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UFC 114 Preview
25 May 2010
By Jamie Kennedy
At UFC 114 the biggest grudge match in the history of the Sport is about to take place (well, at least that's how it's being promoted), the ear deafening raucous that will be generated by the crowd at Mandalay Bay in Vegas will be akin to a European night at Anfield. However the loudest and biggest reception will no doubt be heard in the co-main event of the evening? This is the fight I'll get out of the way first. Michael 'The Count' Bisping, faces Dan Miller, whom will receive luke warm cheers as he approaches the Cage but then will be cheered as if he were everyone's favourite fighter through out the bout. Bisping on the other will be jeered like a medieval prisoner being hung in a town square, I can almost imagine the hostile crowd bowling tomatoes at the surly Englishman.
They say that Bisping is the most polarising figure in UK mixed martial arts (Well before Semtex's exploits in Montreal) but the one thing is he does well is making people want to watch him fight. whether it be wanting him to win or be it wanting to see him Dan Henderson'd into next week, he puts arses on Pugh's. I really like this fight, as both men are coming off losses (both 1-2 in the last 3 with miller losing his last 2 fights.), it's not exactly a loser leaves town fight but Miller could very well be fighting his last bout for the Vegas based Org? Both men have great wrestling, Bisping has very good stand up and fairly good BJJ, Miller is the polar opposite in that sense, so it makes for an intriguing match up. I can't see Bisping wanting lay in Miller's guard for to long as that would certainly play to his (Millers) strengths and I can't see Miller wanting to stand with Bisping for to long either. I truly believe it could come down to whose Wrestling is strongest? My Prediction is second round tko via ground n pound in favour of Bisping.
Another British fighter on the card is John 'The Hitman' Hathaway who is facing off against Diego 'Nightmare' Sanchez. Diego Sanchez is a huge name in the Sport that has fought and been in wars with the very best: Jon Fitch, Nick Diaz, Josh Koscheck, Bj Penn, Clay Guida and Joe Stephenson to name but a few and he poses a huge step up in competition for the young Englishman. Hathaway is coming off a very impressive demolition of fellow Brit Paul Taylor, in a cringe inducing beat down that had me literally willing the official to stop the fight. Diego is coming off the wrong end of a beat down at the hands of BJ Penn, who he fought at peak of his three fight journey to the lightweight division. Although he did well in his flirt with the lower weight class, it seemed as if part of Diego's, pace, tenacity and intensity had lost a little steam and a little power from the gruelling weight cut. Welterweight is a much better class for him and he'll be looking for an impressive return to form against Hathaway. I don't see it happening though. Although Diego on paper should win this comfortably, I really see Hathaway getting the upset. With his (Hathaway) sheer size advantage over Sanchez and his Rugby based grappling and Boxing ability I just can't see Sanchez being able to handle him. He certainly wont stand and trade with him, he'll want to get him to the floor and use his BJJ and submission skills but I just don't see him taking Hathaway Down. My prediction is a unanimous decision victory for Hathaway.
An intriguing match up that's surprising only on the pre-lims is Luiz Cane v's Cyril Diabate, a fight I'm very excited about. Cyril 'Da Snake' Diabate is a Mauy Thai and Kickboxing legend. He started off quite impressively in his Mixed Martial Arts career with a decent showing against current UFC lightheavyweight champion Shogun Rua. He's become an integral cog in the Team Quest machine and was one of Dan Hendersons head coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, competing against Michael Bispings UK team; incidentally he actually beat Bisping by decision in a k1 rules bout before Bisping made it to the big leagues. Luiz Cane is coming off a loss to lil Nog' and will want to make up for lost ground by winning this bout impressively. Previous to that fight I'd always been impressed with Cane and I thought he looked awesome and very patient against Sokojiou before finally finishing him off in brutal fashion. I see being an very exciting and technical stand up fight with Cane getting a ko victory in the third.
Speaking of Lil' Nog, he's on this card too. He was set for the co-main event of the evening against former UFC light heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin but Forrest was forced to pull out through injury. In his place steps up Jason Brilz, an up and coming fighter with a record of three wins and one loss in his UFC career, the latter stemming from a controversial decision loss to Elliot Marshall. I can't see anything other than a win for Nogueira as he keeps on pushing forward towards that title shot. Lil Nog is a destroyer and over the last couple of years he's truly began to step out of his twin brothers shadow.
Another destroyer on the card is Todd Duffee, who is a just a man mountain. The only man I can remember cleanly ko'ing someone from a jab? as he sparked Tim Hague in record time at UFC 102. His opponent is Mike Russow a fellow American heavyweight with only one loss on his record. This is actually a rearranged fight as they were due to scrap at 102 before Russow as replaced by Hague. Duffee is an absolute animal with a perfect 6 wins, 6 knock outs, no losses record and I don't see this fight being any different from his previous fights. Duffee by ko in round one.
The Main event at UFC 114 is long over due, in fact so over due, personally I'm by all the shit talking and would just love to see them fight. They were supposed to face off what seems like an age ago at the end of The Ultimate Fighter 10, before Rampage went off to star as BA Baracus in the A-Team film, which was shortly followed by a row with UFC president and resulted in Rampage saying he was "done with Fighting". However the dust settled and all was forgiven and forgotten and the fight is now back on. It's a pretty hard one to call. Rampage has the power, Boxing, chin and if we're to believe what he's been saying throughout his camp, Cardio. Evans has the better Wrestling, Speed and Footwork. I give Rampage the edge as if he even gets the slightest chance to tap Evans' chin like Thiago Silva did then Evans is getting knocked out. With Greg Jackson in his corner and GSP as a training partner, you know that Evans is going to have a game plan all set out for Rampage and could lay and pray his way to a decision. Styles make fights and where as Rampage struggle against Forrests awkward, lanky jerky style, with head kicks to the dozen. I don't see Evans posing that kind of a threat to him. If Evans can manage to keep taking Rampage down then that's his best chance for the win, however Rampage is no wrestling slouch himself and actually out Wrestled Dan Henderson to unify the Pride and Ufc belts. By prediction is Rampage by TKO in the 3rd.
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