The Good

Vitor Belfort - Say what you will about Vitor Belfort’s resurgence and whether or not it’s directly related to his use of TRT but there is no denying the results as for the second time this year he finished a top 5 middleweight by knockout. This time around it was Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold who was looking to make a statement in his UFC debut. Instead it was Belfort who made his mark by dropping Rockhold with a spinning head kick followed by a flurry of trademark punches that forced the referee to intervene and stop the fight. The Brazilian crowd which was lively most of the night erupted upon the bouts conclusion as their fellow countrymen won in emphatic fashion and potentially earned himself another shot at the 185 pound title. This older version of Belfort resembles the old Vitor that fans have clamored for for years.

Lucas Matthysse – It may not have turned into the back and forth war that many fans expected yet even more surprisingly may have been the final result as Lucas Matthysse scored a third round stoppage of Lamont Peterson. Early on it looked as if Peterson would employ more of a boxing style and try to control the fight from a distance but it wouldn’t be long before Matthysse would force Peterson into his kind of fight. The Argentinian sent Peterson to the canvas late in the second round and although the Washington DC product got to his feet it felt like the beginning of the end. Matthysse came out looking for the finish in the third round and Peterson decided to stand his ground which would be a mistake as both fighters threw and landed hooks but it would be Matthysse’s which would do more damage sending Peterson to the canvas. Once again Lamont beat the count but was unsteady on his feet and Matthysse sensed as much rushing Peterson knocking him down once more where referee you stopped the contest. It was Matthysse’s best performance to date and sets up a long-awaited showdown between himself and WBC, WBA, and Ring 140 pound champ Danny Garcia.

The Bad – N/A

The Ugly – N/A

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

Lamont Peterson vs Lucas Matthysse - Although we are not even half way into the year, 2013 has already given us numerous fight of the year contenders and another potential entry takes place this weekend as Junior Welterweight titleists Lamont Peterson and Lucas Matthysse face-off. Originally this was scheduled to be a unification fight but the weight limit has been moved up to 141 pounds, yet while no championship belts are on the line the stakes are still high as the winner is scheduled to face current division kingpin Danny Garcia later this year. While this fight is not getting nearly the attention of Floyd Mayweather’s recent contest, it is one that is eagerly anticipated by hard-core fans of boxing. The matchup seems like a can’t miss as you have two fighters in their respective primes and whose styles all but promise to deliver an action-packed affair. Not only is this being viewed as an entertaining fight but a competitive one as well which is evidenced by the numerous differing predictions as to who will emerge victorious. After being out of the ring for over a year due to suspension and other issues Peterson returned in impressive fashion stopping former champ Kendall Holt in eight rounds. Matthysse made quick work of Mike Dallas Jr. via first round knockout when last in the ring. Peterson’s sole defeat is to current welterweight champ Timothy Bradley whereas Matthysse’s two losses are disputed to Devon Alexander and Zab Judah respectively. In what is expected to be a battle of attrition the winner may be the fighter who can take it as well as he can give it, unless of course it goes to a decision in which any outcome is possible.

916Chris’ pick - Being as I am a fan of both I’m really looking forward to this one and even though I can make a case for either winning I give a slight edge to Matthysse. Although not mirror images from one another Peterson and Matthysse are both physical fighters that like to get on this inside and unload power shots to the head and body of their opponents. I expect nothing different here from either and while Lamont has proven durable in the past it is Matthysse whom possesses the punching power to end things sooner rather than later. Look for Peterson to go to the body early and try to slow down the Argentenian however in doing so he’ll be in the danger zone. I do expect a competitive contest but one in which Matthysse wins by unanimous decision if not late round stoppage.

 

Duc’s pick - Much like with his matchup with Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse will have trouble with Lamaont’s speed and accuracy early on.  However, as the fight progresses on, Matthysse’s robotic hammer fists will have it’s effect on the superior Peterson brother.   It will be death by hundreds of Argentinian hammer fists for Lamont Peterson.

Vitor Belfort vs Luke Rockhold - In an event that has seemingly been under the radar heading into it, Vitor Belfort and Luke Rockhold will do battle in the main event of UFC on FX 8 from Brazil. After almost pulling off a miraculous upset of light heavyweight champ Jon Jones before ultimately being stopped, Belfort rebounded with a second-round knockout of Michael Bisping in January. Rockhold will be making his octagon debut after Strikeforce was shut down, where he was the reigning middleweight champion. Unfortunately the American Kickboxing Academy product’s career has been plagued by injuries, setting back his development and opportunity to gain momentum and capitalize on his title reign. Coincidentally Belfort has faced similar issues in the past but looks to be as healthy and strong as ever no doubt aided by his use of TRT. Vitor and Luke are both well-rounded fighters who prefer to ply their trade on the feet thus we should get a fight between an emerging contender looking to make his mark in the UFC against a veteran attempting to make one last run at the title.

916Chris’ pick - There is a reason this UFC is being overlooked and it’s because outside of the main event there is nothing of significance or even intrigue on the card. That said this fight should be a pretty good one provided both guys make it to the cage in one piece. I can’t assume they’ll be on an even playing field regardless being as it is taking place in Belfort’s home country and I assume he will be as physically jacked up as he was in the Bisping fight. The one advantage Rockhold should have is cardio and it is the reason I’m picking him to win. As long as Luke can get past the first two rounds he should be able to outpoint if not pick apart Vitor over the last three rounds en route to a decision victory. Of course I said the same of Bisping against Belfort and we saw how that turned out.

Duc’s pick - It perplexes me that I  see lot of people picking Vitor to win by knockout in this match up.  I think Luke has the chin and the dreamboatness to withhold early punishment from Vitor and pound out a late stoppage.  God won’t like it, but when you are as handsome as Luck Rockhold, and your name is fucken Rockhold, you don’t need God’s approval.

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

Floyd Mayweather vs Robert Guerrero - This weekend brings us Cinco de Mayo and as it has become tradition in the sport of boxing a big fight is scheduled this one being between Floyd Mayweather and Robert Guerrero. It is no coincidence that this will be the third time in the last three years that Mayweather has fought during this holiday weekend particularly when you take into account that Mayweather defeated Oscar De La Hoya around the same time in 2007, the fight that launched Floyd from boxing star to the face of the sport. Although he is only fought four times in the last four years it is expected that Mayweather will be much more active being as he recently signed a groundbreaking contract with Showtime and that at age 36, time is not on his side. When last in the ring a year ago Mayweather defeated Miguel Coto decisively yet showed that he had lost a bit of speed allowing for him to be hit more often than the norm given his excellent defense. Guerrero himself won by unanimous decision in his last ring appearance against Andre Berto in a grueling bout, which saw Mayweather sitting at ringside scouting what would be his next opponent. Guerrero had been calling for a big fight against the likes of Mayweather for a couple years now and while many doubted he would be granted such an opportunity it is now upon us however there are just as many if not more that thinks he is just another name waiting to be added to Floyd’s resume. On Saturday we shall find out if father time has indeed caught up with Mayweather and if so how it may adversely affect him or if Guerrero has bitten off more than he can chew in challenging the reigning pound for pound King.

916Chris’ pick - Add me to the list of those that give Guerrero little to no chance of winning this fight. Sure he was able to get the better of Berto by surprisingly being the more physical fighter but Mayweather is a master at adapting to styles and shutting down his opponents strengths. Aside from youth, Guerrero has no discernible advantages over Floyd and to beat ‘Money’ even in the latter stage of his career one will need that extra something in your arsenal. Although Mayweather was in tough at times against Cotto I still think he has plenty of miles left on the odometer and will have his way with Guerrero for the most part en route to a unanimous decision victory.

 

Duc’s pick - This fight smells very similar to the stench  of last week’s match up between Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen. What are the chances that the ref will let Guerrero man handle Floyd and possibly Jon Fitch his way to an upset victory?   Slim to none.  So what are the chances that Guerrero might win this fight?   Slim to none.

Wladimir Klitschko vs Francesco Pianeta - In boxing the belief used to be that the sport is only as strong as the heavyweight division and while that may have been the case in the past this week clearly indicates that that is no longer so as WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko defends his titles in a fight that most domestic fans didn’t even know was taking place. Wladimir, along with his brother Vitali have dominated the division since the retirement of Lennox Lewis and neither have yet to face a stern challenge, which is unlikely to change on Saturday. Klitschko’s opponent is the unbeaten yet relatively unknown Francesco Pianeta whom like Wlad fights out of Germany where this contest is taking place. Wladimir has been as dominant against his opponents over the last seven years as Floyd Mayweather, rarely losing even a round in his fights. I mention both champions in the same sentence because neither are expected to lose this weekend yet an intriguing debate is to which losing would be the bigger upset. Even though that’s not going to happen.

916Chris’ pick - No need to waste time analyzing this fight, Wlad retains his stranglehold on the division by handing Pianeta the first defeat of his career via a Klitschko KO.

 

Duc’s pick - Francesco will get beaten down like a Pianeta!  HAHA!  I am sure that joke has been used about 148276459346 times.

Abner Mares vs Daniel Ponce De Leon - Fortunately for consumers it appears as if boxing has learned from its mistakes in the past in regards to the pay-per-view events that for years only featured one marquee matchup and a bunch of throwaway bouts on the undercard. That is proven once again as the co-main event to Mayweather versus Guerrero pits recently crowned WBC featherweight champ Daniel Ponce De Leon against former Bantam and Superbantam weight champion Abner Mares. This will be Mares’ first foray into the 126 pound weight class after a successful two fight stint at 122 pounds and being unable to secure a fight against Nonito Donaire. While he has still not yet gotten the acclaim of some of the other champions in the sport Mares has been one of the most consistent fighters over the last couple years against quality opposition and emerging unbeaten. Ponce De Leon has carved out quite the career for himself as well in light of being dispatched of in one round by Juan Manuel Lopez in 2008 and back-to-back losses to Adrien Broner and Yuriyorkis Gamboa in 2011. Granted the Broner decision was highly debated at the time and continues to be argued about to this day. On paper this contest seems fitting to take place on Cinco de Mayo weekend and don’t surprised if it steals the show.

916Chris’ pick - This is a pretty easy call for me, despite being the bigger and more powerful puncher of the two I don’t think that Ponce De Leon has the technique to defeat Mares. As mentioned above Mares has been on a tear the last couple years and although some of his tactics have been questionable at times, look out for the low blows, he has otherwise been hard to criticize. I think Abner sticks to the basics here and if he can avoid getting caught up in the atmosphere and going to war with Ponce De Leon, he should box his way to a decision.

 

Duc’s pick - This should be re-labled as Daniel Ponce De Leon vs air.   Those frisbee flinging shots of Ponce will not hit anything besides oxygen, Mares by a blow out.

 

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

The Good

Jon Jones - At UFC 159 light heavyweight Jon Jones did what what was expected of him by dominating challenger Chael Sonnen, stopping him in the first round with strikes. Jones deviated from his usual strategy of feeling out his opponent early on and attacked Sonnen from the get-go taking him down numerous times in the fight where he used elbows to bust up his challenger. The champ finished the fight with a series of unanswered elbows and punches prompting the referee stoppage with less than 30 seconds left in the opening round. The only damage Jones took was a freak accident at the end of the bout that severely broke the big toe on his left foot. That aside Jones turned in a flawless victory and tied the record for most title defenses in the 205 pound division at six with former champ Tito Ortiz.

Danny Garcia vs Zab Judah - While the aforementioned Jones versus Sonnen contest unfolded as most anticipated, Danny Garcia’s Junior welterweight title defense against Zab Judah was anything but. Garcia looked good for the first eight rounds mixing up punches to the head and body of the former multi-division champion hurting him on more than one occasion and sending him to the canvas in the eighth round. Just when it looked like Judah would pack it in as he has done so many times in the past he surprised those watching and in attendance by not only surviving but thriving in the championship rounds. Judah stunned Garcia in the 10th round and turned on the aggression from that point on forcing Garcia to fight going backwards in a role reversal. While the champ appeared to be fading down the stretch he bit down and slugged it out with Zab in the 12th leading to some crowd pleasing exchanges. Despite Judah’s late rally Garcia would be announced the winner via unanimous decision after 12 rounds.

Bermane Stiverne – The name Bermane Stiverne may have been unfamiliar to a lot of boxing fans going into this weekend but that likely changed as he handily defeated Chris Arreola in their WBC heavyweight elimination bout. Early on it looked like a typical Arreola fight as the Mexican-American charged forward throwing big punches looking to take his opponent out. Things took a turn however when Stiverne dropped Arreola hard with a right hand towards the end of the third round. From that moment on Stiverne controlled the majority of the fight consistently landed his jab and out boxing Arreola from the outside. Stiverne closed the 12th round strong busting up “The Nghtmare” en route to a unanimous decision victory and setting himself up for a future title shot.

The Bad

Amir Khan - If you believe that a fighter can look bad even in victory than such would be a suitable description of Amir Khan who bested Julio Diaz over 12 rounds in his return fight to his home country in England on Saturday. Under the tutelage of new trainer Virgil Hunter, Khan was boxing well in the first few rounds, making use of his advantage in speed by sticking and moving against the former lightweight titleholder. Diaz would catch Khan in the fourth with a left right combination knocking him down in the process. From there on the fight became more competitive as Diaz was able to visibly hurt Khan numerous times in the fight. Any time he was in danger Khan was quick to tie up Diaz yet the referee who appeared biased only admonished Diaz, something he did throughout the fight. In the end Khan survived against a hand pick opponent whom was believed to be well past his prime. Despite the win the fight may have done more to hurt Khan’s stock than vice versa.

The Ugly

UFC 159 – Perhaps given the main event, UFC 159 was cursed from the get-go. Whatever the reason may be the event didn’t seem to click and was a disappointing way to close out a month full of mostly entertaining fights. Whether it was the premature and unfortunate endings to not two but three fights on the card either due to injury or miscommunication, the show could never sustain any momentum. It didn’t help that the bout between Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes was underwhelming, particularly given the trash talk between the two fighters leading up to it. On a similar note, although he talked a good game beforehand Alan Belcher offered little in a losing effort to Michael Bisping in the co-main event. Then of course there was Jon Jones disturbing injured toe to end an unusual and relatively uneventful UFC.

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen - At last after all the talking and build up this Saturday Jon Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight championship against Chael Sonnen in the UFC 159 main event. Those who are unaware of the circumstances of how this fight came to be may be wondering how Sonnen, who is coming off a loss to UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva and has not competed in the 205 pound division in more than six years received such a prestigious opportunity. The seeds of this fight were planted in September 2012 when Jones was sent to face Dan Henderson at UFC 151 until Hendo had to withdraw at the last minute due to injury. With little time to find a replacement Sonnen offered to take his former teammates spot in a chance to fight for the title. Unfortunately for the UFC and fans Jones and his coach Greg Jackson declined the opportunity which would ultimately lead to the entire UFC 151 event being canceled. Chael afterwords went on an anti-Jones campaign accusing the champ of ducking him. Jones would successfully defend his title later that month submitting Vitor Belfort in the fourth round and not long after it would be announced that Sonnen would be next in line for the title shot. To help build up the fight Jones and Sonnen would first oppose one another as coaches on the 17th season of The Ultimate Fighter.

While Chael emerged victorious on the show seeing to his charges reach the final, it is Jones who is the overwhelming favorite heading into Saturday’s bout and it’s easy to see why. Jones is still essentially undefeated as his sole loss came via disqualification against Matt Hamill who he was in full control of before being disqualified for illegal elbows. Since then Jon has won eight consecutive fights defeating five former champions in the process. For his part Sonnens best performance it can be argued came in defeat to Anderson Silva in their first encounter where Chael was in control for the majority of 4 plus rounds before being submitted late by The Spider. Although Sonnen has some quality wins on his ledger he has never defeated an opponent as good as Jones and aside from perhaps having an edge in the wrestling department along with experience it’s difficult to envision any area where he has an advantage. While the promotion for this fight hasn’t quite gotten the buzz that the UFC had expected you can be assured that Jones will be up for the challenge even if most observers don’t view Chael as a legitimate one.

916Chris’ pick - As you can probably already tell I don’t exactly have high expectations for this one nor do I think it will be anywhere near as competitive as last weekends UFC title fight. I’m not even going to bother to beat around the bush, so to speak, because I can’t make a case for Sonnen winning this fight. The only intrigue if anything is trying to predict what round Jones will end Chaels night in. I say the third, Jones via whatever he wants.

 

Duc’s pick - How the hell is Chael gonna win this fight?  Even Chael is pretty much conceding that he is gonna get smashed to bits by Jones.   This fight might do decent PPV buys due to the names involved but at the end of the day, it might hurt UFC more than helped them due to the main event being such a mismatch.

Danny Garcia vs Zab Judah - It seems as if in boxing there are three certainties, death, taxes, and Zab Judah getting an undeserving title fight. This time the Brooklyn native will be challenging WBA and WBC Junior welterweight champ Danny Garcia. Garcia is undefeated and while his last outing where he knocked out Erik Morales in the fourth round of their rematch was spectacular, most were less than impressed given “El Terribles” diminished state. Before that fight however Garcia got the biggest win of his career when he stopped Amir Khan in the fourth. Judah in actuality earned this opportunity by defeating Vernon Paris in an eliminator bout last year. As usual Zab has been doing a lot of barking leading up to this fight yet most of it as been between himself and Angel Garcia, the father of the champion. While both of these fighters have been tabbed as overrated at times the fact is Garcia may be a bit underrated currently. On Saturday we shall see if Judah can take advantage of Garcia’s perceived flaws or if the champ will add to his Zabs run of losing in his biggest fights.

916Chris’ pick - Once again this is a fairly easy call for me as even though I’ve criticized Garcia in the past he is the much safer bet than Judah. I suppose credit should be given to Zab for once again finding himself in a significant fight but as usual I see him coming up on the losing end. That said both guys have power in their hands and can be caught but then again that’s the usual talk about Judah going into his bouts. I got Garcia by decision.

 

Duc’s pick - I love picking Zab Judah.  I have no idea why but I always think Zab is going to land that Judahcut on some unsuspecting fools to make it a short night for everyone involved.   The only drawback is that, the scenario of Judahcut landing has never happened within my betting lifetime.   Danny by TKO.

Sergio Martinez vs Martin Murray - Also on Saturday Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez makes his return to home country Argentina where he will fight for the first time in over a decade as he defends his title against unbeaten Martin Murray. Martinez is likely to be greeted with a heroes welcome as he has conquered the 160 pound division and is coming off the biggest win of his career when he defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Junior by unanimous decision. Unable to land a fight with either Floyd Mayweather or Canelo Alvarez, Martinez will instead take on the lightly regarded Murray. Although never having lost a fight in his career, Murray has never faced a fighter the caliber of “Maravilla”. All signs point to a win for the champion but an upset, unexpected as it may be, would shakeup one of the sports glamour divisions.

916Chris’ pick - It’s 3 for 3 in choosing the champions to retain their titles for me this weekend. Although vaguely familiar with Murray, to be honest the only person I can currently see posing a threat to Martinez at 160 is Gennady Golovkin. Here’s to Martinez making short work of Murray and hopefully moving on to the fight everyone wants to see against GGG.

 

Duc’s pick - Who the fuck is Martin Murray?  Is he the guy who plays really well?  Metro-sexual for the win.

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

If you watched UFC on FOX 7 last Saturday then you were treated to an entertaining night of fights featuring numerous knockouts and a closely contested title fight in the main event. The most impressive performance of the night however belonged to Josh Thomson who was making his return to the UFC after an almost 9 year hiatus. Not that Josh was inactive during that period as he has competed in Strikeforce from 2006 up until last year when the organization was purchased by UFC parent company Zuffa. Josh’s return to the octagon was a resounding one as he scored a second round knockout of Nate Diaz, a fighter who had never been stopped before in his career and is known for his toughness and durability. You would think such a showing would elicit talks of a title opportunity in the 155 pound division for Thomson but that wasn’t the case as UFC president Dana White announced in the post fight press conference that the winner of the upcoming fight between Gray Maynard and T.J. Grant would be the next title challenger. While the winner of Maynard and Grant is certainly a worthy contender, with Thomson the UFC should strike while the iron is hot and give him the next shot against Benson Henderson and there are a few reasons why.

In stopping Diaz, the fighter formerly known as “The Punk” did something that current UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson could not do. Henderson’s previous title defense was against Diaz and while he was dominant in victory, the Stockton native lasted the entire five rounds. Along those same lines, while Henderson scored a debatable if not controversial win via split decision over Gilbert Melendez in the UFC on FOX 7 main event, it can be argued that Thomson fared better against Melendez in their third encounter last May even though he came up short on the judges scorecards. Those reasons alone should merit Josh an opportunity to face the champ and given that fans watching UFC on FOX 7 saw both perform on the same night you already have a built-in audience for the fight. Add in the fact that at age 34 Thomson, whose career has been plagued by injuries, may have a limited window of opportunity and while the UFC doesn’t need to necessarily make exceptions for fighters they’ve done so before, Chael Sonnens upcoming title fight against light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is just one example. Last but not least the fact is a matchup between Henderson and Thomson all but promises to be an action-packed affair that could certainly go either way.

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

The Good

UFC on FOX 7 - Forgive my terrible pun in the title but UFC on FOX 7 was indeed a rocking event more often than not as 8 of the 12 fights ended by KO or TKO, tying the record for most at a UFC event. The show got off to a blazing start as the Yoel Romero and Anthony Njokuan scored impressive first-round knockouts in the opening round of their fights. Romero, the former Olympic silver medal winning wrestler from Cuba made his UFC debut a memorable one as he dropped Clifford Starks with a flying knee and finished him up with strikes on the ground. Njokuani ended Roger Bowling’s night with a pinpoint left hook to the jaw that caught incoming former Strikeforce fighter flush. And like that you had two knockout of the night contenders in your first two fights. The knockouts continued here and there throughout the preliminaries as Team Alpha Male went 3 and 0 first seeing T.J. Dillashaw finish Hugo Viana with strikes in the first round. Shortly thereafter Joseph Benavidez stopped Darren Uyenoyama in the second round after two debilitating body shots. Chad Mendes capped off the successful night knocking out Darren Elkins just over a minute into their bout. The other notable moment on the undercard came when Myles Jury put Ramsey Nijems lights out with a right hand.

The Fox broadcast picked up where the prelims left off as Matt Brown and Jordan Mein threw down for a round plus before the veteran Brown broke down his younger opponent forcing a referee stoppage to save Mein from incurring any further damage. Josh Thomson made his return to the UFC an emphatic one when he staggered the iron chinned Nate Diaz in the second round with a kick to the head and followed up with a flurry of punches leading to Diaz’s corner throwing in the towel. The co-main event was relatively uneventful as Daniel Cormier muscled the bigger Frank Mir against the cage for the majority of three rounds en route to unanimous decision.

The main event featured Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez in his octagon debut against UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson in a fight that turned out to be as closely contested if not more so than most expected. Melendez appeared to take an early lead in the fight with his aggression and striking but Henderson got back into things with a mix of knees to the body and leg kicks. Surprisingly the contest saw little action on the ground as neither fighter could either get their opponent down or keep them there for more than a few seconds. Melendez looked to be landing more punches throughout as Henderson was more successful with kicks and after five rounds of fighting two of the three judges favored toward the defending UFC titleist via split decision. The crowd in attendance seemed to disagree and voiced their displeasure at the verdict but Henderson was unfazed as he subsequently proposed to his fiancée during the post fight interview. For those curious, she accepted.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs Austin Trout - If you read my prediction for this fight then you got a sense of how I thought it might play out and in a rare instance I was nearly spot on as Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout fought a closely contested 12 round title fight that ended with the unbeaten Mexican superstar emerging victorious by way of unanimous decision. The result was not without debate though as can be expected given a competitive fight, particularly one that takes place in the state of Texas which has a dubious history with questionable antics. Trout primarily stuck to using his jab in the early rounds looking to outbox Alvarez from distance. Canelo was at his best when getting in close quarters and landing power punches to Trout’s head. It looked as if Trout may be gaining momentum as his opponent tired towards the end of the sixth but things took an abrupt turn when Canelo dropped the New Mexico product with a right hand early in the seventh round. Trout got up well before the 10 count and responded well, actually getting the better of Alvarez for the remainder of the frame.

How you judge the latter half of the fight depends on whether you reward the fighter who is active and landing more punches or the one whose shots have more power when they find their target. Unfortunately all the drama was taken away from the contest as under the WBC rules the bout featured open scoring where it was revealed that Trout was far behind on the scorecards and could only win by knockout which was unlikely to happen given his lack of punching power. Canelo seemed to know he had it in the bag and was in cruise control in the 12th as Trout tried to corral him. Although Austin won the 12th round it wasn’t enough as he came up short on all three official scorecards. Regardless of the judges decision it was a competitive and more importantly entertaining fight for fans and one that’s worthy of a rematch given it takes place in a more neutral or legitimate state.

The Bad

Judges (again) - There comes a point where complaining about bad decisions is a lesson in redundancy yet one it’s as apparent as it was numerous times throughout Saturday it would be unjust not to make mention of it. The first terrible decision of the night took place during the preliminaries of UFC on FOX 7 as not one, but all three judges somehow saw Francis Carmont beating Lorenz Larkin two rounds to one. Carmont’s strategy consisted of getting kicked in the legs and unsuccessfully attempting to takedown Larkin yet somehow the three blind mice at ringside did not to see Larkin as the victor in their eyes and their eyes only as not one other person I saw agreed with the result. Further controversy abounded in the UFC on FOX 7 main event when Ben Henderson was announced the split decision victor over Gilbert Melendez. Checking on Twitter the overwhelming belief was that Melendez deserved the decision but Henderson would get it given the questionable judging and their notions were confirmed shortly thereafter. This result is debatable as the fight was close but once again it seemed the judges were the minority rather than the majority.

That brings us to the aforementioned Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout fight that saw Canelo win by unanimous decision. Much like Henderson versus Melendez this bout was closely contested where a case could be made for either if not a draw. Controversy comes in the fact that the open scorecards revealed that Alvarez was well ahead halfway through the fight when he appeared to be anything but. To make things worse judge Stanley Christodoulou had it 118- 109 in favor of Canelo, a score that would be hard to rationalize unless you are giving Alvarez the benefit of the doubt in every close round. But honestly even though fans and media will continue to do so, there is no point in complaining, bad and controversial decisions have been happening for years in combat sports and will continue to do so until proven otherwise. Don’t hold your breath waiting for that unless you have a death wish.

The Ugly

Javier Fortuna vs Miguel Zamudio - In a complete mismatch, the main event of ESPN2 Friday Night Fights saw Javier Fortuna annihilate the outgunned Miguel Zamudio in the opening round in their farce of a fight. The bout was supposed to be for Fortuna’s interim WBA featherweight title but he failed to make weight and lost it on the scales. It mattered not as Zamudio had no chance of winning despite only having lost once entering the contest. Fortuna went on the attack as soon as the bell rung knocking his overmatched opponent down in only 30 seconds. Zamudio got up and continued only to be knocked unconscious with a right hand seconds later. Fans in attendance were first thrilled by the finish but dismayed shortly thereafter as Zamudio was unresponsive for a period of time and would be taken from the ring on a stretcher for precautionary measures. How the young Mexican fighter got this title opportunity is unknown but it was clear that he should not have been placed in such a position to not only lose but put himself at such risk.

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Austin Trout - After a slow and uninspiring starts in 2013 boxing has picked up quite a bit of momentum over the last few weeks and looks to continue to do so with Saturday’s Junior Middleweight unification bout between WBC champ Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and WBA title holder Austin Trout. The original plan was for Canelo to face Miguel Cotto but things went awry when Trout defeated Cotto in December. After Trouts upset win many in the media and fans believed he was the deserved opponent for Alvarez but being as this is boxing him getting that opportunity was no guarantee. Fortunately for Trout once talks about a Floyd Mayweather and Alvarez fight were shelved the New Mexico product became Canelo’s only viable option. In what is becoming an increasingly rare instance in the sport this contest features two undefeated champions who are either in or close to their respective primes. While Canelo is a bigger commodity he still has more than his share of skeptics given his resume of opposition which over the last couple years has consisted of outsized or over the hill fighters. While he gained both respect and an increased profile with his victory over Cotto, Trout has just recently emerged on the mainstream scene for most non-hard-core fans. A win here is significant for both as it should provide an aspect of validation to Canelos career whereas for Trout it would put him atop the division and could set up different lucrative fights including a rematch.

916Chris’ pick - I wish I had the opportunity to read my cohorts prediction for this fight before giving my own as it’s no easy call for me, which in actuality is a good thing. Not good that I’m indecisive but in that this bout is so evenly matched on paper and there is still a degree of uncertainty surrounding both fighters that makes it hard for me to gauge the outcome. That said rather than going the conventional route of giving their strengths and weaknesses against one another I’ll look at things from a logical or perhaps illogical standpoint. This fight is being held in Texas, Canelo is essentially the house fighter thus the ring will likely be suitable to his favor as with the referee and the eyes of the judges. I’m not saying the fix is but given that I don’t think either fighter’s head and shoulders above the other I believe these intangibles will see Canelo win a close decision whether it be deserved or not.

 

Duc’s pick - It’s times like this that makes me feel glad that I am too busy to start gambling again.   Over the past few weeks, I been wrong about literally everything when it comes to the fight game.  Therefore, I will now fall into the gambler’s fallacy and start going against my instincts.   Canaelo will win this won by a landslide.   He is pale, he is red, and he is Mexican.   Saul is like a teenage girl’s version of what Sean White should look like.   People are predicting a close fight, I think Trout might pull it out, but I am going to go with Canelo beating the crap out of Trout in a devastating KO because I just don’t see that happening.

Benson Henderson vs Gilbert Melendez - Boxing isn’t the only place there will be a unification fight this Saturday as UFC on FOX 7 will be headlined by a bout between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and Strikeforce 155 pound champ Gilbert Melendez. Henderson had perhaps his best performance to date in dominating challenger Nate Diaz for five rounds at UFC on FOX 5 in his second title defense. Melendez on the other hand edged out Josh Thomson via split decision in the third meeting between the two, a fight that many, myself included believed Thompon deserved the decision. Regardless this moment has been a long time coming for Melendez whom has been considered one of the top lightweights for years outside of the UFC. While the stakes may not seem quite as high for Benson as they are for Gilbert another impressive victory would assist in further establishing himself as champion and answer the question as to who is indeed the king of the mountain in the UFC’s deepest division.

916Chris’ pick - Although both these fighters have similar strengths and well-rounded games, I have to lean towards Henderson retaining his title. Aside from the fact that he will be the bigger and stronger of the two the fact is as mentioned earlier I thought Melendez lost his last fight, add in the fact he hasn’t competed in a year and Henderson on paper will be his toughest test to date, all signs point to victory for the allegedly illuminati associated UFC champ. That said, this should be a competitive fight that will likely go the distance and be worthy of being placed in such a lofty spot.

 

Duc’s pic - I smell an upset, it’s a matchup like this where the underdog on a long layoff comes back to put on a performance of his life (I hope you all remember me picking Josh Thomson to upset Gilbert in their rematch, and I don’t care what the judges say, the Punk pulled that one out).   So, Henderson by devastating KO it is.   When has Henderson KO’d anyone?  I can’t remember the last time but it’s gonna happen?

Daniel Cormier vs Frank Mir - Speaking of UFC debuts, Melendez won’t be the only one making his as Strikeforce heavyweight stand out Daniel Cormier will step into the octagon for the first time as he squares off against former UFC heavyweight Champion Frank Mir. This fight was previously scheduled to take place last year in a Strikeforce event that would end up being canceled yet this is a matchup that was intriguing at the time has only garnered more interest as it approaches. Cormier made his mark in Strikeforce by winning their Heavyweight Grand Prix including knocking out current UFC title challenger Antonio Silva and besting former UFC heavyweight champ Josh Barnett by decision. Mir has had a career filled with some of the highest highs and lowest lows and is coming off a knockout loss to the hands of then UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos just under a year ago. This bout pits arguably the division’s top wrestler and submission specialist against one another and although they are close in age this can certainly be viewed as a crossroads fight for both.

916Chris’ pick - Of the three fights up for discussion this week this is the easiest one to call for myself. The fact of the matter is Mir does not do well against powerful wrestlers with heavy hands as evidenced by his losses to Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin, and Daniel Cormier is better than both those guys. Mir can never be counted out because of his submission prowess but if he can’t get this fight to the ground his streak of losing all his fights by stoppage is likely to continue. Cormier by second round KO.

 

Duc’s pick - You read about me going against my instincts right?   Mir by submission… Which is never ever going to happen..  Like never.

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

The Good

TUF 17 - As mentioned in my predictions for The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale, this season has been one of the best and fittingly the finale delivered a fun night of fights and a big upset. The show kicked off with a fight between TUF 17 participants Bubba McDaniel and Gilbert Smith which was actually better-than-expected and ended with McDaniel submitting Smith in the third round with a triangle/arm bar combination. The following fight was a heavyweight bout between Gabriel Gonzaga and Travis Browne which was almost over as soon as it started. As Gonzaga had Browne against the cage and was working for a takedown, the Hawaiian fighter landed a series of elbow strikes to the side and back of the Brazilians head that put him down and out just over a minute into the first round.

That was followed by the second ever women’s MMA fight in the history of the UFC as Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano competed for a coaching spot on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter along with the number one contendership to champion Ronda Rousey. In the best fight of the night both ladies went all out from the opening bell throwing strikes and trading positions on the ground. Tates edge in experience showed early as she took the first round and was ahead for most of the second. Zingano would turn the tables with a minute left in the second round when she got on top and unloaded with punches on the former Strikeforce champ. Going into the third the fight was up for grabs and while Miesha looked good early the undefeated Zingano would once again turn the tables and pound Tate from the top position. Tate attempted to stand only to be met with a knee from Cat and shortly thereafter as Miesha got to her feet again was met with a series of vicious knees to the face punctuated by an elbow that dropped her to her knees and brought an end to the fight from referee Kim Winslow.

The co-main event was the TUF 17 finals that pitted the heavily favored Uriah Hall against underdog Kelvin Gastelum. The belief by many, myself included is that the result was a foregone conclusion for Hall who had impressively run through his opponents on The Ultimate Fighter and looked like he was ready to step in to the top 10 ranks already. Gastelum however was undaunted and took the fight to Hall right away. Kelvin used aggression and wrestling to control Uriah and take the opening round. Hall was able to get the better of things in the second as the majority of the round took place in the standup where he had been so dominant previously. With a six-figure contract on the line both fighters put it on the line and neither had an edge until Gastelum scored a takedown late in the third and held top position which in all likelihood secured him the fight. The judges decision was split to one in favor of your new Ultimate Fighter winner Kelvin Gastelum. It was a storybook run for Gastelum who was Chael Sonnens last pick and the youngest fighter to ever win TUF.

The main event between Uriah Faber and Scott Jorgensen was a relatively fast-paced and entertaining fight but it seemed the crowd had invested so much into the previous fight that they had little energy left for this one. Uriah got off to a fast start and looked dominant in the first two rounds but slowed in the third as Jorgensen climbed his way back into it. Jorgensen continued to press in the fourth as the bout was getting closer until Faber shot in for a takedown late in the round and quickly got Scott’s back and locked in a fight ending rear naked choke moments later.

Guillermo Rigondeaux – Say what you will of the fight between Guillermo Rigondeaux and Nonito Donaire itself, and I will shortly, but no one can deny the masterful boxing display put on by the Cuban. Donaire entered as the favorite for good reason despite Rigondeaux having won two Olympic gold medals but the amateur standout showed that even in the Pro ranks his style is difficult to deal with. Rigondeaux made it his kind of fight by slowing down the action and using sharp counters against the 2012 fighter of the year. In the eyes of most observers Rigondeaux won the fight going away and while two of the three official judges scorecards were closer than expected the right man had his hand raised as the Cuban product was awarded a unanimous decision in the biggest fight of his career.

The Bad and Ugly

Guillermo Rigondeaux vs Nonito Donaire – If you are a hard-core fan of the sport or can appreciate technical boxing then you probably enjoyed the fight between Rigondeaux and Donaire. If you aren’t, then you were either board or hated it. The fight was certainly a chess match and much like that game it was tactical and void of much action. The punches between both fighters were few and far between in some rounds and there were only a couple brief exchanges. Perhaps the most exciting moment of the fight took place in the 10th round when Donaire scored a knockdown but Rigondeaux got up and went back to his game plan of fighting smart and effective. Rigondeaux caught Donaire directly around his right eye in the 12th and it affected the Filipino American fighter who spent most of the round protecting it as the Cuban chased him around the ring throwing and landing more punches than it appeared he had done the previous 11 rounds combined. Despite the close scorecards of two judges there is unlikely to be demand for a rematch from fans in a fight that was enjoyable to some but forgettable by most.

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris

Nonito Donaire vs Guillermo Rigondeaux - The super bantamweights take center stage this Saturday as the top two fighters in the division Nonito Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeaux cross paths in a title unification bout. Donaire has been mentioned amongst the best pound for pound fighters in the sport since his second round destruction of Fernando Montiel but fans have cooled on him of late due to his opposition. While Nonito has not beaten a string of nobody’s the fact that he did not face Abner Mares despite his insistence of his desire to do so is one of, if not the main reason he has begun to see a backlash. On the other hand you have Rigondeaux who has only a third of the professional experience of Donaire but whose amateur pedigree is second to none. Rigondeaux won the Olympic gold medal in both 2000 in 2004 but didn’t turn pro until 2009 after defecting from Cuba. The amateur standout has gone unbeaten in 11 fights thus far along with acquiring the WBA 122 pound championship. This contest will certainly be a contrast in styles where the explosive Donaire will look to exploit the efficient and technically sound Cuban. A win here should silence some of Donaires naysayers even if only temporarily whereas a victory for Rigondeaux will be the ultimate validation for a man who left his family behind in hopes of providing a better future for them and himself.

916Chris’ - It’s interesting to see how many people are picking Rigondeaux although I’m not sure if that’s because they actually believe he can win or due to the growing dislike for Donaire. While I can be added to the list of those who were frustrated with Nonitos efforts or lack thereof to put together a showdown with Mares it in no way affects how I see this fight going. Rigondeaux may be as skilled a boxer as there is but I don’t see his conservative style doing enough to sway the judges against the speed and power of Donaires punches. We’ve also yet to see the Cubans chin tested and Nonito certainly packs a punch as displayed in his last two fights. I don’t anticipate any fight of the year type stuff but think Donaire handily takes it via unanimous decision.

 

Duc’s pick - Chris summarized my opinion of this fight perfectly, but unlike him I actually think this will be an exciting fight between the two, much like Nonito vs Montiel.   Yes, that means I see an amazing knockout coming by the hands of the “Flash” where Rigondeaux will be laying on the floor acting as though he is riding a bicycle in his dreams.   Donaire tends to rise to the occasion and this is the usual tough matchup where he tends to rise to the top in a very flashy way.

Uriah Hall vs Kelvin Gastelum - If you read a piece I wrote previously then you know that I thought the 17th season of The Ultimate Fighter was the best in years and accordingly it has produced one of its most intriguing prospects to date in Uriah Hall. Hall single-handedly made every episode in which he fought must-see TV as you never knew what he would do next or how spectacularly he might finish his opponent. To no surprise the New York native made it to the finals and did so by stopping all three fighters he faced en route. Halls opponent is a fellow teammate in Kelvin Gastelum who despite being the youngest contestant of this season overcame the odds and also finished all his fights to make it to the finale. Once again Gastelum will have the deck stacked against him taking on a bigger more experienced and dangerous opponent in Hall but as he has shown while he may be overlooked he can never be counted out.

916Chris’ pick - This season has been all about Uriah Hall and Saturdays finale appears to be nothing more than a coronation in waiting. While Gastelum has been a bit of an over achiever if not a revelation he seems overmatched against a fighter of Halls caliber and talent level at this stage of his career. We saw in Uriah’s final fight of the season that he may be vulnerable when put on his back but doing so is no easy task and I’m not sure Kelvin will have enough time to do so. Given that Hall has had a complete training camp and will come to this fight 100% there’s no way I’m picking against him. I’m just curious how much hyperbole we’ll get from Mike Goldberg, Joe Rogan, and Dana White if and when he wins.

 

Duc’s pick - I have watched literally zero episode of this season of TUF so I have no idea who is going to win.   I guess this Uriah Hall is like a lesser version of Phillipe Nover so I will go with him.  Hopefully he will be just as pretty as the dreamy Nover.  Tee hee~

Urijah Faber vs Scott Jorgensen - Although it seems like the TUF finale is the main event of Saturday’s UFC card the actual headliner is between former UFC bantamweight title challenger Uriah Faber and Scott Jorgensen. After coming up on the losing end in his second bid for the UFC 135 pound championship many thought Fabers best days were behind him and perhaps even numbered in the octagon. The California Kid responded with an impressive and thrilling first round submission win against Ivan Menjivar at UFC 157 in February. After making his name in the WEC, Scott Jorgensen found early success upon relocating to the UFC before hitting a rough patch and losing two straight. Jorgensen got back on the winning track in a round of the year contender against John Albert his last time out. There is an interesting history between these two as Urijah was the one who convinced Jorgensen into getting in to MMA and they have trained together on multiple occasions in the past. It’s good to see they can put friendship to the side in hopes of once again becoming the top contender in the division.

916Chris’ pick - This is an easy call for me as everything that Jorgensen is good at Faber seems to be little bit better. While they have faced similar opposition with matching results against the current interim and regular bantamweight champions Dominick Cruz and and Renan Barao respectively, Uriah has consistently been at or near the top of the feather and bantamweight divisions whereas Jorgensen has been more of a contender. Stylistically this should be a fun fight that will likely go all three rounds but the California Kid should win and in doing so irritate numerous fans when he is inevitably mentioned as the opponent for the winner of Barao versus Eddie Wineland. And no, this is not a hometown pick even though once the Sacramento Kings leave Faber will be one of the few things Sacramento sports fans will have to support.

 

Duc’s pick - Do you know how Jorgensen is going to win this fight?  No I am asking you right now, do you know?  Cause I sure as hell don’t.   It seems like Urijah is getting a steady diet of easy fights from the UFC until he can get another crack at the title.  Urijah by a crack to the dome followed by a submission.

I can be reached at ScienceOfViolence@Gmail.com & https://twitter.com/916Chris