UFC 158 Fight Card: Info and Predictions for GSP vs. Diaz
After nearly 18 months of promotion, press conference no-shows, injuries and suspension, the stars have finally aligned for UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz to do battle.
The championship bout serves as the main event of UFC 158, which takes place on Saturday, March 16, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
This card has been designed as a way to showcase the top welterweights on the planet, as Carlos Condit takes on Johny Hendricks in the evening's co-main event. As if that weren't enough action at 170 pounds, Jake Ellenberger welcomes former Strikeforce champion Nate Marquardt back to the Octagon.
Here is a look at one of the most anticipated cards of 2013.
George Roop vs. Reuben Duran
1 of 12Facebook at 6:35 p.m. ET
Preview:
In a battle between two men in desperate need of a win, George Roop takes on Reuben Duran in the opening fight of UFC 158.
This is the first bantamweight fight for Roop in more than three years. ย
Both fighters are currently 1-2 in their most recent appearances, so expect to see two motivated scrappers step into the cage.
Roop has an aggressive style that fans tend to love. Occasionally, his reckless tendencies leave him open for counters. However, Duran isn't the type of striker who is likely to make him pay for those mistakes.
Prediction:
George Roop defeats Reuben Duran via TKO in Round 2.
T.J. Dillashaw vs. Issei Tamura
2 of 12Facebook at 6:35 p.m. ET
Preview:
The bantamweight action continues in the second bout of the Facebook prelims when T.J. Dillashaw takes on Japanese fighter Issei Tamura.
Dillashaw has looked nothing short of spectacular in his last two fights, with dominant performances against Vaughan Lee and Walel Watson. Contrarily, Tamura has lost two of his last three bouts and is 0-1 as a bantamweight.
There is little reason to believe that Tamura has much chance against a stud like Dillashaw, who has vastly superior wrestling and will look to put his opponent down before hunting for a submission.
Prediction:
T.J. Dillashaw defeats Issei Tamura via submission in Round 2.
Rick Story vs. Quinn Mulhern
3 of 12Facebook at 6:35 p.m. ET
Preview:
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. At one point, Rick Story was a top contender for the UFC welterweight championship. These days, he is welcoming a Strikeforce import into the Octagon while competing on the Facebook prelims.
Quinn Mulhern is a dangerous grappler with 11 submission victories to his credit. Perhaps this will stop Story from utilizing his impressive wrestling and leave us with a standup battle.
This is an interesting bout to predict, and I expect to see many look for Mulhern to continue the surprisingly successful Strikeforce invasion. However, Story has too much experience against top-level fighters to come up short in this one. ย
Prediction:
Rick Story defeats Quinn Mulhern via unanimous decision.
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John Makdessi vs. Daron Cruickshank
4 of 12FX at 8:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
Are you ready for a stellar knockout? If so, make sure to tune in for the lightweight clash between John Makdessi and Daron Cruickshank.ย
Both men are outstanding strikers, with each fighter boasting more than half of his wins by way of knockout.ย
Outside of Cruickshank's striking credentials, theย Ultimate Fighter alumnus displayed successful takedowns in his ย UFC debut against Chris Tickle. If the fight doesn't go his way on the feet, expect him to employ wrestling as a backup.
After showing the takedown, Makdessi will have to be on the lookout for the diverse attacks coming his way. Cruickshank will catch him late in the fight.
Prediction:
Daron Cruickshank defeats John Makdessi via TKO in Round 3
Dan Miller vs. Jordan Mein
5 of 12FX at 8:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
The story of Dan Miller has certainly been a touching one. When his son was born with severe health issues, Miller was able to use his position in the public eye to raise funds for a much-needed operation that would save the life of his child.
Now that Little Daniel has received his transplant, Miller returns to the Octagon to take on Canadian prospect Jordan Mein.
Expect a thriller in this contest, as both men are hungry for a win.
Miller is a well-rounded stud who can score a knockout just as quickly as he can lock in a submission. On top of that, he is nearly impossible to finish.
With victories over Evangelista Santos, Joe Riggs and Marius Zaromskis, this is hardly Mein's first big fight. As long as he can stay off of his back, he should be able to use superior striking to earn a decision.
Prediction:
Jordan Mein defeats Dan Miller via unanimous decision
Antonio Carlvalho vs. Darren Elkins
6 of 12FX at 8:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
Darren Elkins may have quietly climbed the featherweight ranks with a quartet of unanswered victories, but Antonio Carvalho snuck up on us all like a ninja.
Actually, that's not true. This isn't a matchup between evenly skilled fighters who are engaging in a chess match. This is a fight where Darren Elkins will look to use his grinding style to score a fifth consecutive win at 145 pounds.
Carvalho wants to strike in this fight, and he will have an advantage in that avenue; however, he will be unable to stay off of his back.
Prediction:
Darren Elkins defeats Antonio Carvalho via unanimous decision.
Patrick Cote vs. Bobby Voelker
7 of 12FX at 8:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
Originally scheduled to compete in a rematch against Alessio Sakara, one-time title contender Patrick Cote decided to instead make the drop to welterweight in hopes of breathing new life into his UFC career.
Cote meets a debuting Bobby Voelker, who was a shining star in the Strikeforce: Challengers series. Voelker went 4-1 while fighting for Strikeforce, although he hasn't competed since July 2011.
One man is making a new weight cut for the first time while the other will likely be coated in ring rust. Based on those variables, it's hard to predict what sort of condition either man will be in.
This encounter should be a fan-friendly affair, as both men will look to employ a strategy of landing straight and powerful punches in high volume.
Cote is known for his granite chin, which should afford him more opportunities to connect with his equally impressive fists. For that reason, I'm leaning slightly in favor of the Canadian.
Prediction:
Patrick Cote defeats Bobby Voelker via KO in Round 2.
Mike Ricci vs. Colin Fletcher
8 of 12Pay-Per-View at 10:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
Last fall, the UFC simultaneously ran two seasons of The Ultimate Fighter. On Saturday night, the silver-medalists of each edition meet in a lightweight affair.
Mike Ricci competed on TUF 16ย as a welterweight, but is returning to his natural weight class for this fight. In the show's finale, he was outgrappled by Colton Smith, and lost a unanimous decision.
Meeting him is the always-entertaining Colin "The Freakshow" Fletcher, runner-up of The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes. Representing the United Kingdom, Fletcher came up short in a decision against teammate Norman Parke in his tournament final.
This is an interesting matchup between a kickboxer and submission specialist. The fighter who dictates the bout's location will leave with their arm raised.
Fletcher's height and reach advantage could help to prevent Ricci from getting in too close, however, Ricci's training with Tri-Star Gym will have him prepared for anything the Brit throws in his direction.ย
Prediction:
Mike Ricci defeats Colin Fletcher via unanimous decision.
Nick Ring vs. Chris Camozzi
9 of 12Pay-Per-View at 10:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
Ultimate Fighterย alumni collide in the second scrap of our pay-per-view as middleweights Nick Ring and Chris Camozzi get it on. Both fighters were members of Team Punishment during Season 11 of the show, and both fighters were removed from the competition due to injuries sustained on the show.
Both fighters are 3-1 in their current run with the UFC and looking to continue climbing the ladder.
Ring notoriously defeated Court McGee on two occasions, however, both decisions have been deemed somewhat controversial by viewers.
Camozzi has solid Muay Thai and will look to unleash knees from the clinch in this fight. However, Ring is no slouch in the standup department, either.
This will be a fun fight that includes a lot of technical striking. That's an area where Camozzi shines. He will take a decision after an enjoyable brawl.
Prediction:
Jake Ellenberger vs. Nate Marquardt
10 of 12Pay-Per-View at 10:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
Originally scheduled as Jake Ellenberger vs. Johny Hendricks, Nate Marquardt stepped in to replace "Big Rigg" after Hendricks was offered a slot in the evening's co-main event. Now these two welterweights battle in an exciting clash that promises fireworks.
Ellenberger is a heavy-handed powerhouse with good wrestling and excellent submission defense. These qualities make him a dangerous foe for any fighter, let alone someone who took the bout on short notice.
Marquardt looked great in a bout against Tyron Woodley, which won him the Strikeforce welterweight championship, however, showed an inability to check leg kicks in his followup fight, which cost him the belt.
While Ellenberger isn't much of a kicker, he did show impressive restraint in a bout with Jay Hieron. Considering that the biggest drawback to "The Juggernaut" had been his questionable gas tank, it's nice to see that he has altered his game plan accordingly.
Expect Ellenberger to outwork Marquardt after clipping him with an early shot. However, Nate is very hard to finish, so I think this bout is destined to head to the scorecards.
Prediction:
Carlos Condit vs. Johny Hendricks
11 of 12Pay-Per-View at 10:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
Hoping for more welterweight action? Good! Because the bad boys of 170 pounds take the center stage for the rest of the evening.ย
In the co-main event, former interim champion Carlos Condit takes on top contender Johny Hendricks in a fight that will likely determine the next challenger for the belt.
Carlos Condit nearly dethroned GSP last year when a head kick put the champion down, but not out. This is his first fight since that failed attempt to wrap the undisputed title around his waist.
Hendricks, on the other hand, is on the heels of three wins over members of the divisional Top 10. Most notably, the wrestling phenom scored knockouts over Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann in a combined 58 seconds.
Condit has never been knocked out in his storied career, and he has proven time and time again that he doesn't mind being put on his back, as "The Natural Born Killer" threatens with submissions and strikes from the guard.
It's hard to predict Hendricks coming up short in this fight. After all, how does your brain not simply replay his one-shot knockouts over and over?
However, Carlos is both resilient and resourceful. Counting him out is a tremendous mistake. Expect this fight to end up on the ground, and once there, Condit will find a submission to shut down the momentum of his bearded foe.ย
Prediction:
Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz
12 of 12Pay-Per-View at 10:00 p.m. ET
Preview:
Say whatever you want to about the stylistic matchup here. Nick Diaz will not have the opportunity to get off his high-volume striking game on GSP. The champ has some of the best wrestling in MMA and is not going to hesitate to put Nick on his back over and over again.
Fighters familiar with Diaz understand that this will lead to tremendous frustration,ย belligerentย trash talk, but ultimately, very little in terms of offense.
I'm very sorry to anyone who was hoping to see the "dark side" of Georges show up and brawl with his arch-nemesis, but that's simply not going to happen.
This fight will be largely contested on the ground. Diaz is great off of his back, so don't count him out entirely, but wrestlers have historically given him trouble.
Prediction:
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