Nevertheless, Shields has maintained his ranking as a top ten welterweight. His last few fights have been dominating performances against overmatched opponents like Paul Daley, Nick Thompson, and Mike Pyle. With the recent announcement of a fight for Shields against Robbie Lawler, Strikeforce is making sure his streak of easy opposition is about to end.
UFC 97 PREDICTIONS
April 17, 2009 By 38 Comments
Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites (185 title bout)
Silva vs. Leites makes very little sense. There are a host of other opponents that are much more logical for the UFC’s middleweight champion (Demian Maia, Nathan Marquardt, and even Yushin Okami quickly come to mind.) Plus, Silva would have many more marketable opponents than Leites at light heavyweight. Nevertheless, we’ve got Silva vs. Leites so here goes. Leites has some ground skills. A win for Leites would be a bigger upset than Matt Serra over Georges St. Pierre. Silva wins by first round KO.
ULTIMATE FIGHT NIGHT 18 PREDICTIONS
March 31, 2009 By 1 Comment
Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann (170)
By placing Condit in the main event in his debut, the UFC clearly believes Condit has a ton of potential. He was undefeated (5-0) in the WEC, and he generally delivers exciting fights. Condit has great submissions and underrated power. He also has a tremendous heart and is very difficult to stop. On the other hand, Kampmann is a very dangerous opponent. He is an experienced kickboxer and is also well versed at submissions. Kampmann has never gone past the second round – in his entire career (sixteen fights). He also boasts a 5-1 UFC record. But it his lack of going past the second round that will hurt him against Condit. A win here for Condit really legitimizes his WEC title reign as well as his standing as a top ten welterweight. In a good fight, Condit wins by third round submission.
UFC PREDICTIONS
February 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Joe Stevenson vs. Diego Sanchez (155)
Sanchez against Stevenson should be an excellent fight. The match isn’t worthy of being the main event on a pay-per-view card, which is why the card was moved to free TV on Spike. As a card on Spike, the fight is very good. Both fighters possess great ground skills. Stevenson is excellent with wrestling, and Sanchez has very underrated jiu-jitsu. He also has great ground and pound. Sanchez will be making his debut at lightweight in the fight, and if he can carry with him the strength he had at welterweight, he will be very difficult to beat. For Stevenson, he has looked good against mid-tier fighters and very bad against top-tier opposition (see B.J. Penn and Kenny Florian). Unfortunately for Stevenson, Sanchez is top-tier opposition and that spells trouble for Stevenson. Sanchez will put himself into immediate title contention with a victory in the fight. Sanchez wins by 2nd round TKO.
Q & A with Josh Koshcheck
February 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Josh Koscheck is a very busy man. His coming up fight Paulo Thiago will make
it three fights in the last four months and five fights in the last eleven.
Over that span, Koscheck has a 3-1 record.
MMA NEWS & NOTES
February 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Andrei Arlovski signs with Golden Boy Promotions
Sources have informed confirmed that Andrei Arlovski has signed an agreement with Golden Boy Promotions.
Ultimate Fight Night predictions
February 5, 2009 By 1 Comment
Joe Lauzon vs. Jeremy Stephens (155)
The main event was supposed to be Hermes Franca vs. Joe Lauzon, but Franca pulled out very late due to an injury. In Franca’s place will be Jeremy Stephens. Interestingly, Stephens is one of Franca’s top training partners so the short notice may not affect Stephens as much as it would most other fighters. Stephens was assisting Franca to get ready for Lauzon. Both Stephens and Lauzon are stand and bang type of fighters. While this is not truly a main event caliber fight, the action most certainly will be. Unfortunately for Stephens, Lauzon has developed more of his game than just strikes. When the fight goes to the ground, Lauzon will have the distinct advantage. Lauzon takes the exciting main event by second round submission.
AUDIO: THIAGO ALVES
February 4, 2009 By 1 Comment
UFC’S Thiago Alves talks about a possible showdown with George St.Pierre
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AUDIO: LEONARD GARCIA
February 4, 2009 By 38 Comments
WEC’s Leonard Garcia talks about his upcoming bout with Mike Brown
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UFC 94 POST-FIGHT NEWS & NOTES
February 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The next superfight?
Georges St. Pierre took on and defeated one of the biggest challenges of his career in UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn. The fight was the first UFC battle to ever have the three-part Primetime preview special to help promote it.
UFC 94 PREDICTIONS
January 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
UFC Welterweight Title Bout: Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn
The biggest bout of 2009 could very well happen in January. With all due respect to Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir, these are two fighters that will go down as two of the all-time best in their weight classes. In the first match-up, St. Pierre took the controversial decision because Penn gassed. Even so, Penn could just as easily have gotten the decision. Since the fight, both have improved, but Penn has looked unstoppable. Also, St. Pierre has tapped out very quickly to both Matt Hughes and Matt Serra. From a talent standpoint, Penn is better both standing and with submissions. St. Pierre’s advantages are wrestling and size. As Mir once said about Lesnar, “What’s he going to do? Wrestle me to death?” No. B.J. Penn will use his superior striking ability to wear St. Pierre down on the way to a third
round TKO.
AUDIO: FRANK MIR
January 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
15rounds.com Gary Herman talks to Frank Mir about his upcoming battle with Brock Lesner
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WEC POST FIGHT NEWS & NOTES
January 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Putting on great events in nothing new for the WEC. They have had a string of successful shows dating back to when Zuffa first purchased the company. Sunday night was no exception. The show featured the return of Urijah Faber as well as a successful title defense by lightweight champion Jamie Varner.
Affliction Day of Reckoning Notes
January 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Fedor Emelianenko continued his mastery of former UFC heavyweight champions. With his first round knockout of Andrei Arlovski to go along with the July victory over Tim Sylvia, Emelianenko has now defeated former UFC champions in successive fights. Now, the question for Affliction Entertainment is who does Emelianenko fight next? And with two shows already complete, what are Affliction’s plans for a third?
Emelianenko takes out Arlovski in one!
January 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski
Emelianenko defeated Arlovski by knockout at 3:14 of the first round. After winning the first few minutes of the fight, Arlovski had Fedor cornered. Arlovski then went for a jumping knee, but Fedor unloaded with an overhand right that caught Arlovski square on the chin and knocked him cold for the finish
Affliction Predictions
January 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski (265 – for the WAMMA heavyweight
title)
The best heavyweight in the world takes on very possibly the second best heavyweight in the world. With all due respect to Brock Lesnar, Josh Barnett and Frank Mir, I would favor Arlovski over all of them. What Arlovski has more than anyone Emelianenko has faced in the past few years (including
Mirko Cro Cop) is superior striking skills. Arlovski is excellent on his feet, and the scary thing is that he has gotten much better since leaving the UFC last year. That being said, Arlovski has only one chance to beat the world’s best fighter. Arlovski has to knock out Emelianenko. If the fight goes to the ground, Fedor wins. If the fight goes the distance, Fedor wins. And to under estimate Emelianenko’s striking skills would also be a big mistake. Emelianenko leveled Tim Sylvia with one of the most vicious standing assaults in recent memory. Arlovski is a great fighter, but this is an easy pick. Emelianenko gets the fight to ground and wins by submission.
Arlovski prepares for the unbeatable
January 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
How do you prepare for a fight against someone that nobody thinks is beatable? For Andrei Arlovski, the answer is simple: treat him like anyother opponent. In just a few days, Arlovski will put that to the test as he takes on the widely recognized number one heavyweight in the world in Fedor
Emelianenko.
Arlovski set to move into boxing following fight with Fedor
January 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment
According to trainer Freddie Roach, Andrei Arlovski will move into boxing following his match-up with Fedor Emelianenko at the Affliction: Day of Reckoning PPV. Roach already knows who he wants Arlovski to face.
Pacquiao – Hatton not dead
January 22, 2009 By 1 Comment
The on and off match-up between pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao and
Ricky Hatton appeared to have hit a dead end earlier today. However,
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, believes that the problems will be worked
out.
AUDIO: ANDREI ARLOVSKI
January 22, 2009 By 1 Comment
Andrei Arlovski talks about his showdown with Fedor Emellienenko that will take place this Saturday night at Affliction Day of Reckoning
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AUDIO: TIM SYLVIA
January 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Tim “The Maniac” Sylvia discusses Affliction Day of Reckoning and his future plans
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AUDIO: FREDDIE ROACH
January 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment
World class boxing trainer, Freddie Roach discusses his input into the training of Anfrei Arlovski as he takes on Fedor Emalienko this Saturday night at Affliction Day of Reckoning
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AUDIO: PAUL BUENTELLO
January 21, 2009 By 42 Comments
15rounds.com Gary Herman talks to Paul Buentello as he gets ready for his big fight against Kirill Sidelnikov this Saturday night at Affliction Day of Reckoning
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UFC 93 PREDICTIONS
January 15, 2009 By 1 Comment
15rounds.com Gary Herman breaks down the big UFC 93 show that will take place this Saturday from Dublin, Ireland on Pay Per View
AUDIO: TITO ORTIZ
January 7, 2009 By 1 Comment
MMA Superstar Tito Ortiz talks to Gary Herman about Ortiz upcoming plans
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Q & A with Tito Ortiz
January 7, 2009 By 1 Comment
If there’s one thing Tito Ortiz does better than fight, it is promote. Since losing his last match to Lyota Machida at UFC 84, Ortiz has not been able to get back into the cage. Back problems and contract issues have been the main culprit, but Ortiz is certainly not going to allow that to keep him down.
AUDIO: AL BERNSTEIN
December 31, 2008 By 48 Comments
Famed boxing announcer, Al Bernstein was at UFC 92 and gave 15rounds.com Gary Herman his thoughts
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More UFC News & Notes
December 31, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Jackson would rather have revenge before the championship
After Quinton Jackson defeated Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92, Dana White said that Jackson would most likely be first in line to challenge new champion Rashad Evans. However, if Jackson had it his way, his next fight would not be for the title.
UFC 92 POST-FIGHT NEWS & NOTES
December 28, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Both Rashad Evans and Frank Mir recorded upset victories to claim UFC championships, and Quinton Jackson avenged two knockout losses to Wanderlei Silva with a devastating first round knockout of his own. But that was not the only big news to come out of UFC 92. Following the show, a lot of the participants had some very interesting things to say about what’s going to happen in the UFC.