With all the recent drama regarding Zuffa and their heavyweight champion, its good to see some things settled as they were meant to be: In the cage.
Saturday brings us the event from the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England where BJ Penn will get his third shot at the UFC lightweight title against Joe “Daddy” Stevenson.
Now, most people, myself include, expect BJ to dominate the fight. His striking is technical and efficient. His chin is iron. His grappling is a work of art. He’s defeated the best fighters of the sport and fought in four weight classes. His seemingly boneless legs provide a near unbeatable takedown defense and a flexibility on the ground that frustrates and overwhelms opponents.
BJ Penn IS mixed martial arts. There’s no way around that.
But Joe Stevenson is hungry. The TUF winner is on an impressive four fight win streak, and he’s very aware of what a victory over Penn will do for his career. He offers an excellent ground game, raw strength, and ever improving striking. If Penn, notorious for the less than stellar gas tank he showed against heavier opponents, doesn’t properly prepare for this fight, the year of the upset may extend its dreaded tendrils into 2008.
But that probably won’t happen. Stevenson has never taken on an opponent of Penn’s caliber. In fact, everyone who hasn’t fought BJ has never taken on an opponent of Penn’s caliber. He’s a unique and fairly devastating MMA machine.
I’m picking Penn by second round TKO. The heavy hands that KO’d Din Thomas and Caol Uno will resurface again to put Stevenson down and out.
Also on the UFC 80 card in a rematch between super-grapplers Fabricio Werdum and Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga.
Their first fight, back in September of ‘03, ended with Werdum’s TKOing a younger, inexperienced Gonzaga.
If this fight is anything like their first, it will easily be Fight of the Night. Times have changed, though, and both fighters have grown considerably since then. Whereas before they were both Jiu-Jitsu specialist making the transition into MMA, they are both now, for the most part, full mixed martial artists. There won’t be anymore sloppy, aggressive striking. No more rookie mistakes. Expect the fight to be a technical masterpiece on the ground with little in terms of action.
Assuming the fight goes to the ground. While Werdum’s striking may never be fear-inspiring, Gonzaga’s power is suddenly known to eveyrone in the business. With two high kicks, he’s brutally knocked out K-1 kickboxer Mirko “Cro Cop” and snapped the forearm of ageless champion Randy Couture like a bad cigarette.
This one could really go either way. Werdum has never been finished and is an extremely intelligent fighter. He’s also fought some of the best in the world while Gonzaga, other than decapitating a suddenly waning “Cro Cop” and being pummeled by Couture, hasn’t.
I’ll take Gonzaga by (a hopefully exciting) decision but won’t be surprised if Werdum gets the win.
Rest of the card:
Jess Liaudin vs. Marcus Davis
Wilson Gouveia vs. Jason Lambert
Jorge Rivera vs. Kendall Grove
Antoni Hardonk vs. Colin Robinson
James Lee vs. Alessio Sakara
Paul Kelly vs. Paul Taylor
Per Eklund vs. Sam Stout
Technorati Tags: UFC, 80, BJ Penn, Joe “Daddy” Stevenson, Metro Radio Arena, Mixed Martial Arts
Written by Moses Utomi - Visit Website
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