The MMA community looks into the crystal ball

MMAMania.com picks for Affliction: Banned

MMAWeekly UFN 14 Preview

MMAWeekly Affliction: Banned Preview

MMA Experts Picks for Affliction: Banned(how stupid is Tim Sylvia in that pic, does this guy not have a PR person working with him?)

Interesting that not many people in the blog community are talking UFN 14, but I guess it's not surprising considering the card it is up against. Personally, I am interested in watching UFN 14, but I will probably not do so live. The Bushwhacker plan of attack will work as follows; 1) Utilize DVR for Affliction prelims on FSN and UFN 14 on Spike Tv 2) Watch the Affliction: Banned PPV portion live 3) While all the bogus bullshit like the Megadeath concert and poor commentary is going on between flights flip to the DVR to check in on some action without commercial interruption. Oh yeah, we just got HDNet, so Monday night will consist of DREAM 5. Yes, I know we're meat heads, but that is why we're bringing back the Bushwhackers....

UFN 14 Luke's Picks

UFN Spike TV 9pm Est/6pm PST

Light Heavyweight bout: Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin

- Unlike the Affliction Headliner, I am going with the favorite here. Silva is without a shadow of a doubt the best pound for pound fighter in the sport. I watched the Countdown to UFN 14 last night and the guy looks as quick and as fast at 205 as he does at 185. Irvin has some highlight real KO’s to his credit, but it’s going to take a lot more than a Superman punch or a flying knee to take out Silva. Frankly, Irvin’s game isn’t well rounded enough to take him out.

Lightweight bout: Hermes Franca vs. Frank Edgar

- Definitely an interesting match up, I like Franca to win coming off his year long drug suspension. Edgar has some legit wins under his belt but Franca is a tremendous fighter who is hungry to get back to a title shot.

Light Heavyweight bout: Brandon Vera vs. Reese Andy

- Brandon Vera looked fit and desperate on the Countdown show last night. That spells trouble for UFC newcomer Reese Andy. Look for sparks to fly in the first round. Definitely a KO victory for Vera.

Welterweight bout: Anthony Johnson vs. Kevin Burns

- Rumble has the unenviable challenge of topping his 51 second KO of Tommy Speer, but I think he’s up for it. Rumble wins via KO.

Middleweight bout: Jesse Taylor vs. C.B. Dollaway

- Some people think this is a perfect match up for fight fans, I disagree. Jesse Taylor is tremendously gifted physically, but he’s really not entertaining to watch and used his raw ability to get through the show. CB is clearly the more polished fighter, but his over confidence has put him in bad places in the past. Fortunately for him, he isn’t facing a guy that is as patient or intelligent as Amir. If CB comes out and makes Jesse stand I think he wins easily. If they spend the fight on the floor, I still think CB wins, but it won’t be unanimous.

Heavyweight bout: Cain Velasquez vs. Jake O'Brien

- Everyone and their mom says Cain Velasquez is THE up and coming fighter in the UFC. Hopefully they are right because the Heavyweight division needs him badly. Cain wins and the legend grows.

Welterweight bout: James Giboo beats Brad Blackburn
Welterweight bout: Brodie Farber beats Rory Markham
Lightweight bout: Dale Hart beats Shannon Gugerty
Middleweight bout: Nate Loughran beats Johnny Rees
Middleweight bout: Tim Credeur beats Cale Yarbrough

Affliction: Banned Luke's Picks

Prelims are on FSN starting 8PM EST/5pm PST
PPV starts 9PM EST/6pm PST

WAMMA Heavyweight Championship bout: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia

- I am going with Tim in an upset. Fedor hasn’t fought a legit MMA fighter in two years and the two big guys that he has beaten in the past weren’t anywhere close to as talented as Tim. For as much crap as Tim gets from fans the guy is a legit fighter. You don’t hold the UFC heavyweight belt twice and not be extremely talented.

Heavyweight bout: Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell

- Arlovski via KO. Rothwell has zero quality wins and a decision win over a fat rehab’d Ricco Rodriguez in September is less than impressive

Heavyweight bout: Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo

- Barnett via submission. Josh has got revenge on his mind, Rizzo half the man he used to be.

Middleweight bout: Matt Lindland vs. Fabio Negao

- Lindland shakes off a year and a half of ring rust and comes away victorious

Light heavyweight bout: Renato Sobral vs. Mike Whitehead

- Babalu via TKO

Heavyweight bout: Aleksander Emelianenko will KO Paul Buentello
Light heavyweight bout: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will Submit Edwin Dewees
Middleweight bout: Terry Martin beats Vitor Belfort
Featherweight bout: Mark Hominick beats Savant Young
Welterweight bout: Mike Pyle beats JJ Ambrose
Middleweight bout: Justin Levens beats Ray Lizama

Butch's Picks for UFC 86

Corey Hill Vs. Justin Buchholz

Neither of these guys are particularly experienced and I am not familiar with either. Hill looks to have better stats according to Sherdog (both fights won were stoppages). Hill via TKO round 2.

Melvin Guillard Vs. Dennis Siver

Guillard lost his last two UFC fights to Rich Clementi and Joe Stevenson, both excellent fighters. Siver on the other hand is 1-2 in last two UFC fights and lost both fights via submission. Neither appear to be submission artists and will look to bang it out. Guillard via KO round 1.

Jorge Gurgel vs. Cole Miller

Gurgel appears to be the better fighter on paper, but Miller fights with American Top Team and I am going on hunch here. Miller via split decision.

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Justin McCully

Gonzaga has fought some big boys in the UFC (Couture and Werdum) recently and lost, but he has 20 pounds on McCully and McCully hasn't fought in over a year. Gonzaga via armbar round 2.

Marcus Aurelio vs. Tyson Griffin

Aurelio will spend the entire fight looking for a submission, while Griffin will inflict punishment. Griffin's defense will hold up. Griffin via unanimous decision.

Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau

Both of these are young fighters that have dropped from welterweight to lightweight. Stevenson most recently lost a great battle to BJ Penn and Tibau also lost his last fight to Tyson Griffin. Both will be looking to rebound. I expect Stevenson to take this fight to the mat and go with a ground and pound strategy. Tibau will look to use his BJJ for submission. I expect this fight won't be too exciting with Stevenson winning via unanimous decision.

Patrick Cote vs. Ricardo Almeida

Patrick Cote is riding a 4 fight win streak with signature TKO wins over Kendall Grove and Drew McFedries. Cote's punching power cannot be denied. Almeida has fought both in PRIDE and in Pancrase in Japan. He is a second degree black beat in BJJ and not surprisingly most of bouts are won via submission. This quite troubling for Cote whose last lost was due submission by Travis Lutter. Almeida could easily dust Lutter. I suspect this fight will be quick. Almeida via rear naked choke round 1.

Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle

Josh Koscheck is former NCAA national champion wrestler and has won six of his past seven fights in the UFC. His only was unanimous decision loss to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 74. Lytle has lost three of his past five fights in the UFC, to Matt Serra, Matt Hughes, and Thiago Alves. All are very good opponents and Lytle is definitely a veteran fighter, but I see Koscheck utilizing his wrestling skills and dominating this fight. Koscheck via TKO round 2.

Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiits time for five rounds in the UFC light heavyweight division...

Quintin "Rampage" Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin

Is it me or does it seem like this card and this fight especially is not being hyped as much as it should. This fight pits two excellent fighters that are crowd favorites. Rampage has won his last 6 fights including 3 in the UFC with wins over Marvin Eastman, Chuck Liddell, and Dan Henderson. Griffin has a two fight win streak including a victory over the last fighter (Shogun Rua) to beat Rampage. Rampage has distinct advantages in punching power, wrestling, and top game control. Griffin has highly underrated BJJ skills and a huge heart. He can take a beating and keep going. Griffin will look to take this fight into later rounds and exploit Rampage's perceived cardio issues. I believe Rampage will show again that he is well prepared and ready to rumble. Rampage via TKO round 4.

Luke's Picks for UFC 86

Corey Hill vs. Justin Buchholz

Gotta go with Corey Hill TKO Round 1, loved him on TUF 5 and now that he is working with Jens fulltime he's headed down the right path.

Melvin Guillard vs. Dennis Siver

One fight removed from a drug suspension and his loss to Rich Clementi, I'll take Mevlin via Unanimous Decision.

Jorge Gurgel vs. Cole Miller

Jorge has promised to not let this fight go to a decision and Miller isn't one to lay back. But some how I still see it making all three rounds. Gurgel in a split decision upset. At even odds on Gurgel (BEST BET).

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Justin McCully

Right now Gonzaga is -600 versus McCully+400 on Bodog right now, which is surprising because he’s coming of two consecutive losses. Sure he doesn't want to lose three in a row, but that spread is way too big for me. I am taking McCully to win in the upset of the night.

Tyson Griffin vs. Marcus Aurelio

Aurelio had a stunning Round 1 submission victory at UFN 13, but I don't see this fight being this easy. Griffin is a big 155 lb fighter and hard to submit. Griffin via TKO Round 3.

Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau

Joe Daddy via submission Round 2. Decent bet at -260, but definitely not my first pick.

Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle

Kos takes it by decision.

Patrick Cote vs. Ricardo Almeida

Almeida -145 via Submission Round 2(BEST BET).

Rampage vs. Forrest

I don't see Forrest getting KO'd, but I think Rampage will be a lot better in the clinch that people anticipate. It seems that Forrest has his boxing game to the point where he can avoid the hammer, but I don't see him doing much offensively on his feet other than trying to tire Rampage in the clinch. Also, I think with Rampage's wrestling background he will make it tough for Forrest to finish him on the ground. I like Rampage in a decision. At -275 Rampage isn’t a horrendous bet, but my money isn’t going there.