Saturday, October 29, 2011, The Ultimate Fighting Championship will go
live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, for UFC 137 - Diaz vs. Penn,
featuring a welterweight battle between two of the division's best when
former Strikeforce 170lbs champion Nick Diaz (25-7-0) goes toe-to-toe
with the always dangerous, two-time UFC champion B.J. "The Prodigy" Penn
(16-7-2).
The co-main event will see two heavyweight sluggers in Cheick Kongo (16-6-2) and Matt Mitrione (5-0-0) collide in a bout that could easily discover a 'knockout of the night' candidate.
Below you will find our picks for UFC 137 - Penn vs. Diaz.
Jeff Curran (33-13-1, 0-1 UFC) vs. Scott Jorgensen (12-4, 1-0 UFC)
A winner of two-straight and four of his previous five outings, "The Big Frog" Curran is a fourteen-year veteran of the sport who even in recent years has taken some of the division's biggest names to decision; but that will only mean he'll find himself in familiar territory in his long awaited return to the UFC.
Scott Jorgensen's wrestling, tenacity, and submission defense will be enough to pull out a unanimous decision victory. Expect this fight to be competitive early on the feet, but "Young Gun's" cardio will see him finish take-downs as this fight wears on, and effective ground and pound will score points down the stretch.
Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. George Roop (12-7-1, 2-3 UFC)
George Roop is a rangy Muay Thai practitioner coming off what was perhaps the most impressive performance of his career to-date when he battered former #1 contender Josh Grispi at the Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale in June. 3-2-1 since dropping to the featherweight ranks, the stars will have to align just right for Roop to pull out the upset on Saturday.
There is good reason why Hioki enters this fight a strong betting favorite; the world-ranked Japanese standout has defeated some of the division's very best with a potent grappling attack matched by very few. Relentless in his pursuit of the finish, Hioki has submitted twelve opponents and has never been stopped inside the distance in thirty professional fights that include victories over Mark Hominick (2), Jeff Curran, Ronnie Mann, and Marlon Sandro. Hioki will make a successful promotion debut with a second round submission finish.
Mirko Filipovic (27-9-2, 4-5 UFC) vs. Roy Nelson (15-6, 2-2 UFC)
When Cro Cop was at the height of his striking prowess and developed the kind of take-down defense akin to a prime Chuck Liddell, this fight would have been a no-brainer to call. That same Filipovic that decimated Igor Vovchanchyn, Mark Coleman, Aleksander Emelianenko, and Josh Barnett (3) left the building by the time he began his UFC tenure and Roy Nelson will expose that once more on Saturday night, likely bringing an end to a storied career... at least inside the UFC.
Physical ailments have slowed the feared left high-kick that once ended so many fights, and Cro Cop's hands were never as dangerous, rather complimentary to the attack or fear of such from his legs. Nelson will oblige Filipovic in a boxing-heavy bout before finding a take-down from the clinch. He may have difficulty finishing the bout unless he lands his patented overhand-right on an increasingly unstable chin, but Nelson will pick up the win with his promotion future hanging in the balance of this result. Roy Nelson by unanimous decision.
Cheick Kongo (16-6-2, 9-4-1 UFC) vs. Matt Mitrione (5-0, 5-0 UFC)
His potential appears considerable, but the world is about to find out just how good Matt Mitrione is; Cheick Kongo has been a UFC main-stay since 2006 amassing a very respectable 9-4-1 record along the way. Two defeats were narrow split-decisions while the other two came at the hands of Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir. Kongo has essentially become a very solid gate-keeper to the upper echelon of the heavyweight ranks and will pose some interesting problems for Mitrione with his long reach and effective kicks from the outside.
Believe the Mitrione hype, as it takes a special kind of athlete to excel in two sports, particularly when they're professional football and mixed martial arts. His comfort in the pocket, sharp south-paw combinations, and ability to find angles with his hands will see him score points standing, opening up opportunities for a take-down when Kongo least expects it. A fairly even stand up battle will ensue with the American controlling the center of the octagon throughout, while landing a handful of well timed take-downs to score the unanimous decision win.
B.J. Penn (16-7-2, 12-6-2 UFC) vs. Nick Diaz (25-7, 1 NC, 6-4 UFC)
The main-event at UFC 137 pits two fierce competitors, finishers by nature with parallel skill-sets against one another in a pivotal match-up at 170lbs that could see the division's next #1 contender emerge.
Many have touted Diaz's boxing, including Penn, as the very best in mixed martial arts today, but not long ago respected boxing trainer Freddie Roach pegged "The Prodigy" as the sports #1 practitioner.
Neither man has made a habit of throwing kicks and this fight will likely be no different as they test each others merit on the feet. Penn has the higher credentials in BJJ and transitions from art to art as fluently as anyone in the game. Penn is also a deceivingly quick counter-puncher and Diaz has been caught for his lack of defense in the past, most memorably against K.J. Noons and Paul Daley.
With stronger wrestling ability Penn will dictate early where this fight takes place, but has to be weary of gassing himself out, something Diaz rarely, if ever, has done.
Finishing either combatant is a tall-task indeed but with considerable scar tissue above his eyes Diaz will hope he doesn't get opened up early as a technically-stronger Penn will give him fits in the first round.
The second stanza will be the game-breaker in this one as a cardio-blessed Diaz will put out a greater number of attacks if this fight goes into the third, winning him that round. The pick here is Nick Diaz who after a rough start rallies late to steal the second and third rounds en route to a narrow split-decision on the judge's cards. Diaz will utilize his height and reach advantage to keep Penn at-bay standing, and that same length to effectively defend from the guard if and when the fight hits the mat.
Matchups:
B.J. Penn (No. 9 WW) vs. Nick Diaz (No. 5 WW)
Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop
Mirko Filipovic vs. Roy Nelson
Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
Jeff Curran vs. Scott Jorgensen
Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone
Bart Palaszewski vs. Tyson Griffin
Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
Dustin Jacoby vs. Brad Tavares
Daniel Downes vs. Ramsey Nijem
Francis Carmont vs. Chris Camozzi
The co-main event will see two heavyweight sluggers in Cheick Kongo (16-6-2) and Matt Mitrione (5-0-0) collide in a bout that could easily discover a 'knockout of the night' candidate.
Below you will find our picks for UFC 137 - Penn vs. Diaz.
Jeff Curran (33-13-1, 0-1 UFC) vs. Scott Jorgensen (12-4, 1-0 UFC)
A winner of two-straight and four of his previous five outings, "The Big Frog" Curran is a fourteen-year veteran of the sport who even in recent years has taken some of the division's biggest names to decision; but that will only mean he'll find himself in familiar territory in his long awaited return to the UFC.
Scott Jorgensen's wrestling, tenacity, and submission defense will be enough to pull out a unanimous decision victory. Expect this fight to be competitive early on the feet, but "Young Gun's" cardio will see him finish take-downs as this fight wears on, and effective ground and pound will score points down the stretch.
Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. George Roop (12-7-1, 2-3 UFC)
George Roop is a rangy Muay Thai practitioner coming off what was perhaps the most impressive performance of his career to-date when he battered former #1 contender Josh Grispi at the Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale in June. 3-2-1 since dropping to the featherweight ranks, the stars will have to align just right for Roop to pull out the upset on Saturday.
There is good reason why Hioki enters this fight a strong betting favorite; the world-ranked Japanese standout has defeated some of the division's very best with a potent grappling attack matched by very few. Relentless in his pursuit of the finish, Hioki has submitted twelve opponents and has never been stopped inside the distance in thirty professional fights that include victories over Mark Hominick (2), Jeff Curran, Ronnie Mann, and Marlon Sandro. Hioki will make a successful promotion debut with a second round submission finish.
Mirko Filipovic (27-9-2, 4-5 UFC) vs. Roy Nelson (15-6, 2-2 UFC)
When Cro Cop was at the height of his striking prowess and developed the kind of take-down defense akin to a prime Chuck Liddell, this fight would have been a no-brainer to call. That same Filipovic that decimated Igor Vovchanchyn, Mark Coleman, Aleksander Emelianenko, and Josh Barnett (3) left the building by the time he began his UFC tenure and Roy Nelson will expose that once more on Saturday night, likely bringing an end to a storied career... at least inside the UFC.
Physical ailments have slowed the feared left high-kick that once ended so many fights, and Cro Cop's hands were never as dangerous, rather complimentary to the attack or fear of such from his legs. Nelson will oblige Filipovic in a boxing-heavy bout before finding a take-down from the clinch. He may have difficulty finishing the bout unless he lands his patented overhand-right on an increasingly unstable chin, but Nelson will pick up the win with his promotion future hanging in the balance of this result. Roy Nelson by unanimous decision.
Cheick Kongo (16-6-2, 9-4-1 UFC) vs. Matt Mitrione (5-0, 5-0 UFC)
His potential appears considerable, but the world is about to find out just how good Matt Mitrione is; Cheick Kongo has been a UFC main-stay since 2006 amassing a very respectable 9-4-1 record along the way. Two defeats were narrow split-decisions while the other two came at the hands of Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir. Kongo has essentially become a very solid gate-keeper to the upper echelon of the heavyweight ranks and will pose some interesting problems for Mitrione with his long reach and effective kicks from the outside.
Believe the Mitrione hype, as it takes a special kind of athlete to excel in two sports, particularly when they're professional football and mixed martial arts. His comfort in the pocket, sharp south-paw combinations, and ability to find angles with his hands will see him score points standing, opening up opportunities for a take-down when Kongo least expects it. A fairly even stand up battle will ensue with the American controlling the center of the octagon throughout, while landing a handful of well timed take-downs to score the unanimous decision win.
B.J. Penn (16-7-2, 12-6-2 UFC) vs. Nick Diaz (25-7, 1 NC, 6-4 UFC)
The main-event at UFC 137 pits two fierce competitors, finishers by nature with parallel skill-sets against one another in a pivotal match-up at 170lbs that could see the division's next #1 contender emerge.
Many have touted Diaz's boxing, including Penn, as the very best in mixed martial arts today, but not long ago respected boxing trainer Freddie Roach pegged "The Prodigy" as the sports #1 practitioner.
Neither man has made a habit of throwing kicks and this fight will likely be no different as they test each others merit on the feet. Penn has the higher credentials in BJJ and transitions from art to art as fluently as anyone in the game. Penn is also a deceivingly quick counter-puncher and Diaz has been caught for his lack of defense in the past, most memorably against K.J. Noons and Paul Daley.
With stronger wrestling ability Penn will dictate early where this fight takes place, but has to be weary of gassing himself out, something Diaz rarely, if ever, has done.
Finishing either combatant is a tall-task indeed but with considerable scar tissue above his eyes Diaz will hope he doesn't get opened up early as a technically-stronger Penn will give him fits in the first round.
The second stanza will be the game-breaker in this one as a cardio-blessed Diaz will put out a greater number of attacks if this fight goes into the third, winning him that round. The pick here is Nick Diaz who after a rough start rallies late to steal the second and third rounds en route to a narrow split-decision on the judge's cards. Diaz will utilize his height and reach advantage to keep Penn at-bay standing, and that same length to effectively defend from the guard if and when the fight hits the mat.
Matchups:
B.J. Penn (No. 9 WW) vs. Nick Diaz (No. 5 WW)
Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop
Mirko Filipovic vs. Roy Nelson
Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
Jeff Curran vs. Scott Jorgensen
Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone
Bart Palaszewski vs. Tyson Griffin
Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
Dustin Jacoby vs. Brad Tavares
Daniel Downes vs. Ramsey Nijem
Francis Carmont vs. Chris Camozzi
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