh-ins so be ready for some extra coverage! And let us know what your predictions are!

Dave’s Picks

Main Card

Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort: What a crazy ride it’s been! But here we are with Jones vs. Belfort and we get to see it live! I’m pumped to see Jones fight live again. I can see myself telling my kids when they are grown that I saw Jones fight live (at least twice) and met him (at least 3 times). I think he can become one of the top 3 biggest legends of our sport and it’s a privilege to see him live. I think Belfort has the same chance to win this as anyone else Jones has faced and that is a big overhand bomb landing. But if Anthony Johnson can outwrestle Belfort then Jones will throw him around like a ragdoll. I see Jones taking him down and finishing it there. I love Vitor and it is a honor to watch him live but this will be ugly. = Jones by KO in round 1. My Pick for KO of the Night!

Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson: Oh baby! This is the fight I am most pumped about. I have absolutely loved every single flyweight fight so far in the UFC and this will be the best so far. I think Benavidez will be stronger, have better striking and will be able to out grapple Johnson. I think Benavidez will win this fight and be champion for a very very very long time. = Benavidez by unanimous decision. My Pick for Fight of the Night!

Michael Bisping vs. Brian Stann: What a blast this fight will be! I love Brian Stann. I met him recently and he was such a cool guy. Standing next to him, you almost feel not worthy. This guy is literally a hero in every sense of the word. He didn’t just kill our countries enemy. He had to in order to protect innocent people and in a way that sounds impossible. But anyway, I think Bisping is better than him in everyway except for punching power. Bisping could take this to the ground or out-point Stann on the feet. Stann’s only chance is a big bomb but Bisping is usually very good and avoiding those. So, I see Bisping jabbing and landing combos and Stann getting desperate and swinging for the fences and leaving openings for Bisping to land shots. I want Stann to win but I don’t see it happening. = Bisping by unanimous decision.

Matt Hamill vs. Roger Hollett: This fight is the hardest to predict for me because I don’t know a lot about Hollett and Hamill hasn’t fought in over a year due to a short-lived retirement. The fact that he left due to retirement scares me. It is one thing is it was an injury where he would still eat well and work out in any way possible. Retirement can sometimes contain sloth and gluttony. I’m sure Hamill will be prepared but it still worries me. Before his retirement Hamill fought and defeated better competition that Hollett so I am going with him. = Hamill by unanimous decision.

Charles Oliveira vs. Cub Swanson: Both of these guys have really come into their own lately. Oliveira has looked scary good lately, especially against Brookins. Cub has rebounded nicely since his lost to Ricardo Lamas with 2 straight TKO’s. Anything can happen in this fight. Oliveira is only 22 years old and that is a scary thought. I think this fight will mostly be a standup battle but Oliveira should have the advantage on the ground. I’m going with my gut on this one but anything is possible. = Oliveira by split decision.

Prelims

Vinny Magalhaes vs. Igor Pokrajac: Vinny by submission in round 3. My Pick for Submission of the Night!

Evan Dunham vs. T.J. Grant: Dunham by unanimous decision.

Lance Benoist vs. Sean Pierson: Pierson by split decision.

Marcus Brimage vs. Jim Hettes: Hettes by submission in round 1.

Seth Baczynski vs. Simeon Thoresen: Seth by unanimous decision.

Mitch Gagnon vs. Walel Watson: Gagnon by unanimous decision.

Charlie Brenneman vs. Kyle Noke: Brenneman by unanimous decision.

Sam’s Picks

Main Card

Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort: I loved Jon Jones. I was supporting him in his Rashad fight saying he isn't as bad as people are accusing him for. I can't anymore. The whole 151 debacle had me lose lots of respect for him. I really want Vitor to win. I love Vitor and have for a very long time. He's a great human being and an MMA legend. The main problem is the wrestling aspect. Anthony Johnson was easily out wrestling Belfort and that is going to be the deciding factor. This is going to be similar to Jones vs. Matyushenko. It would be good to have Vitor win because Jones needs a GSP/Serra fight to wake him up = Jones via 1st round TKO. My pick for KOOTN!

Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson: This is so awesome. Seriously, I have been looking forward to the UFC having the flyweights come and this is the second best possible fight. The first would be Benavidez vs. Ian McCall for marketing reasons. But this fight is an awesome matchup. The speed in this is going to be blinding. Benavidez has the better submissions and standup. So what does that tell you? = Benavidez via unanimous decision.  My 1st pick for FOTN!

Brian Stann vs. Michael Bisping: This is going to be a war! I'm very excited for this. Michael Bisping is, sadly, better than Stann in every aspect of MMA. His standup is crisper and more technical; while Stann holds some devastating power in both of his hands. Sure, Michael Bisping was KO'd by Dan Henderson, but Stann isn't a Dan Henderson. Bisping is going to dominate this fight and most likely earn a title shot vs. Silva = Bisping via unanimous decision. My 2nd pick for FOTN!

Matt Hamill vs. Roger Hollett: I agree with Dave on the fact that this fight is very hard to pick. Hollett is a promising prospect and Hamill is coming out of retirement. Hamill was a wrestling powerhouse but was dominated in his last two fights. Hollett is very promising and I think he's going to win with superior striking = Hollett via split decision.

Cub Swanson vs. Charles Oliveira: It's great to see these two guys making there way up to title contention. Oliveira is looking like an elite fighter since his drop down to 145. His reach is devastating for the weight class and his ground game is world class. Seriously. His last two submissions can be considered for SOTY, especially the calf slicer over Eric Wisely. Cub Swanson's standup has also looked world class lately, but Oliveira should be able to take it to the ground and finish it = Oliveira via 2nd round submission. My pick for SOTN!

Prelims
Vinny Magalhaes vs. Igor Pokrajac: Vinny via 1st round submission.
Evan Dunham vs. T.J. Grant: Dunham by unanimous decision.
Lance Benoist vs. Sean Pierson: Benoist by split decision.
Marcus Brimage vs. Jim Hettes: Hettes via 2nd round submission. My 3rd pick for FOTN!
Seth Baczynski vs. Simeon Thoresen: Seth via split decision.
Mitch Gagnon vs. Walel Watson: Watson via split decision.
Charlie Brenneman vs. Kyle Noke: Brenneman by unanimous decision.

MMA Flyweight Rankings: September Edition

As we here at CR continue our rankings, we are heading into the UFC’s smallest division: flyweight.

I was ecstatic when the UFC finally announced that they were bringing in the 125-pound division. It holds some of the best talent in the world and they were going unrecognized, that is, until now.

Since starting the 125-pound division, the UFC has signed several of the biggest names with in that weight class including Yasuhiro Urushitani, Jussier “Formiga” da Silva, Ulysses Gomez, and fan-favorite, Ian McCall. There are still a few left that have yet to be signed.

Photo via MMAJunkie.com

10. John Moraga – This guy exploded onto the UFC scene. Going into his fight with former top-10 ranked Ulysses Gomez at UFC on Fox 4, he was a sizable underdog and a relative unknown. That all changed within 3:46. He blitzed Gomez and knocked him out in the first round. The guy looked like a world-beater and is definitely a guy to look out for in the coming years.

Look at that afro. Just look at it.

9. Mamoru Yamaguchi – Mamoru Yamaguchi is awesome. Enough said. The guy is one of the flashiest fighters in the world today and he is still a top-10 fighter. He holds a win over Yasuhiro Urushitani and has been fighting the best in the world for years now. He hasn’t fought since his last decision loss to Jussier da Silva back in August of 2011, but no news has reached of his retirement. Let’s hope he fights in the UFC before he hangs ‘em up.

Photo via MMAJunkie.com

8. Darrel Montague – Darrel Montague is extremely well rounded. With a record of 11-2, he has 5 (T)KO wins and 4 submission wins. With his only two losses being to Ian McCall and the oversized Robbie Peralta, Montague still has world-class skills. He holds wins over Ulysses Gomez and Jeremy Bolt and has also had championship experience as his win over Gomez got him the belt at Tachi Palace fighting. He is the main guy in which the UFC still has yet to sign.

Photo via ProMMANow.com

7. Chris Cariaso – “Kamikaze” is insanely under appreciated. The guy was a solid bantamweight and fought fighters much larger than him like Takeya Mizugaki, Michael McDonald, Will Campuzano, and above all, Renan Barao. He beat both Mizugaki and Campuzano and his fight with McDonald was extremely close, no one would have argued if Cariaso won. After his win over Josh Ferguson in his flyweight debut, Cariaso should be only one win away from a title shot.

Photo via MMAJunkie.com

6. Yasuhiro Urushitani – Although his UFC debut was far from impressive, Urushitani is still one of the best fighters in the world at 125. He holds wins over Yuki Shojo, Mamoru Yamaguchi, John Dodson, and two draws with Shinichi Kojima. He has amazing Muay Thai that should never be overlooked and although he lacks finishing ability (only 5 finishes in 19 wins) he has the skill to put anyone away at any moment.

Photo via MMAJunkie.com

5. John Dodson – Although his last win over Tim Elliott wasn’t particularly spectacular; John Dodson is still one of the best in the world in his division. He’s beaten Tim Elliott, TJ Dillashaw, and John Moraga. With his incredible hand speed that also holds a ton of power, Dodson is one of the top guys up for a title shot. His next fight against Jussier da Silva is undoubtedly a top contender fight.

4. Jussier da Silva – When the news broke that Jussier da Silva was signed to the UFC, hardcore MMA fans around the world were saying to themselves, “finally”! Everyone expected him to be in the tournament that they held instead of Urushitani. He easily holds the best BJJ at 125 including wins over Michael William Costa (twice), Alexandre Pantoja Passidimo, Jose Maria Tome, Shinichi Kojima, Danny Martinez, and Mamoru Yamaguchi. His only loss in his 15-fight career is a decision loss to Ian McCall.

Photo via MMAJunkie.com

3. Ian McCall – The former number-1 flyweight in the world, Ian McCall is quite a character. With the best mustache in MMA, possibly the world, Ian McCall’s skill is right up there with his mustache. He holds wins over Coty Wheeler, Dustin Ortiz, Darrel Montague, and Jussier da Silva. In his first fight with Demetrious Johnson, many people believe that he won, showing that he could also hold a win over the former number one contender at 135. With his only losses to the aforementioned Johnson, Charlie Valencia, and UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, Ian McCall is still one of the best fighters in the world at 125.

Photo via FightLink.com

2. Demetrious Johnson – Although his first fight with McCall was very controversial, the second meeting wasn’t. Johnson wasn’t necessarily very dominant, but Ian McCall was the number-1 guy at flyweight and Johnson beat him. His next fight with the number-1 guy will show who is the first flyweight champion in UFC history.

Photo via MMAJunkie.com

1. Joseph Benavidez – Now, although Johnson did beat the number-1 guy at 125, his performance wasn’t extremely impressive in either fight. Benavidez was unbelievably impressive in his flyweight debut. Yasuhiro Urushitani was arguably top-3 and Benavidez dominated him and knocked him out at 11 seconds in the second round. Benavidez will be fighting Demetrious Johnson at UFC 152 for the first ever flyweight title in UFC history.

So what do you guys think? Let us know in the comments on what agreed or disagreed on.

UFC 152 Press Conference Recap

The poster and stage before the conference started (Photo by David Klass of CR)

On Tuesday July 24^th I made my way to Massey Hall in Toronto for the UFC 152 press conference. The UFC sent out Director of Canadian Operations Tom Wright, Joseph Benavidez, Demetrious Johnson, Brian Stann, Michael Bisping and Rory MacDonald.

Tom Wright started the event off by telling us about the card and what we can expect to see; which are fireworks. You have Joseph Benavidez taking on Demetrious Johnson in the finals of the flyweight tournament to determine the first ever UFC flyweight champion. Then Michael Bisping squares off against the powerful Brian Stann in a fight that will be as exciting as they come. Then Canadian fan favorite Rory MacDonald takes on legend BJ Penn in which will likely be his last fight.

So, then the floor was opened up to ask questions to Tom Wright and the fighters. There was a great back and forth between Bisping and Benavidez when the reporter sitting next to me asked what Benavidez thought about Bisping saying a few weeks earlier about how his fight with Stann is the main event and the no one cares about the flyweight title fight between Benavidez and Johnson. Benavidez summed it up as saying you can always expect crazy and rude things from Bisping and did not hold back giving Bisping a piece of his mind.

Then Rory was asked roughly 5 times whether or not he would fight Georges St. Pierre in varying ways. Eventually Rory got upset and said “Listen, I don’t know why you guys keep asking me about Georges. I have answered them a million times. I am not going to fight Georges. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to punch my friend, make him bleed, see him cry and make him lose money.” 

Rory also showed some emotion in his response in talking about the VADA drug testing that his opponent, BJ Penn, suggested they do a month ago. Rory also believes that BJ is not taking the fight seriously

“He is all upset because Georges whooped him, but, I am going to hurt him even worse, so. I am training for the best B.J. I am just preparing myself to be the best version. I am going to come out evolved, I am going to be in shape, explosive and exciting like I always do. I am going to be very technical and I am going to be on point. I don't know where B.J. is at. You know, he didn't even show up to this. He is dropping out of the VADA testing. Last time I saw him he looked really out of shape. I don't know where his head is at in this, but, he better get serious or I am going to hurt him very badly."

Then Brian Stann and Michael Bisping both stressed that unlike the boring UFC 149 card their fight will definitely not be boring. Stann said “Come September 22, I am going to draw a line in the sand, I am going to say, 'Mike. Cross it.' He is the kind of guy that I know will step to it and we are going to get after it. I am telling you right now folks. You may have complained about certain fights that were on the card this past weekend, you won't complain about ours."

There was some great conversation and the press conference was informative in getting to know where all the fighters stand in their opinions of their opponents; which can often be fun to hear as well.

After the conference I went over to Tom Wright and asked him “So, at UFC 129 you had the first ever featherweight title fight and now at UFC 152 we will have the first ever UFC flyweight title fight. Is there a reason why you had both of those fights here in Toronto? Is this a place you think will appreciate it more?”

Wright’s honest answer was “No, I think it’s a combination of being at the right place and the right time. I think that if that first fight between McCall and Demetrious had not ended up in a draw then this would not have happened. So, sometimes these things happen for a reason and there is no particular cause and effect why we are here with this fight. But I am just happy that Toronto gets to make history.”

Then the fighters squared off:

Joseph Benavidez (left) and Demetrious Johnson (right)

Michael Bisping (left) and Brian Stann (right)

Rory MacDonald

Then I met:

Demetrious Johnson

Joseph Benavidez

Brian Stann