UFC 103
UFC 103 Breakdown and Predictions
Srpt. 19, LIVE on Pay Per view
We have a new batch fighting some guys back on the way in. A changing of the guard? Maybe. This card will have its peeks and valleys, but it is shaping up to be a pretty decent set of fights. With the main event being a solid south paw scrap between two veterans always willing to mix it up. New fight fans will get a good look at Trigg, Matyushenko, and Belfort. While the hardcore fans get to see these guys step up and face a better caliber of fighter then they recently have been.
In case you have not noticed. For all my fight card picks and breakdowns; I have linked all the fight head lines with www.sherdog.com ‘s Fight Finder. Simply click on the name to be taken to the stat sheet of the fighter you wish to get a good look at. Since he doesn’t get the accolades he deserves; I will go ahead and give the lord of the Fight Finder Jordan Breen. a shout out. He minds the fence on all things relating to the fight finder-which honestly is one of the best info tools online about Mixed Martial Arts. Cheers to you Breen!
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Robert Emerson
This fight is uninspiring to me. Neither have really proven yet they belong in the biggest MMA promotion. I do feel both have room to improve and be notable down the road. Right now, I think they should fight in some small shows and build back up. I give the slight edge the Emerson.
Emerson Round Two TKO
Eliot Marshall vs. Jason Brilz
Eliot and Jason are both riding two win streaks in the UFC. Elliot seems more like a more well rounded fighter then Brilz. Although Jason can handle a lot of people on the ground I do not think Marshall is one of them. He has Great BJJ, and a top win over legit ground fighters. Add in the “Fire Marshall’s” striking seems to be better, and I see this one ending with Brilz on his back and Elliot mounting him until the ref saves him.
Elliot Marshall Round Two TKO
Drew McFedries vs. Tomasz Drwal
I don’t see this one reaching a decision. Both of these guys are very streaky in their fight careers. Drew has been in the cage with slightly better competition, and has more cage time then Drwal. Experience wins this one for me.
Drew McFedries Round Three TKO
Jim Miller has the honor of introducing the cage floor to Steve Lopez for the first time in his UFC career, Lopez got the UFC invite and is Coming in for Thiago Tavares, Steve Lopez has 12 wins over people we never heard of. I see Jim Miller breaking his decision streak, and finishing Lopez early.
Jim Miller Round One Submission
Only on his second fight himself, Ricky Story, gets to welcome Brian Foster to the Octagon. Story is coming off a UD loss at ufc 99, but the bad news is Foster can finish fights. He usually finishes them fast. I see Story getting planted early, and Ricky not being able to recover.
Foster Round One KO
Nik Lentz vs. Rafaello Oliveira
Expect a good old fashion ground fight! Both are making their UFC Debut, and both are no stranger to the mat. Nik is filling in for Dan Lauzon, and I expect him to fill his shoes nicely. This one smells like a snooze fest three round decision, but I am going out on a limb and say Nik slips on the rear naked choke at the end of round two.
Nik Lentz Round Two Submission
Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Igor Pokrajac
The Janitor is back! We haven’t seen him since his UFC 44 loss to arlovski. He has been fighting decent opponents most of the time since in the IFL, and his only recent loss is a KO courtesy of Little Nog at the Affliction Day of Reckoning card. He is seasoned and has been handed the keys to the welcome wagon for Igor who has 11 tko wins himself. This is a big step up for Igor, and I expect him to wilt under pressure. Even though Igor hasn’t been finished in a long time, and Matyushenko is no stranger to the decision, I see this one ending violently.
Matyushenko Round Two TKO
Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca
Tyson “fight of the night” Griffin is coming off a win of Dos Anjos, and Franca was supposed to fight Dan Lauzon at UFN 17 until he went down with a torn anterior crucial ligament in his right knee. I am hoping Hermes is 100% for this fight, Tyson kicks like a mule, and with a bum knee in play that can only mean one thing: LEG KICKS! However, I think Franca will snatch one of those up and bring Tyson to the canvas. Even though Tyson has a stellar ground game I see him tapping for the first time in his MMA career.
Franca Submission Round One
Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Miller
This is Efrain’s first fight since winning TUF 8, has 9 wins by submission, and is 11-0. He pulled out of his last fight with a rib injury. 10 of Coles 15 wins are by way of submission. Cole Miller sent a message to the last guy who questioned his mat skills by subbing Junie Browning in under two minutes. If Cole sees a submission opportunity he will take it, and more often then not his opponent ends up tapping. This fight will hit the floor, and I must insist that Cole is in another class on the ground then Efrain. This is his first fight since the finale, and I see Cole taking advantage of that by handing him his first loss.
Cole Miller Round Two Submission.
Josh Koscheck (No. 7 WW) vs. Frank Trigg
Kos gets to be the first fighter to punch Twinkle Toes in the octagon since UFC 54! Trigg has picked up a 9-2 record since leaving the UFC. Koschek is coming off a loss, what he calls an early stoppage, to Paulo Thiago and a fantastic ‘Mortal Combat’ like finish over Yoshida. I expect a wrestling match, alot of trying to stay busy on the ground and I see Kos taking it on points.
Koscheck Decision.
Martin Kampmann (No. 5 WW) vs. Paul Daley
This is also a replacement fight. Paul Daley is filling in for Swick, and although one day I see Daley beating guys like Kampmann, he doesn’t have the time to prepare for him. This is a real test for Daley’s first romp in the Octagon. He does have a punchers chance, as he has 16 (T)KOs in his 21 wins, but I see Martin doing his Job and sinking in the choke in the second round.
Kampmann Round Two Decision
Junior dos Santos vs. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
Mirko Steps in the cage with a win over Al Turk at UFC 99, and after a rather public contract show down. What can you say about the pride legend that hasn’t already been said. He has a deadly left head kick that have left fighters on the injury list for months, he has fought almost every notable heavy weight you can think of, and has 19 (T)KO wins. This is Juniors third trip to the octagon, and the first 2 took less 2 minutes and 30 seconds. In his 9 fights he has never been to the second round. I saw first hand when Cigano cracked Werdum at UFC 90, and it was as brutal as they come. I see dos Santos closing the distance to stay away from the kicks and landing another brutal uppercut KO on Cro Cop.
Junior dos Santos TKO Round One.
Rich Franklin (No. 7 LHW) vs. Vitor Belfort (No. 8 MW)
I don’t understand this catch weight stuff, 195 is the number the UFC Mathematics Team came up with for this headlining south-paw scrap. Vitor has been fighting in Pride and Affliction since his UFC 51 loss to Ortiz., and has mixed results. He has some top tier wins in his career leaving people asking; What Vitor will show up? I think a mixture of the two will show up. He has taken a step down in the level of competition he has been facing, and this makes me want to lean in favor of Fraklin. They both have 3 losses since Vitor has left the UFC, but Two of Rich’s are to reigning pound for pound king Anderson Silva. Vitor has two losses to Overeem, and they both have a loss to Dan Henderson. I see the Phenom taking this one at the end of three.
Vitor Belfort Decision
-Keep the hands up!
John
