A year wild and momentous year for the UFC wraps up this weekend as UFC 141 gives fans a big blowout before the onslaught of expanded UFC television coverage starts in a few weeks. I could sit here and do a recap, but if you pay attention to any of the major MMA websites, they’ve done a fine enough job doing that.
With UFC 141, one thing that fans at least on the east coast may dread: the return of the 10 P.M. start times. After several months of starting at 9 P.M., the UFC faced some dwindling pay-per-view numbers. I am not sure as to why people on the west coast would complain so much about starting earlier on a Friday or Saturday, but for UFC fans that like to get out to bars to watch the event in the eastern part of the country and avoid the always pleasant police force that late at night, it’s a pain in the ass.
But alas, we’ll still be here and I’ll stop ranting. But UFC 141 features a major heavyweight contender match between former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champ Alistair Overeem and former UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar, in what will be a #1 contender match to fight champion Junior Dos Santos in 2012. Also on the card is a critical lightweight match between Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone for a potential shot at Frankie Edgar’s belt.
UFC 141 will also mark the end of one era- as Spike TV hosts it’s last preliminary fights for free, before FX takes over the duties with UFC 142 in two weeks. So, let’s end 2011 on the right foot and do these damn picks for UFC 141:
Heavyweight Match: Brock Lesnar (5-2) vs. Alistair Overeem (35-11): I think most UFC fans remember the last time Lesnar got in the ring and the result: cowered up in a little ball as Cain Velasquez pummeled his face in. After Cain did the UFC a favor and bring Lesnar down a few notches, Lesnar had another bout with diveritiucitis and was sidelined before he could face Dos Santos. With his health under control once again, Lesnar seems back on track to give the fight world another go round. But Lesnar didn’t draw a cupcake for his first match since the October 2010 loss to Velasquez in dutch kickboxing extraordinare Alistair Overeem.
Whenever I watched Overeem in Strikeforce, the lack of quality competition was obvious as it looked like Overeem toyed with everybody from Brett Rogers to Todd Duffee. His only real competition in Strikeforce was a decision against Fabricio Werdum- who just signed his UFC contract two weeks ago. Between stints in K-1 kickboxing and the Japan promotion Dream, Overeem spent most of the last two years beating the crap out of fighters and strengthing his game- well, that and having a cameo in a LMFAO video.
So, it’s obvious to see that Overeem has an infinite amount of experience on Lesnar and should be the easy favorite, right? Wrong. Overeem has never taken on someone with the size and strength of Lesnar in this weight class. If this fight gets to the ground, I don’t think Overeem is going to stay around long. But if the fight stands up, I think Overeem chops Lesnar down and takes him out.
Overeem is the slight favorite here, but I think for at least one round that Lesnar will surprise a lot more people and not get gassed out, like in the Velasquez fight. But I don’t think Overeem will be dumb enough to let it go to the ground and wears Lesnar down in the second round for a win.
Pick: Alistar Overeem wins via TKO in the 2nd Round.
Lightweight Match: Nate Diaz (14-7) vs. Donald Cerrone (14-3): Nate Diaz seems far more stable than his flaky brother Nick, who famously didn’t show up to a press conference and cost him a welterweight title shot. But Nate Diaz has been hit or miss in the ring, not out of it lately. However, his win over Takanori Gomi in September was impressive and his name is starting to get thrown around in the title picture again. But Cerrone has had probably the second best year in the UFC this year, next to some guy named Jon Jones (Yeah, I know- never heard of him either). Cerrone has went 4-0 this year alone and a fifth win this year would give him a better shot at Frankie Edgar’s title.
Cerrone can beat you many different ways, and I don’t think he’s gonna let Diaz choke him out this time. This one goes to the judges, but I think Cerrone becomes a serious contender with a win over Diaz.
Pick: Donald Cerrone wins via unanimous decision.
For a full fight card and places to watch the event, check out www.ufc.com for more details.
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