Hyden's Take
HYDEN BLOG: UFC 116 Quick Picks and a Reader E-mail
Jul 2, 2010 - 11:45:52 AM HYDEN BLOG: UFC 116 Quick Picks and a Reader E-mail

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Prelims

• Jon Madsen vs. Karlos Vemola: Madsen by Decision
• Daniel Roberts vs. Forrest Petz: Roberts by TKO in the 2nd round
• Gerald Harris vs. Dave Branch: Harris by Decision
• Kendall Grove vs. Goran Reljic: Grove by Submission in the 3rd round
• Seth Petruzelli vs. Ricardo Romero: Petruzelli by TKO in the 1st round
• Brendan Schaub vs. Chris Tuchscherer: Schaub by TKO in the 2nd round

Main Card

• George Sotiropoulos vs. Kurt Pellegrino: Pellegrino by Decision
• Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Stephan Bonnar: Soszynski by TKO in the 2nd round
• Chris Lytle vs. Matt Brown: Lytle by Decision
• Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Chris Leben: Leben by TKO in the 1st round
• Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin: Carwin by TKO in the 1st round

Reader Feedback

John Matland: “I often read MMA blogs and such, and a lot of people are stating very directly as if Brock Lesnar has gone 25-0, that he is going to win.

I am in awe that anybody, all fan views aside that know about MMA, you cannot honestly say that. Brock has had 5 MMA fights. Five. Fight one against a nobody... Fight two (he definitely improves every fight) Frank Mir knee barred him by 1 min 30 seconds in. Brock is a phenomenal athlete but although his fists are big and heavy hitting, they DO NOT take people out like Carwin's fists. Carwin has more than double the amount of MMA fights than Brock, and has never lost. He fought a better and bigger Frank Mir and dismantled him. Quicker than Brock. Brock has rocked people bit has not knocked anyone out cold in one shot. He holds people down and beats their face in over time. Or rocks them hard, and they fight through it; Carwin destroys them with one shot, floor, good night.

The problem is Brock is not holding Carwin down, cause Carwin has a wrestling base and is a division 2 champ. Brock was division 1, ok, true, he says that #1 division is for people who are better than division 2. Well Strausberg pitches in the major leagues now, wasn't quite there a few months ago, but all those MLB players can't handle him.

The break down is this is a great fight. And I totally have it in favor of Carwin by KO mid-way through round 2. And this is not because Brock's personality is disgusting, that only will add the joy of watching him lay out cold in the Octagon. Carwin is a beast. He can submit you knock you out, and no one has got out of round 1. Lesnar is a phenominal athlete, i believe he won't get caught in round 1, but when he realized he cant lay on Carwin and he's fighting a wrestling based fighter as strong as him, he will be a broken man who tries to throw fist round two more so... His punching skill is not where Carwin's is and they aren't as strong.

I give him a punchers chance. But he will be outclassed and he will be back at the drawing board starting with a rematch with Mir, who won't stand a chance if he is not still 265 and working on wrestling.

Brock may eventually retool and match up better against Carwin later on... But we will see the rise of the worlds #1 heavyweight this Saturday ... And his name is Shane Carwin.”

Comments and suggestion can be e-mailed to me at hydenfrank@gmail.com