Preparing for UFC 100
Well, I gotta say that the UFC has done a nice job of hyping up UFC 100. It’s not often that I start getting excited a week in advance for something I’m going to watch on TV. But I find myself already mentally sizing up the fighters, and picking out the best tortilla chip for that nacho cheese 
So what do we have to look forward to here? Well, here are a few of the main fights, and my thoughts on them. I’d love to hear you views though, so please chime in with comments:
Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir:
I have to make a confession. I was a Mir doubter. When he started making his comeback I was completely underwhelmed. But I think that Frank has really risen back to the level he used to be, plus some. I hope for Frank’s sake that he doesn’t try to turn this into a striking game. I know he shocked us all with the knockout of Minotauro, and really did one hell of a job striking there. But Randy Couture is a much more technical, elusive striker than Mir will ever be, and his fight with Lesnar showed that, even if you are better than Lesnar at striking, one good shot can turn things around. It doesn’t matter if a sniper rifle is more accurate than a nuclear bomb… the one shock with the nuke ends it.
I think we will see Lesnar try to keep this on the feet, and count on the power of his punched to end it. If that fails, or if Mir tries to lock up, Lesnar will try for a big takedown, and try to ground and pound him out.
Although Lesnar has strong takedowns, and has shown an ability to keep control on the ground, unless he lands right on you, his submissions haven’t been any good, and if you look at the Heath Herring fight, we saw Lesnar unsure on how to end it on the ground. That is where Mir’s chance can come in. Hopefully, he can capitalize on the transition as things go to the ground, or work to reverse on the ground. If Mir can get control on the ground I think he can win this.
My call: Mir by submission. But he better has his bobbing and weaving to the level we saw in the Couture vs. Silvia fight or it ain’t gonna happen.
Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves:
This could be an interesting fight. The fight between St. Pierre and Matt Serra showed us that (contrary to popular belief) George St. Pierre is in fact mortal, and can be caught with a big punch. If anyone has the punching power to do that, it would be Thiago Alves.
Looking at the capabilities here, one would assume that St. Pierre will use some of his amazing takedown ability to drop it to the ground, where he can overwhelm Alves. That may be a challenge though, as Alves just finished defeating three of the best takedown artists in the game: Karo Parisyan, Matt Hughes, and Josh Koscheck.
No matter what, this will be a war. My prediction?
I predict that St. Pierre starts striking. He’s so fast and technical that Alves will be thrown off his game. But Alves has a chin, and power. St. Pierre will not be able to really dominate on the feet, but will be more technical, and once Alves is shaken up a bit St. Pierre hits a fast takedown. On the ground St. Pierre will start to lay out the ground and pound punishment.
I think this goes to round 2. St. Pierre wins because Alves isn’t defending the ground and pound. Ref stoppage, and Alves gets up saying, “What? I’m fine. I wan’t hurt.”
Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping:
This one is a simple if/then/else:
If Dan Henderson shows up with his “A” game, then Bisping is outclassed. Bisping is just not in the same league as the best of Dan Henderson. But, is Dan still that fighter? I think we all wonder (including Dan himself.) If Dan can’t win this, then it’s because he is past his prime, and will never be that same fighter again.
I hope Bisping loses. If he wins it means the beginning of the end for Dan.
I predict that Dan tried to strike with Bisping, but under estimates Bisping’s striking. Dan takes him down, pounds him a bit. They get stood up, and Dan beats the hell out of him. At least that’s what I hope
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