UFC 119: Sept 25

[ap2g]

I don't know if you guys do predictions, but at my website mmafans.net we like to see who gets the most right. The 1st place gets a prize of some sort! Here are my predictions!



Main card

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
Heavyweight bout: Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran

Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Pat Audinwood
Lightweight bout: Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
Welterweight bout: TJ Grant vs. Julio Paulino
Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

[newtogolf]

Here's my take;

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
Heavyweight bout: Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran

Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Pat Audinwood
Lightweight bout: Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
Welterweight bout: TJ Grant vs. Julio Paulino
Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

[TN94z]

My pics:

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
Heavyweight bout: Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran

Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Pat Audinwood
Lightweight bout: Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
Welterweight bout: TJ Grant vs. Julio Paulino
Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

[mig806]

Main card

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
Heavyweight bout: Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran

Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Pat Audinwood
Lightweight bout: Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
Welterweight bout: TJ Grant vs. Julio Paulino
Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

[ap2g]

Looks like newtogolf got the best of us in this weak main event card!

[TN94z]

Yeah, some of these were different to pick. Like Mittrione...he had improved A LOT!. I figured Bader would win but was pulling for Nog. C.B. looked improved and I think probably got a little lucky.

[newtogolf]

C.B. was lucky to get into the choke position, but he was smart to wait to go for the submission until Joe was in the right position to do so. Conversely, Dunham would have been better served to never go for the choke than to gas his arms trying so hard.

I thought it was one of the weaker PPV's in a while. I understand Dana's mentality to not pay Mir the KO of the night bonus, but he was the only one to knock someone out on a card that had way too many decisions so imho Dana allowed personal issues to cloud his professional judgement. I would think Dana of all people would understand that it only takes heavyweights one clean shot to knock someone out, and they don't have great cardio so you're not going to see them free swinging like a middle weight if they want to win.

[TN94z]

C.B. was lucky to get into the choke position, but he was smart to wait to go for the submission until Joe was in the right position to do so. Conversely, Dunham would have been better served to never go for the choke than to gas his arms trying so hard.

Oh yeah, that's where I say C.B.'s improvement showed. Mir should have gotten the KO bonus. It doesn't matter if he fought like crap, he wasn't looking for the fight of the night bonus...he was looking for the KO of the night bonus. He got screwed just because Dana doesn't like him and his comments. It's ridiculous. But the UFC can do whatever they want and there is nothing anyone can say about it.

I guarantee you had the tables been turned and CroCop KO'd Mir with a kick, he would have gotten the bonus!

[BostonSully]

This Card was a Snooze Fest.. Some of the only fun I had watching it was the elbow from sherk that turned Dunham into a horror show. Too many decisions for me Glad the Muscle Shark won I figured Mir would win but not in such a boring fashion for the most part. Same with bader-nog wrestling/clinch is killing MMA right now decisions are every where. People fight to eek out a win and avoid damage rather than cause damage and win decisively.

[ap2g]

This Card was a Snooze Fest.. Some of the only fun I had watching it was the elbow from sherk that turned Dunham into a horror show. Too many decisions for me Glad the Muscle Shark won I figured Mir would win but not in such a boring fashion for the most part. Same with bader-nog wrestling/clinch is killing MMA right now decisions are every where.

Yeah, to many fighter go "the smart" route for fights instead of doing what the fans love. There are very few fighters that are willing to stand and swing now. Especially with all these wrestlers that just have takedowns, then use the "lay and pray" to squeek out a win...

[TN94z]

While that "smart" fights might seem like the way to go, it may be the stupid way to go. If you can take your opponent down and completely dominate, then it's smart. But with the way the judging is going now, your best bet is to finish the fight. The judging is absolutely HORRIBLE!!

[BostonSully]

While that "smart" fights might seem like the way to go, it may be the stupid way to go. If you can take your opponent down and completely dominate, then it's smart. But with the way the judging is going now, your best bet is to finish the fight. The judging is absolutely HORRIBLE!!

Yeah but guys like Fitch, GSP, KOS, Evans and many many more they win alot of fights that way. Until either Kickboxing like non-aggression penalties are added or they revamp Judging criteria I dont think that your see any shortage of lay'n pray wrestlers for a while.

[TN94z]

Yeah but guys like Fitch, GSP, KOS, Evans and many many more they win alot of fights that way. Until either Kickboxing like non-aggression penalties are added or they revamp Judging criteria I dont think that your see any shortage of lay'n pray wrestlers for a while.

I agree. That is why I have always thought Kos and Fitch were over rated. GSP has said that he realizes he has been fighting to "not lose" and says that he is going to get back to what got him here.....we will see. Nothing I hate more than LnP. I will catch a lot of flack on this but.....wrestling will kill the sport of MMA if something doesn't change. There is nothing more boring than a wrestler in MMA that can't fight and just lays on the guy the entire fight. Go into the fight to finish....I don't understand how these guys can feel good about squeaking out a decision by laying on a guy. A close decision is one thing (in a good fight), but laying on a guy because you are too scared to stand with him or show some ground skills is ridiculous. I know that wrestling is a form of grappling which is part of MMA....but too many guys are winning that are not well rounded enough to be in King of the Cage. And A LOT of it has to do with the stupid judging criteria....this isn't boxing guys!

[BostonSully]

I agree. That is why I have always thought Kos and Fitch were over rated. GSP has said that he realizes he has been fighting to "not lose" and says that he is going to get back to what got him here.....we will see. Nothing I hate more than LnP.

Yup.. I completely agree. I think a solution would be for the ref to issue yellow-red flag penalties for LNP or Cage leans. Create three warnings so that during a prolonged LNP where the ref is always going "comeone guys action" but no one listens to him and he evantually stands them up and *boom takedown process repeats*. If instead after the ref calls for action 2x and they dont comply instead of standing them up issue a yellow flag for a 1point deduction for the round and a loss of position(aka stand them up).

That should be enough to deter wrestlers who rely on winning rounds 10-9 due to positioning by reducing them to a 9-9 round if they dont show a certain amount of effort. Then adding something like this to the Judging criteria "Continuous and Effective effort to improve position, cause damage, or end the fight" in with octagon control and positioning etc...

[TN94z]

Yup.. I completely agree. I think a solution would be for the ref to issue yellow-red flag penalties for LNP or Cage leans. Create three warnings so that during a prolonged LNP where the ref is always going "comeone guys action" but no one listens to him and he evantually stands them up and *boom takedown process repeats*. If instead after the ref calls for action 2x and they dont comply instead of standing them up issue a yellow flag for a 1point deduction for the round and a loss of position(aka stand them up).

Exactly...Pride rules.

[newtogolf]

Exactly...Pride rules.

Switching to Pride rules is key for future success of MMA. They need to get judges that understand the different fighting styles. You can't have boxing judges determine the outcome of an MMA fight. I also think they need to outlaw elbows, but allow 4 point knees and soccer kicks. I also like the longer rounds of Pride and yellow cards.

[TN94z]

Switching to Pride rules is key for future success of MMA. They need to get judges that understand the different fighting styles. You can't have boxing judges determine the outcome of an MMA fight. I also think they need to outlaw elbows, but allow 4 point knees and soccer kicks. I also like the longer rounds of Pride and yellow cards.

Why not allow elbows but allow soccer kicks? Just curious?

[newtogolf]

Why not allow elbows but allow soccer kicks? Just curious?

Elbows usually don't fights, just cause nasty cuts. A guy turtling on the ground can be finished with soccer kicks.