Thursday, February 23, 2006

PRIDE ~ Unbreakable

Unbreakable airs this Sunday night and promises to bring an all star list of fighters to the table. If you have been getting into all the UFC they've been showing on SPIKE TV you have gotta try a PRIDE event, well worth it. If you are in the Nashville area come on down to the party! OK, I'll begin with.....


Mark Hunt

Mark Hunt sports a 3-1 record in MMA. He is a well accomplished kickboxer and a little known fact about him is that his head is made of concrete. It's true! He took some big kicks in his last fight against Crocop and didn't even blink. He's also beat Dan Bobish and Wanderlei Silva. His lone loss was in his 1st fight against Yoshida, no reason to be depressed about losing to him.

VS.


Yosuke Nishijima

Nishijima has no profile because this is his 1st MMA fight. He is a boxer from Japan and I think he's going to find himself in a little bit of trouble. He's outmatched,outexperienced and outweighed by 50 pounds. All Ihaveto say is that he'd better bring a bat! If he doesn't he will get KO'd in the 1st.




Mark "The Hammer" Coleman

The Hammer has been in the UFC octagon 8 times and this will be his 12th appearance in the PRIDE ring, his 14-7 record may not sound all that impresive but understand that he's fought a who's who of MMA. He is a lot like Randy Cotoure in the way he takes on a top opponent every time he steps in to fight. He's a former wrestler fighting out of the hammer house fight team in Ohio.

VS.


Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

Take a step back when Shogun enters the ring because he is like a freight train in the ring. 12-1 coming off a big double KO night with victories over Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona. Shogun will be giving up about 30-40 pounds depending on what kind of shape Coleman is in.

This will be a great fight. I look for them to come out swinging for the fences. I don't think that Coleman, now 42 like Cotoure who just retired, is just getting up there in age. I predict another 1st round KO.




Josh "The Babyfaced Assassin" Barnett

Barnett is a wrestler out of Seattle, WA with a 15-3 record. His losses come at the hands of Crocop, Crocop and Rizzo. No slouches there. He holds victories over Randy Cotoure, Yuki Condo and Dan Severn. He will be looking to get backin victory lane after back to back losses to Crocop. He's submitted 9 of his opponents so watch for some craft moves from this 250 pounder.

VS.


Kazuhiro Nakamura

Nakumura has also been around the block in MMA bringing an 8-4 record to the ring. Coming off a busy 2005 which saw him win 4 and lose 1. "The 1" you ask, Wanderlei Silva, yup, the champ. Other than that he's looked pretty damn good. All 12 of his fights were fought in a PRIDE ring so he's no stranger to the crowd and atmosphere there.

This will be another great fight. With a Judo player and a wrestler in the ring we should see a very technical fight with some great takedowns! I have Nakumura winning a decision in this one.




Alistair "Demolition Man" Overeem

Overeem is one of my favorite fighters to watch. He'll stay in there and trade with someone, even Chuck Liddell was having some trouble with him before landing the big one. His record is 21-6, he's coming off a loss to Shogun (listed above). At 6 foot 5 he loves the Guillotine choke, watch for him to use his height to land that early.

VS.


Sergei Kharitonov

Sergei, do you mind if I call him Sergei?, is 13-1 in MMA and is equally good on his feet and on the ground. Don't believe me? 6 KO's, 6 submissions, 1 decision. So there!

When it comes to Sergei, he's only been out of the 1st round 1 time so it's gonna be fast and furious. Look for Overeem to try and impose his 6 foot 5 on Serfei early. But with Sergei coming in at 6 foot 4 he probably wont get caught in that choke. I'm going against my guy tonight and picking Kharitonov in the 1st round with a KO.




Mario "Zen Machine" Sperry

Mario Sperry is well known in the BJJ and MMA world. He's got great submission skills being from Brazilian Top Team, although you wouldn't know it by looking at his past 4 fights which have ended by KO or TKO in the 1st round. 3 times the other guy and 1 time him! He spends his time doing a lot of training and has only fought 3 times in the past 3 years.

VS.


Tsuyoshi "TK" Kohsaka

You gotta love a guy with a creative knick name, where do they come up with that stuff? At 18-10-1 he's no stranger to the MMA world himself. He is also a submission fighter who has a TKO win against the current PRIDE heavyweight champ. Yeah so it was 6 years ago, it's still a victory.

It is funny how sometimes 2 great submission guys get into the ring and it ends up going to the guy with the better strikes that comes out on top. This fight does have the potential to be just that, but I have a sneaking suspicion that we will see a highly technical ground fight that goes the distance. I take Sperry by decision.





Yoon Dong Sik

Yoon Dong Sik is just fun to say, go ahead try it! He is 0-2 in his 2 MMA fights. Although he has put forth a valiant effort I don't think he gets the whole punch while you do your Judo concept. If he hasn't figured that out this may be a quick one. If he has figured that out it still may be a quick one.

VS.


Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Rampage is a good one to watch. 11 KO's and 7 submissions in his 21 wins makes him a very dominant force in the ring. Oh yeah, he also beat the crap out of Chuck Liddell 3 years ago. (a rematch EVERYONE wants to see!!!!)

But tonight we will see him beating up on someone else. I don't give Yoon much of a chance against Rampage, I think he will be giving up too much strength and aggression. Rampage in the 1st with the bloodist glove since the OJ trial!




Pedro "The Rock" Rizzo

Are you kidding me, we've already got a great card and now Rizzo. His resume, like Coleman's listed above is a who's who. Even if you only read about it hear I'm betting you've heard some of these names; Kharitonov, Rodriguez, 2 with Telligman, 2 with Cotoure, Matyushenko, McGee, Arlovsky, Barnett, Severn, Randleman, Coleman, Abbot (tank), Vernon White. That's 5 fights with former UFC champs right there! This guy fights them all. Oh and he beat most of them. Losses to both with Cotoure really shouldn't count against anyone.

VS.


Roman Zentsov

Zentsov is 10-10 with 7 KO's and 6 losses by KO. If you took your algebra, as I did, you figure Zentsov's KO's against the air speed velocity of an unlaiden swallow, carry the 1.... and this will turn out to be a very boring fight. OOPS, I forgot to divide by pie. Hate when that happens. No way this fight gets out of the 1st round. I have Rizzo with a BIG, that's right, BIG KNOCK OUT. Can't even use KO to describe this one.





Fabricio Werdum

Fabricio is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist that now trains out of the CroCop Squad Gym. He's 6-1-1 with 2 KO's and 3 Submissions. Knowing BJJ and training with CroCop is bound to make you a little well rounded. It will be interesting to see how he handles himself coming off his 1st loss. This is the type of fight that makes or breaks your career.

VS.


Jon Olav Einemo

Einemo has no nickname, this is very disturbing to me. I'm going to name him "The Real Slim Shady." Now that we have that out of the way....Jon Olaf is 5-0 wit 4 KO's and 1 submission all coming in the 1st round. He's not fought anyone with a real big name and I've not seen him fight.

I'm going to go with Fabricio on this one just because of the experience he brings with him. I'm going to say a close decision.




Antonio "Minotauro" Rodrigo Nogueira

At 25-3-1 Antonio is not to be taken lightly. He has also beaten a list of who's who, a little less of a list than Coleman and Rizzo, but it's a list dammit! On this night he fights a guy with a similar list.

VS.


Kiyoshi Tamura

Tamura has also fought some big names. His record, 13-8, would reflect an average fighter. He's beat Minowa, Horn, Miletich, a Gracie and Patrick Smith. (I only mention Patrick Smith because I don't like him and it brings a smile to my face to know that he lost that fight so sue me) Some of his losses come at the hands of Babalu(twice), Sapp, Silva and Yoshida. Not a bad list to loose to.

I'm gonna take Tamura in an upset on this one. Why, cuz I can.

I always say it's a great card and I'm always excited the fights are coming, this is true. But this card is packed baby. PACKED! Bring your cowbell and be prepared to shake it like a poloroid picture. Yeah, I can't spell. And you know this!

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