UFC 144: Edgar vs. Ben Henderson

[DixieDestroyer]

Here's the card for Saturday's UFC 144 from Saitama, Japan.

Prelim Card (Facebook)

• Featherweight bout: Zhang Tiequan vs. Issei Tamura

Preliminary card (FX)

• Bantamweight bout: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso

• Middleweight bout: Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell

• Bantamweight bout: Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee

• Lightweight bout: Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka

Main card

• Lightweight bout: Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon

• Featherweight bout: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski

• Middleweight bout: Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch

• Welterweight bout: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields

• Heavyweight bout: Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt

• Light Heavyweight bout: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader

• Lightweight Championship bout: Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Ben Henderson

[SUP] http://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-144#/fight

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***The Destroyer from Dixieland will be pullin' for Edgar, Bader, Shields, Boetsch, Bartimus, Lauzon, and Cantwell.


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[icsept]

Edgar v. Henderson is huge caste matchup. We cannot afford to lose this belt, otherwise 4/7 title holders will be black or some variation thereof.

Personally, I can't stand Ben Henderson. The ridiculous hair, the announcers raving about his big thighs, his creepy-weird Africanasian face. (I absolutely loved it when Anthony Pettis caught him with the matrix kick.)

Henderson is always the bigger fighter in lightweight bouts, and uses it to his advantage. I can't respect someone who fights lightweight but could easily be a welterweight, or even a middle weight.

I'm expecting this fight to go the distance with Edgar winning a decision due to his superior conditioning and speed.

 

[Hawkeye2]

The card is in Japan so all of the fights with Japanese fighters are going to favor the Japanese fighter over the American. I shocked Steve Cantwell is in MMA still, the guy blew out both of his knees and a has shoulder problems. His career will probably be over by the time he reaches 27. Boetch could pull out a win though.
I think Bader could defeat Rampage if he fights smart, I am not a fan of his new camp at all, but I think Bader does have some advantages. The key to beating Rampage is to use leg kicks, simular to how Forrest Griffen defeated him. Rampage tends to try to box his opponents and his take down defense is very good, rather then try for a take-down and have it get stuffed, I think because Rampage puts a lot of weight on his legs those leg kicks will start to take effect in the second and third rounds.
Frankie has a very tough fight ahead of him. Henderson has the size advantage, but Edgar does have the cardio advantage, and is a better wrestler. Edgar needs to avoid mistakes and keep coming forward, with shots. One really important thing to recognize about Henderson is that his submission defense is very good, don't try for triangles or guillotines, which give up postition. Edgar needs to wear down Henderson early and capitalize on his mistakes.

 

[Hawkeye2]

Jake Shields and Bartamus should win their fights too.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

I hope Frankie wipes the mat w/ BenHen, but I think it'll be a tough fight for Edgar. Ben has the size, sub defense & strength advantage while Frankie has the wrestling, cardio & drive/will advantage. I'm not sure of the result, but MMA pro's pick Frankie 11-7-1...

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Pros-Pick-Edgar-vs-Henderson-40441

P.S. - I read where Henderson doesn't drink, smoke, mess w/ drugs & stays out of "da clubs". If that's true, I respect that about him.

 

[Liverlips]

Rampage misses weight by 6 pounds!

 

[Hawkeye2]

Rampage should not be allowed to fight.

 

[Hawkeye2]

I glad Cantwell lost. He really needs to work on his conditioning. He probably should go to Jackson submission fighting and work on high altitude conditioning.

 

[Liverlips]

Cantwell is 0-5 in his last 5 fights (all by decision). Yeah, needs some big change-ups. He almost seems like he is bored in there, looking at the clock and fighting like he is sparring. Jackson's MMA would be a great move.

 

[Liverlips]

Chiekh Kongo has to be the most protected fighter in MMA. How they f&*k does he get to fight Mark Hunt? Why not throw him to someone like Travis Browne or Mike Russow?

I know Hunt is Samoan but I hope he beats the DWF's greatest black hope.

 

[Liverlips]

Takinori Gomi looks like a ladyboy (an Asian transvestite).

 

[Hawkeye2]

Kongo should have had to fight Cain or Carwin. Both guys ould have destoyed him. Instead he gets a K-1 reject.

 

[Hawkeye2]

Kid Yamamoto also sucks. He has no ground game and his kickboxing was never that good(1-3) as a pro. I've also heard he got destoyed by that asian guy who couldn't make TUF last year.

 

[Liverlips]

Really hope Lauzon pulls this out.

 

[Liverlips]

Ugh ... not a good start as Lauzon gets KO'd by a kick.

 

[Hawkeye2]

I just want Rampage to lose. I can't stand him. He is so one demensional and nobody calls him out on it. All he does is avoid takedowns and counterpunch. When he gets taken to the ground he's awful. He never throws any kicks and just waits and picks his spots.

 

[Hawkeye2]

Lauzon didn't deserve the fight in the first place. I'd like to see Rory move to 170 and fight Pettis.

 

[Hawkeye2]

If Bart can avoid the Takedown I like his chances.

 

[Hawkeye2]

I can already see this is going to be an awful card. If Boetch loses I'm turning it off.

 

[Liverlips]

I got Bart down 0-2. Needs a KO.

 

[Hawkeye2]

UFC should not allow Bart to face anyone that is a wrestler.

 

[Hawkeye2]

Barts takedown defense is as bad as Dan Hardys.

 

[Liverlips]

Well, looks like Hioki will get the UD. He will likely lose to Aldo though.

0-2 for our guys. Let's hope it gets better.

 

[Liverlips]

I think of Boetsch as a journeyman but he may be able to grind out an upset over Okami.

 

[Hawkeye2]

Lucky win for Boetch.