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- UFC 121 results, updates and live play-by-play TONIGHT (Oct. 23) for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez'
- LAST CALL!: Brock Lesnar Round 5 MMA collectible predictions contest for UFC 121!
- Strikeforce Challengers 11 results and LIVE fight coverage tonight (Oct. 22) for 'Bowling vs Voelker!'
- UFC 121 weigh in photos gallery for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez'
- UFC 121 weigh ins video highlights for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez'
- UFC 121 weigh in results LIVE from Anaheim for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez'
- Carlos Condit: George St. Pierre 'plays it safe'
- Bellator 33: Ben Askren avoids last minute disaster to capture welterweight title.
- UFC 121: Patrick Cote will finish Tom Lawlor in the 'second round for sure'
- WEC 53: Jamie Varner vs Shane Roller on tap for Dec. 16 in Arizona
- UFC 121: Montezuma's Revenge > Brock Lesnar
- Cain Velasquez Sport Science evaluation by the numbers: - Velasquez's heart rate maxes out at 167...
- UFC 121 predictions, preview and analysis
- MMA Quick Quote: Is Scott Coker trying to save Gilbert Melendez from the wrath of Eddie Alvarez?
- UFC 121: 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' video preview on ESPN's 'MMA Live'
- Brock Lesnar on Jim Rome video interview for UFC 121
| UFC 121 results, updates and live play-by-play TONIGHT (Oct. 23) for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' Posted: 23 Oct 2010 05:01 AM PDT
Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez." If you’re going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main UFC 121 results post and not this one. Comments in this thread are turned off. Enjoy the show, Maniacs! |
| LAST CALL!: Brock Lesnar Round 5 MMA collectible predictions contest for UFC 121! Posted: 23 Oct 2010 04:54 AM PDT So, how do you celebrate BROCKTOBER? If you answered "By going to MMAmania.com and winning an Ultimate Collector Series 4 Brock Lesnar Championship Edition Figurine," then friend, you've come to the right place. That's right, we're back yet again with another UFC contest give-away featuring none other than UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. In association with Round 5 MMA, the high end retailer responsible for mixed martial arts' most recognizable collectible figurines and merchandise, we will award one lucky Maniac with a full set of Ultimate Collector Series 4 figurines including the Brock Lesnar Championship Edition. Heck, we'll even throw in a couple of prize packages for the runner-ups because this is an MMAmania.com contest, and you wouldn't expect anything less. So what do you have to do to get your hands on the "Toughest S.O.B. in the UFC?" It's quite simple, really. Check out complete contest entry details after the jump!: How do you win the Round 5 Brock Lesnar Prize Package? STEP 1: You must STEP 2: Predict the following winners for UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" by leaving your predictions in the comments section below (ONE submission per fan member):
STEP 3: Post your entry in the comments section below BEFORE 7 p.m. ET on October 23, 2010. That's it! As with any contest, certain stipulations must be met in order to become and remain eligible throughout the duration of the contest. PLEASE NOTE: *One submission per fan member only and if more than one submission is posted, ALL posts for that member will be void. *If you leave the Round 5 Facebook Fan Page at any time after submitting your prediction, your submission will be invalid -- even if you qualify as the winner. The first FIVE fan members to correctly predict ALL the UFC 121 main card winners will be awarded with the following Ultimate Collector Series prize packages, in this order: GRAND PRIZE: Full Set of Ultimate Collector Series 4 with Brock Lesnar Championship Edition SECOND PLACE: Full Set Ultimate Collector Series 4 THIRD PLACE: Full Set Ultimate Collector Series 4 FOURTH PLACE: Full Set Ultimate Collector Series 3 FIFTH PLACE: Full Set Ultimate Collector Series 3 Since you have to correctly identify all the winners from the UFC 121 main card in order to win, prizes will be awarded in the order they were received. What does that mean? It means you need to get the heck outta Dodge and leave your predictions ASAP. Time is of the essence and you don't want to find out after the event that you placed sixth and won squat because you took your sweet time entering the contest! Good luck and have fun! For more information on Round 5 MMA and to check out their stellar line-up of mixed martial arts figurines and merchandise click here. In the meantime, let's hear from all you Lesnar fans! Remember, submission deadline is 7:00 p.m. EST on October 23, 2010. |
| Posted: 22 Oct 2010 06:35 PM PDT The eleventh installment of Strikeforce's Challenger Series is set to air tonight (October 22) on Showtime from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The five-fight main card will air live on the premium cable channel beginning at 11 p.m. ET. Welterweight prospects Roger Bowling and Bobby Voelker will headline the card in a rematch from five months ago that saw Bowling win by technical decision after the bout was prematurely called in the third round due to an accidental eye poke from Voelker. Heavyweight knockout artists Lavar Johnson and Virgil Zwicker are also set to lock horns in the co-main event, while undefeated Muay Thai specialist Billy Evangelista returns to action from injury to face Waachiim Spiritwolf in a main card lightweight affair. MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the event, beginning with the Showtime telecast at 11 p.m. ET. Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the Showtime telecast to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment (or 10) before you leave and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show -- it always turns out to be a great discussion. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after the show. STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS 11 QUICK RESULTS: Bobby Voelker defeats Roger Bowling via technical knockout (strikes) at 3:58 of round two STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS 11 PLAY-BY-PLAY LIVE MAIN CARD COMMENTARY: James here! 170 lbs.: Roger Bowling vs. Bobby Voelker Round one: Voelker shows a right and eats a string of kicks from Bowling. Now a huge left hook from Bowling. Both guys busy with kicks. Bowling shoots. Voelker defends it well. Now Bowling gets him to the mat. He uses the cage to get back to his feet, but Bowling is all over him. Voelker sets up a guillotine and pulls guard. Bowling is punching to the body and now he's free of the choke and in Voelker's full guard. To half guard now against the fence. Voelker gets back to his feet and connects with a nice left. Big kick from Bowling. Bowling goes upstairs with a kick. Now he shoots for another takedown. Voelker stuffs it and they're clinched against the cage. Knees from Bowling. Now a quick takedown, but Voelker is back up right away. Knees from Bowling with Voelker's back pinned against the fence. Dirty boxing from both. Bowling going low for the takedown. Voelker does well to defend it. Nice punches from Bowling on the separation. Good counter right from Voelker. Bowling shoots again, but he has nothing. Tied up against the fence again. Knees from both. Bowling goes low again. Again Voelker shrugs it off. Nice exchange after they separate momentarily. Back to the clinch now. Nice shoulder punches from Voelker. Trip takedown from Bowling just before the bell. 10-9 Bowling. Round two: Voelker with the center and he's jabbing. Nice kicks from both fighters. Voelker the aggressor early in this round. Nice leg kick from Bowling. Nice left from Bowling as he closes the distance for a takedown attempt. Voelker shakes it off and they separate. Jabs from both fighters. Nice left hook from Voelker. Bowling shoots. Voelker sprawls and lands several punches. Bowling is getting hit a bunch here. Now a big left hand rocks Bowling against the fence. He stands tough, though, and shoots for another takedown. Voelker sprawls and lands more punches from there. Now Bowling pulls guard and Voelker lands with more punches. Bowling trying for an armbar. He can't get there. He's trying again. Voelker postures and rains down more ground strikes. Voelker is straight up bullying Roger Bowling here. Fantastic ground and pound from Voelker. The referee has seen enough and he steps in to save Bowling. Wow! Huge win for Bobby Voelker. Final Result: Bobby Voelker defeats Roger Bowling via technical knockout (strikes) at 3:58 of round two -end- 265 lbs.: Lavar Johnson vs. Virgil Zwicker Round one: Zwicker looking bouncy. He fakes a kick. Johnson stalking and swings with a right. Hard leg kick from Zwicker. Now a knee from Johnson and they tie up momentarily. Nice kick from Zwicker. He's showing good movement early. Johnson misses with a big right hand and Zwicker makes him pay with a leg kick. Johnson moving forward with jabs and he misses again with that right hand. Zwicker staying busy with punches and kicks, but he walks right into a huge punch from Johnson. Now he's backpedaling. He still kicking, though. Johnnson with a flurry of punches now. Zwicker looking for a clinch. Knees from Johnson as he drives Zwicker into the fence. Uppercuts now from Johnson. Big punches from Johnson and Zwicker is done! The referee steps in and Lavar Johnson continues to dominate the Challenger Series. Final result: Lavar Johnson defeats Virgil Zwicker via knockout (strikes) at 2:17 of round one -end- 165 lbs.: Billy Evangelista vs. Waachim Spiritwolf Round one: Evangelista moving forward with Spiritwolf circling. Spiritwolf connects with a lunging right hand. Evangelista goes tumbling backward and Spiritwolf is all over him. He appears to be okay, but Spiritwolf is on top looking to land punches. Evangelista eats a couple of solid shots and then works his way back to his feet. Still clinched and against the fence now Spiritwolf working knees. Knees from both now. Spiritwolf goes low looking for a takedown. He gets it. Evangelista gives up his back but gets back to his feet. Spiritwolf picks him up and slams him back into the mat! Evangelista climbs back to his feet again, but Spiritwolf is still latched onto him. Knees from a busy Spiritwolf. Now a right hand. Now a single leg takedown attempt. Evangelista makes him pay with a nice knee, but Spiritwolf is still working for the takedown. More knees from Evangelista. Now a nice uppercut on the separation from Evangelista. Evangelista coming forward now and he lands a huge knee as Spiritwolf closes the distance for a clinch. Nice reversal from Evangelista and another knee. Spiritwolf still working for a takedown. Evangelista still defending it well and landing knees. Knee from Spiritwolf now. Another. Big misses from Spiritwolf on the separation. Evangelista now connects with a bomb! Spiritwolf looks wobbly. Elbow from Evangelista. Uppercuts from Spiritwolf. Back into the clinch with Spiritwolf looking for a takedown. The round ends there. Good round. Spiritwolf 10-9. Round two: Evangelista takes the center right away. He ducks a right hand and they're back in the clinch with Spiritwolf driving him into the fence. Spiritwolf makes good on the takedown now. Evangelista reverses nicely and takes the top position. Nice punches from Evangelista. Spiritwolf climbs back to his feet, but they're still clinched. Knees from both fighters. Spiritwolf goes back to working for a takedown. Evangelista sprawls and shows a knee on the separation. Evangelista moving forward. Uppecut from Spiritwolf. Kicks from Evangelista. Nice uppercuts from Spiritwolf again. Evangelista shoots now, but Spiritwolf defends it well. Clinched against the cage again here and Spiritwolf scores with a takedown. Evangelista is back up and he lands a couple knees. More uppercuts from Spiritwolf. They separate and Spiritwolf looks gassed. Evangelista walking him down. Nice left hand from the undefeated fighter. Leg kick from Spiritwolf. Big right hand from Evangelista. Jab now. Inside leg kick from Evangelista. Hard left hand. Now a right. Now he shoots. Spiritwolf sprawls and now he's working for a takedown. They separate quickly and Evangelista goes back to work with punches on a tired Spiritwolf. Leg kicks from Spiritwolf. Nice exchange with both guys landing. Spiritwolf looking for the takedown again. Evangelista defends it and jabs before the bell. Nice round again. Tough to judge. Round three: Evangelista stalking. Jabs from Spiritwolf. Right hand from Evangelista. A left hand from Evangelista turns Spiritwolf. He misses on a follow up high kick, but has some momentum built up here. Nice punches from Evangelista. Now he lands with a kick to the face. Spiritwolf falls into a takedown attempt. Evangelista has done a lot of takedown defending against the cage in this fight. They separate and Evangelista walking forward with punches. Spiritwolf still firing back. Body kick from Evangelista. More punches and a high kick from Evangelista. He's starting to open up now with his strikes. Spiritwolf misses with a right hand and eats two from Evangelista for it. Nice one-two from Evangelista. Superman punch from Evangelista. Spiritwolf still jabbing and firing punches, but he's eating a lot more than he's landing. Evangelista with another kick upstairs! Spiritwolf shoots again, and they're back against the fence. Spiritwolf is very tired. Evangelista finally gets separation and he goes back to work with punches. Jabs from Spiritwolf! Great action here at the end of the fight. Both fighters punching and connecting. Slamming takedown from Spiritwolf at the bell! Wow! Awesome ending. I think Evangelista did enough to win the last two rounds, but what a great showing from Spiritwolf! Final result: Billy Evangelista defeats Waachim Spiritwolf via unanimous decision -end- 145 lbs.: Shana Olsen vs. Julia Budd Round one: Budd with some stiff jabs right away. Olsen shoots in for the takedown. Budd defends it well against the cage. Budd has Olsen pinned into the fence now and she's working some knees and dirty boxing from there. Nice elbow on the exchange from Budd. Olsen circling and she eats a nice flurry of punches from Budd. Budd stalking bigtime here. Nice punches and kicks from a confident Budd. Leg kick from Olsen finds a home. Now she catches a body kick from Budd, but she can't get the takedown. She works for a body lock and now she has the takedown. Nice reversal from Budd and she takes the top position in half guard. Budd moves Olsen towards the fence and she's working a guillotine from half guard. Olsen gets out and moves away from the fence. Olsen trying to sweep, but Budd shows good control. Hammerfists from Budd. Now she postures up and lands a punch before Olsen can tie her back up. The referee calls for a stand up now and he's going to take a point away from Julia Budd for an illegal elbow on the ground. Wow. Back underway. Olsen moving forward with weak jabs, but she eats a couple from Budd instead just before the bell. 9-9 with the point deduction. Round two: Budd takes the center, but Olsen shows some aggression with a flurry of punches before initiating a clinch. Budd reverses and puts Olsen's back into the fence. Knees from Budd. Both women working hard for position. Foot stomps from Budd. Again Budd connects with an elbow on the separation. Olsen closes the distance right away and gets back to the clinch. She's working hard for the takedown, but Budd lands on top of her in side control. Now to full mount and she's raining down the punches. Olsen gives up her back now and Budd continues to land punches. Back to full mount. More ground strikes. Olsen is in deep trouble. And that's it. The referee has finally called a stop to the onslaught. Impressive showing for Budd in her debut. Final result: Julia Budd defeats Shana Olsen via technical knockout (strikes) at 2:51 of round two -end- 265 lbs.: Brandon Cash vs. John Devine Round one: Gloves touch and we're underway with the first fight of the night. Cash has the center with Devine circling. Hard leg kick from Cash. Jab from Devine. Now he shoots for a single and he gets it. Cash gives up his back, but he works back to his feet. Devine is latched onto him. Cash bent over eating some punches against the fence now. The referee steps in for a separation. Devine jabs and Cash kicks low. Another hard leg kick from Cash before Devine closes the distance and gets another takedown. Cash gives up his back again. Devine landing punches, and now he has both hooks in. More punches from Devine. He flattens Cash out and he's setting up the choke. It doesn't take him long. He slaps on the rear naked and Cash taps right away. Excellent win for John Devine. Final result: John Devine defeats Brandon Cash via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:05 of round one |
| UFC 121 weigh in photos gallery for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' Posted: 22 Oct 2010 06:22 PM PDT Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery) For complete UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" weigh in results click here. To view UFC 121 weigh in video highlights click here. |
| UFC 121 weigh ins video highlights for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' Posted: 22 Oct 2010 06:14 PM PDT
Check out another version after the jump:
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| UFC 121 weigh in results LIVE from Anaheim for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' Posted: 22 Oct 2010 12:53 PM PDT The official weigh-in event for UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" went down earlier today (Oct. 22, 2010), from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Each fighter scheduled to compete on tomorrow night's pay-per-view (PPV) card hit their respective mark without incident. Aside from a few intense staredowns, there was very little in terms of fireworks, though Tito Ortiz went to the well (yet again) with a tee-shirt directed at Dana White, this time proclaiming the UFC President his "hero." Uh-huh. Complete UFC 121 weigh in results and video replay after the jump:
Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com. |
| Carlos Condit: George St. Pierre 'plays it safe' Posted: 22 Oct 2010 12:51 PM PDT Props: TapouT Radio (via Fighters Only) Quoteworthy:
Top welterweight contender Carlos Condit apparently doesn't mind fighting his Greg Jackson partner, welterweight champion George St. Pierre if the opportunity presented itself. He also believes the champ would rather play it safe than risk it all, a contrast to the style of the "Natural Born Killer." Condit leapfrogged the welterweight division with his stunning first round knockout of Dan Hardy at UFC 120. Is there tension brewing between the Greg Jackson fighters? Or is Condit just being honest? |
| Bellator 33: Ben Askren avoids last minute disaster to capture welterweight title. Posted: 22 Oct 2010 12:43 PM PDT Bellator 33: Ben Askren avoids last minute disaster to capture welterweight title. |
| UFC 121: Patrick Cote will finish Tom Lawlor in the 'second round for sure' Posted: 22 Oct 2010 11:15 AM PDT Props: MMA Weekly Quoteworthy:
Patrick Cote doesn't believe Tom Lawlor stands much of a chance if he engages in a standup battle tomorrow night (Oct. 23) at UFC 121. Cote will square off against Lawlor in the first bout of the live prelims on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET. "The Predator" looks to get his first win since having surgery on his right leg, but "The Filthy Mauler" stands in his way. Can Cote make a comeback at UFC 121? Or will Lawlor hand the Canadian middleweight his third loss in a row? |
| WEC 53: Jamie Varner vs Shane Roller on tap for Dec. 16 in Arizona Posted: 22 Oct 2010 10:31 AM PDT An interesting lightweight matchup is brewing between two accomplished 155-pound juggernauts at WEC 53 on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona. The two fighters are former WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner and submission ace Shane Roller. Sources confirmed to MMA Weekly that the fighters have verbally agreed to the bout. Varner has enjoyed success in the WEC, winning his first four bouts and capturing lightweight gold upon his entrance in the organization. Things haven't been as smooth lately for "Showtime," going 0-2-1 in his last three fights. Not only does Varner want his first win since January of 2009, but he would also like to wash away the taste of defeat to his long-time enemy Donald Cerrone. Varner isn't the only one looking to come back from a loss. Roller was on a roll with WEC, going 5-1 in his last six bouts, winning four of those bouts by submission. With wins over Marcus Hicks, Danny Castillo and Anthony Njokuani, Roller was making a name for himself in the lightweight division. The NCAA Division I Wrestling standout was stopped in his tracks when he submitted to a triangle choke courtesy of Anthony Pettis in August. Roller now looks to get back on the winning track with a big win over a former champion. In the main event of a stacked WEC 53 card, Ben Henderson looks to keep his run as WEC lightweight champion going strong as he defends his title against "Showtime" Anthony Pettis. Another exciting title bout will be the co-main event when Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz defends his belt against Scott Jorgensen. Also recently announced, top WEC lightweight contender Donald Cerrone battles once undefeated top prospect Chris Horodecki. Stick with MMAmania.com for more updates on WEC 53: "Henderson vs Pettis" as they become available. |
| UFC 121: Montezuma's Revenge > Brock Lesnar Posted: 22 Oct 2010 10:18 AM PDT Props: TMZ.com Quoteworthy:
From epic beards to epic beers, UFC Heavweight Champion Brock Lesnar is getting bombarded by Mexican-related questions heading into his UFC 121 main event against Cain Velasquez on Oct. 23. Is the "Brown Pride" factor becoming a distraction to what is (on its own) a stellar match-up between two great heavyweights? Or does the significance of crowning a Mexican champion warrant these increasingly wacky questions? |
| Cain Velasquez Sport Science evaluation by the numbers: - Velasquez's heart rate maxes out at 167... Posted: 22 Oct 2010 09:37 AM PDT  Cain Velasquez Sport Science evaluation by the numbers: - Velasquez's heart rate maxes out at 167 BPM, very low, on par with elite endurance athletes Video of his trip to the fight lab can be seen in this week's "MMA Live" video (Part 4) by clicking here. Props: Bloody Elbow |
| UFC 121 predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 22 Oct 2010 07:46 AM PDT UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, is finally upon us, as the world's largest fight promotion brings its stable of stars back to Orange County tomorrow night (Oct. 23) live on pay-per-view (PPV). How special is Brock Lesnar? I would argue that even the most jaded mixed martial arts fan is fired up about Saturday night's main event. Love him or hate him, people turn out to see Brock Lesnar. Haters have already crowned opponent Cain Velasquez the new division champion, while the gopher-huggers are busy breaking down a Lesnar vs. Dos Santos fight for 2011. One of those two sides will have some apologizing to do on Sunday morning. Of course let's not overlook the long-awaited Octagon debut of Jake Shields. A lot of pundits were calling for the ex-Strikeforce champ to go right to the top of the food chain. The UFC had other plans. Will Martin Kampmann play spoiler, and hand yet another high profile free agent a debut loss inside the cage? Or will Shields all but cement his status as welterweight number one contender? I've also included the current betting lines for each fight so that you can get a feel for what the money has to say about the chances of each combatant. Now, enough with the formalities ... we've got work to do: 265 lbs.: Brock Lesnar (5-1) vs. Cain Velasquez (8-0) Nostradumbass predicts: Brock Lesnar is the UFC Heavyweight Champion -- and that's a title I fully expect him to have come Sunday morning. In his last three fights, the pasty-faced Goliath defeated two former world champions (Mir, Couture) and survived a five-minute shellacking to come back and submit the sport's most powerful puncher. Not impressed? I laugh when people tell me Lesnar was "exposed" in the Carwin fight. Exposed as what? A genetic freak who can bench-press a Volkswagen and doesn't like to get hit? I'm sorry, did we not know that already? And how come the same people who praised Anderson Silva for having the "heart of a champion" against Chael Sonnen slam Lesnar for the same performance? Is Lesnar one of our better technical fighters? Hardly. But he doesn't need to be. All he needs to do to be successful is to nullify his opponents strengths using his speed and power. And that's exactly why I favor him over Velasquez, because there is nothing Cain brings to the fight that Lesnar cannot withstand, neutralize and give back tenfold. Now, I keep hearing how Cain is the better wrestler. I went back and compared their collegiate records side-by-side and well, I just don't see it. Let's give Velasquez the benefit of the doubt. We'll call them equal mat rats. If that's the case, then I'm sticking with the old bar-fight maxim that a good big man will always beat a good little man. "Yes, but Cain is the superior striker," they'll say. Well, if you count quantity over quality then sure, I guess so. But keep in mind that Velasquez hit Cheick Kongo over 250 times and couldn't finish him. Yeah, that was UFC 99, the same fight where Velasquez folded up faster than George Jetson's car every time Kongo touched his chin. How many times did "Brown Pride" hit Ben Rothwell at UFC 110 before the referee got bored and decided to call it a day? And if his punches were so deadly, how come "Big" Ben was still getting to his feet when it was stopped? And please, I beg of you, don't put too much stock in his knockout win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The poor guy is one head-bouncer away from adult diapers, he shouldn't even be competing at this point. Cardio? I saw Brock do three rounds with ease against Heath Herring and he's in much better shape for this fight. If you're throwing the "more muscle, less oxygen" medical babble at me, don't bother. Lesnar is a bona fide athlete, not a swollen strongman who can't pay the bills. Cain Velasquez is a talented fighter with a well-rounded arsenal and I definitely have him in the top five of his division. However, I don't believe he would have ever gotten this title shot if he had to go through Shane Carwin, and perhaps the UFC didn't either since they hastily canceled that fight in 2009. In the end it won't matter. He was good enough to get to the top -- but Lesnar will prove on Saturday night that he's just not good enough to stay there. Betting lines (as of Oct. 22): Lesnar: -145 ((Bet Now)) Velasquez: +115 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Lesnar via technical knockout 170 lbs.: Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann (17-3) vs. Jake Shields (25-4-1) Nostradumbass predicts: Why make Georges St. Pierre fight Jake Shields when you can force him to rematch Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch? Nothing fans like more than when a promotion holds a division hostage for months on end. Now we may never see these two mix it up because Martin Kampmann is going to ruin it for everybody. That's not a knock on Shields. I think he's one of the world's best. But if there is any fighter he matches up poorly against it's Martin Kampmann. There's a reason the great Dane is 15-3, because he's that friggin' good. Remember all that jazz about Paulo Thiago's run at the title? Kampmann's two UFC losses hurt his credibility but they probably shouldn't have. He was knocked out by Nate Marquardt in a division that he had no business fighting in even in spite of his success at 185. And his loss to Paul Daley? That's what happens when you fight with your ego and not your gameplan. Shields biggest strength is his grappling (duh). But in 18 fights, Kampmann has never been submitted. Thales Leites couldn't do it. Neither could Carlos Condit or Paulo Thiago. That suffocating top game that Jake put on display as a middleweight in Strikeforce had a lot to do with his size. The extra weight afforded him the muscle gain to bully guys around. You can say goodbye to that power at 170, which means that even if he does get "The Hitman" to the floor, he may not be able to keep him there. That tells me all Marty has to do is stick-and-move. He's a far better striker than Shields and remember, it's a three round fight. He only needs two of them to win. Is it unreasonable to think he can't stuff a few takedowns and be busier in the stand-up? I think Shields will be still be feeling the effects of cutting weight for his first fight back at 170. That, coupled with a back injury in training camp (yes, it was 12 weeks out, but it's still time away from camp while you recover), and I just think Jake has all his eggs in one basket. If he can't get this thing south, he's in big trouble. I predict Kampmann plays it safe and cruises to a decision. Betting lines (as of Oct. 22): Shields: -200 ((Bet Now)) Kampmann: +160 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Kampmann via unanimous decision 205 lbs.: Matt "The Hammer" Hamill (9-2) vs. "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz (15-7-1) Nostradumbass predicts: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Tito Ortiz, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and original "Bad Boy," is so far removed from relevancy in his division that he's not the main event, not the co-main event, heck, he's not even favored to beat one of his former students. That's what happens when you build a career on Ken Shamrock. All kidding aside, if you take away the Shammy fights, his last (T)KO win was over Elvis Sinosic at UFC 32 almost ten years ago. Yikes. He couldn't beat Randy Couture, he couldn't beat Chuck Liddell, and his three wins outside of the Lion's Den were two split decisions (Griffin, Belfort) and a UD over Patrick Cote. It's hard to build a case for Tito, but I'll try anyway, because I do think he wins. Matt Hamill likes Ortiz. What happened the last time he liked his opponent? Ask Rich Franklin. "The Hammer" is a tough scrapper and he hits hard, but I don't think he'll have the killer instinct in this fight. Without it, I can see "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" getting the takedowns. At will? No, but enough to steal the rounds. If you look at what Hamill has done, he knows how to hang. I thought he won the Bisping fight (but lost the Jones fight) so his record still balances out. Anyone who doesn't think he has power should re-watch the Mark Munoz fight. Basically we have two good wrestlers, two average strikers and one giant head. It wouldn't surprise me to see this thing even after two rounds of ugliness, but Hamill's gas tank will betray him in the final frame, and Ortiz will land that last convincing takedown to squeak out a split decision win. Betting lines (as of Oct. 22): Hamill: -170 ((Bet Now)) Ortiz: +140 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Ortiz via split decision 170 lbs.: Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez (21-4) vs. Paulo Thiago (13-2) Nostradumbass predicts: Diego Sanchez used to be a "Nightmare" at welterweight -- until the rest of the division eventually woke up. Gone are the days of David Bielkheden and Luigi Fioravanti, there are some talented prospects at 170 and Sanchez found that out against John Hathaway earlier this year. I was surprised he ever left 155. Yeah, he was turned inside out by BJ Penn, but that's hardly a knock on anyone's career. All the tools that made him dangerous as a welterweight were magnified in the smaller class and who didn't want to see if "KenFlo" could exact his revenge? When a fighter bounces in and out of weight classes, it sends up a red flag. The same red flag as when fighters bounce from camp-to-camp. I think Diego knows deep down that he can't be a champion in either division and it's probably messing with his head. There was a time when I didn't think Sanchez could be rattled, but I don't like where he's at mentally for this fight. And Paulo Thiago is not a flash in the pan. He was null and void against Martin Kampmann not because he lacked the skill, but because "The Hitman" had a superior gameplan. I think that loss did more for the Brazilian than a win, as it afforded him the opportunity to come up with a "Plan B" when the fight starts to get away from him. Trying to find a weakness in Thiago is difficult. Outside of being frustrated by Kampmann, his only other defeat in 15 fights was to Jon Fitch, who did what Jon Fitch does better than anyone else, so again, there isn't much to glean from that loss. Thiago is probably more respected for his ground skills, but his stand-up is underrated. Forget about knocking out Koscheck, that was more instinct than execution, but his hands have evolved and that makes him better all around than Diego. Sanchez is one dimensional. He always has been. But it never became a liability because he knew how to apply that one dimension so effectively. Unfortunately the sport has evolved and Diego hasn't, which is why I see him falling on the scorecards for the second straight fight. See you at 155 (I hope). Betting lines (as of Oct. 22): Thiago: -130 ((Bet Now)) Sanchez: +100 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Thiago via unanimous decision 265 lbs.: Gabriel "Napao"Gonzaga (11-5) vs. Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub (6-1) Nostradumbass predicts: Funny how getting knocked on your keister can change the trajectory of your entire career. Fortunately for "The Hybrid," I don't hold the KO loss to Roy Nelson against him. Like Schaub, I believe it was the best thing that ever happened to him as a fighter. The former TUF 10 finalist didn't respect Roy Nelson's power. Heck, he didn't respect Roy Nelson period and he paid for it. The good news is that by his own admission, Schaub had to become a more "cerebral" fighter. That means leaving your ego at the door and focusing on winning. And who better to have your back than Greg Jackson? Schaub has six wins -- all by technical knockout. In fact, he's never even seen a round two. Sound like any other heavyweights you might know? I like him in this match-up. He's quicker, more technical on the feet and just savvy enough to stay out of Gonzaga's submissions. Now, the Brazilian Yeti is a household name, but just like people have a tendency to put too much stock in a loss, "Napao" enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top by doing the Reginald Denny on Cro Cop's Croatian cranium. In 2007, beating Cro Cop was big news. These days, it's barely noteworthy. Prior to the Filipovic win, Gonzaga was beating up a bunch of people you've never heard of. And after? Well, he was stopped by a much smaller Randy Couture and slapped silly by Fabricio Werdum for the second time in his career. The bottom line is that Gonzaga can't get the big win. I named "The Natural" and "Vai Cavalo" but he also crumbled against Carwin and Dos Santos. I know they're all elite, but you need to have one big win over a top name to be considered a major player in this division. I don't want to pull one of those "You're only as good as your last fight" bits, but the way this sport evolves, a 2007 win over a burned out Cro Cop just isn't enough to convince me that Gonzaga can still hang with the best and the brightest heavyweights. Speed kills, and aside from a few rough patches, this should be Schaub's fight all day. Betting lines (as of Oct. 22): Gonzaga: -165 ((Bet Now)) Schaub: +135 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Schaub via technical knockout That's a wrap, folks. Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez." What do you think? Now it's your turn ... let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for tomorrow night's event. |
| MMA Quick Quote: Is Scott Coker trying to save Gilbert Melendez from the wrath of Eddie Alvarez? Posted: 22 Oct 2010 07:06 AM PDT Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney seems to think so:
So does the Bellator Lightweight Champion:
Well, things started off playful and nice, but now the Bellator boys (via Bloody Elbow) sound like they're past the talking stage of these negotiations. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker recently entertained the possibility of bringing the 155-pound champions (and consensus top five ranked lightweights) into a superfight under a co-promotion agreement. Of course there exists several obstacles when two promotions come together but if Coker can make it work with M-1, they can likely make it work with anyone -- and for probably a fraction of the price. Rebney has already conceded venue and network. What say you now, Mr. Coker? |
| UFC 121: 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' video preview on ESPN's 'MMA Live' Posted: 22 Oct 2010 06:23 AM PDT |
| Brock Lesnar on Jim Rome video interview for UFC 121 Posted: 21 Oct 2010 09:39 PM PDT
I haven't heard but Rome brings up some negative comments that Sonnen stated against Brock. Brocks answer was priceless and I believe he was serious? I think Sonnen is using Brocks name to get his own along with some much needed publicity with the possibility of him being suspended for a year, but once again comes out ass a jackass. The beard was a topic once again and mayhemmike FYI he grows it every winter. |
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