The Rolling MMA Thread!!!!!

[Rob-Raz]

Thought we could start up a rolling thread to discuss upcoming MMA events starting with this Sunday on Versus: Jones vs. Matyushenko

Main card
Light Heavyweight bout:  Jon Jones vs.  Vladimir Matyushenko
Middleweight bout:  Mark Muñoz vs.  Yushin Okami
Welterweight bout:  John Howard vs.  Jake Ellenberger
Lightweight bout:  Tyson Griffin vs.  Takanori Gomi

I'm going with
Jones--This guy is the next superstar in the sport. So much raw talent!!
Munoz--Just based on past performances from Japanese fighters.
Ellenberger--Could go either way...gotta pick somebody.
Griffin-- Gomi just isnt the same lately.

Then next Saturday nights UFC 117.

Main card

Middleweight Championship bout:  Anderson Silva (c) vs.  Chael Sonnen
Welterweight bout:  Jon Fitch vs.  Thiago Alves
Lightweight bout:  Clay Guida vs.  Rafael dos Anjos
Welterweight bout:  Matt Hughes vs.  Ricardo Almeida
Heavyweight bout:  Roy Nelson vs.  Junior dos Santos

I'm going with

Silva-- had some very boring fights recently but just the trash talk alone from Sonnen is gonna have him ready to prove a point.
Fitch-- could go either way but he usually finds a way to pull it out
Guida-- due for a win and always ready to go
Hughes-- snoozefest decision
Roy Nelson-- By belly-smother    

So lets hear your picks!!!!!!!

[Rob-Raz]

noone wants to pick a winner? 

[SBG Math Guy]

Sorry Rob,  I'm Canadian.....all about hockey.   
Anything else, I usually don't watch. 

[Magoo]

Rob , I am a fan of MMA but as far as picking winners I don't have an opinion on most of them. But I'm always curious of who is going to win.
Silva most likely over Big mouth Sonnen , But Sonnen is damn good.
Clay Guida...The Cave Man (my name for him ) you can never have a dull fight.
Fitch and Alves both great , I don't know.
I pick Santos over Nelson , but then Roy is much better than he looks.
The other heavy weight fight , I have not seen either fighter fight .

[Rob-Raz]

I agree Magoo...Guida is always entertaining.

Well 2 for 4 last night!  Really excited to see Gomi come out with a KO!

and MathGuy......one of the pound for pound best is a Canadien......Welterweight Champ Georges Saint Pierre!!!

[SBG Math Guy]

and MathGuy......one of the pound for pound best is a Canadien......Welterweight Champ Georges Saint Pierre!!!

Isn't it a shame that I wasn't een aware of him.   
Maybe now that my university studies are done I can watch more sports.  The past 5 years I have only had time to watch hockey and Judge Judy.   

[IRONHORSE]

Middleweight Championship bout:  Anderson Silva (c) vs.  Chael Sonnen - I'm going with Sonnen on more of a gut reaction than a comparison of talent or toughness. I'm sick of Silva.

Welterweight bout:  Jon Fitch vs.  Thiago Alves - Going with Alves in this one.

Lightweight bout:  Clay Guida vs.  Rafael dos Anjos - Have to go with Guida, here - he's a tough S.O.B.

Welterweight bout:  Matt Hughes vs.  Ricardo Almeida - Hughes is a stud, no doubt, but I have to give the nod to Almeida.

Heavyweight bout:  Roy Nelson vs.  Junior dos Santos - I really want Dos Santos to win this one, I'd like to see him thrown into the Heavyweight title chase.

[Rob-Raz]

IRONHORSE...just read recently that Guida has been training with Greg Jackson's camp. Really excited to see how he has improved his game!! He already has tons of heart and cardio, will be nice to see him with some new weapons in his arsenal.

[IRONHORSE]

Ahhh yes - Greg Jackson - former (and possibly still?) trainer of my "hometown boy" Joe "Daddy" Stevenson, who I met before he ever went on TUF.

Must've done him some good, he was able to outlast dos Anjos. I'd like to see him string together a few more victories and get a shot at the title.

[Rob-Raz]

Some really good fights!!!   Yeah.....Guida deserves a shot soon....he's bled plenty for Dana and the UFC.

Wow...Sonnen really took it to Silva....didn't think he would get the take downs that easy.  Amazing finish.......rematch for sure.

[IRONHORSE]

Wow...Sonnen really took it to Silva....didn't think he would get the take downs that easy.  Amazing finish.......rematch for sure.

Dana White said he loves the idea of a rematch, but wasn't really committing to a time. Apparently the winner (Silva) has to fight Vitor Belfort first. However, enough pressure from the public can change that.

[IRONHORSE]

OK - will pick the rest later, but here are my picks for the co-main events at UFC 118:

Frankie Edgar vs. B.J. Penn II - I look for a highly motivated Penn, ticked off by his loss, to end this fight before time expires. I think B.J. got a little too used to cruising by on superior talent, and got surprised by Edgar's tenacity & grit in the first fight. This time, I look for B.J. to either knock out or tap out Edgar.

Randy Couture vs. James Toney - I don't think it'll take Toney long to realize he's in way over his head. He won't be able to stop Randy's take-downs and he's never fought in an octagon before. I see Randy closing & clinching to neutralize Toney's punching power, then grinding Toney against the cage and dirty boxing, then taking him down at will for some ground & pound to end the fight. Randy, the gym rat, looks in fantastic shape. Toney seems to be averse to exercise, and looks like an oompa-loompa. Randy by KO in the first.

[Rob-Raz]

Main card

    * Lightweight Championship bout: United States Frankie Edgar (c) vs. United States B.J. Penn
       Yep....I think BJ is gonna come out ready to take it to Edgar this time around.

    * Heavyweight bout: United States Randy Couture vs. United States James Toney
       Toney always has that punchers chance....but I'm with you...Couture is gonna take him down and make an example
       of him.

    * Middleweight bout: Brazil Demian Maia vs. Brazil Mario Miranda
       Haven't seen Miranda fight so I will pick Maia based on what I know about him.
       
    * Lightweight bout: United States Kenny Florian vs. United States Gray Maynard
       Tough one to call.....I'll pick Florian by decision.

    * Welterweight bout: United States Nate Diaz vs. United States Marcus Davis
        I would love to see a great KO by Davis but I am leaning more for a submission victory by Diaz.

[FightFan]

How have I missed this thread?

As for sonnen vs silva was a great fight great to finally see silva is human and took a beating, i'd love to see a rematch but now vitor belford is back to shape and on form hes very dangerousand could put on just as good a fight.

As for 118

BJ Penn winner as long as he doesnt try and stand as hes tried in the past
Cotour easily way too experienced even though his punch resistance has gone he will wear down Toney.
Damian Mia is such an amazing bjj guy hes got this 1
Kenny Florian and Maynard is really tough to pick could go either way but i'm a big fan of kenflo so will be rooting for him wouldnt be surprised if Maynard wins though
Again another tough call, Nate is great on ground and Davis good on feet but Diaz has a good chin so pick him to win.

[Rob-Raz]

The more the merrier FightFan!!  Did anyone happen to catch Strikeforce:Houston over the weekend?