It's time ladies and gentlemen. April 1 at 8pm, Spike TV, Fight Night Live. I'm going to give you my picks for each fight. This should be a good card.
Condit (23-4) v. Kampmann (14-2)
People who haven't seen any WEC fights may be unfamiliar with Carlos Condit, their Welterweight champion. I've caught a couple of his fights and I liked what I saw. He's very good on his feet, his jiu-jitsu is solid, and he's got a really active guard. One thing that stood out was his cardio. Those boys in the WEC really know how to push the pace, and he was as good as any other. His competition hasn't been world class, so this will be his first real test.
Martin Kampmann is one of the best kickboxers in the world. Period. His striking game is world class, and will really test Condit. He has several wins by submission so he's got skills on the ground too. Kampmann might be a little to much for Condit his first time in the octagon.
Decision: Kampmann, TKO in 2
Ryan Bader (9-0) v. Carmelo Marrero (10-2-1)
Ryan Bader was the winner of last years Ultimate Fighter at Heavyweight. He's got devastating knockout power as demonstrated in his knockout over Vinnie Magalhaes. He was a D-1 All-American wrestler, so you know he's got top notch grappling.
I've seen Carmelo Marrero fight before, but he doesn't stand out in my mind. I remember him beating Cheick Kongo, but Kongo has never looked that bad before or since. Consecutive lossed to top contenders hurt him alot. He trains at American Top Team so you at least know he's in shape. But, I gotta go with the new guy here.
Decision: Bader, KO in 1
Tyson Griffin (12-2) v. Rafael Dos Anos (11-3)
Straight up, Tyson Griffin is one of my favorite fighters at any weight class. He's an animal. Griffin has been through hell in the ring and he's battle hardened. In his only two losses to Frankie Edgar and Sean Sherk, he was beaten that day. Another time, another place, and those fights may have gone differently. His strength is his motor. It propels his top tier grappling, it makes him throw devastating power punches, and it make his submission attempts violent. And he can go all day. You rarely see lightweight fights end in quick fashion, and Griffin's fights are no exception. If it goes to decision, Griffin's got a great chance.
The only time I've seen Rafael Dos Anos fight, he got KNOCKED OUT. Bad. The fight was competitive til that point, but yeah. Game over. They say he's got real good jiu-jitsu, but it remains to be seen. Look for a one sided fight here.
Decision: Griffin, Unanimous Decision 3
If the fight gods love me: Griffin, Submission in 3
Junie Browning (3-1) v. Cole Miller (14-3)
Junie Browning looked very good in his debut fight against Dave Kaplan. But I wasn't that impressed. Dave Kaplan was not a tough test, and Browning rolled him. Cole Miller will be a better test.
Cole Miller has size, length, and in my opinion better stand up, so look for Miller to do alot of damage with his hands. His long limbs help him to be a very good submission artist, but I don't see him being put on his back too much. I love American Top Team, so look for Miller to be well prepared and well coached.
Decision: Miller, TKO 2
Those are the main fights, scheduled to be on the card. But I want to select one other fight that I think will be a very good fight. One that will hopefully be broadcast.
Gleison Tibau (28-5) v. Jeremy Stephens (16-4)
I've seen Gleison Tibau fight well, and I've seen him fight bad. At his best, he's a very talented submission artist. But when you roll with the worlds best, sometimes you end up getting rolled. He's been submitted several times in his UFC career. Another ATT fighter, so you can count on him at least being prepared.
Jeremy Stephens also trains at one of the best camps in the world. He trains with Pat Militich in Iowa. These guys are legendary for their wrestling and ground and pound. Jeremy Stephens is no exception. Besides this he's got really good hands. Knock out hands. Rafael Dos Anos can tell you all about it. This should be a great fight. Strong pace until it ends.
Decision: Stephens, TKO 2
So there you have it. My picks for each of the main fights. I'd love to hear your thoughts. So drop a comment if you have an opinion. Thanks for checkin in, Love Life.
Keywords: UFC
