This the transition from the old year to the new year. So with that let’s look at the final 2013 event along with the first UFC Fight Pass event:
UFC 168: Weidman vs. Silva 2 Review
Main Event: Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva
Prediction: Weidman by strikes. Result: Technically correct. To be fair, Weidman was dominating the fight before Silva’s possibly career ending injury. Also he has said in interviews that he was practicing checking Silva’s leg kicks with knees.
Co-main Event: Ronda Rousey vs. Meisha Tate
Prediction: Rousey by submission. Result: Same. To be fair Tate did show much improvement by going into the third round with Rousey. In addition she got more cheers then Rousey because of her classy show of sportsmanship despite her opponent’s obvious disrespect.
Josh Barnett vs. Travis Browne
Prediction: Browne by strikes. Result: Same. Browne has basic take down defense but his versatile striking is what won him this match. This is his second high profile win against a veteran in MMA that has propelled him into a possible future title shot against Cain Velasquez.
Jim Miller vs. Fabricio Camoes
Prediction: Miller by submission. Result: Same. Miller pulled one of the greatest arm bars in MMA by using Camoes’ leg for leverage.
Dustin Poirier vs. Diego Brandao
Prediction: Poirier by submission. Result: Poirier by strikes. Poirier again showed how well rounded a fighter he really is against Brandao. This he was able to do despite Brandao’s missing weight by over ten pounds.
Overall score: 4.5/5; 0.9 prediction percentage. The only win that got a 0.5 was Poirier’s TKO victory instead of submission. Others were 1s.
UFC Fight Night: Saffiedine vs. Lim
Main Event: Tarec Saffiedine vs. Hyun Gyu Lim
Prediction: Saffiedine by decision. Saffiedine exited Strikeforce on a four fight winning streak with their welterweight championship.
Co-main Event: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Sean Soriano
Prediction: Kawajiri by strikes. Kawajiri has been out this whole last year but that doesn’t make him any less dangerous on his feet.
Kiichi Kunimoto vs. Liuz Dutra
Prediction: Dutra by decision. Dutra is looking to emerge out of his stint with The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2 with a win over Kunimoto.
Kyung-Ho Hang vs. Shunichi Shimizu
Prediction: Hang by submission. Hang is looking to rebound from his loss against Chico Camus and establish himself in the UFC.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year to all of the readers of MMA Freak. Leave a comment.