UFC 111 - Recap & thoughts

UFC 111 Results

•Georges St-Pierre def. Dan Hardy via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-45) - retains welterweight title

•Shane Carwin def. Frank Mir via knockout (punches) - Round 1, 3:48 - wins interim heavyweight title

•Kurt Pellegrino def. Fabricio Camoes via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 2, 4:20

•Jon Fitch def. Ben Saunders via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

•Jim Miller def. Mark Bocek via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

•Nate Diaz def. Rory Markham via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 2:47

•Ricardo Almeida def. Matt Brown via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 2, 3:30

•Rousimar Palhares def. Tomasz Drwal via submission (heel hook) - Round 1, 0:45.

•Jared Hamman def. Rodney Wallace via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

•Matthew Riddle def. Greg Soto via disqualification (intentional illegal upkick) - Round 3, 1:30

My thoughts,

- I picked 8 out of 10 winners correct, round & method correct 3 times. I'm pretty happy with those picks even though this was a very easy card to pick.

- UFC 111 was super fun to watch. I don't know about in the U.S. but GSP fights are quite the event in Canada.

- Every time I see a GSP fight I am not surprised at how dominant he is but more impressed with his opponent for staying in the fight.
After St. Pierre blasted Fitch on the feet and had a 10-8 first round I thought Fitch was done but he proved very durable and made it all 5 rounds.
Everyone (myself included) thought that if Thiago Alves cant finish St. Pierre in the first or second that he would gas and be out of the fight by the 3rd but Alves, although he wasn't winning, kept getting back to his feet.
This time, I thought Hardy was really outmatched. He was, and he didn't have anything to threaten GSP with but I was very impressed that he did not tap from the armbar and that deep, painful kimura. St. Pierre tried his best to finish that fight and a lot of people say that he's boring because he doesn't finish his opponents in spectacular fashion but I love to watch him dominate and grind guys out.

- Carwin is a beast. He did exactly what I thought he was gonna do. It made me especially happy since everyone around me at the UFC party I attended was trash talking Carwin because they didn't know him & I kept telling them to watch Carwin's power. I was even getting text messages telling me Mir was gonna smoke Carwin because he's so much bigger now. After the knock out in round one, combined with the 8 beers I had, I did some tash talking of my own.

- I can't wait for Lesnar vs Carwin in July.

- I really underestimated Mark Bocek against Jim Miller. I thought that this should have won the 'Fight of the Night' and not Hamman vs Wallace. I actually scored it 29-28 in favor of Bocek, but that's what happens in close fights that are only 3 rounds, we don't always get a chance to see who the better fighter is.

- Jon Fitch is another guy, like St. Pierre, that people don't like because his fights always to go to the scorecards, but he dominated Saunders the entire fight and he tried to finish. I like Jon Fitch. I really hope we get to see Alves/Fitch 2.
- I'm not sure if Palhares should get a suspension for his 'slightly-too-long' Achilles lock of Drwal. Yeah sure, it looks bad in super slo-mo but I've now seen it 3 times at regular speed and it happens so fast, and you can see in his face that he is in the 'zone'. I didn't look like he was trying to intentionally hurt Drwal.

UFC 111 - St. Pierre vs Hardy

UFC 111 - St. Pierre vs. Hardy
March 27, 2010 ,

Prudential Center,

Newark, New Jersey


Welterweight Championship
Georges St-Pierre vs. Dan Hardy - I like GSP pretty big in this fight. The UFC is trying hard to sell the 'punchers chance' but the truth is that Hardy isn't a big 'one-punch' knock out guy &
St. Pierre is just on another level.
I mean, Penn has better power, striking, take-down defence than Hardy and we all know how well he did against GSP.
Hardy got hit repeatedly by Mike Swick's jab and he's gonna be in for a rude awakening when
St. Pierre brings the double & triple jab. Add the takedowns & grappling skills of the French Canadian and it just doesn't look good for 'the Outlaw'. I am really feeling a GSP by submission, rd. 3.
I think St. Pierre didn't want to give up dominant position against guys like Alves, Fitch, & Penn so he didn't really go for submissions, but against a guy like Hardy, who isn't great on the ground, I can really see him reaching into his 'tickle trunk' and pulling out an armbar or a rear-naked choke.


Heavyweight Interim Championship
Shane Carwin vs. Frank Mir - This is the fight I'm most excited about, I really don't know how this goes down. Mir is obviously better on the ground than Carwin, but that didn't help Gonzaga when he got hit by Carwin's power. Mir has looked to be in the best shape of his life lately but I really think he is overlooking Carwin in his obsession with a rubber match with Lesnar. Mir has improved in his striking game and more importantly, his strategy, but I don't think he's durable enough to handle Carwin's big shots. Carwin hits like a Mack truck. I believe Carwin can get back to his feet if Mir gets him down & when he does he is gonna hit Mir hard. Either way, I don't think it takes to long. Carwin by KO, rd. 1

Fabricio Camoes vs. Kurt Pellegrino - Another good, tough fight. I feel like it'll go to the cards but I wouldn't be surprised if Camoes pulls off a submission. Camoes by decision.

Jon Fitch vs. Ben Saunders - I was super excited about the Thiago Alves/Jon Fitch rematch but a last minute medical problem with Alves took him off the card & Saunders stepped up. This is still a great fight but I think its too much too soon for Saunders. Fitch is a great wrestler and he's gonna grind Saunders to a decision. Saunders looked lost on his back against Mike Swick and Fitch is better than his A.K.A. Teammate. Saunders could clinch up and land a big knee but I think Fitch is too experienced. Fitch by decision.

Mark Bocek vs. Jim Miller - Bocek is a solid fighter but Miller is a top lightweight and should be too much for the ginger Canadian. Miller by submission, rd. 1


Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham - Nate Diaz by submission (standing kimura, anyone?), rd 3.

Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Brown - This is a tough fight to pick. Almeida is the better grappler but Brown has some ground skills as well, and I think he'll be able to defend Almeida's submissions. Brown has the advantage in the stand up but tends to run out of gas by the 2nd round. I think Almeida will clinch up and if he can't sub Brown he'll dominate where the fight takes place and sway the judges. Almeida by decision.

Jared Hamman vs. Rodney Wallace - Wallace by decision

Tomasz Drwal vs. Rousimar Palhares - I like watching Toquino in action & I really hope we get to see this fight. Palhares by submission, rd. 1

Matthew Riddle vs. Greg Soto - Riddle by decision.