UFC 130 Fight Card: Early Fight Breakdown and Predictions
UFC 130 is the unfortunate card that gets to follow the great UFC 129 event.
UFC 130 features a lot of good fighters, including some on the undercard like Thiago Alves.
UFC 130 will showcase the rematch between Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar.
At UFC 125 these two fighters fought valiantly to a draw and now Maynard will get yet another shot at the lightweight title.
So with all the great matchups and fighters on the UFC 130 card, who wins and who loses?
Preliminary Card
1 of 6
Thiago Alves (18-7) vs. Rick Story (12-3)
Prediction: Thiago Alves
Miguel Torres (39-3) vs. Brad Pickett (20-5)
Prediction: Miguel Torres
Kendall Grove (12-8, 1 NC) vs. Tim Boetsch (12-4)
Prediction: Kendall Grove
Renan Barao (25-1, 1 NC) vs. Cole Escovedo (17-6)
Prediction: Renan Barao
Michael McDonald (12-1) vs. Chris Cariaso (11-2)
Prediction: Michael McDonald
Brian Stann vs. Jorge Santiago
2 of 6
Middleweight Bout
Brian Stann (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Seven wins by knockout, two by decision, one by submission
One loss by decision, one by submission, one by knockout
Jorge Santiago (23-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
12 wins by submission, nine by knockout, two by decision
Five losses by knockout, three by decision
Breakdown- Santiago is the seventh-ranked middleweight on Sherdog and is making his return to the UFC after an unimpressive first stint with the promotion.
Santiago will be fighting to prove his worth and has been fighting really well as of late.
Santiago will bring Stann to the ground and work for his 13th victory by way of submission.
Prediction- Santiago by second-round submission
Stefan Struve vs. Travis Browne
3 of 6
Heavyweight Bout
Stefan Struve (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
14 wins by submission, five by knockout, one by disqualification, one by decision
Three losses by knockout, one by submission
Travis Browne (10-0-1 MMA, 1-0-1 UFC)
Eight wins by knockout, one by submission, one by decision
No losses
Breakdown- Struve's got that edge in size. If Struve can utilize his size he could easily beat Browne.
Struve is a solid stand-up fighter and has excellent submission skills as seen by his 14 victories by submission.
Browne is another good stand-up artist as evident by his eight knockout victories and will give Struve trouble standing.
Prediction- Struve by third-round submission
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Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson
4 of 6
Heavyweight Bout
Frank Mir (14-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC)
Eight wins by submission, three by knockout, two by decision, one by disqualification
Five losses by knockout
Roy Nelson (15-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Eight wins by knockout, four by submission, three by decision
Four losses by decision, one by knockout
Breakdown- Mir and Nelson both possess nice Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills.
Standing though Nelson will have the edge, and after seeing him take a beating from Junior dos Santos who is one of the best strikers in the UFC heavyweight division, I don't doubt him being able to withstand Mir.
As much as I hate to say Nelson wins, I have to say it.
Prediction- Nelson by unanimous decision
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Matt Hamill
5 of 6
Light Heavyweight Bout
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (31-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
14 wins by knockout, 10 by decision, seven by submission
Three losses by knockout, three by decision, one by submission, one by disqualification
Matt Hamill (10-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC)
Six wins by knockout, three by decision, one by disqualification
One loss by knockout, one by decision
Breakdown- Hamill, to me, is facing an uphill battle with Rampage. Rampage will be able to neutralize the wrestling of Hamill with good takedown defense. T
he old Rampage should come out in this fight as he is super close to becoming a title contender in the light heavyweight division.
Rampage's old knockout was deadly and here it could be displayed against Hamill.
Prediction- Rampage by second round TKO
Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard
6 of 6
Lightweight Title Bout
Frankie Edgar (c, 13-1-1)
Eight wins by decision, three by submission, two by knockout
One loss by decision
Gray Maynard (10-0-1, 1 NC)
Eight wins by decision, two by knockout
No losses
Breakdown- UFC 130 will bring you the third part of the Maynard/Edgar series. In the previous two editions Maynard won the first fight, and then they had a draw in the second fight.
Edgar had a nice little retaliation in the last fight and both are very good wrestlers.
If you watch this one you'll be in for a treat, it will be another war in the Maynard/Edgar series and yet another victory for Maynard.
Prediction- Maynard by unanimous decision
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