UFC 100: Preview and Predictions

(Photo by Peter Kramer/Getty Images)

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Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher—For some reason, people are sleeping on Akiyama, and that isn’t a smart thing.  Akiyama is for real with wins over Melvin Manhoef, Denis Kang, and if you ask me, before the illegal soccer kick, he was beating Kazuo Masaki. 

He has some sick submission and is good on his feet.  And I promise he wasn’t brought here to just win some fights in the UFC and use him for a run in Asia, he is here to compete in the Middleweight division.

Alan Belcher, on the other hand, is a real gatekeeper at 185 and is going to stay there for some time.  He is very good standing with some good Muay Thai skills but the submission of Kang aside hasn’t really shown any mad knowledge on the ground. 

Belcher is 5-3 in the UFC and again the Kang win aside he has beaten guys he should have beaten and lost to bigger, more well-rounded, fighters. 

Akiyama is just that type of fighter who should school Belcher on the ground.  Belcher may not want to be anyone’s stepping stone, but on this night he will be.  Yoshihiro Akiyama wins via RNC in the First. 

Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago

Another fight that is being a bit hyped up a little more than it should is the fight between Fitch and Paulo Thiago. 

Let’s be honest here, Thiago was getting owned in the fight with Koscheck till the stunning combo that took Kos out.  Did Thiago win the fight?  Yes, but how often would he win in 10 tries? 

That one time and never ever again. I’m not knocking Thiago, because I think he is a serviceable welterweight but if Kos really isn’t in his league, Jon Fitch is light years ahead of him.

Fitch or as I like to call him “Iron Chin” is the cream of the AKA welterweight crop. He is still young, very athletic, has a long reach, and a black belt in Guerilla Jiu-jitsu under Dave Camarillo. Fitch is easily number three in the division and has stated that he wants another crack at GSP. 

Now I’m not discrediting Paulo Thiago, but the UFC has really done him a disfavor here.  A better matchup for him would have been someone like Marcus Davis or someone just under the top 10 not the third best guys at 170. 

From what I’ve seen of Thiago the only way he wins in on the ground where he is a threat but Fitch’s takedown defense is good enough to keep the fight standing were I think he can use his reach to garner a TKO victory.  Jon Fitch wins via TKO in the Second. 

By the way, anyone at UFC 100, can you run the “Iron Chin” nickname by Fitch and see if he likes it.

Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson

Recently Michael Bisping has been feeling a little pissed off at how people are just discrediting his abilities. Many believe that he is nothing more than a decent fighter who the UFC is backing as the poster boy of UFC international.

Maybe he is and maybe he isn’t but the fact is that is has only one loss in the UFC against former Light Heavyweight Champ Rashad Evans and has looked very good against every middleweight he has faced. 

Personally, I think he can be the future of the 185 division and can still be a real threat against Dan Henderson. I don’t like the guy but he is good.

We all know who Dan Henderson is and many of us love his style. The former Olympian and duel Champion in Pride FC at 183 and 205, Henderson is a tough as nails fighter with power in his right hand and world class level wrestling. 

Henderson has one massive advantage in this fight and it’s his wrestling, and to win he has to not only get Bisping to the ground he has to keep him there, because of one major flaw in his armor. He has very telegraphed punches that can put you to sleep and leave you open to counter strikes, which Bisping can do. 

I like Henderson in this fight but people need to stop sleeping on Bisping because like it or not, he can win this fight and I wouldn’t be that shocked. And if Bisping loses which I think he will, his stock isn’t going to fall that much so long as he stays in the fight and doesn’t look too overwhelmed.  Dan Henderson wins via Unanimous Decision.

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