Two title fights and a Hall of Fame match up taking place at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi. Let's take a look at the card and see what's on tap for Saturday.
Anderson Silva (25-4) vs Demian Maia (12-1):
No one is giving Maia a chance and either am I. Watch the Silva/Griffin fight and you will see the crisp, beautiful athleticism that he is known for. Add the 10-0 UFC record with 8 title defenses and you have a real champion. Maia is a whiz on the mat, but look at his KO loss to Nate Marquardt (who Silva thoroughly trounced) and I think we have a nice picture of what will occur Saturday night.
Aside from the possibility of another highlight reel KO, there is another scenario looming. When Silva fought Thales Leites, the champion looked boring. A few flashy and strange moves, but neither fighter wanted to engage and the result was a snoozefest. Will this match up of striker vs grappler play out the same way? Hopefully not, but I'm sure Maia doesn't want it ending like any of Silva's other UFC appearances.
My prediction: Anderson Silva by KO, Round 2.
BJ Penn (15-5-1) vs Frankie Edgar (11-1):
Again, lots of people are counting out Frankie in this one. BJ is a great champion and an amazing fighter. Looking at his last few performances (aside from his welterweight tussle with a physically larger GSP) he has put on dominant performances in his last five lightweight bouts - all stoppages - simply outclassing the opposition.
Edgar is a gamer, and a Jersey resident at that. I do have a soft spot for Jersey fighters but I just don't see it happening. BJ is phenomenal. His balance, flexibility, dexterity, added with a black belt in jiu jitsu and potent fists makes him the fighter he his. Boxing trainer, Freddie Roach stated that Penn has the best hands out of any of the mixed martial artists he has worked with. After a few rounds of eating 1-2's Edgar wears down and Penn capitalizes.
My prediction: BJ Penn by Rear Choke, Round 3.
Matt Hughes (44-7) vs Renzo Gracie (13-6-1, 1 NC):
Both men are getting older and age is not kind to mixed martial artists. However, they are both legends of the fight game and this fight is a throw back to their glory days. Hughes used to bulldoze people to the mat, using his superior wrestling and conditioning to wear out opponents. Gracie was a pioneer in MMA using his family's art and racking up wins against some great competition.
I think this fight goes one of two ways. 1) Hughes hits takedown after takedown and doesn't mount much offense from top position, not trying to pass, and remaining content with all of his limbs and faculties intact. 2) Hughes makes one mistake and Renzo grabs whichever opening he sees first and gets the tap.
Hughes long time trainer, Pat Militech, fought Renzo a few years back in an IFL superfight. Win by tapout due to a standing guillotine from Renzo was the result. Old or not, the man has jiu jitsu skills.
My prediction: Renzo Gracie by Guillotine Choke, Round 1.
Anderson Silva (25-4) vs Demian Maia (12-1):
No one is giving Maia a chance and either am I. Watch the Silva/Griffin fight and you will see the crisp, beautiful athleticism that he is known for. Add the 10-0 UFC record with 8 title defenses and you have a real champion. Maia is a whiz on the mat, but look at his KO loss to Nate Marquardt (who Silva thoroughly trounced) and I think we have a nice picture of what will occur Saturday night.
Aside from the possibility of another highlight reel KO, there is another scenario looming. When Silva fought Thales Leites, the champion looked boring. A few flashy and strange moves, but neither fighter wanted to engage and the result was a snoozefest. Will this match up of striker vs grappler play out the same way? Hopefully not, but I'm sure Maia doesn't want it ending like any of Silva's other UFC appearances.
My prediction: Anderson Silva by KO, Round 2.
BJ Penn (15-5-1) vs Frankie Edgar (11-1):
Again, lots of people are counting out Frankie in this one. BJ is a great champion and an amazing fighter. Looking at his last few performances (aside from his welterweight tussle with a physically larger GSP) he has put on dominant performances in his last five lightweight bouts - all stoppages - simply outclassing the opposition.
Edgar is a gamer, and a Jersey resident at that. I do have a soft spot for Jersey fighters but I just don't see it happening. BJ is phenomenal. His balance, flexibility, dexterity, added with a black belt in jiu jitsu and potent fists makes him the fighter he his. Boxing trainer, Freddie Roach stated that Penn has the best hands out of any of the mixed martial artists he has worked with. After a few rounds of eating 1-2's Edgar wears down and Penn capitalizes.
My prediction: BJ Penn by Rear Choke, Round 3.
Matt Hughes (44-7) vs Renzo Gracie (13-6-1, 1 NC):
Both men are getting older and age is not kind to mixed martial artists. However, they are both legends of the fight game and this fight is a throw back to their glory days. Hughes used to bulldoze people to the mat, using his superior wrestling and conditioning to wear out opponents. Gracie was a pioneer in MMA using his family's art and racking up wins against some great competition.
I think this fight goes one of two ways. 1) Hughes hits takedown after takedown and doesn't mount much offense from top position, not trying to pass, and remaining content with all of his limbs and faculties intact. 2) Hughes makes one mistake and Renzo grabs whichever opening he sees first and gets the tap.
Hughes long time trainer, Pat Militech, fought Renzo a few years back in an IFL superfight. Win by tapout due to a standing guillotine from Renzo was the result. Old or not, the man has jiu jitsu skills.
My prediction: Renzo Gracie by Guillotine Choke, Round 1.
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