Ladies and gentlemen I am more than excited to present to you this week's edition of the UFC prediction thread which I myself will be attending in the lovely city of Toronto. And we certainly have a rather large pairing of title fights fitting the description. Jon Jones will look to defend his title for the third time in Toronto and the sixth time overall, but to do so he'll have to get past the first man that he's fought that's taller than him - in Alexander Gustafsson. And the interim bantamweight championship is up for grabs to decide who will more than likely be the next one to face the returning champ Dominick Cruz as Renan Barao looks to keep his 20 fight win streak alive as he faces arguably the best knockout artist in the Bantamweight Division - Eddie Wineland. Also, Ultimate Fighter 10 alumni Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione will square off in what is more than likely expected to be a heavy handed slugfest. Costa Phillipou and Francis Carmont will square off in a fight where one will see their five fight winning streak snapped. And Pat Healy looks to add punctuation to his impressive UFC debut as he takes on the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your official UFC 165 prediction thread!
Hello everyone! I'm Alex Cochrane here with your official UFC 165 prediction thread. Jon Jones is highly regarded as one of the best athletes of all time in the UFC, and his championship win at 23 years old along with all the other acolades he's produced as champion certainly goes to back that claim up. His elite combination of unorthodox striking and speedy wrestling makes a tough challenge for anyone who dare approaches him. However, out of all the competitor's he's faced he has yet to face anyone who's taller than him.. until now. Debuting in 2009, Sweden's Alexander Gustafsson has shown his own elite skills defeating names such as Matt Hammil, Thiago Silva, and Shogun Rua to his resume. Gustafsson presents a unique challenge to Jones unseen yet and at this Pay Per View, they'll finally square off. Also in the co main event, another title fight is on the card as Renan Barao looks to add Eddie Wineland to his list of names along with Urijah Faber and Michael McDonald. Other action includes knockout artists Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione squaring off, Matt Serra prospect Costa Phillipou takes on Tristar Gym's Francis Carmont, and Pat Healy looks to make his UFC stint a memorable one in hopes of shattering the undefeated streak of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Let's take a look at how I think things will go down when I travel to Toronto and watch this magnificant night in person.
Light Heavyweight (205 lbs) Championship: Jon Jones (c) Vs Alexander Gustafsson
This is definitely an interesting matchup for Jones. We've never seen him fight anyone taller than him, but keep in mind that regardless of the height disadvantage, Jones still has an 8 inch reach advantage on Gustafsson. If Gustaffson has any hopes of winning this fight, he will more than likely have to stay on the outside and utilize leg kicks, then close the distance on him with takedowns like he did in the Shogun fight. Of course with Jones, that's easier said than done. More than likely I see Jones utilizing his lengthy jab and will look to open up with more diverse striking, than take Gustafsson down and submit him.
Winner: Jon Jones by Submission in Rd. 2
Interim Bantamweight (135 lbs) Championship: Renan Barao (ic) Vs Eddie Wineland
I'm personally not too excited about this. I believe the talent pool at 135 is so much deeper and I think someone who has a more impressive resume than Eddie Wineland (who might I add is 2-2 overall in the promotion and hasn't defeated a top 5 guy) deserves the shot at Barao a little bit more than Wineland does. However, I know that Eddie is not dumb and knows how to use what he has to his advantage. More than likely I see him trying to finish it within the first two rounds and more than likely will end up going to a judge's decision, in which they will favour Barao in the later rounds.
Winner: Renan Barao by Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)
Heavyweight (220-265 lbs) Bout: Brendan Schaub Vs Matt Mitrione
Now if there's anything we've learned from the Ultimate Fighter, it's that both these men are definitely capable of standing and trading. Both former members of Team Rashad on the Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights, they now look to do so against each other in hopes of securing a spot amongst the upper eschlon of the division. I think this one could honestly be fight of the night with the ultimate winner being decided by who has the more well rounded skill set. I believe Schaub is the one to come out on top of this one being the more well rounded fighter, and will pull out a unanimous judge's decision.
Winner: Brendan Schaub by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Middleweight (185 lbs) Bout: Costa Phillipou vs Francis Carmont
Both men have to impressed with their five fight winning streaks, and considering Costa Phillipou just defeated Tim Boestch who was being considered for a title shot recently, that has to give him a heap of confidence heading into this fight, where as Carmont's last fight was less than impressive. However, I believe Carmont will use his superior wrestling to control this one and pull out another close decision.
Winner: Francis Carmont by Split Deicision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Lightweight (155 lbs) Bout: Pat Healy vs Khabib Nurmagomedov
A teetering bout between two lightweights will open up as both men are just hitting the upper eschlon of the UFC's stacked lightweight division. Khabib Nurmagomedov has shown some highly impressive skills breaking the record for the most takedowns landed in a UFC fight along with impressive finishes of Thiago Tavares and Kamal Shalorous. However, Pat Healy is no fighter to sneeze over. Before impressively defeating Jim Miller and capturing both, fight of the night and submission of the night honors Healy captured impressives wins at both 170 and 155 and even managed to pick up a submission wins over Dan Hardy and Carlos Condit. If that's not impressive enough he's also currently riding a 7 fight winning streak and was meant to challenge for the Strikeforce belt before Melendez ended up having to pull out due to a shoulder injury both times. However, I think a passing of the torch will open this one as Khabib will put on another impressive performance.
Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov by KO/TKO in Rd. 1
Well ladies and gentlemen, I now leave the pedastel to you folks. I'm always open to predicitons so please feel free to drop me a line!
PS: Sorry for some of the short ones, I'm kinda pressed for time right now :/
Hello everyone! I'm Alex Cochrane here with your official UFC 165 prediction thread. Jon Jones is highly regarded as one of the best athletes of all time in the UFC, and his championship win at 23 years old along with all the other acolades he's produced as champion certainly goes to back that claim up. His elite combination of unorthodox striking and speedy wrestling makes a tough challenge for anyone who dare approaches him. However, out of all the competitor's he's faced he has yet to face anyone who's taller than him.. until now. Debuting in 2009, Sweden's Alexander Gustafsson has shown his own elite skills defeating names such as Matt Hammil, Thiago Silva, and Shogun Rua to his resume. Gustafsson presents a unique challenge to Jones unseen yet and at this Pay Per View, they'll finally square off. Also in the co main event, another title fight is on the card as Renan Barao looks to add Eddie Wineland to his list of names along with Urijah Faber and Michael McDonald. Other action includes knockout artists Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione squaring off, Matt Serra prospect Costa Phillipou takes on Tristar Gym's Francis Carmont, and Pat Healy looks to make his UFC stint a memorable one in hopes of shattering the undefeated streak of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Let's take a look at how I think things will go down when I travel to Toronto and watch this magnificant night in person.
Light Heavyweight (205 lbs) Championship: Jon Jones (c) Vs Alexander Gustafsson
This is definitely an interesting matchup for Jones. We've never seen him fight anyone taller than him, but keep in mind that regardless of the height disadvantage, Jones still has an 8 inch reach advantage on Gustafsson. If Gustaffson has any hopes of winning this fight, he will more than likely have to stay on the outside and utilize leg kicks, then close the distance on him with takedowns like he did in the Shogun fight. Of course with Jones, that's easier said than done. More than likely I see Jones utilizing his lengthy jab and will look to open up with more diverse striking, than take Gustafsson down and submit him.
Winner: Jon Jones by Submission in Rd. 2
Interim Bantamweight (135 lbs) Championship: Renan Barao (ic) Vs Eddie Wineland
I'm personally not too excited about this. I believe the talent pool at 135 is so much deeper and I think someone who has a more impressive resume than Eddie Wineland (who might I add is 2-2 overall in the promotion and hasn't defeated a top 5 guy) deserves the shot at Barao a little bit more than Wineland does. However, I know that Eddie is not dumb and knows how to use what he has to his advantage. More than likely I see him trying to finish it within the first two rounds and more than likely will end up going to a judge's decision, in which they will favour Barao in the later rounds.
Winner: Renan Barao by Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)
Heavyweight (220-265 lbs) Bout: Brendan Schaub Vs Matt Mitrione
Now if there's anything we've learned from the Ultimate Fighter, it's that both these men are definitely capable of standing and trading. Both former members of Team Rashad on the Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights, they now look to do so against each other in hopes of securing a spot amongst the upper eschlon of the division. I think this one could honestly be fight of the night with the ultimate winner being decided by who has the more well rounded skill set. I believe Schaub is the one to come out on top of this one being the more well rounded fighter, and will pull out a unanimous judge's decision.
Winner: Brendan Schaub by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Middleweight (185 lbs) Bout: Costa Phillipou vs Francis Carmont
Both men have to impressed with their five fight winning streaks, and considering Costa Phillipou just defeated Tim Boestch who was being considered for a title shot recently, that has to give him a heap of confidence heading into this fight, where as Carmont's last fight was less than impressive. However, I believe Carmont will use his superior wrestling to control this one and pull out another close decision.
Winner: Francis Carmont by Split Deicision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Lightweight (155 lbs) Bout: Pat Healy vs Khabib Nurmagomedov
A teetering bout between two lightweights will open up as both men are just hitting the upper eschlon of the UFC's stacked lightweight division. Khabib Nurmagomedov has shown some highly impressive skills breaking the record for the most takedowns landed in a UFC fight along with impressive finishes of Thiago Tavares and Kamal Shalorous. However, Pat Healy is no fighter to sneeze over. Before impressively defeating Jim Miller and capturing both, fight of the night and submission of the night honors Healy captured impressives wins at both 170 and 155 and even managed to pick up a submission wins over Dan Hardy and Carlos Condit. If that's not impressive enough he's also currently riding a 7 fight winning streak and was meant to challenge for the Strikeforce belt before Melendez ended up having to pull out due to a shoulder injury both times. However, I think a passing of the torch will open this one as Khabib will put on another impressive performance.
Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov by KO/TKO in Rd. 1
Well ladies and gentlemen, I now leave the pedastel to you folks. I'm always open to predicitons so please feel free to drop me a line!
PS: Sorry for some of the short ones, I'm kinda pressed for time right now :/
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