UFC 137: Picks and Predictions
UFC 137 is coming to you live on pay-per-view this Saturday from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas featuring former UFC champion, B.J. Penn vs. former Strikeforce champion, Nick Diaz with major title implications on the line. The event will also include heavyweight battles between Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione and Mirko “Crocop” vs. Roy Nelson, a bantamweight brawl between Scott Jorgensen and Jeff Curran as well as a featherweight contest featuring Hatsu Hioki and George Roop.
Spike TV will also air two fights from the preliminary card including a battle for lightweight posturing between Donald Cerrone and Dennis Siver and a featherweight fight between Tyson Griffin and Bart Palaszewski. As always, let’s look ahead at what we can expect this weekend.
B.J. Penn Vs. Nick Diaz
This fight stylistically is very exciting to me, but very difficult to predict at the same time. Originally scheduled as a co-main event, the battle was planned as a three-round fight. When the fight was moved to the headliner, there was discussion of making it a five-round fight, but UFC President, Dana White, decided to scrap that idea based on the idea that both athletes had only been training for three. I think this worked out in Penn’s favor, as I see him having an advantage early in the fight with more explosive power. The longer the fight goes, I see Diaz’s endurance and boxing skills coming into play as Penn tires out and slows down. A five round fight I’d edge towards Diaz, but being only three, I think Penn can take the first two and give the third away earning a unanimous decision. B.J. Penn by Unanimous Decision.
Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
Cheick Kongo has had an impressive run in the UFC losing only four of his fourteen fights with the promotion. Kongo however, having been given opportunities, has come up short in almost every big fight he’s had. Meanwhile, Matt Mitrione, a young up-and-coming heavyweight, has reeled off five impressive wins, four of them by KO/TKO and has shown incredible improvement in every fight.
Mitrione is young and hungry and looking to continue his climb to the top of the UFC heavyweight division, while Kongo appears to be positioning himself as a gatekeeper for the weight class. I see Mitrione handling business, outclassing Kongo and walking away with a victory. Matt Mitrione by Unanimous Decision.
Mirko Crocop vs. Roy Nelson
Some people are expecting this to be last UFC fight for Mirko Crocop, assuming the UFC will cut him if he loses to Nelson following a third loss and having lost four of six. Cropcop is adamant otherwise; he says he will win this fight and go out on his own terms when he’s ready. While I respect Crocop and admire the fight he once was, I’d have to agree with the former. Nelson is a heavy handed slugger that is virtually impossible to knockout. Crocop however, is starting to show signs of aging getting cold knocked-out in both of his last two fights.
I see nothing that Crocop can do to threaten Nelson of a finish during the fight. Regardless of who controls the fight, this means Nelson has fifteen minutes to land just one of those heavy haymakers to seal the deal. Roy Nelson by KO.
FULL EVENT PREDICTIONS
B.J. Penn def. Nick Diaz by UD
Matt Mitrione def. Cheick Kongo by UD
Roy Nelson def. Mirko Crocop by KO
Scott Jorgensen def. Jeff Curran by UD
Hatsu Hioki def. George Roop by Submission
Donald Cerrone def. Dennis Siver by Submission
Tyson Griffin def. Bart Palaszewski by UD
