UFC 79 Predictions

[Bullock]

*Matt Hughes vs GSP

I will always root for Matt Hughes because he is one of my favorite fighters of all time, but I don't see how he can win this fight. GSP said in a recent interview that he is going to "shock" Hughes with what he has planned. I think that that means that GSP is going to plan on out wrestling Hughes and putting him on his back a la the Kos fight.

Prediction: After a round or two of GSP out wrestling Matt and keeping him on his back, GSP opens up on his feet in the third and finishes the fight.

GSP by TKO rd 2 or 3




*Chuck Liddell vs Wanderlei Silva

If this fight would have happened back at UFC 66 like it was originally supposed to, I would have picked Chuck. But this last year has seen the man everyone knew as "iron-chinned" get dropped in two consecutive fights. Liddell was looking nearly invincible while having an easy time feasting on grapplers trying to play the striking game, but as soon as he started facing actual strikers he started looking all too human. I would love to see Chuck get the KO, but I don't see it happening.

Prediction: Both fighters will come out swinging and the first guy to get hit with a good shot will probably go down. My money is that Wanderlei will connect first.

Silva by KO rd 1




*Sokoudjou vs Machida

Great match up b/c Sok will definitely push the pace on Machida. It could go either way but I see Machida biding his time and either outpointing Sokou or catching him and finish the fight.

Prediction: I think Sok will try and get in on Machida fast and put some pressure on him, but Lyoto will just play his own game of countering and backpedaling until Sok gets frustrated or sloppy, then he will go in for the kill.


Machida by TKO rd 2




*Dean Lister vs. Jordan Radev


Pfft I could really care less about this fight. Lister by sub.




*Manny Gamburyan vs. Nate Mohr

Considering Mohr was submitted pretty easily by Kurt Pelligrino, I'm pretty sure that Manny will have no trouble taking him to the ground and pulling off the sub.

Prediction: Manny will take the fight down within the first 10-15 seconds of the first round. After that it is only a matter of time.

Manny by Sub rd 1



*Rich Clementi vs. Melvin Guillard

This fight has some good bad blood behind it so it could turn out to be pretty entertaining. Guillard will be coming off his cocaine suspension and Clementi is coming off a submission win at UFC 76. Guillard is an exciting fighter, but he has a gaping hole in his ground game that I think Rich will exploit.

Predictions: Clementi is probably going to stand with Melvin until he feels threatened, which could be his downfall if he isn't careful. In the end though I see Rich taking him and getting the sub.

Clementi by Sub rd 2


Post your own predictions and why you picked who you did.

[DonFrye]

I don't know about everyone else, but I've got a funny feeling that Hughes is going to pull this one out. Should be interesting.

I say Silva/Liddell goes to Rd. 2 with Wandy winning by TKO. Chuck's cardio will come into question after both are rocked repeatedly ala Rampage fight in Pride.

Sok/Machida= fight of the night. I'm going with Sok via 3rd round TKO. Hard to pick, though.

Lister/Radev- I say Lister by RNC Round 1 in a real snoozefest.

Gamburyan/Mohr- Manny by sub 1:54 of Round 1. Manny rocks him then mauls him and gets an arm.

Clementi/Guillard- Melvin by KO Round 2. Depends on the layoff, but I hate Clementi. If he was still on the candy, I'd say round 1.

[Bullock]

I will be ecstatic if Hughes wins, but I think GSP has too many tools to beat him with.

[Noob]

• I'm taking GSP by TKO late in the 4th, or early in the 5th. Both guys have finished each other in the past, and I think that will contribute to a more strategic (and maybe cautious) style for each guy. Though I won't complain. A few extra rounds of Hughes/GSP III is fine by me.

• Silva v. Liddell, I'm calling a TKO in 2nd round for Wand. Just a feeling. I may put money on Liddell is the line is right, but I'm expecting to see Silva hungry after a long layoff, and Liddell to continue his losing ways.

• Sokodjou and Machida I just can't call. I really don't have strong feeling in this one way or the other. If Machida stays disciplined I can see him taking the decision. But if he starts feeling the pressure to be more aggressive and exciting for the fans, I can see Soko taking advantage of that. As it stands I'm calling Machida by unanimous decision.

• Melvin Guillard v. Rich Clementi. Guillard is the most physically gifted guy to do absolutely nothing with his gifts since Randleman. I think Clementi pulls this out via submission late into the 3rd. I see this fight being a war, and Clementi's experience making the difference over an impatient and careless Guillard.

Then again, Guillard could also connect once and completely end everything. It's a tough one, but I'm going with Clementi. I will be interested to see the betting lines on this one.

[twankydawg]

Originally Posted by Bullock

*Matt Hughes vs GSP

I will always root for Matt Hughes because he is one of my favorite fighters of all time, but I don't see how he can win this fight. GSP said in a recent interview that he is going to "shock" Hughes with what he has planned. I think that that means that GSP is going to plan on out wrestling Hughes and putting him on his back a la the Kos fight.

Prediction: After a round or two of GSP out wrestling Matt and keeping him on his back, GSP opens up on his feet in the third and finishes the fight.

GSP by TKO rd 2 or 3




*Chuck Liddell vs Wanderlei Silva

If this fight would have happened back at UFC 66 like it was originally supposed to, I would have picked Chuck. But this last year has seen the man everyone knew as "iron-chinned" get dropped in two consecutive fights. Liddell was looking nearly invincible while having an easy time feasting on grapplers trying to play the striking game, but as soon as he started facing actual strikers he started looking all too human. I would love to see Chuck get the KO, but I don't see it happening.

Prediction: Both fighters will come out swinging and the first guy to get hit with a good shot will probably go down. My money is that Wanderlei will connect first.

Silva by KO rd 1




*Sokoudjou vs Machida

Great match up b/c Sok will definitely push the pace on Machida. It could go either way but I see Machida biding his time and either outpointing Sokou or catching him and finish the fight.

Prediction: I think Sok will try and get in on Machida fast and put some pressure on him, but Lyoto will just play his own game of countering and backpedaling until Sok gets frustrated or sloppy, then he will go in for the kill.


Machida by TKO rd 2




*Dean Lister vs. Jordan Radev


Pfft I could really care less about this fight. Lister by sub.




*Manny Gamburyan vs. Nate Mohr

Considering Mohr was submitted pretty easily by Kurt Pelligrino, I'm pretty sure that Manny will have no trouble taking him to the ground and pulling off the sub.

Prediction: Manny will take the fight down within the first 10-15 seconds of the first round. After that it is only a matter of time.

Manny by Sub rd 1



*Rich Clementi vs. Melvin Guillard

This fight has some good bad blood behind it so it could turn out to be pretty entertaining. Guillard will be coming off his cocaine suspension and Clementi is coming off a submission win at UFC 76. Guillard is an exciting fighter, but he has a gaping hole in his ground game that I think Rich will exploit.

Predictions: Clementi is probably going to stand with Melvin until he feels threatened, which could be his downfall if he isn't careful. In the end though I see Rich taking him and getting the sub.

Clementi by Sub rd 2


Post your own predictions and why you picked who you did.

GSP by brutal KO round 1

Hughes is a Dick......WAR GSP!!! I couldn't resist!

Wanderlei by brutal beating TKO round 1

I think Wandy is going to be Hungry and is going to beat Chuck like he's never been beat before.

Sokoudjou by KO round 2

I think Soko is going to be a patient but his quickness and power will be too much for Machida. Without much tape to study, it's hard to gameplan for a guy like Soko.

Lister by sub RD 2

I could be wrong but I don't know the other guy, Lister is a badass Mofo on the ground.

Manny by TKO rd 1

I hate Karo but I'm a fan of Manny, he reminds me of a 155lb Bob Sapp, just a little ball of muscle, a mean Armenian little ball of muscle.

Melvin by KO rd 2

I think Rich is gonna get his ass whooped, this one is personal, and Melvin is the more athletic, powerful fighter and Rich has lost to lesser competition. Plus Melvin killed Gabe with that gutshot, i wanna see that shit again!

[cmj3289]

gsp 2nd rd tko
silva 1st rd KO
soko 1st rd KO
lister sub 3rd
manny sub 2nd
guillard tko 2nd

[DonFrye]

Originally Posted by Noob

• I'm taking GSP by TKO late in the 4th, or early in the 5th. Both guys have finished each other in the past, and I think that will contribute to a more strategic (and maybe cautious) style for each guy. Though I won't complain. A few extra rounds of Hughes/GSP III is fine by me.

Is this a 5 rounder???? No title is on the line.

[Jza]

Originally Posted by DonFrye

Is this a 5 rounder???? No title is on the line.

Interim title bout

And yea I see Guillard catching Clementi before Rich gets the ground game going.

And I can't see Mach stopping him might pull out the decision though.

[rivethead]

Hughes v GSP
I'd like to see GSP win it. I'm concerned about the statement that he's going to "shock" Hughes. I'm not a huge GSP fan--I have more trouble with the man-love some of his fans bubble over with, than with him as a fighter--and I could see Hughes catching Georges if he tries to get clever-clever and prove he's a better "wrestler" than Matt. Or it could go the same as the Kos fight, and we'll have to hear from GSP nuthuggers about how great a wrestler GSP is/trains with the Canadian Olympic Team, etc.

GSP TKO r2

Liddell v W. Silva
Finally. A year ago, I couldn't decide, but now I'd like to see Wandi win it. I feel he's made more of an effort to adapt and stay competative with the sport. I admire both fighters, but I feel Chuck has plateaued...if he gets an opportunity to really connect on a counter, he can put Wandi to sleep. But unless he brings back kicks and ground in this fight, I'd say his de-evolution into a one-trick-pony is complete. I get frustrated with fighters I know have more than they are bringing to the cage.

Silva KO r2

Sokoudjou v Machida
I like both fighters quite a lot, so I'm hoping for FotN, firmly establishing both men in the collective psyche of the average fan. Ultimately, I think Machida's elusiveness and reach might prove too much for Sokou.

Machida UD

Lister v Radev
I'd like Radev to win it, based on the fact that I think Lister is overhyped. But I don't see it going that way.

Lister sub r2

Gamburyan v Mohr
Sadly, I see this as a gimme to Manny. Not to take anything away from Mohr, but I just don't think he's at Manny's level. I still feel Manny needs to drop to 145, and that he's not even remotely as good as his hype, but I see him GnPing a pedestrian decision here.

Gamburyan TKO r2

Clementi v Guillard
This one is tough, as I dislike both fighters. I think Melvin has been an utter waste of talent, and I think the goofy "look at me, I'm crazy" faces Rich makes are actually an embarassment to the industry, but I acknowledge I'm a pretty harsh critic [and a mediocre speller]. If the suspension has changed Melvin's attitude and appreciation of the gifts he's been given, I'm fine with him winning. If not, I'm fine with Rich softening him up on the ground and subbing him out. But I fear I'll be disappointed by a still-cocky Guillard connecting with a big one.

Guillard KO r2

rh

[Doggage]

My picks are the same as twanky's. I'll actually be pulling for Chuck, though, but I see Wanderlei being too much for him at this point in his career. GSP better win this fight so he go against Serra again. The Machida fight doesn't really have me pulling for either guy, I'm just hoping for a great fight, and I see Soko knocking him out.