It's time, followers! Once again, theres going to be fists and shins flying, people getting choked, maybe (and I mean probably) some blood. Lots of action is headed our way with the best looking card since UFC 125.
Here we go...
Miguel Torres (38 -3) vs Antonio Banuelos (18-6)
I don't really know much about Antonio Banuelos, but his record reflects a win (albeit by split decision) over Scott Jorgensen, who he's fought twice. He lost the other one by a more convincing Unanimous Decision. Miguel Torres, the former WEC bantamweight champ, on the other hand holds impressive wins over Takeya Mizugaki and Charlie Valencia. Recently he dropped two fights to great fighters Brian Bowles and Joseph Benavidez. This is a good match up, and I see Miguel Torres taking it by Unanimous Decision. For no other reason than his mullet.
Jon Jones (11-1) vs Ryan Bader (12-0)
This fight has classic written all over it as two young powerhouse light heavyweights set out to become the future of their division. Jon Jones was an all-star wrestler in college, and displays flashy (he calls it "funky" and "weird") striking. He's beaten legendary Stephan Bonnar and the usually tenacious Brandon Vera (although, the Truth sucks now and just got cut from the UFC). His only loss has come via disqualification for delivering sicknasty elbows to the face of Matt Hamill.
Ryan Bader is undefeated, and hold wins over Keith Jardine, Minotauro Nogueira or however you spell it, and also comes into this fight with a 10 inch reach disadvantage, and he doesn't do spinning flying hella sweet back kicks or anything like that.
So it's safe to say, that despite his undefeated record and wrestling credentials, I'm giving the nod to Bones Jones, TKO in the 1st or 2nd.
Jake Ellenberger (23-5) vs Carlos Eduardo Rocha (9-0)
I will just say Jake Ellenberger, because he was once a Marine, and this is a filler match if ever there was one.
Forrest Griffin (17-6) vs Rich Franklin (28-5)
I cannot wait for this. I can't wait one minute. It's almost as exciting as the nights main event. And that's saying something!
Forrest Griffin is the Ultimate Fighter. Literally! Season 1 winner of the UFC's ultimate reality show, and maybe the toughest, gamest fighter to ever set foot in the octagon. It doesn't get much more exciting than Forrest Griffin. In every fight I've ever watched him in, I can't say once that i've been bored or even thought of touching the remote (and not just because I usually watch UFC at a bar where there is no remote, or my friend Nic's house where there is a bar, and I don't usually feel like touching the remote anyway)
Rich Franklin is a former champion (so is Forrest..ha!) and does things like knock out a legend while having a broken arm.
Stylistically and aggressively, this is a mirror match. They even look like eachother, freakishly. Kinda like me and the Tucson shooter, but I won't get into that. ANYWAY. If for no other reason than his redneck toughness and crazy ground game, I'm going to have to say Forrest Griffin takes this one, probably by decision.
Anderson "The Spider" Silva (27-4, 12-0 UFC) vs Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (19-8, 1-0 since his return to the UFC)
Well haters, while you were sleeping, Vitor Belfort crept in, overweight and out of practice, fighting in smaller shows since his departure from the UFC back in 1927. Psych. But really, why does this guy have a title shot? He fought Rich Franklin at UFC 103 back in 1972 and didn't even weigh in as a middle weight. For the life of me, I do nut see the wisdom that Dana White usually sprinkles in his title fight match ups. But whatever, as a wannabe cagefighter and even bigger wannabe journalist, I have to break this down. And of course, I'm not a scientist or a referee, so I'm just going to talk smack until you start laughing and tell me about it later.
Lets see.
This video should give you a ballpark idea how Anderson Silva conducts business. He's got the best hands in the entire fighting world, boxers be damned. Yeah, I said it. I even slightly dissed my hero (no homo) Georges St-Pierre with that comment. And my girlfriend will tell you how annoyingly I look up to St-Pierre as a fighter role model. So what?
Vitor Belfort came into the UFC at the ripe age of 19 and knocked everyone out. Big fat dudes, in shape dudes, doesn't matter, he got those KTFO's. However, he never fought the Spider.
His highlight reel shows him impressively charging forward, fists flying like fists are going out of style. Quicker than tickle-me-elmo sales in Candy Land. I'm telling you what, it took me about 5 minutes of thinking how to describe that quickness. But the catch is, Vitor isn't a middleweight! He's a light heavyweight or even a heavyweight! WHY DOES HE GET THIS SHOT?! YUSHIN OKAMI DESERVES IT (even though he hugged Nate Marquardt for 15 minutes to get the right) Whatever. Vitors no joke, and Anderson has his work cut out for him.
So on saturday night, what can you expect when The Champ and the Undeserving Contender step in the cage?
Mass destruction, of course. Depending on which Anderson Silva shows up (He has his wrecking-ball nights, and other nights he likes to play Dance Dance Revolution around the cage while the other guy tries to pull guard. UGHHHH so boring), I think this will be a good night for the Champion. If he brings his A-game, those Muay Thai knees and laser guided UFC gloves, Vitor Belforts gonna be waking up in the hospital. If Vitor Belfort can still move and hit like he did at 205, the fight will be much more interesting and drawn out. A roid raging Chael Sonnen knocked Silvas ass around for most of 5 rounds before being submitted. (The jokes on Sonnen, he said that Silvas black belt in Jiu Jitsu was a happy meal toy, an unearned hand-out. So he got submitted. Obviously!)
My call? Anderson Silva, TKO, 3rd Round.
Stay tuned for the aftermath!
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