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- 20 January 2004
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That time again. I'm stoked for this event, so I thought i'd provide a technical breakdown for the hardcore MMA guys. This card is pretty stacked, and several of the fights have some heavy implications.
1. B.J. Penn vs Sean Sherk (LW Title Fight)
Penn is IMO the most talented person in MMA. Unreal flexibility and TD defense, top notch subs, heavy hands and strong chin. He's beaten Din, Caol, Serra, Gomi, Hughes, Bang, 2 Gracies, Jens, and Stevenson. He's fought from LW to HW, and went the distance w/ Machida @ HW. He was whooping GSP until he gassed, and had Hughes beat again until he separated a rib. Sherk has a killer shoot, and he's beaten Karo twice and his cousin Manvel, Tiki, Radach, Diaz, Florian, + Franca. Neither guy has ever been KO'd and each only has one TKO loss, but Sherk hasn't finished a fight since '05. B.J. is also 3" taller than Sean.
Prediction - Penn by submission.
2. Wanderlei Silva vs Keith Jardine
I've seen every one of Wand's fights, incl his Vale Tudo bouts. His combination of sheer aggression and vicious Muay Thai are exciting to say the least. He tends to charge in with some looping strikes and chin exposed sometimes, but his fight w/ Chuck showed he is capable of evolving and adapting, and also absorbing Chuck's bombs. Anyone who says he's washed up is probably jumping the gun I think. He's beaten Mezger, Hendo, Saku 3 times, Page twice, Arona, Fujita, and a whole parade of Pride hometown guys (Matsui, Oyama, Otsuka, Tamura, Yoshida, Minowa, Kondo, Nakamura :smile: ). He has 10 KO and 10 TKO wins, his 2 KO losses were late '06 and early '07, and his 2 TKO losses were back in '97 and '98. Having lost his last 3, we will either see the best or worst of Wand. Jardine's 2 big wins are over Forrest and Chuck, both decisive. Obviously his leg kicks are his biggest weapon, and since he's 3" taller I predict he'll dish out some punishment to the midsection. He was KO'd back in '02 and sent into orbit by Houston last year, other than that his chin has held up.
Prediction - Wand by KO.
3. Tito Ortiz vs Lyoto Machida
I am not a Tito fan (Jacob is his real name BTW), but I cannot deny that his A-level wrestling and GNP has served him well. He's beaten Mezger, Wand, Kondo, Tanner (perfect slam), Cote, Matyushenko, Vitor, Forrest (gift decision), and K. Shamrock 3 times. He only has 1 KO and 1 TKO loss, both to Chuck. Lyoto, while not having an amazing resume, is undefeated and has won versus Bonnar, Franklin, B.J., and Soko. Actually, he dominated Soko and was Franklin's only loss until Anderson came to town. He's never KO'd anyone but does has 3 TKO wins. His style has been accused of being overly cautious/boring, but his record speaks for itself. I think we'll see a see-saw battle, with both men leaving it all in the cage. Tito knows a win over Lyoto will strengthen his negotiating power as he shops other orgs, and Machida knows he will finally have his recognition if his hand is raised.
Prediction - Machida by decision.
4. Wilson Gouveia vs Goran Reljic (Gouveia)
5. Thiago Silva vs Antonio Mendes (Silva)
6. Ivan Salaverry vs Rousimar Palhares (Ivan for sure)
7. Rameau Sokoudjou vs Kazuhiro Nakamura (Soko)
8. Rich Clementi vs Terry Etim (Clementi definitely)
9. John Koppenhaver vs Yoshiyuki Yoshida (whatever)
10. Jason Tan vs Dong Hyun Kim (whatever)
11. Christian Wellisch vs Shane Carwin (whatever)
1. B.J. Penn vs Sean Sherk (LW Title Fight)
Penn is IMO the most talented person in MMA. Unreal flexibility and TD defense, top notch subs, heavy hands and strong chin. He's beaten Din, Caol, Serra, Gomi, Hughes, Bang, 2 Gracies, Jens, and Stevenson. He's fought from LW to HW, and went the distance w/ Machida @ HW. He was whooping GSP until he gassed, and had Hughes beat again until he separated a rib. Sherk has a killer shoot, and he's beaten Karo twice and his cousin Manvel, Tiki, Radach, Diaz, Florian, + Franca. Neither guy has ever been KO'd and each only has one TKO loss, but Sherk hasn't finished a fight since '05. B.J. is also 3" taller than Sean.
Prediction - Penn by submission.
2. Wanderlei Silva vs Keith Jardine
I've seen every one of Wand's fights, incl his Vale Tudo bouts. His combination of sheer aggression and vicious Muay Thai are exciting to say the least. He tends to charge in with some looping strikes and chin exposed sometimes, but his fight w/ Chuck showed he is capable of evolving and adapting, and also absorbing Chuck's bombs. Anyone who says he's washed up is probably jumping the gun I think. He's beaten Mezger, Hendo, Saku 3 times, Page twice, Arona, Fujita, and a whole parade of Pride hometown guys (Matsui, Oyama, Otsuka, Tamura, Yoshida, Minowa, Kondo, Nakamura :smile: ). He has 10 KO and 10 TKO wins, his 2 KO losses were late '06 and early '07, and his 2 TKO losses were back in '97 and '98. Having lost his last 3, we will either see the best or worst of Wand. Jardine's 2 big wins are over Forrest and Chuck, both decisive. Obviously his leg kicks are his biggest weapon, and since he's 3" taller I predict he'll dish out some punishment to the midsection. He was KO'd back in '02 and sent into orbit by Houston last year, other than that his chin has held up.
Prediction - Wand by KO.
3. Tito Ortiz vs Lyoto Machida
I am not a Tito fan (Jacob is his real name BTW), but I cannot deny that his A-level wrestling and GNP has served him well. He's beaten Mezger, Wand, Kondo, Tanner (perfect slam), Cote, Matyushenko, Vitor, Forrest (gift decision), and K. Shamrock 3 times. He only has 1 KO and 1 TKO loss, both to Chuck. Lyoto, while not having an amazing resume, is undefeated and has won versus Bonnar, Franklin, B.J., and Soko. Actually, he dominated Soko and was Franklin's only loss until Anderson came to town. He's never KO'd anyone but does has 3 TKO wins. His style has been accused of being overly cautious/boring, but his record speaks for itself. I think we'll see a see-saw battle, with both men leaving it all in the cage. Tito knows a win over Lyoto will strengthen his negotiating power as he shops other orgs, and Machida knows he will finally have his recognition if his hand is raised.
Prediction - Machida by decision.
4. Wilson Gouveia vs Goran Reljic (Gouveia)
5. Thiago Silva vs Antonio Mendes (Silva)
6. Ivan Salaverry vs Rousimar Palhares (Ivan for sure)
7. Rameau Sokoudjou vs Kazuhiro Nakamura (Soko)
8. Rich Clementi vs Terry Etim (Clementi definitely)
9. John Koppenhaver vs Yoshiyuki Yoshida (whatever)
10. Jason Tan vs Dong Hyun Kim (whatever)
11. Christian Wellisch vs Shane Carwin (whatever)
