2014 Staff Standings
Josh Hall: 8-4 .667
Nolan Howell: 7-5 .583
TC Engel: 6-6 .500
Earl Montclair: 6-6 .500
Dan Galvan: 5-6 .455
Luke Irwin: 5-7 .417
Last Event Winner: Josh Hall (8-4)
Lightweight Bout: Benson Henderson (19-3) vs. Josh Thomson (20-5)
Luke Irwin: Henderson isn’t going to throw anything at Josh Thomson that he hasn’t seen. He’s been in the big leagues for too long, seen too much all over the world, and Bendo’s pitter-patters aren’t going to matter. Thomson is a much better technical striker, he went toe-to-toe three times with Gil and looked every bit the striker he was, and Thomson is going to beat Bendo up and fluster him. Thomson via UD.
Ben Kohn: Read my breakdown, trust me you won’t regret it :). Josh Thomson by Unanimous Decision.
Earl Montclair: I don’t really understand why Thomson is getting so much love here. I want Benson to finally get a finish in the UFC but Josh is tough as shit so I don’t think this will be the one. Should be a pretty clear cut, decisive victory for Benson Henderson, Unanimous Decision.
TC Engel: I have a conscience. Bendo via UD.
Josh Hall: I read Ben’s breakdown. As usual, Ben is wrong. In a close fight Benson always wins, but I think he controls range on the feet and scores a few takedowns along the way to a 49-46 unanimous decision.
Heavyweight Bout: Gabriel Gonzaga (16-7) vs. Stipe Miocic (10-1)
Luke Irwin: Gonzaga has looked good upon his return, but I don’t trust his chin still. Miocic via R3 TKO.
Ben Kohn: Stipe is quick, powerful, has great boxing, and very good wrestling too. Gonzaga is one of my favorites and his BJJ is awesome but he just doesn’t have the speed or chin to beat Miocic. I feel like this will be a similar fight to Schaub vs. Gonzaga but with a finish. Stipe Miocic by KO round 2.
Earl Montclair: Miocic is fresh off making Roy Nelson look like a total clown last time out and Manbearpig is looking to make it 3 straight TKOs following his drubbings of Dave Herman and Shawn Jordan. This is so tough to do and that really speaks to what great matchmaking this is. Heart pick: Gabriel Gonzaga, Submission, Monsterface, Round 1.
TC Engel: Stipe Miocic is a stud and I need him to fight Hunto next. Gonzaga has nothing for him. Miocic via KO, round 1.
Josh Hall: Someone is going to sleep quickly here. I have the feeling Gonzaga is making that one last push, so I’ll say its Stipe. Gonzaga via 1st round KO.
Lightweight Bout: Adriano Martins (25-6) vs. Donald Cerrone (21-6)
Luke Irwin: Martins has looked solid, but this is a gigantic step up for him and one I’m not sure he’s ready for. Cerrone via UD.
Ben Kohn: Cerrone looked fantastic against Evan Dunham and seems to have his fire back. Martins looked fantastic as well….against Daron Cruickshank. Ya….Donald Cerrone by Submission round 2.
Earl Montclair: Squash Match. Cowboy, TKO, Round 1.
TC Engel: Martins has one UFC win people, let’s settle down. Cowboy via UD.
Josh Hall: Cerrone is going to win this, and do it handily. The only question is how. Cerrone via 2nd round KO.
Featherweight Bout: Darren Elkins (17-3) vs. Jeremy Stephens (22-9)
Luke Irwin: Stephens is usually pretty mint at keeping a fight standing, but Elkins is a bull moose at featherweight and I think he can pound Stephens down. Elkins via SD.
Ben Kohn: Elkins is a tough SOB with smothering wrestling and top control. I think he will eat a shot or two but will get Stephens down eventually and grind out a victory. Darren Elkins by Unanimous Decision.
Earl Montclair: I really think Elkins is going to be able to execute Anthony Pettis’ gameplan against Stephens to perfection here. Elkins is too damn hard-headed and tenacious to let Jeremy stand around and wing bombs at his face. Darren Elkins, Unanimous Decision.
TC Engel: Fuck Jeremy Stephens. Elkins via UD.
Josh Hall: This might be the toughest fight to call on the card. When Elkins loses, he does it very quickly. I think Stephens wins this, so… Stephens via 1st round KO.
Bantamweight Bout: Alex Caceres (9-5) vs. Sergio Pettis (10-0)
Luke Irwin: I really don’t like Pettis at bantamweight. I really wish he’d go back to being the future of flyweight like we all thought he was going to be. I think Caceres’s grappling is going to give Pettis fits. Caceres is one of the few fighters that can actively control what direction he wants the fight to go on the ground, and I think Pettis is too small at bantamweight to battle back. Caceres via R3 submission.
Ben Kohn: I think Caceres has what it takes to squeek out an upset here. I think his grappling and interesting striking will throw Pettis off and he will take a split. Alex Caceres by Split Decision.
Earl Montclair: Little Showtime is going to have to step it up here after a lackluster promotional debut his last time out. Caceres is going to give him the chance to shine here as Campuzano is a much tougher out. Joe Rogan will surely be at full mast for this one. Sergio Pettis, Submission, Round 2.
TC Engel: Though the betting lines say otherwise, this is a pure toss up. I’m going to pick Pettis in a fight of the night calibre grappling match. Pettis via Peruvian Necktie, round 3.
Josh Hall: If Sergio Pettis is the prospect he has been hyped up as, he should win this handily. Caceres is a tough out for anyone except the elite at BW though. Pettis via split decision.
Bantamweight Bout: Eddie Wineland (20-9-1) vs. Yves Jabouin (19-8)
Luke Irwin: It’s time for Wineland to get back on the winning track, and a guy like Jabouin who’s skated by on weak oppositions and weak decisions is perfect cannon fodder for Wineland. Wineland via R2 KO.
Ben Kohn: Ohhhh boy this is going to be violent. Eddie Wineland by brutal KO round 1.
Earl Montclair: This should be a fun striking battle while it lasts. Even though Eddie got pasted by Renan Barao he is still on another level from Yves. This should be a nice bounce back fight for him. Eddie Wineland, TKO, Round 2.
TC Engel: I lol’d. Wineland via TKO, round 1.
Josh Hall: Wineland needs a rebound fight after he was abused by the champion, and this is certainly that. Wineland via 1st round KO.
Bantamweight Bout: Chico Camus (13-4) vs. Yaotzin Meza (20-8)
Luke Irwin: Camus actually has wins over legit UFC compeition, and while this fight won’t be fantastic, Camus has more to offer. Camus via UD.
Ben Kohn: Camus’s striking is good and while Meza is ok, I don’t think he will get Camus down too much and he won’t hang on the feet. Chico Camus by Unanimous Decision.
Earl Montclair: I am going against the grain here and taking Meza. It’s a feeling. It’s probably wrong. Yaotzin Meza, Split Decision.
TC Engel: Meza via UD.
Josh Hall: I think Camus can control the fight enough to grind out an ugly win with top position for extended periods of time. Camus via unanimous decision.
Bantamweight Bout: Hugo Viana (7-1) vs. Ramiro Hernandez (13-5)
Luke Irwin: Junior Hernandez just isn’t that good. Viana isn’t anything special, and this fight will probably eat some dirt. Viana via UD.
Ben Kohn: Viana is going to beat Hernandez in a 3 round snoozer. Hugo Viana by Unanimous Decision.
Earl Montclair: Viana got this. Hugo Viana, Unanimous Decision.
TC Engel: Hernandez is not a fighter that is good at fighting. Viana via UD.
Josh Hall: I’m not convinced Hernandez is a UFC caliber fighter yet. Viana via unanimous decision.
Lightweight Bout: Daron Cruickshank (13-4) vs. Mike Rio (9-3)
Luke Irwin: Cruickshank is going to weirdly strike Rio down. Cruickshank via UD.
Ben Kohn: Cruickshank does have decent striking and Rio is just not good. Sooooo Cruickshank by being a decent striker by Unanimous Decision.
Earl Montclair: Rio is a very live dog here because Cruickshank is as we say in the business, poopy on the ground. I don’t think Rio is good enough to get it there for 10 of the 15 minutes. Daron Cruickshank’s Booty Shorts, Unanimous Decision.
TC Engel: Mike Rio is pretty not good. I love Cruickshank, despite his horrific ground game. If he lands a few times.. #LEGGO Cruickshank via KO, round 1.
Josh Hall: Rio has lost to every UFC caliber fighter he has faced thus far in his career. Cruickshank via unanimous decision.
Welterweight Bout: George Sullivan (14-3) vs. Mike Rhodes (6-1)
Luke Irwin: This sounds like an old-timey bare-knuckle boxing match from the 1920s. Never pick against the guys who come up from Jersey promotions like CFFC and ROC. Those guys mean business. Sullivan via R2 Submission.
Ben Kohn: Sullivan by TKO round 2.
Earl Montclair: Sullivan, TKO, Round 2.
TC Engel: Sullivan via UD.
Josh Hall: I don’t really know much about either of these guys, so I’ll go with Rhodes because he trains out of the better camp and only loss is to Brandon Thatch. Rhodes via 1st round KO.
Heavyweight Bout: Nikita Krylov (15-3) vs. Walt Harris (5-2)
Luke Irwin: Krylov didn’t do a whole hell of a lot against Palelei, and Harris did much, MUCH more than Jared Rosholt than I thought he would. Rosholt has much more to offer than Krylov. Harris via R1 TKO.
Ben Kohn: Walt Harris has power and good boxing when he’s not tired. Krylov….ya he’s just not that great even when he’s not tired (which is for maybe 2 minutes of the fight). Walt Harris by KO round 1.
Earl Montclair: Hopefully Walt comes through and blasts him early. Krylov is not Jared Rosholt and Walt put in on him in the first round. He should be able to finish the job here. Walt Harris, Massive KO, Round 1.
TC Engel: Walt Harris via not being involved in the Krylov vs. Paleileilei atrocity.
Josh Hall: Krylov is the worst HW in the UFC. This should expose that pretty quickly. Harris via 1st round KO.
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