TUF 3 ~ The Finale ~ The Predictions
The Ultimate Fighter 3 has come to the end, the matches are set and on the 24th of July 2 new fighters will win contracts in the UFC. This will be aired on SPIKE TV for all to see. Don't miss all the action. Here is how the fight card is going to breack down.
Let me mention 3 names 1st. Noah Inhofer, Tait Fletcher and Kristian Rothaermel. These are the 3 fighters who chose not to fight at some point in the show. Any fighter out there with an opportunity on this show needs to understand, if you don't quit you will be fighting in the UFC in some capacity. Chris Leben lost 2 times on the show, he's now on Ultimate Fight Night cards. With this sport growing and getting more venues they need more fighters, just don't quit. Even if you get whooped you still will have an opportunity. If you follow the show you will see more guys who did not win fighting on cards for upcoming events.
The Undercard
Mike Nickels
VS
Wes Combs
Mike Nickels went on the ultimate fighter with a record of 3-1, he lost in a fight with Matt Hammill. In that fight he showed that he had really no stand up game. His punches were not sharp and he would not keep his head up which eliminates the opportunity to see your target. If he has not spent the last couple months working on that aspect of his game he will be in some trouble next week. Wes "soldier" Combs brings a 12-0 record with 9 KO's, I don't see Nickels slowing him down any. I think he will be way to much for Nickels to handle.
Solomon Hutcherson
VS
Luigi Fioravanti
Solomon was winning his fight against Rory Singer when he took a nice high kick to the head and got dropped. He showed some good stand up skills for someone with a strong wrestling background. He will need to showcase those skills and improve on them to have a chane against Fioravanti. Fioravanti has a 7-1 record, his 1 loss was to Chris Leben. If Leben couldn't knock him out, Solomon more than likely wont either. After that I don't know what kind of submission game he has. I look for this to be a rough start for the TUF guys with these 2 losses.
Rory Singer
VS
Ross Pointon
This is an interesting match up for me. Rory is a very smart person who should be able to come up with a strategy to beat Ross, just don't get hit by that looping right hand. In order to do that Rory will have to disprove his critics, stand in there and be willing to take that punch to get the take down and work his game. Ross, what can you say, no one should doubt whether or not he will stand in there. But if Rory can get him to the ground I don't think he can do anything. I'm going to take Rory over Ross.
Kalib Starnes
VS
Danny Abaddi
Kalib comes in off his 1st loss, that loss was on the show so it wont show on his record. He seemed very frustrated with the training of team Shamrock and has made several comments since the show stating that. Shamrock criticized Kalib after his loss saying that Kalib could not have hurt his ribs or he would not have been able to hang in there as long as he did. Having cracked my ribs at the begining of a trainig class and finishing that class I can tell you that Shamrock was wrong. I knew that I was in pain but didn't know they were cracked until later that night when the pain didn't go away. I don't give Danny much more than a fluke chance in this one. Kalib will take him down and work him over pretty good and pretty fast.
Matt Hamill
VS
Jesse Forbes
This may be the slowest fight of the night. Both these guys are young in there MMA careers and both are wrestlers. The fear with a fight like this is that wrestling will take over and they will forget they can punch and choke. I like Matt, he's a good story. Matt is deaf, if you've watched any MMA you know that the corners are constantly shouting instructions into the ring, Matt cannot have this part of the game at his disposal. He seemed on the show to be a very hard worker. I believe he will beat Jesse.
The TUF Championship Fights
The Middleweights
Ed Short Fuse Herman
VS
Kendall Da Spyder Grove
This should be a good one. Ed should have been my pick for the middleweights, I went with Rory because he's one of Forrests partners and I just expected a little more from him. Ed being an Oregon boy should have been my pick. Kendall showed a ton of improvement throughout the show and did some major damage to Kalibs ribs with some nice kicks during the semi-finals. Ed's game is to ground and pound, why not, he comes from Team Quest. Kendall may be a little to long for Ed to handle inthat type of game. Kendall is 6 foot 6, if he can keep Ed in his guard Ed wont have enough on his punches and Kendall can just work his submissions. I'm going to go with Ed in this one. WAR Oregon!
The Lightheavyweights
Michael The Count Bisping
VS
Josh Bring the Pain Haynes
Bisping went straight through the competition and looked good doing it, he's got all the tools needed to be a great fighter. Josh was my preseason favorite for this fight. On paper this looks like an easy fight for Bisping, he's taller, more polished and has a better record. Haynes has just hung around and hung around. He's shown a tremendous heart and desire just to win. He pulls inspiration from his family, his oldest son was diagnosed with brain cancer at birth but has pulled through. Bisping will be his toughest opponent to date and I believe Bisping is a heavy favorite but I'm sticking with my pick, win or loose. WAR Oregon!
The Main Events
Kenny Florian
VS
Sam Stout
Florian was a finalist in TUF's season 1, Stout came on to the scene by taking a split decision over favored Spencer Fisher in UFC 58. Florian is going to have to get Stout to the ground to work his ground game, I don't know that he can do that. I'm going to look for Stout to defend the takedowns and keep Kenny at bay with his hands. This should be a good fight.
Kieth Jardine
VS
Wilson Gouveia
Jardine was a member of TUF season 2, he is also a veteran of the KOTC. Gouveia is a BJJ fighter from American Top Team in Florida. Jardine has fought in the UFC 3 times, 2 wins and one very questionable loss via decision against Stephan Bonnar. I think he will dominate this fight and come out victorious.
Let me mention 3 names 1st. Noah Inhofer, Tait Fletcher and Kristian Rothaermel. These are the 3 fighters who chose not to fight at some point in the show. Any fighter out there with an opportunity on this show needs to understand, if you don't quit you will be fighting in the UFC in some capacity. Chris Leben lost 2 times on the show, he's now on Ultimate Fight Night cards. With this sport growing and getting more venues they need more fighters, just don't quit. Even if you get whooped you still will have an opportunity. If you follow the show you will see more guys who did not win fighting on cards for upcoming events.
The Undercard
Mike Nickels
VS
Wes Combs
Mike Nickels went on the ultimate fighter with a record of 3-1, he lost in a fight with Matt Hammill. In that fight he showed that he had really no stand up game. His punches were not sharp and he would not keep his head up which eliminates the opportunity to see your target. If he has not spent the last couple months working on that aspect of his game he will be in some trouble next week. Wes "soldier" Combs brings a 12-0 record with 9 KO's, I don't see Nickels slowing him down any. I think he will be way to much for Nickels to handle.
Solomon Hutcherson
VS
Luigi Fioravanti
Solomon was winning his fight against Rory Singer when he took a nice high kick to the head and got dropped. He showed some good stand up skills for someone with a strong wrestling background. He will need to showcase those skills and improve on them to have a chane against Fioravanti. Fioravanti has a 7-1 record, his 1 loss was to Chris Leben. If Leben couldn't knock him out, Solomon more than likely wont either. After that I don't know what kind of submission game he has. I look for this to be a rough start for the TUF guys with these 2 losses.
Rory Singer
VS
Ross Pointon
This is an interesting match up for me. Rory is a very smart person who should be able to come up with a strategy to beat Ross, just don't get hit by that looping right hand. In order to do that Rory will have to disprove his critics, stand in there and be willing to take that punch to get the take down and work his game. Ross, what can you say, no one should doubt whether or not he will stand in there. But if Rory can get him to the ground I don't think he can do anything. I'm going to take Rory over Ross.
Kalib Starnes
VS
Danny Abaddi
Kalib comes in off his 1st loss, that loss was on the show so it wont show on his record. He seemed very frustrated with the training of team Shamrock and has made several comments since the show stating that. Shamrock criticized Kalib after his loss saying that Kalib could not have hurt his ribs or he would not have been able to hang in there as long as he did. Having cracked my ribs at the begining of a trainig class and finishing that class I can tell you that Shamrock was wrong. I knew that I was in pain but didn't know they were cracked until later that night when the pain didn't go away. I don't give Danny much more than a fluke chance in this one. Kalib will take him down and work him over pretty good and pretty fast.
Matt Hamill
VS
Jesse Forbes
This may be the slowest fight of the night. Both these guys are young in there MMA careers and both are wrestlers. The fear with a fight like this is that wrestling will take over and they will forget they can punch and choke. I like Matt, he's a good story. Matt is deaf, if you've watched any MMA you know that the corners are constantly shouting instructions into the ring, Matt cannot have this part of the game at his disposal. He seemed on the show to be a very hard worker. I believe he will beat Jesse.
The TUF Championship Fights
The Middleweights
Ed Short Fuse Herman
VS
Kendall Da Spyder Grove
This should be a good one. Ed should have been my pick for the middleweights, I went with Rory because he's one of Forrests partners and I just expected a little more from him. Ed being an Oregon boy should have been my pick. Kendall showed a ton of improvement throughout the show and did some major damage to Kalibs ribs with some nice kicks during the semi-finals. Ed's game is to ground and pound, why not, he comes from Team Quest. Kendall may be a little to long for Ed to handle inthat type of game. Kendall is 6 foot 6, if he can keep Ed in his guard Ed wont have enough on his punches and Kendall can just work his submissions. I'm going to go with Ed in this one. WAR Oregon!
The Lightheavyweights
Michael The Count Bisping
VS
Josh Bring the Pain Haynes
Bisping went straight through the competition and looked good doing it, he's got all the tools needed to be a great fighter. Josh was my preseason favorite for this fight. On paper this looks like an easy fight for Bisping, he's taller, more polished and has a better record. Haynes has just hung around and hung around. He's shown a tremendous heart and desire just to win. He pulls inspiration from his family, his oldest son was diagnosed with brain cancer at birth but has pulled through. Bisping will be his toughest opponent to date and I believe Bisping is a heavy favorite but I'm sticking with my pick, win or loose. WAR Oregon!
The Main Events
Kenny Florian
VS
Sam Stout
Florian was a finalist in TUF's season 1, Stout came on to the scene by taking a split decision over favored Spencer Fisher in UFC 58. Florian is going to have to get Stout to the ground to work his ground game, I don't know that he can do that. I'm going to look for Stout to defend the takedowns and keep Kenny at bay with his hands. This should be a good fight.
Kieth Jardine
VS
Wilson Gouveia
Jardine was a member of TUF season 2, he is also a veteran of the KOTC. Gouveia is a BJJ fighter from American Top Team in Florida. Jardine has fought in the UFC 3 times, 2 wins and one very questionable loss via decision against Stephan Bonnar. I think he will dominate this fight and come out victorious.
posted by Bruceleeroy at 3:53 PM
4 Comments:
I agree for the most part. I like Ed Herman in a war onver Kendall Grove, Bisping in a rout, K Flo in the main event. I also think Starnes in a walkover versus Danny and Matt Hammill, as he's been in private training, over Jesse who really showed me nothing!!
Regarding the comments on Mike Nickels having no stand-up game; it's difficult to fight, see, punch, block, really do anything with a broken nose which happened early on in the fight against Matt. Regardless, Mike never gave up, and when all was said and done, Mike didn't end up in the hospital for 3 days going in and out of a coma; that was Matt.
And as we all saw last night, Mike is a great fighter. He handed Wes his first loss, did it in the first round after getting tagged a couple of times, and submitted him. Congrats Mike!
I do stand corrected on the Mike Nickels comment. At the time I wrote this the information about him breaking his nose had not reached me. After watching that fight again and knowing his nose was broke it looks a lot different. Props to him on his victory.
Thanks for the comments Bruceleeroy! Great Blog BTW.
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