Preview and Predictions: UFC 104 Machida Vs. Shogun

(Photo by Gary M. Prior/Getty Images).

So it’s been a long time since I’ve been on here and for good reason.  1.  I got a job teaching the youth of Angleton Texas US history and so far so good.  2.  I’m also a coach for football and if you haven’t coached football in Texas you should know that football is a religion in this state and we take it very seriously.  It’s limited my MMA writing but not my fandom of the sport so since my son is home sick I figured that I would have the time to get in some writing.  Lucky You.  So normally in my heyday of doing this I would write up a four or five page article about the event, but honestly some of the prelims bore me so I give some insight on the ones I like and the main card.  Here goes

Yushin Okami vs. Chael Sonnen—Battle of the middleweights who should have done more is a really intriguing matchup.  Okami seems to always be one step away from a title belt and yet most casual fans dislike his fights.  It the number one reason he is yet to get a shot at Anderson Silva. Let’s face it he has to show big against Sonnen to even be thought of in the division.  Chael on the other hand is a big strong wrestler at 185, but is really known for yelling really loud during submissions and beating a mental Paulo Filho who during his second fight with Chael was talking to himself.  He fights out of Team Quest and has serviceable standup and good ground and pound.  Normally when two wrestlers get together the one with the better hands wins out and personally I think that man is Okami.  Yushin “Thunder” Okami wins via TKO in the Second.

Patrick Barry vs. Antoni Hardonk—This should be a very good kickboxing war of two standup giants.  Hardonk is a fantastic striker with some seriously good leg kicks.  Barry is a K1 champ with good fast hands and leg kicks for days.  I see this going one of two ways.  Barry winning with a stiff left jab to a right leg kick that cripples Hardonk or Hardonk somehow getting the fight to the floor and rear naked choking Barry.  I know the later sounds dumb being that both men are strikers but I’m thinking that Hardonk is smart enough as a fighter to know he has been on the ground and worked some ground and pound, at least enough to know that he as an advantage there.  I’m a fan of Barry, but that second ways seems to me to be the only real way Antoni has a chance.  Antoni Hardonk wins via first round RNC.

Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer—thus far Ryan Bader has looked like he was deserving of the ultimate fighter contract and looks to become 9 and 0 against a very dangerous opponent in Eric “Red” Schafer.  Bader had a good performance against Carmelo Marrero in his last fight and will have a wrestling and striking advantage in this one.  But don’t be so sure he is going to want to take this fight to the ground.  Schafer is a top level Jiu-jitsu player and will use his skills to try and submit Bader if the fight goes to the ground.  Look for this fight to stay standing till Bader rocks Schafer and gnp’s him to death or Schafer figures out a way to get Bader to the ground and subs him in the first.  Ryan “Darth” Bader wins via second round TKO.

MAIN CARD

Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida—so I’m trying to figure out what Yoshida did to piss off the powers that be in the UFC cause this is a bad matchup for him.  If Koscheck craptastic standup put Yoshida to sleep Anthony “Rumble” Johnson may kill the poor man. Where Yoshida is most effective is on the ground and Johnson was a college wrestler and a good one at that so its going to be very hard for Yoshida to get the fight there.  Add to that Johnson’s much quicker hands and reach advantage, it could be a bloody night for “Zenko”.  Anthony “Rumble” Johnson wins via first round KO

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