[Dan_]

Anyone else a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship? I've been really getting into it lately since they have started showing it on bravo.

[Legend]

Yeah, the UFC is great. It's been on Bravo for quite a while, i've been watching it for a while.

I prefer the American version a lot more than the British.

[Dan_]

Same here, did you see the event over the weekend?

Chuck got KTFO by Rampage.

[Mark]

Bump I guess.

I just started getting into this, just watched Lesnar v Mir - great fight, even though it didn't last long.

I'm wading my way through vids of Couture, Ortiz and Liddel at the moment.

Dan/Legend do you, or others still watch?

- Mark

[Dan_]

Yeah I'm still watching .Saw Lesnar vs Mir at the weekend, was a strange old fight with Brock totally dominating then making a mistake which ended it for him.He could do well because he's such a powerful guy but he'll need to work harder to avoid the same thing happening in the future.

I'm glad that Tim Syliva lost in the main event, he's such a plodder which makes for fairly boring fights.

I'm looking forward to Anderson Sliva vs Dan Henderson at UFC82.Sliva has been awesome in recent fights but Henderson's an experienced guy.

[Mark]

UFC 84 this weekend.

BJ Penn vs Shawn Sherk - taking Penn in this one, even though Sherk has some impressive wins over Hughes/GSP. Penn is a monster and seems in top form.

Keith Jardine vs Wanderlei Silva - taking Silva, because I think he's the better fighter. Jardine is solid though, and does have a win over Liddell.

Tito Ortiz vs Lyoto Machida - I'm not an Ortiz fan at all... don't really like the guy, so I'm hoping Machida can take him down.

Quite a nice card for the event, but cannot wait for UFC 85 in London next month. I have tickets in an awesome seating location near the front (but not too near) so that should be a good evening.

[Dan_]

As you said, it is quite a nice card.Penn vs Sherk is the standout match for me, should be a very good fight but I expect Penn will prevail.

It will be interesting to see how Ortiz does after quite a while without having a fight.Machida's a bit of a rising star in UFC but it would wrong to underestimate Tito.

[Mark]

I just got back from UFC 85 at O2 arena, and it was a pretty weird event to say the least. A couple of "interesting" referee decisions, a couple of upsets, but overall a great day out. I'll maybe post some thoughts after it's aired on TV.

[Kore]

when is UFC 85 aired on Bravo?

I like UFC. Michael Bisping is great

[Dan_]

Originally posted by Kore
when is UFC 85 aired on Bravo?

I like UFC. Michael Bisping is great

I'm not sure that is.It was live on Setanta, so maybe they are the only ones who had the rights to broadcast it in the UK.

[Kore]

Yeah after reading about Setanta have taken the rights..

Ive just watched Michael Bisping beat Jason Day on youtube anyway..

[Mark]

I'd like to see Bisping vs Rich Franklin next, would be a great fight hopefully

[Kore]

Damnit!! ive looked at the whole listings on Sky, but doesnt show a repeat of UFC 85 Bedlam! damnit!!!

[Mark]

It was in fairness, one of the weakest lineups in ages. A lot of the prelims were better than the main events. I only went because it was in UK and when I got the tickets, Chuck Lidell was the main event fighter (who would have been great to see). He injured his hamstring and had to pull out.

Only 3 weeks till UFC 86 and Tyson vs Griffen, which should be a great fight. Tyson Griffin (no relation to Forrest) is also fighting which is what I'm also looking forward too. I watched him fight Frank Edgar a few days ago from UFC 67 and it's probably in the top 3 best technical fights I've ever seen. You can watch it here: http://mmavideolinks.to/index.php?/F...n-Griffin.html

[Kore]

Yeah i'll certainly be watching UFC 86.

Cheers mate

[Mark]

UFC 86 tomorrow, not the best lineup of matches ever but a few interesting fights.

The main event is Forrest Griffin vs Quinton Jackson. I like Forrest a lot, but I'm struggling to see how he's going to finish Jackson. Forrest's stamina is probably slightly better, which is a plus for him seeing as could potentially go to 5 rounds. I think Jackson is the better striker, as well as the stronger of the two. Forrest probably needs to try and take the fight to the ground and control it, or hope for a slip/error on Jackson's part.

Patrick Cote vs Ricardo Almeida is a tough one to try and predict. Almeida is definitely the better on the ground, and good at submissions, which will probably be an advantage in this fight since Cote is coming off a fairly recent loss to Travis Lutter by submission. Cote is also coming off an injury to his knee and hasn't fought since January.

Joe Stevenson vs Gleison Tibau. I don't know much about Stevenson apart from his loss to BJ Penn. I've seen a few fights of Gleison Tibau and he seems to have a good endurance. They are both very similar fighters, and I think it'll be a close match, ultimatley ending in deicison.

Josh Koscheck vs Chris Lytle. I'm quite a big Koscheck fan at the moment, and really hope he can get this win. I read a few days ago that he's looking for a title shot down the line, and securing this win will certainly help his cause. Koscheck is one of the best technical wreslters in UFC at the moment, and his style and agression makes it hard to prevent his takedowns. Lytle is by no means a walkover, but I think Koscheck really has the edge here.

Tyson Griffin vs. Marcus Aurelio. Tyson is an animal in the cage, and is one of the more entertaining fighters to watch. He's fast, agile and has a mean heavy punch. I don't know too much about Aurelio, and haven't seen many of his PRIDE matches. I know that Aurelio will probably want to take this fight to the ground and try and win via submission, but Griffin is skilled in his reversals and counter attacks.

Final predicitions:

Quinton Jackson > Forrest Griffen. KO rd2
Ricardo Almedia > Patrick Cote. Submission rd1
Joe Stevenson > Gleison Tibau. by Unanimous Decision
Josh Koscheck > Chris Lytle. TKO rd2
Tyson Griffen > Marcus Aurelio. TKO rd3

I'm more looking forward to UFC87. GSP vs Fitch, and Brock Lesnar vs Heath Herring. Should be a good event.

UFC are coming over again for 89 at Birmingham NEC in late October. I bought my ticket for UFC89 this morning also. Lower section 4 for ~Ł130.

[Kore]

I cannot wait for this!!!! UFC 86. On Setanta isnt it?

[Dan_]

Originally posted by Kore
I cannot wait for this!!!! UFC 86. On Setanta isnt it?

Yep, 3am Sunday.

[Mark]

I went 3/5 for UFC 86 winners, getting Griffin v Jackson wrong and Cote v Almedia wrong. I scored the griffin match as a draw when I watched it... but what do I know

It's a big weekend for MMA with UFC fight night, and Affliction: Banned, both taking place.

UFC Fight Night Predictions:

James Irvin > Anderson Silva. This is against all betting sites, and public opinion... but this is Anderson's first fight at 205 and Irvin is a tough man, with a hard punch. I am going for the underdog, because I can see Irvin getting a KO, maybe even quite early on in the fight.

Brandon Vera > Reese Andy. Coming off a double loss, Vera NEEDS this win. He's dropped down to 205 too, and I can see his winning comfortably.

Frank Edgar > Hermes Franca. This one's a biased decision, because I really like Edgar. I know Hermes is super tough and will put up a strong fight, but I think Edgar has better stamina, and that's probably what this fight will come down too.

Jake O'Brien > Cain Velasquez. Don't know much about these guys, but OBrien has more experience, so I have to go with that.

C.B Dolway > Jesse Taylor. Not sure if Taylor has got his life back in order after trouble with alcohol fairly recently.

Kevin Burns > Anthony Johnson. I saw Burns at UFC 85 in London and he was quite impressive. He was so persistent in trying to get a triangle choke on his opponent, and even got it after it was obvious he was trying for it all the time. I think he will get the better of this fight.

Affliction Banned: Predicitions

Fedor Emelianenko > Tim Sylvia. This might be the one of the biggest upsets in MMA history if Sylvia wins this. Fedor is the best pound for pound fighter right now, and even though he hasn't had a proper fight forever I still think he is leagues ahead of Tim. I think submission by arm bar will be the way it ends.

Andrei Arlovski > Ben Rothwell. Have to go for the experience here. Arlovski is probably the tougher of the two, but saying that Rothwell is on a 12 fight win streak. This one might go to decision.

Josh Barnett > Pedro Rizzo. Barnett is bigger, stronger and just all around better. I think this one won't last long.

Renato "Babalu" Sobral > Mike Whitehead. Whitehead hasn't really beaten anyone good, and Renato is a solid fighter. I expect him to win this fairly comfortably.

Matt Lindland > Fabio Nascimento. Don't know much about these guys, but I've seen a few Lindland fights so I'm going for him.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira > Edwin Dewees. Brother of the UFC heavyweight champion, I can see him winning this one.

I guess watching both these events is going to take up my Sunday evening