UFC 160: 'Velasquez vs Bigfoot 2'

[wandshogun09]

Haven't watched these yet but here's the Countdown videos;

 

Cain vs Bigfoot 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmiPY9V3pII

 

JDS vs Hunt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--6xjnRc6g4

 

Teixeira vs Te Huna

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

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

I'm more excited about this card than I've been for any card this year. Most of that is down to the love for my ANZAC brothers, but putting my realist glasses on I see them losing here. I'd love Hunt to get that win, but JDS is proven at that elite level, and should be motivated. JDS by decision because I can't imagine a world where Hunt gets KOed (I know there was Manhoef, but still).

 

Nice to see Teixeira vs. Te Huna get the Countdown spotlight. We've talked about JDS vs. Hunt being the "real" main event, I think, for me, that this is the co-main. Te Huna is good and tough, and very likeable, but Glover is a beast. Glover in the second frame by TKO.

 

On the prelims, Aussie Rob Whittaker vs American Colton Smith. Whittaker is strong and explosive, great striking flurries, but I feel like Smith's wrestling will shut that down. Smith by UD.

 

I'll happily take the hit in the predictions league if I'm completely wrong on all 3.

 

The main event does little for me, a chance for Cain to do his thing, but I don't have the same excitement for watching Cain fight as I do Jon Jones. Cain is an excellent fighter, but he doesn't have that magnetism where I think "Damn, I gotta see that", even if he's fighting a lesser opponent. 3 UFC PPVs in a row where the championship main event is a mismatch.

[Egg Shen]

im fucking pumped for this, ive arranged a Bank Holiday Sunday midday viewing session at a friends house, me and Silky Kisser will be supping a few cold ones and enjoying the fights, its one of them cards where im interested in everything from top to bottom, even the facebook prelims are fights i really want to see.

 

...and we got Froch/Kessler Saturday night, it's good to be a fight fan!

[wandshogun09]

Staredowns from the presser;

 

 

 

And here's Dana's full media scrum;

[Egg Shen]

loved Mark Hunt's quote during the countdown:

 

"yeh, i do think Junior will try taking me down. When he realises that i have a huge heart and that im armour plated"

 

[wandshogun09]

Dana talks Mark Hunt's career resurgence;

 

Incredible, man. You know what's funny? Last night, I'm home and it's like 10.30, and I go - 'I'm gonna jump on the internet and check something out on Youtube.' It's 10.30, I get on Youtube and I watch this thing and...2.30 I get off the computer! I was on there from 10.30 until 2.30, and I must've watched 7 or 8 Mark Hunt fights last night. From K-1 and Pride.

 

It's amazing, at his age and what he's been able to accomplish. Especially with the story that goes behind it, that we didn't want him. He had more losses than wins and was on a horrible streak. And what guy would say no to getting paid and not fighting? He would've been paid and been free and clear to do whatever he wanted to do. And he said no. I absolutely, positively respect it. What he's been able to accomplish, I think is one of the greatest stories in sports right now. I really do, it's unbelievable.

[wandshogun09]

Who's everyone picking then? Main card I'm having;

 

Cain vs Bigfoot

Can't really see past Cain by stoppage here. Like I said before, the only real way I see Bigfoot winning would be to catch Cain with a bomb (small possibility, the old 'puncher's chance') or if he somehow gets top position (not impossible but very unlikely given Cain's wrestling). If Bigfoot can get on top and get mount, any heavyweight is on Deep Shit Blvd. I don't see it happening though. Cain's the better technical striker, better wrestler, better cardio and faster. I think it will be a little bit more competitive this time but not much and I think Cain will overwhelm him and stop him around the 2nd or 3rd.

 

JDS vs Hunt

JDS is the rightly favourite here. Former champ, taller, reach, faster, good power, a good jab, better footwork and younger. But of all the top heavyweights, this is the most winnable fight for Hunt. And there is always a chance that JDS comes in not fully there mentally after the Cain fight.

 

If you look at Hunt, he's ridiculously powerful, stupidly durable and although his style of striking isn't pretty, he's experienced and dangerous. People are acting like JDS will walk over him and I don't see it being that easy. I've also saw people use the 'well if JDS has any trouble in the striking he'll just take Hunt down and tap him out'. I know JDS trains with Nog and is supposed to be good on the ground, but we've seen nothing to suggest he'll do a Jacare on Hunt. Struve is much more a submission artist than JDS and he couldn't get anything done to Hunt on the ground. Hunt's no Demian Maia on the ground, but he's no Kimbo anymore either.

 

It's heavyweight MMA and it's two of the most dangerous strikers in MMA facing off. All it takes in a fight like that is the right punch to land at the right time. I think JDS should win, but I really wouldn't be that shocked if Hunt pulled walk-away KO out.

 

I'll stick with JDS on points though. Can't fucking wait to see how this one plays out.

 

Maynard vs Grant

This is a bit more based on gut feeling and heart over head than anything really but I like Grant's chances in this fight. Maynard is a big step up from Dunham and Wiman, but Grant has looked awesome since dropping to 155. And Maynard's been out for nearly a year. Grant might be catching him at the right time.

 

Maynard's big advantage is the wrestling, but Grant is dangerous on the feet and the ground. And Maynard has fancied himself as more of a striker in recent fights. That could play to Grant's favour.

 

I'm not that confident but I'll go Grant by decision.

 

Cerrone vs Noons

This is an interesting fight. On paper you'd think Noons could give Cerrone similar problems Nate Diaz did. Noons is definitely the better boxer and Cerrone gets hit a lot at the best of times. Then again, Cerrone has the more varied MMA game. He's dangerous with elbows and knees and he's a good kicker. He's also a big threat with submissions. Basically, he's got more options which is why I like Cerrone on points.

 

I wouldn't be too surprised if all my picks were wrong though. Aside from the main event, I would be surprised if Bigfoot wins. Same story on the prelims - fights like Story/Pyle, Bermudez/Holloway, Khabib/Trujillo are all pick 'ems. Even Smith vs Whittaker, I could see a boring Smith humpfest or an early blitz from Whittaker (please). A lot of my picks for this have really just been gut feelings.

 

EDIT - forgot Glover vs Te Huna. Fuck, this card is that stacked I'm forgetting a fight like that.

 

I'm picking Glover by early submission. Te Huna is a beast though and as we saw in the Jimmo fight, he can take a shot and come back. He's got big power as well and we saw Maldonado rock Glover when he got a bit careless. Not impossible. Again though, for me Glover has more options. I've got a feeling this will be a wild, short fight with them both landing big shots but ultimately Glover will rock Te Huna and submit him in round 1.

[hbk4life]

Some really close fights on the main card tonight.

 

I can't see past a Cain demolition. It would be nice if it was competitive for a couple of rounds at least but Cain will probably end it late in the 1st or early in the 2nd. I give Silva next to no chance here.

 

Hunt/JDS has me pumped, I'm backing Hunt all the way but realistically I see a JDS win. I can't see it going the distance, Hunt will end it with a big punch or JDS via gnp. I like both guys but I'm fully behind Hunt in this one. I'd say JDS via TKO in the 1st round but I've predicted Hunt via TKO/KO in the predictions league!

 

After Cain, Maynard is my strongest pick on the main card. Grant has looked great on the prelims and will beat most of the guys in the division, but Maynard is a step too high. I think Maynard will show his true class in this fight, with Edgar & Pettis out of the division I think it's only a matter of time before Maynard is Lightweight champion. Maynard via decision.

 

I've got Glover via an early sub as well, Te Huna has been really impressive lately, Glover should win though. I'd love this to be a 3 round war, this could be FOTN.

 

I fancy Noons to win a stand up fight against Cerrone, if Cerrone fights smart he wins but who knows. I've got Cerrone via decision.

 

In other fights I've gone for Bermudez, Pyle, Nurmagomedov, Thompson & Smith.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

We're very similar in picks and how we want things to go down here.

 

Cain vs. Bigfoot- I think Bigfoot survives the first round (barely) and gets mauled in the second with ground and pound. Cain R2 KO/TKO.

JDS vs. Hunt- I think Hunt will give a great effort against JDS, but the clear advantage Dos Santos has is cardio. I think he picks Hunt apart for 3 rounds after realising he can't get the finish in the first. A more exciting version of how JDS vs. Carwin went down. JDS by UD.

Glover vs. Te Huna- Thinking the first round of this will be insanity in a bottle, both guys will stand and trade, probably rock each other a few times, wouldn't be surprised if we saw a knockdown or two. I see Glover getting Te Huna in a clinch/against the fence and finishing with some nasty uppercuts. Glover R2 KO/TKO.

Maynard vs. Grant- This one comes down to how well Grant can defend the elite wrestling game of Maynard. He's had trouble before with it, but has worked like a beast to improve. I think Grant gives a great account and might even threaten with a submission or two from his back, but the Bully maintains top position for the majority of three frames. Maynard UD.

Cerrone vs. Noons- This should be fireworks to open the card. I saw Noons for the first time against Ryan Couture, and I feel like he should be entering the UFC coming off a win. Both men are explosive strikers, and they had a good cameraderie at the weigh ins, which gives me the impression they might have made a gentlemen's agreement to keep it standing and make it as exciting as possible. As Cerrone has more weapons as you've said, I think he knocks Noons down early with a well placed knee or kick, then locks in a RNC to display his diversity. Cerrone R1 Sub.

 

One of the best booked cards in a long time. Not only is every guy elite, but everyone has that scrappy, aggressive mindset. I think, however any of the fights play out, we're very unlikely to get boring fights, they all come to win. Fuck Colton Smith though. Whittaker is 6 months younger than me and lives roughly an hour away, gotta support my homeboy

[wandshogun09]

I didn't catch the weigh ins but just seen these photos;

 

 

 

 

Iron Mike's in the house tonight.

[The Natural]

Might be drawing a blank on other UFC PPV

[wandshogun09]

That's my UFC show of the year so far. Fucking awesome pretty much top to bottom I thought.

 

Cain vs Bigfoot 2

Well I didn't think Cain could beat Bigfoot any easier than he did last time. I was wrong. KO'd Bigfoot in just over a minute and came out without a mark on him. What is there to say really?

 

Dos Santos vs Hunt

 

Jesus Fuck...

 

 

That's how you come back from losing your title and getting left with Pete Burns' lips after a 5 round mugging.

 

What's going on with these Brazilians Van Damming everyone with that spin kick? Barboza did it first and now we've had Belfort and JDS do it on consecutive shows. Uriah Hall as well, although that fucks up my point on Brazilians so sod him.

 

Loved the fight, it was what everyone expected. Hunt gave a good account of himself, shame he ended up on the wrong side of a highlight reel KO though.

 

Tell you what, all these spin kicks must be doing Terry Etim's ego the world of good he mustn't feel half as depressed about that KO now every fucker's getting wiped out by them. Belfort must be a bit pissed off though, JDS just nicked KO of the year with that. KOing Mark 'Cement Face' Hunt trumps KOing Luke Rockhold any day. If you knock out Mark Hunt, you are a scary bastard.

 

Cain vs JDS 3 then. Nothing else makes sense and this show just made that rematch a must. I'm a big fan of Cain but I really hope JDS can find a way to get the title back.

 

I suppose Hunt vs Bigfoot makes sense as well now.

 

Glover vs Te Huna was fun while it lasted. Went about how I expected though. Glover looked good and he's clearly catching on with the crowd. I know there were a lot of Brazilians in attendance but whatever, he's got something likable about him. A bit of a JDS vibe for me. That stuff with Tyson and Chuck after the fight was cool as well, must've been awesome for him to have his two idols there.

 

Had Rogan ever seen Te Huna fight before? Why was he acting surprised that Te Huna was throwing leather with Teixiera? Landing a haymaker was his only shot to win really, the grappling was always going to be one sided.

 

Where does Glover go from here? He needs a step up. Rampage was a big win but Te Huna is a step back. I know it was meant to be Bader so maybe they'll re-book that one. Might not be a popular choice but I'd like to see it personally. The only thing we really haven't seen from Glover is how he copes with a big strong wrestler.

 

Grant vs Maynard. Fuck me. I picked Grant but it was just a gut feeling. I certainly didn't expect him to run through Gray Maynard like that. Mental. He fully deserves the shot at Bendo now and I'll be rooting for him to pull it off. Would make a great story and I've always liked Grant anyway. He's a killer and the thing is, he's good on the ground as well. It's only lately he's really come on in his striking. Interesting fight for Bendo.

 

Cerrone vs Noons was a good technical fight. It was good to see Cerrone mixing it up a bit more as well, he needed a performance like that after Pettis crushed him last time out. Wouldn't mind seeing Cerrone fight Josh Thomson next.

 

Prelims were really good as well.

 

Really enjoyed Bermudez vs Holloway, I had Holloway winning but I didn't think it was that bad a decision like Rogan was saying. Holloway will be back, he looked good tonight. Those spin kicks were brilliant, we very nearly got two spin kick KOs on one card.

 

Pyle vs Story was fun. Story looked like a killer early on but he faded and Pyle's a crafty sod. Another very close fight but I thought the judges got it right myself.

 

Khabib vs Trujiilo first round was quality, got a bit boring with the constant takedowns after that though. It was a good strategy but it wasn't that exciting watching the same thing happen over and over again the last two rounds. Khabib's apparently broke the record for most takedowns in a fight, Sherk vs Franca was the previous record holder. And that was a 5 rounder, Khabib beat Sherk's record in 3 rounds.

 

Whittaker vs Smith was a good brawl. Whittaker keeping his left hand down nearly cost him big a few times though. Glad he won, just find Smith so unlikable.

 

Cracking show all in all. There was nothing really bad on there, some cool finishes and fun fights.

 

Bonuses;

 

Fight Of The Night: JDS vs Hunt

Submission Of The Night: Glover

KO Of The Night: TJ Grant*

 

*Dana said JDS was going to get it but Mike Tyson told him to give it to Grant to be fair Grant could do with the 50G's more probably. And this way they both get a bonus so it all works out.

[The Natural]

Least JDS and TJ Grant get bonus money. Both were impressive and shocking, shocking more so for Hunt getting KO'd but Grant's was more brutal as it was a combination of shots.

 

EDIT: Two UFC updates on twitter. Velasquez vs. dos Santos 3 is next and the latter said Hunt hit way harder than Cain.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

Fight Of The Night: JDS vs Hunt

Submission Of The Night: Glover

KO Of The Night: TJ Grant*

 

*Dana said JDS was going to get it but Mike Tyson told him to give it to Grant to be fair Grant could do with the 50G's more probably. And this way they both get a bonus so it all works out.

That's crazy if true. Mike Tyson making executive decisions in the Ultimate Fighting Championship? Wow.

 

Fantastic show, lived up to my expectations in every way. It probably helped that I was a realist and wasn't hung up on the idea of Hunt winning, I was just pleased that he gave a good account of himself. Forget the Super Samoan nickname, they should call him the Samoan Zombie, bloody hell.

 

Surprise of the night (besides JDS using that spinning shit) had to be Grant owning Maynard like that. Ran through him like a hot knife through butter. Even Buffer told Grant prior to announcing him as the winner, "That was awesome." Guess he's not a fan of the Bully.

 

My LOL moment of the night: the camera cutting to Arianny and Brittany, who were playing with their phones, but shat bricks when they realised they were on camera and started nervously waving.

 

Nothing really substantial to add at the moment. Very pleased about Whittaker winning, especially in that fashion. I think the UFC brass will spotlight him from now ahead of Colton Smith, he's young, exciting and charismatic. Wouldn't be surprised to see him rise through the ranks in the WW division. Great striking, takedown defense and a decent ground game, with a bunch of pre-UFC submissions to his credit.

 

Best overall show of the year, 9/10- loses a point for thoroughly validating my criticism of the main event, they should have just cut the PPV feed after JDS/Hunt- just a pointless fight to close the show.

[DJM]

A very good show last night with good fights from top to bottom. There is not much more I can add to what has already been said about the fights.

 

Looking to the future it seems like Cain/JDS 3 and Henderson/Grant are the next title matches coming up, both of which should be good fights. As for the rest of the fighters from last night I am not too sure.

 

The heavyweight division is a tough one, with no stand-out challenger after JDS (maybe Nelson or Wedum if they both win their fights). Hunt and Silva have both lost momentum with their loses and drop into the big pool of fighters who are good-but-not-challengers. I'm not sure who I would have them fight next.

 

Where does Glover go from here?

That is what I was wondering after his fight. The UFC seem high on him and view him as one of the best in the division. The idea of a fight against someone like Bader or Davis would test how he would do against a top level wrestler, but with Jones/Gustafsson looking to be the next LHW title fight maybe Glover/Machida for the #1 contendership might a direction they could go as well.

 

Where do we think Khabib Nurmagomedov stands in the 155lb division? He was dominant in his fight last night against Abel Trujillo, is 4-0 in UFC and unbeaten overall at 20-0.