UFC 121 Lesnar Vs Carwin: Predictions For The Entire Card

Tomorrow night is one of the most anticipated MMA fights this year as Brock Lesnar steps into the octagon with a very dangerous challenger, Cain Velasquez, who is looking to become the first Heavyweight Champion in UFC history with Mexican heritage.

If you're an MMA fan and have been visiting my site—GuysNation.com—regularly, you'll know that for over a year, I've been doing predictions for every fight on every televised UFC card, and UFC 121 is going to be no different.

I encourage you to try your hand at predicting UFC 121 fights as well. Whether you want to predict one fight or all of them, just leave your predictions as a response to the GuysNation.com version of this article down in the comments and I'll track your progress for you to include it in my year-long contest!

Here we go, good luck!

Preliminary Fights

Don't get too bogged down or put too much weight into the analysis on the preliminary fights. I don't put as much effort there as I do on the higher profile fights.

Heavyweight bout:
United States - Jon Madsen vs. Netherlands - Gilbert Yvel

I like what I've seen from Jon Madsen and I'm not a fan of how Gilbert Yvel conducts himself. That said, Madsen is 6-0 whereas Yvel has lost 3 of his past 4 fights. I don't like the fact that Madsen has taken his last three fights to decision, but at least he won them.

Prediction: Jon Madsen (which spells the end of Yvel in UFC)

Middleweight bout:
United States - Chris Camozzi vs. South Korea - Dong Yi Yang

I really like the combination of Muay Thai, Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that Camozzi brings into the fight. He has three losses on his record, which might make you think that undefeated Dong Yi Yang holds the advantage there, but Camozzi has yet to be knocked out, which is how DYY gained eight of his nine professional victories. I don't think this one will go the distance, as I've heard Yang has quick hands and good endurance. Still, I'll have to go with the more well-rounded fighter with a tough chin.

Prediction: Chris Camozzi (probably by submission)

Lightweight bout:
Canada - Sam Stout vs. England - Paul Taylor

Given that these guys have combined for seven Fight Of The Night awards in the past three years, I'll go ahead and pencil this in as the Fight Of The Night for UFC 121. The reason this is on the preliminary card is because Stout and Taylor are a combined 2-5 in those seven lauded contests.

They both tend to go the distance in their fights, but two of Stout's last three losses were by split decision, meaning he was closer to winning those fights than Taylor had been in his contests. I'd love to predict an armbar submission victory for Stout, but I won't make that official.

Prediction: Sam Stout

Welterweight bout:
United States - Mike Guymon vs. United States - Daniel Roberts

Roberts might have a record of 10-1, but he has looked shaky since joining UFC, with a loss in his debut and then a split decision win to follow it up. I do like the fact that he's training with (Strikeforce Champion) Gilbert Melendez, so I'll go out on a limb and say Roberts rebounds due to good training to beat Guymon, who has had a somewhat similar shaky debut in UFC and seems prone to be submitted, which Roberts (an accomplished, world-class student of BJJ) should look to exploit.

Prediction: Daniel Roberts

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Middleweight bout:
United States - Court McGee vs. United States - Ryan Jensen

Court McGee has the makings to be a very strong contender in the Middleweight division and this fight will be a great opportunity for him to show what he's capable of doing, as Ryan Jensen is a talented, seasoned veteran who is certainly not unbeatable (losing five of his last nine). It will all depend on whether winning The Ultimate Fighter will cause McGee to overlook Jensen in this fight, which I don't predict will happen.

Prediction: Court McGee

Middleweight bout:
Canada - Patrick Côté vs. United States - Tom Lawlor

Both of these guys are coming into this fight on a two-fight losing streak, but there's a big difference in Patrick Côté's opponents (Anderson Silva and Alan Belcher) and Tom Lawlor's opponents (Joe Doerkson and Aaron Simpson). Patrick Côté was on the fast track before injuries slowed him down a bit.

Prediction: Patrick Côté

Main Pay Per View Card

* Heavyweight bout:
United States - Brendan Schaub vs. Brazil - Gabriel Gonzaga

Although Schaub did get caught by Roy Nelson in the opening round of the finals for The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights, he has been otherwise great at boxing. Gabriel Gonzaga is a seasoned veteran who also has heavy hands, but Gonzaga also has a history of getting knocked out. I don't think any of Gabriel's submission skills are going to worry Schaub, who holds a purple belt in BJJ.

I don't mean to say that Brendan Schaub is as good in the octagon as Shane Carwin, Fabricio Werdum or Randy Couture, but Gonzaga has lost a step and Brendan Schaub has a very real chance to take a big step up the ladder in the UFC Heavyweight division here.

Prediction: Brendan Schaub

* Light Heavyweight bout:
United States - Tito Ortiz vs. United States - Matt Hamill

This is NOT the Tito Ortiz which UFC fans have come to know and love. 

(for the rest of my reasoning for this prediction, view the full article at www.GuysNation.com)

Prediction: Matt Hamill

* Welterweight bout:
United States - Diego Sanchez vs. Brazil - Paulo Thiago

When I look at Paulo Thiago's record, I see two losses, one to John Fitch by unanimous decision and another unanimous decision to Martin Kampmann back in June. Two quality opponents, two close fights. 

(for the rest of my reasoning for this prediction, view the full article at www.GuysNation.com)

Prediction: Diego Sanchez

* Welterweight bout:
United States - Jake Shields vs. Denmark - Martin Kampmann

If you haven't been watching STRIKEFORCE, then you don't know just how good their former champion Jake Shields is. 

(for the rest of my reasoning for this prediction, view the full article at www.GuysNation.com)

Prediction: Jake Shields

* Heavyweight Championship bout:
United States - Brock Lesnar (c) vs United States - Cain Velasquez

This is the main reason most people want to watch UFC 121, and I don't think viewers are going to be disappointed, as this fight will likely be better than what you saw between Lesnar and Carwin not long ago. 

(for the rest of my reasoning for this prediction, view the full article at www.GuysNation.com)

Prediction: Brock Lesnar