Post by *†*Oz70NYC*†* on Jul 8, 2009 23:11:47 GMT -5
Only 3 more days until the event, and I'm personally licking my chops for this one. Here's how I think it'll go.
Heavyweight Championship unification bout: Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir - This fight is going to be leaps and bounds different then the 1st one between these two. Let's not forget that the only reason Mir won the 1st match up is because Lesnar made a rookie mistake against a BJJ Black Belt. Needless to say, Lesnar is FAR more improved from that fight. I predict Lesnar swarms Mir early and often. Frank Mir is one of the best in the world at fighting from his guard, but there ain't much you can do when you've got Lesnar's hamhock size fists raining down on you. Mir puts up a good one, but Lesnar's power and athleticism overwhelm him this time around. The Lesnar era of the Heavyweight Division truly begins.
Welterweight Championship bout: Thiago Alves Vs. Georges St. Pierre - If anyone still thinks GSP has yet to be truly tested since winning back the Welterweight title, he's going to be tested to his limit in this fight. Alves is a BEAST, coming off of beating the crap out of Josh Koscheck and Matt Hughes, he looks seemingly invincible. But so did the last two guys GSP has faced in Jon Fitch and BJ Penn, and he handed them pretty decisive beatings. But still, you can't rule out the fact that GSP won't be the bigger fighter in this match. Alves is a walking mound of Muay Thai muscle, and this is going to be GSP's 1st time in the Octagon with someone with his level of strking. It's a fight GSP can win, but only if he fights smart, plays to his strength, and doesn't get into a slugfest. If he does, the only thing he's walking out with his a few knots on his forehead, a busted lip and a broken nose.
Welterweight Bout: Jon Fitch Vs. Paulo Thiago - Fitch is trying to inch his way back up the Welterweight ladder, coming off of a win against Akihiro Gono at UFC 94. The problem is, he's got an undefeated BJJ Black Belt in Paulo Thiago to deal with. In his last fight, his UFC debut, he beat Koscheck by TKO, and has finished 7 of his 11 career wins by Submission. Needless to say, Fitch is gonna wanna keep this fight standing at ALL costs. If Thiago gets him to the ground, Fitch is in big trouble. It's his fight to lose, and if he's not at all careful of Thiago's BJJ prowess, he's going to do exactly that. Lose.
Middleweight Bout: Dan Henderson Vs. Michael Bisbing - My personal choice for Fight Of The Night. These two match up pretty well, with the experience going to Henderson obviously and the athleticism going to Bisbing. There stand-up is about even, but Henderson's wrestling might prove the X-Factor. He may be able to use it to negate Bisbing's BJJ, but as he's proven in his wins, he's a jack of all trades. That's where I feel the edge will be. Bisbing brings a number of skills to the dance. Some of them being skills Henderson doesn't. If it comes down to a showcase of those skills, I think Bisbing takes this one in the 2nd or 3rd round. Not that the winner's life is gonna be any easier...since that unfortunate shmoe gets next against Anderson Silva.
Middleweight Bout: Yoshihiro Akiyama Vs. Alan Belcher - This is an interesting fight. Akiyama is one of the premiere Middleweights from Japan, sporting a 12-1 record coming into his UFC debut. Belcher is coming off of a submission win over Dennis Kang at UFC 93. As far as skillsets go, Belcher doesn't exactly match up well to Akiayama, but he does hold one advantage, the fact tha Japanese fighters often don't transition quickly to the Octagon. Most MMA in Japan is fought in standing 4X4 rings, so the Octagon is a whole other animal to them, whereas to a guy like Belcher he's right at home in it. If he can do what he does best, stick to his boxing and wrestling base and not fall trap to Akiyama's Judo, he should do fairly well. However, Akiyama is one of the top 5 Japanese fighters in the world, so UFC debut or not, Belcher needs to keep his head on straight in this fight, less Akiyama kick it off his shoulders.
All and all, it's gonna be an awesome card regardless of the outcomes.
Heavyweight Championship unification bout: Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir - This fight is going to be leaps and bounds different then the 1st one between these two. Let's not forget that the only reason Mir won the 1st match up is because Lesnar made a rookie mistake against a BJJ Black Belt. Needless to say, Lesnar is FAR more improved from that fight. I predict Lesnar swarms Mir early and often. Frank Mir is one of the best in the world at fighting from his guard, but there ain't much you can do when you've got Lesnar's hamhock size fists raining down on you. Mir puts up a good one, but Lesnar's power and athleticism overwhelm him this time around. The Lesnar era of the Heavyweight Division truly begins.
Welterweight Championship bout: Thiago Alves Vs. Georges St. Pierre - If anyone still thinks GSP has yet to be truly tested since winning back the Welterweight title, he's going to be tested to his limit in this fight. Alves is a BEAST, coming off of beating the crap out of Josh Koscheck and Matt Hughes, he looks seemingly invincible. But so did the last two guys GSP has faced in Jon Fitch and BJ Penn, and he handed them pretty decisive beatings. But still, you can't rule out the fact that GSP won't be the bigger fighter in this match. Alves is a walking mound of Muay Thai muscle, and this is going to be GSP's 1st time in the Octagon with someone with his level of strking. It's a fight GSP can win, but only if he fights smart, plays to his strength, and doesn't get into a slugfest. If he does, the only thing he's walking out with his a few knots on his forehead, a busted lip and a broken nose.
Welterweight Bout: Jon Fitch Vs. Paulo Thiago - Fitch is trying to inch his way back up the Welterweight ladder, coming off of a win against Akihiro Gono at UFC 94. The problem is, he's got an undefeated BJJ Black Belt in Paulo Thiago to deal with. In his last fight, his UFC debut, he beat Koscheck by TKO, and has finished 7 of his 11 career wins by Submission. Needless to say, Fitch is gonna wanna keep this fight standing at ALL costs. If Thiago gets him to the ground, Fitch is in big trouble. It's his fight to lose, and if he's not at all careful of Thiago's BJJ prowess, he's going to do exactly that. Lose.
Middleweight Bout: Dan Henderson Vs. Michael Bisbing - My personal choice for Fight Of The Night. These two match up pretty well, with the experience going to Henderson obviously and the athleticism going to Bisbing. There stand-up is about even, but Henderson's wrestling might prove the X-Factor. He may be able to use it to negate Bisbing's BJJ, but as he's proven in his wins, he's a jack of all trades. That's where I feel the edge will be. Bisbing brings a number of skills to the dance. Some of them being skills Henderson doesn't. If it comes down to a showcase of those skills, I think Bisbing takes this one in the 2nd or 3rd round. Not that the winner's life is gonna be any easier...since that unfortunate shmoe gets next against Anderson Silva.
Middleweight Bout: Yoshihiro Akiyama Vs. Alan Belcher - This is an interesting fight. Akiyama is one of the premiere Middleweights from Japan, sporting a 12-1 record coming into his UFC debut. Belcher is coming off of a submission win over Dennis Kang at UFC 93. As far as skillsets go, Belcher doesn't exactly match up well to Akiayama, but he does hold one advantage, the fact tha Japanese fighters often don't transition quickly to the Octagon. Most MMA in Japan is fought in standing 4X4 rings, so the Octagon is a whole other animal to them, whereas to a guy like Belcher he's right at home in it. If he can do what he does best, stick to his boxing and wrestling base and not fall trap to Akiyama's Judo, he should do fairly well. However, Akiyama is one of the top 5 Japanese fighters in the world, so UFC debut or not, Belcher needs to keep his head on straight in this fight, less Akiyama kick it off his shoulders.
All and all, it's gonna be an awesome card regardless of the outcomes.