Archive for the 'David Bateman' Category

We here at Total MMA do our best to provide you all with our predictions for every major event, and this weekend’s UFC, emanating from the Palace of Auburn Hills Arena in Michigan, is no exception. Pity it’s an average card only remarkable due to a particularly strong headliner, but there is some good stuff going on on the main card. Tommy was at pains to point out to me the prescence of George ‘Georgie’ Sotiropolous on the undercard, taking on Joe Lauzon in a bout BJJ purists will certainly delight in, and in Gerald Harris and Phil Davis we have a couple of American A-List emerging talents getting a chance to air the skills live to the country on PPV for the first time. Along with the aforementioned clash between former Light Heavyweight Champions Machida and Rampage up top, there’s plenty to recommend this card to any looking for a fix of MMA to put the trainwreck that was UFC 122 out of their minds.

For those of you who will not be joining the paying masses for the main card, Spike TV will carry two prelim fights the hour before the PPV - Matt Brown will face Brian Foster at 170lbs and Aaron Simpson will cross swords with Mark Munoz at 185lbs. Neither fight is particularly attractive on paper, but it’s free MMA, and with our glorious sport, even the dullest match on paper can turn out to be a barnstormer, so we all might as well check it out. Set the DVR, at least.

Predictions are by David Batemen (DB) and myself (JL). A reminder that our picks are for entertainment purposes only. Don’t come crying to us when you’re living in the homeless shelter because you foolishly respected our choices. Read the rest of this entry »

Pictured: Frankie Edgar and BJ Penn square off at UFC 118 weigh-ins yesterday. Picture from Tracy Lee of CombatLifeStyle.com

The TD Center in Boston takes center stage for one of UFC’s bigger shows of 2010 tonight, as BJ Penn rides into New England to try and take his lightweight crown back from the man who took it from him: Frankie Edgar. UFC 118 also features the MMA debut of James “Lights Out” Toney (I think this is a bad idea, but hey, it’s a free country), squaring off against UFC legend Randy Couture, and a strong undercard to boot — including Kenny Florian vs. Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis.

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Pictured: Ken Shamrock blocks an advancing Pedro Rizzo, along with advancing age, during last night’s listless encounter in Sydney.

Any card featuring Ken Shamrock, Paul Daley’s first fight (since his UFC firing) and names like Murilo Rua, Denis Kang and Paulo Filho is enough to at least grab the attention of most MMA fans.

On paper, this past Saturday’s Impact FC 2 in Sydney, Australia had some potentially great fights. But, fights happen in a cage, not on paper. Although the fights were not completely disappointing, neither did the initial promise of the card produce any lasting memories.

It could be that the main event just sullied my opinion of the whole event.

Ken Shamrock v Pedro Rizzo should simply never have happened. Read the rest of this entry »

When Dana White describes an event as “the best night of his career”, you know it must be a good one.

UFC 116 will not be forgotten by any MMA fan in a hurry. That tends to happen when two FOTN bonuses are awarded in the same night (to Akiyama v Chris Leben and Krzysztof Soszynski v Stephan Bonnar respectively). Then, there is the not-so-small issue of Brock Lesnar.

It’s the closest thing MMA has to a fairytale. The UFC Heavyweight World Champion becomes unbelievably unwell, near death — then makes a triumphant return against possibly the most dangerous striker in MMA history. Love or loathe him, no one can deny Brock Lesnar the title of number one heavyweight in MMA, and not just because Fedor lost…

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The Scottish Fight Challenge (SFC) returns this weekend with another great card, following on from the success of their first event in February.

At the Albert Halls in Stirling this Sunday, the 27th of June, the SFC will put on their second event, entitled ‘Retribution’. Headlining the event is a 4-man eliminator for the SFC Lightweight Title, featuring four of Scotland’s best lightweight competitiors: Dave “Gladiator” Galbraith, Robert Whiteford, Bobby “Black Mamba” McVitie and Johnny Martin. All four are hoping to earn the crown of first SFC Lightweight Title holder, but first must negotiate one another….

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Hello, fight fans, and welcome to another round of Total MMA predictions. The event getting the attention his week is UFC 114, a card headlined by the long awaited fight between TUF 10 coaches Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Rashad Evans. Other featured bouts see two top Middleweights in Dan Miller and Michael Bisping look to get back to winning ways and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira attempt to get past tough wrestler Jason Brilz.

And for those of you who aren’t going to purchase the PPV, you can check out a couple of prelims fights on Spike, between Welterweights Amir Sadollah and Dong Hyun-Kim and Lightweights Efrain Escudero and Dan Lauzon. We won’t be predicting those here, but still, free MMA is free MMA, right?

Unbroadcast prelims include consensus Top 10 Light Heavyweight Luis Arthur Cane against UFC debutant Cyrille Diabate and a renewed Melvin Guillard taking on another UFC newcomer in Waylon Lowe. Look out for vicious finishes in both, and therefore appearances on the PPV should they be required.

Joining me (JL) for predictions are regular Bryan Belangia (BB) and prediction debutant David Bateman (DB). Tommy Hackett is currently abroad and unable to contribute, but he should make his return for our next round of predictions. As always these predictions are just for fun. On no count can we be held responsible if you lose the pension fund on them.
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Pictured: Paul “Semtex” Daley, who eyes an upset against Josh Koscheck this Saturday

Josh Koscheck and Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley have talked enough trash to fill a dumpster the size of the Bell Centre in Montreal, the venue for their fight at UFC 113 this Saturday.

With speculation mounting that the winner of this fight will oppose Georges St.Pierre as a coach on the next series of The Ultimate Fighter, both Koscheck and Daley have proven they would provide great entertainment on the show with their brash, loud-mouthed nature.

But, as the Chinese proverb says, talk doesn’t cook rice. Neither does it prove you worthy to fight GSP for the UFC Welterweight Championship. The only place they can do that, is in the Octagon.

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