UFC 121: Tale of the Tape for Brock Lesnar-Cain Velasquez and All Bouts

UFC 121 is nearly upon us. The headline event is heavyweight fight between champion Brock Lesnar and the up-and-coming Cain Velasquez.

Want to get an early look and take in some insight about all of the fighters tonight? 

You've come to the right place. 

Here's a look at tonight's fighters and a close look and predictions of who will come out on top.

Jon Madsen vs. Gilbert Yvel: Heavyweight Bout

Madsen:  Age: 30 Height: 6’0” Weight: 254.5 lbs MMA record: 6-0

Yvel: Age: 34 Height 6’2” Weight: 249 lbs MMA record: 36-15-1

Yvel is the savvy veteran whose strength is in his standup while Madsen is the up-and-comer in this bout who has a very good ground game.  Yvel is coming off two straight losses and has lost three of his last four matches—he knows his back is up against the wall.

If he can defend against Madsen’s attempt to take this game to the ground, then he’ll stand a chance.  Otherwise, we might just see another old vet making way for another new fighter.

Prediction: Madsen

Chris Camozzi vs. Dong Yi Yang: Middleweight Bout

Camozzi: Age: 23 Height: 6’3” Weight: 185 lbs MMA record: 13-3

Yang: Age: 25 Height: 5’11” Weight: 186 lbs MMA record: 9-0

Yang may be coming in with a perfect 9-0 record all on knockouts, but this will be his first UFC fight.  The South Korean is expected to strike early and aggressively, and that could be his best shot to defeat Camozzi.  If  Camozzi is able to defend those attacks early and utilize his experience to combat against Yang’s tendency to become wild with his blows, Camozzi could counter his way to a win by submission. 

Prediction: Camozzi

Sam Stout vs. Paul Taylor: Lightweight Bout

Stout: Age: 26 Height: 5’9” Weight: 155.5 lbs MMA record: 15-6-1

Taylor: Age: 30 Height: 6’0” Weight: 155 lbs MMA record: 10-5-1

Stout has only won two of his last five matches while Taylor has only won two of his last six matches.  Both fighters are hungry for a win. 

Stout is a technically sound fighter with his Muay Thai training, and Taylor is more of a brawler.  At the end, it should be Stout’s patience and early defense that tires out Taylor’s attack and makes him the winner of this match. 

Prediction: Stout

Mike Guymon vs. Daniel Roberts: Welterweight Bout

Guymon: Age: 36 Height: 6’0” Weight: 170 lbs MMA record: 12-3-1

Roberts: Height: 5’10” Age: 170 lbs MMA record: 10-1

Guymon has a lot more UFC experience than Roberts and has won his six of his last seven matches.  While Roberts is relatively new to the Octagon, he's the training partner of the much hyped UFC newbie Jake Shields. 

The last upstart fighter that took down Guymon was Rory McDonald during UFC Fight Night 20, if Roberts can get to Guymon early with his aggressive style, then youth will prevail over experience. 

Prediction: Roberts

Patrick Cote vs. Tom Lawlor: Middleweight Bout Prediction

Cote: Age: 30 Height: 5’11” Weight: 185 lbs MMA record: 13-6

Lawlor: Age: 27 Height: 6’0” Weight: 185 lbs MMA record: 10-6

Both fighters are coming off two straight losses—their latest defeats came by submission to a rear naked choke holds. 

While Cote’s best chance is to keep the match a stand up battle, Lawlor’s best bet is to take it to the ground. 

It should be a hard fought battle, but Cote should be the guy that comes out with the win by withstanding Lawlor’s unorthodox style and delivering timely blows standing up.

Prediction: Cote

Court McGee vs. Ryan Jensen: Middleweight Bout

McGee: Age: 25 Height: 5’11” Weight: 184.5 lbs MMA record: 12-1

Jensen: Age: 33 Height: 6’1” Weight: 185 lbs MMA record: 15-6

A battle between old and young.  Jensen is a veteran UFC fighter that has only won two of his last four matcher. 

McGee is the upstart youngster with a lot to prove and a lot of momentum with six straight MMA victories.

However, this may be the biggest fight of his life to date.

Court McGee vs. Ryan Jensen: Middleweight Bout Prediction

Although Jensen clearly has the experience over the younger McGee, McGee is much more agile and is not to be taken lightly.

McGee is the winner of UFC season 11 and is capable of winning on the ground or standing up.

This will be a bigger test for McGee, who should be able to match up well against the aggressiveness of Jensen.

Prediction: McGee

Schaub vs. Gonzaga: Brendan Schaub

Age: 27

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 239 lbs

Reach: 78 inches

MMA record: 6-1

Schaub’s advantage in this fight is his speed, height and slightly longer reach.

If he finds a way to evade Gonzaga's early blows, it might help his cause to tire him out early.

Schaub vs. Gonzaga: Gabriel Gonzaga

Age: 31

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 254 lbs

Reach: 76 inches

MMA record: 11-5

He's got big bruising size and a black belt in jiu-jitsu.  But he's also lost two of his last three matches by succumbing to knock outs.

Gonzaga will need to move faster to keep up with Schaub.  If one of his powerful punches connects, that could be it for Schaub.

Schaub vs. Gonzaga: Heavyweight Bout Prediction

Gonzaga's last opponent Junior dos Santos has a similar mold to Schaub.  In that game, Junior used his punching ability to take down Gonzaga with a KO win.

If Schaub can use his speed to his advantage a similar outcome might happen here.

Prediction: Schaub

Ortiz vs. Hamill: Tito Ortiz

Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 05: UFC fighterTito Ortiz attends the Stuff Magazine & Jack Daniels Kentucky Derby party held at Jillians on May 5, 2006 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)

Age: 35

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 206 lbs

MMA record: 15-7

He's a former light-heavyweight champion but has not been able to regain his championship form.  The past few years, he has lost three of his last four matches and has also had spinal fusion surgery.

If the former champ has anything left, he needs to bring it tonight.

Ortiz vs. Hamill: Matt Hamill

Age: 34

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 205 lbs

MMA record: 9-2

He's been the winner of five of his last six matches since 2008.  And Hamill was also a former mentor of Ortiz. 

The student will now need to show Ortiz how his game has developed and put everything on the line.

Ortiz vs. Hamill: Light-Heavyweight Bout

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 21: Tito Ortiz (R) battles Forrest Griffin (L) during their Light Heavyweight Fight at the UFC 106 at Mandalay Bay Events Center on November 21, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

This match pits two former training partners against each other.  With that kind of history between then, it should definitely be a well-match fight.

Each fighter is familiar with their opponents' strengths and weaknesses.  When all is said and done, Ortiz has a lot more to lose than Hamill. 

A loss here, would only confirm that his career is on a downward spiral.  His last win coming against Ken Shamrock in 2006.

But his familiarity with Hamill's game should help him.  With his back against the wall, Ortiz just may show his fans that he's still got something left.

Prediction: Ortiz

Sanchez vs. Thiago: Diego Sanchez

Age: 28

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 170.5 lbs

UFC record: 10-4

He’s coming off two defeats in a row, one against BJ Penn for the UFC Lightweight Championship and the other coming in his return to Welterweight against John Hathaway. 

In that Welterweight match, Thiago was simply overpowered by his opponent and has resulted in him reconsidering a move back to lightweight.

Sanchez vs. Thiago: Paulo Thiago

Age: 29

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 170.5 lbs

UFC record: 3-2

His greatest asset is his Brazilian jiu-jitsu—Thiago is a black belt.  His stand-up game has been inconsistent and was clearly lacking in his loss to Martin Kampmann. 

This will be the perfect time to bounce back.

Sanchez vs. Thiago: Welterweight Bout Prediction

With Sanchez intending to leave Welterweight to go back down to lightweight, his heart may not be in this battle. 

Thiago has shown focus in his training, seeking left-handed partners to be ready for Sanchez.  

If Sanchez fails to take this game to the ground just like his match against Hathaway, he’ll be in line for another loss. 

Prediction: Thiago

Shields vs. Kampmann: Jake Shields

Valerie Macon/Getty Images

HOLLYWOOD - MARCH 17: Strikeforce World Middleweight Champion Jake Shields attends the CBS' Strikeforce MMA Fighters Open Media Workout on March 17, 2010 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images)

Age: 31

Height: 6’0”

Weight : 170.5 lbs

UFC record: 0-0

He will be making his UFC debut tonight, but he’s been a very established fighter outside the UFC—with a 14-0 winning streak. They call him “The Specialist,” and he is a former Strikeforce Welterweight champion.  However, all the experience doesn’t necessarily translate to UFC success.

Shields is already so hyped and loved that if he wins this fight, experts believe he might already get a title shot.   

Shields' weakness could be in his standup game. 

Shields vs. Kampmann: Martin Kampmann

Age: 28

Height: 6’0”

Weight : 170 lbs

UFC record: 6-1

This won’t be the first time Kampmann fights and welcomes a former champion into the UFC. 

He also took down Paulo Thiago during UFC 115 in a unanimous decision and is familiar with fighting guys that are very hyped. 

Kampmann is a very good striker and should use his power and great hands to beat Shields.

Shields vs. Kampmann: Welterweight Bout Prediction

This should be a great fight between two well matched opponents.  Kampmann has a lot more UFC experience, and his game has improved since dropping to Welterweight and getting overpowered by Nate Marquardt. 

Kampmann has been a guy that’s somewhat overlooked by all the Shields' hype, but he’s more than capable of winning this match and spoiling Shields’ debut.

Prediction: Kampmann

Lesnar vs. Velaquez: Brock Lesnar

Age: 33

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 265 lbs

UFC record: 4-1

Lesnar vs. Velasquez: Brock Lesnar Video

A true heavyweight and the reigning champion. Lesnar also boasts tremendous athleticism for his size. 

He’s bigger and stronger than his opponent—this match can end early if Lesnar simply bullies him to the ground. 

Lesnar vs. Velasquez: Cain Velasquez

Age: 28

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 244 lbs

UFC record: 6-0

Lesnar vs. Velasquez: Cain Velasquez Video

He’s on the verge of becoming the UFC’s first Mexican heavyweight.  But he will have a lot of work to do in order to take down big bad Brock, who has a 20 pound advantage on him.  

Velasquez  has a well-rounded game but realistically is at a disadvantage if the action hits the ground.

This heavyweight needs to utilize his excellent foot and hand speed to go after Lesnar standing early to stand a chance.

Lesnar vs. Velasquez: Heavyweight Bout Prediction

There’s clearly plenty of hype involving this match.  But Lesnar is bigger and more experienced than the smaller Velasquez. 

Lesnar will stick to his forte and turn this match into a ground battle where he will have a big advantage.

Prediction: Lesnar