UFC 100 Thread

[Guest Dusty Finish]

It's bound to generate significant interest around these parts, what with Messrs Lesnar and Bisping involved in very high profile bouts (plus, everyone loves Georges St Pierre, don't they?), so lets get the discussion started early. Here are my thoughts and hopes for the big show.....

 

Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir (Heavyweight Championship Unification)

One thing is for sure, this one won't be going the distance. Lesnar looked like he was beginning to feel the pace just before finishing the Couture fight, whereas Mir's cardio has always been... well, practically non-existent.

 

I reckon, despite the outcome of their previous encounter, Lesnar starts as strong favourite. His wrestling is unquestionably stronger. Whlist Mir's standup looked tremendous against Nog as result of his extensive work with Ken Hahn, he enjoyed a reach advantage and leverage in that fight; he'll have neither in this one. It may sound blindingly obvious, but the one area where Lesnar will be susceptible is with Mir on his back- with Herring a better yardstick than Couture based upon stature, there are still questions over how Lesnar will hypothetically deal with anyone with an active guard (which Herring certainly doesn't have). The delay in this fight happening will undoubtedly be more to Lesnar's benefit, as it will have afforded him more time to work on submission defence, yet it can be argued that Mir will be very tough to prepare for on this score, as while his BJJ is technically not on the level of Nogueira, Werdum & even Gonzaga, he's so unorthodox- witness his victories over Sylvia and Traven (grabbing a limb and cranking/tourqing it).

 

If Lesnar can get onto Mir the back foot early on and stay out of Mir's guard if the fight goes to the mat, he should be able to win with strikes in either the second or third round.

 

 

Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves (Welterweight Championship)

This one is darn sure interesting. GSP justifiably starts as favourite, but I think Alves has a better shot than most people seem to be giving him. Outside of Antoni Hardonk, he has the most effective leg-kicks in all MMA, and if "The Pitbull" is able to establish distance and pick his strikes off in the first two rounds, it should take the spring out of GSP's takedown defences, allowing him to close in and capitalise with his more explosive striking. Trouble is, Alves isn't the quickest starter, and the longer the fight goes, the more it swings in the favour of St. Pierre. I predict the champ retains by TKO in the fourth.

 

 

Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson

The battle of TUF coaches, with the winner getting the next shot at Anderson Silva.... I'm not Mr Jingoism by any stretch of the imagination, but I so hope it's Bisping. Alas, I make him the underdog here, as Hendo is precisely the type of opposition "The Count" tends to struggle with (Rashad Evans and Matt Hamill, with Henderson being a much more seasoned striker than Hamill

to boot). What we have seen in recent bouts is that Henderson can be drawn into fighting the other man's fight, so if Bisping can establish a frenetic pace early and box like he did against Leben, he has it in him to win at least two rounds and earn a title shot. It's a big "if" though... I predict Henderson by decision.

 

 

The other two fights on the main card could, in actuality, turn out a little boring in truth. Paulo Thiago didn't show much of anything against Koscheck until that one-punch knockout. John Fitch is a more rugged wrestler than Kos, so unless Thiago is able to catch a flash submission or suchlike, Fitch could well frustrate him across three rounds.

 

Yoshihiro Akiyama is an interesting capture for Zuffa, and could well prove a big boost for the middleweight division. His victories to date, including wins over Melvin Mahoef and Denis Kang in K1, have come via an even mix of strikes and submissions, so he's certainly versatile. Alan Belcher is always a game foe, but he's very inconsistent (also hold a victory over Kang, but has lost to Jason Day, for example). I make the Japanese slight favourite in this one.

 

The prelims line up like this....

 

Stephan Bonnar vs. Mark Coleman

Mac Danzig vs. Jim Miller

Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien

C.B. Dollaway vs. Tom Lawlor

Matt Grice vs. Shannon Gugerty

T.J. Grant vs. Dong Hyun Kim

 

The top fight here is surely a Loser Leaves Town match. The cut to 205lbs is a major one for Coleman, especially with his advancing years. Bonnar really should win this fight, at least 8 times out of 10.

 

I hope the excellent Dong Hyun Kim can rebound from the Karo Parysian fight, where he was scandalously robbed of victory by the judges (although NSAC subsequently ruled it a No Contest).

I'm super pumped to see Johnny-Bones in action again, and hope his fight makes the broadcast. Dollaway is a cocksure guy, but he's a decent prospect, and it'll be good if he can keep his winning run going against Lawlor.

 

So, who's everyone going for?

[Guest Diablo]

Can't wait for this, even the prelims look great. As far as the main events go:

 

- Lesnar by TKO in the second

- GSP by decision

- Bisping by decision

 

I wonder if we'll still have Setanta when this airs.

[Guest John Hancock]

Lesner - Mir

 

Lesner, via TKO in the second round.

 

GSP - Alves

 

GSP, via TKO, in the third round, with relative ease. GSP is my favourite fighter of all time though, so I'm bias. Seriously, he could be fighting God and I'd still put money on him.

 

Bisping - Henderson

 

Henderson, TKO, fourth round. This is the one I'm probably the least sure about. If it goes to decision, it could really go other way, but, if it ends in the octogon, it's got to be Henderson.

 

Fitch - Thiago

 

Fitch, by decision.

 

Akiyama - Belcher

 

Akiyama, submission, third round.

 

Coleman - Bonnar

 

Bonnar wins by TKO and Coleman retires from MMA.

 

Danzig - Miller

 

Danzig by decision

 

Goulet - Kim

 

Kim, by knock out, technical, or maybe just a clean knock out, at some point after round two.

 

Dolloway - Lawlor

 

Lawlor by TKO in the third.

 

Grice - Gurrety

 

I have absolutely no idea.

 

Jones - O'Brian

 

Jones by TKO in the third.

 

Is there a vBookie up for this? If not, there really should be.

[Joey Asbo 45]

 

Bisping - Henderson

 

Henderson, TKO, fourth round. This is the one I'm probably the least sure about. If it goes to decision, it could really go other way, but, if it ends in the octogon, it's got to be Henderson.

 

 

Bisping vs Hendo will only be a three round fight mate, no title on the line!

 

Im going for Mir via submission again, id give Bisping the nod on a split, GSP a 4th round TKO, Bonnar a unanimous judges win,

[BRM 220]

Lesnar in the 2nd round TKO

 

Alves in the 4th TKO

 

Bisping by desicion

 

 

Loving the UFC 100 website by the way.

Edited June 26, 2009 by BRM

[Guest Cathal]

Just watched the countdown show, it was awesome. Seriously, go out of your way to see it, probably the best countdown show UFC has ever done.

 

Anyway, my picks.

 

Lesnar

Alves

Henderson

Akiyama

Fitch

 

Also, I really really hope Coleman wins, kinda annoyed his fight isn't on the live show. Would have rather seen Coleman vs. Bonnar over the Fitch fight.

[Dead Crow 370]

EDIT Edited September 30, 2018 by DraVen

[Guest John Hancock]

Bisping vs Hendo will only be a three round fight mate, no title on the line!

 

Im going for Mir via submission again, id give Bisping the nod on a split, GSP a 4th round TKO, Bonnar a unanimous judges win,

 

My bad :-0

[Dead Crow 370]

EDIT Edited September 30, 2018 by DraVen

[Guest Colm]

My picks:

 

Mir by submission 2nd round

GSP by TKO 2nd round

Henderson by decision (split)

Belcher by TKO ??round

Fitch by decision (split)

Bonnar by decision (split)

Jones by TKO 3rd round

 

Cant really be boythered with the rest. 9 hours of UFC tonight on Setanta Ireland. Top Fights!!Countdown Show!!Live Show!! Cant wait!

 

Still dont understand why Coleman Bonnar is on the undercard though.

Any the show is going to be epic!!

[Guest The GS]

My picks:

 

Mir by submission 2nd round

GSP by TKO 2nd round

Henderson by decision (split)

Belcher by TKO ??round

Fitch by decision (split)

Bonnar by decision (split)

Jones by TKO 3rd round

 

Cant really be boythered with the rest. 9 hours of UFC tonight on Setanta Ireland. Top Fights!!Countdown Show!!Live Show!! Cant wait!

 

Still dont understand why Coleman Bonnar is on the undercard though.

Any the show is going to be epic!!

 

You must be one of the very few people who thinks that Lesnar's gonna lose.:lol

[Paul 584]

Quite a few do, but unless Brock makes a huge error I cant see it. Maybe Mir could try to make Brock get mad so he makes a mistake... though an angry Brock Lesnar is a scary thing across a cage I would imagin. :lol

[Guest Diablo]

People seem to think that it was only Lesnar who learnt from the first fight.

[Paul 584]

Not at all, but Mir's learning curve isnt as steep as Brocks. The sheer physicality of Brock is hard to deal with without a good submission, and I think Brock has learnt from his over enthusiastic method of fighting.

 

Nah, I really cant see Mir doing it.

[Joey Asbo 45]

Not at all, but Mir's learning curve isnt as steep as Brocks. The sheer physicality of Brock is hard to deal with without a good submission, and I think Brock has learnt from his over enthusiastic method of fighting.

 

Nah, I really cant see Mir doing it.

 

Mir is a great submission fighter especially against bigger opponants, look at the Tim Sylvia fight and the first Lesnar fight as examples, he absored all the physicality and waited to strike.

 

Plus his cardio is much improved, Nogueira attests to that.

[Dead Crow 370]

EDIT Edited September 30, 2018 by DraVen

[Guest The Beltster]

Akiyama has the best entrance of anybody in any sport ever.

[Dead Crow 370]

EDIT Edited September 30, 2018 by DraVen

[Guest The Beltster]

Belcher is underrated in a way, he seems to get thrown in there with anybody and there is never really a reason for his career but he ends up putting up good fights. If he didnt look like such a homeless and have that retarded Johnny Cash tattoo, he would probably be marketed better.

[Dead Crow 370]

EDIT Edited September 30, 2018 by DraVen