As another mma year wraps up, I’ll look back at who were the best fighters of 2012. The one thing that effects this though is the injury bug this year. Normally fighters have around 3 fights a year, but that was dampened. Also I’m not only referring to the UFC, but other organizations such as Strikeforce, and Bellator have had this issue as well.
5. Nick Newell (XFC)
Known as the one-armed fighter, Newell has had a fairy tale of a year. Defying odds, he is not only undefeated in his young career but now a champion in XFC. He became the XFC lightweight champion this December defeating Eric Reynolds, to cap off a 3-0 year in 2012. Now some fans may have never heard of him, but he is the real deal, even with only one arm. It’s a matter of time until one the upper tier mma organizations give him a shot.
4. Andrey Koreshkov (Bellator)
At 21, with a record of 8-0, the Russian came to the United States to fight under Bellator. The expectations were high, and he certainly was able to live up the hype. Koreshkov went 5-0 in 2012, finishing 3 of his opponents. Perhaps his biggest wins were his last two against the DREAM welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis, and former Bellator welterweight champion Lyman Good. Not only did Koreshkov go 5-0 as stated above, but he did not appear to be in trouble in any of his fights. Koreshkov will look to build off a successful 2012 campaign in 2013, where he will fight the winner of Ben Askren vs Karl Amoussou for the belt.
3. Matt Brown (UFC)
Talk about a year, Brown arguably went from almost being cut in the UFC, to putting together a 4 fight win streak in 2012. With a 12-11 record to start the year, a win streak like this would have been unimaginable. But, it happened as Brown defeated the likes of Chris Cope, Stephen Thompson, Luis Ramos, and most notably Mike Swick. Three of those wins by knockout to boot. Expect Brown to get another high-profile fight in 2013.
Author: Lawscientist
2. Ben Henderson (UFC)
Ben Henderson has been on a rise like no other since 2011, and was able to keep it going in 2012. Henderson went 3-0, capturing the UFC Lightweight belt, and was able to successfully defend it twice. Now, although his two fights with Frankie Edgar were labeled as controversial, he was able to put that behind him dominating Nate Diaz from start to finish. Henderson will likely be fighting Gilbert Melendez in 2013, which could further cement his legacy in the UFC.
What a year for Ronda Rousey, and although she fought only twice, her accomplishments were ever so numerous. Rousey is a talent, and not only does her mouth excite, but her submission game is ridiculously amazing. Rousey went 2-0 this year, including capturing the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Championship in what was voted as the submission of the year. Rousey’s accomplishments don’t stop there, as she broke barriers being the first women signed to the UFC. She also is going to headline UFC 157, where she will defend her newly acquired UFC belt. Literally, Rousey not only elevated women’s mma in a single year, but took it to the extreme by getting into the UFC. Rousey is the fighter of the year in my books, for sure.
Mike Swick meets Matt Brown in our opening bout in the main card. It should be an exciting stand up fight from the opening bell, and this one won’t last the three rounds. Swick who made his long awaited return to octagon was able weather the storm and knock out Demetrious Johnson. Swick had been injured for two years, so ring rust obviously showed, but he did find a way to get back to his winning ways. Brown is enjoying his longest win streak since three years ago, and with a win here, he will have gone from almost cut to a top 25 fighter in MMA. This should be an awesome fight, and I believe both guys will trade shots but Swick will utilize his wrestling to get this one to the ground at some point, where he will submit Brown.
Our next fight is going to fireworks, and I can’t wait. There is legit beef in the air, and blood to spill in this one. Rory MacDonald looks to continue his rise in the welterweight division, as he pulled B.J Penn out of retirement to challenge him. Penn accepted, and it’s been a war of words since. MacDonald at only 23, is already 4-1 in the UFC with some big wins. His wrestling mixed in with one of the most accurate ground and pounds games, is a big reason why will be a future champ one day. Penn is a complete fighter, and something I don’t think MacDonald has ever faced. Given the age difference, and MacDonald with the edge in cardio, this could be a tough one for Penn. BUT, I think Penn can stuff MacDonald’s takedowns, and even if Penn succumbs to one, his BJJ will get him back on the feet unlike MacDonald’s other opponents in the past. I honestly don’t think MacDonald will want any part standing up with Penn once he gets cracked, but it will be too late to decide otherwise when Penn lays him out early. Penn via KO early!
Our co-main event has big implications because the winner will be the next contender to the light heavyweight belt. This fight is so interesting because on one hand, Alexander Gustafsson‘s rise has been so quick, and everyone thinks he is the one to challenge Jon Jones given his long limbs as well. For Mauricio Shogun Rua, it’s a chance at regain his glory, and getting that belt back. Although Shogun looked lackluster in his last fight, although for us fans it was a war, if you were to really access that fight, it was sloppy. But, make no mistake, Shogun did what he needed to do, and delivered for the fans. Now, Shogun needs to be technical because Gustafsson has the ability to pick you apart on the feet, that of a similar fight style like guerilla warefare. This is a tough one to call, but I think Shogun can hang around the entire fight, and with that I believe Shogun will find a way to get this one to the ground, where he will finish Gustafsson via strikes.
What an exciting main event between two guys who always bring it! Ben Henderson will look to defend his belt for the second time, and it’s hard to believe that given his quick accension in the UFC. Nate Diaz on the other hand since returning to lightweight has been a monster, picking apart some title contenders in his path to the belt. This one is tough to call as well because Diaz is so good everywhere except I think Henderson might be the right man to beat him. Henderson has some powerful leg kicks, and his wrestling, especially his top game has the potential to pin Diaz and beat him up. But, if Henderson keeps this one standing, I don’t see him winning the encounters because Diaz utilizes his reach so well, and it really throws off his opponents. I’m up in the air with this one because I think these guys match up so well, each have there strengths but not by much to overpower each other totally. I’m going to go with Diaz to edge out a decision, but I tell you what I would not be surprised to see it go the other way like in the Edgar fights.
Carlos Condit def. Nick Diaz by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
Fabricio Werdum def. Roy Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Josh Koscheck def. Mike Pierce by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Renan Barao def. Scott Jorgensen by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Ed Herman def. Clifford Starks by submission (rear-naked choke) Round 2 (1:43)
Preliminary Card:
Dustin Poirier def. Max Holloway by submission (mounted triangle-armbar) Round 1 (3:23)
Edwin Figueroa def. Alex Caceres by split decision (28-27, 27-28, 28-27)
Matt Brown def. Chris Cope by knockout (punches) Round 2 (1:19)
Matt Riddle def. Henry Martinez by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28).
Rafael Natal def. Michael Kuiper by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Steven Thompson def. Dan Stittgen by knockout (kick) Round 1 (4:13)
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UFC 143 Prediction Results: I was 277-192-4 coming in, and went for some upsets and came out short. It wasn’t the best card, and the main event didnt live up to the hype due to Condit fighting to a smart gameplan. Overall, I went 6-5 and I am now 283-197-4… my winning percentage remains at 59%
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Bonus awards: (Fighters were awarded $65,000 bonuses.)
Dan Henderson def. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Wanderlei Silva def. Cung Le by knockout (strikes) Round 2 (4:49)
Urijah Faber def. Brian Bowles by submission (guillotine choke) Round 2 (1:27)
Martin Kampmann def. Rick Story by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Stephan Bonnar def. Kyle Kingsbury by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-27)
Preliminary Card:
Ryan Bader def. Jason Brilz by knockout (punch) Round 1 (1:17)
Michael McDonald def. Alex Soto by knockout (punches) Round 1 (0:56)
Chris Weidman def. Tom Lawlor by submission (D’arce choke) Round 1 (2:07)
Gleison Tibau def. Rafael dos Anjos by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Miguel Torres def. Nick Pace by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Seth Baczynski def. Matt Brown by submission (guillotine choke) Round 2 (0:42)
Danny Castillo def. Shamar Bailey by TKO (punches) Round 1 (4:52)
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UFC 139 Prediction Results: I was 245-169-4 coming in, and did amazing. This was one of the best cards the UFC has ever had. The main event lived up to the hype and way more then that. It was the Fight of the Year, and possibly the Best Fight Ever. It certainly was the best fight I ever seen. Anyways, some thoughts. Henderson and Rua are warriors, the Cung Le vs Silva fight ended in a bad stoppage, Faber rebounded and looked great doing it, and the other 2 fights starting out excited and dulled down. Still an amazing night. Overall, I went 10-2 and I am now 255-172-4… my winning percentage rises to 60%
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Bonus awards: (Fighters were awarded $70,000 bonuses.)
Fight of the Night: Dan Henderson vs Mauricio “Shogun Rua, Wanderlei Silva vs Cung Le
*The number indicates what I have ranked them of the top 25 in their division, NR means Not Ranked*
Jon Fitch #2 vs Johny Hendricks #NR
Fitch has been cleared for full contact after recovering from shoulder surgery the last 3 months. It has been rumored that Fitch wants to and probably will be competing on the UFC 139 card. It has also been rumored that Johny Hendricks would be the opponent. Stylistically I like this fight. Both guys tend to use there wrestling, so it could prompt us to see more of there stand up then usual. Hendricks is 6-1 in the UFC and is ready for a step up in competition. I’m not sure if this is the right step up in competition but it’s ultimately what the UFC says.
Brian Ebersole #22 vs Mike Swick #NR
Brian Ebersole can be summed up in a sentence as the guy who rocks a hairow and attempts kart wheel kicks. Besides that in his time in the UFC he has proved to be a tough competitor in the welterweight division. Ebersole has said that he would rather face off against the veterans of the sport like Matt Serra. Unfortunately, Serra is bloated at the moment and a return isn’t imminent. With that said, how about a veteran in Mike Swick? Of course, a Swick fight would require some extra time due to Swick recovering from knee surgery. Swick is 9-3 in the UFC, and has lost his last 2 fights. He is a veteran of the sport, and still is a decent “named” fighter. He almost got to fight GSP but couldn’t beat Dan Hardy in a title eliminator. Since that loss, the woes continued. If Swick is healthy after this surgery this would be an intriguing fight.
Paulo Thiago #15 vs Rory MacDonald #21
Paulo Thiago faces off against David Mitchell at UFC 134. I fully expect him to win, and I don’t know how this match was made. Anyways with that said, after he wins I’m assuming, how about a fight with a rising superstar? Rory MacDonald has looked amazing in his time in the UFC. If not for the last second defeat to Carlos Condit, he would have been the split decision victor. Since the lost he has put together a 2 fight win streak and hasn’t looked backed. Thiago was once that rising prospect, and started out with a bang, knocking out Koscheck. Since then he is 2-3, losing 2 in a row. A fight like this can get his name back out there. As for Rory, a win over Thiago would further more build up the hype.
Dong Hyun Kim #19 vs Mike Pyle #23
Dong Hyun Kim was almost very near being talked about as a possibility for number one contender. Those talks stopped when Carlos Condit put him to sleep, as well as suffering his first career loss. He needs to get back in there, and start building his resume over. A good start would be against a crafty veteran in Pyle. Pyle is known for bullying some of the younger fighters in the UFC. At UFC 133, the younger fighter Rory bullied him and snapped a 3 fight win streak in the process. With both fighters streaks halted by young guns, I’d like to see this veteran battle.
Claude Patrick #NR vs Matt Brown #NR
Patrick is 3-0 in the UFC, and is underrated in my opinion. He hasn’t exactly faced off against top competition but in his three fights so far, he has looked good. His recent fight was against Daniel Roberts, where he absolutely dominated “ninja” for 3 rounds. Brown on the other hand most recently beat John Howard in a pretty good fight. Brown was more than likely fighting for his job after he had dropped 3 straight before it. Although his record stands at 12-10, make no mistake he is a pretty good fighter and always brings it. This would be a good fight, maybe for UFC 137?
Duane Ludwig #NR vs Yoshihiro Akiyama (#17 in the middleweight division)
This would be a fun fight to see. It would be a stand and bang affair with someone getting knocked out. Either that or a 3 round fight of the night. It would be interesting to see how Akiyama fights at welterweight, also with the thought of being cut in his mind. Ahh nevermind, his style will always be to take some punishment and deliver some back. Ludwig would be an awesome opponent for his style. I’m getting amped even thinking about it.
Dan Hardy #NR vs Brian Foster #NR
Hardy’s next fight will be for his job I fully expect. With that in mind, how about a fight against a fighter that has never gone to a decision in his career. That’s right, how about against Brian Foster. 20 fights, no decisions. Either he KO’s or submits you or you KO or submit him. This would be an awesome fight, especially for Dan Hardy who has had the knack for decision fights lately.
Dennis Hallman #NR vs Carlos Eduardo Rocha #NR
The battle of the submission artist! Who will submit who?
Sean Pierson #NR vs Amir Sadollah #NR
Sadly for Pierson he went from fighting Foster to then instead fighting Ellenberger. We all know how that went for “Pimp Daddy”. Sadollah just can’t win 3 fights in a row. Just when you think he will rise in the ranking, he falls back down. Both these guys need wins, so i’d be interested to see who wants it more.
Mike Pierce #NR vs Rich Attonito #NR
2 wrestlers, around the same rankings. Let one rise, and one fall. I must add though, I don’t understand the Pierce hype, he’s never actually beaten anyone special. Anyways a win over Attonito would be a good start of building a resume over.
VSVS
James Wilks #NR vs winner of Erick Silva #NR vs Luis Ramos #NR
The absolute bottom of the welterweight division, nuff said.
*Left out Matt Serra, although I recently seen a article he’s gonna start shedding pounds. I think it will take awhile, he looked pretty big*
Phil Davis def. Tim Boetsch by submission (kimura) Round 2 (2:55)
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George Sotiropoulos def. Joe Lauzon by submission (kimura) Round 2 (2:43)
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Spike TV card:
Brian Foster def. Matt Brown by submission (guillotine choke) Round 2 (2:11)
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Mark Muñoz def. Aaron Simpson by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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Preliminary card:
Dennis Hallman def. Karo Parisyan by TKO (punches) Round 1 (1:47)
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Edson Barboza def. Mike Lullo by TKO (leg kicks) Round 3 (0:26)
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Paul Kelly def. T.J. O’Brien by TKO (elbows) Round 2 (3:16)
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Nick Lentz def. Tyson Griffin by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
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UFC 123 Predictions Results: I was 77-48-1 coming and was hoping to continue the momentum of UFC 122 but failed pretty bad. There was a lot of TKO’s which was exciting. I think Gerald Harris, and Tyson Griffin’s decision were the biggest disappointments of tonight. As well as my predictions. I went 4-7 which in my books is just as bad as going 0-11. Now my total is 81-55-1. I will hope to pick myself up at the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale.
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Bonus awards: (Fighters were awarded $80,000 bonuses.)
Fight of the Night:George Sotiropoulos vs Joe Lauzon
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