UFC 52 Predictions

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 4/14/2005 7:46pm

UFC 52 looks like its going to be pretty damn good. 2 title fights and a qualifier as well as some decent filler. Seeing as how the show is in 2 days hopefully the card won't change.

Ivan Salaverry vs. Joe Riggs

Is there anyone who doesn't personally know one of these guys(or bet money) that really gives a **** about this fight? Slaverry, out of AMC Pankration, has a 10-3 record over nobody I would be interested in watching while Riggs doesn't have any impressive wins that i know about. Seeing as how the UFC doesn't have PRIDE'S advantage of unlimited Japanese pro wreslters to just throw into the ring to get eaten like the Christians in Rome these guys are the next best thing.

If i was a betting man I would bet this fight won't be worth watching.

Matt Lindland vs. Travis Lutter

This fight has what it takes to make people stand up. Lutter(5-1-0) fights out of the Lion's Den. This would normally give me the impression that he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell against the average B fighter in the UFC but he IS coming off a KO of Marvin Eastman who doesn't have a very impressive record but who could probably rape you in the shower if he wanted to. Matt Lindland, while ugly as a fucking rug, has proven his face is all beaten from whipping some ass and not just natures cruel joke. Lindland has had it tough; while being skilled enough to easily hold his own with almost anyone his weight he has a face that could knock a bulldog off a meatwagon, leading the UFC not to promote him as much as they should because his image isn't as marketable as the UFC's fucktoy Phil Baroni.

The looks go to Lutter but so does the beating. Lindland by ref stoppage.

Travis Wuiff vs. Renato Sobral

Don't wave off this fight because this could be another exciting match. Wuiff(33-4) is a huge corn fed white boy who's been fighting a loooong friggin time. He holds wins over Travis Fulton(twice), Carolos Barreto, Jason Godsey and a host of other not so remarkable names. Renato "Babalu" Sobral is one tough mothefucker who just came off a win over Pierre Guillet who may not be as well known as some other names but who can fight as well as anyone. He took Fedor the distance in RINGS and defeated both Jeremy Horn and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the same night in one of the toughest tournaments of 2003: IFC's Global Domination(which he never really got credit for). Wiuff is ALOT heavier than Sobral but Sobral is much more technical IMO.

This fight could go either way but I'm going to pick Wiuff by boring ass decision.

Patrick Cote vs. Joe Doerksen

YAY! Two more champions face off!

Cote has wins over nobody you'd know, but most people will remember him because Tito Ortiz layed on top of him for an entire fight. Doerksen has been fighting pro since '99 and has an impressive record of 29-6. He's got wins over Chris Leben and UFC 4 veteran Anthony Macias. He also has losses to David Loiseau and Matt Hughes.

Doerksen is the more experienced so hopefully he can give us a good show while we wait for the fights we're interested in.

Doerksen by decision.

Mike Van Arsdale vs. John Marsh

NOW we're talking!

Van Arsdale is a very strong wrestler whos competed in Abu Dhabi and matched up against Tito Ortiz and Sean Alvarez. He's also one of the few fighters today to actually go to Brazil and REALLY get his groove on in the IVC where the OLDSCHOOL RULES still held sway. He won his first tournament(3 bare knuckle MMA fights in one night) and then went on to face a much younger Wanderlei Silva where, just like many others after him, he was introduced to Wanderlei's foot which approvingly met the back of his head while he was prone. A younger John Marsh can be seen right here on Bullshido on the Kung Fu vs. MMA download where he destroys some hapless Kung Fu freak and makes him scream like a little bitch. Marsh'snly losses come from some pretty stellar competition: Ricco Rodriguez, Jeremy Horn, Josh Barnett and Vladamir Matyushenko.

Marsh is younger and bigger so I'm going with Marsh by ref stoppage.

Georges St. Pierre vs. Jason Miller

Do you really give a **** who wins this fight? I sure don't.

Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg

This last minute addition to UFC 52 could be one of its best.

Unless you live on the moon you already know who Matt Hughes is. Famous for picking people up and throwing them on the floor(and for losing to BJ Penn) Matt Hughes has probably been the most sucessfull fighter in the welter weight class. Trigg has been fighting a while and is probably a more technical wrestler than Hughes. Last time they met in the UFC we saw Hughes take Trigg's back and slap on a rear naked choke. In my opinion this was a lucky win. Not that Hughes can't beat Trigg, but I really doubt it will be that easy this time. trigg just came off a STOMPING given to Renato Verrissimo while Verrisimo took Hughes to a decision that I personally feel should have went to Verissimo.

Both good wrestlers, both want to prove they're better than the other guy and the belt is one the line.

Don't count out Trigg but %-wise I favor Hughes about 60%-40%.

Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell

Does this fight need any introduction?

These two have fought everyone the UFC has thrown at them and now they only have each other left yet again.

Randy is an insane wrestler who has adapted to MMa like no other wrestler. His clinch is the best in the game and his base while in the top position must be straight out of a nightmare for the bottom guy. He's 42 and yet his cardio is better than pretty much anyone he's fought at LHW.

Chuck is a puncher who just isn't afraid to throw. He doesn't throw little slaps on the ground and "hiss" while he does it so the judges can think he's working. When he throws a punch, chances are if it hits it hurts. He's got a very good base from his former wrestling days and has proven that he's one of the hardest guys in the UFC to keep down...and GETTINg him down is no walk in the park either.

Both of these guys have what it takesto finish each other. Chuck can knock out anyone and Randy has shown that he's felt all kinds of impacts from his wrestling years and that he's not going to cry if you smack him in the face.

Chuck has a punchers chance, but that chance isn't very high %-wise. Randy has a wider variety of skills has proven next to impossible to beat at this weight class.

This fight is going to be very similar to the last, and I wouldn't be surprised if the outcome is the same.

Randy by ref stoppage.

**Knightmare** · Posted On: 4/14/2005 7:50pm

Yes, I give a **** about Jason Miller vs Georges St. Pierre.

Alotta Superbrawl fans do, alot of team punishment fans do, alot of Atlanta fans do, and thats just speaking for Miller, who knows how many care on St. Pierre's side.

Jason Miller by choke.

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 4/14/2005 7:52pm

who knows how many care on St. Pierre's side.

At least 30 or 40.

**Knightmare** · Posted On: 4/14/2005 7:54pm

Originally Posted by PeedeeShaolin

At least 30 or 40.

Haha, thats almost all of Canda.....

Didn't him and Hughes have the highest bet totals at UFC 51???

**Vargas** · Posted On: 4/14/2005 8:02pm

My predictions?

I predict:

1) That I will get drunker than Cooter Brown at the Hard Rock Cafe during tomorrow night's weigh-in.

2) That I will lay out around the pool of the Tropicana on Saturday afternoon and recover from Friday night.

3) That I will party like a rock star at the MGM while watching the UFC. . . IN PERSON, BEE-YATCH'S!! :thumbsup:

4) I predict a pretty big hangover on Sunday.

Oh yeah, the fights. Uh, the guy with the most wrestling experience wins, everyone knows that. . .

**Feryk** · Posted On: 4/14/2005 8:05pm

Originally Posted by Knightmare

Haha, thats almost all of Canda.....

Didn't him and Hughes have the highest bet totals at UFC 51???

Ah ****. If you're going to dis Canada, at least spell it right. You don't see me call it the Unted Stits, do ya? :new_all_c

**Knightmare** · Posted On: 4/14/2005 8:08pm

Originally Posted by Feryk

Ah ****. If you're going to dis Canada, at least spell it right. You don't see me call it the Unted Stits, do ya? :new_all_c

I live in my on delusional world and assign different names to my countries...

Nah, it was a typo. Sorry. Canada.

**punchingdummy** · Posted On: 4/14/2005 9:50pm

Originally Posted by Vargas

My predictions?

I predict:

1) That I will get drunker than Cooter Brown at the Hard Rock Cafe during tomorrow night's weigh-in.

2) That I will lay out around the pool of the Tropicana on Saturday afternoon and recover from Friday night.

3) That I will party like a rock star at the MGM while watching the UFC. . . IN PERSON, BEE-YATCH'S!! :thumbsup:

4) I predict a pretty big hangover on Sunday.

.

I'm putting my money on Vargas,

**ClintEQ** · Posted On: 4/15/2005 1:03am

I too will be their live for my first UFC!

Ivan Salaverry vs. Joe Riggs

This has the potential to be an awesome fight. Riggs' win over Joe Doerkson was extremely impressive. The guy is shredded and has sick power standing, and has easily the best ground and pound you will see at 185. Salaverry is a slick SOB who just might be able to get something going.

Riggs by 2nd round TKO though.

Matt Lindland vs. Travis Lutter

Anyone who goes into a Matt Lindland fight thinking that there is a decent chance anyone will be standing up needs to get their head checked. While his looks don't help his cause marketing wise, the real problem is the fact that the guy is boring as ****. Unless he is self KOing himself or getting subbed twice in one night by Busta, no one cares. He will get the takedown and rabbit punch out a decision. Lutter has the skills from the bottom to make it interesting though, and I would be thrilled if he pulled something off. I don't think that he has the takedown defence to show case his stand up game at all though.

Lindland by unamimous decision

Travis Wuiff vs. Renato Sobral

I dunno where you get this stuff about Wiuff fighting a long time. He has been in the game about three years while Sobral has been fighting tough competition since 1999. Wuiff is a decent wrestler, but nothing spectacular. His submission defence is solid from what I have heard, but his hands are nothing to write home about. I think that if Babalu gets on top of him, Wiuff could be in real trouble. Renato will probably just pick him off on the feet though. Travis has the strength advantage to muscle him around and look for a takedown, but with Babalu being a Brazilian wrestling champ and having a monster ground game, I see him pulling this off.

Sobral by unamimous decision

Patrick Cote vs. Joe Doerksen

This fight will probably be determined by if Joe Doerksen can get the take down. Cote's hands are decent, and he is said to have solid power. He has a purple belt in BJJ, but he looked like a novice against Ortiz. Doerksen is a legit black belt and a submission magician. I'm not sure how good his hands are though. I predict he gets the takedown and subs Cote in entertaining fashion though.

Doerkson by sub Rd 1

Mike Van Arsdale vs. John Marsh

I thought you just hated MMA until I got to this fight, where I was completely puzzled. Arsdale hasn't been active. He is too old at this point, I think he is a relic of days past. Marsh looks like a tough guy and shredded, but neither of these guys seem like A or even really B list fighters. That said, there is something to be said for huge heavy weights throwing down.

Marsh by KO Rd 1

George St. Pierre vs. Jason Miller

**** yes I care. I think that anyone interested in one of the rising young stars in MMA, St. Pierre, will be highly interested in this one. George is easily one of the top pound for pound guys under 25. He looked phenomenal against Karo Parysian and Matt Hughes. Miller provides a legit submission threat. This is one of the most highly anticipated fights of the night.

St. Pierre by TKO Rd 2

Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg

Trigg made a mistake last time, but it was his first fight in the UFC and he has been on an absolute tear afterwards. I think he is a more technical wrestler and has a huge advantage standing. Trigg seems way more hungry for this one than Hughes, I give him the edge in an upset.

Trigg by KO Rd 4

Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell

I gotta pull for Randy, but I don't think this fight will be as easy as last time. I doubt Couture will be able to "out strike the striker" again, as Chuck has undoubtedly worked to fill the holes in his stand up game and improve his conditioning for this one. That said, I think Randy's wrestling and positional control will be too much in the end. Chuck will get up a few times, but eventually, Randy is going to hold him down and pound his face in.

Couture by TKO Rd 4