Bleacher Report - Articles by Daniel Sadler

Coin Toss Predictions: UFC 103

Daniel Sadler — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:35:58 -0400

I have seen a lot of writers make predictions for upcoming UFC events based on fighters skills and match-ups.

But they don't know the best method for predicting the winner of MMA fights: tossing a coin!

This is how it works. The fighter with the most wins becomes heads and the fighter with the least wins becomes tails. Simple huh?

UFC 103 Main Card

Rich Franklin (24-4) H vs. Vitor Belfort (18-8) T- It comes up tails, looks like a win for Belfort

Mirko Cro Cop (25-6-2) H vs. Junior dos Santos (8-1) T- Tails once again, a win for the young Brazillian

Paul Daley (21-8-2) H vs. Martin Kampmann (15-2) T- Tails for the third time, Kampmann wins

Frank Trigg (19-6) H vs. Josh Koscheck (14-4) T- Tails, and i'm starting to think something is wrong with my coin

Hermes Franca (20-7) H vs. Tyson Griffin (13-2) T- You'll never guess, but once again it is tails, so all 5 fights on the main event are tails.

So there you have my predictions, I have an overall record of 8-8, it will most likely be 13-8 by Sunday.

The Real Reason Swick V Kampman Is For a Shot at GSP

Daniel Sadler — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:26:31 -0400

At UFC 103 two welterweight warriors will go to war for the number one contendership and a guaranteed title shot against seemingly unbeatable welterweight champion Georges St Pierre.

But are Swick or Kampman really contenders?

When anyone thinks of the welterweight division the names that spring to mind are GSP, Hughes, Alves, Serra, Fitch and even Koscheck. There is no mention of Mike Swick or Martin Kampman.

Kampman and Swick have never headlined an event outside Fight Nights and aren't well known to casual fans of the UFC.

Firstly I would like to apoligise about the picture, it is the closest I can get to Martin Kampman or Mike Swick in the gallery.

What I can predict is that the UFC will build them up at 103 to the point where it seems like they might actually pose a slight threat to the champion. But this wont change anything, this will just add to the list of UFC events where a champion has faced off against someone who has no chance of beating them, Silva V Leites is the most recent one.

So what is the reason why one of these two fighters might be able to contend for the biggest prize in the 170 lbs. division? Three letters GSP.

Georges St Pierre has teared through all the competition in the welterweight division in relitively easy fashion, even after the UFC proclaimed each of his opponents are the hardest he has faced yet.

And after GSP dominated Thiago 'The Pitbull' Alves arguably the second best welterweight in the UFC for five rounds, the UFC has run out of competition for the champion and two fighters have been forced into the spotlight to basically be a gap filling fight until the superfight against Anderson Silva materialises.

The Only Thing Missing from UFC 102 Was a Gorilla Playing the Banjo

Daniel Sadler — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:34:53 -0400

Two words sum up UFC 102: wow and f*****g hell. Well, three words but one is bleeped out, so two full words.

As I sit here with my Egg McMuffin picked up earlier this morning from the fine food restaurant McDonalds I wonder what was missing from UFC 102.

Brandons Vera's vicious kicks, Marquarts right that sent Maia spiralling head first into the canvas (AWESOME), Chris Leben forgetting that if you're going to pass out you're supposed to tap out, Jardine's allergy to Brazillian right hands (Wandy and Thiago), and two old war horses going toe to toe (or hoof to hoof) for three amazing rounds.

Lets start at Marquart's punch. Wow. Maia setting up for that left leg kick so he wasn't fully planted on the ground then bang he is sent spiralling like a gymnast about a foot off the ground only to land nose first into the canvas, and I thought Brock Lesnar's shot against Heath Herring sent the receiver flying.

Now let's move onto Jardine. I doubt Jardine will ever travel to Brazil, if someone knocked past him he would probably keel over and die. How can Jardine do so well against top flight light-heavyweights (Forrest and Chuck) and then step in against Wandy and Thiago and get owned so badly by shots which aren't even that powerful.

Also I think Houston Alexander must have some Brazilian in him after what he did to Jardine.

And now to the main event, before the fight I read a lot about how this fight was five years too late, how it will be two old men gassed by round two struggling to throw a punch without their zimoframes and yorkshire terriers, but what a show two legends of the sport put on.

Back and forth in the first round, Nog getting slightly better of the striking and then Nog just dominated him. But Randy kept fighting, where lesser men (me included) would've given up Randy kept fighting getting out of Nogs dars/anaconda choke and getting back to his feet.

So what was the event missing, well as my title suggests I would've loved to have seen a gorilla playing a banjo at some point in the evening although I did see Brock who is basically a shaved gorilla however there was no banjo in sight.

Also would've loved to have seen the ring girls topless, Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan go at it halfway through the Nog-Randy fight, and a Pride-style brawl after the Maia Marquart fight with Shane Carwin taking Mark Coleman's place and Pride Wandy being replaced by the older English speaking Wandy—and this time if Carwin stood on his throat it would break his neck.

Although I wish that on no man apart from Frank Mir and Josh Koscheck.

PEACE!

Second Ever Edition of Coin Toss Predictions Saved by UFC 102 Prelims

Daniel Sadler — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:01:15 -0400

Well UFC 102 is in the books, and what an event.

This is how it works. The fighter with the most wins becomes heads and the fighter with the least wins becomes tails. Simple huh?

Here are my predictions, written on August 12.

UFC 102

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (H) Vs. Randy Couture (T): It comes up tails, a win for Randy. Unfortunately got that one wrong, so 0-1.

Keith Jardine (H) Vs. Thiago Silva (T): It comes up heads, a win for the dean of mean. Another wrong prediction, so 0-2.

Chris Leben (H) Vs. Jake Rosholt (T): Tails, a win for Rosholt. The coin saves me there 1-2.

Nate Marquart (H) Vs. Demain Maia (T): Heads, Marquart gives Maia his first loss ever. The coin didn't predict anything about a punch that would send Maia spiralling headfirst into the floor but still got that one right 2-2.

Brandon Vera (T) Vs. Krysztof Soszynski (H): Heads, the Ultimate Fighter season Nine participant beats the Truth. Got that one wrong 2-3.

Preliminary Bouts

Gabriel Gonzaga (T) Vs. Chris Tushscherer (H): Tails: A correct prediction 3-3.

Justin McCully (T) Vs. Mike Russow (H): Tails: Got that one wrong 3-4.

Tim Hague (H) Vs. Todd Duffee (T): Tails: A correct prediction 4-4.

Nick Catone (H) Vs. Mark Munoz (T): Tails: Correct 5-4

Ed Herman (H) Vs. Aaron Simpson (T): Heads: Wrong 5-5

Marcus Aurelio (H) Vs. Evan Dunham (T): Heads: Unfortunately wrong so just under .500 with 5-6.

Well there you have it, not too bad and could've been a lot worse. That adds to my total record of 8-8, so overall quite even but with UFC 103 surely it will improve.

Look out for my UFC 103 coin toss predictions, I've flipped my coin and I predict you will join me again. Muahahahaha.

MMA Hot Topics: Why The UFC Should Kick Dana White

Daniel Sadler — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:44:37 -0400

Welcome to the first in my upcoming series of articles called Hot Topics, not because I'm writing them in the summer but because they are the most disputed arguments in the world of MMA.

My first topic, Dana White, and what a place to start. I have great respect for Dana White, whom I credit for making the UFC and MMA what it is today.

However, I have a few negative points against the UFC's enigmatic president.

Firstly, White is holding the UFC back, not through his lack of leadership but because of his antics at press conferences.

White is one of the few businessmen with power who speak their mind, but there is a reason you won't find Roger Goodell saying that the AFL is smalltime. It just isn't done, even if it is true.

A spiderman quote comes to mind: "With great power comes great responsibility." Obviously, White has no idea how to conduct himself sportingly around the media. He seems to speak before he thinks.

White seems to think the UFC is so big that he can't be challenged.

But if White thinks the UFC is so bulletproof why doesn't he schedule his events to coincide with big events (not boxing) and then see how the UFC does?

Even if Fedor V Brock went up against the Superbowl the MMA event would be killed.

But you can't insult every organization out there all at once.

Dana White has insulted EA Sports, NFL, Strikeforce, Affliction and his most sought after trophy—Fedor. And he seriously believes this is the way to do business, and most of the time the other organizations act sporting and make White look (as we would say where I'm from) a mug.

Dana will continue acting cocky until he comes up against an organization that is much bigger than him, and can be bothered to destroy him.

The Fedor issue is an interesting and important one, why wont he sign with the UFC?

"Doesn't want to be beaten," claim some committed UFC fans. "His management team wants the UFC to build a stadium in Russia."

The real reason is that Dana White has insulted Fedor. Fedor is a man who deals on respect, he respects his opponents and they respect him. Dana White bad-mouthed him saying "he is scared," and thus Fedor lost his respect for him.

As the UFC looks to transform into a mainstream sport that can rival the NFL, NBA, and MLB they need to dispell the common perception that the sport is "human cockfighting."

Having a megalomaniac leader who insults everyone outside UFC is not the way to go about it.

Well that's my first article in the hot topics collection. I await your reaction.

Look out for my next article: Hot Topics: Is Fedor Ducking The UFC?

The Second Ever Edition of Coin Toss Predictions: UFC 102

Daniel Sadler — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:18:55 -0400

I have seen that a lot of writers on here make predictions for the UFC events based on the fighters skills and the matchup itself.

But they don't know the best method for predicting the winner of MMA fights: tossing a coin!

This is how it works. The fighter with the most wins becomes heads and the fighter with the least wins becomes tails. Simple huh?

UFC 102

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira(H) Vs. Randy Couture(T): It comes up tails, a win for Randy.

Keith Jardine(H) Vs. Thiago Silva(T): It comes up heads, a win for the dean of mean.

Chris Leben(H) Vs. Jake Rosholt(T): Tails, a win for Rosholt.

Nate Marquart(H) Vs. Demain Maia(T): Heads, Marquart gives Maia his first loss ever.

Brandon Vera(T) Vs. Krysztof Soszynski(H): Heads, the Ultimate Fighter season Nine participant beats the Truth.

Preliminary Bouts

Gabriel Gonzaga(T) Vs. Chris Tushscherer(H): Tails

Justin McCully(T) Vs. Mike Russow(H): Tails

Tim Hague(H) Vs. Todd Duffee(T): Tails

Nick Catone(H) Vs. Mark Munoz(T): Tails

Ed Herman(H) Vs. Aaron Simpson(T): Heads

Marcus Aurelio(H) Vs. Evan Dunham(T): Heads

There you go, looking to build on my 3-2 success at UFC 101 (didn't do the prelims), the coin doesn't lie. I'm looking forward to improving to 14-2 by Aug. 30. PEACE!

Anderson Silva & UFC: Hangs Up His Gloves Way Too Soon

Daniel Sadler — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:12:47 -0400

Anderson Silva has publically stated that he wants to retire from the UFC when his contract is up (three fights remaining). This leaves the UFC in a tough position and if this is true it leaves fight fans wanting more.

If these are his true intentions the UFC are in a tough spot. Do they continue matchmaking Anderson with fighters that fit in scheduling wise and marketing wise or do they save him for special events (new years events, superbowl weekend ad landmark shows)?

Do they make him defend his middleweight championship against Dan Henderson and use up a third of his remaining fights on a fight that isn't that great? Or do they just persue superfight after superfight to consolidate the legacy of Anderson Silva.

Every fight fan wants to see Anderson V Lyoto, Anderson V GSP, and Anderson V Couture more than Anderson V anyone in the middleweight division (including Hendo). And it is down to the UFC to decide whether to continue like Anderson isn't retiring or change their plans accordingly.

For example, Anderson V Wandy at a catchweight is a rumour I have heard for UFC 105 but surely although every fight fan would love to see this fight it isn't as big a draw as either of the three match-ups above. And therefore the UFC wouldn't risk a massive payday on this.

Everyday new information comes out about this proposed retirement plans, he wants to fight Roy Jones Jr in a boxing ring or he wants to return to Curitiba permentally are the main two. If (big if) this rumour is true the UFC will lose the best fighter they have ever had way before they should and will eliminate so many match-ups fight fans would love to see.

Even With Weight Discrepancies, the Wait for a Silva Showdown May Be Over Soon

Daniel Sadler — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:20:31 -0400

During Rich Franklin's preparation for his UFC 99 match-up against 'The Axe Murderer' Wanderlei Silva he enlisted the help of middleweight champion Anderson Silva, whose sparring matches with the long time Pride champion are legendary.

This created a mini-rivalry between Wandy and Anderson.

The UFC would love to do this fight—two of the most exciting fighters who have a history but have never fought each over.

However as Wandy has started his drop from LHW to MW Anderson has started his transition from MW to LHW. However there is a rumour circulating that Anderson is contemplating a permanent move to the larger weight class.

This would seem to scrap any chances of Wandy vs. Anderson, but in reality this makes the fight even more possible. In his UFC 99 Wandy seemed like the weight cut might have affected him more than he thought so another fight at a catchweight of 195 lbs would do him good.

Anderson seems to easily gain weight to get to his natural 205lb weight so there is no need for him to fight Wandy right? Why doesn't he just fight a top ranked LHW?

Well the answer to that is scheduling, the only fighters ranked above Forrest are Rampage, Rashad, Shogun and Lyoto.

Lyoto vs. Shogun is scheduled for UFC 104 so it would appear that neither of them would be available until at least UFC 108 whereas Rampage vs. Rashad is scheduled for UFC 107 so the earliest for them would be UFC 111. Anderson can and should fight way before these fighters are available.

Anderson could remain at middleweight and defend his title a few times but if this rumour is true he seems to be bored of that division. So fighting Wandy is a possibility, both scheduling (Wandy looks like he is fighting at either UFC 105 or 106 which is perfect for Anderson) and as a draw (the fight would be a great draw) because of the latter it would appear to be more likely for UFC 105 in Manchester, this is because the UFC have stated that they want to put on a spectacle for the English fans and this would be the obvious main event leaving Bisping and Hardy on the undercard.

If (a big if) this rumour is true this match-up would be one of the most hyped fights in the UFC and would be a Brazilian version of Couture vs. Liddell.

Silva at The Top Of The Mountain But Who's Getting Their Sherpas Ready?

Daniel Sadler — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:53:50 -0400

Wow! *Followed by long silence* F****** hell.

My reaction to Anderson's display against Forrest last night at UFC 101. Any doubts after his two previous lackluster performances were gone just about when he did the Ali shuffle.

Anderson has put himself at the top of the mountain as P4P best fighter in dramatic fashion against someone I personally and a lot of people thought would be his hardest challenge.

But now we have to look to the future and who could possibly dethrone him at the top of the mountain:

Georges St Pierre

GSP currently is the closest fighter to Anderson not because of style but because of dominance. GSP dominates the welterweight division similar to how Anderson dominates his middleweight division and now seemingly the lightheavyweight division. Also along with Anderson GSP is believed to the be the other unbeatable fighter in the UFC so a clash of the unbeatables would be a spectacle.

Advantage Challenger

GSP posseses the main thing that can challenge Anderson, great takedowns and a punishing ground and pound game when he is on top. Also GSP seems to highlight a fighters weakness and use it against them more so than any fighter except maybe Randy Couture so it would be interesting to see if he could figure out how to beat "The Spider."

Advantage Champion

Anderson has the best striking in the UFC hands-down and if he can stay on his feet it seems like only a matter of time until he would knock GSP down. GSP has not came up against anyone he couldn't take down and if Anderson can advoid the takedown for the first few rounds the fight would be his. Also Anderson is the bigger man and therefore has the natural strength advantage.

Verdict

Anderson has the stand-up advantage but GSP's takedowns are just too good, he would be able to take Anderson down and ground and pound him for three rounds. However if the fight is a five round fight I give the Advantage to Anderson because it will only be a matter of time until GSP has to stand with him and then he will go the same way as Forrest Griffin.

Lyoto Machida

Although Anderson said he would never fight his training partner and his friend Lyoto Machida Dana White said that even though they are friends the fight will have to happen if Anderson wins a few more times at LHW and Lyoto retains his title.

Advantage Challenger

No one has figured out Lyoto's unorthodox striking and he has breezed through top contenders in the LHW division. Lyoto's counter striking will play against Anderson who likes to see gaps and exploit them in fighters that techniques aren't great but Lyoto seems too technically sound to get caught like Leben or Forrest did.

Advantage Champion

Lyoto would strike with Anderson and this plays into Anderson's hands as he loves to strike with people and he usuall gets the better of them, however I'm not sure he will be able to get the best of Lyoto's striking. While Anderson seemingly has no one in the middleweight division to worry about Lyoto has many LHW's that are put a bullseye on him this could cause him to be fatigued because of him defending his title so much.

Verdict

Striking would be very even, maybe the slight edge to Lyoto, we haven't seem Lyoto's ground game so it is hard to determine who has the edge on the ground. This fight could go either way.

Rashad Evans

Former champion Rashad Evans would be a tough test against the Spider, a extremely effective counter puncher with great takedowns and power in both hands.

Advantage Challenger

With the strength advantage Rashad should be able to take down Anderson but Rashad isn't really effective enough in the guard to trouble Anderson on the ground. Rashad has the advantage on punching power and if he hit you with the shot he hit Chuck with I dare anyone to stay standing after that.

Advantage Champion

Anderson technically is the better striker and on the ground he shouldn't be troubled by Rashad. Also Anderson isn't a fighter to make mistakes and leave themself open and that is typically what counter punchers like Rashad rely on.

Verdict

Anderson would knock out Rashad if they fought, most likely quite early. Rashad can't hang with Anderson when standing.

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson

Another former champion comes knocking at the door of Anderson, Rampage has possibly the hardest punch of anyone in the LHW division and he has used that lately to knock out Anderson's long time friend Wanderlei Silva in dramatic fashion.

Advantage Challenger

Rampage is one of the strongest LHW's in the UFC and has enough power to knock anyone out at any given time. Also he has good boxing technique and seems to have learnt how to hit someone and cover up in his previous encounter something he hadn't really done before in his career.

Advantage Champion

We saw against Forrest that Rampage's main weakness is leg kicks, Forrest basically destroyed Rampage's shins and Anderson should have better leg kicks coming from a muay thai background. Also in his Pride days Rampage feared the thai clinch after Wanderlei imprinted it on his mind literally and we all know how good Anderson's clinch is (ask Rich Franklin.)

Verdict

Unless Rampage is able to hit Anderson really hard the fight can only go one way, Anderson will just pick apart Rampage to the point where his legs are destroyed and he is in the clinch.

Dan Henderson

The only person to hold Pride Championships in two weight classes Hendo has great wrestling with an especially powerful right hand to go along with it. They have fought before and Anderson submitted Dan with a rear naked choke in the second round.

Advantage Challenger

Dan Henderson has done arguably the best against Anderson when he won the first round in their encounter, he has the power in his hands to knockout Anderson if he gets close enough and he has the strong wrestling to take him down.

Advantage Champion

Anderson has the mental advantage, already beating Henderson. Anderson has the striking advantage and should be able to pick Hendo apart just like he did in their first encounter.

Verdict

This fight is as straight forward to call as any other, Anderson beat him once......he will beat him again.

Shogun Rua

Our final challenger is Shogun Rua, he has earned a title shot at UFC 104 against Lyoto by knocking out fighters that should retire.

Advantage Challenger

Shogun has the tools to trouble Anderson if he can strike like he did in Pride, with his great use of kicks, knees, and elbows, but we haven't seen any of that in the UFC yet.

Advantage Champion

Shogun has made a career in the UFC by knocking out fighters that are long in the tooth, unfortunately for Shogun Silva is possibly at his best at the moment and should easily dominate all areas the fight goes.

Verdit

I can see this fight go only one way a W for Anderson.

So these are the possible fighters that could dethrone Anderson however it will be extremely difficult for any of them to do so. The two fighters with the most chance of beating Anderson is GSP and Lyoto however it will be hard for either of them to do anyway.

"The reign of Lyoto being the most feared fighter in the UFC is over before he could even defend his title. Long live King Anderson!!"

Coin Toss Predictions Are Extremely Accurate

Daniel Sadler — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 11:31:48 -0400

Well UFC 101 is in the books and my first ever edition of coin toss predictions (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/221450-the-first-ever-edition-of-coin-toss-predictions-ufc-101?=related-tabs) was quite successful and accurate. Here were my predictions:

Neer to win: Unfortunately got that one wrong.

Almeida to win: When the coin predicted this I was skeptical but it proved me wrong.

Hendricks to win: Even the coin can predict an upset.

Silva to win: The coin predicted Anderson's win although it said nothing about the Ali shuffle?

Florian to win: Unfortunately the coin was wrong, Penn retained its title.

So there you have it 3-2. Not a bad record so far for a coin! Stay tuned for my UFC 102 Coin Toss Predictions!

Why We Shouldn't Be Surprised Fedor Emelianenko Didn't Sign with the UFC

Daniel Sadler — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 07:57:23 -0400

After Affliction's collapse, I had deja vu: Fedor Emelianenko, possibly the greatest MMA fighter in the history of the sport, was a free agent. The greatest MMA organization in the history of the sport seemed likely to strike up a deal that would be the greatest MMA deal ever.

Just like in 2007, when Pride was bought by the UFC, the best fighter ever, Fedor Emelianenko, couldn't reach an agreement. But we shouldn't be surprised by this.

The phrase "history repeats itself" applies to this situation. There are many comparisons to this in the history of the world. For example, in 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia while still at war with Great Britain, which was his downfall—which was repeated by Hitler in 1941.

This does show that history repeats itself, and we were all foolish to expect Fedor to sign with the UFC, especially after seeing what transpired the first time a deal was expected to be made in 2007.

Rumors flew around in 2007 about why Fedor didn't sign; his management team demanding that UFC build a stadium in Russia was a personal favorite.

The same thing happened this year, with the general consensus being that the reason Fedor didn't sign with the UFC was because they wouldn't do a deal unless M-1 co-promoted with the UFC, something Dana White did and should obviously decline.

We can't be sure what the terms of the deal were. They could've been what the UFC speculated them to be—six fights, $30 million—or they could be something completely different. We shouldn't jump to conclusions as to why Fedor didn't sign; we should just accept it and get on with our MMA lives.

I’m sure if Strikeforce goes down, Fedor won't sign with the UFC because of some ridiculous claims of what his team wants in return, like he will only sign if the UFC allows him to use a sledgehammer in all of his fights.

My point is that Fedor won't sign with the UFC ever, because he is the final jewel in the UFC's crown, the one fighter that the UFC wants so desperately but cannot get.

He will end his career fighting at small events all over the world, while the UFC will continue their dominance in the MMA world and end up with a deal with ESPN.

The 10 Most Anticipated Fights After UFC 100

Daniel Sadler — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:03:43 -0400

Well UFC 100 is in the books and fight rumours are swirling more violently than puppies in a blender. Here is my top 10 list of fights after UFC 100* that I am most looking forward to. Please feel free to comment. PEACE!

*-Events are UFC 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 and 108

10—Vitor Belfort Vs Rich Franklin (UFC 103)

The main event for UFC 103 comes in at No. 10, the UFC's latest signing Vitor Belfort will test himself against Rich Franklin as he continues his limbo between 185 and 205lbs. The fight will be fought at a catch weight being the UFC wanting Franklin to fight as light-heavyweight and Belfort to contend in the middleweight division.

This fight has all the makings of being a great tactical fight with neither fighter having any significant weaknesses.

Prediction—Franklin by unanimous decision

9—Junior dos Santos Vs Mirko Cro Cop (UFC 103)

The co-main event for UFC 103, is an exciting match-up between two top 10 heavyweights. Cro Cop is known for his devastating leg and head kicks and Junior dos Santos is known for his extremely heavy hands. Its the classic match-up of a kickboxer against a boxer.

Prediction—Junior dos Santos by knockout R2

8—BJ Penn Vs Kenny Florian (UFC 101 For Lightweight Championship)

The main event for UFC 101, finally Kenny Florian will have the title shot he has been aiming at since his loss to Sean Sherk. BJ Penn is trying to show that he is king of the lightweights—but he has to stay at 155 to do this, and Florian is his first test after his GSP superfight.

Expect the winner to face off against Diego Sanchez near the end of the year.

Prediction—Kenny Florian by Knockout R4

7—Shane Carwin Vs Cain Velasquez (UFC 104)

Carwin Vs Velasquez at UFC 104 is the co-main event and the winner will face Brock Lesnar in his first title defence. Both fighters are unbeaten with Carwin being 11-0 and Velasquez being 6-0.

This will be the hardest test for both fighters and it will be interesting how both fighters have improved since their last fights considering who the winner faces next.

Prediction—Shane Carwin by Knockout R1

6—Anderson Silva Vs Dan Henderson (Not Confirmed)

Even if Anderson loses to Forrest he will have to defend his title against Henderson who recently knocked out Michael Bisping at UFC 100 in dramatic fashion to get his title shot.

Henderson is the only person to give Silva any trouble in the UFC currently. However, after winning the first round in their first fight Hendo was knocked out in the second. And I can't see this fight going any differently.

Prediction—Anderson Silva by Knockout R3

5—Michael Bisping Vs Wanderlei Silva (Not Confirmed)

Although not confirmed, there are some rumours flying around that Bisping Vs Wandy will headline UFC 105 in Manchester. And what good news, every fight Wanderlei Silva has been in has been exciting!

It will be interesting to see how Bisping copes with his loss to Hendo at UFC 100, as well as facing a tougher opponent in Wanderlei.

Prediction—Wanderlei Silva by Knockout R1

4—Randy Couture Vs Antonio Nogueira (UFC 102)

The heavyweight match-up fight fans have been waiting to see for years! Randy Couture has been long considered the best heavyweight in the UFC, and even though he lost his last fight to eventual champion Brock Lesnar he is still one of the best in the game.

At the same time Randy was dominating the UFC heavyweight division Antonio Nogueira was dominating Pride's heavyweight division and making a name for himself as one of the toughest Mixed Martial Artists in any division.

Excluding Fedor, he had only lost to Josh Barnett and Dan Henderson until his UFC 92 encounter with Frank Mir, which was the first time he has ever been knocked out.

Prediction—Randy by split decision

3—Forrest Griffin Vs Anderson Silva (UFC 101)

The co-main event for UFC 101 this Saturday, but in my opinion it has the potential to be a better fight than the main event. I am not joking—and I don't say this a lot—but this fight has all the potential for being fight of the year.

It's a case of the best technical fighter in the UFC (except maybe Lyoto Machida) against one of the most loved UFC fighters of all time, someone who is known for his tenacity and never quit attitude.

Prediction—Anderson Silva by knockout R3

2—Lyoto Machida Vs Shogun Rua (UFC 104)

Once considered the top 205lb'er in the world, Shogun Rua is riding a two fight win streak—including a lackluster knockout against ancient Mark Coleman, and a first round knockout over-becoming ancient Chuck Liddel.

Now he faces the man many people believe can't be beaten, Lyoto Machida is unbeaten and at UFC 98 showed his true class at the big stage by knocking out then champion Rashad Evans in the second round. But the way the belt keeps changing hands and due to his dangerous striking you can't rule out Shogun.

Prediction- Lyoto Machida by Knockout R3

1—Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Vs Rashad Evans (UFC 107)

The bad blood between these two spilled over at UFC 96 when Rampage beat Keith Jardine there was a face-off in the ring. The battle was hyped for UFC 100 for the title.

But a Frank Mir injury and an offer to coach Season 10 of the Ultimate Fighter means we have to wait until December to see these two square off in what's sure to be an all-out war.

The hatred between these two will only worsen during the season of the Ultimate Fighter and will help build up what is sure to be an exciting fight.

Prediction- Rampage by Knockout R3

The World Of MMA Is Greatly Affected By Fedor-Strikeforce Deal

Daniel Sadler — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:55:33 -0400

It didn't take Fedor Emelianenko long to find a home, after the demise of Affliction and fruitless negotiations with Dana White Fedor has now signed with Strikeforce.

The signing resembles the Albert Haynesworth signing this offseason by the Washington Redskins where a mediocre team goes out and signs the best player available except Fedor isn't getting near $100 million and while we wait to see how that move will affect them lets analysise how this news will affect MMA as a whole.

Firstly lets look at Strikeforce. The signing of Fedor improves Strikeforce's marketing power and sets them up as the comfortale runner up to the UFC in the battle of MMA organizations in North America.

The problem with organizations that don't have many fighters is that they can't adapt to injuries or suspensions (Affliction) and lose business and money and eventually crumble at the feet of Dana White and the UFC's larger roster of well known stars. With probably the exception of Brett Rogers and Alistair Overeem no fighters in the Strikeforce roster at heavyweight are even close to being ready both marketably and physically to fighting Fedor.

Compared to the UFC-Fedor, negotiations Strikeforce have a lot less to lose than the UFC does if they signed him, if Fedor signed for the UFC and was beaten in his first fight they would've made a huge investment for someone who failed to live up to the hype while Strikeforce's future doesn't rely on Fedor winning, only on him fighting and then re-signing with them.

Now who could Fedor fight in his first fight for Strikeforce? Fedor has said that he will fight in the fall, this means that Fedor could fight in the Strikeforce show after Carano vs. Cyborg. This means that both Alistair Overeem and Brett Rogers are posibilities most likely Strikeforce will try to do Overeem vs. Fedor because Brett Rogers seems to be the future of the organization and Overeem and Fedor have never fought before.

However, they could make him fight Rogers just because Overeem is the biggest threat to Fedors 'invincibilty.'

Now lets look at what Strikeforce have to do to get the most out of their investment in Fedor, firstly they have to have him fight their top two fighters (Overeem and Rogers) and if they can they could also bring in someone for him to fight.

Also if Fedor wins the title they have to keep hold of him, nothing's worse for an organization when a fighter comes in takes the belt then goes away and a interim title has to be made, especially if that guy's Fedor because not many people will be able to take that belt back from him.

Also they have to put out their best fighters for every show, putting on great fights brings you notoriety and that in turn brings in more high-profile fighters and more sales thus expanding your company. And most importantly learn from Afflictions mistakes, don't pay one fighter the same amount as your total gate (Arlovski at Affliction:Day of Reckoning) and make sure you have a big enough roster to adapt when things out of your control go wrong (suspensions, injuries).

And please, if you want to become mainstream like the UFC is transitioning into please drop women fighters, and this isn't me being sexist I think Cyborg and Carano are skilled fighters and I respect them for that but there is something off-putting when two women are fighting and I think Strikeforce are using it as a gimmick to create sales.

This move affects Dana White and the UFC both short-term and long-term. Firstly short-term it stops possibily the greatest MMA fighter ever fighting in the largest organization in the world.

Secondly it destroys the UFC's plan for a Fedor-Lesnar superfight. Thirdly fighters (especially heavyweights) will now look to Strikeforce as a viable alternative to the UFC without having to go abroad. It also affects them in the long term as Strikeforce now has the fighters and marketability to co-exist with the UFC on a long-term scale.

Secondly, Dana White's big personality will rub a lot of fighters the wrong way leading to them abandoning the UFC for Strikeforce further growing the organization. Thirdly, Strikeforce has a better relationship with other organizations which could lead to joint organizational events which could rival UFC events.

So there you have it Fedor is with Strikeforce, will this impact MMA forever... no. Will it cause Dana White to hate himself because he realised he couldn't sign Fedor... no.

Will it cause the UFC to disband realising that Strikeforce with Fedor is now the supreme ruler of MMA... no. Will any Strikeforce event be anywhere near UFC 100... no.

Will Fedor cement himself as the best fighter ever at Strikeforce... no. Will Brock Lesnar leave the UFC to fight Fedor... no. Will Fedor resign after his three fights are up... prob not. Does Dana White look back at old UFC videos and wish he still had hair... oh yes.

So all in all the Fedor-Strikeforce partnership will affect MMA in no major way and will only serve in history as that orgnization Fedor went to before he fought in the UFC. Peace Out!

MMA Fighters Fans Love To Love?

Daniel Sadler — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:41:00 -0400

Just finished my article on fighters people love to hate and I kept thinking of fighters who everyone loves and I thought I would release a list the opposite of my earlier article.

10-Mirko Cro Cop

Mirko has developed a massive following stretching from Eastern Europe to Asia and to North America, he is loved by the followers of Pride who love him because of his vicious kicks. Many a time has he delivered his left leg to the head of an opponent only for the opponent to crubble to the floor moments after. He has beaten big name Pride fighters such as Josh Barnett and Wanderlei Silva, although he is 2-2 in the UFC at the moment losing to Cheick Kongo and Gabe Gonzaga. But still at UFC 99 the chants of 'Mirko' rang through the arena and will continue to ring through the arena at UFC 103 when he faces the dangerous striker Junior Dos Santos. To decribe in a few words: Legs like tree trunks.

9-Clay Guida

In a relatively short time in the octagon Clay 'The Carpenter' Guida has developed a reputation and a huge fan following. In 9 UFC fights Guida has won three fight of the nights and every fight he has been in has been entertaining. Some people say the UFC doesn't need wrestlers because of their 'boring' style but Guida brings a new dimension to wrestling with his relentless dirty boxing and relentless takedowns. I have been round UFC novices who have found themselves chanting 'Guida' just because of his fight style. This was evident in his fight against Diego Sanchez where although he was losing the crowd were cheering for him. To describe in one word: Relentless

8-Rich Franklin

Who doesn't love Rich Franklin and his Jim Carey looking face? From the days of joking about on Ultimate Fighter to his true respect for the superior fighter, Anderson Silva. My first memory of Rich Franklin was jokingly promoting xyience on the Ultimate Fighter and I fell in the love with the man from then. To his comments on his forehead cut during a round break and his true love for the sport, it is hard to find a bad thing to say about Rich Franklin. Rich epitomizes the true MMA fighter, highly skilled with great respect for their opponent. To describe in a few words: A true professional

7- Anderson Silva

Everyone loves Anderson, he is pound for pound the best fighter in the world in my opinion. He seemingly has no flaw, but even great fighters can be hated the reason why Anderson isn't is because of his gentlemanly attitude in the octagon. Anderson never hypes the fight like he wants revenge on any fighter he hypes the fight like it is a challenge and usually he uses the words "worthy challenge." This shows Anderson's true nature, a truly kind hearted man who just happens to knock people out as his job. To describe in a few words: The epitome of an MMA fighter.

6- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Every fan loves a fighter that can take punishment and keep on coming, well Nogueira is the best example of that kind of a fighter. Well known in his Pride days for taking whatever was thrown at him and keeping on coming forward, Nogueira has developed a massive fan following through Pride and the UFC. Some of the shots Nog has took through his career has led to his massive following. To describe in a few words: Hard like a rock.

5- Georges StPierre

The undisputed king of the welterweights, Georges StPierre is in some people's eyes the best fighter pound for pound in the world. He has no weaknesses, he can beat a strong striker on his feet or can takedown a strong wrestler. GSP's fan base is huge, he has been voted Canadian athlete of the year (although that's not that much of a complement) and he is in the top three most marketable fighters in the UFC. To describe in a few words: Seemingly unbeatable

4- Chuck Liddell

Anyone who knows MMA or UFC more specifically knows who Chuck Liddell is. Arguably the fighter along with Randy Couture who brought the UFC into the publics eye. With his classic blue flame shorts and his unique haircut, Chuck Liddell is the classic MMA fighter. He has beaten everyone there is to beat in MMA (except maybe Rampage, sorry to bring that up Chuck,) and has done it in dramatic fashion, mostly by knockouts. He has had some epic wars, the Randy-Liddell trilogy comes to mind and his battle against Wanderlei Silva also comes to mind. To describe in a few words: The most important UFC fighter ever.

3- Fedor Emelianenko

The golden boy of Affliction and basically the fighter Dana White would most like to see sign with the UFC. The No. 1 ranked heavyweight fighter in the world is a true fan favourite, not because of where he is from or what he says but because of what he does in the ring. A MMA record of 30-1 Fedor is arguably the most accomplished fighter in the history of MMA. Fedor has all the tools, strong, deadly punches and a devastating ground game. Everyone, me included, would love to see him face off against Brock Lesnar some time soon and hopefully that will happen. To describe in a few words: The Last Emperor.

2- Wanderlei Silva

'The Axe Murderer' is one of the few fighters you can honestly say have never had a boring fights. Know for his extremely aggressive fighting style Wanderlei has beaten some of the biggest names in MMA. Even when Wanderlei doesn't win a fight, he still impresses a lot of people with his heart and determination. Silva has been in some absolute wars, the Chuck Liddell fight comes to mind, and is the fighter with arguably the biggest fan base in MMA.To describe in a few words: Fights like a mad dog.

1- Randy Couture

And now to No. 1 and no one is more deserving, 'The Natural' is an American hero. So many times he has been counted out against fighters who are bigger and stronger only for him to beat them and beat them comfortably. Couture also helped bring the UFC to a mainstream audience by being one of the coaches on the first season of the Ultimate Fighter next to Liddell. Couture was the first fighter to hold two titles in two weight classes, the only other man being BJ Penn, and is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame. Couture is a true warrior, beating fighters who are half his age and have a large weight advantage and winning. He is still fighting even at 46 and his next fight is against Nogueira at UFC 102. To describe in a few words- The greatest fighter in UFC history.

Honorable Mentions- Forrest Griffin, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua, Dan Henderson,

After Brock Lesnar's Antics, Who Are the Most Hated UFC Fighters?

Daniel Sadler — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:18:50 -0400

With Brock Lesnar's antics fresh in our ears and BJ Penn looking past Kenny Florian to a rematch with GSP, I have been asked to compile a list of the top 10 most hated MMA fighters of all time.

10. Royce Gracie

Firstly before you bite my head off, let me explain myself. I have found that back in the early days of the UFC, Royce Gracie was both loved by knowledgeable MMA fans who appreciated his effective jiu-jitsu, but he was also hated by the larger percentage of UFC fans who didn't know anything about MMA and just wanted to see two people punch each other for as long as possible.

Also after doing research into the matter I have found some modern day MMA fans accusing Royce of being cocky and of not letting submissions go even after the person has tapped, although we do see this from a lot of fighters who like to make sure that the referee knows the opponent has tapped, after watching some of Royce's fights he seems to hold on because of sheer anger rather than referee incompetence.

9. Bobby Southworth

I assure you this is all my idea. I absolutely hated Bobby Southworth on the first Ultimate Fighter, his antics in the house (mostly towards Chris Leben) and his disrespect for Dana White both led to him being the fighter I absolutely despise.

Firstly, I have no respect for a fighter that makes whines as much as he did, but add that to call Leben a fatherless b**** just takes the cake. He was the only blemish on a season of the Ultimate Fighter, which I liked every other fighter.

8. Karo Parisyan

Karo is arguably the best judo practitioner in the UFC and has had some amazing fights, the fight against Diego Sanchez comes to mind, but he also has an excuse for everything.

For example, in the Sanchez fight, he claimed he had been poked in the eye, when he actually broke his orbital bone and you could see that he went down not because of a poke to the eye but due to injury.

Also, mess ups like his unique concoction of painkillers that got him suspended for nine months lead to him being seriously disliked.

7. Diego Sanchez

The Ultimate Fighter Season One middleweight winner deserves some respect for some awesome fights and for some awesome knockouts. But there is one thing that gets under my skin, he treats every fighter he faces like they are enemies rather than just competitors, although this added intensity can lead to a better fight, Sanchez-Guida for example.

It does get tiring after a while and screaming 'YES' when he walks into the octagon is more confusing than it is funny and it is funny.

6. Diaz Brothers

Much like Diego Sanchez, the Diaz brothers are here because they take every fight like their opponent has killed their parents, and they don't seem to have any respect for their fellow competitors, leading them to be widely hated.

5. Tim Sylvia

One name that just kept coming up while I was doing my research, the 6'8" giant is truly hated by most UFC fans.

Mainly because he is one of the most appalling UFC champions of all time, he was champion when the UFC heavyweight division was stagnant and when a middle aged Randy Couture decided to return he was thoroughly beaten by the older, smaller man. Also the fact that he has no ground game doesn't help.

4. Michael Bisping

A name that kept coming up, especially after his knockout loss to Dan Henderson, Michael Bisping is often booed at UFC events, mainly because of him hailing from the UK but in UK UFC events its the complete opposite with him being hailed as the one true spark in UK MMA.

But coming from the UK myself I dislike Bisping, I agree that he has been given easy fights by the UFC and UK events have suffered from it. Bisping-Leben, who would pay for that PPV, the single worst event in UFC history.

3. BJ Penn

Currently instead of focusing on a tough contender, Kenny Florian, BJ is focusing on GSP and the rematch that I'm sure every MMA fan wants to see as much as Franklin-Hendo 2.

BJ is not entitled to fight GSP again, the current record against GSP is 0-2 so not really any point in having another match. I'm hoping BJ goes up to welterweight and is beaten by someone other than GSP so he realises he belongs in the lightweight division.

2. Tito Ortiz

The Huntington Beach Bad Boy who folds like a wet paper towel against any stiff opponents. Tito thinks he is great but doesn't realise he is far from it, he has been outclassed by Chuck Liddel, Randy Couture, Lyoto Machida and Chuck Liddel again.

His arrogance got on the nerves of the UFC, mainly Dana White, for then challenged him to a fight which Tito accepted but later backed down from. What kind of world class fighter would be scared to fight Dana White?

1. Brock Lesnar

Although Brock may not have had as much abuse as some of the other people on this list, considering the amount of time he has been in the UFC, he has had more than anyone.

Brock has had to endure countless experts counting him out, an embarrassing loss to Frank Mir resulting in more abuse from experts. And even when he win he still gets booed, although his reaction to the booing wasn't exactly the most gentlemanly, giving the whole crowd the middle finger, not good.

Personally, I love Brock and I was on the floor laughing when he had a rant at Mir and the crowd, but apparently it rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, but I just couldn't stop laughing.

So there it is, if you would like to point out anyone I might have missed or dispute the order please feel free to comment.

The First Ever Edition of Coin Toss Predictions: UFC 101

Daniel Sadler — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:24:11 -0400

I have seen that a lot of writers on here make predictions for the UFC events based on the fighters skills and the matchup itself.

But they don't know the best method for predicting the winner of MMA fights: tossing a coin!

This is how it works. The fighter with the most wins becomes heads and the fighter with the least wins becomes tails. Simple huh?

UFC 101

BJ Penn Vs Kenny Florian—It comes up tails, we have a new champion.

Anderson Silva Vs Forrest Griffin—Heads, looks like a win for The Spider.

Amir Sadollah Vs Johny Hendricks—Heads, a win for Hendricks.

Kendall Grove Vs Ricardo Almeida—Tails, Almeida will get the win.

Josh Neer Vs Kurt Pellegrino—Heads, a win for Neer.

So there you have it. You have just experienced history, the first ever coin toss predictions article. Don't you feel special?

Please if you would like to comment, don't ask me how I know who is going to win. It's all in the coin!

My record: 0-0

Anderson Silva Vs Forrest Griffin, A Contender For Fight Of The Year?

Daniel Sadler — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:06:06 -0400

MMA fans might still be recovering from the UFC's landmark 100th event but there is a lot to still look forward to this year. Starting with the middleweight champion Anderson Silva going toe to toe against TUF one winner and former UFC light-heavyweight champion at UFC 101 on August 8th.

Although technically this fight is not the main event, it is a fight that most MMA fans will look forward to more than Penn Vs Florian.

Anderson Silva's current nine fight win streak is impressive (a UFC record), but his last two fights have lead to doubt in Anderson's drive and hunger to compete and entertain since he has done so much in the UFC.

Anderson and the UFC had many oppurtunities to go in a variety of directions, continue fighting at 185 and defend against the multiple number one contenders, fight against GSP in a superfight or continue to fight at light-heavyweight hopefully leading to a Silva-Machida superfight.

But coming off two lackluster performances the marketability for superfights wasn't there, so the UFC seemingly handed Anderson a bone by giving him Forrest Griffin at UFC 101. While many people are already looking at who else Anderson has to beat until he fights Machida, you cannot underestimate Forrest.

Forrest-Anderson stylistically matches up in favour for Anderson because finally after two hesitant challengers he will finally have a fighter that will stand and bang with him, much like Rich Franklin, and we all know what happened to him. However, Forrest is different, while Rich is more technical and calculated, much like Anderson himself, Forrest is much more unpredictable. Forrest also has a major advantage over Silva, which is strength. If Forrest can use his strength he should be able to negate Anderson's muay thai clinch or at least slow it down.

Although the winner of this fight isn't as clear cut as some people believe, it is guaranteed to be a stand up affair between two of the best fighters in the world, and has the potential to take fight of the year away from Guida-Sanchez.

My prediction- An absolute war, and frankly as long as it's a good fight I don't mind who wins.

Michael Bisping Took His Licking, But May Keep Ticking as a UFC 105 Headliner

Daniel Sadler — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:28:46 -0400

It's no secret Dana White and the UFC were spoon-feeding Michael Bisping before his UFC 100 encounter and subsquent knockout loss to Dan Henderson. The obvious lack of talent of Bisping's past opponents was his undoing, apart from maybe the Rashad fight (avoid the takedown) and the Leben fight (aviod Leben), Bisping has never had to devise a gameplan that would play to his strengths and his opponents weaknesses, hence why he kept circling to Henderson's main weapon, his right hand.

A win for Bisping would've guaranteed a title shot against Anderson Silva at UFC 105 in Manchester, and it would finally be the event the UFC always hoped to put on in the UK but never had a British fighter close enough to a title shot.

Now there are many rumours floating around but one thing is certain Bisping is fighting at UFC 105, whether or not he has to fight Leben again remains to be seen!

The UFC underestimates the UK fan base, there are some die-hard UFC fans in the UK and the UFC needs to realise that Bisping doesn't have to headline and win for the sport to grow.

Being from the UK myself, ofcourse I love to see Bisping win in any fight and I would've loved to see him fight Anderson Silva but Bisping isn't my favourite fighter, far from it and I would prefer to see a good fight rather than a Bisping love fest from the UFC.

I recommend to the UFC that they should have Bisping fighting at UFC 105, as the main event, Bisping should fight someone else who is high profile. Bisping will only get fans if he beats high profile fighters, or has some spectacular knockouts or if he is all out wars. My recommendation for the UFC is to put Bisping in at UFC 105 against Wanderlei Silva.

Not only would Bisping be going against a well-known fighter with a huge fan base but he would also be going up against the most relentless fighter in MMA history, it would be a true test for Bisping and if somehow he was able to overcome Wandy his fan base and the UFC fan base in the UK would grow dramatically.

Some of you might ask if Bisping has been spoon-fed and now that he lost, should he fight tougher opponents? But the UFC now has three prominent UK fighters to market as well in Pearson, Hardy and Wilks, so now they don't need wins from Bisping for the sport to grow.

UFC 105

Michael Bisping vs. Wanderlei Silva

Dan Hardy vs. Matt Serra

James Wilks vs. Paul Taylor

Ross Pearson vs. Mac Danzig

John Hathaway vs. Paulo Thiago

Those are my ideas, constructive critisism rather than blind hatred please.

New Generation Of UFC Heavyweights Look To Dominate

Daniel Sadler — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:55:36 -0400

With the image of Brock Lesnar's devastating ground and pound and Frank Mir's destroyed face fresh in my mind, I realised I was witnessing a major transition in the UFC Heavyweight division.

The older UFC Heavyweights time in the spotlight appears to be dwindling as bigger ,stronger, younger, hungrier new generation of heavyweights are thrust into our faces similar to the way Brock thrusted his fist in Mir's face, unrelentingly.

Apart from Brock there are three main new-generation fighters that are finally rejuvenating the previously stagnant Heavyweight division. Shane Carwin, Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos are already well known to most UFC fans for their vicious knockouts and dominating displays against well known top 10 Heavyweights at recent events.

Lets start with Shane Carwin 11-0

Shane Carwin's first fight in the UFC was against Christian Wellisch and ended in devastating fashion early on, Carwin sent his mouthguard what seemed like miles only 44 seconds into the fight.

Since then Carwin has two more knockout victories against Neil Wain and Gabriel Gonzaga, the latter truly showing he can hang it with quality opponents. Shane Carwin is a man mountain, he stands 6'3" and weights in at 260 lbs. and has amazing power in both his hands.

Coupled with his great wrestling Carwin is a threat to anyone he faces and is on the fast track to a title shot, if he beat Velasquez at UFC 104. Carwin resembles Lesnar more than anyone, true power mixed with great wrestling but I would go as far to say he is inferior in the wrestling department but superior than the champion in the stand up.

Last fight: Gabriel Gonzaga KO R1

Next fight: Cain Velasquez UFC 104

Now to his opponent at UFC 104 Cain Velasquez 6-0

Cain Velasquez's last fight against Cheick Kongo was an amazing display of wrestling and transitioning, albeit the fact that Kongo is a kickboxer not a wrestler or jiu jitsu practioner.

Velasquez dominated the fight from start to finish but Kongo may have highlighted a flaw in Velasquez's game, his chin. Everytime the fight was standing Velasquez looked weary and when Kongo connected Velasquez dropped, albeit momentarily, but what I admire is Cain's recovery, he turned a negative moment into a positive, every time he looked wobbly he dropped and attempted and succeeded in his takedown attempt.

The other question to be raised from that fight is whether Velasquez has the power to finish fights, granted he did dominate the fight and did transition and did damage but his ground and pound wasn't deadly.

It didn't bring the reaction ground and pound usually brings when the person on tops delivers deadly punches and elbows it seemed that he lacked the power to stop the fight. His next fight against Carwin will answer many questions as takedowns will be few and far between against Carwin.

Last fight: Cheick Kongo Decision (Unanimous)

Next fight: Shane Carwin UFC 104

To Junior Dos Santos 8-2

Junir dos Santos has only had two fights in the octagon but he has made an impression on anyone that has watched his fights. His debut was against top 5 contender Fabricio Werdum and that ended dramatically with the powerful Brazillian knocking him out in the first round with a vicious uppercut.

Since then he has fought the 'skyscraper' Stefan Struve, not exactly world class opponent, and he emphatically knocked him senseless with powerful hooks. Junior's next opponent is Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 103, and this will be by far the biggest test of his short MMA career. Dos Santos is a former kickboxing champion who utalises his extremely powerful striking to his advantage.

Dos Santos' BJJ hasn't been tested in the UFC but he is a purple belt under Nogueria, his biggest weakness appears to be his wrestling but it is hard to know that because of his inexperience in the UFC, only 2 fights, neither of which went to the ground.

Expect a standup war against Cro Cop in his next fight, he will look to get inside both to negate Mirko's kicks and to deliver his punches while taking the least amount of damage.

Last fight: Stefan Struve KO R1

Next fight: Mirko Filipovic UFC 103

It seems the reign of the Randy Couture's and the Nogueria's is over the new boys are here, and they are here to stay!

What's Next for UFC 100 Winners and Losers?

Daniel Sadler — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:15:03 -0400

I know it might be a bit early to start thinking about the next fights after UFC 100 for Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, Georges St-Pierre, Thiago Alves, Dan Henderson, and Michael Bisping, but let's go for it anyway.

I will rank the three possible fights, in order of possibility, and then listing any dark horses.

This article is not about predictions for UFC 100, so I will look at the possible fights for if the fighter wins and loses.

First, let's start with the main event. And let's go age before beauty (so to speak) and start with Brock Lesnar.

If Brock Lesnar wins

First choice: Brock Lesnar versus Shane Carwin would be the battle of the most powerful new generation of heavyweights. UFC 107.

Second choice: Brock Lesnar versus Nog—the man who dishes out punishment with his "lunchbox hands" against the man that eats punishment for breakfast. This would be more marketable than a rematch with Couture, so therefore, it goes above Brock versus Velasquez. UFC 106.

Third choice: Brock Lesnar versus Cain Velasquez. I doubt the UFC would put Velasquez in against Brock so soon in his career, and they will most likely give him a few more fights against easier competition. UFC 107.

Dark Horses: Brock versus Fedor (fingers crossed.) UFC 107, Brock versus Junior Dos Santos UFC 108. Brock Lesnar versus Mirko Cro Cop. UFC 108

If Lesnar loses

First choice: Brock Lesnar versus Gabriel Gonzaga. Gonzaga seems to be the gatekeeper of the heavyweight division, and a likely opponent for Brock if he loses. UFC 107.

Second choice: Brock Lesnar versus Mirko Cro Cop/Junior Dos Santos. He could fight the winner for a No. 1 contendership. UFC 109.

Third choice: Brock Lesnar versus Cheik Kongo. Kongo is so inconsistent that it seems he would be a lamb to the slaughter against Brock. UFC 106.

If Frank Mir wins

First choice: Frank Mir versus Randy Couture. I only put this match ahead of Mir versus Carwin because Couture is more marketable than Carwin, but this fight depends on the result of Nog versus Couture. UFC 107.

Second choice: Frank Mir versus Shane Carwin. Carwin, if he wins, will be the No. 1 contender. And at the moment, I think he will beat Velasquez. UFC 108 or 109.

Third choice: Frank Mir versus Cain Velasquez. UFC 108 or UFC 109.

Dark Horses: Mir versus Fedor, Mir versus Mirko Cro Cop, Mir versus Nog.

If Mir loses

First choice: Mir versus Nog. This depends on whether Nog beats Randy. If he doesn't, then this fight is very likely. UFC 108.

Second choice: Mir versus Junior Dos Santos. The heavy-handed Brazilian's ground game will be tested. UFC 109.

Third choice: Mir versus Cheick Kongo. UFC 108.

If Georges St-Pierre wins

First choice: GSP versus Fitch. The rematch from UFC 87—I predict the UFC is trying to set this up by having them both fight on the same card at UFC 100. UFC 106.

Second choice: GSP versus Anderson Silva. The superfight could be GSP's next fight. UFC 107.

Third choice: GSP versus Mike Swick. If the superfight against Silva doesn't materialize, then this could be done at UFC 106 or UFC 107. But if GSP fights Anderson, expect this to be around UFC 111.

Dark Horses: GSP versus Martin Kampman. UFC 106. GSP versus Paulo Thiago UFC 106.

If GSP loses

First choice: GSP versus Mike Swick—more likely because UFC might not think Swick has done enough for a title shot. UFC 106.

Second choice: GSP versus Paulo Thiago. This depends on the result against Fitch at UFC 100. If Thiago loses, expect him to be easy prey for GSP, as the UFC hopes for a comeback. UFC 105

Third choice: GSP versus Anderson Silva. This is less likely if he doesnt have the belt, but because of fan pressure, the UFC might have to do this. UFC 108.

If Thiago Alves wins

First choice: Thiago Alves versus Jon Fitch. Fitch won their previous encounter, and Alves will look to avenge that loss. UFC 106.

Second choice: Thiago Alves versus Mike Swick. UFC 109.

Third choice: Thiago Alves versus Martin Kampman. UFC 109.

Dark Horses: Alves versus Anderson Silva. UFC 107. Alves versus BJ Penn. UFC 108.

If Alves loses

First choice: Alves versus Matt Serr. They both will be looking to bounce back from a loss. UFC 106.

Second choice: Alves versus Dan Hardy. UFC 105 is in the UK, so this would be the perfect fight to headline or co-headline the event. UFC 105.

Third choice: Alves versus Matt Hughes. Hughes will look to revenge his loss at the hands of Alves, but will ultimately fail. UFC 107.

If Dan Henderson wins

First choice: Dan Henderson versus Nate Marquart. With three possible No. 1 contenders, the UFC needs to cut that down. UFC 109.

Second choice: Dan Henderson versus Demian Maia. UFC 109.

Third choice: Dan Henderson versus Anderson Silva. This is a slight possibility, and I doubt the UFC will want Henderson against Silva again so soon. UFC 108.

Dark Horses: Dan Henderson versus Thales Leites. UFC 108. Dan Henderson versus Wilson Gouveia

If Henderson loses

First choice: Dan Henderson versus Wanderlei Silva. This would be their third fight against each other, and with the series tied at 1-1, it's a real possibility. UFC 107.

Second choice: Dan Henderson versus Yushin Okami. Okami is one of the multiple No. 1 contenders, and the UFC would like to get rid of his contendership, so a fight against Hendo makes sense. UFC 110.

Third choice: Dan Henderson versus Thales Leites. UFC 108.

If Michael Bisping wins

First choice: Michael Bisping versus Anderson Silva. Bisping has been guaranteed a title shot at UFC 105 if he beats Hendo. UFC 105.

Second choice: Michael Bisping versus Nate Marquart—to create a true No. 1 contender. UFC 109.

Third choice: Michael Bisping versus Demian Maia—to create a true No. 1 contender. UFC 109.

Dark Horses: Michael Bisping versus Victor Belfort. UFC 108.

If Bisping loses

First choice: Michael Bisping versus Yushin Okami. Bisping will fight at UFC 105, but who he fights depends on the result against Hendo. UFC 105.

Second choice: Michael Bisping versus Rousimar Palhares. The UFC will try to groom Bisping so he can contend again, and Palhares will be an easy will at UFC 105. UFC 105.

Third choice: Michael Bisping versus Wanderlei Silva. This is more of a personal favourite, but if you look at it, the sense is there. Wandy will want to fight someone on the decline, and Bisping will want to face a well-known fighter. UFC 105.

So, there you have it. If anyone has any information why these fights might not work, I would love to know.

By the way, that age before beauty thing came from Brock Lesnar when he called Mir a "pretty boy?!"

UFC 100 Lesnar VS Mir: Analysis

Daniel Sadler — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:04:15 -0400

The main event for UFC 100 this Saturday is an intriguing matchup between 3-1 UFC Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and 12-3 Interim champion Frank Mir in a title unification bout resulting in the Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship.

These two fighters squared off at UFC 81, which was Lesnar's first fight in the UFC. Mir submitted Lesnar with a kneebar one minute 30 into the first round. Both fighters have grown since then, recording their biggest wins of their careers. Lesnar beat Couture at UFC 91 and Mir beat Nog at UFC 92.

So obviously both fighters have evolved since UFC 81. Lesnar seems to get better at every aspect of his game. Every fight he has, his striking has improved, his takedowns have improved his octagon intelligence has improved, whether or not his jiu-jitsu has improved is not know as it wasn't tested against Herring or Couture.

Mir has greatly improved in both boxing technique and work ethic. Mir is considered to be in the best shape of his life and his knockout of Nogueira shows how his boxing has improved.

The best way to analyse the matchup would be to evaluate who has the upperhand in different aspects of the fight: striking, takedown/takedown defence, ground game, conditioning, and experience.

Striking: Frank Mir was never known for his striking, but in his recent fight against Minatauro Nogueria he displayed solid combinations that rocked the Pride veteran and resulted in multiple knockdowns and the eventual knockout in the second round.

But Mir's combinations although an improvement technically from his earlier fights were extremely basic and extremely predictable, especially his right, left, uppercut combo. Lesnar showed his true punching power against Heath Herring and Randy Couture, and especially in the Randy Couture fight he showed that his punches didn't need to fully connect to hurt.

A certainty is that Greg Nelson has been working with Brock on his striking to capatalise on Mirs biggest weakness.

Verdict: Lesnar has one-punch knockout power which Mir lacks (shows in the Nog fight when he should have finished him way earlier) which gives the advantage to Lesnar.

Takedown/Takedown defence: Brock Lesnar is a former NCAA wrestling champion, and unsurprisingly, wrestling is his MMA foundation and his main strength. He uses his unique combination of excellent technique, amazing speed (for his size) and almost superhuman strength to out-wrestle more experienced opponents (Randy Couture).

Mir is not known for his takedown and especially not known for takedown defence, mostly because he allows opponents to take him down so he can utilise his deadly guard.

Whether or not Mir will try to defend Brock's takedown is hard to predict. He could either try to submit Brock from his guard or do anything he can to stay on his feet and avoid hammerfists like their first encounter. But most likely, if Brock wants to take the fight to the ground (big if), he will be able to.

Verdict: Brock has a massive advantage in the wrestling department but that could also play into Mirs hands.

Ground Game: Brock's ground game has never been seen in the octagon, except maybe the split second he tried to pass guard against Mir in their first fight (and we all know how that went).

I'm sure that has been one of the main focuses of his training but I still doubt his technique and ability on the ground will come anywhere near to Mir's, and Mir should be able to do what he wants on the ground.

Mir's jiu-jitsu is well known (ask Tim Sylvia) and is his main strength, seven of his 12 wins have came by submission including one over his opponent Brock Lesnar. Lesnar's disadvantage on the ground is as plain to see as Mir's disadvantage in the weightroom.

Verdict: As one sided as the wrestling but the other way, advantage for Mir.

Conditioning: Frank Mir's conditioning has always been his biggest question mark, his supposed lack of effort in training and the subsequent fatigue in the octagon have been well documented.

But he appears to have turned a corner, all signs from his camp suggest that he is training as hard as ever for this fight, but in my opinion, I will believe it when I see it.

Although Brock weights in just under 300lbs his conditioning is very good, at no point in his short professional career has he looked totally gassed but the possibility of a 25-minute war and the chance to avenge his only loss will surely motivate him to step up his conditioning.

Verdict: Both fighters seem to have the best conditioning of their lives, but due to a history of being gassed, I give the edge to Lesnar (although I wouldn't be surprised if they were both gassed after the third round).

Experience: Lesnar is one of the least experienced champions in UFC history—he has only four professional fights (three in the UFC). But every one of his fights have been either the main event or the co-main event, which is more than Lyoto Machida, so he is experienced at the biggest stage.

Frank Mir has only 15 professional fights which isn't a lot considering how long he has been fighting for because of the motorcycle accident. But Mir is greatly experienced in those fights and is 2-0 when fighting for a belt.

Verdict: Mir is easily more experienced and that experience should help him in this fight.

Lesnar's gameplan coming into the fight will be to keep it on the feet, he doesn't want to risk the fight by putting Mir on his back, Lesnar should look to be more cautious and not get caught up in the moment if he knocks Mir down (like he did in the first fight).

Lesnar will look to impose his power advantage on Mir by clinching him a lot against the cage and using dirty boxing to rough him up, building up Mir to be hit with a power shot from further away.

Mir's plan will be simple get the fight to the ground as soon and as often as possible, Mir is in his element on the ground, while Lesnar isn't and therefore is at an immediate disadvantage. Mir should look to not exert himself too much in the first round because of his history of conditioning problems.

Prediction: I predict a very tentative first round from both fighters and I expect a total stand up affair, I think Lesnar will eventually knock Mir down and the fight will be decided by what he does next, if he rushes in like the first fight I can see the same result, if he takes his time I can see him beating Mir.

My prediction: Lesnar by TKO towards the end of Round Two.

Please feel free to leave any comments.

Anderson Silva To Contend for Light-Heavyweight Championship

Daniel Sadler — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:08:20 -0400

At UFC 101 in Philly, Anderson Silva will step into the octagon against Season One Ultimate Fighter winner Forest Griffin. This will be Silva's second time he has gone up to 205 lbs. after he dominated the 185 lb. division.

His first fight ended like most people would expect—quick. He knocked out James Irvin in the first round of their fight.

That win, coupled with his immaculate record in the octagon, has enabled him to match up against a top five contender and former champion in Forest Griffin.

We know Forest isn't going to sit back against Anderson like Thales Leites did, and the fight should be a true slugfest, but if Anderson beats Forest, what's next for The Spider?

The next logical step would be a title shot at the winner of Lyoto/Shogun, but Rampage is already the number one contender, and has put off a title shot once to intensify his rivalry with Rashad Evans in TUF 10. Surely, the UFC wouldn't give the next title shot to someone else.

But also consider this—Yushin Okami has already been confirmed that he has a title shot somewhere in the future, Michael Bisping is scheduled to fight Anderson at UFC 105 in England, if he beats Hendo and Demian Maia and Nate Marqaurdt are scheduled to fight at UFC 102, also for a title shot.

Throw in a super fight with GSP some time in the near future, and it's not like he's short on competition.

Anderson moved up because he had no competition, but now he has worthy challengers. He would obviously like to continue switching weights so that he can pursue two championships, but that's not the best option for the UFC.

The UFC would prefer Anderson to stay at middleweight and defend his title, thus preventing the middleweight division becoming stagnant, or give up his title in search of Lyoto's title, and numerous super-fights in the light-heavyweight division. But UFC can't like Anderson Silva's hot-stepping between Middleweight and light-heavyweight.

So at the moment, I am rooting for Forest, because a win for Forest would eliminate these problems. Anderson would return to middleweight to defend his title and fight GSP sometime towards the end of the year (UFC 107?)

Pride FC VS UFC: Who Was Better?

Daniel Sadler — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:29:41 -0400

Firstly to start I would like to state that these fights would take place in an octagon (mainly because most Pride fighters have fought in both while most UFC fighters haven't) and the predictions are based on the fighters when they were in their prime. So lets start.

UFC Welterweight (170lbs) VS Pride Lightweight (161lbs)

First off I know technically these two weight classes aren't the same but they are as close as possible.

GSP 18-2 VS Takanori Gomi 30-5

To the fight, Gomi's main strength is his wrestling, which he uses to control fights. GSP also uses his wrestling to control fights but his wrestling is a grade above Gomi's which should allow GSP to easily dominate the fight on the ground. Also the level of GSP's opponents shows how good he really is.

His most recent fight against BJ Penn is testament to his wrestling ability, he dominated the fight right from the start and grounded and pounded Penn into tapping, whereas Gomi's fight against Penn was a much different affair with Penn winning by rear naked choke.

Verdict: An easy win for GSP

UFC Middleweight (185lbs) VS Pride Welterweight (183lbs)

Anderson Silva 24-4 VS Dan Henderson 24-7

I know what you are all saying, easy win for The Spider right? But consider this the whole idea of these match-ups is to determine whether current UFC champs would beat the best of Pride when they were in their prime. So the question to ask is was Hendo in his prime when he fought Anderson Silva?

The answer is a hesitant no, Hendo's prime was around 2003-2006 when his record was only blemished by the likes of Nogueira and Misaki. So he was two years out of his prime when they faced each other. But there are other reasons why he might have lost their first encounter.

Firstly it was only his second fight in the octagon and he was coming off a loss to Rampage. Everyone knows that Anderson Silva is seemingly unbeatable at middleweight but Hendo performed the best out of anyone against Anderson so far and his big right hand kept Anderson weary through out their fight.

Verdict: A win for Anderson but not as comfortable as his recent opponents

UFC Light Heavyweight (205lbs) VS Pride Middleweight (203lbs)

Lyoto Machida 15-0 VS Wanderlei Silva 32-10-1

Lyoto seems unbeatable at the moment, no one has figured out a way to even hit him and he has bulldozed his way through previously undefeated fighters on his way to the UFC championship. While this has happened The Axe Murderer has lost five of his last sx fights but in his prime Wanderlei also seemed unstoppable. Wanderlei was Pride's golden boy, admired by fans for his reckless fighting style that earned him his nickname.

Some highlights included being the only man to knock Rampage into unconciousness and going on a 13 fight win streak from 2000-2003. This is truly an intriging match-up that I would love to see, the true technician against the battle hardened warrior. Would Wanderlei's unpredictable striking be his downfall or would it be the key to beating the undefeated karate master.

Verdict: Lyoto would just edge this for me, although I wouldn't at all be surprised if Wandy did drop The Dragon

UFC Heavyweight (265lbs) VS Pride Heavyweight (more than 205lbs)

Either Brock Lesnar 3-1 or Frank Mir 12-3 VS Fedor Emelianenko 30-1

Because of the two UFC Heavyweight titles I have to compare how both Mir and Lesnar might do against Fedor. Firstly Lesnar, Lesnar proved that he was the real deal at UFC 91 when he beat UFC hall of famer Randy Couture to win the title. Lesnar utalises his unique combination of incredible speed and strength to dominate his opponents, but surely this would not work against Fedor?

Yes he may get him down but Fedor is one of the most dangerous heavyweights when he is on his back and Fedor would surely win the standup with his superior striking. The only way Lesnar coud win at the moment would be to take Fedor down then straight away get back up and then take him down again for 25 minutes to win by decision.

Verdict: Easy win for Fedor, Lesnar struggles against good jiu jitsu and Fedor's jiu jitsu is just too good.

Frank Mir has already beaten Brock but that was a far from convincing performance, pulling out a leg lock after being hammerfisted for what seemed like an eternity. But against Fedor Mir would struggle. Mir has basically no wrestling so wouldn't be able to take Fedor down and Fedor has much the superior striking not to mention conditioning and takedown defence. Also Mir's main weapon, his dangerous guard, wouldn't be that effective against Fedor because of Fedors methodical approach to being in half guard rather than the sporadic Lesnar.

Verdict: Another easy win for Fedor, probably by knockout. Maybe if Lesnar and Mir had babies together the super-babies could beat Fedor? Hmmmmm

So there you go, it looks like a 3-1 victory for the UFC but with the exclusion of Fedor and GSP dominating their fights the other two were very close. So unfortunately no definative conclusion for you MMA fans except in 25 years time Frank Mir and Brock Lesnars babies will surely dominate the heavyweight division and will challenge an 57 year old Fedor at UFC 1000!