UFC 137 Picks

UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center
Broadcast: Pay-per-view, Spike TV, and Facebook.com

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

• Nick Diaz vs. B.J. Penn
• Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
• Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Roy Nelson
• Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop
• Jeff Curran vs. Scott Jorgensen

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

• Donald Cerrone vs. Dennis Siver
• Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

• Eliot Marshall vs. Brandon Vera
• Danny Downes vs. Ramsey Nijem
• Chris Camozzi vs. Francis Carmont
• Dustin Jacoby vs. Clifford Starks

 

First the main event for UFC 137 was a much anticipated showdown between the champion Georges St. Pierre versus Nick Diaz.  After Nick’s fail, it then became GSP vs Carlos Condit with a BJ Penn vs Diaz co-main event.  Then GSP gets injurred, and now BJ vs Nick becomes the main event.

This fight between BJ Penn and Nick Diaz might even be more desired than the original title fight.  Strangely BJ seems to be the odds on favorite on most bookmakers, in a fight which I would rank more even than anything.  Its been a long time since Nick has lost a fight while BJ is coming off a draw with Fitch.  Other than his KO of the soon to be retired Matt Hughes, BJ has not looked too impressive.  It is hard to fathom why he is the favored one here, when Nick has been unstoppable.  BJ has no BJJ edge here, striking is very even at best, and cardio is still a concern.  Though he always seems to show his best when least expected, I can’t see it happening here.  Act now, while Diaz is still the underdog!

It is hard to see how Mitrione wins, but he does.  Cheik Kongo while trying to improve his ground game has lost that fire that made him menacing.  No longer are the fury of punches and knees, replaced by a more technical striking style which I don’t think fits in.  He has to return to his crazy self, while still work on his ground game.  He won his last fight, but that was a punchers chance lucky punch that won it.  Mitrione is a heavyweight version of the Korean Zombie, but not quite Korean.  Look for him to move forward and just attack.  It will probably come to a decision, but he should win it.

Every card now it seems like I am writing about a fighter who should be on his last fight.  This time for sure it should be Mirko CroCop’s last fight.  Roy Nelson is the blob, he will get tired, but he wont go down.  But Cro Cop will go down, and Roy shouuld get back to the winning column with a KO to the jaw.

UFC 137 marks the debut of Japanese featherweight Hatsu Hioki when he faces George Roop.  After becoming the Sengoku champion, he left the organization to sign with the UFC, and fans will be happy when he does.  This guy has beat plenty of great fighters in the division, including Mark Hominick twice.  His BJJ and ground game will be way too much for the gatekeeper Roop, and though Japanese stars have not had too many brilliant debuts, this one should be no doubt about it.

Jeff Curran was once an up and comer in the WEC.  But after successive losses against many of the WEC stars he no longer became part of the picture.  Scott Jorgensen on the other hand has been winning.  Other than his decision loss for the Bantamweight belt against Dominick Cruz he is fighting at the top of his game.   Go with who’s fighting the best, and that’s Scotty.

 

UFC 137 Fight Odds

• UFC 137 •
BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz	-120 -110	-125 +105	-125 +105	-138 +110	-125 -111
Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione	+110 -140	+ -	+120 -140	+110 -138	+110 -152
Mirko CroCop vs. Roy Nelson	- +	+245 -290	+240 -280	+240 -333	+220 -333
George Roop vs. Hatsu Hioki	+ -	+270 -325	+260 -320	+250 -350	+225 -357
Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone	- +	+190 -220	+170 -200	-225 +175	+185 -270
Bart Palaszewski vs. Tyson Griffin	+ -	+250 -300	+245 -290	+250 -350	+220 -333
Jeff Curran vs. Scott Jorgensen	+ -	+ -	+ -	- +	- +
Eliot Marshall vs. Brandon Vera	+ -	+ -	+ -	- +	- +
Danny Downes vs. Ramsey Nijem	- -	- -	- -	- +	- +
Chris Camozzi vs. Francis Carmont	+ -	+ -	+ -	- +	- +
Dustin Jacoby vs. Clifford Starks	- +	- +	- +	- +	- +

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