UFC 129 St-Pierre vs Shields: Picks & Prognostications

UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields Fight Card
April 30, 2011
Rogers Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I've got the Canadians winning 5, the Americans winning 6, the TUF alumni going 0-2, the Scrap Pack going 2-1, and the lone Brazilian dominant.

Main Bouts (PPV):
Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre (21-2) vs. Jake Shields (26-4-1) GSP has defended his 2nd title run 5 times while the American Jiu-Jitsu artist who has won a staggering 15 times in a row against a who's who of MMA. I think we probably see 25 minutes here with Jake fading as the fight goes on unable to deal with GSP's vastly superior striking and lightning quick takedowns. Jake needs to get his hands on "Rush" to take him down which is going to be a problem. Shields has also had cardio issues in the past and GSP can cause that to happen to about anyone. The signs and percentages say Jake doesn't have much chance to win though his ability to absorb punishment and credible heart will carry him through the evening.

WINNER-Georges St-Pierre by Decision

Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo (18-1) vs. Mark Hominick (20-8) I think this fight is likely to be 1 of the more lopsided bouts on the card. Aldo is not as good as Mark striking, he is better. Hominick has a very overrated ground game while Aldo hasn't even needed to break out his Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt yet. I just don't see Hominick being able to deal with Aldo's leg kicks and ridiculous speed and if it does hit the floor, the "Machine" will tapout for his 6th submission career loss. "Junior" hurts Mark early and then puts him away on the mat.

WINNER-Jose Aldo by Rd.2 Submission

Lyoto Machida (16-2) vs. Randy Couture (19-10) Did you know the Brett Farve of MMA is retiring? Yes, we have heard this before and I don't buy it. If the "Natural" can find a way to make it happen, he still wants to fight Fedor Emelianenko. Anywho, the 48 year old Couture schuffles into the Octagon another time to meet a much faster, younger, and far better striker in the "Dragon." Randy's only chance is to get the takedown on Machida and keep him on his back. The dirty boxing won't work as Lyoto can do it just as good if not faster while avoiding takedowns and peppering the chin of Couture from outside his slow range. Providing Lyoto isn't as tentative as he was early in his career this should be a 1 sided fight. Keep this in mind. Couture couldn't beat the lackluster Brandon Vera (I know what the decision was, the judges are fools) yet no sane person would pick Vera over Machida in a fight today. Time for Randy to put down the gloves and pick up his myriad of scarfs as he heads into retirement and begins collecting ex-wives again.

WINNER-Lyoto Machida by Rd.3 TKO

* Chants of "Randy-Randy" rang out proving "Captain America" is beloved around the world. He and Gil were the only Americans who received cheers.

Vladimir Matyushenko (25-5) vs. Jason Brilz (18-3-1) The "Janitor" is well past his prime with a battle worn body while Brilz is coming into his own riding a very close loss to Antonio Nogueira that actually propelled his career forward. Both can wrestle but youth is key here as Jason is physically stronger and more solid while Vlad can see the sun setting. This will be the time to get some refreshments.

WINNER-Jason Brilz by Decision

* After Brilz weighed in Joe Rogan asked the sound truck to keep the music level down. I say turn the awful cacophony off.

Ben Henderson (12-2) vs. Mark Bocek (9-3) ATT's badass ginger is here to defeat the contortionist from the MMA Lab. Both men can work the ground but Ben is easily better on the feet. I would pick Mark here but I feel Henderson can evade better with his slick style while landing the strikes that Bocek can't land. Speed wins the day in 1 of the closest fights of the night.

WINNER-Ben Henderson by Decision

* Ben missed weight by half a pound and the athletic commission complained that the loud annoying music was shaking the scale but he was still half a pound over when they turned it off. Henderson made weight in the back within the allotted 30 minutes. Marky tripped up the stairs in front of his home crowd which was kind of funny.

Prelims (On Spike TV):
Nate Diaz (13-6) vs. Rory MacDonald (10-1) The younger Diaz brother meets the Canadian phenom who suffered his 1st loss against Carlos Condit and then went on the shelf with a knee injury for 10 months! Nate has height, length, and Jiu-Jitsu on Rory who is a great athlete who can fight anywhere. MacDonald's power also bothers me and I'm assuming Rory will exploit Nate's porous takedown defense looking to avoid the submission while dropping the G&P. Nate has shown the ability to pull out a submission from anywhere but this is another bit of tough matchmaking as Rory emulates the Achilles heel of the Diaz brothers.

WINNER-Rory MacDonald by Decision

* A chorus of boo's rang out when the Brothers Diaz entered the room at the weigh-ins and no handshake between the fighters.

Jake Ellenberger (23-5) vs. Sean Pierson (11-4) I became a fan of Pierson due to his defeating the annoying Matt Riddle and personable nature in interviews. However, he is about to get obliterated. Sean won't have anything for Jake when he goes into beast mode and I'll be very surprised if this bout hears the final bell.

WINNER-Jake Ellenberger by Rd.3 TKO

* A huge ovation for Mr. Pierson a longtime MMA hero in Canada. At 35, "Pimp Daddy" is a cult hero who made good on his UFC debut last time out and he's a very smart and amicable guy. For a cop.

Prelims (On Facebook):
Yves Jabouin (15-6) vs. Pablo Garza (10-1) I have a beef with almost everyone who gets a slot in the UFC because of TUF, and this is no exception. Yves has faced the likes of Jonathan Brookins, Sam Stout, and tonight's Featherweight challenger Mark Hominick while the "Scarecrow" has fought nobody of note. If the "Tiger" can't do it on the feet he is in trouble but I'm not seeing it tonight.

WINNER-Yves Jabouin by Rd.3 TKO

Ivan Menjivar (21-8) vs. Charlie Valencia (12-6) This is 1 of the tougher fights to predict on this UFC 129 card. The "Pride of El-Salvador" fights out of the Tri-Star gym where some guy named GSP trains. Both men generally lose when meeting the upper tier of their division but Ivan seems a bit sturdier and able to pull out victories even if not in the most spectacular fashion.

WINNER-Ivan Menjivar by Decision

* Ivan broke out the Wolverine claws at the weigh-ins. I have no idea why.

Jason MacDonald (24-14) vs. Ryan Jensen (15-7) The "Athlete" returns after a gruesome injury his last time out to re-establish himself in front of 55,000 fellow Canadians. I'm a big fan of MacDonald and like him to shock a lot of people who are counting him out in this bout. Jason has size and heart over Ryan who is susceptible to submissions which MacDonald can pull off in spectacular fashion while Jensen relies on his wrestling alone.

UPSET WINNER-Jason MacDonald by Rd.2 Submission

John Makdessi (8-0) vs. Kyle Watson (13-6-1) Take the "Bull" all day to bash Jensen, another TUF not yet ready for prime time player, and send him to the unemployment line.

WINNER-John Makdessi by Rd.2 KO

* The "Bull" got right in Kyle's face at the weigh-ins but Kyle only smiled it off.

Claude Patrick (13-1) vs. Daniel Roberts (12-1) The "Prince" has dominated on the ground only losing in his 2nd pro fight and going 2-0 in the UFC. "Ninja" is one of the newer Scrap Pack members who is 3-1 in the UFC winning his last 3. "Ninja" is no slouch on the floor but he also has good striking which I have yet to see from Claude. Thank your god headbutts are now illegal because Patrick has a head the size of Roy Dennis (see the 1985 movie Mask). If, if Daniel can keep off the mat with Patrick I think he can rack up enough points to take the decision. My hope is he won't go at his opponents strength like his teammate Nick Diaz. Both men are very talented but I like Daniel's camp for better training and "Ninja" has more varieties of offense than the conehead.

UPSET WINNER-Daniel Roberts by Decision

* A nice ovation for Gilbert Melendez who joined Scrap Pack teammate Roberts for the weigh-ins. Claude's head weighed in at 44 lbs.

The poster was not created by the UFC but by amazing Olieng whose art can be found here http://olieng.net/ The work is much better than the official poster work by Zuffa.

MMA Melee: Diaz IS Boxing, No Royce In Rio, Idiot Judging, & The DREAM Is Not Dead!

Holy crap Nick Diaz is becoming a professional boxer. The Stockton native has wanted this for a long time and does have the right to box once a year with his current Strikeforce/Showtime contract. Nick already signed to face Fernando Vargas but he cannot pass the medical test to compete and may retire. Now the Cesar Gracie camp is looking at Jeff Lacy (25-4-1) who has expressed interest in the fight. "Left Hook" weighs around 170 lbs. for his fights and at 33 years would prove a tough test for the MMA fighter making the odd switch.

Diaz has also said he might retire from MMA. “They don’t have anybody else for me to fight now. I’m better than all these guys they have. The guys they have ranked above me, I’m sure they don’t want to fight me. So, I don’t know, I don’t see much of a future in this sport for me, I honestly don’t. Especially if there’s not a whole shitload of money going on. I’m signed into some contract that I don’t know anything about. I don’t know anything about that shit, I got a manager. All I know is that my life’s a living hell, full of training, grueling exercise, training everyday, cater to everybody else and not worry about myself sort of thing.”

Now watch Dana White throw all kinds of money at Diaz to stop this madness. On a personal note, I'd love to watch Larry Merchant try and interview Nick :)

Despite his efforts to the contrary, Royce Gracie is not going to be fighting at UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The UFC Hall of Fame inductee had mentioned he was in negotiations with Zuffa for a final MMA bout in his legendary career, but Dana White put the kibosh on that today according to MMAFighting.com. I never thought it was probable with Royce not competing in the last 4 years and being 44 years old. I love Royce but I also believe his time in the sport has passed and that spot on the card should be used for the guys with more relevance today. I will always revere the legend but it just doesn't make sense to see the guy fight anymore.

DREAM is not dead. Let me repeat, DREAM is not dead! Despite reports to the contrary, the new Pride FC is putting together a Bantemweight tournament. The tournament may feature Imanari, Atsushi, Tokoro, Osawa, Otsuka, and Maeda, and singles matches will also consist of Ishida vs. Hansen, Kikuno vs. Daisuke Nakamura, and Zaromskis vs. Nakahara. Also expected to compete on the card are Hayato Sakurai and Shinya Aoki versus the dreaded TBA. MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba attended the press conference and said, “We are all working together, we are all going to try real hard, and we will make it. Everyone is full of energy and everyone will fight hard." I love the Japan unity in the face of the tragic earthquake and a rough time for MMA in the far east!

MMA judging is an atrocious joke these days and the trend continued at Bellator 41 when all 3 judges awarded the main event to Joe Warren instead of Marcos Galvao who deserved it. Everybody and their dog scored the bout 29-28 Galvao except for the 3 judges ringside who must have been blinded by the outdoor sun. Even more egregious, was judge Chuck Wolf who scored the bout across the board 30-27 for Warren which has people wondering if the fight was fixed for the Featherweight champion.

Chuck "The Idiot" Wolf actually tried to defend his absurd scoring with a lot of moronic statements but this one is my personal favorite.
"If Galvao isn't happy with the decision he should look in the mirror, not at the judges. He had 3 rounds to take Warren out if he really wanted to beat him -- he had 3 rounds to dominate Warren, as well as Warren had three rounds to dominate him," Wolfe said. "It's up to the fighter. ... Don't leave it in the hands of the judges, especially when it's a close fight."

Umm, it sounds like you are saying I'm a fool so you had better finish the fight so we don't screw it up. We have absolutely no clue how to do our jobs. And as far as Galvao not wanting it enough to finish, his face told me after your preposterous score was read how badly he wanted and deserved the fight. Mr. Wolf is everything that is wrong with MMA today. I implore everyone to email the International Sport Combat Federation who licensed this piece of shit at www.info@iscfmma.com

Anderson Silva's documentary called "Like Water" will debut next week in New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Pablo Croce, the movie shows the "Spider's" life up to the amazing title bout against Chael "The Cheating Liar" Sonnen at UFC 117.

Jens "Lil Evil" Pulver also has a documentary coming out called "Driven" by Warner Bros. will be available on cable and DVD July 1, 2011.

DK Publishing has announced that they will publish an official UFC Encyclopedia detailing the history of the organization, covering more than 300 fighters, champions, Hall of Famers, amazing color photos, biographies, statistics, and title history. The book won't be out until October 3rd of this year but add it to your X-Mas list today!

Finally, Mark Coleman is offering 2 pair of the gloves he wore at Pride FC 2000 Grand Prix for a mere $40,000. That's right, only $40,000. Most MMA collector sites sell autographed and "worn" gloves for $300 or $400. I realize that tournament turned the "Hammer's" career around, and it was an amazing run for the vet, but come on. Mark and Nick should get together to compare whose ideas are the craziest.

Chael Sonnen: Professional Liar

Adolph Hilter said, "Great liars are also great magicians." Unfortunately for Chael Sonnen, he is running out of tricks.

Last year Sonnen went to court for fraud, fought and lost in a title bout, and then tested positive for steroids. Then Chael lied and lied trying to dig his way out but only dug himself in deeper. Let's take a closer look at this pathological fool.

Lie #1 Chael claims he needed testosterone boosting (via injections) because he never went through puberty and suffers from Hypogonadism. He was afraid to tell the NSAC because he thought the other boys would make fun of him. Aww, he's afraid to change clothes in the locker room.

Lie #2 No wait. Now Chael claims he did tell Keith Kizer (NSAC director). Keith said that never happened.

Lie #3 Changing the tune again Sonnen said he "misspoke" and meant his manager Matt Lindland spoke to Mr. Kizer. That was also a lie though Lindland tried to back him up to no avail.

Lie #4 Mr. Sonnen claims he is a reputable Real Estate agent. Nope. Chael pled guilty to Real Estate fraud forfeiting his Oregon Realtor license and was forced to pay a $10,000 fine.

Lie #5 "You gotta understand, I’ve never lost to a middleweight fighter and he has. Any loss I’ve ever had has been at a different weight class." spouted Sonnen before the Anderson Silva fight. Chael was submitted by Demian Maia, Paulo Filho, and Jeremy Horn, all at Middleweight.

The UFC brass in their infinite wisdom want Sonnen to coach the 14th season of the Ultimate Fighter as well. Zuffa asked for a private meeting with NSAC Director Keith Kizer to try and get Chael reinstated. Keith had this to say in summing up the meeting. "With his explanations, I don't know how productive of a meeting it was. I really did expect a much more constructive meeting out of that. But it just wasn't there. I think Zuffa tried; I know we tried. I put the blame completely on Mr. Sonnen."

Kizer went on to say that if Sonnen wanted a second license, he would be required to answer questions about his statements to the CSAC in a formal NSAC hearing. He also would likely need to answer questions about his pending sentencing on a federal charge of money laundering and his criticism of referee Josh Rosenthal following his fight with Paulo Filho at WEC 31. (Sonnen claimed he didn't submit to Filho in the second round of the fight.) "You want to criticize a referee and say, 'I don't think he did a very good job,' that's one thing," Kizer said. "But to out and out lie (Lie #6) about what happened in the match is a different thing."

Even after all of this, the UFC still wants Sonnen in TUF against Michael Bisping! The same guy who deliberately threw an illegal knee in his bout with Jorge Rivera and then spit on his corner men after the bout. Dana White and the gang are apparently not worried about promoting the very worst people in MMA today!

Putting a racist xenophobe liar on TV against a cheating crybaby bitch would make interesting TV, but I wouldn't want these men representing anything I cherished.

I love MMA. Please Zuffa, do the right thing and bring in Bernie Madoff to bring some morals to your business.

Strikeforce Results: Scrap Pack Domination! Diaz & Melendez Retain Championships!

Casey Ryan defeats Paul Song by Triangle Choke Submission in the very 1st round.
Rolando Perez gets the Unanimous Decision over Edgar Cardenas.
Herman Terrado KO's A.J. Matthews just before the end of round 1.
Joe Duarte submitted Saad Awad by Armbar in the 2nd.
Virgil Zwicker TKO's Brett Albee in the 1st round.

Robert Peralta gets a Split Decision over Hiroyuki Takaya to begin a rough night for Japan. "Streetfight Bancho" did well initially but was dropped by a combination just before the end of the 1st round. Takaya makes a comeback winning the 2nd and in the final round secured a good takedown. The idiot referee (whom I will talk about later) stands them up early and there is little action to end the fight. You can make a case either way I suppose but I had it 29-28 for Takaya though I would have been OK with a Draw. At least the judging won't get worse right?

Shinya Aoki submits Lyle Beerbohm with a Neck Crank just over a minute into the initial round. Why "Fancy Pants" went for the takedown on 1 of the greatest Jiu Jitsu practitioners on Earth is beyond me. Aoki scrambled and took the back of Lyle securing the rear naked neck crank while latching on with a body lock. Beerbohm's grimacing and submits as Aoki gives Japanese MMA fans something to cheer about. Finally. "Submission Of The Night"

Gegard Mousasi and Keith Jardine fight to a Majority Draw. That is so unsatisfying. The "Dreamcatcher" controlled and easily out-struck the "Dean Of Mean" who really put on an impressive show of heart and determination. Jardine was hitting the takedowns early but could do nothing with them as Gegard escaped back to his feet again and again. After 1 suck takedown, Mousasi threw an upkick which is illegal. Keith smartly took his time to gain some air and the referee took away a point. That is fine but it was still a 9-9 round in the end. The 2nd began with Gegard becoming more aggressive and landing at will. Keith's eyes were bleeding and he was taking punishment before a low blow landed and the "Dean" got another 5 minutes to recover and suck wind. No point is taken away the round goes to Mousasi with an obvious 10-9. For the final round a brave Jardine hangs in there not getting KO'd as we all though but still easily losing the round 10-9. For those of you scoring at home that makes the scorecards 29-27 for Gegard Mousasi.

Unfortunately, the judges ruined a clear victory again. Two judges scored the bout 28-28 which is asinine. Abe Belardo scored round 2 for Jardine while Lester Griffin awarded Jardine round 1. Lester is incorrect but at least a case could be made (though not a good 1) for Keith in the opener. There is no way anyone should have scored round 2 for anyone but Mousasi!

Oh well. A pretty entertaining fight with Jardine taking the fight on only 9 days notice and proving that he does still belong with the big fish in MMA while Mousasi really needs to learn some wrestling.

* I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the viking bearded referee. The guy is straight out of a death metal video. His name is Mike Beltran and he wanted attention. He began the bout by yelling “handle it” (which is amusing) and then paraded around the ring during the 2 fouls and halted action again for a dropped mouthpiece while wandering around in search of the owners corner. Its pretty embarrassing when Cecil Peoples does a better job. OK we see you. Now disappear from MMA.

Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez TKO's Tatsuya Kawajiri in the 1st round after brutalizing "Crusher" for every bit of the 3 minutes and 14 seconds. The 1st right hand from Melendez dropped Kawajiri and from then on it was a rape. Gilbert unleashed "El Nino" via knees and uppercuts and tore through Tatsuya. Upon the mat desperately looking to survive, Kawajiri scrambles but Melendez launches just vicious elbows that force a great stoppage (Yes it was Cecil Peoples and he didn't screw things up...for once). "(T)KO Of The Night"

Just domination start to finish and now there should be no doubt that Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez is the #1 155 lb. fighter in the world! Fact.

“I think it’s time we unified some titles,” Melendez said. “I’m the number one lightweight in the world, and I’m coming for that spot.”

Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz TKO's Paul Daley in a spectacular 1 round fight that ended 3 seconds before the end of the 1st round. This was a wild back and forth affair that delivered as only a Nick Diaz fight can. The Champ came out taunting and talking with his hands in the air or at his side. "Semtex" lands a left hook that has Diaz sprawling before Daley unloads with strikes looking for the finish. Nick pulls guard and gets to his feet where he begins to find his rhythm landing the punches in bunches he is known for. Diaz is bring a brutal onslaught to Paul's body when a left hook flattens Nick on the mat! Daley still can't capitalize and backs away allowing his opponent back up. More incredible body shots hurt "Semtex" who loses balance and goes careening across the cage to the mat. Now Diaz moves in for the kill with the final barrage of strikes when referee John McCarthy ends the fight with only 3 seconds remaining! What an amazing fight!

The stoppage was correct as Paul Daley has trouble getting up to his stool even after laying on the mat for a few moments. "Semtex" might have been complaining about the stoppage but he was unsure of what happened .

You have to love Nick as the crowd erupted into "Diaz-Diaz-Diaz" chants. Team Cesar Gracie (or the "Scrap Pack") had a great night and the 2 warriors finally shake hands as Nick gives another incoherent rambling interview.

3-0-1 on the picking deal.

Bellator 40 Results: Askren & Hieron Win While The Goat Retires

David Rickels defeats Dylan Smith by Triangle Choke submission.

Eric Prindle TKO's his buddy Josh Burns via Doctor Stoppage after 2. These 2 bulbous Heavyweights threw some leather and then became gassed out. They lumbered through the bout with the "Ginger Goliath" landing a nut shot on his friend and then apologizing profusely. Its back and forth in slo-motion but Eric's strikes are damaging Josh's face which is a crimson mass (hello JR). The doctors call it and "Pringles" acts like someone just ruined his best friends night. Oh, they did. These guys need to drop some mass and wrench up the cardio.

Tyler Stinson defeats Nathan James by Split-Decision. Yup.

Michael Chandler defeats Lloyd Woodard by Unanimous Decision. Its gonna be a night of Mizzou dominated wrestling beginning here. Chandler slammed Lloyd all around the cage in the 1st and controlled the 2nd before almost getting caught in a RNC. The choke was tight and Mike turned purple but hung on till the end of time. For the final round its more takedowns and G&P giving Chandler a tough victory and Woodard his 1st defeat.

Jay Hieron ekes by Brent Weedman via Unanimous Decision. Whew that was a close 1. Its a wild exchange early but Hieron is dropped by a left hand and Weedman moved into mount bring the punches. In a scramble Jay takes a legal upkick and is wobbled but the round ends. In the 2nd, Jay works some uppercuts and settles into some good stand up work. In the final round, a combo early for Jay and a takdown start things off. Jay is backing away but still landing more in a spirited exchange. Brent beautifully sweeps Hieron and the Xtreme Couture fighter complains to the referee but I don't know why. Brent takes full mount but Jay slides out the back door and back to his feet. Weedman is bringing it now until Hieron gets a final takedown moving to side control when the fight ends.

Good close fight. I had it 29-28 for Hieron as well but Weedman really impressed me and the "Thoroughbred" is looking susceptible going into the Welterweight finals against Michael Chandler.

Ben Askren defeats Nick Thompson by Unanimous Decision. That was as ugly as I expected. The "Goat" just could not get the stand up going and instead found himself molested on the mat for 15 minutes. Not that exciting but the Mizzou alum used his collegiate wrestling to win again staying undefeated and retaining his Welterweight title which wasn't on the line.

Nick complemented "Funky" after the bout saying, "I’ve fought all over the world, fought some of the best guys and beaten some of the best guys. I’ve never been so frustrated in a fight. The last 10 seconds was the only part I felt not-frustrated.” At the post fight press conference Nick "The Goat" Thompson announced his retirement after 8 years in MMA with 53 fights. I for 1 will miss the fainting Lawyer and congratulate him on an entertaining career.

Michael Osborn defeats Cody Carrillo by TKO in the 1st round of the swing bout.

3-0 on the picks. That's perfect but cowardly.

Strikeforce Diaz Vs Daley: Picks & Prognostications

Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley
April 9, 2011
Valley View Casino Center
San Diego, California

Main Bouts (On Showtime):
Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz (24-7) vs. Paul Daley (27-9-2) There should be few surprises here. We know what both men bring to the table and do well. Diaz is well rounded with amazing Jiu Jitsu and horrible takedown attempts. Nick also has a long reaching jab in high supply with great body shots that slow everyone down. "Semtex" can KO anyone at any time but that is all he has. If pride gets into Nick's head and he decides to stand and trade all night, I see bad things including some bloody cuts via the newly legal elbows. Mixing things up for the Cesar Gracie fighter is essential while baiting Daley into a mistake on the ground. I'm not so sure Paul can even go 5 rounds let alone against a man who trains triathlon's for fun. The percentages say Diaz all day but be aware that 1 punch can change any fight though Nick is known for his strong beard.

WINNER-Nick Diaz Rd.4 Submission

* There wasn't any trash talk for this bout between 2 notorious shit talkers, but finally we got some extra-curricular activities at the weigh-ins. They squared off and Daley threw down his hat and began talking. Diaz known for responding calmly could be seen uttering his trademark "Bitch" as the 2 fellas got heated for some good promotional fun!

Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez (18-2) vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2) [Rematch] It was one of the best fights of 2006 when these two underrated Lightweights last met with "El Nino" taking the judges nod. "Crusher" is a tough nosed wrestler but he didn't train for a cage and Melendez has improved in every area while Kawajiri stays relatively the same. Both men get to use elbow strikes with Zuffa implementing universal rules which I like. Gil will also wear down Tatsuya with his relentless cardio endurance though both men are very difficult to finish. I still think it will be a close fight and hopefully a "Fight Of The Year" candidate like in their 1st meeting.

WINNER-Gilbert Melendez by Decision

Gegard Mousasi (30-3-1) vs. Keith Jardine (17-9-1) Does the "Dean Of Mean" know that you don't have to take a fight offered to you? Especially one that is your nightmare match-up; a guy with great hands, slick submissions, speed, and KO power. I think Ray Charles can see beyond the grave that Keith is going to be KO'd by a left hook at some point.

WINNER-Gegard Mousasi by Rd.1 KO

Shinya Aoki (26-5) vs. Lyle Beerbohm (15-1) This is a must win for Aoki. After his embarrassing loss at New Year's Eve and a failed outing before that on Nashville soil, the "Tobikan" has to have a good showing to prove he is still an elite Lightweight. With DREAM & Sengoku crumbling in Japan, he might need a job soon and Zuffa eyes are watching. "Fancy Pants" is a good mid-tier fighter who needs to stay standing at all costs. Yuichiro Nagashima showed us Aoki can be KO'd during his impersonation of stand up before he drags you to the mat to tap you out and/or break your arm. I see Shinya getting it down eventually but he most be cautious as always in the beginning looking for a proper takedown instead of rushing in to his demise.

WINNER-Shinya Aoki by Rd.2 Submission

Prelims (Non-Televised):
Hiroyuki Takaya (15-8-1) vs. Robert Peralta (13-3)
Brett Albee (3-0) vs. Virgil Zwicker (9-2)
Saad Awad (8-3) vs. Joe Duarte (5-2)
Herman Terrado (5-2) vs. A.J. Matthews (4-0)
Edgar Cardenas (3-0) vs. Rolando Perez (5-4-1)
Casey Ryan (1-0) vs. Paul Song (2-0)

Bellator 40 Picks & Prognostications

Bellator 40
April 9, 2011
First Council Casino
Newkirk, Oklahoma

A little late to the game on picking Bellator, but people should check it out. Its a pretty good show with some interesting fights and spectacular finishes. Don't let Zuffa run the world! Turn off Jersey Shore and check lil' MTV2 for the free event.

Main Card
Welterweight Champion Ben Askren (7-0) vs. Nick Thompson (38-13-1) [Non-Title] As a big fan of the "Goat," I'd love to see him pull the big upset over the Mizzou Tiger, but I'm not going to bank on it. Ben will use his (guess it) wrestling to dry hump Nick for 3 rounds failing again at developing decent offense. Be honest, Ben is boring.

WINNER-Ben Askren by Yawn

Season 4 Welterweight Tournament Semifinal Bout:
Brent Weedman (18-5-1) vs. Jay Hieron (20-4) Its a 10 in a row run for "Marijuanaman" who has been running rough shot over the Welterweight division. After a controversial tapout win in his 1st outing with Bellator, the "Thoroughbred" has won 8 in a row but can't seem to get enough fights to stay decently active. Look for Jay to avoid the KO power on the feet instead opting to keep this fight on the mat where he can work safely for a submission and at the least, amass some points.

WINNER-Jay Hieron by Decision

Season 4 Lightweight Tournament Semifinal Bout:
Lloyd Woodard (11-0) vs. Michael Chandler (6-0) The "0" must go bout for the undefeated prospects. "Cupcake" is a character but I like Mike out of Xtreme Couture. He has less experience but at a much higher level in and out of the gym. It will still be an exciting bout though eventually Chandler will pull away though he may hear the judges for the 1st time in his career.

WINNER-Mike Chandler by Decision

* If Mike and Jay win it could make another odd training situation as both work their game at Xtreme Couture. More Greg Jackson like drama anyone?

Prelims
Nate James (11-6-1) vs. Tyler Stinson (19-7)
Josh Burns (5-3) vs. Eric Prindle (6-1)
David Rickles (4-0) vs. Dylan Smith (7-1)
Cody Carrillo (6-4) vs. Michael Osborn (2-3)
Mike Winters (4-0) vs. Ryan Quinn (4-2)

Strikeforce Challengers 15 & Bellator 39 Results: KO's & TKO's Galore

Strikeforce Challengers 15

James Terry KO's Josh Thornburg just before the end of the 1st round. That was a shame for us Team Cesar Gracie fans, but a nice KO.

Lorenz Larkin defeats Scott Lighty by TKO in the 2nd. Larkin was a late replacement and bad for Lighty. The K-1 style fighter came out blistering and Scott never really got back into the fight. It was explosive striking with good cardio on short notice. Impressive also was Larkin recognizing his pace was winding himself so he calmed down picking shots more carefully. It was that which led to a left hook and left uppercut which dropped Scott who needed to be saved by the referee.

Caros Fodor defeats David Douglas by TKO via knees. "Tarzan" had nothing for the new Fodor who just steamrolled him. There is a reason this kid is called the "Future" people.

Justin Wilcox earns the TKO on Rodrigo Damm after the doctor called a halt to the bout after the 1st. The "Silverback" was taking no shit tonight and just abused the Damm guy. Impressive for the Sean Sherk look-a-like who is ready for a big name test.


Bellator 39
Ben Saunders destroys Matt Lee by TKO via Doctor Stoppage in a ridiculous sea of blood. "Killa-B" just clinched and brutalized Lee cutting his face in at least 3 large spots. Matt was a crimson mass and the referee had the cuts checked twice and the 2nd called the end of the bout. Welcome back "Killa-B" who now needs a true test not a 40 year old journeyman. No offense.

Patricky Freire KO's Toby Imada with a Flying Knee and Punches. This is easily the "KO Of The Year" (so far). The "Pitbull" threw a jumping knee that left Imada stumbling and out on his feet before the follow up punches lamped him for sure. Unfortunately, Toby was unconscious for quite some time and was taken to the back on a stretcher. Fortunately, Imada was released from the hospital and made it to the post fight presser. Freire is frightening and Eddie Alvarez better get ready! "KO Of The Weekend"

Rick Hawn defeats Lyman Good by Split-Decision. I'm not so sure what the judges were watching but my guy made me bank so who cares right? Well, I do. Hawn's judo prowess is well documented but his striking and takedown attempts are abysmal. Good was fine in the 1st but his glaring lack of takedown defense was evident as he spent the entire 2nd round on his back. Good was obviously gun shy for the final round but still landed that left jab while Rick missed takedowns. In the final seconds Hawn got the takedown he wanted and I guess that was enough to win the fight. Not so sure myself but it was a close fight.

Eddie Alvarez retains his Bellator Lightweight Championship over Pat Curran by Unanimous Decision. Many though Ed would run through the "Cinderella Man" but Pat held strong, even if ineffective, for the full 25 minutes. Eddie's striking was a little wilder than I like but he was simply too fast and Curran could not connect. In the end it was a shutout for the Champ and Pat improves his MMA stock with a real gutsy and bloody performance. "Fight Of The Weekend"

0-0 on the picks because I was lazy.