UFC 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy

[jmt225]

Main card

• Welterweight Championship bout: Georges St. Pierre (c) vs. Dan Hardy
• Interim Heavyweight Championship bout: Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin
• Welterweight bout: Ben Saunders vs. Jake Ellenberger
• Welterweight bout: Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves
• Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek

Preliminary Card (Spike TV)

• Welterweight bout: Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham
• Welterweight bout: Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Brown

Preliminary Card (Non-televised)

• Lightweight bout: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Fabricio Camoes
• Light Heavyweight bout: Rodney Wallace vs. Jared Hamman
• Middleweight bout: Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal
• Welterweight bout: Matthew Riddle vs. Greg Soto

......................................................................................​

I'm very, very excited for this card. From top to bottom, it's fantastic.

The main event, GSP vs. Dan Hardy, should be complete domination for GSP. I don't think there's a soul out there not named Dan Hardy that truly thinks any different. GSP is just too big and too athletic for Hardy to be able to hang with him. The only way Dan Hardy stands a chance is by keeping it on so the feet, but nobody else has been able to keep GSP from taking them down, why should anyone believe Dan Hardy will be any different? It's not like Hardy's this great wrestler; he's not. Besides, I'm not so sure Hardy would have the advantage on the feet, anyway. GSP has a much longer reach, and has seemed to improved light years striking wise over the past 2 years. So, yeah... Dan Hardy is completely outclassed in this fight, and he will get his ass kicked. Simple as that.

I honestly see Frank Mir making quick work of Shane Carwin. If Carwin were facing the Mir of 2007, then Carwin would surely be the favorite in this one, but he's facing the Frank Mir of today, who is just absolutely superb. The guy has put on over 30 pounds since his fight with Lesnar, and has improved his striking drastically, as we saw in his last fight against Cheick Kongo. And of course... Jiu-Jitsu wise, Frank Mir is still the Frank Mir of old in that aspect, which is one of the best BJJ artist in the Heavyweight Division. Outside of a lucky punch or headkick, I see no way Shane Carwin wins this fight. Mir should end it in the first by either knockout or submission.

I don't know much about Jake Ellenberger, but with the way Ben Saunders looked in his last fight against Marcus Davis, it'd be hard for me to pick any Welterweight against him, let alone someone I hardly know anything about. I expect Saunders to completely dominate this fight and continue his climb up the Welterweight ladder.

Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves will be interesting, to say the least. The #2 and #3 ranked Welterweights in the World (and both have been ranked in that position for quite sometime) finally square off again (they had a fight back in 2006, but both have improved miles since then). Man, it's a hard one to call. If Alves is able to keep it on the feet, then I see him completely dominating this one with his Muay Thai. However, Jon Fitch is a fantastic wrestler and if he's able to take Thiago down like he has everyone else not named GSP, then he should be able to work himself to a decision. But taking Thiago down is no easy task. Only GSP has been able to accomplish that these past few years. If I were a betting man, I would bet on Alves being able to keep it on the feet and winning a unanimous decision, but I'm not fully confident in that prediction.

Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek will most likely be fight of the night. Both of these guys are fucking firecrackers who are on a HUGE roll as of late. Hard to make a prediction on this one, but I'll just go with Jim Miller, since I've seen him more than I have Bocek.

Of course I'm looking forward to seeing Nate Diaz fight on Spike TV before the show, but man... I'm going to give up on the guy if he drops this one. Yes, it is his first fight at 170, but he is still twice the fighter Rory Markham is and there is no excuse for him to lose this fight. Nate, however, has it in his thick skull that you're only a real fighter if you stand and trade... the fact is, the dude is MUCH better on the ground than he is on the feet. He is not the boxer his brother is, but he thinks so, and that cost him his last fight (even though I thought he should have won). It's time for him to stop the fucking showboating, and just look for the takedown, because those weak ass punches aren't nearly as crisp and accurate as his brother's. I'll be rooting for Nate no doubt, and hopefully he comes through for me this time around.

And as I've stated numerous times here before, I'm also a HUGE fan of Matt Brown. This fight against Ricardo Almeida will definitely be his toughest to date. Brown has the edge on the feet, while Alemida is a HIGHLY skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grappler. Matt, however, has shown a bunch of improvement in his last couple of fights on the ground, but I don't think he should test himself against someone like Ricardo Almeida. Hopefully he's able to keep this fight on the feet and knock his ass out. I have confidence in him doing so.

All in all... like I said, great card from top to bottom, even the Spike Preliminaries interest me. Definitely, definitely looking forward to this one, as any fan of MMA should be.

 

[Henry Hill]

This card does indeed look fantastic and will be the first UFC that i'll actually pay for since Penn v. Sanchez happened @ UFC 107 (I would've gotten Silva v. Belfort, but of course that was postponed.) Anyways there is a lot going on here that I'm sure almost all MMA fans want to see. First up GSP v. Hardy in the main event will be especially nice for me because watching GSP fight is usually always entertaining. I'm also interested in this fight because i think Dan Hardy is incredibly overrated and can't wait to see how he does against, one of the best ever in mma.

Mir v. Carwin is interesting if only for what it represents in the future. Yeah obviously I'm a Lesnar mark here, but seriously, who doesn't want to see the winner of this fight against Brock? After what Mir said recently and all the trash that Carwin talked when he was next in line before Brock fell ill, the grudge for the next fight would be out of control. To me that means PPv buys.

Now I am a little familiar with Jake Ellenberger because he fought Carlos Condit who is someone i am very familiar with, as we are both from Albuquerque, NM. and us crazy New Mexicans feel very attached to sports stars from here as there aren't too many. Anyways Carlos was the final WEC welterweight champion and has a huge defeat of Frank Trigg under his belt, from a grappler's quest tournament. Point is Condit is a tough guy, and Ellenberger took him to a split decision in a very entertaining fight so I expect a good one from him.

Now, The John Fitch v. Thiago Alves match is the fight that I think could steal the show. Fitch and Alves have knockout power and bring a huge amount of intensity to their fights. this one really could be a brawl with whoever gets the big punch taking the victory by KO and possible KO of the night honors.

I am not too familiar with the rest of the card so i won't put my foot in my mouth making stupid predictions, but all in all this is definitely a card I'm looking forward to.

 

[INDYjon22]

This card has turned out well, hopefully there are no late injuries and hopefully all of the fights are competitive instead of blow outs, I am looking at GSP when saying that.

GSP versus Hardy should be a piece of cake, I emphasize should be. We have all seen how anything can happen in MMA and it could very well happen in this fight but I just don't think it will. GSP is to good and dominate, I have a feeling he will beat down Dan Hardy for 5 rounds like he has done to Fitch, Alves, and Penn already.

Mir versus Carwin should be very exciting. Carwin is notorious for striking and Mir has some new found power. I expect both men to trade. However, Mir obviously has the advantage on the ground and if it goes there this fight will be over and quick. I also think Mir will be able to out punch Carwin. I see a TKO win for Mir by the second period.

Saunders versus Ellenberger should be a very good fight. Ellenberger has proven to be a very tough dude in his first two fights and I don't think that changes here. I think Jake will come out and use his wrestling to perfection in route to a decision victory.

Fitch versus Alves is the big seller for me. I am a huge fan of Fitch and believe Alves is vastly overrated. I think Fitch will stick to his usual game plan and dominate Alves with wrestling. However, Alves can easily knock Fitch out, his striking is superb. I believe Fitch will win in what will be a very close decision.

Miller versus Bocek I could care less about. Bocek is a very underrated lightweight currently and a win here will really do wonders in creating him into a bigger name. I believe Bocek has all the skills necessary for making a run at the title, not that he would win it, but he cannot overlook Jim Miller. Miller is very talented as well. Bocek by second round submission.

Nate Diaz and Ricardo Almeida should both pick up decent wins on the undercard. I have no real interest in any of the other undercard fights besides Matt Riddles. He is coming off of a loss and I am curious to see how he rebounds.

This looks to be an entertaining card with some very good main card fights.

 

[Mr. TM]

Georges St. Pierre has this match in the bag. The hardest working man in Mixed Martial Arts in the past few years, he faces a guy who is quite under him in comparisons to a fighter in almost all categories.

This will be a great fight to promote UFC in two strong markets. In Canada and Great Britain UFC have grown quite strong as fighters fight from these countries. This should better help out.

Id love for Pierre to win, and maybe take on Fitch, if he can take on Alves on this card. A great Welterweight card here, as we get to see probably the top 4 best Welterweights in the world on one card.

 

[Via Armbar]

There is no way Hardy wins here. Some people think he has a better chance if they stand, but people are forgetting that GSP is no slouch on his feet. We are just so used to see him taking down his opponents at will, we forget that he is a very good pure striker. St.Peirre takes this no matter where it goes, expect a mid fight tko or a unanimous decision here.

Carwin and Mir is the fight I'm more excited about. Shane has been out for more than a year and we will get to see whether or not it will benefit or hinder him. There is obvious knockout power there but I don't think he has faced a fighter as well rounded as Mir is. Mir's bjj is just as good if not better than Gonzagas and he's shown improvement on his standup in his last couple of fights. I doubt he can match the sheer punching power of Carwin, but Mir is better everywhere else. I see Mir standing for awhile to gauge Carwin, and you'll be able to tell how he tested as soon as Mir takes it somewhere else. This is the most unpredictable fight of the night for me, but Mir takes this. Not sure how, but he does.

Fitch I'm sure would like to improve his standing with fans. I can't remember such a well rounded and victorious fighter being so disliked. Personally I don't see anything wrong with how he fights. He sticks to his gameplan and it has won him a ton of fights. That's exactly what he'll need to do against Alves. Thaigo is one of the pound for pound best in the world and should be taken incredibly seriously. Fitch has to dictate this fight or Alves can get him in a pocket that he wouldn't be able to escape from. I have Thiago by split decision on this one.

 

[the lineman]

Can't wait for this. GSP's one of my favorite fighters and Hardy is a hungry challenger, so it should be good. the Primetime shows have been doing a great job hyping this fight up.

I think St. Pierre finishes the fight in the 2nd or 3rd round by submission.

I would definitely have picked Carwin over Mir, before seeing Mir quickly and easily putting away Kongo. Now I'm not so sure. I will still pick Carwin by TKO, but Mir is definitely the best he's ever been.

Alves vs Fitch should be awesome too. WW is my favorite division. This time, I think it's a much more even fight, and I think it'll go the distance. Who it will go to I'm not sure, both look unstoppable (when not fighting GSP). I'm gonna pick Alves for the upset.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

I'm pumped for this card Saturday night. It's the biggest card they've put on since UFC 100, and on the main card, the Spike card, and the prelim card, there are all fights that are worth seeing.

I cannot wait to see GSP demolish Dan Hardy. Why is it that if you're a professional athlete, and your last name is Hardy, you're a douchebag? The only way Dan Hardy can win this is if he somehow keeps it standing, as the one flaw in GSP's game is his standup defense. The odds of that happening are slim to none. GSP's relentless takedowns and his out of the world wrestling are going to dominate Hardy here. Hardy has no ground game whatsoever. He's easily going to be overmatched in the strongest facet of GSP's gameplan.

Hardy did not earn this title shot. While he does have an unblemished record in the UFC, he hasn't faced a top-tier Welterweight. The only reason why he's getting this title shot is because GSP has run through everyone in this division.

Ever since he lost to Matt Serra, GSP's game plan has been to take people down relentlessly and do his damage from the top. Hardy is not going to have the opportunity to even try to keep this standing. The question with this fight, quite frankly, is not if Dan Hardy can win, but how long can he really last. I see GSP winning in the third round via PUNCHES IN BUNCHES, JOE.

Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin on the other hand, is ridiculously tough to call. People forget that Carwin is pretty well rounded and that he's actually a wrestler. He just has so much power in those huge hands of his that all he really needs to do is just strike, and it's easily his strongest attribute. He also has a very strong chin. After all, that onslaught he took from Gonzaga would have taken most people out.

There are three things going against Shane Carwin here though.

1.) One full year of inactivity.
2.) His untested submission defense.
3.) The fact that he's never fought someone on the level of Frank Mir.

Frank Mir is one of the most well rounded fighters in the heavyweight division, and possibly even in the UFC altogether. He's known for his submissions, but he's also quite skilled in the standup game as well. The one thing Carwin has going for him in this fight is that Mir doesn't have a very strong chin, and could very well be knocked out here. However, Mir is going to try to get Carwin on his back as quickly as possible. With Carwin's ground game untested, and Mir being an A+ submission expert, Carwin's not going to be ready for what Mir can throw at him. Carwin is still relatively inexperienced, and going against one of the most complete fighters there is in the world of mixed martial arts might be too much for him. I think Mir takes this in the first by submission.

Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves is a fight I'm really looking forward to. A lot of people think he's boring, but I'm a huge fan of Fitch. I see this fight shaking out like most Fitch fights. Fitch's wrestling and clinch game will keep Alves' standup game at bay, and I think Fitch will do what he does best here, grind out a decision like nobody's business. Fitch is going to expect Alves to be aggressive and push the pace, and that's going to fall right into his gameplan.

Fitch I'm sure would like to improve his standing with fans. I can't remember such a well rounded and victorious fighter being so disliked. Personally I don't see anything wrong with how he fights. He sticks to his gameplan and it has won him a ton of fights. That's exactly what he'll need to do against Alves. Thaigo is one of the pound for pound best in the world and should be taken incredibly seriously. Fitch has to dictate this fight or Alves can get him in a pocket that he wouldn't be able to escape from. I have Thiago by split decision on this one.

To be honest, I don't think Fitch cares if fans perceive him as being boring. He does what he has to do to win. If it means boring the hell out of fans who can't appreciate how good of a fighter he is, then so be it.

I'm a huge fan of Ben Saunders. I've only seen a few of his fights, but I love those knees he throws, and he's taken down both Brandon Wolff and Marcus Davis with devastating knee strikes. He's also a pretty good submission fighter, with three of his wins coming by submission. He's pretty well rounded, and he uses his size to his advantage. Jake Ellenberger doesn't get finished though. Only one of his five losses have come via stoppage. I think Saunders is going to come into this fight looking to frustrate Ellenberger, and after a barrage of knee strikes, he's going to make him look for a way out by locking in a submission, making Ellenberger submit in the third round.

I also really like Jim Miller. He's one of my favorite fighters and he always improves with each fight. Also, you gotta love a guy who comes out to CCR. I think Miller is going to win here by decision. I don't know too much about Bocek, other than the fact that he lost to Mac Danzig (lol) and Miller's looked very good since coming to the UFC with the only blemish on his record being a loss to Gray Maynard. The only other loss Miller has suffered was to the #1 contender for the Lightweight Title, Frankie Edgar. I think Miller takes it here and continues building some momentum.

Nate Diaz is going to completely dominate Rory Markham, who is still just getting by on that devastating KO kick he threw on Brodie Farber.

Ricardo Almeida is going to beat Matt Brown, he's just too rounded for him.

The big fight on the prelims I hope we get to see is Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal. I think Palhares is a future contender at 185. He gave Hendo a run for his money when they fought, and more people should know who he is.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Well guys, not only is Thiago Alves vs. Jon Fitch off the card Saturday, but Alves might not ever fight again.

TMZ is reporting he has a "brain irregularity":

UFC's Thiago "Pitbull" Alves will not fight at Saturday's UFC 111, because a CAT Scan shows an irregularity in his brain ... TMZ has learned.

Thiago was scheduled to rumble with Jon Fitch on Saturday -- but a pre-fight CAT Scan revealed an irregularity -- a source close to 26-year-old Pitbull tells TMZ the irregularity involves an artery in the brain.

UFC honcho Dana White tells TMZ he will fly Pitbull to a specialist for further evaluation. White says, "If it's true, it can be career-ending."

No one will replace Pitbull on Saturday. The headliner is Georges St- Pierre -- ironically, the fighter who solidly beat Thiago in his last fight last July.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/25/brain...111-jon-finch-george-st-pierre/#ixzz0jCiGMEYg

I'm really bummed out. Not because of the fight being canceled, but because Alves might not ever fight again. He had so much potential, and it would be a real shame for a promising career to be cut short because of something like this. The UFC showed a couple of fights of his on Unleashed last night that I hadn't ever seen, and it was sheer dominance of a couple of cans who never amounted to anything. Alves vs. Fitch would have been a great fight, but there is a silver lining to all of this. Bloody Elbow reported that New Jersey requires a CAT Scan for each fighter before fighting, and they caught this now. Most states do not require a CAT Scan. If this fight had taken place in most places, this could have been a major tragedy.

There will not be a replacement opponent for Jon Fitch. Kurt Pellegrino's fight is being moved up to the main card.

 

[INDYjon22]

Well guys, not only is Thiago Alves vs. Jon Fitch off the card Saturday, but Alves might not ever fight again.

TMZ is reporting he has a "brain irregularity":



I'm really bummed out. Not because of the fight being canceled, but because Alves might not ever fight again. He had so much potential, and it would be a real shame for a promising career to be cut short because of something like this. The UFC showed a couple of fights of his on Unleashed last night that I hadn't ever seen, and it was sheer dominance of a couple of cans who never amounted to anything. Alves vs. Fitch would have been a great fight, but there is a silver lining to all of this. Bloody Elbow reported that New Jersey requires a CAT Scan for each fighter before fighting, and they caught this now. Most states do not require a CAT Scan. If this fight had taken place in most places, this could have been a major tragedy.

There will not be a replacement opponent for Jon Fitch. Kurt Pellegrino's fight is being moved up to the main card.

I am right there with you, Guy. I really hope Thiago doesn't have some serious problem and that he can fight again someday. I am in no way a fan of Alves but I hope he can stay healthy. I am also bummed that Fitch isn't fighting though according to Fitch's facebook page he is still hoping the UFC will give him a fight. It is no secret that I am a big fan of Fitch since he is a hometown boy. Hopefully both Alves and Fitch will be fighting again soon.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

I'm a huge Jon Fitch fan, and I'm bummed he's not fighting as well, but it's hard to find someone on short notice who would be willing to fight the #2 Welterweight in the world.

I wish Phil Baroni stepped up and offered to fight Fitch. It's taking place in New Jersey after all, and I think a Fitch vs. Baroni fight would be really hilarious. This fight being off the card is a major bummer, but on the bright side, we still have a strong Spike TV prelim card and Miller/Bocek at the very least should be a good fight, as should Ellenberger/Saunders. Plus, the two title fights should be awesome.

EDIT:
Hmmm... Alves' camp is saying he's fine.

TATAME.com called Ricardo Liborio, one of the American Top Team leaders.

"We’re waiting for the analyses from the commission, that is studying the case," Liborio explains, guaranteeing that the athlete is fine. "He’s super well trained, he wanted this fight for a long time. He’s in a great shape, but it happens… It’s in God’s hands now, there’s nothing we can do".

"He’s [Alves is] pissed off, he really wanted to fight now. After this fight, we’ll see if we can match this fight to the next UFC, in Abu Dhabi (UFC 112)," Ricardo said. "They are the two of the best welterweight fighters and this fight would determinate who’s the next in line for the title".

Edit again: MMAJunkie is confirming Jon Fitch is fighting Ben Saunders now! I can't wait for Saturday!!

Ellenberger will get his fight pay, plus a win bonus. I'd be psyched if I were him.

 

[INDYjon22]

I'm a huge Jon Fitch fan, and I'm bummed he's not fighting as well, but it's hard to find someone on short notice who would be willing to fight the #2 Welterweight in the world.

I wish Phil Baroni stepped up and offered to fight Fitch. It's taking place in New Jersey after all, and I think a Fitch vs. Baroni fight would be really hilarious. This fight being off the card is a major bummer, but on the bright side, we still have a strong Spike TV prelim card and Miller/Bocek at the very least should be a good fight, as should Ellenberger/Saunders. Plus, the two title fights should be awesome.

EDIT:
Hmmm... Alves' camp is saying he's fine.

I can't confirm anything for sure but Jon Fitch is saying he indeed does have a fight this Saturday. I cannot confirm if this is true or not since I am going completely off of his facebook page, which could be untrue but I feel like it should touched on. The rumor going around is that Ben Saunders is the one who has possibly agreed to the fight. Once again I cannot say this enough, none of this is confirmed by Sherdog as far as I know but the official Jon Fitch facebook is reporting this.

 

[gd]

Let's see how many names I can recognize from this card.

GSP v. Hardy - Is GSP fully recovered from his injury? I assume that's the case. If so, he should absolutely kick the shit out of Hardy, who is simply average while GSP has been dominating the whatever division he's in for however long he's been the champ.

Mir v. Carwin - I think it comes down to the fact that Mir really hates Lesnar and definetly wants another shot at him. Haven't seen much of Carwin, but I don't think he's beaten any really big names thus far. Should be competitive though.

I saw Ellenberger on that on Fight Night, against Munoz or something like that? Anyway, he seemed pretty powerful and impressed me. Don't know anything about Saunders, so I'm going to pick him to lose here.

That's about all I can comment on. I assume Fitch will win, as will Diaz on the prelims. Looks to be one of the best UFC cards in awhile.

 

[jmt225]

Sucks about Thiago Alves, but I'm sure he'll be alright.

And on the bright side, they couldn't have gotten a better replacement than Ben Saunders for this fight, if that rumor is indeed fact. Saunders is one big fight away from becoming the next top contender in the Welterweight Division, and this is that fight. Can he do it? I don't know, man, but it'll be interesting to see. If he's able to stop Fitch from taking him down, then I see no reason for Saunders not to dominate on the feet with his Muay Thai and huge reach advantage. Can't wait to see it.

But yeah... hope Alves is alright and is able to fight at UFC 112. I say set-up Alves vs. Chris Lytle 2 for that show. The first fight was fucking awesome before the cut stoppage... let's see it again!

 

[Via Armbar]

Admireable move on Saunders behalf, but also incredibly risky. Fitch is a no nonsense fighter. Very few fighters stick to the gameplan like he does and there are just as few that are as well rounded. It's going to come down to takedowns I believe. Will Saunders be able to keep his composure on the ground? He's shown incredible potential with his Muay Thai, especially in the Davis fight. Will he be able to properly defend against a stellar wrestler like Fitch? I honestly don't see this ending well for him unless Fitch decides to stand. Even then it only lessens the gap between the two, it doesn't benefit Saunders. It's going to come down to Saunders keeping it tight and close while avoiding the takedowns. If he can do that, he might be able to upset. More likely though, Fitch is going to out point him on his way to a unanimous decision.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

I think this is about as win/win as it gets for Saunders.

If he wins, Dana told TMZ that he'd be the immediate #1 Contender to GSP.

If he loses, then it really doesn't hurt him, because he took a fight against the #2 Welterweight in the world on very short notice. Saunders put himself in Dana's favor. In the event of a loss, Dana will still remember how he stepped up to fight Fitch and how he basically "wanted to be a fucking fighter". Every time Saunders gets brought up, Dana will talk about "how fucking tough he is" and he'll get a high profile fight after this Fitch fight than he would have if he beat Ellenberger.

I honestly think that if Saunders can somehow keep it standing, he has a legitimate shot to beat Fitch. It won't happen and Fitch will grind out a decision, but it's fun to think about the possibility of Saunders winning.

 

[Via Armbar]

Damn good show tonight. The hometown boy did not disappoint. I honestly think that Miller/Bocek should have gotten the fight of the night bonus. Here's hoping Miller stays on it because he's one of the guys everyone loves watching. Bocek did pretty well for himself and I see him getting a good size name for his next fight even though he lost.

Diaz looked amazing. I've always liked Nick more and found him to be the better of the two, but damn Nate killed it tonight. He looked far more crisp in his striking and just all around more comfortable. If he can pick up two more wins and then a third against a gatekeeper than believe they will him against GSP rather quickly.

Fitch openly stated in an interview a couple weeks back that he doesn't feel good about the crowd booing him, as he wants to entertain the paying fans. Luckily he didn't let that hinder his game plan. He went out and did his thing, keeping control and dictating what happened. Kudos to Saunder for taking the fight on short notice, but he clearly has holes in his game that need to be filled. Once they are though he will be someone to take even more seriously. As for Fitch, it's hard to tell what the next move is. They could potentially give him Daley, if Semtex makes it past Koscheck. Then there's always the new Nate Diaz if they want to rush him into contention. Personally I'd like to see Rumble take on Fitch, but coming off a loss they more than likely have other plans for Johnson.

My girlfriend actually called Carwin before the fight and I ignored her. Not that I underestimated Carwin because he has clearly showed how much power he really has before this fight. I had just thought that Mir was going to nullify his boxing early on. Tremendous power though from Shane and once again he fails to see the second round. Next for Carwin is an obvious one, but what about Mir? They have a couple guys to go with here: Gonzaga, Dos Santos, even Valasquez. I think they will go with Gonzaga. They want to give Mir someone who matches him on the ground and who he can stand with and I think that Napao is that guy. Look for Dos Santos/Cain sometime in that late summer or early fall.

Not to anyone's surprise, St.Pierre put on a clinic against Hardy. The real story here is Dan's toughness. He honestly did far better than I thought he would. Yes I know he got little to no offense in, but he a damn fine job at defending GSP's shots and especially his submissions. More than once I thought the fight was over only to see Hardy roll out of an armbar and a kimura. I think he really earned some legitimacy tonight in many peoples eyes including my own. I think Alves will fight before Hardy is ready so that rules out that potential next fight. I'm thinking the winner of Daley/Koscheck or maybe Fitch.

 

[jmt225]

Nate Diaz looked better than ever tonight. After the Gray Manynard fight I said here he should move up to 170. I said it at a couple of other places as well, and most disagreed with me. However, tonight he showed why it was the right move. He was more crisp and active than ever before on the feet, and his punches actually caused damage. At 155 he did not push forward like he did last night, and his punches were a LOT weaker. It was absolutely the right move, and I'm convinced he will do some great things in the division. Cannot wait to see him at 170 again.

Frank Mir over the past year or so has made a lot of enemies out of MMA fans. Most people hate his guts nowadays, but I was a big fan when he defeated Tim Sylvia, and I remained a big fan to this day. It sucked hard to see him get his ass kicked last night. Not making excuses for him here, but I think it was clearly a case where he looked past Shane Carwin. Hell, you can say I was guilty of that myself, because I thought for sure Mir would win this fight easily. But, Carwin destroyed Mir.

Shane Carwin is a class act, and I do like him, but I'm still having trouble buying into him just yet. I think it will take a win like this over Lesnar or Cain Velasquez for me to become a believer. It'll be interesting to see though how he does against those guys. Definitely looking forward to it.

I cannot stand Dan Hardy, but even I have to give the Brit fucker all the credit in the World for the performance he put on last night, and the toughness he showed throughout the fight. I was very, very impressed.

That said, no surprise... another dominating performance by GSP, just like I and everyone else thought it'd go. Who will be able to beat this man? Hopefully someone steps up soon and we see another GSP fight not too long from now.

Jon Fitch, listen... I respect the guy, but please, for the love of God, at least ATTEMPT to finish your fucking fights. Fitch fans love to throw out the, "People hate on Fitch, but yet love GSP" line all the time, but the difference between the two is that GSP actually tries to finish fights. GSP passes guard, mounts, looks for submissions.... Fitch just lays there. It IS boring. But, no matter how much bitching I do about it, it does win him fights, and I guess that's all that matters at the end of the day. However, for him to be able to defeat someone like GSP, I do think he'll need to get that killer instinct to put guys away.

I was very disappointed to see Matt Brown lose, but I'm sure he'll bounce back from it in his next fight.

And Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek was an awesome fight, like pretty much every Jim Miller fight turns out to be.

All in all, decent enough show. Only real highlights for me were Nate Diaz, and seeing GSP kick Dan Hardy's ass, but I still enjoyed the show. Now looking forward to Gomi vs. Florian this Wednesday...

 

[Turd Ferguson]

I really like Rousimar Palhares (or as Goldberg calls him, "Paul Harris"), and that leglock on Drwal last night was brutal. I thought he might be Babalu'ed from the UFC when I first read about it while the prelims unfolded, especially when the results stated that Drwal was tapping and screaming and wouldn't let go. However, they showed that fight on the Spike TV card and on the PPV. Chances are Palhares won't be punished. I hope he winds up on the main card on the next card he fights on. He's a real good fighter.

Ricardo Almeida looked great last night too. The drop to 170 didn't affect him at all, and he looked more impressive than he has in the past. Matt Brown was on something of a roll, and he just had no answer for Almeida.

Nate Diaz already looks better as a Welterweight, and he's going to start making some waves in that division. That division's only getting stronger with Almeida being a Welterweight now, along with Diaz, and BJ Penn is going to move up by the end of the year. Diaz looked dominant despite the weight advantage Markham had. It's the better weight class for him, and I can't wait to see what's next for him.

I'm a huge Jim Miller fan, but last night, I think Bocek had taken the last two rounds and should have picked up the decision. I'm not sure what made the judges rule in favor of Miller... either him being in his hometown, or getting the back of Bocek in a close third round, but Bocek was as a whole, more impressive. Either way, it was a great fight, and I feel bad for Miller, he's going to be in the purgatory of being in the middle of the pack for lightweights for awhile, because he lost to both Edgar and Maynard.

Huge props to Ben Saunders for stepping up to take on Jon Fitch, but Fitch did what he does best, grind out decisions. I might be the only one who unironically likes watching Jon Fitch fight. I think he's a great fighter, and I like watching him dominate. A lot of people say he's like watching paint dry. I admire a guy who can overpower someone so much on the ground, and work towards a victory. Fitch overpowered the much bigger fighter for 15 minutes, and neutralized the very strong striking of Saunders quite well. I think Fitch is deserving of another title shot against GSP as well. He's clearly the second best Welterweight out there. The stupid crowd booing Fitch was real disrespectful, especially when they booed due to seeing wrestling on a card in which they paid to see GSP fight.

Pellegrino looked great, and I think he and Jim Miller should lock up in what would be a very fun fight. Just like that matchup makes a lot of sense, so does Almeida/Diaz.

I really like Shane Carwin, and I really hate Frank Mir. Deep down, I was hoping for Mir to win, not just for the staredown between him and Lesnar after the fight, but for Brock to beat up Mir again. That being said, I loved every second of Carwin destroying Mir, and I cannot wait for the fight between him and Brock now, which is most certainly on for July 4th weekend. I don't know where Mir goes from here. He's showing that he has a glass jaw and I think Velasquez would have his way with him. I really thought Mir would win. I still think he's the most well-rounded Heavyweight in the division, and he was a relative safe bet, especially when Carwin had (and really, still has) many unknowns. I can't wait to see how Carwin's ground game is tested against Brock Lesnar in a few months.

I love GSP, and I didn't care for Hardy due to how brash and arrogant he was in the buildup to this fight. I was hoping for GSP to destroy him, and even though it was typical GSP dominance on the ground, Hardy deserves so much credit for hanging in there between that Armbar and that Kimura, where I thought his arm could have snapped both times. Hardy is tough son of a bitch, and I sort of became a fan of his last night. Hardy really should have learned some takedown defense. Everyone knew GSP taking him down at will was inevitably going to happen, and if I was Hardy, that's what I would have been focusing on more than anything else for last night. Either way, he deserves all the credit in the world for hanging in there against GSP, who is the best in the world.

 

[xAsianRejectx]

Pretty good show from what I've read.

GSP once again shows that not only his dominance, but his awesome takedowns. Seriously, GSP is one of the few men who can take down BJ Penn and can do them as easy as breathing. Now, I'm sure most of us can't stand Dan Hardy's overly confident attitude, but he deserves so much credit tonight. He showed true heart and toughness by getting out of so many deep submissions throughout the whole fight. He did way better than anyone would have thought he did.

Dissapointed about Mir's showing. I was REALLY looking forward for Lesnar vs. Mir 3. I was for sure that Mir would take this clean and easy. I guess it isn't meant to be. Whether he over looked Carwin or not, Carwin was the better fighter that night. No doubt.

Nate Diaz looks a lot better at welterweight. I always thought he looked way skinny at lightweight. He looks great with the added muscle. He's come a long way.

Hmm, I don't really have much too say about any other fights.
Good card.

 

[Mufasa]

I thought it was a really good show.

Diaz absolutely picked Markham apart with his striking. When I first saw the match up I was really worried because of the size difference, but Diaz didn't even have to struggle. He just had his way with him, and would have subbed him with a rear naked choke if Markham hadn't of got TKO'd while in the process of trying to defend the choke.

It kind of made me sad to see Brown get subbed, but I'm sure he will fight back. I like him, he's an exciting fighter, but I don't think he will ever be a contender.

The first two rounds of the Miller/Bocek fight were really exciting. I thought the Kimora was going to be the finish. Not much happened in the third round, but that was because they were both tired after an intense fight. I thought the decision should have went to Bocek though.

Fitch did his same old shit.

Carwin absolutely destroyed Mir. I was very surprised. Mir just never really got into the fight. I'm not sure what his game plan was because there was neither a lot of effective striking nor any attempt by Mir to take it to the ground where he might have gotten the submission. I think he should just pulled guard and hoped for a triangle rather than just sit there and get pummeled like that. The ref kind let him take a bunch of unnecessary punishment too I thought. He looked out long before the ref called for a stop to the fight.

A lot of people were saying that GSP just used lay and pray to defeat Dan Hardy, but he had two very close submission attempts. I thought he was going to break Hardy's arm. I couldn't believe it when I saw him pop up from that armbar. He got right to his feet. I was disappointed that Hardy didn't really try to do more during the brief moments he was standing. He knew he would get taken down quickly if he didn't drop GSP was a punch. He should have just came out the gate swinging. Still though that was tremendous heart. I don't think that performance hurt his career at all.