UFC 126 Predictions

Alright, chubies, I skipped UFC 125 because of the timing and the fact that there was college football to be watched, but I'm back for UFC 126. I really enjoy the UFC, and MMA in general, but having a PPV on New Year's Day was a horrible choice and I'm sure PPV buyrates suffered as a result, especially with a solid but not great card.

However, UFC 126 is tonight and we're back in business. For UFC 124, I went 3-2 to finish above .500 for the first time in a while. Let's see how we can do tonight!

• Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos - In what should be a fun way to start off the night, a couple of 135 pounders square off in the Octagon. I would expect the action to be fast and fierce. Miguel Torres is the formerly dominant WEC Bantamweight champion. 37-1 in his first 38 fights, Torres has dropped 2 of his last 3 to Brian Bowles and Joseph Benevidez. The Benevidez fight was particularly remarkable because Torres got sliced open, was bleeding profusely and submitted to a guillotine choke all within a matter of seconds. Still, Torres is an explosive fighter who can finish a fight quickly but who also has a lot of mileage on his body. I'll admit to never having seen Banuelos fight. His resume isn't half as impressive as Torres's, but he appears to be very tough dude. Being entirely unfamiliar with Banuelos makes this a less than informed opinion, but I'll take what I know over what I don't: Torres via TKO in the 2nd Round.
  
• Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha - Rocha is undefeated and is making his UFC debut. He is 9-0 with 8 victories by submission. On the other hand, Ellenberger has been here before, having rattled off 2 wins after losing to Carlos Condit in Ellenberger's UFC debut. Ellenberger has excellent wrestling and ground and pound skills that could make for a compelling match-up against the submission skills of Rocha. As Ellenberger has only been submitted once in 27 fights, I see Rocha having a hard time finishing him. Anyone who can take Condit to the limit is a pretty tough guy. I'll take Ellenberger via unanimous decision.
  
• Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones - Both of these guys are excellent up-and-coming young fighters. This is an exciting match-up between two very young, but impressive Top 10 Light Heavyweight fighters. This could/should be a battle of unbeatens but Jones was disqualified against Matt Hamill for throwing downward/spike elbow strikes into Hamill's face after Jones had mounted him in what was the most impressive loss I've ever seen a fighter endure. Jones was just brutalizing Hamill until the DQ. Bader is incredibly impressive in his own right. A former Ultimate Fighter winner, Bader has defeated Keith Jardine and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in his last two fights. Based on the Nogueira win, Bader probably has the slightly stronger resume, but Jon Jones is a fucking walking highlight reel and his explosiveness and ability to inflict violence from any position is amazing. I'll take Jones via brutal TKO in the 2nd.
  
• Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin - This is an intriguing fight between two very good, but not great fighters. Griffin has made the most of his natural ability by sticking to well-formulated gameplans and not trying to do too much. Franklin was the pride of the UFC Middleweight class before Anderson Silva came along and rearranged his face. Twice. Both are very skilled, technical fighters. This is almost certain to remain a stand-up fight. I would not be shocked to see a takedown by either fighter, but I would certainly be surprised. Franklin is the more technical striker overall, but Griffin is more than happy to eat 2 punches to deliver one in return. The problem for Griffin is that he doesn't really have KO power, but Franklin does. I don't see Franklin knocking Griffin out, but I do see him using his power to do enough to eke out a decision against a very game Forrest Griffin. Franklin via unanimous decision.
  
• Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort - On one hand, you have the UFC Middleweight Champion, winner of 12 straight UFC fights, and perhaps the best striker in the history of MMA in Silva. On the other hand, you have a fierce striker and a crafty veteran in Belfort, a man with most of the necessary tools to defeat Silva, but unfortunately he lacks the most important. For 22 plus minutes, Chael Sonnen laid out the perfect gameplan to defeat the champion. Quick strikes to set up the takedown, wrestling Silva to the ground and beating down on him with the champion on his back. Only problem is, you can't make a mistake and get caught in a submission. Sonnen learned the hard way...as he has learned plenty of lessons recently. Belfort does not own the wrestling skills that Sonnen has and that will be his undoing against Silva unless he lands a finishing blow early in the fight. I see Belfort winning the early round or rounds before the Champion makes the necessary adjustments and begins to break the Challenger down. I don't see this one going the distance as I think Silva will finally (and one again) finish off a worthy opponent with strikes. Silva via TKO in Round 4. All this being said, I'd be happy to see Belfort win. I cannot stand Anderson Silva.
  

Check back throughout the night to see how I do!

Results:

• Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos - Torres wins via unanimous decision. In what turned out to be a surprisingly uneventful fight, Torres used his range and his efficient striking to basically out kickbox Banuelos. Banuelos could never figure out how to get inside on the lanky Torres and was essentially picked apart. Neither fighter was ever in any trouble and the crowd was not thrilled with the lack of action. Not how I expected this fight to go. I definitely thought the high-energy, little men would bring excitement but that did not turn out to be the case. Oh well, I'm 1-0.
  
• Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha - Rocha comes out to Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby. No, really, he did. What an asshole. Blah. Another uneventful fight. Rocha controlled Round 1. Ellenberger fought back in Round 2 to tie things up and then did enough in Round 3 to eke out a Split Decision by scores 29-28, 29-28 and 27-30. Whichever judge gave Rocha all 3 rounds is on crack. No way did he throw a shutout, and after Round 1, he didn't do much at all. Not a fight you'll tell your kids about. I move to 2-0! That never happens!
  
• Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones - Jones dominates most of the first round. Earning top position and working for a North-South choke that Bader could not figure out how to get out of. Jones didn't have enough leverage and let go of the choke. Bader gets back to his feet but Jones evades a takedown attempt effortlessly. Jones takes Bader back down and drops some elbows on his face. Bader postures up and is able to ride out the round but Jones easily wins Round 1. Some uneventful stand-up exchanges in the first few minutes of Round 2. Jones is landing more than Bader but neither is doing much damage. Jones shoves off a Bader takedown attempt. Another Bader takedown attempt results in Jones on top. Jones works for a D'arce choke and segues into a guillotine. Bader taps! Jon Jones wins via submission. I move to 3-0! Wow. And Jones has just earned a shot at the Light Heavyweight Championship against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua as Shogun is brought into the Octagon for a brief encounter with Jones. I think this is a bit quick, but Jones is on meteoric rise to the top of the UFC LHW division...
  
• Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin - Griffin scores a trip takedown early in Round 1. Forrest doing a good job of staying busy on top but not doing a ton of damage. Griffin's ground and pound gaining some effectiveness over time with not much Franklin can do but try to slow it down. Griffin with some smothering, effective ground and pound. Not putting Franklin in any danger, but it's very one-sided. Franklin doing a decent job of neutralizing Griffin's ground and pound but no offense at all from Franklin. Easily Griffin wins Round 1. Round 2 begins with a couple minutes of stand-up before Griffin gets a-hold of Franklin and drags him to the ground. Griffin with back control and lands some strikes before Franklin earns his escape. Back to the feet. Franklin with some good strikes late in the round but it's hard to see him winning that Round overall. Rick probably needs a stoppage to win. Griffin with more effective striking and grappling in Round 3. Not a total domination or anything close to it, but this was easily a win for Griffin. 29-28 at worst, 30-27 at best. All 3 judges score the first 29-28 for Griffin. Sounds like it was even going into the 3rd, but Forrest Griffin gets the decision. I fall to 3-1 for the evening. Boo.
  
• Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort - 1. Anderson Silva has Steven Seagal in his corner. No, really, he does. 2. Anderson Silva has possessed the UFC Middleweight Championship since October 2006. Over 4 years, he's been the Champ, that's crazy. Here we go! No touching of gloves but we do get a bow from both fighters. I hate Silva. I hope I'm wrong on this one. Almost a minute and a half passes before a strike is thrown and it's a left low kick from Belfort. Two minutes in and Silva hasn't thrown a strike, Belfort's only thrown one. Another left low kick from Belfort whiffs. At close to 2 minutes left in Round 1, a brief exchange ends with Belfort taking Silva down. Silva gets back up. Silva lands a front kick to Belfort's face and he drops. Silva is slow to pounce but lands a straight right and a straight left and Belfort is not responding. The ref waves the fight off. Silva wins via KO. A fucking front kick to Belfort's face essentially ends the fight. The punches were just for good measure.
  

Ugh. I hate Silva. That asshole can't deliver a good fight even when he knocks his opponent the fuck out. The kick was solid but not exactly spectacular. A solid, but certainly not great PPV. Silva is dominant as shit, but he's also sorta boring. He ended the night by giving a 90 second speech in Portuguese which the translator could not possibly get all of. What a dickhead. Go fuck yourself, Silva.