UFC 134 RESULTS!!!

MAIN CARD

Champ Anderson Silva def. Yushin Okami via TKO (punches) - Round 2, 2:04 (to retain middleweight title)
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua def. Forrest Griffin via KO (punches) - Round 1, 1:53
Edson Barboza def. Ross Pearson via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Brendan Schaub via KO (punches) - Round 1, 3:09
Stanislav Nedkov def. Luiz Cane by TKO (punches) - Round 1, 4:13

PRELIMINARY CARD

Thiago Tavares def. Spencer Fisher via TKO (punches) - Round 2, 2:51
Rousimar Palhares def. Dan Miller via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-25)
Paulo Thiago def. David Mitchell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Raphael Assuncao def. Johhny Eduardo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Erick Silva def. Luis Ramos via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 0:40
Yuri Alcantara def. Felipe Arantes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Yves Jabouin def. Ian Loveland via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)

UFC 134: SILVA VS. OKAMI PREDICTIONS

Brendan 'The Hybrid' Schaub vs. Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira

Brendan Schaub will be looking to continue his climb up the heavyweight ranks as he gets ready to take on the returning Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on Saturday night. Both Schaub and Nogueira really need the W in this fight, for Schaub he needs this victory to prove that he is one of the top heavyweights in the UFC and this will surely get him a step closer to that number 1 contender spot. For Nogueira he desperately wants to come back and make a statement after getting stopped for the first time in his career against Cain Velasquez at UFC 110. It’s been a year & a half since that fight with Nogueira taking the time out to get surgeries to heal some of the injuries that have plagued him throughout the last couple of years. With Nogueira now claiming to be back to full health it’ll be interesting to see whether he still has enough left to compete at the top level or whether the sport has passed him by. Schaub is a very dangerous opponent and has some excellent striking with KO power to go with it. I think the only way Nogueira wins this fight is if it goes to the ground, however with him coming back after such a long lay-off I think it will be incredibly tough for the Brazilian to get a result in this fight so i’m going with Schaub via TKO.

My Prediction: Brendan Schaub via TKO.

Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs. Forrest Griffin

In the co-main event of the evening Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua will be looking to get revenge for his UFC 76 loss to Forrest Griffin when they meet in a re-match. Shogun will also be motivated to make up for his poor showing against Jon Jones & in his training videos he looks to be in excellent shape which was one of his big problems in the first match against Griffin. In the initial meeting between the two, Shogun gassed badly and was unable to keep up with the relentless pace that Forrest set. If he is able to fix this problem then I think he stands an excellent chance of getting the win this time around. We all know that Forrest has conditioning for days and he is also one of the biggest light heavyweights in the division. This is a tough fight to call after Shogun’s recent performances however I think with this fight taking place in his home country he will be extremely motivated to put on a performance for his fans. He also holds a significant advantage with his striking so taking all of this into consideration I think we’ll see Shogun make a statement on Saturday with a TKO victory.

My Prediction: Shogun via TKO.

Anderson 'The Spider' Silva vs. Yushin 'Thunder' Okami

In the main event of the evening Anderson Silva will once again defend his middleweight title against the last man to defeat him in his MMA career, Yushin Okami. In the first fight Okami won via DQ after an illegal kick by Silva caused Okami to withdraw from the fight as he was unable to continue. Since that fight both fighters have evolved considerably and this should be a very interesting re-match. Anderson Silva had looked unstoppable in his UFC career until his fight against Chael Sonnen where he gave hope to some of the other fighters in the middleweight division after Chael controlled Silva for most of the fight. Despite this Silva still came away with the victory though after locking in a submission in the final round to prove just why he’s the number 1 pound for pound fighter in MMA today. He also followed this with an amazing first round KO of Vitor Belfort to remind everyone of just how dangerous he can be. Okami is one of Sonnen’s main training partners so it’s pretty safe to say that Chael would have passed on any tips and will have been giving Okami as much advice as possible in the build-up to this title fight. Okami is very strong in the clinch and if he is able to get past Silva’s strikes & close the distance he may just be able to get the champ down. This is where I think he needs the fight to take place if he stands any chance of winning, he will still need to be cautious of the champion’s ground game however I think it would be a lot more dangerous to stand with Silva. We all know Anderson’s strengths by now and if he is able to maintain the distance & avoid the inevitable takedown attempts then I think this fight is his for the taking. Not many people can match his striking and I think if this fight stays standing then it’ll be over within 3 rounds.

My Prediction: Anderson Silva via TKO.

UFC 133: EVANS VS. ORTIZ PREDICTIONS

Dennis 'Superman' Hallman vs. 'Bad Boy' Brian Ebersole

Brian Ebersole had to wait a long time to finally get his shot in the UFC, however when it finally happened at UFC 127 he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, earning a unanimous decision win over long-time UFC veteran Chris Lytle. Now he will need to prove himself against another tough veteran in Dennis Hallman. Both of these fighters have been around the sport a long time with over a 100 professional bouts between them and they both have similar strengths with their wrestling abilities. This is a tough fight to predict, however I think that Ebersole’s elusive striking may be the key factor in this fight, his style is very unorthodox and even though Hallman has a lot of experience I think this style may prove too difficult for him. Ebersole has also never been stopped in his MMA career, which is a pretty amazing fact when you consider he has had 63 fights, taking this into consideration I think Ebersole will have enough to get the unanimous decision win.

My Prediction: Brian Ebersole via decision.

Vitor 'The Phenom' Belfort vs. Yoshihiro 'Fukama' Akiyama

This will be a must win fight for both Yoshihiro Akiyama & Vitor Belfort. For Vitor he will need to win to erase the shocking KO loss he suffered to Anderson Silva in his return fight at UFC 126. For Akiyama, he needs the W in order to put an end to the 2 fight losing streak he is currently on. Both fighters are rarely in boring fights so i’m expecting fireworks in this bout aswell, Belfort was on a very impressive run prior to his loss to Silva & he is one of the best strikers in the division. With his lightning quick hand speed and KO power he is a real threat to anyone fighting at Middleweight, so Akiyama will definitely have his hands full with the Brazilian. If Akiyama is to win this fight I think he needs to use his Judo to get this fight to the ground where he can then work from the top and use his ground & pound to wear Vitor down. Even though he possesses good striking & an iron jaw I think it would be a mistake for Akiyama to decide to stand and trade with ‘The Phenom’. This is another tough fight to pick, but with Vitor’s striking i’d tend to favour him over most Middleweights and I think he’ll be able to get the win on Saturday night.

My Prediction: Vitor Belfort via TKO.

'Sugar' Rashad Evans vs. 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' Tito Ortiz

In the main event of the evening Tito Ortiz will be looking to build on the momentum he gained after defeating Ryan Bader at UFC 132 when he takes on Rashad Evans in a re-match from their controversial draw at UFC 73. This will be Evans’ first fight in over a year, with his last fight taking place at UFC 114 where he defeated Quinton Jackson to earn the number 1 contender spot. A win in this fight will cement Rashad’s status as the next guy to get a shot at the light heavyweight title so he will no doubt be taking this fight very seriously. Likewise Tito knows that a win against Rashad will suddenly put him into the title mix, which would be a remarkable turnaround considering just over a month ago it looked as though his career could be over if he lost to Bader. I’m expecting a totally different fight on Saturday than we witnessed the first time these fighters met, Rashad has improved considerably since the first meeting and he is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the division. Tito on the other hand is coming close to the end of his prime, buthe is not to be taken lightly as evidenced in his last fight where he proved that there is still life in ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ and we all know he is desperate to hold that light heavyweight title one more time before he’s done so this will not be an easy fight for Evans. In order for Ortiz to get the win in this fight, I think he is going to need to rely on his takedowns & strength to get the fight to the ground where he can work his trademark ground & pound. Rashad’s striking is excellent and he also has power to go along with his quick hands. Look for Evans to mix up his strikes with takedown attempts which is what he did so well in his fight against Rampage. These transitions are part of what makes Rashad so difficult to beat and Ortiz will need to use his takedown defence to ensure he stays off his back. With Evans being out for a year this is a difficult one to pick, however as much as I want to see Tito make one last run for the title my head is telling me that this will be a step too far.

My Prediction: Rashad Evans via decision.

UFC 132: CRUZ VS. FABER 2 PREDICTIONS

Tito 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' Ortiz vs. Ryan 'Darth' Bader

Tito Ortiz will be looking to get his first win since 2006 when he takes on Ryan Bader on Saturday night, however Bader will also be looking to get back to winning ways after suffering his first ever professional loss to Jon Jones at UFC 126. This will be a tough fight for Ortiz, but a win against Bader would definitely up his stock and get him back into the upper echelon of the division. The reason that this is a tough fight for Ortiz though is that his main strength is also one of Bader’s big strengths which is his wrestling, and with his injuries over the years Tito’s wrestling has slowly deteriorated which is leading me to believe that he will struggle to take Bader down in this fight. If this proves to be the case then we could see this turn into a striking match, which would favour Bader. If this fight had happened a few years ago while Ortiz was still in his prime then i’d go with ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ however after all of the injuries he’s sustained over the years I think his time has passed and the new generation of MMA stars are taking over. This is a difficult prediction for me to make as i’m a big fan of Ortiz, however i’m going to have to go with Bader in this one.

My Prediction: Ryan Bader via decision.

Wanderlei 'The Axe Murderer' Silva vs. Chris 'The Crippler' Leben

In the co-main event of the evening Wanderlei Silva makes his long awaited return from surgery to take on Chris Leben in what should be a contender for Fight of the Night if either fighter’s past performances are anything to go by. Both of these guys love to stand & trade punches so i’m not expecting this fight to go the distance. Leben will be looking to make a statement in this fight after suffering a loss to Bryan Stann in January and he knows that a win over a legend like Wanderlei will get him back on the track in the middleweight division. Leben is known for his big KO power and iron chin, and he is not afraid to take a few shots if it means he has the opportunity to land some of his own, however this could be a risky strategy against someone like Wanderlei who also has KO power in his hands. This is a tough fight to predict due to Wanderlei’s inactivity, we’ve all seen how cage rust can affect fighters and it’s been well over a year since we last saw Silva in the Octagon. Will this lack of activity come back to haunt ‘The Axe Murderer’? I think this fight will be decided by whoever lands first, I expect to see both fighters come out aggressively and whoever makes the first mistake in the striking exchange will be made to pay. Even though Silva has been out for a while I think he will still be able to catch Leben and put him away within 2 rounds.

My Prediction: Wanderlei Silva via TKO.

Dominick 'The Dominator' Cruz vs. 'The California Kid' Urijah Faber

In the main event of the evening Dominick Cruz will defend his UFC Bantamweight title and also look to avenge his only career loss when he takes on Urijah Faber. It’s been 4 years since Urijah managed to defeat Cruz at WEC 26 via guillotine choke and i’m sure both fighters will admit that they have evolved a lot during that time, so this fight should be totally different from their first encounter. Cruz has evolved into one of the most dominant fighters around today and is a staple in many people’s pound for pound rankings, Faber on the other hand has lost a bit of the momentum he had back in 2007, however he is now looking to make a statement in his new weight class. Faber is very well rounded and is just as comfortable trading strikes as he is taking the fight to the ground & working for a submission. Likewise Cruz has also become an extremely well rounded fighter; however in this match-up I would give a slight edge to Faber on the ground and a slight advantage to Cruz in the striking. Cruz has very unorthodox striking and his constant movement has the ability to frustrate his opponents. I think the result of this fight will depend on whether Faber is able to get Cruz down to the ground, if he can secure the takedown then I think he’ll be able to either get the submission or control the fight to get a decision. However if Cruz is able to stuff the takedown attempts and it becomes a battle of strikes then I think he’ll retain his title and avenge his previous loss.

My Prediction: Dominick Cruz via decision.

UFC 131: DOS SANTOS VS. CARWIN PREDICTIONS

Demian Maia vs. Mark 'The Filipino Wrecking Machine' Munoz

Demian Maia will be looking to continue his 2-fight winning streak on Saturday when he comes up against ‘The Filipino Wrecking Machine’ Mark Munoz, who is also riding a 2-fight win streak. Maia has slowly been getting his momentum back in recent fights after his disappointing performance against Anderson Silva, and he has worked extremely hard on his striking since that fight. Despite his improved striking I think it would be a mistake for Maia to keep this fight standing, Munoz has huge power in his hands and if he connects then I think it’ll be a very short night for the Brazilian. Maia will need to get the fight to the ground where he can use his world class BJJ to work for the submission, this may prove difficult though as Munoz is an excellent wrestler and will not give up the takedown easily. This is a tough fight to call, however with Munoz’s wrestling ability and his KO power i’m leaning towards a stoppage win for the Filipino.

My Prediction: Mark Munoz via TKO.

Kenny 'KenFlo' Florian vs. Diego 'The Gun' Nunes

In the co-main event of the evening Kenny Florian will make his debut in the featherweight division against Diego Nunes as he looks to create a winning streak that will eventually lead to that elusive UFC title. Diego Nunes had an impressive debut in the UFC, defeating former title holder Mike Brown and he has only been defeated once in his MMA career (Professional Record - 16-1) so this will not be an easy fight for Florian. Nunes is very aggressive when he fights and has some vicious leg kicks & good striking to go along with his excellent ground game. Kenny is also an extremely well rounded fighter and I think his ability to counter may be the key to winning this fight, if Kenny is able to get Nunes to come after him in his usual aggressive style then I think he’ll be able to pick the Brazilian apart and come away with the W.

My Prediction: Kenny Florian via decision.

Junior 'Cigano' Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin

In the main event of the evening Junior Dos Santos will take on Shane Carwin, who has stepped in for the injured Brock Lesnar, in a fight that will decide the next challenger for Cain Velasquez’s Heavyweight title. Junior Dos Santos has been on an incredible run since debuting in the UFC and he has won his last 7 fights in a row, his excellent striking has enabled him to dominate his opponents and he has been tearing through the division at a rapid pace. Carwin was in a similar position to Junior until he suffered a loss to Brock Lesnar almost a year ago, since that fight Carwin has had surgery and totally revamped his cardio and nutrition which is one of the big reasons that he felt contributed to the first loss of his MMA career. Carwin should now be coming into this fight a lot lighter than previously and he will hope that his improved cardio will be the key to getting a title shot. With both of these fighters preferring the stand-up game I very much doubt that we’ll see this one go the distance. Carwin has huge KO power and he has also been rocked in the past, so we could see a KO for either fighter. I would give the power advantage to Shane, however I think Junior has the better technique with his strikes. If Junior is able to avoid the early storm then I think he stands an excellent chance of stopping Carwin in the 2nd or 3rd round.

My Prediction: Junior Dos Santos via TKO.

UFC 129: ST-PIERRE VS. SHIELDS PREDICTIONS

Randy 'The Natural' Couture vs. Lyoto 'The Dragon' Machida

In what very well could be the final fight of his hall of fame career, MMA legend Randy ‘The Natural’ Couture will take on Lyoto Machida in a light heavyweight contest. Couture has been after this fight for a while and is very keen to see how his skills match up with Machida’s unorthodox style, so we should see a very motivated Couture on Saturday. Likewise Machida will also not be short on motivation, after putting together a perfect 16-0 record at the start of his career Machida now finds himself on a 2 fight losing streak after a TKO loss to Shogun Rua & a very controversial decision loss to Rampage at UFC 123. Machida now finds himself in a position where he needs a very convincing performance in order to get back into title contention. This should be a really interesting clash of styles, I expect Couture to look to close the distance early on and then get to work in the clinch which is where he is most effective at grinding his opponents down. Lyoto on the other hand, will look to use his superior striking and timing to out-strike Couture when he looks to close the gap. Lyoto also has underrated grappling so it may not be as easy to get him down or control him in the early stages of the fight. No doubt Randy will be well prepared for this fight, however I think that Machida’s style will be a bad match-up for ‘The Natural’ and I think he’ll come away the decision in this fight.

My Prediction: Lyoto Machida via decision.

Jose Aldo vs. Mark 'The Machine' Hominick

In the co-main event of the evening Jose Aldo will make the first defence of the newly created UFC featherweight title against the Canadian challenger Mark Hominick. Hominick has been putting on some very impressive performances recently and the striking clinic he showed to defeat George Roop at UFC: Fight For The Troops 2 has definitely got a lot more fans interested in this title bout. With Shawn Tompkins in his corner, Mark’s striking has been getting better and better however it will really be put to the test on Saturday as Aldo is considered by many to be one of, if not the best pound-for-pound fighters in MMA today. Aldo not only has the power and speed in his punches to stop his opponents, he also possesses some of the most vicious kicks of any fighter in any weight class as well as excellent submission skills. With both fighters preferring the stand-up game I think there’s a very good chance we’ll see a lot of fireworks in this bout. I think Hominick will surprise a lot of people early on and make it competitive however, mid-way through the fight I think Aldo’s power will take over and he will get the TKO victory.

My Prediction: Jose Aldo via TKO.

Georges 'Rush' St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields

In the main event of the evening Welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre will defend his title for the 6th time against Jake Shields. Even though this is only Shields’ 2nd appearance in the UFC, he has more than paid his dues to get a shot at the title, not only was he the Welterweight & Middleweight champion of Strikeforce, Shields is also currently riding a 15 fight win streak and hasn’t lost a fight since 2004. Shields is also part of one of the best fight teams in MMA at the moment, Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, which is also home to Nick & Nate Diaz as well as Gilbert Melendez. Jake’s main strength is obviously his grappling and ground skills, which have won him the majority of his fights, and GSP is well aware of just how dangerous Jake can be when he gets the fight to the ground as evidenced by how hard he’s been working on his ground game in the Primetime special. Shields has improved his stand-up considerably over the last few years, however it is still no-where near his ability on the ground, so if he is to win this fight he is going to have to find a way of getting GSP down. If this happens then I think the chance of an upset happening will increase dramatically. The problem however is that GSP is incredibly well rounded and in addition to being difficult to takedown, he also has incredible stand-up skills. After seeing how hard GSP has been training for this fight and seeing how dominant he has been of late, it’s difficult for me to see Shields getting a result from this fight. Georges is so focused on becoming one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time that he is training like a man possessed and with all the physical advantages he has I think that he will stop Shields in the late rounds.

My Prediction: Georges St-Pierre via TKO.

UFC 128: SHOGUN VS. JONES PREDICTIONS

Mirko Cro Cop vs. Brendan 'The Hybrid' Schaub

After suffering a devastating KO loss to Frank Mir at UFC 119, Mirko Cro Cop will look to rebound by taking out the up & coming Heavyweight prospect Brendan Schaub. Thus far in his UFC career Cro Cop has failed to re-produce the form that once made him one of the most feared Heavyweight’s in the world and many feel that it is just a matter of time until the Croatian is forced to hang up the gloves. His striking doesn’t seem as effective as it once was & the hunger doesn’t seem to be there anymore, all of this combined with the fact that he will be going up against a hungry young lion such as Schaub could very well mean that this will be the beginning of the end for Mirko. Schaub has looked more impressive every time we see him in the octagon and I expect this to continue on Saturday, his striking is coming along nicely & he has the power to end fights if he connects. Mirko still has a chance to win this fight if he pulls the trigger and becomes more aggressive but I feel at this point in time Schaub will want the W more & he will come away the victor.

My Prediction: Brendan Schaub via TKO.

Urijah 'California Kid' Faber vs. Eddie Wineland

Urijah Faber will finally get to make his UFC debut on Saturday night as he looks to make a big impact in the bantamweight division by taking out Eddie Wineland. Wineland should prove to be a good test for Faber as he is the former WEC Bantamweight champion and currently riding a 4 fight win streak so his confidence will be high going into the fight. I expect Wineland to look to keep the fight standing where he can use his striking & power to try and de-rail Faber’s title dreams and get his 3rd straight KO of the night award. Faber is very well rounded and should be comfortable trading strikes, however I think it would be wise for him to look to take Wineland to the ground in this fight where he has the superior skills. If Faber gets the takedown then I think he’ll be in an excellent position to lock in the submission and get the victory. Even though Wineland will be a dangerous opponent I think that Faber will be too well rounded for him and he will come away with a submission victory.

My Prediction: Urijah Faber via submission.

Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs. Jon 'Bones' Jones

In the main event of the evening the light heavyweight champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua will make the first defence of his title against the red hot prospect Jon Jones. Jones’ rise to the top of the light heavyweight division has been something to behold, since debuting with the UFC in 2008 he has been on a meteoric rise, destroying every opponent that has been put in front of him. This incredible streak has lead to him being offered a title shot at just 23 years of age after Rashad Evans had to pull out due to injury. Whatever happens in this fight, Jones has a very bright future in this sport and he is only going to get better, the main question that people have been asking is that is this a case of too much, too soon for the young phenom? Shogun will definitely be the toughest opponent of Jones career to date, however, we don’t quite know if Shogun will be 100% coming into this fight. Rua is coming off of a 3rd knee surgery and it will be interesting to see how much of an effect this surgery has had on the champion. If Shogun is 100% then look for him to start very aggressive and pile the pressure onto Jones, Shogun has excellent striking and KO power in his hands so he will want to do his best to keep the fight standing where he can use that Muay-Thai style to really test Jones’ stand-up skills. With the massive reach advantage that Jones will possess, Shogun will need to work on getting on the inside to inflict damage. Jones on the other hand will want to keep the striking exchanges to a minimum, I expect him to use his reach to try & keep Shogun at distance while throwing in some takedown attempts to keep the Brazilian guessing. He will need to be careful when on the ground though as Shogun has some excellent BJJ and is very dangerous off of his back. Whatever happens I think we’ll see an excellent fight & as I mentioned earlier I think that Jones will eventually become the champion however unless Shogun has been seriously affected by the knee surgery then I think he will have too much for Jones at this point in his career.

My Prediction: Shogun via TKO.

UFC 127: PENN VS. FITCH PREDICTIONS

George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver

In a lightweight bout that could have title implications George Sotiropoulos will take on Dennis Siver. Sotiropoulos has been on an incredible run as of late and if he continues his winning streak then he will surely get a shot at the title sooner rather than later. Dennis Siver will also be coming into this fight with some momentum after stopping Andre Winner at UFC 122. Siver is a very well rounded fighter with one of the best spinning back kicks in the game, which if it lands has the potential to end fights. Even though Siver is usually comfortable both on the ground or trading strikes, I think it would be best for him to try & avoid going to the ground with Sotiropoulos. George is also well rounded and has improved his stand-up considerably but his ground game is on a whole other level to most fighters in his division and if he gets Siver down then I think it’ll only be a matter of time before he locks up a submission. At the end of the night I think Sotiropoulos will be too much for Siver and will extend his winning streak and take one step closer to that shot at the belt.

My Prediction: George Sotiropoulos via submission.

Michael 'The Count' Bisping vs. Jorge 'El Conquistador' Rivera

In the co-main event of the evening Michael Bisping will look to build off of his recent victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama by taking out the resurgent Jorge Rivera. Rivera has had a new leash of life recently, winning 3 consecutive fights and showing everyone that he’s not quite done yet despite being 38 years old. Rivera has some big power in his hands and is very dangerous in the clinch so i’m expecting him to do everything in his power to keep the fight standing or get Bisping up against the cage where he will then be free to work some of his Muay Thai. I think Bisping is the more well rounded fighter in this bout and should be the better striker technically, so as long as he circles away from Rivera’s power and keeps his hands up then he should be able to pick Jorge apart with his punches. We have seen Bisping get rocked in the past so his defence will be absolutely key in this fight, he cannot let the mind games that Jorge has been playing get to him. If he does get caught up in a brawl with Rivera then we could see a big upset. Even though it does look like Rivera has got under Bisping’s skin recently with all the videos he’s been releasing, I still expect Bisping to stay calm and take the W in this fight.

My Prediction: Michael Bisping via decision.

'The Prodigy' BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch

In the main event of the night BJ Penn and Jon Fitch will face each other to earn a chance to become the number one contender for the welterweight title. Jon Fitch is one of the most dominant welterweights in the world today, with only 1 blemish on his UFC record which was his loss to GSP, other than that loss Fitch has won every bout he’s been involved in since making his debut with the organisation. At the moment he is on a 5 fight win streak and will be full of confidence going into this fight against the former welterweight & lightweight champion BJ Penn. Penn will also be confident coming into this fight after his spectacular highlight reel finish of Matt Hughes at UFC 123. This should be an interesting clash of styles, Penn is more known for his explosive finishes whereas Fitch tends to grind his opponent down over the course of the fight, eventually breaking them. Fitch will be the much bigger fighter in this bout and I don’t think it’ll be long before he looks to tie BJ up and try to take him to the ground, Penn has some of the best boxing in MMA and Fitch will not want to test his power, even though he has a very solid chin. If Fitch does get the fight to the ground he is going to need to be more vigilant than usual, as Penn can be very dangerous off of his back and his flexibility is almost unrivalled. Fitch will likely look to put Penn up against the cage where he can use his elbows and ground & pound to wear the ‘Prodigy’ down and take away that explosiveness. Now onto BJ’s tactics, Penn will want to look to use his takedown defence, which he’s been working on relentlessly with Matt Hughes, to stuff Fitch’s takedowns at every opportunity. The more he is able to do this, the more Fitch’s confidence will be dented. If Penn can prevent the takedown and somehow force Fitch into a striking match then I think he has an excellent chance of pulling of the win. However with Fitch’s background this is a big ask and seeing as Fitch is a cardio machine, if BJ doesn’t put him away early then we could see Fitch come back and steal the fight. This is a difficult fight to predict, but I think unless Penn hurts Fitch in the beginning of the fight, then Fitch will eventually take over and grind out the decision victory.

My Prediction: Jon Fitch via decision.

UFC 126: SILVA VS. BELFORT PREDICTIONS

Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos

Miguel Torres will finally make his UFC debut on Saturday night when he takes on Antonio Banuelos. At one point in time Torres was considered the best bantamweight fighter in the world and one of the top pound for pound fighters currently competing, however after suffering back-to-back losses against Brian Bowles & Joseph Benavidez, Torres lost all the momentum he had built up and he has now had to begin the road to regaining his title. After snapping that losing streak in his last fight with a win over Charlie Valencia, Miguel will now need to keep the win streak alive with a definitive victory over Banuelos. Antonio will not make this fight easy for Torres as he knows a win here will catapult him into contention for a title shot. Torres will need to be wary of Antonio’s power and his wrestling, but if he is able to utilize his reach advantage & his superior submissions then I think there’s a very good chance he will walk away with the win.

My Prediction: Miguel Torres via decision.

Jon 'Bones' Jones vs. Ryan 'Darth' Bader

In a fight that could easily be a co-main event Ryan ‘Darth’ Bader will put his undefeated record on the line against the up & coming Jon ‘Bones’ Jones. Bader is coming off of the biggest win of his career to date, a unanimous decision victory over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and he knows that if he can become the first man to stop Jon Jones then a title shot will surely be in his immediate future. Jon Jones is coming into to this fight with a lot of hype and there’s good reason for this, with only 1 loss on his record (which was a DQ against Matt Hammill for using illegal elbows) Jones has looked extremely impressive every time he has stepped into the Octagon. With both fighters looking so impressive thus far into their UFC careers, this should be a very exciting fight. Bader will present some interesting problems for Jones, with his excellent wrestling and massive KO power Jones will need to remain focused at all times and cannot afford a lapse in concentration or it could be lights out. Likewise Jones will pose some difficult problems for Bader, Jones is very well-rounded & confuses a lot of his opponents with his unorthodox strikes. Another big factor to consider is Jones’ 84 inch reach which will give him a huge advantage in the stand-up as Bader will be forced to close the distance if he wants to have any chance of connecting. Even though Bader has done very well since coming off of The Ultimate Fighter, I think Jones is one of those fighters that comes around very rarely and he has the kind of potential to go on to dominate the sport for a long time if he continues to improve the way he has so far. With his all-around game & physical advantages I think Jones will walk away the victor in this bout.

My Prediction: Jon Jones via TKO.

Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha

In the featured welterweight bout of the evening Jake Ellenberger will look to extend his 2 fight win streak when he takes on the undefeated submission specialist Carlos Eduardo Rocha. Ellenberger has made an impressive start to his UFC career to date with a loss to Carlos Condit, the only blemish on his record. If he is able to take out Rocha in this fight then he will be well on target for the goal that he has set himself, which is to get a title shot at the end of the year. With Rocha only having one fight in the UFC so far it’ll be interesting to see how he does against a relatively experienced welterweight in Ellenberger, with 8 submission victories in 9 fights it’s clear that Rocha’s strengths are his submissions & ground game but he’s going to need to use all of his skills if he wants to catch Jake. With Jake’s wrestling ability he should be able to control where this fight takes place, although he usually looks to take his fights to the ground where he can use his ground & pound he may choose to keep this fight standing against someone as dangerous as Rocha is on the ground. With all the experience that Ellenberger has, I think it’ll be difficult for Rocha to get a result in this fight and I can see Jake putting in a dominant performance and handing the Brazilian his first professional loss.

My Prediction: Jake Ellenberger via decision.

Rich 'Ace' Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin

In the co-main event of the evening Forrest Griffin will take on Rich Franklin in the light heavyweight division. Forrest will obviously be the much bigger fighter in this bout, with Franklin still relatively new to the 205lbs weight class after spending much of his career at 185lbs, he will be significantly outweighed come fight night as Forrest routinely cuts down from 220lbs plus. The big question will be whether Forrest can use his size effectively come fight night, he has been inactive for over a year now and there is bound to be some ring rust which could play a big part in the outcome of the fight. With Franklin’s confidence running high after the Liddell KO, he will want to continue to stack up the wins in order to move up in his new division. Both fighters possess similar skills so it’ll be interesting to see who gets the upper hand, with Franklin’s southpaw style I can see him taking the fight to Forrest in the early stages especially as Griffin will be looking to get his timing back. If Rich is able to connect with some solid shots then his confidence will continue to grow and he may take a lead on the judges scorecard. I have a feeling Forrest will come back into the fight in the later stages but it may be too late to get the victory, with the long layoff i’m having a hard time seeing Griffin coming into this fight in peak condition and for that reason i’m going with Franklin by decision.

My Prediction: Rich Franklin via decision.

Anderson 'The Spider' Silva vs. Vitor 'The Phenom' Belfort

In the main event of the night Anderson Silva will put his middleweight title on the line against fellow Brazilian Vitor Belfort, who has found a new lease of life since moving down to middleweight. Vitor has put together an impressive KO streak in his last 3 fights and this main event against Silva has the potential to end just as suddenly as those previous fights if either fighter lands cleanly. Vitor will pose a very different threat to the fighters that Anderson has faced thus far in his UFC career, with KO power in each hand and lightening fast hand speed Belfort is capable of KO’ing almost any fighter in the MMA if he connects. The fact that he’s also a southpaw makes him one of the most dangerous opponents Anderson has faced. Despite all of Vitor’s strengths in the striking game, I still feel that Anderson is the better technical striker and has the better timing. As long as Anderson circles and avoids heading back in a straight line then he should be able to counter Vitor pretty effectively. Vitor is at his most dangerous in the opening stages of the fight and if you stand in front of him then he will blitz right through you with his quick combinations. Even though I think this will be a tough test for Anderson I still expect him to come through it with flying colours, he will weather Vitor’s early storm before putting on a clinic & stopping the ‘Phenom’ in the 2nd or 3rd round.

My Prediction: Anderson Silva via TKO.

UFC 125 RESOLUTION PREDICTIONS

Clay 'The Carpenter' Guida vs. 'The Fireball Kid' Takanori Gomi

In the first bout of the main card Clay Guida will look to make it 3 victories in a row when he takes on the former PRIDE Lightweight champion Takanori Gomi. Gomi didn’t exactly take the UFC by storm in his debut when he lost to Kenny FLorain via submission, however his most recent performance showed that there may still be some life left in the ‘Fireball Kid’ as he scored a KO of the night against tough lightweight veteran Tyson Griffin. Gomi will now want to build on that impressive victory as he looks to begin a run toward the UFC Lightweight title. This will not be an easy fight for Gomi as Guida’s grinding style can be very overwhelming. Clay is relentless with his takedown attempts and his cardio lasts for days, so if Gomi is to get the win in this fight he is going to need to stop Guida decisively. In order for Clay to win this fight he will need to take Gomi down and eliminate his main strength which is his striking, while also being careful not to get caught by one of those huge power shots. If Guida can get Gomi to the ground then I think he may just be able to grind out a decision. Of course with the power that Gomi possesses he always has that ability to end the fight in an instant and that is what’s making this fight difficult for me to predict. I’d like to believe that Gomi has what it takes to make a run at the title and for that reason i’m going with ‘The Fireball Kid’ via KO.

My Prediction: Takanori Gomi via KO.

Nate Diaz vs. Kim Dong-hyun

Nate Diaz has looked very impressive since making the move upto the Welterweight division and if he keeps putting on the kind of performances that have earned him victories over Rory Markham & Marcus Davis then it won’t be long before he is challenging the top fighters in the division. Kim Dong-hyun is another welterweight fighter who is close to breaking into the elite of the division but he will need to bring his ‘A’ game against Diaz if he wants to move up the rankings and keep his 13-0-1 record intact. This should prove to be a very interesting fight as Dong will be the biggest Welterweight that Diaz has faced so far and the Korean’s strengths could make this a very long night for the Stockton native. Dong has excellent Judo throws and grappling ability, which in most cases enables him to take the fight where he feels most comfortable. I think Nate holds the advantage in the striking and jiu-jitsu in this match-up but his grappling is no-where near the level if Kim’s and to be honest I think this could play a huge part in the outcome of this fight. If Kim sticks to using his throws to get the fight to the ground and manages to avoid the submission then I think it’s very likely that he can get the decision.

My Prediction: Kim Dong-hyun via decision.

Brandon 'The Truth' Vera vs. Thiago Silva

It seems crazy to think that Vera could end up being cut from the UFC after Saturday night however that possibility is very real if he loses to Thiago Silva in what could be his 3rd straight loss in a row. Silva will also be looking to get back to winning ways but not as desperately as Vera. With the talent that Vera possesses it’s strange to see him in this position but unless he starts being more aggressive and gets a winning streak together then he may never achieve his goal of winning a UFC title. This fight against Silva should give Brandon the chance to show off his striking ability as the Brazilian is not one to back down from a brawl, which should make this an entertaining fight for the fans. Silva definitely has the power to end this night early for Vera, however I think that Vera has the better technique in his strikes along with KO power and this should be his fight to lose. Vera’s back is against the wall in this fight and I fully expect him to come out all guns blazing to get back in the win column.

My Prediction: Brandon Vera via TKO.

Chris 'The Crippler' Leben vs. 'All American' Brian Stann

In the co-main event of the night Chris Leben will look to continue his winning streak as he takes on Brian Stann in the Middleweight division. Leben has been extremely impressive recently, earning 3 straight victories with his latest coming at UFC 116 against Yoshihiro Akiyama and another win here will surely set-up a fight with one of the top contenders in the middleweight division. Both of these fighters tend to prefer the stand-up game so I expect to see fireworks from the outset, with Leben’s iron chin & the KO power he has in his fists I think it’ll be difficult for Stann to get the W in this match-up. Don’t get me wrong anything can happen in this sport as we’ve seen time and time again however I think this really is a fight that Leben should win. Once he lands one of those huge bombs I think it’ll just be a matter of time before it’s all over.

My Prediction: Chris Leben via KO.

Frankie 'The Answer' Edgar vs. Gray 'The Bully' Maynard

In the main event of the evening Frankie Edgar will defend his Lightweight title against the only man to defeat him thus far in his professional career ‘The Bully’ Gray Maynard. Frankie is currently on a 5 fight win streak and is coming off of back-to-back victories over BJ Penn, however despite this he is still considered an underdog by a lot of people going into this fight. His opponent Gray Maynard is undefeated in his career with a record of 10-0-1 and as mentioned previously holds a victory over the champ, earning a unanimous decision when they fought in 2008. Even though Gray won the last encounter, both fighters have evolved a lot since then so this should be a very interesting re-match. I expect Frankie to use a similar strategy to the one he used against Penn, using his superior quickness to land combinations before getting out of range and not letting Gray have a chance to land any of his power shots. One thing that he will need to watch out for however are Gray’s takedowns, even though Frankie is an outstanding wrestler himself Gray has world class wrestling and will be the more powerful of the two fighters. If Edgar is able to avoid the takedowns and keep the fight standing then I think he will be able to get the decision victory. However if Gray is able to complete his takedowns then I think he will take the judges votes so this is a difficult fight to call. I’ve bet against Frankie the last few fights i’ve predicted and he’s always proved me wrong as he’s continued to improve every time we see him in the Octagon. This time i’m going to go with the champ and say that he takes a unanimous decision after 5 rounds of action.

My Prediction: Frankie Edgar via decision.

UFC 124: ST-PIERRE VS. KOSCHECK 2 PREDICTIONS

This is a big fight for Alves, he’s currently on a 2 fight losing streak and didn’t look very impressive at all in his defeat to Jon Fitch at UFC 117, where he lost every round. There was a lot of focus on the fact that Thiago had an issue making the weight cut down to 170lbs, which is a problem he has suffered before, and this may have contributed to his flat performance. However it seems as though he’s learned from his mistakes and has hired someone to guide his cut for this fight against Howard. When Thiago is firing on all cylinders, he can be one of the most dangerous fighters in the division with his KO power and devastating leg kicks. He has also worked hard to improve his takedown defence but there is still a weakness here which as we’ve seen in his last 2 fights can be exposed by world class wrestlers. Luckily for Alves in this fight Howard’s wrestling isn’t on the same level as Fitch’s or GSP’s, in fact I think Howard may even prefer to stand and trade strikes himself in this fight. Howard does have the potential to upset Alves in this fight if he lands, however I think Alves is the better technical striker and with the size advantage he will have I can see him getting a TKO victory in this fight.

My Prediction: Thiago Alves via TKO.


Joe Stevenson will be looking to get back into title contention in the lightweight division on Saturday when he takes on Mac Danzig. Both fighters will be coming into this bout off of losses, although Danzig’s was somewhat controversial as the referee called a premature stop to the bout when Matt Wiman locked in a guillotine choke even though Mac hadn’t appeared to tap. No doubt Mac will get a chance to avenge this down the line but for now he will have to focus his attentions on Joe Stevenson. Stevenson’s tactics in this bout will be pretty simple, he will look to use his stand-up to close the distance and then shoot for the takedown where he can then work hissuperior grappling and his ground & pound. He will need to be cautious early on however as Danzig has some dangerous submissions, with the experience that Joe possesses though he should be able to avoid any danger and impose his game. Danzig’s best chance at winning the fight is to keep it standing and try to out-strike Joe, which will be difficult to do as he will need to stuff Joe’s constant takedown attempts to do this. At the end of the night I think Stevenson’s wrestling will be the difference and he will get the decision.

My Prediction: Joe Stevenson via decision.


I think this fight could very well steal the show, Jim Miller is currently riding a 5 fight win streak and is close to getting into contention for a shot at the title. Charles Oliveira on the other hand is undefeated in his professional career with 14 wins and no losses and is one of the most exciting prospects in the division. The Brazilian has a very well rounded game and is comfortable trading strikes or on the ground where he can be extremely dangerous off his back using a very active guard. With the height difference and the fact that Jim Miller tends to be at his best when he takes his opponents down & pounds them I think we’ll see Miller shoot for the takedown pretty early in this fight. If he tries to trade with Oliveira for too long then I think he’ll come off on the losing end of the battle, whereas on the ground he should be able to impose his will. The only thing he will need to be wary of though is the submissions that I mentioned that Charles constantly attempts, unlike most fighters who try to stall when they get taken down until the re-start, Charles is working to improve his position non-stop. This is a difficult step up in competition for Oliveira and it will go a long way to proving just how good he is but I think he has the talent to pull this off.

My Prediction: Charles Oliveira via submission.


In the co-main event of the evening two massive heavyweights will collide when the 6’11 ‘Skyscraper’ Stefan Struve takes on the undefeated Sean McCorkle who stands just a few inches shorter than Struve at 6’7. McCorkle is 10-0 so far in his professional career and he made quick work of Mark Hunt in his debut at UFC 119, where he submitted the Pride veteran in just 67 seconds. Sean will no doubt want to build on this by taking out Struve in similar fashion and after all the trash talking between the two i’m sure he will be even more motivated to end this fight. With 24 fights to his credit Struve already has a lot more experience than a lot of fighters in his division and what’s even more amazing is the fact that he’s still only 22 years old, which leaves plenty of time for him to improve his skills & try to get to the top of the heavyweight division. There’s a long way to go for this to happen though, even though Struve won his last fight by KO in the 2nd round, he got dominated in the 1st by Christian Morecraft before finally landing a counter early in the 2nd to end the night. I’m expecting Struve to try and use his height advantage and striking in this fight, if he uses his full frame then he could very well end up out-striking McCorkle. Sean may find it difficult to find his range early on so I think he’ll wind up looking to take Stefan to the ground and work his ground & pound from there. This is a tough fight to call as Stefan is improving all the time but I have a gut feeling that McCorkle will pull away with the W in this fight.

My Prediction: Sean McCorkle via TKO.


In the main event of the evening Josh Koscheck will get a chance at capturing the UFC Welterweight title when he takes on Georges St-Pierre in a re-match from UFC 74. Since that fight St-Pierre has gone from strength to strength, notching up 6 wins in a row over some world class fighters such as Jon Fitch, Matt Hughes, BJ Penn and the list goes on. GSP has constantly improved his skills in each of these fights and many now consider him to be one of, if not the best pound for pound fighter in MMA today. It’s hard to argue with that when you look at his record and his skill set, his professional record stands at 20 wins with 2 losses both of which he’s avenged, and he’s evolved from being primarily a stand-up fighter into one of the best wrestlers in the sport. This wrestling ability is actually what made a big difference in the first fight between GSP and Koscheck, the only weakness that we’ve seen from the champion is when he got rocked against Matt Serra. With the power that Koscheck has in his hands, he will surely gain confidence from the fact that GSP has been stopped by strikes however that loss was over 3 years ago and GSP has proved to be an evasive target for his opponents since then. Koscheck has had more of a difficult time since facing the Canadian in 2007, going 6-3 with in the ensuing fights. Josh has been desperately trying to get into GSP’s head in the build-up with his trash talking and thus far the champion has been resisting the urge to retaliate. It’ll be interesting to see whether any of this has had any effect at all, personally I think GSP will stick to his game plan and the trash talking will only serve to motivate him rather than anger him. Josh will need to use his wrestling ability if he wants to win this fight, but not in the conventional sense, he will need to use these skills in reverse so that he can force GSP to stand and trade with him. If he is able to do this then his chances of winning the fight are dramatically increased as he only needs to land that big right hand once for it to be all over. Even if GSP isn’t able to get the takedown though, this doesn’t mean that the fight is Josh’s to lose. Georges has a lot of unorthodox strikes that he uses very well such as his superman punch and spinning back kick so ‘Kos’ will need to be wary. There are also flaws in Josh’s techniques that can be exposed such as the fact that he has a tendency to jump in with punches from to time which leaves him open to the counter, in fact Thiago Alves landed a left hook in his fight against Josh by staying in range and then countering after Josh jumped in which lead to a knockdown. If Georges stays in the pocket and uses a similar technique to Alves then we could very well see a KO in favour of the champion. Even though these weaknesses are there to exploit I still think GSP will be focused mainly on getting the takedown and even though Koscheck has worked on his wrestling in preparation for this bout, something he admitted that he neglected in the first encounter, I think that he will have trouble stopping GSP’s shot. Taking everything into consideration at the end of the night I can see GSP taking a unanimous decision after grinding Josh down over the course of five rounds.

My Prediction: GSP via decision.

UFC 123: RAMPAGE VS. MACHIDA PREDICTIONS

Joe Lauzon will be coming into this fight off of an extremely dominant performance over Gabe Rudediger at UFC 118 where he won via submission in the very first round. Sotiropoulos on the other hand is currently riding a 7 fight win streak and is undefeated since debuting in the UFC and another win will surely put him into the number 1 contender spot. Both of these fighters possess similar skill sets, their main strengths are their submissions, however they’ve both developed solid striking & grappling to go along with this. If I had to give the edge to someone in this fight it would have to be Sotiropoulos, his ground game seems to be on another level to many guys in the division and even though Lauzon is very good on the ground I don’t think it would be wise for him to risk taking the fight there against George. For Joe to win this fight he is going to need to keep it standing and then attempt to out-strike the Australian. However even if this happens it’s not a guarantee that he will be able to successfully do this, with the way that George has been running through people I can see him continuing his streak and taking another step closer to a title shot.

My Prediction: George Sotiropoulos via decision.


Top light heavyweight prospect Phil Davies will make his main card debut and put his undefeated record on the line when he takes on Tim Boetsch. Davies has put together a 7-0 record thus far into his MMA career with 3 of those 7 wins taking place inside the UFC, an out-standing wrestler with an ever improving game, Davies has been slowly stepping up his competition as he looks to make an impact in the talent filled 205lbs division. This will be a good test to see whether Davies is ready to take on some of the top fighters in the division, if he is able to stop Boetsch decisively then he would be sending out a big message. Boetsch is currently on a 4 fight win streak and a win over Davies will definitely boost him up the rankings, however if you look at the losses on his record Tim has had difficulty with guys who possess excellent wrestling credentials which just happens to be Davies’ main strength. I think Tim will need to stuff the takedowns and engage Phil in a brawl if he wants to get the win and keep his streak going. Unfortunately it’s going to be very difficult to stop Davies’ takedowns and at the end of the night I think we’ll see Davies land numerous takedown attempts and then use his ground and pound to get the decision win.

My Prediction: Phil Davies via decision.


In the co-main event of the evening BJ Penn and Matt Hughes will look to settle an old score as they prepare to fight each other one last time. This will be Penn’s first fight back at welterweight since 2009 where he lost his re-match to Georges St-Pierre, since then Penn went on to dominate the Lightweight division where he was considered unstoppable until Frankie Edgar stepped up and took Penn’s lightweight title before defeating him again in the re-match. Now Penn will move up in weight and take on Matt Hughes for the 3rd time, Hughes has had somewhat of resurgence in his last few fights, putting together a 3 fight win streak to put himself back into the mix in the division. If Hughes is able to win this fight then he will be in a strong position to get another shot at the Welterweight title so his motivation should be sky high. BJ will also be training hard for this fight as 3 losses in a row for a fighter of his calibre is simply unacceptable. It’ll be interesting to see how each fighter approaches this bout, having already faced each other twice they should be very familiar with each other’s strengths & weaknesses. Hughes has improved his stand-up over the past few years but I think BJ still holds the advantage in this area, however Hughes will probably still stand & trade with Penn in the first round as if he takes him down early on in the fight then he becomes vulnerable to a submission especially while Penn is fresh, as evidenced in the first fight. For Hughes to win this fight he will need to wear Penn down over the course of the fight, eventually taking him down & inflicting his trademark ground and pound in the later rounds. Penn on the other hand will want to end the fight as quickly as possible, I think the longer the fight goes the more it will favour Hughes. So a quick TKO or submission will be on the agenda for ‘the Prodigy’, even though Matt will be the in-form fighter coming into this and Penn hasn't been living upto his potential recently I still think BJ will have enough in him to pull off the victory on Saturday night.

My Prediction: BJ Penn via submission.


In the main event of the night Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida will both be looking to get back to winning ways when they battle in the light heavyweight division. Rampage has made it well known that Machida isn’t exactly his favourite fighter to watch in the build-up to this fight and you can understand where he’s coming from. Lyoto’s style is based on moving quickly in & out of range aiming to land his punches before jumping out of danger to avoid any damage. At times it can be very frustrating to watch so I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be to be his opponent. There’s a reason that Machida uses this karate style though and that’s because it is very effective, prior to his last fight you rarely saw him take much damage in his fights. Machida also has excellent takedowns and takedown defence so most of the time he is able to dictate where the fight takes place, there are weaknesses to Machida’s game though and they were exposed by Shogun Rua, who pressurised him relentlessly and used his leg kicks to take some of Machida’s elusiveness away from him. After the disappointing loss to Rashad Evans, Rampage will want to set the record straight in this fight and he has the power to take Machida out if he lands. I also think that he’d be able to get Lyoto to the ground if he chooses to go for the takedown, however if this fight stays standing like a few of his previous fights then I think Machida’s style may prove to be a problem. At then end of the night I think Rampage definately has the power to KO Machida, but with the superior movement & speed that Machida has I can see him fighting very cautiously and taking a points victory.

My Prediction: Lyoto Machida via decision.

UFC 122: MARQUARDT VS. OKAMI PREDICTIONS

This is a make or break fight for both of these fighters, Reljic is coming off of 2 consecutive losses and will surely be cut if he loses a 3rd straight fight. Soszynski is also coming off of a loss in his latest fight so there’s a lot at stake and each fighter will desperately want to leave with their hand raised at the end of the night. I think that Soszynski will be the more well rounded fighter in this bout and as a result will have more tools to win, Reljic has decent stand-up but his speciality is his ground game and if he is able to get Soszynski down then he could very well get a submission locked in. However I think that Soszynski will ultimately overpower Reljic in the stand-up and will end up getting a TKO victory.

My Prediction: Krysztof Soszynski via TKO.


This will be another one of those fights where each fighter will be looking to get back into the win column. Amir Sadollah lost a unanimous decision to Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 114, whereas Peter Sobotta has lost both of his UFC fights to date. Sadollah has had a tough time since winning the Ultimate Fighter 7, after winning the show, he suffered the first loss of his professional career against Johnny Hendricks before he managed to come back and put together a 2 fight win streak against Phil Baroni and Brad Blackburn respectively. Now Sadollah will once again have to rebound from a loss when he takes on Sobotta. This is a fight that I think Amir should win, his stand-up is constantly improving and he has shown that he can be dangerous off of his back. I think the only weakness that could be exposed is his grappling ability, if Amir is able to keep the fight standing though then this should be the fight that gets him that W he so badly wants.

My Prediction: Amir Sadollah via decision.


Andre Winner will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance at UFC 118 where he was out-wrestled for 3 rounds and lost a unanimous decision to Nik Lentz. Whereas his opponent Denis Siver will be looking to build on his recent victory over Spencer Fisher and look to send out a message to the lightweight division. Siver is one of the more powerful fighters in the lightweight division and he has a devastating spinning back kick which he has used to end fights in the past, taking this into account Winner will need to be fully aware of his kicks and will need to avoid getting into a clinch with the German. Andre Winner’s main strength is his striking and if he is able to keep the distance and avoid Siver’s kicks then I think he stands an excellent chance of out-striking Siver and taking a unanimous decision victory.

My Prediction: Andre Winner via decision.


Jorge Rivera will be coming into this fight on one of the most impressive win streaks of his career to date, after losing to Martin Kampmann at UFC 85 many began to wonder just how much the then 36 year old Rivera had left in the tank. Since that fight Jorge has rattled off three consecutive victories over Nissen Osterneck, Rob Kimmons & Nate Quarry. An impressive win against Sakara may very well see Rivera get a top 10 opponent in his next fight. Alessio Sakara is also having his most impressive run since being in the UFC & he is also coming into this bout on a 3 fight win streak. Sakara has always been known to have some of the best hands in MMA, he throws fluid combinations and also has KO power in his punches, however he has had trouble in the past when he’s come up against powerful strikers. If Sakara is able to keep the distance then he has the ability and speed to out-box Jorge, but I think Rivera will look to clinch pretty quickly and then work his muay-thai. This is a tough fight to call but I think Rivera’s power in the clinch will be the deciding factor and he will get the TKO victory.

My Prediction: Jorge Rivera via TKO.


In the main event of the evening Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami will battle to earn the right to become the number 1 contender for the UFC Middleweight title. Marquardt recently ran straight through Rousimar Palhares in just one round at UFC Fight Night and he will no doubt want to do the same to Okami so that he can finally get another shot at the Middleweight belt. Okami is coming into this fight with 2 wins in his last 2 fights and he will be desperate to win this fight and get his first opportunity at UFC gold. This should be a very interesting fight, Okami has very good takedown defence, excellent wrestling and very good technical striking. Marquardt on the other hand is a very strong middleweight with big power in his strikes & excellent submissions. With both fighters being so well rounded I think we’ll see most of the fight take place on the feet, Okami will look to use his superior technique to land his strikes and counter Nate’s power punches. Nate on the other hand will be looking to land one of those big bombs to end Yushin’s night early , he definitely has the power to finish Okami if he lands but he will need to watch out for any counter’s that may come his way. At the end of the night I think Nate’s aggression and tendancy to come out firing from the opening bell will be the difference and I can see him coming away from this fight with his hand raised after stopping Okami in his tracks.

My Prediction: Nate Marquardt via TKO.

UFC 121: LESNAR V VELASQUEZ PREDICTIONS FROM OUR MMA GURU DAN FOLEY!!!

Brendan Schaub will look to continue his impressive recent form on Saturday when he takes on UFC veteran Gabriel Gonzaga. Schaub has been attempting to make his mark in the heavyweight division recently after coming up short on The Ultimate Fighter, where he lost in the finals to Roy Nelson. He has since gone on to score 2 successive TKO victories against Chase Gormley & Chris Tuchscherer respectively both in the very 1^st round. Fighting out of Greg Jackson’s camp, Brendan seems to be improving rapidly and he will hope to keep this up against Gonzaga. The Brazilian has had a mixed run lately where he has struggled to put together a consistent string of wins, blessed with big power in his strikes and an excellent ground game Gonzaga has the tools to upset a lot of Heavyweights but as we’ve seen he also has his weaknesses and has been stopped a few times in his career. If Gonzaga wants to stay in the UFC he needs to win this fight & in style, if he loses then there is a real danger he will be cut. I think his best chance at winning is to get Brendan to the ground, if he stands with Schaub then there’s a big chance that Brendan will use his technically superior striking to land some big shots & put Gonzaga’s lights out. If however Gonzaga is able to get the takedown then he may be able to use his ground & pound to stop Schaub in his tracks. This fight could go either way but i’m going to go with Schaub via TKO.

My Prediction: Brendan Schaub via TKO.

Matt Hamill will be taking on his former mentor in a light heavyweight bout that could potentially be one of the most important fights of Tito Ortiz’s career. Looking at Tito’s last 4 fights does not make for good reading for the former light heavyweight champion, he has lost 3 & drawn 1 with his last professional win coming way back in 2006. In the 4 years since he has had surgery on his back to correct the nagging injuries that he’s carried around with him over the last few years, however in his last fight which was the 1^st he’s had since the surgery, he looked really rusty after all of his time away from the Octagon. Ortiz cannot afford to turn in another similar performance against Hamill or he could find himself losing another fight and being potentially cut from the UFC. Hamill can be a very dangerous opponent, his wrestling is excellent and he has some big power in his hands. His striking technique is also always improving so this will be a real test for Ortiz, I think Hamill will try to keep this fight standing as he is the bigger puncher in this fight and I feel he will be able to land the more damaging blows if they trade strikes. Tito will need to go back to basics and use his wrestling to get Hamill on his back where he can then work from inside the guard and throw those vicious elbows that became his trademark. This is of course easier said than done as Hamill is a very accomplished wrestler and Tito’s takedowns don’t seem to be as explosive as they used to be in his prime. This is a very difficult fight for me to predict as i’m a big fan of Tito so my opinion isn’t completely objective. I would love to see Tito return to his old winning ways but his last few performances haven’t exactly convinced me, despite this I still have a feeling he has the potential to win this fight so i’m going with Ortiz via decision.

My Prediction: Tito Ortiz via decision.

Diego Sanchez and Paulo Thiago will both be looking to rebound from losses in their last fights when they collide in a welterweight bout. Sanchez’s return to the welterweight division was largely underwhelming at UFC 114 where he lost a unanimous decision to John Hathaway, Diego looked nothing like the fighter we’re used to seeing & ended up getting dominated over the course of the 3 rounds. Since that fight he’s gone back to train at Greg Jackson’s camp and says that he now feels like he’s in a much better place so i’m expecting a totally different Sanchez to show up in this fight. Known for his excellent grappling & submissions, Diego also has solid striking skills so he should be comfortable wherever the fight takes place. Paulo Thiago is also very well rounded with excellent submissions and good striking, so this could be a very even fight. I think the difference will be in the power that Paulo has, I think if he connects with Sanchez then he can end the fight whereas, it may take few shots from Diego to do the same to Thiago. Even though I think Sanchez will be alot more impressive than his last fight I think that this is a bad match-up for him and Paulo will come away with a TKO victory.

My Prediction: Paulo Thiago via TKO.

Jake Shields will make his long awaited UFC debut in the co main event on Saturday when he takes on tough Danish fighter Martin Kampmann in a welterweight title contender match. Jake Shields has won titles in almost every organisation he’s ever fought in but there’s one title that’s missing & he badly wants to add it to his collection, that title is of course the UFC Welterweight championship. Shields is currently riding an incredible 14 fight win streak and if he defeats Kampmann then surely no-one can deny the fact that he is clearly deserving of a shot at the winner of Georges St-Pierre & Josh Koscheck. For those who haven’t seen Shields much, his main strengths are his wrestling and submissions, he does have some striking which he’s been working on but he mainly uses it as a way to set-up his takedowns. Over the past few years Shields has perfected his fighting style and I think we won’t see him switch things up too much in this fight. He will obviously be aware of the fact that Kampmann is an excellent striker and as a result he will not waste much time in looking for a way to take the fight down to the ground. Kampmann is a very good fighter & he does have a puncher’s chance in this fight but I think Shields wrestling is on a whole other level to the Dane’s and with the experience Jake has I don’t think he’ll take too many risks in the stand-up exchanges. I think Shields will get the takedown early on and then establish his dominance with his ground and pound, Kampmann won’t give up easily but I think this will continue to happen for 3 rounds as Shields lands a unanimous decision victory in his debut.

My Prediction: Jake Shields via decision.

In the main event of the evening Brock Lesnar will defend his heavyweight title against the unbeaten challenger Cain Velasquez. Velasquez has been very impressive since making his debut back at UFC 83, he has gone on to compile a 6-0 record in the UFC & 8-0 overall in his MMA career. The competition Cain has faced has slowly been increasing with every fight & every time he has passed with flying colours especially in his last fight at UFC 110 where he KO’d Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the very 1^st round, this time however he will face his biggest challenge yet . Brock Lesnar is a massive heavyweight with amazing agility, which makes him a very difficult opponent to prepare for. Cain will probably be the quicker and more well rounded of the 2 fighters but I think Lesnar’s power will be a big factor. I expect Cain to look to stick & move in this fight, using his fast combinations to land punches in bunches before moving out of range from Lesnar’s power strikes. I can see this tactic being successful in the early stages of the fight but as we’ve seen in Lesnar’s last fight he is capable of waiting for his opponent to show an opening & adapting his game. I think if the striking isn’t going his way then Brock will shoot in for a takedown and even though Cain is also an excellent wrestler I think Lesnar’s power and quickness will enable him to complete the takedown and from there he will look to land his heavy ground & pound. Cain has excellent cardio so I don’t think it would be wise for Lesnar to drag this fight out, if at all possible he is going to want to end this fight in the early rounds before he starts to tire. The longer the fight goes the more i’d favour Cain, but I think Lesnar will get a takedown in the late 1^st/early 2^nd round and that will be the beginning of the end for the challenger.

My Prediction: Brock Lesnar via TKO.