Well here we are yet again for another issue of ViperzVenom! Thank you to everyone who has clicked on my post and came in and read what I have to say. I'd also like to say that comments about the structure about my article and construction criticism is more than welcome. My goal here is to not only give you fight picks you can trust but also give you something you really enjoy reading. With that being said lets get underway.
Artem Lobov 12-11-1 vs Alex White 10-2-0
Interesting match up here, Alex White originally came to the UFC with a 9-0 record, a guy some people thought was going to be a big prospect. Unfortunately after going 1-2 he's went from prospect to picket line. All you needed to hear was that Lobov trains with Conor McGregor and has serious punching power. I wouldn't be shocked if White picked up the win here after taking a year off to work on his game but one punch from Lobov and it will be White seeing that bright white light.
Pick: Artem Lobov 1st Round KO/TKO
Mickey Gall 1-0-0 vs Mike Jackson 0-0-0
Most people wont see this fight because they buried it on fight pass but make no mistake about it, Mickey Gall is as legit as they come. The New Jersey native has won plenty of jiu jitsu competitions and is competing not just for a substantial UFC contract, but also to be the first person to step in the cage against Phillip "CM Punk" Brooks. Mike Jackson on the other hand could end Gall's dreams real fast with either hand. This guy has been known to punch walls for fun and when he loads up if your chin is in close proximity, your going to sleep. So, striker vs grappler? dreamcatcher or dreamcrusher? Really could go either way, the inexperience of seeing either one of these guys fight can kill everybody's predictions. Neither guy will have an adrenaline dump because they both have experience performing in front of large crowds. I decided this pick based on the guy who didn't paint his toe nails.
Pick: Mickey Gall 1st Round Submission
Noad Lahat 9-1-0 vs Diego Rivas 6-0-0
Rivas is a take damage to give damage fighter. Very fun to watch but that might get him into trouble here against the black belt in judo. Lahat has some great throws and I expect him to use them to take Rivas down and take him where he isn't comfortable. Lahat survives the early barrage to tap Rivas in the 2nd.
Pick: Noad Lahat 2nd Round Submission
Ray Borg 9-1-0 vs Justin Scoggins 10-2-0
Wrestler vs Grappler here. Scoggins looks like the clear cut winner. Bad match up for Borg who looks to rely on his submission skills a little too much at times. Even though they have 9 first round finishes between them this one goes the distance. Scoggins uses his elusive Karate techniques mixed with his reach advantage to get the judges nod here.
Pick: Justin Scoggins Unanimous Decision
Derrick Lewis 13-4-0 vs Damian Grabowski 20-2-0
Heavyweight bouts can ruin predictions as well. Grabowski looks in better condition than Lewis here and has far better and bigger credentials as well. The safe picks for heavyweight fights are to just pick KO and leave the who blank. Unfortunately for writers, we can't do that. If the man with more skill wins Grabovski takes Lewis out with ease, and he won't even have to use his submission game to do it.
Pick: Damian Grabowski 1st Round KO/TKO
Joshua Burkman 28-12-0 vs KJ Noons 12-7-0
I love this fight because both guys have made it to the UFC multiple times only to get destroyed once getting there. I still rememeber watching Josh Burkman at his ultimate fighter finale where he slammed Sammy Morgan and knocked him out in one of the funniest KO faces I've ever seen. Truthfully both guys have only ever lost to very high caliber fighters so it makes sense to have them fight each other to see which one stays and which one goes. Burkman is silly to try and stand with Noons and Noons is silly to allow Burkman to take him down. Burkman is a very big lightweight though and I expect him to impose his will on Noons.
Pick: Joshua Burkman 2nd Round Submission
Mike Pyle 26-11-1 vs Sean Spencer 12-4-0
Mike Pyle is way to crafty a veteran to fall victim to Spencers overhand right. Pyle snaps his two fight losing streak and he takes one of Spencers limbs home with him.
Pick: Mike Pyle 2nd Round Submission
Misha Cirkunov 10-2-0 vs Alex Nicholson 6-1-0
Nicholson might just be getting thrown to the dogs here. Cirkunov is very explosive with his takedowns and he grinds guys down until they break. Nicholson is more of an opportunist. I don't see his opportunity coming tomorrow night.Cirkunov can finish the fight anywhere it goes.
Pick: Misha Cirkunov by 1st Round Murder (KO/TKO)
Joseph Benavidez 23-4-0 vs Zach Makovsky 19-6-0
Every time the UFC does this I shake my head. They are basically giving a guy who is barely in the top 10 a title shot, or keeping Benavidez warm whichever pops into your mind first. Makovsky doesn't belong in the octagon with Benavidez. I expect this fight to look something like the Uriah Faber/Alex Cacares fight.
Pick: Joseph Benavidez 1st Round Submission
Ovince Saint Preux 18-7-0 vs Rafael Cavalcante 12-6-0
OSP is just the bigger, stronger, faster athlete here. Feijao looked better than he ever has at the weigh ins but OSP is really just that good.
Pick: Ovince Saint Preux 2nd Round KO/TKO
Roy Nelson 21-12-0 vs Jared Rosholt 14-2-0
At this point in his career Nelson is just looking to show up, play to his fans, and collect a paycheck. Rosholt is to crafty a fighter to fall into Nelson's overhand trap. another long night for Nelson here.
Pick: Jared Rosholt Unanimous Decision
Johny Hendricks 17-3-0 vs Stephen Thompson 11-1-0
A main event coin flip. My favorite! can Thompson keep the distance and land his kicks to be the first guy to finish Big Rigg or will Hendricks close the distance and land that dynamite we've seen put some of the best welterweights in the world to sleep? My opinion is that not only did Hendricks beat Robbie Lawler BOTH times but he also beat GSP as well. Clear Cut. Hendricks is currently the best welterweight in the world and I expect him to prove that tomorrow night.
Pick: Johny Hendricks 1st Round KO/TKO
So there are my picks for tomorrows fight card. I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I did writing. Ill see you for the next UFC card to once again make my predictions and weigh in on each and every fight. Until then.
Artem Lobov 12-11-1 vs Alex White 10-2-0
Interesting match up here, Alex White originally came to the UFC with a 9-0 record, a guy some people thought was going to be a big prospect. Unfortunately after going 1-2 he's went from prospect to picket line. All you needed to hear was that Lobov trains with Conor McGregor and has serious punching power. I wouldn't be shocked if White picked up the win here after taking a year off to work on his game but one punch from Lobov and it will be White seeing that bright white light.
Pick: Artem Lobov 1st Round KO/TKO
Mickey Gall 1-0-0 vs Mike Jackson 0-0-0
Most people wont see this fight because they buried it on fight pass but make no mistake about it, Mickey Gall is as legit as they come. The New Jersey native has won plenty of jiu jitsu competitions and is competing not just for a substantial UFC contract, but also to be the first person to step in the cage against Phillip "CM Punk" Brooks. Mike Jackson on the other hand could end Gall's dreams real fast with either hand. This guy has been known to punch walls for fun and when he loads up if your chin is in close proximity, your going to sleep. So, striker vs grappler? dreamcatcher or dreamcrusher? Really could go either way, the inexperience of seeing either one of these guys fight can kill everybody's predictions. Neither guy will have an adrenaline dump because they both have experience performing in front of large crowds. I decided this pick based on the guy who didn't paint his toe nails.
Pick: Mickey Gall 1st Round Submission
Noad Lahat 9-1-0 vs Diego Rivas 6-0-0
Rivas is a take damage to give damage fighter. Very fun to watch but that might get him into trouble here against the black belt in judo. Lahat has some great throws and I expect him to use them to take Rivas down and take him where he isn't comfortable. Lahat survives the early barrage to tap Rivas in the 2nd.
Pick: Noad Lahat 2nd Round Submission
Ray Borg 9-1-0 vs Justin Scoggins 10-2-0
Wrestler vs Grappler here. Scoggins looks like the clear cut winner. Bad match up for Borg who looks to rely on his submission skills a little too much at times. Even though they have 9 first round finishes between them this one goes the distance. Scoggins uses his elusive Karate techniques mixed with his reach advantage to get the judges nod here.
Pick: Justin Scoggins Unanimous Decision
Derrick Lewis 13-4-0 vs Damian Grabowski 20-2-0
Heavyweight bouts can ruin predictions as well. Grabowski looks in better condition than Lewis here and has far better and bigger credentials as well. The safe picks for heavyweight fights are to just pick KO and leave the who blank. Unfortunately for writers, we can't do that. If the man with more skill wins Grabovski takes Lewis out with ease, and he won't even have to use his submission game to do it.
Pick: Damian Grabowski 1st Round KO/TKO
Joshua Burkman 28-12-0 vs KJ Noons 12-7-0
I love this fight because both guys have made it to the UFC multiple times only to get destroyed once getting there. I still rememeber watching Josh Burkman at his ultimate fighter finale where he slammed Sammy Morgan and knocked him out in one of the funniest KO faces I've ever seen. Truthfully both guys have only ever lost to very high caliber fighters so it makes sense to have them fight each other to see which one stays and which one goes. Burkman is silly to try and stand with Noons and Noons is silly to allow Burkman to take him down. Burkman is a very big lightweight though and I expect him to impose his will on Noons.
Pick: Joshua Burkman 2nd Round Submission
Mike Pyle 26-11-1 vs Sean Spencer 12-4-0
Mike Pyle is way to crafty a veteran to fall victim to Spencers overhand right. Pyle snaps his two fight losing streak and he takes one of Spencers limbs home with him.
Pick: Mike Pyle 2nd Round Submission
Misha Cirkunov 10-2-0 vs Alex Nicholson 6-1-0
Nicholson might just be getting thrown to the dogs here. Cirkunov is very explosive with his takedowns and he grinds guys down until they break. Nicholson is more of an opportunist. I don't see his opportunity coming tomorrow night.Cirkunov can finish the fight anywhere it goes.
Pick: Misha Cirkunov by 1st Round Murder (KO/TKO)
Joseph Benavidez 23-4-0 vs Zach Makovsky 19-6-0
Every time the UFC does this I shake my head. They are basically giving a guy who is barely in the top 10 a title shot, or keeping Benavidez warm whichever pops into your mind first. Makovsky doesn't belong in the octagon with Benavidez. I expect this fight to look something like the Uriah Faber/Alex Cacares fight.
Pick: Joseph Benavidez 1st Round Submission
Ovince Saint Preux 18-7-0 vs Rafael Cavalcante 12-6-0
OSP is just the bigger, stronger, faster athlete here. Feijao looked better than he ever has at the weigh ins but OSP is really just that good.
Pick: Ovince Saint Preux 2nd Round KO/TKO
Roy Nelson 21-12-0 vs Jared Rosholt 14-2-0
At this point in his career Nelson is just looking to show up, play to his fans, and collect a paycheck. Rosholt is to crafty a fighter to fall into Nelson's overhand trap. another long night for Nelson here.
Pick: Jared Rosholt Unanimous Decision
Johny Hendricks 17-3-0 vs Stephen Thompson 11-1-0
A main event coin flip. My favorite! can Thompson keep the distance and land his kicks to be the first guy to finish Big Rigg or will Hendricks close the distance and land that dynamite we've seen put some of the best welterweights in the world to sleep? My opinion is that not only did Hendricks beat Robbie Lawler BOTH times but he also beat GSP as well. Clear Cut. Hendricks is currently the best welterweight in the world and I expect him to prove that tomorrow night.
Pick: Johny Hendricks 1st Round KO/TKO
So there are my picks for tomorrows fight card. I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I did writing. Ill see you for the next UFC card to once again make my predictions and weigh in on each and every fight. Until then.
