UFC Fight Night and Bellator: Rating the Weekend's Fights for Their Fun Factor

This weekend we have the Bellator fights, but we also have a UFC fight night. 

Both fights are free on TV, but no matter what platform fights appear on, they should still be rated by how exciting they're going to be. So with that said lets get to the rating breakdown.

1 = Only use this as an aide to cure insomnia.

2=Will have some entertainment value.

3=Decent fight that, just like most matinee movies, you won't remember three hours after you watch it, but you'll enjoy yourself while it's on.

4=A good fight that will keep you on your toes.

5=A fight with a little bit of everything.

6=They don't get much better than this. After watching it your voice is a little hoarse from all the yelling but it will worth it.

7=They don't get any better than this... ever.  Forget sleep and forget your voice, because you won't be speaking normal again until Friday.

Now that that's out of the way, lets move on.

Victor O' Donnell vs. Brian Rogers

Rogers and O' Donnell are not exactly the most precise fighters you'll ever see. They are sloppy and their stand up and their ground game isn't exactly that of an Olympic wrestler or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt.

Still, I can't help but think that this fight is going to be fun.  For all their flaws both move at a fast pace and seem to try to take their opponents head off.  Sure it will be sloppy but at the end it will be some solid action.

Overall: 3 1/2

Can be seen on MTV 2 on Saturday

Sam Alvey vs. Vitor Vianna

The video above is captures what is probably the most impressive thing that Alvey has ever done in the cage.  It's not that he is a bad fighter, he's just sloppy and seems to be on a much lower level then other fighters who make it on TV.

The problem is that he is facing Vianna who is a much more accomplished striker. His ground game is okay but Vianna's striking is what is most impressive about him. The Brazilian seems to be on a completely different level then Alvey in everything.

Too bad these ratings aren't based on knockouts because this one will probably have an explosive one.

As for competitiveness, not so much.

Overall: 1

Can be seen on MTV 2 on Saturday

Zelg Galesic vs. Alexander Shlemenko

Interesting choice by Bellator in having the two European fighters face each other in the beginning round. The Croation Galesic hasn't fought nearly the of opposition that Shlemenko has. When he has stepped up to fight fighters like Sakuraba or Jacare Souza he has lost.  

With that said, both guys like to throw and seem to be proficient strikers.  It seems like Shlemenko is better on the ground and better with his hands but anything can happen in the cage. Still I get a feeling that his fight will be fun but Shlemenko will end up showing that he is better than Galesic.

My pick for runner up for fight of the night.

Overall: 4

Can be see on MTV 2 on Saturday

Jared Hess vs. Bryan Baker

The final fight on Bellator is about as exciting as the names involved in it. Bryan Baker and Jared Hess seem to have normal, average names and skills to go with them. Maybe I'm biased, but I just can't see this being a fight that captures the imagination of fans.

However, I also don't believe that Baker or Hess will phone it in or give a boring performance so I'm willing to go into their fight with an open mind.

This fight should be decent but by no means a highlight of the night.

Overall: 3

Can be seen on MTV 2 on Saturday.

Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald

The fight card that most MMA fans will be watching.  And with good reason too.  Belcher and MacDonald both know how to put on a good show and MacDonald is a former recipient of several submission of the night awards and a winner of knockout of the night.  Belcher, not to be outdone, is coming off a four fight streak where he might not have won every fight, but he did win either submission of the night or fight of the night.

Of course Belcher has won most of his fights and MacDonald is a little faded from his prime but they both should put on a great performance with high level MMA to back it up.

This is my pick for fight of the night.

Overall: 5

Can be seen on Spike on Saturday.

Jonathan Brookins vs. Erik Koch

It might just be the curse of being on The Ultimate Fighter or maybe it's the loss to featherweight Jose Aldo, but I just don't see the big deal with Brookins.  Like most TUF alum he seems decent, but no better than any average fighter outside the UFC.

Koch is coming off two knockout of the night awards.  He's also faced—and beaten—some decent opposition. Besides, there seems to be a curse following TUF winners after the first few seasons.

Expect it to continue in a decent fight.

Plus featherweights seem to bring it.

Overall: 4

Can be seen on Spike on Saturday.

Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang

Both Yang and McGee haven't had many fights in the UFC and that is what makes this prediction hard. Both seem to be decent fighters, but it's not a sure thing that the fight will be any good. It's actually shocking that this is the co-main event.

I'm not really sure how this one will end so I won't try to give an in-depth prediction. I'll just trust Joe Silva and split it down the middle.

Overall: 3

Can be seen on Spike on Saturday.

Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger

I wish I couldn't predict this fight. But I can.

Jake Ellenberger is a decent fighter who puts on entertaining fights.  

Jake Shields does not.

Shields stand up is atrocious as seen in his fight with George St. Pierre where he couldn't land a decent kick or range his punches correctly. It seemed that if he couldn't implement his game plan, he didn't know where to go next.

The problem is that his game plan consists of taking his opponent down and stifling them with superior wrestling and Jiu Jitsu that is oppressive, but not aggressive. 

Ellenberger is a wrestler too though and will probably keep this fight more evenly matched then Shields will like. This fight will technically be impressive, but as for fun or exciting it definitely won't be.

Overall: 1

Can be seen on Spike on Saturday.

Your Thoughts

Let me know your thoughts about the fights in the comments below.

And as always, thanks for reading.