The Super Bowl isn't this weekend's only huge sporting event.
UFC 94, which features welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre vs. lightweight champion B.J. Penn, will be another monster night for mixed martial arts, and the main event is shaping up as a fight for the ages. Below is everything you need to know to get ready.
What: UFC 94: St.-Pierre vs. Penn 2
Who: In addition to the main event, the televised portion of the card features Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva, Stephan Bonnar vs. Jon Jones, Karo Parisyan vs. Dong Hyun Kim and Nate Diaz vs. Clay Guida.
When: Saturday, 10 PM ET
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
How: Pay-per-view, $44.95 ($54.95 in HD)
Predictions:
B.J. Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre
Penn is a more skilled mixed martial artist than St.-Pierre: He has better pure boxing skills, and he has better pure Brazilian jiu jitsu. St.-Pierre is, as we've heard a million times in the run-up to this fight, a better athlete who takes his conditioning more seriously. I think this will ultimately come down to the size advantage that St.-Pierre has: He'll use his superior reach to land kicks effectively, and he'll out-muscle Penn if it goes to the ground. I like St. Pierre to finish Penn in the fourth or fifth round.
Predicted winner: St. Pierre
Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva
I'm a big fan of Machida's, and I disagree with those who think he's boring. I think seeing an elusive fighter like Machida take on a brawler like Silva, who almost always beats his opponents by KO or TKO, makes for a fascinating clash of styles. I expect Silva to make some mistakes and Machida to capitalize on them, and I'd like to see him get a light heavyweight title fight if he beats Silva.
Predicted winner: Machida
Stephan Bonnar vs. Jon Jones
Only three people have ever beaten Bonnar, and you could make a case that they're the three best light heavyweights in MMA today -- Machida, Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans. Jones isn't in that class, and I think Bonnar will start 2009 with a win after sitting out all of 2008.
Predicted winner: Bonnar
Karo Parisyan vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Parisyan dropped out of his scheduled fight on the day before UFC 88, citing a back injury. He says he's now ready to return, and I think he's going to overwhelm Kim, who won a controversial split decision at UFC 88.
Predicted winner: Parisyan
Nate Diaz vs. Clay Guida.
I love this fight. The 23-year-old Diaz is a guy who could be a star in this sport for many years to come, and the 27-year-old Guida is going to give him a very tough test. Both guys have excellent submission skills, but I think Diaz will win with his superior striking.
Predicted winner: Diaz.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
I cant wait I am flying to vegas friday morning
I got
GSP
Silva
Jones
Parisian
Diaz
I like your choice of Silva ... would you agree that Silva must finish Machida to win? Beating Machida in a decision would be difficult to say the least!
I mostly going with Silva cuz I am not a big fan of Machida's style and like Silva's aggression
More with my hearth then brain that choice
GSP vs BJ-
In all honesty I see GSP as the favorite to win by late stoppage or decision, but I'm a big fan of BJ and I'm gonna go with my gut on this one. I think BJ will hurt him with a punch or a knee during a takedown attempt, and finish with the sub.
BJ BY SUBMISSION IN THE 2nd or 3rd.
Machida vs Silva-
The great thing about this fight is - who ever wins this fight cements there status in the division. Like Joe Rogan said, Silva is a murderer & I think his aggression will work on Machida better than previous opponents, but I don't see either guy being finished & outpointing Machida is difficult to impossible.
MACHIDA BY CLOSE DECISION
BONNAR BY SUBMISSION
PARISYAN BY DECISION
DIAZ BY SUBMISSION
Even if BJ is ranked top 10 in the world I don't see him beatin GSP. GSP trains with some of the top fighters and BJ has always been suspect when it comes to his training and stamina. If this doesn't end quick then BJ is in for a long night. If anyone saw the Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone fight then you can understand what kind of stamina GSP is going to have.
Machida vs Silva
Man I can't wait to watch this fight. Machida holds wins over UFC veterans Stephan Bonner, Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn and Vernon White in various MMA organizations. Silva has had an impressive run in the UFC since his May 2007 debut with the organization. His four wins over James Irvin, Tomasz Drwal, Houston Alexander and Antonio Mendes have all come via stoppage -- three by TKO and one by submission. Both undefeated fighters but when its all said and done Machida will win just to much skill for silva.
Blessed0314, Cerrone lost that fight and will GSP. He doesn't have the chin and cuts too easily. Eric has it right. Punches or a knee and BJ wins. If GSP wins, it's going to be by a close decision, but he won't finish Penn. Penn is more of a finisher.
Guida is going to surprise a lot of people I think. This is a great card. See you out there Fredo.
Yes, I know he lost that match. It was he's stamina that was my point.
Sorry for posting this 3 times mister MDS I was having problems replying to the message I wanted
yeah see you there
if you go to the weigh in. I will be there
this is my email if you want to meet up for a drink or just to say whats up
frederick dot garcia@videotron dot ca
Mister MDS
On a another note I dont know if you knew this but Chris Cyborg next fight is scheduled to be for the new promotion in montreal XMMA in february
Phil baroni also will be part of this card
http://xmma.tv/
yeah see you there
if you go to the weigh in. I will be there
this is my email if you want to meet up for a drink or just to say whats up
frederick dot garcia@videotron dot ca
yeah see you there
if you go to the weigh in. I will be there
this is my email if you want to meet up for a drink or just to say whats up
frederick dot garcia@videotron dot ca
Has anyone been watching UFC Primetime?
I'm interested to see GSP's response ... BJ referred to him as a "little bitch" for tapping out from strikes against Serra. Lucky for GSP it didn't go down as a "submission(strikes)", but he definitely was tapping.
I would not be surprised he does not respond
GSP looks as focussed as ever
here you can see him addresse the steroids accusations from BJ recently
The interview is from the score.ca a sports channel in canada
http://mmanouvelles.blogspot.com/2009/01/interview-gsp.html
he looks calm as ever
as for him tapping from strikes. he never denied serra hurt him, weather he tapped or not that dont mean nothing to me I dont think that makkes him a b... as BJ said
Personally, I agree with BJ somewhat. Tapping from strikes does show weakness ... a real champion would never give up in that situation. BJ was in a much worse predicament in the 2nd Hughes fight (tired, hurt, and in the crucifix position) and he showed no signs of giving up.
I don't care much about the steroid accusations ... it's probably just BJ trying to fire up GSP and make the fight a war, but GSP does have some gynecomastia which is very rare naturally yet common place with steroid use.
GSP will take this one. BJ moving back up to welterweight suggests to me that he wants to get lazy/fat again in his training and that getting into top shape to be a lightweight was too tedious for him.
Penn got physically manhandled at welterweight before...he's too small for that weight class. GSP is even stronger than he was when they last met. I don't see how Penn can overpower him. I say GSP wins by a ground-and-pound TKO in the third round.
Silva over Machida? I don't think so. Whom has Silva beaten? Machida has a way better resume and he's a more patient/defensive fighter...I say he takes this one.
Frederick - I like your Jones pick. I think he'll surprise...he could be a new Koscheck -- good athlete who evolves rapidly.
This guy has a pretty good breakdown of the fights:
http://www.betonline.com/betting-edge/UFC-94-odds-719.aspx
Well guys this has the makings of being one of those all time great fights between GSP and BJ. Both of these guys are two of the most naturally gifted fighters around, having said that GSP's size and strength advantage will be the difference.
I'm hoping we'll see five rounds of destruction, but my gut tells me that GSP puts BJ away violently in the second round.
As for Machida vs Silva, I think Silva's game has been completely overlooked and underestimated. I think Silva brings that Chute Boxe killer instinct to Machida, cuts the angles and hones in for the kill. Silva by TKO in the 3rd.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Hey ... anything can happen in MMA, but GSP finishing BJ early seems very unlikely. BJ has a granite chin, the better standup game, and protects himself very well off his back.
Can anyone think of a bigger fight (talent wise) in MMA history? Fedor vs Cro-cop, Chuck vs Randy I ...
gsp in 2 , machita almost before it even starts , bonner split win , karo if he's in shape, diaz will get cought.
big fan, but iv allready seen gsp beat-up penn , & silva has no biz in the ring with machida , a tune up at most. the best fight will be the bonner fight and thats because he blocks punches with his face. ill save my $50 and watch 5 min after it happens on youtube.
"but iv allready seen gsp beat-up penn"
... you must be talking about the new video game! GSP may have won on points, but BJ was the one who delivered a beating. GSP was swollen and bloody after only one round with Penn.