UFC® 110: NOGUEIRA vs VELASQUEZ

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With The UFC coming to Australia and my first chance to see some high level MMA first hand, I have taken the time to go over each fight as best I can, re-watching as many fights as I could. I have gathered as much info as I could find as well. This is also my first fan post so ...let's have at it.

With no weight or reach advantage to either fighter the differences in skills, experience and strength will be the telling factors here. The big questions are; can Cain wrestle with the very dangerous "big Nog"? If Cain doesn't want to risk having a ground war with "Big Nog" can he handle the boxing of the veteran? Has Cain worked on his punching power?

I am not sure how to feel about this fight,  It seems this fight will go in any one of the 3 different directions: Nog will strike with Cain giving him fits on the feet and be dangerous enough on the ground to get the sub or back to his feet if he wants to. Cain will be able to out-wrestle Nog and keep out of danger and proceed to pillow punch Nog for the 3 rounds. Option 3 is Cain avoids the ground war and strikes with Nog.  I see more ways "big Nog" wins this then Cain but it's by no means a done deal. If Cain can handle Nog it says a lot about him and his growth as a fighter.

The Axe Murderer has being carrying a blunt instrument of late and making the cut down to 185 might be a factor in this fight. His style has not changed since his glory days of pride. The hard sparring and brutal fights are taking a toll on him; making him slower and lacking some of the killer power he once had.  Silva's wild style can be a blessing or a curse, if people shut down and let him batter them; then Silva inflicts damage that turns fight in seconds. If they can handle the flurries and punish him when the openings present themselves it can cost him.

Bisping seems to be one of the most hated fighters today but hate him or love him you cannot deny his skills and talent. His striking while lacking knock out power is fast and accurate, his ground skills are quite good as displayed in his last fight vs. a dangerous BJJ black belt in Kang. If Bisping can keep away from the clinch and circle away from the power of Silva he has a great chance to push the pace on the way to decision victory.

At the risk of being flayed I'm taking Bisping in a stick and move Clinique

Joe Daddy is a bit of beast at 155 and with his new camp he has been enjoying a massive up swing that has him putting his MMA skills together with good game plans. George is demon on the ground with balletic guard passing and some reasonable hands, George will also enjoy a height and reach advantage. Joe has shown in the last two fights that he can use his wrestling to nullify a very dangerous grappler is Nate Daiz and sumbitted (via strikes) a dangerous striker in Fisher. Those fights and experience make him a big step up for George. He will be up against it in his fight but George is at home and I am sure that the Aussie crowd will be behind him. I think Joe will be the favourite in this fight but I hope like hell for George to pull this win out.

Keith Jardine Doesn't get easy fights ever. Ryan Bader has looked better and better since his TUF win but this is huge step up in competition for him.  Is Keith in a decline with his chin on its way out? Or is this just the fight he needs to get back into the winning ways and start making his way back up. I think this will be the start of a pretty massive year for Bader. Look out for big things from him. Badder by KO/TKO.

On paper this should be a nice come back (comeback MKIV now?) for Cro Cop but I am not impressed with him at all, having not followed pride I'm basing this of his last few fights.  He has changed his fight camp around and tried to change things up but with well documented mental issues i think the problem is Cro Cop not his camp. Rothwell had some decent expectations on him before he was man handled and pillow punched by Cain. He will have a huge weight and reach advantage and if he can jab and body shot Cro cop in combos he might take this. Will this kill the great Cro Cop?  I think it might.

 (* Not sure)

Really who cares?  This is a fight for the locals, but as a local I'm not impressed I would have thought some of the younger kids should have had this slot.  I'll take Sinsic by something. This is a good chance to buy more booze and run to the thunderbox.

Stephan Bonnar has been losing decisions (4/6) and winning by stoppages (2/6). This fight will be a good test of where both men are at. Dana White has said Stephan has a job for life and from their interactions he is a Dana White favourite but if he keeps losing its going to be hard to keep him around at least as a fighter. As for the fight itself, Ksos has shown some stand up different standards of late but seems to be improving. Meanwhile Bonnar has been somewhat stagnate in his last few fights. I think KSOS can take this fight he seems hungrier. 

Chris Lytle has a knack for winning fight of the night honours and decisions I don't expect much to change from him in this fight. Foster has looked pretty good since joining the UFC and doesn't do decisions at all (zero decisions in 19 fights).  It's going to be interesting to see if Lytle can push the pace and keep it standing on route to a decision and FOTN bonus or if Foster can put a stop to him (Lytle has only been finished twice via cuts  in 58 fights ) and get a bonus all to his own.  This should be a great fight.

 CB is coming off some pretty unimpressive performances even with winning his last fight. If CB has not learnt to keep his arms and neck out of subs he will be in trouble in this fight. Having said that Relic is coming off a pretty big layoff (May 2008) and ring rust might be a massive issue if this goes the distance as I can't see CB gassing at any stage. I think this fight comes down to sub defence, wrestling v striking and gas tank.  For CB to win he will need to avoid the heavy hands of Reljic and use his wrestling to pressure him and he might take this by decision otherwise I think this is Reljic's fight all over.

Although Pokrajac is long time training partner of Cro Cop, his striking wasn't that impressive in his last fight. His strong suit is apparently his ground game but even with that he was unable to do much on the ground with the janitor.  James Te Huna on the other hand has a 11 stoppages and might be a handful on the feet. My prediction is the local boy gets the nod.

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Feel free to offer sugestions, corrections and most of all slice me up over picking Bisping and rothwell over wandy and Cro Cop.