UFC 161: 'Henderson vs Evans'

[Gooner]

If Rashad decides to actually attempt in this fight to go for take downs I expect him to win, if he just looks to keep standing and box I go with Henderson. I know Henderson has wrestling pedigree and everything but after what Shields done to him a few years ago at 185lbs a few years ago where he was being took down easily and at will I can't see him being able to stop Rashad from doing likewise. Either way I expect it to go the distance and be boring.

[wandshogun09]

If Rashad decides to actually attempt in this fight to go for take downs I expect him to win, if he just looks to keep standing and box I go with Henderson. I know Henderson has wrestling pedigree and everything but after what Shields done to him a few years ago at 185lbs a few years ago where he was being took down easily and at will I can't see him being able to stop Rashad from doing likewise. Either way I expect it to go the distance and be boring.

That's my thoughts on it. I really hope it's a bit of a surprise great fight though. But tactically, you'd think Rashad will win if it comes down to a wrestling battle. But as with any Hendo fight, there's always a risk that he can end it any second.

Rashad mentioned in his pre-fight interview with Ariel Helwani that win or lose he's staying at 205.

Yeah, he's been saying his goal is to get a rematch with Jones before he even considers moving down to 185. Who's everyone picking tonight? Rashad on pointsNelson by TKODavis on pointsBarry by TKOJimmo pointsthem are my main card picks. Pretty tough to pick for me, I can easily see Stipe outpointing big Roy with takedowns and better boxing, or Hendo landing a haymaker, Barry/Jordan I'm 50/50 on. It's a pretty well matched card.

[jimufctna24]

Why people trade with Roy Nelson is beyond me, Frank Mir who is hardly a power wrestler showed Nelson can be overcome by takedowns from a bigger man. Stipe should deploy this tonight instead of brawling.I gotRashadStipe (if he deploys wrestling)DavisBarryIgor (Jimmo has no cardio)

[wandshogun09]

I think Stipe can be pretty smart. He wasn't really against Struve, although if you look at the finish of that fight he slipped just before he got tagged with the really hurtful shots which didn't help. He had a bad night, but if you look at some of his other fights he's not too proud to take guys down if he's finding it a bit rough in the striking exchanges. He took Beltran down quite a bit in his debut and took down Del Rosario (who was giving him a run for his money on the feet) and brutalized him with ground and pound for the TKO. He's got the skills to take a decision off Nelson I think. And despite Roy's BJJ, what's he like off his back? He's always seemed like more a top control kind of grappler. Roy's got really good at landing that big right though, it's not the most technical but it's effective. Kind of like Hendo's right hand. If Struve can TKO Stipe, Roy can definitely turn his lights out. We'll see. It's an intriguing fight. I fancy Roy to land his shit at some point, but Stipe's a tough fight on paper.

[pryko]

If Rashad loses tonight, but decides to stay at 205, he's gotta be 3 or 4 fights away from a title fight surely? Looking at the division as it is right now, who could he fight? Shogun, Gustaffson and maybe a Machida rematch

[hbk4life]

A few 50/50 fights tonight. My picks are:Henderson by TKO/KONelson by TKO/KODavis by decisionBarry by TKO/KOJimmo by TKO/KORashad was my favourite lightheavyweight in the UFC for a couple of years and Henderson is one of my all time favourite fighters so I'm really looking forward to the main event. I can see it possibly being a boring fight but hopefully it won't be. Rashad has to use a wrestling heavy gameplan to win, I think he'll win the first round but he'll get sloppy or cocky at some point and end up his ass. Rashad really should drop down, if he is focused he could be a beast at 185.I was thinking Jimmo might lose a decision as well, but I've picked him to get an early knockout. Hopefully Igor makes it out of the first round so we can see if Jimmos cardio has improved.

[wandshogun09]

If Rashad loses tonight, but decides to stay at 205, he's gotta be 3 or 4 fights away from a title fight surely? Looking at the division as it is right now, who could he fight? Shogun, Gustaffson and maybe a Machida rematch

Yeah, if he loses, a move to 185 seems like the most logical step to me. He's not old but he's no spring chicken in fighter years. He'd be way off title contention if he loses tonight and it's a long road back. Jones will probably have moved up to heavyweight by the time Rashad gets back in the mix, if he does at all. A move to 185 would be a fresh start and although I wouldn't pick him to win, I'd fancy his chances against Anderson more than a rematch with Jones.Even if he wins tonight, Machida and Glover are ahead of him after Gustafsson. On Jimmo, I don't think his cardio is typically bad. He blew his wad trying to finish Te Huna but he's won plenty of decisions in his career. I don't remember him having dodgy cardio in the fights in MFC and he went 5 rounds in a couple of them.

[wandshogun09]

The two Facebook prelims (Jabouin/Pague and Maguire/Clarke) are about to start.

 

Watch here;

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynsLZDbWBm8

[jimufctna24]

On Jimmo, I don't think his cardio is typically bad. He blew his wad trying to finish Te Huna but he's won plenty of decisions in his career. I don't remember him having dodgy cardio in the fights in MFC and he went 5 rounds in a couple of them.

You doing my nut this week, why did you not post this before I picked Igor you Brummie sod

[jimufctna24]

Rashad was my favourite lightheavyweight in the UFC for a couple of years and Henderson is one of my all time favourite fighters so I'm really looking forward to the main event. I can see it possibly being a boring fight but hopefully it won't be. Rashad has to use a wrestling heavy gameplan to win, I think he'll win the first round but he'll get sloppy or cocky at some point and end up his ass. Rashad really should drop down, if he is focused he could be a beast at 185.

Decent pointsI was going to say Rashad is too crafty to walk into one of Hendo's lumbering punches, but there is the chance he will get cocky. I would like Rashad to outland Hendo striking wise, but Hendo has a better chance to score the knockoutRashad should be thinking wrestling all night long.

[METAL ON METAL]

Forgot to do my predictions in the league. Balls.I'll go:Rashad by decNelson by decisionDavis by decJordan by subIgor by KO

[hbk4life]

I was pretty much basing the Jimmo cardio on the Te Huna fight right enough, but now that you mentioned the decision wins I do remember him going 5 rounds with Sokoudjou a few years ago

[jimufctna24]

I was pretty much basing the Jimmo cardio on the Te Huna fight right enough, but now that you mentioned the decision wins I do remember him going 5 rounds with Sokoudjou a few years ago

So was I.But Wand could have informed of this early in the week, so lets just blame him

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

Totally forgot this card was today, busy moving house. Forgot the league picks too, but I'm doing shocking this season anyway so it doesn't really matter :pI'll just have to torrent it later on, hopefully it turns out halfway good.

[wandshogun09]

I was pretty much basing the Jimmo cardio on the Te Huna fight right enough, but now that you mentioned the decision wins I do remember him going 5 rounds with Sokoudjou a few years ago

So was I.But Wand could have informed of this early in the week, so lets just blame him

Ha, do your own homework you slackers.