UFC 172 is going down this Saturday night in Baltimore, and I got all the fights figured out. I did my homework, ate my vitamins, said my prayers, and came up with these picks for the night. What are your picks for the night?
This is both fighters’ UFC debut, but I am going with Williams on this one just because he has more finishes to his name.
Danny Castillo (16-6) v Charlie Brenneman (19-6) 155lbs:
Although Brenneman is coming off of a loss by RNC, I have to go with Brennenman on this one. I think he may be too strong for Castillo.
(SCRATCHED) Joe Ellenberger (14-1) v Vagner Rocha (11-3) 155lbs:
Joe is Jake’s twin brother and is making his long awaited UFC debut. He is on a two fight win streak after suffering his one and only loss and taking 2013 off. 12 of Ellenberger’s 14 wins are finishes. I have him winning this fight by KO in the 2nd or 3rd round.
Jessamyn Duke (3-0) v Bethe Correia (7-0) 135lbs:
I’m going with Bethe Correia by split decision based on her experience over Duke. Also her victory over Julie Kedzie.
Takanori Gomi (34-9) v Isaac Vallie-Flagg (14-4) 155lbs:
Although Takanori Gomi is only 3-4 in The UFC and is coming off of a loss to Diego Sanchez I have him winning this fight by 2nd round TKO. He has far more experience than Vallie-Flagg and still has some heavy hands.
Joseph Benavidez (19-4) v Timothy Elliot (10-4) 125lbs:
I believe Benavidez will eventually work his way back up to a title fight again. I see him dominating this fight and winning by unanimous decision.
Max Halloway (8-3) v Andre Fili (13-1) 145lbs:
I see these two fast rising featherweights putting on an exciting fight, I don’t see it lasting long though. Fili’s only loss was due to injury and has 7 KO/TKO’s and 3 Sub’s. Fili’s power will be the difference, he wins by TKO round 1.
Jim Miller (23-4) v Yancy Medeiros (9-1) 155lbs:
Medeiros stepped into fight Miller after Miller’s original opponent was injured. This will be Medeiros’ third UFC fight, with his first ending when he broke his thumb and couldn’t continue. His last fight was a KO over Yves Edwards, which was overturned after Medeiros failed his drug test for the reefer. I have Medeiros surprising some people with a 2nd round TKO win over Miller.
Luke Rockhold (11-2) v Tim Boetsch (17-6) 185lbs:
Honestly I’m not expecting this fight to be too exciting. Boetsch looked very promising when he first came down to 185lbs but his cardio has been pretty bad his last couple fights, and Rockhold is 1-1 in UFC although his loss is to Belfort. I don’t think Boetsch will be easy to finish, but Rockhold’s endurance will get him a unanimous decision victory.
Phil Davis (12-1) v Anthony Johnson (16-4) 205lbs:
Johnson is on a six fight win streak since losing to Belfort the last time he was in The UFC, but Davis is definitely a step up in the competition Johnson faced outside The UFC. Johnson is coming off of a KO win over Mike Kyle in WSOF, but I think Davis’ wrestling will be too much for Johnson. With Davis recently taking his beef with Jon Jones to the next level on the UFC conference call, and Jones not wanting to fight Gustafsson, Davis might be able to get himself a title shot with a win. I see him winning this fight with his superior wrestling and cardio by split decision.
Jon Jones (19-1) v Glover Teixeira (22-2) 205lbs Championship:
The last time Teixeira loss, I had a pierced ear and wanted to start my own record label. It was to Ed Herman back in 2005, he is on a twenty fight win streak; so yeah he is definitely a threat to the champ Jones. I don’t see Teixeira being the one that stops Jones though. I think he will push Jones and wins some rounds, but Jones’ skill and gameplan will be too much. Jones takes the main event by split decision.
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