UFC 99: June 13

[Headliner]

June13-2009

Rich Franklin Vs. Wanderlei Silva

Cheick Kongo Vs. Cain Velasquez

Mike Swick Vs. Ben Saunders

Marcus Davis Vs. Dan Hardy

Spencer Fisher Vs. Caol Uno

Mirko Cro Cop Vs. Mostapha Al Turk

Terry Etim Vs. Justin Buchholz

Dennis Siver Vs. Dale Hartt

Paul Taylor Vs. Peter Sobotta

Paul Kelly Vs. Rolando Delgado

Denis Stojnic Vs. Stefan Struve

John Hathaway Vs. Rick Story



Predictions?

[Headliner]

June13-2009

Rich Franklin Vs. Wanderlei Silva

Cheick Kongo Vs. Cain Velasquez

Mike Swick Vs. Ben Saunders

Marcus Davis Vs. Dan Hardy

Spencer Fisher Vs. Caol Uno

Mirko Cro Cop Vs. Mostapha Al Turk

I was shocked to find out Silva is actually younger then Franklin by 2 years. Silva looks near 40 with all the steroids and damage to his face.

I think Wandi will win though. Franklin hasn't impressed me in awhile (i've actually always thought he was a tad over rated, but that's not the point) and he said he wants to stand with him. Silva getting a W wouldn't surprise me.

Cain i think will get the K.O

I like Ben a lot, and think he's got a good future, but Swick is tough. I think it's still too early in Ben's pro career for a Swick win.

Marcus vs Dan...im not sure. I just never trust fighters over 35. Every card they fight i think...this is the one where we see the decline. I like Marcus a lot though and hope he gets a few more fights before he slides into oblivion, but i'll go against the odds and bet against him.

[cowboyronnie]

Awesome card! Davis, Etim, Taylor, Kelly are the 4 most skilled, entertaining class 2 fighters the UFC's got. And Hardy might be on his way to joining them. Very sweet.

Athletic Commissions should be stepping in to protect Wanderlei from himself. He will get one punch KOd here yet again.

[El Hardee]

Besides Kongo and Cain nothing really jumps out at me, solid card at best. Silva/Franklin is just soooo wrong, I see this ending in a double KO. This would be a hot free card but notsure if i'm gonna cop the ppv though.

[Nemesis21]

Silva over Franklin (don't get this fight, I see Silva destroying Franklin)
Kongo over Velasquez
Swick over Saunders
Davis over Hardy
Fisher over Uno
Cro Cop over Al Turk
Etim over Buchholz
Taylor over Sobotta
Kelly over Delgado
Siver over Hartt
Hathaway over Story
Stojnic over Struve

[Cammo101]

Franklin
Velasquez
Swick
Hardy
Uno
Cro Cop
Etim
Taylor
Kelly
Hartt
Hathaway
Stojnic

[El Hardee]

Franklin
Velasquez
Swick
Hardy
Uno
Cro Cop
Etim
Taylor
Kelly
Hartt
Hathaway
Stojnic

+1, nice picks I am on deck with all of them.

[cowboyronnie]

Besides Kongo and Cain nothing really jumps out at me

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[Cammo101]

I think every fight on the main card is intriguing.

[sh00n]

Franklin
Kongo
Swick
Hardy
Uno
Cro Cop
Etim
Taylor
Kelly
Hartt
Hathaway
Stojnic

[CPT]

I really think this could end up being the best card (not on paper, but in terms of fight quality) of the summer, if not the year.

It's the last card I can remember where I am really looking forward to every fight on the main card. Plus the guys CBR mentioned on the undercard. I imagine Cro Cop will be the first guy they show if there`s time, but hopefully the other guys get shown.

By the way, does everyone know about the bad blood between Marcus Davis and Dan Hardy? I wasn't aware of it until I saw the short preview and started reading up on it, but they really don't like each other. Hardy has been giving Davis a hard time for his "Irish" gimmick (which I kind of agree Hardy about), and Davis has fired back that being proud of who you are isn't a gimmick, but a red mohawk and shark teeth is. I was looking forward to this fight anyway, but I always get more excited when there's some kind of backstory.

I'll take...
Franklin (Franklin is just better at this point in their careers...Silva's still a wild card though)
Cain (I don't think much of Kongo....Cain steamrolls him, IMO)
Swick (I really wanted to pick Saunders, but Swick is just too tough this early in Saunders' career)
Hardy (another tough one to pick, but I'll take the up and comer this time)
Fisher (I love to see fights like this...satisfies some of the curiousity about UFC vs. Japan LWs...yet another tough call)
Cro Cop
Etim
Taylor
Kelly
Siver
Hathaway
Struve

[Hilltop]

Well I hope Cro Cop can pull this one off. His UFC experiences haven't been very good to say the least, he just needs something to get his confidence back. He's just lost that killer instinct, and that aggressiveness since his bout with Gonzaga.

[SpReEfOrAlL]

June13-2009

Rich Franklin Vs. Wanderlei Silva

Cheick Kongo Vs. Cain Velasquez

Mike Swick Vs. Ben Saunders <=== my upset

Marcus Davis Vs. Dan Hardy (Brutally i hope)

Spencer Fisher Vs. Caol Uno

Mirko Cro Cop Vs. Mostapha Al Turk

Terry Etim Vs. Justin Buchholz

Dennis Siver Vs. Dale Hartt

Paul Taylor Vs. Peter Sobotta

Paul Kelly Vs. Rolando Delgado

Denis Stojnic Vs. Stefan Struve

John Hathaway Vs. Rick Story



Predictions?

[SpReEfOrAlL]

I really think this could end up being the best card (not on paper, but in terms of fight quality) of the summer, if not the year.

It's the last card I can remember where I am really looking forward to every fight on the main card. Plus the guys CBR mentioned on the undercard. I imagine Cro Cop will be the first guy they show if there`s time, but hopefully the other guys get shown.

By the way, does everyone know about the bad blood between Marcus Davis and Dan Hardy? I wasn't aware of it until I saw the short preview and started reading up on it, but they really don't like each other. Hardy has been giving Davis a hard time for his "Irish" gimmick (which I kind of agree Hardy about), and Davis has fired back that being proud of who you are isn't a gimmick, but a red mohawk and shark teeth is. I was looking forward to this fight anyway, but I always get more excited when there's some kind of backstory.

I'll take...
Franklin (Franklin is just better at this point in their careers...Silva's still a wild card though)
Cain (I don't think much of Kongo....Cain steamrolls him, IMO)
Swick (I really wanted to pick Saunders, but Swick is just too tough this early in Saunders' career)
Hardy (another tough one to pick, but I'll take the up and comer this time)
Fisher (I love to see fights like this...satisfies some of the curiousity about UFC vs. Japan LWs...yet another tough call)
Cro Cop
Etim
Taylor
Kelly
Siver
Hathaway
Struve

There is even more back story than that. Apparently Hardy went to mma sites and asked posters there to make some photo shops of Davis also. Davis has a blog about it, ill see if i can find it.

*EDIT*
Here it is: http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=20109

[CPT]

I really think this could end up being the best card (not on paper, but in terms of fight quality) of the summer, if not the year.

It's the last card I can remember where I am really looking forward to every fight on the main card. Plus the guys CBR mentioned on the undercard. I imagine Cro Cop will be the first guy they show if there`s time, but hopefully the other guys get shown.

By the way, does everyone know about the bad blood between Marcus Davis and Dan Hardy? I wasn't aware of it until I saw the short preview and started reading up on it, but they really don't like each other. Hardy has been giving Davis a hard time for his "Irish" gimmick (which I kind of agree Hardy about), and Davis has fired back that being proud of who you are isn't a gimmick, but a red mohawk and shark teeth is. I was looking forward to this fight anyway, but I always get more excited when there's some kind of backstory.

I'll take...
Franklin (Franklin is just better at this point in their careers...Silva's still a wild card though)
Cain (I don't think much of Kongo....Cain steamrolls him, IMO)
Swick (I really wanted to pick Saunders, but Swick is just too tough this early in Saunders' career)
Hardy (another tough one to pick, but I'll take the up and comer this time)
Fisher (I love to see fights like this...satisfies some of the curiousity about UFC vs. Japan LWs...yet another tough call)
Cro Cop
Etim
Taylor
Kelly
Siver
Hathaway
Struve

There is even more back story than that. Apparently Hardy went to mma sites and asked posters there to make some photo shops of Davis also. Davis has a blog about it, ill see if i can find it.

*EDIT*
Here it is: http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=20109

Yeah, looking at it again, I kind of glossed over the back story in my post. It's not just one little back and forth thing, it's something that's been going on a while. I'm definitely looking forward to the full UFC Countdown, lol.

I'd read Davis' blog, but thanks for posting it. It's a good read to catch up on the situation, at least from one side.

[El Hardee]

Besides Kongo and Cain nothing really jumps out at me

???????????????????????

C'mon dude this is like all-star night for the B-level fighters outthere, great for free, meh for ppv.

[cowboyronnie]

it's exactly the all-star game for the B-levelers. the very most technical of them. it's fantastic.

[Cammo101]

I think the matchups are so even, which is what makes it fun. Also, IMO, there are a lot of A level fighters on this card. Or at least guys who will be A level fighters soon. Franklin, Velasquez, Swick...

[SpReEfOrAlL]

On another note, how long is the UFC gonna protect Swick? I mean everyone loves the guy, and he gets tons of respect. But he never fights anyone. His best win in 4 years is Marcus Davis. Almost everyone from that season of TUF has taken a huge step up in talent, except for Swick. Why is that?

[Cammo101]

On another note, how long is the UFC gonna protect Swick? I mean everyone loves the guy, and he gets tons of respect. But he never fights anyone. His best win in 4 years is Marcus Davis. Almost everyone from that season of TUF has taken a huge step up in talent, except for Swick. Why is that?

I have been wondering the same thing. He has looked really good his last few times out and with the lack of contenders at 170, they should have taken the training wheels off of him a long time ago.