UFC 79 Results / MMACrossfire = 70%

Here are the results of UFC 79. Out of sheer laziness and because it's late, I have quoted the results text verbatim from MMAJunkie.com's article UFC 79: Georges St. Pierre Dominates Matt Hughes for Interim Title; Chuck Liddell Outlasts Wanderlei Silva. (I batted 70% this event. Not bad, not great.)

[Correctly guessed fights in blue, and the incorrect ones in red.]

• Georges St. Pierre def. Matt Hughes
  via submission (arm-bar) — Round 2, 4:54
• Chuck Liddell def. Wanderlei Silva
  via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Eddie Sanchez def. Soa Palelei
  via TKO (strikes) — Round 3, 3:24
• Lyoto Machida def. Rameau Sokoudjo
  via submission (arm-triangle choke) — Round 2, 4:20
• Rich Clementi def. Melvin Guillard
  via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 4:40
• James Irvin def. Luis Cane
  via disqualification (illegal knee) — Round 1, 1:51
• Manny Gamburyan def. Nate Mohr
  via submission (ankle lock) — Round 1 — 1:31
• Dean Lister def. Jordan Radev
  via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Roan Carneiro def. Tony DeSouza
  via TKO (strikes) — Round 2, 3:33
• Mark Bocek def. Doug Evans
  via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

(You can read my original predictions for the entire card, and my analysis of how I thought the fights would go for Machida, Liddell, and St. Pierre here: UFC 79 Predictions.)

This was such a satisfying UFC event! I especially enjoyed the three "big" televised fights. Machida fought the kind of fight I expected and he looked so sharp. Liddell fought well against chin-of-steel Silva (who came close to KOing Liddell a couple times). St. Pierre far outperformed my expectations with a R2 submission.

On the "red" side of the scale: I overestimated Palelei's potential. He didn't listen to his corner. And I suspect that he'd already lost the fight in his mind by the beginning of R2, and wasn't able to find the mental strength to fight for a win. I really underestimated Gamburyan. What a sick submission. And my coin-toss guess of an Evans win flopped too.

Stay tuned for my UFC 80 predictions. I intend to have those up in the next couple days. Let the speculating begin!

UFC 79 Analysis by MMAJunkie.com Comedian Poster 'Mop Lanker'

Those of you still living in the MMA Dark Ages, who somehow have not heard of MMAJunkie.com, you are missing the best morsel of the online MMA news buffet. Not only do MMA Junkie and Performify run the leanest, meanest MMA news site on the web, they report with an even hand, and they are conscientious regarding fact-checking (e.g. delaying "breaking" stories that have been reported by other sites until they can verify the information for themselves). They're as close to perfect as I have found on the web for MMA news.

Some of the discussion contributors have become stars in their own right. With online names like "bigfish042", "Archean Life", and "John Q", you know the follow-on discussions will be colorful and lively. Aside from the occassional troll who attempts to hijack a thread, the discussions are intelligent and interesting, with nary a dull comment.

[I will save a detailed discussion about the history of MMAJunkie.com and its meteoric rise to popularity for another article.]

Without further ado... drum roll please... here is the expert humorous analysis of UFC 79 by one of MMAJunkie.com's frequent discussion contributors, 'Mop Lanker':

Mop Lanker's 100% correct predictions:

1. Having seen (on TV) Chuck and Wandy fight the past few years, there is only one absolute conclusion... anything can happen. Joe Rogan will conclude the fighting with, "I can’t believe what I just saw, bro."
   
   
2. GSP will steamroll Hughes. Joe Rogan will find a clever way to suggest Hughes' best days are behind him. Then he makes fun of Canada.
   
   
3. Some voice-over guy will hype up an upcoming, breaking news/mind-blowing Dana White announcement. The announcement will turn out to be a waste of our time. Somehow, Joe Rogan can't believe what he just heard.
   
   
4. The camera will pan to Tito Ortiz and Jenna; Joe Rogan will say something he believes is clever, when it is clearly juvenile and distasteful.
   
   
5. There will be some other fights no one will care about at first. But it's MMA and some nobody will impress the hell out of us. Joe Rogan will say "Wow!" 48 times.

NO ONE ELSE HAS BETTER PREDICTIONS THAN I!!!

You can read Mop Lanker's original comment here, along with the original MMAJunkie.com article:
Weigh-In Results for UFC 79

UFC 79 Is Coming...

It is not MMA's defining event, but it sure looks to be a fun night for fans!

Undoubtedly, Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva is the fight most people are anticipating. Even though both of these fighters are coming off two-fight losing streaks apiece, the question still remains: Can Chuck beat Wanderlei? (Or, if you prefer: Can Wanderlei beat Chuck?) This match has been hotly debated for years, ever since Chuck Liddell publicly called out Wanderlei Silva, famously declaring, "I want Wanderlei Silva. I want to knock him out. He’s next." I am predicting that Liddell defeats Silva.

Matt Hughes vs. Georges St. Pierre should be a good one! But this fight loses some of its luster because (a) it is not Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra, and (b) because it is overshadowed slightly by Chuck vs. Wanderlei. It should prove to be a great fight, nonetheless. And it is the big rubber match of 2007. I am predicting that St. Pierre defeats Hughes for the second time.

Another intriguing fight is Lyoto Machida vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. Sokooudjou is fairly new to MMA with only five fights under his belt (4-1-0). The 23-year-old Cameroonian's only loss was to Glover Teixeira at WEC 24 in October of 2006. However, following that loss he went on a two-win streak, defeating Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in 23 seconds at PRIDE 33 on Feb 2007, then Ricardo Arona in 119 seconds at PRIDE 34 a month and a half later. Sokoudjou is no joke. I hope that that he has a bright and dominating MMA career ahead of him. His biggest test to date will be facing 29-year-old undefeated Japanese-Brazilian fighter Lyoto Machida (11-0) who trains with #1 world middleweight Anderson Silva. Machida is a dangerous counter-striker who tends to frustrate his opponents with (among other things) his ability to quickly evade incoming strikes. This should be an excellent fight! Though I would love to see Sokoudjou succeed in his UFC debut, I am predicting that Machida wins.

You can see the rest of my predictions for this card here:
UFC 79 Predictions

"Anderson Silva and I Have Unfinished Business" Says Yushin Okami

Excellent interview with UFC middleweight Yushin Okami on Sherdog.com. Among the many salient details:

• Okami would now like to go by the moniker "Phoenix".
• He knows he is not regarded as an especially exciting fighter, and he wants to change that image.
• He has upped his standup training in particular.
• He wants a rematch with Anderson Silva, and he intends to win this time.

Highly recommend reading the whole article at Sherdog.com:
A "Phoenix" Rises From Japan

Shogun and Ninja say Goodbye to Chute Boxe

MMANews.com and MMAJunkie.com have reported that Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (UFC) and older brother Murilo "Ninja" Rua (EliteXC) have left Chute Boxe. Some have stated that the brothers intend to open their own U.S.-based gym. However, the brothers have not yet officially explained their reasons for leaving.

[Props to MMAJunkie.com junkies "phyteguru" and "paulo" for the info regarding the Rua brothers planning to open their own gym.]

To read the Porteguese-to-English transliteration taken from the official Chute Boxe site, see the MMANews.com story at:
MMANews.com - Shogun & Ninja Officially Leave Chute Boxe Academy

Read more detailed coverage at MMAJunkie.com, including the fighters' recent fight histories:
MMAJunkie.com - "Shogun" and "Ninja" Depart Chute Box

Rich Franklin vs. Travis Lutter at UFC 82 [Updated]

UPDATE - Dec 20, 2007:
The fight will not happen. Rich Franklin is suffering from a torn meniscus. (The meniscus is the "crescent-shaped cartilage located within the knee that works to absorb weight and provide stability". Found the definition on the NBA "Glossary of Medical Terms" site.) MMAJunkie.com has a lengthier discussion of the issue surrounding Franklin's sidelining, as well as a lively blog discussion following the article here:
Rich Franklin Sidelined Until June with Torn Meniscus

UPDATE - Dec 19, 2007:
Apparently this is not a done deal. MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Rich Franklin's camp says that nothing official has been inked.
Rich Franklin: UFC 82 Fight with Travis Lutter not Official

MMAMania.com is reporting that Rich Franklin and Travis Lutter are booked to square off UFC 82. Rich Franklin is coming off a big loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 77. Lutter is coming off a long layoff due to a chronic neck injury, which forced him to pull out of a scheduled fight with Ryan Jensen at UFC 74. Prior to that, Lutter suffered a submission loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 67.

Betting will likely favor Rich Franklin, but I'm rooting for Lutter to pull off an upset. I like Rich; I've just been a Lutter fan for longer.You can read the original story at:
UFC 82: Rich Franklin vs. Travis Lutter fight booked

Kimbo Slice vs. Tito Ortiz? (Someday, Maybe)

MMAFightline.com is reporting that MMA promoter and EliteXC president, Gary Shaw, has called out Tito Ortiz on Kimbo Slice's behalf. Shaw claims that Ortiz of late has yammered publicly and frequently about Slice. Gary Shaw has responded by calling out Ortiz to face Kimbo.

Of course, there is virtually no way these men will ever meet inside any cage. Ortiz recently signed a new contract with the UFC. Kimbo Slice is part of the EliteXC promotion. The UFC is not in the business of promoting other organizations. Not to mention, EliteXC is in the junior leagues compared to the UFC promotion-wise. (No disrespect to EliteXC.) But it's an interesting fantasy match!

You can read the original story at:
Gary Shaw Wants To Make A Match Between Kimbo And Tito Ortiz

[Props to MMAJunkie.com reader "McArthur" for tipping this story.]

Bisping moves to Middleweight

MMANews.com is reporting that UFC fighter Michael Bisping, winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 3, has decided to drop one weight class -- from light-heavyweight (over 185 lbs to 205 lbs) to middleweight (over 170 lbs to 185 lbs). At a reported height of 6' 2", and a "walking weight" of 211, Bisping has not been one of the bulkier fighters in the UFC's light-heavyweight division, which he says played into his decision.

You can read the full article at:
UFC Confirms Michael Bisping's Move Down To 185 LBS.

UFC 79 Predictions

Once again, I am very impressed with Joe Silva's match-making prowess. After reviewing these fighters' pro histories, several of the matches are simply coin tosses. From the Clementi/Guillard fight to the bottom of the card, I relied on indicators like: fight frequency (rusty vs. fresh), caliber of past opponents, size advantage, and in which rounds they tend to finish fights. Not easy to choose winners for most of these! Major mega props to Joe Sliva! I am very impressed with how evenly he matched these fighters.

Here are my predictions. Obviously, any details beyond win/lose don't mean anything, but they're fun to predict too.

[Correctly guessed fights in blue; incorrect are in red.]

Hughes vs. St. Pierre - St. Pierre by decision *
Liddell vs. Silva - Liddell by early stoppage R2 **
Machida vs. Sokoudjou - Machida by early stoppage R3 ***
Clementi vs. Guillard - Clementi by early stoppage R2
Palelei vs. Sanchez - Palelei by early stoppage R3
Cane vs. Irvin - Irvin by early stoppage R2
Mohr vs. Gamburyan - Mohr by decision
Radev vs. Lister - Lister by early stoppage R3
Carneiro vs. DeSouza - Carneiro by decision
Bocek vs. Evans - Evans by decision ****

* This will be the fight of Hughes' life, and it will go the distance. Unfortunately, it won't be enough to give Hughes the victory. St. Pierre by decision.

** This is the fight of Liddell's life. Silva will look to end the fight early, and he will rock Liddell once or twice in the first round. Having sized up Silva in the first round, Liddell will go in for the kill and catch Silva with counter strikes, putting him way before the bell of R2. Liddell by early stoppage.

*** Machida--the human phantom--will frustrate Sokoudjou with his Flash-like ability to elude takedowns and strikes. Sokoudjou's inexperience in the octagon will work against him here in his debut (but only in his debut!), and he will gas early from nerves. Machida will surprise us all in R3 by rocking Sokoudjou, then finishing him. Machida by early stoppage.

**** These guys are so evenly matched, that it's a toss up. I picked Evans because he has one more pro fight under his belt, and he lasted longer against Huerta than Bocek did against Edgar. Aside from those two arbitrary indicators, it's a coin toss. Evans by decision.

Tim Sylvia vs. Big Nog - UFC 81

MMANews.com is reporting that Tim Sylvia and Antonio Rodrigo "Big Nog" Nogueira will face off for the UFC interim heavyweight title at UFC 81 on February 2, 2008 in Las Vegas. The moderator of a forum on the Brizillian site "Portaldovt" posted an entry (in Portuguese) stating that Sylvia and Big Nog inked the deal only hours before the moderator's post.

You can read the short MMANews.com article and the Portuguese-to-English transliteration at:
Report: Sylvia vs. Nogueira Title Fight Set For UFC 81.

Rampage: "I Can Market My Damn Self"

The ever-colorful Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (admittedly, my favorite fighter) loves to spice up a conversation. Jesse Holland of MMAMania.com caught up with Rampage to ask him 10 questions about his life and career.

When asked whether he thought the UFC could have marketed him better, Rampage replied:

"The UFC is very smart with their marketing. They just want to make sure I have the belt for a while. Marketing is expensive. Why they gonna spend all that money and then have me get knocked out by Dan Henderson like he did to Wanderlei. Then they gotta market Dan and then he gets knocked out. The UFC been around awhile that’s why they’re on top. I’m not trippin’ on them for marketing ’cause I can market my damn self."

And here's my favorite quote of the interview:

"I don’t talk crap about nobody until after I whoop their ass except in some cases if they have bad breath or they ugly as hell."

You can read the entire interview at
"MMAMania.com - I love Mexicans: 10 questions with UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson"