Thoughts on UFC 84 and EliteXC’s fights on Saturday.

If you read my predictions, UFC 84 didn’t come as much of a surprise to you.  If you were annoyed with my accuracy, other than Tito losing by descision instead of winning, you shouldn’t look at my page until after the fights are over.

If I helped you win some money in Vegas…. well then, share the love.

As for Elite XC’s fightnight on Saturday.  People in alot of forums are wondering if this is the start to the end of the UFC or Wec or any payperview program.  My thoughts, HELL NO.

While the EliteXC fights were good, especially Gina Curano’s ass whoopin she laid down, it was kind of like watching a high school basketball game compared to the NBA finals.  People who were intrigued by last nights fights are going to wonder if there is more out there and when they get a taste of the talent pool the UFC has, the UFC’s ppv revenue will skyrocket.  Hopefully this means more money for fighters. 

Kieth Jardine was given ten grand to fight Silva, ten grand!  That is small price to pay for the ass beating he took.

How is UFC 84 Penn vs Sherk going to go down?

Two words, Hawaiian domination. 

BJ Penn is a fighter.  Sean Sherk is an athlete.  This is a physical sport, but at the end of the day it is a fight and the fighter will win this fight.  Penn isn’t worried about hanging with Sherk for five rounds, he wont need more than two, maybe three. 

My UFC 85 prediction for BJ Penn and Sean Sherk’s main event showdown: In typical BJ Penn fashion he’ll show a slow jab that finds its target 90% of the time and will have sherks face bleeding by the end of round 1.  Also in round 1 Penn will show his inability to be taken down.  Sherk’s frustration with Penn will resemble Matt Hughes frustration after two rounds.  If Penn can stay injury free for this fight he should be able to submit Sherk by the end of round two or early into round three.  If it goes past three Sherk will be lucky to leave the cage with both arms still attached.

As the equally exciting undercard: Wlanderlei Silva will KTFO Keith Jardine.  Silva has had a slow comeback in the UFC but will make the most of this fight.  Silva will have knockout power when he’s an 80 year old saggy man.

Tito Ortiz better bring it cuz Machida will.  Lloyoto Machida is a machine, a karate machine, but non-the-less a machine.  Machida is in great shape but doesn’t seem to have the ‘it’ something that a champion has.  My prediction for this fight is a Round 1 sumbission by Machida or a three round descion for Tito.  I love Tito, he is in a three way tie for my favorite fighter ever, but I just don’t know if he has the same fire he used to have.

Ultimate Fighter Coaches, Rampage vs. Forrest. Seriously.

Tito and Shamrock.  Matt Hughes and Matt Scerra, Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre.  BJ Penn and Jens Pulver.  All rivals who hate each other.   All talk mad trash and hate each other as fighters and people.

Now we have Quinton “I’m funnier than I am good at fighting (and he’s damn good at fighting)” Jackson and Forrest “Class clown” Griffin.

Quinton Jackson will talk trash like there is no tomorrow.  He’ll have so many funny lines that he’ll  be quoted for a long time by fans of the show.  Forrest is no slouch and will fire back when attacked, but by the end of the taping for the Ultimate Fighter these two are more likely to be best friends sitting around telling jokes and ‘rippin’ on each other than they are to hate each other and want to fight.

I think it will be nice to see or hear someone other than Matt Scerra coach these guys.  Quinton and Forrest should make for some good comedy and should have there boys prepared for battle.  I’m excited for the season to start.