Brock v Randy

who d'ya like for the main event?

Think Couture will do it myself. inside the distance too.
TKO 4th maybe

Vegas oddsmakers currently have Lesnar as a slight favourite (-125) over Couture (-105) which will very likely grow towards fight time.
Lesnar hasn't done anything to deserve the shot.
Screw the odds.. Couture first round TKO.

The UFC has become the next TNA wrestling league.

why?

how about predictions for Kenny Florian vs Joe Stevenson??

I think it will be a good tilt with Florian winning.

Florian should win inside the distance.
Stevenson's a tough kid but I thing he'll take a beating at long range, become obsessed with getting the take down and end up eating a knee.

I agree, should be a good fight though

Also Quarry v Maia could be a good one. I have Quarry by decision or late stoppage but most seem to think Maia. He has to get him to the mat for his BJJ to be any use in the fight. Quarry's takedown defence will have to be perfect tonight

I agree... sorta
likely scenario with Stevenson, there are times he gets fixated and can't swerve off the gameplan.

Quarry/Maia?! I like Quarry but Maia's jits will be WAY too much for Quarry. 1st round for Maia.
heh, looks like I'm picking a really early night

Why? Well look at the tv show and that will explain everything. Brock and Randy is supposed to be for the belt but what about Nogara. I would think that with Randy coming back he should have first crack at him. Brock hasn't fought enough fights to deserve a title shot. Crap he has only won one fight. I have lost all interest in the UFC altogether.

yep... UFC is screwed up in some ways and has it together in others.

As a business, UFC has an amazing business model. They're pretty much a monopoly at their level, with complete control and very minimal upcoming competition. They should rule MMA for the forseeable future with no threat of falling into the trap boxing did; with an alphabet soup of reigning organizations/federations/councils etc.

The UFC has to recognize they are built on the backs of the fighters and need to pay them better as they progress up the rankings. If they want to break into new markets they have to work at gaining more of an air of professionalism.
Other professional sports are starting to look ahead for their athletes and setting up more insurance and retirement plans,
the UFC needs to step up.

The TUF tv show is often people's introduction to MMA... and not always a good first impression. The show humanizes the fighters but could probably do with some editing.

...or fuck it... lets brawl

I agree that the heavyweight situation is a bit of a mess but that'll be sorted out before long.
I think to compare it to TNA is a bit OTT but I do take some of your points

TUF I would much rather see the guys train. If I want to watch pranks and drinking I'll watch Big Brother.
That said, it does still turn out some decent fighters (and turns away some wasters). UFC ranks are bulging with TUF graduates that, dispite the silly antics in the house, have proved themselves top class fighters. Watch Stevenson v Florian tonight and tell me they don't belong, or Evans v Griffin next month.

Brock wasn't supposed to get past Mir or Herring. Dana White is quite clear he told Lesnar to go away and get some experience because the UFC was the top of the heap. Lesnar insisted he wanted to fight the best so Dana intended to have him beat up. Mir might have been taking a bit of a pounding but the BJJ guys love those fights where they have to take a bit of punishment before pulling out the technical sub. Herring was supposed to be a second nail in the coffin, followed by an undercard loss to send him packing. To the suprise of Dana, Me and millions of others, Lesnar beat the shit out of Herring. Getting Randy back in the UFC without Fedor was going to be tricky. Give him the biggest PPV in mma (and probably all sports) history will do the trick. Nogueria and Mir were already signed and filming TUF with the interim title fight at the end. Randy is hardly likely to sit around till spring without a fight. The Lesnar fight makes perfect sense all in all.

I thoroughly expect Randy to beat Brock tonight. I also expect Nogueria to do a job on Mir. Couture v Nogueria?? tough one to call but I'll never bet money against Couture. won too much backing him in the past.

I love UFC and wouldn't miss a card.

BRING IT ON!!

Oh, big John is out of retirement. No UFC booking yet but the sooner he's back, the sooner that Mazzagatti joker can be out of a job

come on then nix / anyone else, full predictions.

this is from my facebook page...

Couture v Lesnar
Couture has too much for him. Too much standup, too much dirty boxing and too many subs. if you can get evens or better on this, lump on. Randy Couture will win this inside the distance.

Florian v Stevenson.
I thought Florian to beat Huerta, but I wasn't expecting the win to be so convincing. I was also expecting BJ Penn to beat Stevenson but I wasn't expecting such a massive gulf between them. Although stevenson looked better against Tibau I think Florian will defend the takedown attempts and keep the fight standing up, where he'll dominate. Florian win.

Gonzaga v Hendricks
Again, another fighter I don't know but UFC want Gonzaga back on track and Hendricks record looks decent but short of Gonzaga's level. Gonzaga win

Quarry v Maia
This could be a cracking fight. Maia is unbeaten in 9 including choking Ed Herman and Jason MacDonald, two solid middleweights. Quarry's only loss was to Franklin and even thought he had to chase Kalib Starns around for 15 minutes last time out he's still looking good. I'm going to go for a Quarry win but I wouldn't be at all suprised if it goes the other way. Good case for a title shot next year for either fighter while Bisping is taking on the winner of Franklin / Henderson next year.

also
Brown to beat Thomas
Hazelette to beat McCrory
Riley to beat Gurgel
Stephens to beat Dos Anjos
Robinson to beat Bocek
Riddle to beat Thomas

Wow! nice job!!
k
Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar
Compare their fighting skills, Lesnar is less skilled in all facets. If he plans to bull rush Couture, Randy
will let him and treat him to dirty boxing instruction against the fence.
Prediction: Couture 1st Rd TKO

Kenny Florian vs. Joe Stevenson
Florian need this for his path to the title, through Sherk next
Should be a good one.
Prediction: Florian 2nd by erm avoiding the guillotine

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Josh Hendricks
Gonzaga much better fighter than Hendricks but needs some confidence back during the fight, hence the decision
Prediction: Decision Gonzaga

Demian Maia vs. Nate Quarry
Maia's bjj is great... too much for Quarry
Prediction: 1st round submission Maia

Dustin Hazelett vs. Tamdan McCrory
IFFFF Hazelett does what he's sposed to ..,
Prediction: 2nd round submission Hazelett

Of the others, most are pickems...cept...
if Gurgel doesn't screw around... he should win. submission sometime heh

can't see randy getting it done 1st round unless he can get his back. TKO late more likely

florian will get penn next, without going through sherk

I think scheduling will get in the way of Penn vs. Florian so I figure Sherk first
BJ is lined up for GSP
We shall see, enjoy the fights tnight

Couture v Lesnar
Gutted. although Randy probably lost round 1 it looked like it was going to plan. Randy got caught, fair play 0/1

Florian v Stevenson.
Top draw performance by Florian. Think he'll beat Penn too. 1/2

Gonzaga v Hendricks
pretty bad matchmaking to be fair. Hendricks might have been on a hot streak coming into the UFC but you should have to work your way up to Gonzaga. Bit of a sacrifice. 2/3

Quarry v Maia
I thought Quarry was going to dominate the stand up and prevent the takedown. Instead he let Maia initiate the stand up then there was no take down defence and once on the ground it was a matter of time. 2/4

Brown to beat Thomas 3/5
Hazelette to beat McCrory 4/6
Riley to beat Gurgel 5/7
Stephens to beat Dos Anjos 6/8
Robinson to beat Bocek 6/9


66.6%
not bad.

Gutted for Randy.
Nogueria to beat Lesnar in the spring.
Randy fight Gonzaga in elimation fight then title shot on the summer

AdamM wrote:

come on then nix / anyone else, full predictions.

this is from my facebook page...

Couture v Lesnar
Couture has too much for him. Too much standup, too much dirty boxing and too many subs. if you can get evens or better on this, lump on. Randy Couture will win this inside the distance.

Florian v Stevenson.
I thought Florian to beat Huerta, but I wasn't expecting the win to be so convincing. I was also expecting BJ Penn to beat Stevenson but I wasn't expecting such a massive gulf between them. Although stevenson looked better against Tibau I think Florian will defend the takedown attempts and keep the fight standing up, where he'll dominate. Florian win.

Gonzaga v Hendricks
Again, another fighter I don't know but UFC want Gonzaga back on track and Hendricks record looks decent but short of Gonzaga's level. Gonzaga win

Quarry v Maia
This could be a cracking fight. Maia is unbeaten in 9 including choking Ed Herman and Jason MacDonald, two solid middleweights. Quarry's only loss was to Franklin and even thought he had to chase Kalib Starns around for 15 minutes last time out he's still looking good. I'm going to go for a Quarry win but I wouldn't be at all suprised if it goes the other way. Good case for a title shot next year for either fighter while Bisping is taking on the winner of Franklin / Henderson next year.

also
Brown to beat Thomas
Hazelette to beat McCrory
Riley to beat Gurgel
Stephens to beat Dos Anjos
Robinson to beat Bocek
Riddle to beat Thomas

well done! Good picking!
Couture's loss was painful, hope your future predictions for him hold true.

we'll have another go for future events shall we

absolutely!
Hopefully both the fight results and my picks will improve