Breaking Down UFC Fight Night

The UFC Fight Night on April second has all the neccesary components for a killer free show. The card has some very interesting matchups and promises to be worth a watch. I like what match maker Joe Silva did by putting a great Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu like Pellegrino vs. Diaz, then giving us a guarenteed KO with Irvin vs. Alexander. The main event has serious top ten and maybe even title shot implications.

Enough of the hype, let's get to the good stuff.

Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon

I'm not on the Kenny Florian wagon just yet, and I don't think he wins this fight. I don't think his BJJ is good enough to submit J-Lau and standing with him is a bad idea.

With Lauzon now training with BJ Penn and others in Hawai, he will be a top ten fighter in the 155-pound class within the next year.

Lauzon rolls with BJ Penn and Tony Desouza every day, I don't think he is worried about Florians BJJ. If the fight goes to the ground for signifacant amounts of time with Florian in Lauzons guard, the fights going to be a decision. But I don't think that's going to happen. Instead I see Lauzon landing a "Jen's Pulver goess Night-night" hook. Lauzon by knouckout in the second round.

Thiago Alves vs. Karo Parysian

I'm officially calling a changing of the guard with this fight. Thiago Alves is an up and coming member of American Top Team. He has a lot of talent but needs to prove he is a top ten guy by beating Karo. Alves has lost to Jon Fitch and Spencer Fisher, both are super tough guys.

There may be a potential fight between Jon Fitch and Karo, if Karo can beat Alves. That  also depends on Jon Fitch and if he gets a much-deserved title shot. My hope is that we see GSP vs. Fitch for the belt, but you never know what may happen.

Karo, in his last ten fights, has stopped one guy. Read that again please. Okay, Nick Thompson was the last guy that Karo Stopped and that was in 2006. Karo has fought top competition, but champions fight the best and finish the best. So unless Karo can walk through Alves, I just don't think that Karo can succeed in the division. I'm taking Alves by submission in the third.

Kurt Pellegrino vs. Nate Diaz

The matchup between these two could be a clinic on the ground. There is also a good chance that both of these guys decide to slug it out. Either way is fine by me, I wouldn't mind seeing  a little West coast BJJ vs. East coast BJJ.

Pellegrino trains wih BJJ  master Hermes Franca out of Florida. Nate Diaz is a Cesar Gracie disciple and has a big brother who would destroy your big brother(unless your last name is Emelianenko). I'm going to take Diaz by submission in the second. 

James Irvin vs. Houston Alexander

Dear Mr. Irvin, if you stand up with Houston Alexander you will get knocked out. Both of these guys have finished over 60 percent of their fights by knockout. The stand-up of Alexander is just too good for Irvin.

Alexander's last opponent showed the world that there is a chink in the armor. Take him down, pass his guard, mount and rain down leather. James Irvin can't do that in this one and will pay the price. Alexander by stoppage in the first.

Matt Hamill vs. Tim Boetsch

Boetsch has very, very heavy hands, but he may never get a chance to use them. Hamill knows the formula to win. Take him down and ground and pound, the Team Punishment special. Boetsch can't handle the former olympic wrestler. I'm going with Hamill by decision.

As far as the rest of the fights go, I'm a little bummed we don't get to see Frankie Edgar take on Gray Maynard. Edgar impressed the hell out of me after the Griffin and Fisher fight. Most of the other fights will feature prospects and young kids that the UFC would like to develop, like Manny Gambu...you know who. The card should be a great free watch and help the 155 and 170 weight classes to shape up a little.