Perennial number-one ranked heavyweight
Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) makes another eagerly awaited return to action on Saturday in the monstrous Affliction "Banned" pay-per-view extravaganza. Taking on former two-time UFC heavyweight king
Tim Sylvia (Pictures) in the main event, Emelianenko certainly has a tall order ahead of him if he’s to remain the sport’s big man on campus. Sherdog.com columnist Mike Sloan believes he knows who will have his hands raised in victory as he faces long-time rival and Sherdog.com New York reporter Steven Curtis in this edition of the GSD.
To say it matter-of-factly, Steven, I am pumped beyond words to witness this event. But I have a question: who is this Pedro RRRizzo guy the radio commercials are promoting? Is that the same guy whose last name is pronounced with an H? (Good to keep tabs on your marketing skills, Affliction).
Anyway, I can smell an underdog pulling off an upset a mile away but unlike the UFC event I’ll be covering live in Las Vegas on the same night, there won’t be any Cinderella-esque magic down in Anaheim. King Fedor will prove to all the haters out there that he is, in fact, still the world’s best heavyweight and he’ll make it look almost too easy.
As good a fighter Sylvia is, he’s basically a one-trick pony. Get him off his feet and he’s about as helpless as I am when faced with the task of fixing cars.“The Maine-iac” has a chance to win if he keeps Emelianenko at bay with his telephone pole jab. If he can keep the fight in his favor, he might be able to scorch Emelianenko with a right hand because everybody knows how powerful Big Tim’s punches are.
Emelianenko’s lone weakness is that tinfoil skin he has. If Sylvia can keep the fight standing, Emelianenko runs an even higher risk of being sliced open. I can’t recall the last time Emelianenko
didn’t get cut. I think the Russian needed 30 stitches last week after he cut himself with an electric shaver.
Emelianenko will learn early that it’d be foolhardy to stand and trade with Sylvia, one of the best MMA boxers in the sport. Emelianenko will close the gap and utilize his awesome sambo takedowns and gun for an early submission. And he’ll get it. Easily.
Poor Sylvia will have come so close yet so far, tapping out to one of the slickest kneebars in recent memory. Sylvia will need a box of Kleenex to aid his woes and you, my good friend, will have to buy several rounds of drinks when I visit your neck of the woods in September.
My Bengals will clobber your Giants, your Yankees will lose to the horrendous Orioles and your Mets will get crushed by my hometown Cubs when I’m in New York. Don’t try to disappear when I’m ordering the most expensive whiskey in Manhattan, buddy. You can’t snake your way out of that for being a dope and picking the underdog in this debate. That, Steven, is a death sentence.
Emelianenko wins easily.
Mike, you’re so over-the-top confident that you remind me of a certain trainer at the Belmont Stakes. But just like Big Brown, you’re going to get your comeuppance this Saturday night. I’m going all in on the Maine-iac and here’s why:
There’s no question that Emelianenko is an outstanding fighter with tremendous conditioning (“extraordinary” was how
Frank Shamrock (Pictures) described him to me). But
Hong Man Choi (Pictures) aside, he has never dealt with the likes of a
Tim Sylvia (Pictures). Is Sylvia an elite grappler? No, but he has strong takedown defense and has shown decent skills on his back against some of the best grapplers out there.
Jeff Monson (Pictures), anyone?
Do you get the feeling Sylvia’s been working on the ground game, maybe just a little, in preparation for Saturday’s war? He’ll be ready. He might not catch “The Last Emperor” with an armbar, but he’ll be prepared to withstand Emelianenko’s assault.
But can Emelianenko withstand his? You mention skin as Emelianenko’s weakness. I say it’s his chin. That’s right. His chin. Who has hit this guy before? The answer is not many fighters, and arguably, only one. His name is
Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures). Yes, the man who beat the living crap out of
Bob Sapp (Pictures) at K-1 Romanex and has arguably one of the best jaws ever. Who can forget his soccer kick to Sapp’s head? But I digress….
Fujita showed the one weakness Sylvia is going to be able to exploit in this inaugural, and hopefully not final, Affliction event. Tim is going to use his huge reach advantage to keep Emelianenko at bay. The Russian is going to have a very difficult time closing the distance to get this fight to the ground. Sylvia is going to connect with one of his patented bombs, probably in the second round, and finish the job Fujita could not. You heard it, folks:
Tim Sylvia (Pictures) by second round knockout. Saturday, July 19 is the night he shakes up the world.
And as for who’s buying in September, Sloan, I’ve already made reservations at one of NY’s finest, Ristorante Gemelli. I told my good friend George, the owner, that a certain guy from Las Vegas is picking up the tab. Assuming enough of your beloved Bengals can stay out of prison long enough to field a team, I’m happy to join you to watch their latest “season of futility” anywhere you’d like.
Hmmm. Which Arlovski will show up? Chances are it’ll be the “new and improved” Arlovski who paws his way to a safe decision win. Remember the glory days when Arlovski was laying out fools like kitchen tile? It’s been so long that I actually forgot how scary he was. Yawn… Arlovski by decision.
As much as I’m looking forward to this one, I think it’s going to be anticlimactic, kind of like Ang Lee’s “The Incredible Hulk.” Even if we get the “new and improved” Arlovski, I think he’ll be far too wary of Rothwell’s punching power and do only enough to win by decision.
Still the only middleweight on Earth that I’d put money on to dethrone UFC champion
Anderson Silva (Pictures),
Matt Lindland (Pictures) won’t impress anybody with a hard-fought third round stoppage win over the dangerous “Negao.” The reason why I say he’ll impress nobody is because only hardcore MMA fans will buy the Affliction card. Generation TUF will be glued to the sub par Spike TV telecast the same night.
Well you’re wrong about Lindland beating “the Spider” but right on about the fight. Lindland is one of the hardest working guys you’ll see in the ring. His attack is relentless but Negao is a tough sub and Lindland’s not knocking out anyone. Lindland by decision. Do you think he’ll ask for campaign contributions during the post-fight?
Aside from the true meaning of life, the most asked question in the history of mankind is why haven’t these two rematched sooner? Rizzo was getting his ass handed to him until he turned Barnett into a mannequin. I assure you that lightning won’t strike twice because Barnett will stop Rizzo, probably on cuts, in the second.
“The Babyface Assassin” hasn’t knocked out anybody since real estate in Sloan’s beloved gambling Mecca was actually worth something. And he’s not going to submit Rizzo, who’s never tapped. Barnett by decision.
Everybody loves “Babalu.” Not
Mike Whitehead (Pictures). I’m picking the underrated light heavyweight to pull off the upset and stop Sobral in the second. Maybe now people will give “Whitey” some props.
If they gave out a belt for the “Worst Ever Game Plan Against
Chuck Liddell (Pictures),” our man Sobral would be the undisputed champion. What does that have to do with this fight, you ask? Absolutely nothing. But two years later, I’m still in shock. Considering that Whitehead has stopped two guys in his career, one of them an arthritic
Mark Kerr (Pictures), I’m picking Whitehead by decision.
Another interesting fight, but Pyle should win. His jiu-jitsu is some of the best in the biz, yet he is often overlooked because he has a few losses on his ledger. Ambrose is tough but he hasn’t faced anywhere near the level of opposition as Pyle, which will play heavily into the Xtreme Couture fighter’s favor. Look for Pyle to sub Ambrose with a kimura in the second.
Here’s something you don’t hear too often from me: “I completely agree with Mike Sloan.” After fighting in the MMA equivalent of AA ball, Ambrose is getting the call up to the big show. Pyle will be the latest winner out of the Xtreme Couture camp, and he’ll sink in the rear-naked choke in the second.
Wow, who did Dewees piss off to get this fight? Obviously Rogerio isn’t as brilliant a fighter as his brother Rodrigo, but he’s close enough. As tough as Dewees is, I just don’t see him coming close to winning. Nogueira by armbar in the first.
Someone needs to pull up the getaway car and whisk Dewees to Team Quest, or Xtreme Couture or Miletich, or…any place but the Lion’s Den. There’s no way
Ken Shamrock (Pictures) and his heelhooks can prepare Mr. D. for “Lil’ Nog” who will win by rear-naked choke in the first. For those of you counting at home, that will be the fifth loss in six fights for “Babyface”….
Note to
Terry Martin (Pictures): stay away from Belfort for three minutes, then you’re safe. Belfort will be out of breath by the time he reaches the ring and towards the end of the opening frame, the Brazilian will be gassed as usual. Martin and his power will capitalize and knock “The Phenom” stiff in the second. Belfort fanboys will then flood the forums with more excuses than a pregnant nun.
I’ve been burned far too many times by Belfort and have accepted the fact that the guy who obliterated
Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) is long gone, never to return. “The Phenom” has had more comebacks than Brett Favre. Enough already. Martin by first round KO.
Wow, talk about needing a win to save his life. Levens has lost five in a row and eight of his last ten bouts overall. Whatever happened to the
Justin Levens (Pictures) who stormed out to an awesome 7-0 start? Lizama isn’t much better as his record sticks at .500. My guess is Levens barely survives and ekes out a split decision win in an ugly fight.
It’s safe to say this won’t be Huerta-Guida. And I confess that I am about as enthusiastic about this fight as I am for the next season of “Army Wives.” Levens has had a rough time lately, but Lizama is just what the doctor ordered. Levens by third round KO.
Hominick is one of those guys with tons of talent who turns in inconsistent performances. You never know which one will show up -- the focused Hominick or the one who lost three of his last five bouts. The exact words can be said of Young. Heads: Hominick by decision.
I’m betting that Young, who good sources say is a tremendous talent, will bring his “A” game (for “Affliction”) and take a split decision.
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