A Jiu-jitsu Log Filled With Shenanigans

My picks are in bold.

1. Cain Velasquezvs Antonio Nogueria - Very tough fight to call.  I wouldn’t bet on either guy.  I’ll be rooting for Big Nog but I think Cain might just wrestle Big Nog to death.  3×5 minute rounds are not enough time for a Hail Mary submission off his back.  Haven’t had a chance to see the fight yet.  But apparently Cain put away his wrestling snuggie and brought out his war hammer.
2. Wanderlei Silvavs Michael Bisping - Wandy is better in almost all areas of the fight game.  That being said, it’s his fight to lose.  If he shows up old and slow then it will almost certainly go to Bisping by a decision.  If it turns into a stand and bang contest with Wandy throwing BOLOs then I expect a Hendo style KTFO of Bisping.  But just in case, I’m preparing my suicide pill if the KTFO goes the other way.  WAR WANDY my favorite fighter!  This fight was too close for comfort.  Wandy won and I’m happy but I was far from impressed.  He needs to fight some joker at 185 for a highlight reel.
3. Joe Stevensonvs George Sotiropoulos - Joe Daddy should be fine here.  I like George but I don’t think he’ll be able to hang with Joe Daddy’s wrestling and won’t be able to submit Joe off his back.  Wow, did George look good tonight.  His jiu-jitsu was awesome, he put on a clinic.  Very impressive.
4. Keith Jardine vs Ryan Bader- Another close fight.  I’m going to go with Bader because Jardine is on a downward slide and has never really done anything.  Time for Bader to establish himself as a contender.  Good thing Bader was working on the left hook backstage because he used it to crush Jardine.
5. Cro Copvs Anothy Perosh - Normally I wouldn’t be picking Cro Cop here but the other guy took the fight on like a days notice.  Cro Cop wins, but not impressively.  I’ll probably pick him to lose to his next opponent.
6. Stephan Bonnar vs K-Sos - Pretty equal fight by two guys who really haven’t ever done anything.  Most things being equal I’m going to with K-Sos’ jiu-jitsu to be the deal breaker here.
7. Chris Lytlevs Brian Foster - Lytle’s a local boy, so I have to pick him.
8. CB Dollaway vs Goran Reljic- Reljic puts the Doberman down!
9. Igor Pokrajacvs James Te Huna - I have an old KOTC dvd and it’s littered with garbage fighters with the last name Te Huna, so I’m picking Igor just for fun.

My picks are in bold.

1. Wanderlei Silva v Rich Franklin - Unfortunately Wandy’s record against top tier opponents isn’t the best.  I am picking against my favorite fighter.  I hope I am wrong. I had Wandy winning the fight, but it could have gone either way.
2. Cheick Kongo v Cain Velasquez - I think Velasquez is real deal, but I will side with popular opinion here and go with Bongo Kongo.  I felt like a genius for the first 15 seconds of each round.
3. Mike Swick v Ben Saunders - SWICKFU all over Saunders.  Saunders gameplan of hugging didn’t really work out for him.
4. Marcus Davis v Dan Hardy - Dan Hardy has a future, but Marcus Davis is getting in the way.  I think Davis got robbed.  But I’m glad Hardy looked good.
5. Spencer Fisherv Caol Uno - Uno is washed up.  I gave the decision to Uno. SNOOZER FIGHT.
6. Cro Copv Mustfa Al-turk - I believe in CRO COP.  CC looked okay, too bad he’s heading to Dream.
7. Terry Etimv Justin Buchholz - Don’t let me down Etim.  And he didn’t.
8. Paul Taylor v Peter Sabotta - This is my upset pick of the show.  Sabotta seems like a finisher while Taylor should be called Decision Dan.  I guess I shouldn’t pick fighters I have never seen fight.
9. Paul Kelly v Rolando Delgado - NO PICK
10. Denis Stojnic v Stefan Struve - NO PICK
11. John Hathaway v Rick Story - NO PICK

5-3 on the night (36-24 UFC, 56-39 All time). 

1-0 in the main event (4-4 UFC Main Events, 7-6 All time).

Here are some stats for my fight predictions.

Fight Predictions: 51-36-0

1. UFC: 31-21-0
2. WEC: 8-1-0
3. Strikeforce: 6-3-0
4. Affliction: 6-1-0

Main Events: 6-6-0

1. UFC: 3-4-0
2. WEC:  1-1-0
3. Strikeforce: 1-1-0
4. Affliction: 1-0-0

Title Fights: 5-4-0

1. UFC: 2-3-0
2. WEC: 1-1-0
3. Strikeforce: 1-0-0 
4. Affliction: 1-0-0

Apparently, I have no special talent for picking fights, especially main events.  But I vow to make a change and make some killer picks next go around.

My picks are in bold.

STRIKEFORCE

1. Robbie Lawler v Jake Shields - Lawler is the bigger guy here and better striker.  Working with Matt hughes he should have a nasty sprawl.  I think he’ll stuff Shields takedowns in a snoozer.  A freakin’ guillotine man?!  C’mon.
2. Nick Diaz v Scott Smith - I realize I’m going against the popular opinion here, and it’s not that I actually like Scott Smith.  I think this is the 3rd straight fight where I (correctly) picked Smith.  It was a gamble picking Smith, the real problem is I no longer hate Diaz as much as I used too.
3. Andrei Arlovski v Brett Rogers - Arlovski all day.  Unless he goes for his reliable knuckle head move that he does in every fight.  Sigh…
4. Kevin Randleman v Mike Whitehead - Whitehead will just lay on Randleman in a snoozer.  Randleman’s been out of the game too long.  I wish Randleman would have knocked out Mr. Whitehead because Whitehead sucks.
5. Phil Baroni v Joe Riggs - I honestly can’t pick a winner here.  Rooting for Baroni (maybe the first time in my life).  Riggs looked like a complete fighter.

WEC

1. Mike Brown v Urijah Faber - It was a fluke the first time around.  Not saying Brown is a chump, but it’s Urijah we’re talking about here.  Apparently Mike Brown is the real deal.
2. Jose Aldo v Cub Swanson - I believe the Aldo hype.  FLYING KNEE - YAY!
3. Josh Grispi v Jens Pulver - I wish Pulver would win but he just sucks so bad right now.  Damnit Pulver, give us one more win before you retire.
4. Donald Cerrone v James Krause - I believe in the Cerrone hype.  The hype lived up.

***4-4 on the night, and 51-36 all time.***

Here are my picks for UFC 98:

1. Rashad Evans v Lyoto Machida - Rashad to retain but praying for a double knockout. [The knockout was so brutal I'm not even upset I picked wrong.  I hate Rashad so much.  As long as Machida keeps bring the KTFO hammer to his fights, I won't mind him being champ.]
2. Matt Hughes v Matt Serra - Hughes to blanket Serra then retire ($20 bet w/ Michael).  [Hughes brought his warmest blanket indeed for Mr. Serra.  He overcame a headbutt and donkey punch to eek out the decision.  Although, personally if not for my biased opinion of Hughes, I would have given the fight to Serra.  BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO GET ME PAID!!!  PAY ME MY MONEY MICHAEL!!]
3. Sean Sherk v Frankie Edgar - Sherk to control.  [SHERK YOU ARE NOT A BOXER, STOP IT!]
4. Dan Miller v Chael Sonnen - Coin flip.  [Lots of pwnage and GnP.]
5. Drew Mcfedries v XFP - Mcfedries has just looked so awful lately (my upset pick).  [In hindsight, it was a bad decision to back XFP.]
6. Brock Larson v Mike Pyle - Over in a round.  [Called this one right.  Pyle was more threatening than I expected.]
7. Tim Hague v Pat Barry - I beleive this will be RAPE.  [Barry threw this fight away because he has a white belt understand of jiu-jitsu.]
8. Phillipe Nover v Kyle Bradley - Gets the nod, possible sub.  [Apparently a bad stoppage, I dunno, I didn't get to see it yet.]
9. Andre Gusamo v K-Sos - By takedown and control or possible wrestling in reverse.  [Glad K-Sos got the KTFO.]
10. Yoshiyuki Yoshida v Brandon Wollf - Welcome back Yoshida, glad you’re not brain dead. [Welcome back.]
11. George Roop v Dave Kaplan - Does anybody really care?  [I don't care.]

***5-6 on the night, 47-32 over all.*** AND TWENTY BUCKS THE WEALTHIER!!!!!  CHA CHING!!!!!!

Here’s my friend Mr. Jackson.  Tomorrow night he is going to go out and make another friend named Jackson to come and live with me.  MICHAEL GET READY TO PONY UP $20 WORTH OF VOLCANO TACOS!

My picks are in bold.

• Anderson Silva v Thales Leites
• Chuck Liddell v Mauricio Rua
• Cheick Kongo v Antoni Hardonk
• Steve Cantwell v Luis Arthur Cane
• Krzyztof Soszynksi v Brian Stann
• Eliot Marshall v Vinny Magalhaes
• Denis Kang v Xavier Foupa-Pokam
• Jason MacDonald v Nate Quarry
• David Loiseau v Ed Herman
• Mark Boeck v David Bielkheden
• Ryo Chonan v T.J. Grant
• Sam Stout v Matt Wiman

***5-7 on the night, 42-26 all time.***

My picks are in bold.

• Quinton Jackson v Keith Jardine
• Gabriel Gonzaga v Shane Carwin
• Matt Hamill v Mark Munoz
• Pete Sell v Matt Brown
• Bradon Vera v Michael Pratt
• Tamdan McCrory v Ryan Madigan
• Tim Boetsch v Jason Brilz
• Gray Maynard v Jim Miller

***6-2 on the night, 37-16 overall***