MMAVu

It’s only a few hours away, so I better get my predictions in while the predicting is good.

UFC 94 Main Event:
Georges St. Pierre (170) vs. B.J. Penn (168)
This is a tough one to call, given that both these guys are freaks of nature in their own way. BJ Penn can twist himself into a pretzel, has uncanny take down defense, and has bricks in his hands…not to mention world class ju-jitsu. St. Pierre is just an all around monster. Striking, wrestling, submission, grappling, you name it. The difference maker here is the cardio. It’s a five round title fight and although Penn has greatly improved his cardio, St. Pierre’s has always been great. St. Pierre by unanimous decision.

Lyoto Machida (206) vs. Thiago Silva (206)
It’s a battle of the undefeated 13-0 fighters. Silva likes to charge ahead and brawl, while Machida likes to evade and counter strike. I tend to think Machida will take this via decision. He has experience versus better quality opponents (Tito Ortiz, BJ Penn, Rich Franklin) and unless Silva runs in and rocks him with a perfect punch, I don’t see Silva getting past Machida’s defenses.

Karo Parisyan (170) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (171)
Parisyan’s “comeback” fight. Parisyan has been out of action for quite some time due to injuries and panic attacks so this bout will tell how far he’s come. The Karo of old would have dispatched Kim with ease. I still think Karo takes this, by decision.

Nathan Diaz (156) vs. Clay Guida (156)
I think the Diaz train stops here. He will simply get overwhelmed by the whirling dirvish, Clay Guida. Guida by decision.

Stephan Bonnar (206) vs. Jon Jones (206)
I know squat about Jones. Bonnar by 1st round kimura.

UFC 94 Preliminary Card Bouts:
Jon Fitch (171) vs. Akihiro Gono (171)
Curious card placement of the most recent welter weight top contender for sure. Karo has never had a title shot at 170, yet is on the main card. Fitch by 2nd round TKO.

Manny Gamburyan (155) vs. Thiago Tavares (155)
I’m pulling for Tavares to put Manny out of the UFC here. Let’s go 1st round TKO for Tavares.

Chris Wilson (170) vs. John Howard (171)
The deceptively tough Wilson by 1st round submission.

Jake O’Brien (205) vs. Christian Wellisch (206)
O’Brien by a three round smother attack.

Matt Arroyo (171) vs. Dan Cramer (171)
Arroyo takes this, 1st round sub.

Former WEC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit will make his UFC debut on April 1 against tough vet Martin Kampmann, in the Fight Night headliner leading into the Ultimate Fighter 9.Condit has long been considered one of the top welterweights not (officially) in the UFC and now he finally gets the chance to prove himself.

Kampmann is new to the welterweight division, after having fought at 185lbs for most of his time with the UFC. He was actually at the cusp of a title shot back at UFC 72, when he was slated to face Rich Franklin in a number 1 contender’s bout, when he sustained a bad knee injury. Kampmann holds a victory over Thales Leites, the man scheduled to face Anderson Silva for a middleweight title shot in Montreal this April.

Interesting factoid: Kampmann defeated Leites, who defeated Nate Marquardt, who crushed Kampmann. Further proof that MMA math doesn’t add up!