So here we have it, just a few days out from UFC 154 on Montreal, Quebec, Canada! This is also the much anticipated return of the French Canadian UFC Welterweight Champion George St-Pierre or GSP after very lengthy hiatus due to a torn ACL in his knee.
As a bit of a disclaimer I am a Canadian myself and as such there might be some favouritism towards the Canadian fighters on the card.
Let's get started!:
Featherweight: Steven Siler (USA) VS Darren Elkins (USA)
They kick off the show on the prelims shown on facebook. I think most of the audience first saw Siler during the entry fights for TUF 14 where Silar fought and beat Micah Miller (Cole Millers brother) in order to earn his spot in the TUF house. Elkins first UFC appearance was at UFC: Verra VS Jones where he fought Duane Ludwig and won via TKO when Ludwig sustained a serious ankle injury. Most of Siler's wins come by way of submission and decisions. Elkins is a solid wrestler with knock out power, he started out his career in the 155 lb weight class and I expect him to use his size advantage to hold and beat up Silar enroute to victory. I see this going to a decision with Elkins coming up the winner.
Winner: Elkins by Decision
Bantamweight: Ivan Menjivar (El Salvador) VS Azamat Gashimov (Russia)
I have a feeling this bout is going to be a war! Menjivar is a training partner of GSP and trains out of Tristar in Montreal. Gashimov is Russian, and they are tough as they come! I think this is going to come down to the experience factor, Menjivar has a record of over 30 fights where Gashimov is making his UFC debut with only 9 bouts under his belt. I see Menjivar taking this via KO/TKO.
Winner: Menjivar via TKO/KO
Welterweight: Matthew Riddle (USA) VS John Maguire (UK)
Ok, I first saw Riddle on TUF7 when he knocked Dan Simmler out cold and ever since I have always liked him. Big strong welterweight with dynamite in his hands. He has his hands full with the brit, John Maguire. Maguire brings tons of experience and pretty solid ground game. But I have to say this one is going to go to Riddle.
Winner: Riddle via TKO
Featherweight: Antonio Carvalho (Canada) VS Rodrigo Damm (Brazil)
Here we have Carvalho who holds a black belt in BJJ and Shotokan karate and a green belt in Judo taking on a very skilled Brazilian grappler in Damm. I think this is going to be a pretty text book Striker versus Grappler bout. If Carvalho can keep his distance and pick his shots I see him taking this with striking.
Winner: Carvalho via TKO/KO
Now on to the Preliminary card on FX.
Lightweight: Sam Stout (Canada) VS John Makdessi (Canada)
This has all the makings of a hell of a fight! Both men have very strong striking backgrounds. My first exposure to Stout was during the first fight with Spencer Fisher at UFC 58. Makdessi is another Tristar fighter and he's from the Maritimes (wooo!). I think this one might actually to close for me to call it. But I'm going to just put a prediction, though I see this one being a war and going either way.
Winner: Sam Stout via decision.
Lightweight: Mark Bocek (Canada) VS Rafael dos Anjos (Brazil)
Boceks most recent loss was to current Lightweight champ Ben Henderson and he has since been riding a three fight win streak. Both Bocek and dos Anjos have great ground games and I see this going the distance to a decision after a chess match grappling marathon.
Winner: Not sure. Leaning towards Bocek by Decision
Light Heavyweight: Cyrille Diabate (France) VS Chad Griggs (USA)
The biggest guys on the card! The 205ers are going to put on what I think will be a one sided striking clinic in favor of Diabante.
Winner: Diabante via TKO or Decision.
Middleweight: Patrick Cote (Canada) VS Alessio Sakara (Italy)
Cote was the first man to take Anderson Silva out of the opening round before Sonnen, I actually had Cote pegged to win the title before the knee injury happened. Now both of these men are solid boxers, but I see this going in Cote's favor.
Winner: Patrick Cote.
Main Card
Featherweight: Mark Hominick (Canada) VS Pablo Garza (USA)
Both of these guys are coming off losses and really need a win. Hominick is a tough guy who went the whole way versus Jose Aldo. If Hominick can overcome the reach and height disadvantage and outwork Garza I see him working out a decision.
Winner: Hominick via decision
Middleweight: Nick Ring (Canada) VS Costa Philippou (Greek)
Battles of the boxers!
Winner: Nick Ring via TKO/KO or Decision
Middleweight: Francis Carmont (France) VS Tom Lawlor (USA)
Our last middleweight bout of the night. Carmont is training and fighting out of Montreal and his is another training partner of GSP. He has a solid ground game and a good stand up base.
Winner: Francis Carmont via Decision or Submission
Welterweight: Martin Kampmann (Danish) VS John Hendricks (USA)
This is a welterweight title eliminator bout. This is going to be impossible for me to pick a winner. Both guys are tough as hell. Solid stand up and ground games and both come to fight.
Winner: ??? Maybe Kampmann.
MAIN EVENT
Weightweight Championship: Georges "RUSH" St-Pierre (Canada) VS Carlos "Natural Born Killer" Condit (USA)
I am so excited about this fight. GSP has been gone from the UFC for over a year due to tearing his ACL. However, Condit has not fought since winning the interim title against Nick Diaz in Febuary of this year. So I think ring rust might be a factor in this one. I will not lie, I am a huge GSP fan. I do see GSP taking this one in a dominant fashion by outworking Condit using his wrestling and striking. But, of course to count Condit out would be foolish.
Winner: GSP via Decision.... maybe TKO.
So there we have it, my picks for UFC 154 I am really pumped to see if I made the right calls. Enjoy!
As a bit of a disclaimer I am a Canadian myself and as such there might be some favouritism towards the Canadian fighters on the card.
Let's get started!:
Featherweight: Steven Siler (USA) VS Darren Elkins (USA)
They kick off the show on the prelims shown on facebook. I think most of the audience first saw Siler during the entry fights for TUF 14 where Silar fought and beat Micah Miller (Cole Millers brother) in order to earn his spot in the TUF house. Elkins first UFC appearance was at UFC: Verra VS Jones where he fought Duane Ludwig and won via TKO when Ludwig sustained a serious ankle injury. Most of Siler's wins come by way of submission and decisions. Elkins is a solid wrestler with knock out power, he started out his career in the 155 lb weight class and I expect him to use his size advantage to hold and beat up Silar enroute to victory. I see this going to a decision with Elkins coming up the winner.
Winner: Elkins by Decision
Bantamweight: Ivan Menjivar (El Salvador) VS Azamat Gashimov (Russia)
I have a feeling this bout is going to be a war! Menjivar is a training partner of GSP and trains out of Tristar in Montreal. Gashimov is Russian, and they are tough as they come! I think this is going to come down to the experience factor, Menjivar has a record of over 30 fights where Gashimov is making his UFC debut with only 9 bouts under his belt. I see Menjivar taking this via KO/TKO.
Winner: Menjivar via TKO/KO
Welterweight: Matthew Riddle (USA) VS John Maguire (UK)
Ok, I first saw Riddle on TUF7 when he knocked Dan Simmler out cold and ever since I have always liked him. Big strong welterweight with dynamite in his hands. He has his hands full with the brit, John Maguire. Maguire brings tons of experience and pretty solid ground game. But I have to say this one is going to go to Riddle.
Winner: Riddle via TKO
Featherweight: Antonio Carvalho (Canada) VS Rodrigo Damm (Brazil)
Here we have Carvalho who holds a black belt in BJJ and Shotokan karate and a green belt in Judo taking on a very skilled Brazilian grappler in Damm. I think this is going to be a pretty text book Striker versus Grappler bout. If Carvalho can keep his distance and pick his shots I see him taking this with striking.
Winner: Carvalho via TKO/KO
Now on to the Preliminary card on FX.
Lightweight: Sam Stout (Canada) VS John Makdessi (Canada)
This has all the makings of a hell of a fight! Both men have very strong striking backgrounds. My first exposure to Stout was during the first fight with Spencer Fisher at UFC 58. Makdessi is another Tristar fighter and he's from the Maritimes (wooo!). I think this one might actually to close for me to call it. But I'm going to just put a prediction, though I see this one being a war and going either way.
Winner: Sam Stout via decision.
Lightweight: Mark Bocek (Canada) VS Rafael dos Anjos (Brazil)
Boceks most recent loss was to current Lightweight champ Ben Henderson and he has since been riding a three fight win streak. Both Bocek and dos Anjos have great ground games and I see this going the distance to a decision after a chess match grappling marathon.
Winner: Not sure. Leaning towards Bocek by Decision
Light Heavyweight: Cyrille Diabate (France) VS Chad Griggs (USA)
The biggest guys on the card! The 205ers are going to put on what I think will be a one sided striking clinic in favor of Diabante.
Winner: Diabante via TKO or Decision.
Middleweight: Patrick Cote (Canada) VS Alessio Sakara (Italy)
Cote was the first man to take Anderson Silva out of the opening round before Sonnen, I actually had Cote pegged to win the title before the knee injury happened. Now both of these men are solid boxers, but I see this going in Cote's favor.
Winner: Patrick Cote.
Main Card
Featherweight: Mark Hominick (Canada) VS Pablo Garza (USA)
Both of these guys are coming off losses and really need a win. Hominick is a tough guy who went the whole way versus Jose Aldo. If Hominick can overcome the reach and height disadvantage and outwork Garza I see him working out a decision.
Winner: Hominick via decision
Middleweight: Nick Ring (Canada) VS Costa Philippou (Greek)
Battles of the boxers!
Winner: Nick Ring via TKO/KO or Decision
Middleweight: Francis Carmont (France) VS Tom Lawlor (USA)
Our last middleweight bout of the night. Carmont is training and fighting out of Montreal and his is another training partner of GSP. He has a solid ground game and a good stand up base.
Winner: Francis Carmont via Decision or Submission
Welterweight: Martin Kampmann (Danish) VS John Hendricks (USA)
This is a welterweight title eliminator bout. This is going to be impossible for me to pick a winner. Both guys are tough as hell. Solid stand up and ground games and both come to fight.
Winner: ??? Maybe Kampmann.
MAIN EVENT
Weightweight Championship: Georges "RUSH" St-Pierre (Canada) VS Carlos "Natural Born Killer" Condit (USA)
I am so excited about this fight. GSP has been gone from the UFC for over a year due to tearing his ACL. However, Condit has not fought since winning the interim title against Nick Diaz in Febuary of this year. So I think ring rust might be a factor in this one. I will not lie, I am a huge GSP fan. I do see GSP taking this one in a dominant fashion by outworking Condit using his wrestling and striking. But, of course to count Condit out would be foolish.
Winner: GSP via Decision.... maybe TKO.
So there we have it, my picks for UFC 154 I am really pumped to see if I made the right calls. Enjoy!
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