The third of three UFC events in two weeks happens this week and Bellator Season 9 begins this Saturday. However, I would like to review last week’s picks I made first then make my picks for the upcoming fights. Also on Bellator 98, I’ll be making predictions for the middleweight tournament bouts that’ll be on the undercard. So with that, here’s my review:
UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann 2 Results
Main Event: Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann
Prediction: Carlos Condit by strikes. Result: Same. As I said I think Condit learned from their first meeting to know what to do and he did just that.
Co-main Event: Donald Cerrone vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Prediction: Rafael dos Anjos by decision. Result: Same. As I said, dos Anjos had more momentum going into this fight and he knows how to win.
Kevin Gastelum vs. Brian Melancon
Prediction: Kevin Gastelum by submission. Result: Same. As I said Gastelum is a true mixed martial artist who can finish fights. He delivered.
Court McGee vs. Robert Whittaker
Prediction: Robert Whittaker by strikes. Result: McGee by decision. McGee was able to spoil Whittaker’s third fight in the UFC with a decision.
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Eric Perez
Prediction: Eric Perez by strikes. Result: Mizugaki by decision. Mizugaki’s experience was what he needed to be able to pull a close decision.
Brad Tavares vs. Robert “Bubba” McDaniel
Prediction: Bubba McDaniel by submission. Result: Tavares by decision. Tavares knows how to get decision wins and did just that against McDaniel.
Overall Score: 3/6 .500 prediction percentage. A correct winner and method pick counts as 1. A simple winner or method prediction is 0.5.
UFC 164: Henderson vs. Pettis
Main Event: Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis
Prediction: Henderson by close decision. Result: Pettis by submission. It was close until Pettis utilized his BJJ skills for the verbal submission.
Co-main Event: Frank Mir vs. Josh Barnett
Prediction: Barnett by submission. Result: Barnett by strikes. Barnett’s striking has been improving in recent fights and that decided the fight.
Chad Mendes vs. Clay Guida
Prediction: Mendes by strikes. Result: Same. As I said only one man has beat Mendes and that man may have to face him again for the title.
Ben Rothwell vs. Brandon Vera
Prediction: Vera by strikes. Result: Rothwell by strikes. Even though Rothwell was favored it was close until Rothwell opened up and ended it.
Erick Koch vs. Dustin Poirier
Prediction: Poirier by strikes. Result: Poirier by decision. There were points it almost ended by strikes and submission but it ended by decision.
Overall Score: 2.5/5 .500 prediction percentage. 0 for the main event, 0.5 for the co-main event, 1 for Mendes/Guida and 1 for the rest of them.
~ Now for the predictions for this upcoming week ~
UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Bader
Main Event: Glover Teixeira vs. Ryan Bader
Prediction: Teixeira by strikes. Teixeira hasn’t lost in eight years and has been winning impressively in the UFC. Bader unfortunately has holes.
Co-main Event: Yushin Okami vs. Ronaldo Souza
Prediction: Okami by decision. Though both men are on similar win streaks Okami has more Octagon time and despite a hiccup against Tim Boetsch, he’s been relevant for a longer amount of time. However, Souza’s submission game is not to be underestimated by Okami.
Joseph Benavidez vs. Jussier Formiga
Prediction: Benavidez by submission. Benavidez has a more overall fighting game and has fought at bantamweight at a competitive level.
Francisco Trinaldo vs. Piotr Hallmann
Prediction: Trinaldo by submission. Trinaldo has more Octagon experience and as small as he is has fought at middleweight and won.
Rafael Natal vs. Tor Troeng
Prediction: Natal by decision. Troeng may have promise but he’s still an up and comer, whereas Natal has an overall game and experience.
Marcos Vinicius vs. Ali Bagautinov
Prediction: Vincius by submission. This was a hard pick because even though Vinicius has twice the matches as Bagautinov, Bagautinov has a more well rounded game, and because of this could spoil Vincius’s flyweight debut.
Bellator 98
Main Event: Alexander Shlemenko vs. Brett Cooper
Prediction: Shlemenko by strikes. Shlemenko won their first encounter and Cooper is a late replacement for Doug Marshall to whom he lost.
Co-main Event: Joe Riggs vs. Mike Bronzoulis
Prediction: Riggs by strikes. Riggs has more fights, a more rounded game, and is motivated. However, Bronzoulis can’t be underestimated
Joe Warren vs. Nick Kirk
Prediction: Warren by decision. Even though Kirk has more wins, Warren has been fighting the best since day one. Kirk on the other hand is already 0-2 in Bellator despite an impressive record at the regional level. In fact his only two losses are in Bellator.
Justin Torrey vs. Andreas Spang
Prediction: Andreas Spang by strikes. Spang has been in two Bellator tournaments and both his losses were to eventual tournament winners.
Jeremy Kimball vs. Perry Filkins
Prediction: Filkins by strikes. Both of these fighters are new to Bellator with similar records and very little else to go on. Could go either way.
Mikkel Parlo vs. Brian Rogers
Prediction: Rogers by strikes. Rogers is a participant in three Bellator tournaments, advancing to the semifinals twice. Parlo is 1-1 in Bellator.
Jason Butcher vs. Giva Santana
Prediction: Santana by submission. Santana has more experience overall and has participated in a Bellator tournament. Butcher has none of it.
Additional Notes: Under card matches such as Patricky Freire vs. Derek Anderson could serve as tournament qualifying matches.
What do you think? Leave a comment!