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By Matt Pelkey, MMATorch Columnist It was a fairly disappointing show from my point of view on Saturday, and it wasn't exactly our finest hour here at the Torch contests. Both champs managed to defend their belts, but neither did so with a championship performance. In both contests the pool was a wide ranging mixed bag.
In the prediction title fight, Gavin "The Juggernaut" Byrne defended his belt for the seventh straight time in a three-way dance against #1 contender Tower and Micky Wan, who cashed in his Money in the Bank title shot. Byrne assumed his pedestrian 6-4 outing wasn't enough to hold on to the strap, but it was with Tower and Wan only managing 5-5 records. Congrats to champ, but I think one of your nine lives has been used up.
In the pool, three men (including newcomer and my boy, Lance Butler) turned in solid 7-3 performances, but in the end Brian Fuller's 8-2 night was the best of the bunch. He'll move on to UFC 95 to do battle with Byrne. The rest of the prediction results:
THE POOL-
Brian Fuller 8-2
Lance Butler 7-3
Overkill 7-3
Alex Williams 7-3
Mark Patterson 6-4
Matt Pelkey 6-4
Kubi 5-5
Scott Hart 5-5
Nut 5-5
Frank Hyden 5-5
Chris Gawn 4-6
Scott Mitchell 4-6
Rich Boles 4-6
Jason Bent 4-6
Jamie Penick 4-6
Brian Murphy 3-7
On the betting side, Champion Chris Gawn defended successfully again against rival Rich Boles, although neither man turned a profit. Boles only managed a $200 bet on Thiago Tavares for a total payout of $373.91, while Gawn hit a $500 bet on Machida and a $100 upset bet on Jon Jones for a total payout of $977.27.
Gawn will do battle at UFC 95 with Overkill, one of only four to turn a profit, but he more than doubled his money. The betting results:
THE POOL-
Overkill: $300 on St. Pierre for $466.67
$200 on Guida for $373.91
$500 on Howard for $1500
Total Payout: $2340.58
Brian Fuller: $400 on Jones for $1000
$300 on Tavares for $560.87
$200 on Guida for $373.91
Total Payout: $1934.78
Gavin Byrne: $400 on St. Pierre for $622.22
$400 on Guida for $747.83
$100 on Howard for $300
Total Payout: $1670.05
Scott Mitchell: $500 on Fitch for $611.11
$300 on St. Pierre for $466.67
Total Payout: $1077.78
Matt Pelkey: $200 on Jones for $500
$200 on Guida for $373.91
Total Payout: $873.91
Tower: $500 on O’Brien for $777.78
Total Payout: $777.78
Nick Underwood: $300 on Cramer for $750
Total Payout: $750
Nut: $400 on Machida for $581.82
$100 on O’Brien for $155.56
Total Payout: $737.38
Jamie Penick: $200 on Jones for $500
Total Payout: $500
Scott Hart: $300 on St. Pierre for $466.67
Total Payout: $466.67
Kubi: $200 on O’Brien for $311.11
Total Payout: $311.11
Brian Murphy: $100 on Machida for $145.45
Total Payout: $145.45
Micky Wan: $0
Alex Williams: $0
Mark Patterson: $0
PERFORMER OF THE NIGHT:
I'm calling this one a tie between Brian Fuller and Overkill. Both earned a #1 contender spot and also finished second in the other contest. Good luck with your title shots gentleman.
GOAT OF THE NIGHT:
This one was tougher as there were many. Micky Wan squandered his Money in the Bank title shot and threw up a goosegg in the Betting Contest, but Brian Murphy went a contest low 3-7 on his predictions and only managed a $100 bet on a heavy favorite. I flipped a coin and it said Murphy. Sorry.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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