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By Matt Pelkey, MMATorch Columnist Well another UFC pay-per-view is in the books, which means the same can be said for our own Torch Contests. As per usual, neither champion was able to defend their title. Will someone, anyone step up and be the first to make a successful defense? There is hope. I feel good about our new champs.
For the prediction contest. Both combatants performed well (in fact this was the best effort by TorchNation in sometime in the predictions), but in the end challenger Gavin "Seriously, This Guy is from Australia (or TAFKA The Melbourne Mauler)" Byrne was able to out duel champion Rich Boles, predicting eight out of ten fights correctly to Boles's seven out of ten. So ladies and gentlemen, your new MMATorch Prediction Champion...GAVIN BYRNE!!!
Its a proud moment for the Torch as we have our first (at least to my knowledge. Its not like I did any research) foreign champ.
On the other side of the coin (get it? The betting side? Coin? Bueller?), the brash Brian "BMYinc" Murphy's short reign of terror came to an end as he was unseated by our own Jerry "MD" Cattelane. Murphy did admit to me before the contest that the fame has gone to his head, as he's spent more time fending off his new female fans than training for his title tilt. Neither man performed particularly well, with both losing upwards of $300. Murphy did hit on three correct bets, but they were all $100 bets. Jerry only correctly picked on fight, but his $300 bet on Tamden McCrory proved to be the difference. So I give you the winner, AND NEW MMATORCH BETTING CHAMPION...JERRY CATTELANE!!!!
I have total faith that either Byrne or Cattelane will have the gumption to end the plight of the contest champions, but lets take a look at who they'll be facing next time around.
In the prediction pool, six participants turned in performances of 7-3 or better. In the end, however, it came down to (who else?) Micky Wan and your's truly with equal 8-2 records. Once again, it would come down to the tie-breakers to determine the #1 contender, and yet again, Wan would emerge victorious. He correctly predicted five rounds/methods to my four. This is at least the second, if not third time Wan has beaten me on tie-breakers. Dare I say I have a nemesis? Oh, I dare. But for now, Wan will move on to battle new Prediction champion Gavin Byrne at UFC 88 in Atlanta.
In a case of one door closing, but another opening, Rich Boles lost his prediction title but claimed the #1 contender spot in the betting pool. Brian Fuller, Scott Hart, Chris Gawn, Micky Wan, and Prediction Champ Gavin Byrne all turned in modest profits, but Boles was by far the best performer, hitting on four successful bets for a total profit of $891.90. That earns him the right to go to war with Jerry Cattelane.
Well that's it for the results. Didn't win? Um...do better next time then.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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