The most unique season of The Ultimate Fighter is having its fight finale this Saturday. This season had the best ratings in the series history and also had some of the least impressive contestants. Normally, TUF introduces you to a group of up and coming fighters that most of the MMA world had yet to hear of. We watch their antics in the house, villianize some and root for others. We watch them develop as fighters throughout the season and wonder how they will perform once they reach their goal of fighting in the UFC. This season was different. This season was full of fighters we had seen fight before, or at the very least had heard of. Most of all, this season had Kimbo Slice! The backyard brawling, internet sensation whom Dana White frequently referred to as "The toughest man at the barbecue."
I found myself rooting for Kimbo only to be disappointed when he was ousted out of the competition in the 3rd episode. The UFC teased us with whether or not Kimbo would return to compete as an injury replacement but it never happened. The remainder of the season we were treated to a series of mediocre fights with contestants winning who stand little to no chance of actually competing against the UFC's top heavyweights. Does anyone actually think "Big Country" would last 60 seconds against Brock Lesnar? Or that Brendan Schaub would last through round 2 against Frank Mir? But I digress.... The highlight of the entire season was watching Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson banter back and forth. I can't imagine how huge that fight will be once they eventually face each other. I refuse to believe either of them is a good actor so they must genuinely despise each other.
The Finale is Saturday night. The UFC has put together a fairly interesting free card. So here they are, the Fight Pastor's predictions for the TUF 10 Finale (aka Kimbo Slice's first official UFC fight).
Mark Bocek vs Joe Brammer
This fight is a battle between a UFC undercard vet Mark Bocek and the octagon newcomer Joe Brammer. I have never been too impressed with Bocek and have never seen Brammer fight. Brammer does have a pretty cool nickname, The South Side Strangler. I assume you don't have a nickname like that unless you have a habit of choking opponents out. Bocek has a habit of choking or being choked. I think this will come down to a 2nd round rear naked choke with The South Side Strangler reigning victorious in his UFC debut.
John Howard vs Dennis Hallman
This is actually a pretty interesting fight. Howard is a top level boxer and Hallman is a submission whiz. Hallman is making his return to the octagon. He is most famous for submitting Matt Hughes twice back when Matt Hughes was seen as almost unbeatable. Howard, on the other hand, has fought recently in the UFC. In his last fight he beat the man with the worst nickname in MMA, Tamdan "The Barncat" McCrory. His split decision win sent The Barncat out of the UFC. This striker versus grappler battle is going to end early. John Howard knocking out Dennis Hallman in the 2nd round.
Brian Stann vs Rodney Wallace
This fight has little intrigue so I will keep it simple. Rodney Wallace, the newcomer, loses by TKO to Brian Stann, the much larger light heavyweight, in round 2.
Jon Madsen vs Justin Wren
Madsen and Wren both competed on this season of The Ultimate Fighter. Both men are superb wrestlers so there is a good chance this fight is going to the ground. Justin Wren has the better striker game and is the more well-rounded fighter. His experience and more well-rounded fight game will be enough to give him a boring 3 round decision.
Darrell Schoonover vs James McSweeney
Schoonover and McSweeney also competed on this season of TUF. Schoonover was mercilessly teased all season by Rampage Jackson. (I actually felt bad for him. Personally, I think it made Rampage look like a school yard bully.)
Schoonover ended up getting knocked out on the show by Marcus Jones. McSweeney, on the other hand, was winning his fight against "Big Country" but started showboating and Roy Nelson clocked him. It was a reminder that pride comes before a fall. His cockiness took him from the main event to the undercard. McSweeney will never make that mistake again. He wins this fight by 2nd round knock out.
Marcus Jones vs Matt Mitrione
This is the fight between my favorite competitor on the show, Marcus Jones, and my least favorite, Matt Mitrione. Both are ex-NFL players. Marcus Jones is a far better fighter than Matt Mitrione and will have little trouble submitting him in the 1st round.
Frank Edgar vs Matt Veach
This battle between lightweight contenders is probably going to be fight of the night. Frank Edgar recently beat Sean Sherk and has only lost to the stud, Gray Maynard. Matt Veach has only one fight in the octagon but it was an impressive win against Matt Grice. This will be an exciting 3 round fight with Frank Edgar's octagon experience (and boxing) helping him win the decision.
Kimbo Slice vs Houston Alexander
Lets be honest, this is the fight everyone wants to watch. It is going to be a standing brawl. It is going to end early, probably in the first round. Houston Alexander has knocked out Keith Jardine, his biggest claim to fame but has been knocked out by everyone else. Kimbo has knocked out Tank Abbott but also got KO'ed in prime time by the UFC cast off Seth Petruzelli . This season of tough made me a Kimbo fan. I badly want him to win. I am a little nervous that one of Houston's haymakers will connect on Kimbo in the first 2 minutes and knock him out. His only chance is to make it through Houston Alexanders initial onslaught and KO him towards the end of the first round. My brain says Alexander but my heart says Kimbo. It is one of those rare moments where I am in a sensitive mood. Kimbo Slice makes his UFC debut in stunning fashion by knocking out "The Assassin" Houston Alexander in the first round!
Matt Hamill vs Jon Jones
This is a great match up, striker versus grappler. Matt Hamill is a great, but boring, fighter and Jon Jones is a quick rising, undefeated light heavyweight. I want Jon Jones to win. I have met him several times, he is super cool. I just think Hamill's wrestling will ultimately decide the fight. Hamill by 3 round decision. Jon Jones is no longer undefeated.
Roy Nelson vs Brendan Schaub
The finale for TUF 10 pits the veteran, Roy Nelson, against the former NFL player, Brendan Schaub. Schaub is a great puncher but "Big Country" is a well-rounded MMA fighter. Dana White doesn't like Roy Nelson very much but unfortunately he is going to have to get use to him. "Big Country" is going to take Schaub down and lay on him with, as Rampage so eloquently put it, "his big belly." Roy Nelson smothers Brendan Schaub and wins a boring 3 round decision.
There you go, the Fight Pastor's predictions for the finale of the most popular (and most boring) season of The Ultimate Fighter to date. So what are your thoughts? Am I a prophet or am I blinded by my obsession with Kimbo?
Man, I don't get some of these predictions, Pastor. :)
Jon Madsen doesn't just have great wrestling ... his ground and pound is pretty good, too. (Just ask Abe Wagner). Good wrestling isn't enough to help you finish a fight, and given the matches in styles and size, I think Madsen has that killer instinct that Wren lacks. Madsen in a second round TKO.
Schoonover is a far better fighter than McSweeney, and I don't think McSweeney has learned the lesson about keeping his ego in check yet. Schoonover was dominated by Marcus Jones, but that was more like getting mauled by a bear. McSweeney doesn't have the size to do that, he doesn't really have knockout power, and if Schoonover can nullify McSweeney's kicks, he's going to come out on top. Schoonover in a third round unanimous decision.
Speaking of Marcus Jones, he isn't going to submit Mittrione. He's out for blood, and he's not going to stop until Mittrione is unconscious or until the ref stops the fight. Marcus Jones by viscous mauling inside of two minutes.
There is no way Kimbo wins this fight. I mean, I'd really like him to, because I grew to like the guy on the show, but Alexander saw the show too, and knows about the bum knee. He'll exploit that with kicks to keep Kimbo at range until he can find an opening and knock him out. Alexander by first round knock out.
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=788351638 | December 04, 2009 at 01:23 PM
Have to admit a couple of these fights were tough to call. I am sticking with my picks! We will find out Saturday night.
Posted by: Fight Pastor | December 04, 2009 at 05:00 PM