UFC 160: 'Velasquez vs Bigfoot 2'

[wandshogun09]

We've already started on about JDS vs Hunt, and as it's only a few weeks away, I thought I might as well get the ball rolling with the UFC 160 hype.

 

 

PPV MAIN CARD

Cain Velasquez vs Antonio 'Bigfoot' Silva - UFC Heavyweight Title

Junior Dos Santos vs Mark Hunt

Glover Teixeira vs James Te Huna

Gray Maynard vs TJ Grant

Donald Cerrone vs KJ Noons

 

FX PRELIMS

Mike Pyle vs Rick Story

Dennis Bermudez vs Max Holloway

Colton Smith vs Robert Whittaker

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Abel Trujillo

 

FACEBOOK PRELIMS

Stephen Thompson vs Nah-Shon Burrell

Brian Bowles vs George Roop

Jeremy Stephens vs Estevan Payan

 

Can't go wrong with this.

 

The main event has had some criticism but with the current landscape of the UFC heavy division you can understand the fight being made. All the other possibiles were either coming off a loss (Overeem), already booked (Nelson) or tied up (Werdum with TUF Brazil). So here we are.

 

 

And with Bigfoot's shocking KO on Overeem it gives the UFC some good footage for the hype videos leading up to the PPV. Despite the fact that last time Cain met Bigfoot, this happened;

 

 

It will be interesting to see if Bigfoot can do something different this time now he's got some momentum. Probably not but hopefully it will be a more competitive fight this time.

 

Cain vs Bigfoot 2 trailer

 

Bigfoot KOs Reem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKOkLYBRD40

 

The heavyweight clash people will be talking about most though is Dos Santos vs Hunt. Of course, this was meant to be JDS vs Overeem, this is the second time that fight has fallen through. Hunt stepped in and we have a battle of KO machines on our hands. Can't wait, this is the proper main event for me on this card. I love the match up style-wise, I love the backstory of JDS trying to rebound from losing his title and Mark Hunt's career resurgence. Great stuff.

 

JDS vs Hunt trailer

 

If JDS wins he gets a title shot. If Hunt wins it's sounding like he'll fight Roy Nelson in a Battle Of The Bellies. If Hunt KOs JDS though, it would be hard to deny him a title shot. Especially if Werdum loses or looks unimpressive against Nog in June. So a lot on the line.

 

Teixeira vs Te Huna will end with a bang. Probably a Teixeira win but it should be fun however long it lasts and Te Huna is a heavy hitter so he's always in with a shot. Should be an exciting fight.

 

Maynard vs Grant should be fun. Again, a lot at stake because Dana has announced that the winner is next in line for a crack at the Lightweight Title. Grant's been kind of a journeyman for years having entertaining fights on the prelims with mixed results. Since dropping to 155 though he's been on a roll and is coming off destroying Matt Wiman. Maynard has been out almost a year and coming off the awful fight with Clay Guida so he'll be looking to make a statement here. Especially with a title shot looming.

 

Cerrone vs Noons These two are in limbo. Noons is coming off a questionable decision loss to Ryan Couture, while Cerrone just got Matrixed by Anthony Pettis in January. Neither can afford another loss. Both have a fan friendly style so this should be good.

 

So yeah, the main card is loaded. The prelims aren't too shabby either though.

 

*Smith vs Whittaker is a battle of two of last year's TUF winners. I'm hoping Whittaker wins this one. I find Smith boring and unlikeable with the overbearing Marines shit. We don't need another Tim Kennedy. And Whittaker's an exciting fighter to watch and still only 21 or something.

 

*Khabib Nurmagomedov has been steadily racking up wins. He's coming off his best UFC performance stopping Thiago Tavares in the first round. He's making some noise at 155. Trujillo's been looking good so far as well though.

 

*You've got Stephen Thompson and his fancy kicks and Jeremy Stephens' Featherweight debut on Facebook. And Brian Bowles as well, when you have a former WEC champion on the Facebook prelims you know the card is good.

 

Highlight of the undercard for me though is Bermudez vs Holloway. I really like Holloway, he didn't look great against Leonard Garcia but he's clearly very talented and he's one of the youngest fighters on the roster so he's got time on his side. And Bermudez has proved to be one of the most exciting fighters in the lower weight classes for me. Coming off the FOTY candidate against Matt Grice.

 

Great card. JDS vs Hunt, Glover vs Te Huna, Maynard vs Grant, Cerrone vs Noons and Bermudez vs Holloway all look like being FOTN type fights on paper.

[METAL ON METAL]

Hadn't realised what a fucking brilliant looking card this is on paper.

 

Every fight actually appeals to me, well the least appealing being Smith/Whittaker due to Smith's fucking awful fighting style and me hating the twat - that being said I really like Whittaker (one of the only Aussies I liked on TUF Smashes - along with Manny) and he always looks to finish the fight so hopefully he pegs Smith on his cock-shaped nose.

 

Glad to see Bowles back, hes had the worst luck with injuries of anyone not named Cruz.

 

Agree with you Wand, Bermudez/Holloway should be cracking. Really big fan of both those guys and their styles together should mean fireworks. I never warmed to Bermudez at all on TUF, but ever since then he has really made a fan of me both in his fights and also his interviews (particularly on the MMA Hour a few months ago) - and lets face, anyone who is trained by STEVE motherfucking BLACKMAN deserves success!

[wandshogun09]

and lets face, anyone who is trained by STEVE motherfucking BLACKMAN deserves success!

 

Whoa, what? First I've heard of this. Just Googled it and you're right. Fuck CM Punk walking out with Chael, we need Blackman cornering Bermudez. Like his Head Cheese cohort cornered Dan Severn back in the day.

 

I've voted Cain by TKO, JDS on points and Grant on points. Yes Grant. I'm not confident in that pick, Maynard will rightly come in as the favourite but there's something about Grant at 155, he seems possessed. And I'd love to see him make it to the title shot, even better if he dethroned Benson. From prelim obscurity to UFC champ, it would make a good story.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

While I was critical of UFC 159 for different reasons, I should turn around and give credit where it's due for the brilliance of this card. There's 3 fighters on this card from (fighting out of) Australia, and like Wand, JDS/Hunt is my personal main event. We've never had to see JDS bounce back from a loss, usually one of two things happens after a big loss- either lights a fire under their arse or shatters their confidence. As a Hunt fanboy, I hope it's the latter, just for this fight, even though I like JDS. Every fight on the card, from the mains to the prelims, there's a fighter I like.

 

Although Bigfoot doesn't seem that credible as a challenger to Cain, it's worth remembering that it was practically the first shot that bloodied and blinded him, being a huge difference maker. If Bigfoot doesn't get busted straight away, it should be a very different fight. He has good jujitsu that he might be able to do something with, then again he's susceptible to getting hit, and Cain is great at it. Don't think it'll be a one sided mauling though.

 

Teixeria/Te Huna should be a fun slugfest, another fight on this card where the injury replacement makes a better fight than the original. Thinking my Kiwi brother will get KTFO though

 

I'm in agreement about Grant, fucker has come out of nowhere and really gave some impressive performances. LW needs some new blood anyway. Pettis, Edgar, Guida and Siver have all fucked off to 145, Miller keeps hitting a self-imposed glass ceiling and Maynard's had his chances. I'd like to see Grant get the relative upset, plus Maynard kind of comes across like a major dick.

[Egg Shen]

this is a beast of a card, there's gonna be some moaning about the main event but my stance is that Bigfoot earned that slot so let him fucking have it.

 

The FX prelims are outstanding, Nurmagomedov/Trujillo are two of my favorite new UFC fighters, Bermudez/Holloway could be another FOTY candidate.

 

TJ Grant was the most improved fighter of last year in my eyes, i hope he lays some of that new Muay Thai onto Gray Maynard. Cerrone/Noons will be insane, both guys like a scrap, Teixeira/Ta Huna!!!

 

then on top of all that you have two heavyweight fights...maybe card of the year for me.

[wandshogun09]

Maynard 5 - Grant 4 in the poll so far. Interesting. It's definitely a step up for Grant but he's clearly got people taking notice.

 

I put Maynard vs Grant in the poll instead of Glover vs Te Huna because I thought everyone would pick Glover anyway, plus there's more at stake with Maynard vs Grant with the title shot carrot dangling over them.

 

The thing about Grant as well is he's very well rounded. He hasn't shown it in his last couple of fights but his BJJ is really good. He's dangerous everywhere. He's been shut down by Stun Gun and guys like that but that was at 170, he's on fire now he's fighting in the right division. And his striking has really come on as we've seen.

 

If Maynard wrestles a lot this will be a really tough fight, but lately he's gone more down the striking route so that could be good for Grant. Should be good either way.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

According to BJPenn.com, Mark Hunt is having issues with his visa, he's unable to enter the US at this time. The JDS/Hunt fight may be in jeopardy.

[wandshogun09]

I think it will get sorted. I saw this bit earlier in an article on BloodyElbow;

 

He (Hunt) also said that the UFC is "on it", and he should be flying out tonight.

 

Hunt explains the 2002 arrest at the root of all this bollocks;

 

"Just a stupid incident which happened in 2002," he told MMAFighting.com. "It wasn't even my fault, but as usual, I get canned for it. I should be fine by today. UFC is on it."

 

"A friend of mine punched another friend outside a club. Another guy said to me that they needed help. I went out to see what had happened. I see that these two losers were pissed [drunk]. I try to go back in the club and an undercover cop said I wasn't allowed. I said, Can I just go back in to get my girl? He says, no. I ask him again, he says, I'll tell you one more time you're under arrest. Guess what? I ask again, he flicks his baton; I get upset.

 

"So, he has his baton in his left hand, and I walk up to him. He maces me with his right hand, and they jump me. I wasn't even drunk. I spent New Year's in jail for public intoxication, and I wasn't even drunk."

 

Free Hunt!

[Egg Shen]

interesting results in the main event poll

[jimufctna24]

interesting results in the main event poll

I think it would be more interesting to predict when Cain will TKO Big Foot.

 

Round 2, I am going for, I have faith in Big Foot to scrape through a round.

[wandshogun09]

Yeah, it's hard to pick Bigfoot here. Even discounting the first fight, it's just difficult to really see where Bigfoot beats Cain. I think we were all pretty unanimous in predicting a Cain win before UFC 146 as well.

 

Saying that, Bigfoot is the type of fighter you can't completely write off. He's always kind of the forgotten man at heavyweight despite wins over the likes of Fedor and Reem. He's a big, ugly, dangerous lump of a man and it's not like he hasn't got form for upsetting the odds.

 

Still, I think he will likely be done within 3 rounds tops. I can see it being a bit better than the first fight but ultimately the same result. Cain is just better in all areas, the only place I could see him struggling would be if Bigfoot winds up on top of him, which is unlikely with Cain's wrestling.

 

Cain TKO in round 2 or 3 for me.

[Egg Shen]

yeh good point Wand. if Bigfoot can sweep or somehow end up in top position Cain's in a world of shit, i don't think many people consider that an option against a superior wrestler but if Bigfoot can get in that position it's gonna get interesting, Bigfoot has one of the best top games in heavyweight MMA, he's fucking brutal.

[jimufctna24]

Cain's pace is too much for Big Foot or any Heavyweight though, plus Overeem was dominant on top of Big Foot for 2 rounds. Big Foot can not let Cain have that sort of position, as not only is Cain more deadly on top than Overeem but he will not gas out like Overeem did.

 

I do not see how Big Foot will be able to sweep Cain. Cains's wrestling chops are just too good and Cain is far too seasoned. I could entertain Big Foot having a punches chance as every Heavyweight does in MMA, but that is all I can give him.

[Egg Shen]

yeh probably, im just thinking of a Bigfoot/Fedor situation, if i remember correctly Bigfoot ended up in mount after a failed takedown attempt. If Bigfoot can pull off something similar we could get a bit of a shock.

 

Still, i pick Cain via decimation.

[jimufctna24]

You will have a better memory than me EBB, but I swear Big Foot shot in with a double leg at the start of the second round against Fedor. The only reason I remember this was because how basic and unspectacular the takedown was, yet Fedor fell prey to it.

 

Call me idealistic, but the Fedor that Big Foot beat was not the Fedor of 2004 who I think would have shaken that off. Fedor always had holes in his game I think, but he slowed down by 2011.