UFC 144: Japan

[SPX]

Minus the crash yeah I'd bet him at -250 in a parlay all day long against Cantwell.

I guess it doesn't matter how many times he loses, I always have faith that Cantwell is going to pull it together. He DOES have the skill.

[SPX]

Boom! Cantwell. Done.

[MMA_scientist]

I like Edgar. He has beaten better opponents overall and over a longer period of time. But more than that, aside from Maynard 1 punching him, he has looked less vulnerable overall. Bendo has shown more weaknesses. But, I do think Bendo could pull it off. I only slightly favor Edgar because Bendo has been beasting people since the Pettis kick. Bendo is going to be bigger and more athletic... I could see him pressing Edgar against the cage and getting some takedowns. No bet for me, but I believe Edgar does everything just a little better than Bendo, and he has proved against the very best guys.

[mike]

I lean Edgar too. He's faster on the feet and better striking with great cardio. He will circle and tag Bendo all night long.

[Vandelay]

Riki Fukuda (-290) vs. Steve Cantwell (+210)
Light heavyweight (205 pounds): Steve Cantwell enters this event coming off a four-fight losing streak in the UFC. He will also be fighting a prominent Japanese fighter, Riki Fukuda, in his home country. These facts don't exactly tell the whole story going into this fight. Though Cantwell has lost four in a row, they have all come by decision, and they have all been in the UFC. Compare this to Fukuda, who has only had one fight in the UFC in which he lost, via a controversial unanimous decision to Nick Ring. While Fukuda has an impressive MMA record preceding this fight, most of these victories were compiled in lesser-known promotions. In addition, Cantwell has never been submitted, and has only been knocked out once by Brian Stann, whom he later defeated by TKO to take the last ever WEC light heavyweight title.

Since Fukuda's success has mostly come from taking opponents down and attacking them with strikes from the top position, his strategy will be a challenge to execute against Cantwell, who has stellar takedown defense and avoids 90 percent of the attempts against him -- a number amassed against high-level UFC and WEC competition. And since Cantwell has a decent chance of keeping this fight standing, it should be noted that historically he outstrikes Fukuda, landing 3.73 strikes per minute at a 35 percent accuracy rate compared to Riki's 2.0 SLpM at a 29 percent striking accuracy. Add to this the fact that Cantwell is six years younger than Fukuda and you can see why he's good deal at plus-210.

Insider pick: Steve Cantwell

There ya go X.


Also I think Edgar will be able to nullify the wrestling through his constant movement and good footwork.

[mike]

Cantwell has good tdd ? I didnt see his last fight against Mazenzino(sp) but i remember reading rbr that he wont the 1st round but lost last 2 round bc mike took him down. so how good is his tdd ? if he can stop Fukuda td, he can def win this.

[Vandelay]

Round 1
Lots of feinting and bobbing in the first minute until the southpaw Massenzio connects with a slapping kick to Cantwell’s thigh. Massenzio fires off a few punches and lands a kick to the right side of Cantwell’s body, and Cantwell returns fire with low kicks. A powerful combination from Massenzio comes through. He ducks under a punch from Cantwell and tries to grab the waist. Massenzio can’t get in on the hips on this attempt or the next. Cantwell shoves him off and digs a one-two to the body and head of Massenzio. A single right hook tags the chin of Massenzio and his legs buckle briefly. Cantwell follows up with a head kick and more punches, but still doesn’t take Massenzio down. Massenzio has regained his wits and just dodges a flying knee, then catches Cantwell with a foot to the cup. Cantwell recovers quickly and puts punches, a knee and an elbow on Massenzio, who shoots. Cantwell sprawls and works on the turtling Massenzio until Massenzio scrambles to his feet.

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Cantwell
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cantwell
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cantwell

Round 2
Cantwell connects with a solid high kick and Massenzio shoots. Cantwell is pinned against the cage, Massenzio’s hands locked around his waist. But Cantwell stays active as Massenzio works, digging punches and elbows to Massenzio’s back and sides. Referee Kerry Hatley warns him to watch the elbows to the back. Back on the feet, Massenzio shoots again and is sprawled on by Cantwell, who responds with an outside leg kick. Massenzio swims inside with a pair of hard left hooks, backs out and lands another. A nice lead left uppercut from Massenzio connects. He follows up with another flurry of punches, but Massenzio’s momentum is halted when he shoots a high double-leg and is blocked. Massenzio steps out again and drills Cantwell with a left hand, a knee. Cantwell is bloodied now, landing leg kicks but still absorbing left hooks at the horn.

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Massenzio
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Massenzio
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Massenzio

Round 3
Massenzio emerges for the final round aggressively, chasing Cantwell down with punches and bullying him into the cage. They split and Cantwell tries kicking to the legs and body of Massenzio, but the kicks are coming slower and Massenzio’s punches are still hard. Massenzio another stuffed takedown attempt and absorbs damage to his ribs while Cantwell sprawls with his back on the fence. Massenzio backs out, lands a few punches and shoots again, this well getting Cantwell to the floor. Cantwell has designs on a kimura, then twists his hips for an armbar, but Massenzio escapes to the feet. Massenzio lands another lead left uppercut, a right hook, a knee. Cantwell is in trouble, back to the fence with Massenzio mugging him. Then Massenzio changes levels and tries another takedown, which Cantwell stifles. A brief guillotine attempt from Cantwell forces Massenzio away. Massenzio is just picking his punches, landing left hands at will on an exhausted Cantwell as the fight enters its last 90 seconds. Now it’s Cantwell who tries to bring the fight down, only to get caught underneath. Cantwell rolls for a heel hook at the very last second and screams in frustration when the final horn sounds.

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Massenzio (29-28 Massenzio)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Massenzio (29-28 Massenzio)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Massenzio (29-28 Massenzio)

[SPX]

Insider pick: Steve Cantwell

There ya go X.

Awesome, thanks.

Where'd that come from?

[Luke]

sideloaded.com

[Ludo]

Riki Fukuda (-290) vs. Steve Cantwell (+210)
Light heavyweight (205 pounds): Steve Cantwell enters this event coming off a four-fight losing streak in the UFC. He will also be fighting a prominent Japanese fighter, Riki Fukuda, in his home country. These facts don't exactly tell the whole story going into this fight. Though Cantwell has lost four in a row, they have all come by decision, and they have all been in the UFC. Compare this to Fukuda, who has only had one fight in the UFC in which he lost, via a controversial unanimous decision to Nick Ring. While Fukuda has an impressive MMA record preceding this fight, most of these victories were compiled in lesser-known promotions. In addition, Cantwell has never been submitted, and has only been knocked out once by Brian Stann, whom he later defeated by TKO to take the last ever WEC light heavyweight title.

Since Fukuda's success has mostly come from taking opponents down and attacking them with strikes from the top position, his strategy will be a challenge to execute against Cantwell, who has stellar takedown defense and avoids 90 percent of the attempts against him -- a number amassed against high-level UFC and WEC competition. And since Cantwell has a decent chance of keeping this fight standing, it should be noted that historically he outstrikes Fukuda, landing 3.73 strikes per minute at a 35 percent accuracy rate compared to Riki's 2.0 SLpM at a 29 percent striking accuracy. Add to this the fact that Cantwell is six years younger than Fukuda and you can see why he's good deal at plus-210.

Insider pick: Steve Cantwell

There ya go X.


Also I think Edgar will be able to nullify the wrestling through his constant movement and good footwork.

This is what happens when people just go off fighter records when making predictions. Fukuda only lost because the judges somehow thought Nick Ring spending three rounds on his back meant he won.

[Vandelay]

Awesome, thanks.

Where'd that come from?

Espn

[mike]

Round 1
Lots of feinting and bobbing in the first minute until the southpaw Massenzio connects with a slapping kick to Cantwell’s thigh. Massenzio fires off a few punches and lands a kick to the right side of Cantwell’s body, and Cantwell returns fire with low kicks. A powerful combination from Massenzio comes through. He ducks under a punch from Cantwell and tries to grab the waist. Massenzio can’t get in on the hips on this attempt or the next. Cantwell shoves him off and digs a one-two to the body and head of Massenzio. A single right hook tags the chin of Massenzio and his legs buckle briefly. Cantwell follows up with a head kick and more punches, but still doesn’t take Massenzio down. Massenzio has regained his wits and just dodges a flying knee, then catches Cantwell with a foot to the cup. Cantwell recovers quickly and puts punches, a knee and an elbow on Massenzio, who shoots. Cantwell sprawls and works on the turtling Massenzio until Massenzio scrambles to his feet.

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Cantwell
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cantwell
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cantwell

Round 2
Cantwell connects with a solid high kick and Massenzio shoots. Cantwell is pinned against the cage, Massenzio’s hands locked around his waist. But Cantwell stays active as Massenzio works, digging punches and elbows to Massenzio’s back and sides. Referee Kerry Hatley warns him to watch the elbows to the back. Back on the feet, Massenzio shoots again and is sprawled on by Cantwell, who responds with an outside leg kick. Massenzio swims inside with a pair of hard left hooks, backs out and lands another. A nice lead left uppercut from Massenzio connects. He follows up with another flurry of punches, but Massenzio’s momentum is halted when he shoots a high double-leg and is blocked. Massenzio steps out again and drills Cantwell with a left hand, a knee. Cantwell is bloodied now, landing leg kicks but still absorbing left hooks at the horn.

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Massenzio
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Massenzio
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Massenzio

Round 3
Massenzio emerges for the final round aggressively, chasing Cantwell down with punches and bullying him into the cage. They split and Cantwell tries kicking to the legs and body of Massenzio, but the kicks are coming slower and Massenzio’s punches are still hard. Massenzio another stuffed takedown attempt and absorbs damage to his ribs while Cantwell sprawls with his back on the fence. Massenzio backs out, lands a few punches and shoots again, this well getting Cantwell to the floor. Cantwell has designs on a kimura, then twists his hips for an armbar, but Massenzio escapes to the feet. Massenzio lands another lead left uppercut, a right hook, a knee. Cantwell is in trouble, back to the fence with Massenzio mugging him. Then Massenzio changes levels and tries another takedown, which Cantwell stifles. A brief guillotine attempt from Cantwell forces Massenzio away. Massenzio is just picking his punches, landing left hands at will on an exhausted Cantwell as the fight enters its last 90 seconds. Now it’s Cantwell who tries to bring the fight down, only to get caught underneath. Cantwell rolls for a heel hook at the very last second and screams in frustration when the final horn sounds.

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Massenzio (29-28 Massenzio)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Massenzio (29-28 Massenzio)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Massenzio (29-28 Massenzio)

sounded like Cantwell lost a fist fight or he was slowing down due to getting hit. He had a war with Cane and i think that fight messed him up

[Mr. IWS]

Oh yeah, I forgot about Machida. I don't remember him getting hurt by Rashad though.

It was right at the beginning of the first round. Rashad threw a short quick right that staggard Rampage into the cage.

[poopoo333]

UFC-144: "FIGHT OF THE NIGHT" AWARD WINNER
34315	FRANKIE EDGAR VS. BEN HENDERSON			+135
34316	RYAN BADER VS. QUINTON JACKSON			+400
34317	CHEICK KONGO VS. MARK HUNT			+600
34318	YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA VS. JAKE SHIELDS			+800
34319	TIM BOETSCH VS. YUSHIN OKAMI			+1000
34320	HATSU HIOKI AND BART PALASZEWSKI			+350
34321	JOE LAUZON VS. ANTHONY PETTIS			+450
34322	TAKANORI GOMI VS. EIJI MITSUOKA			+750
34323	VAUGHAN LEE VS. NORIFUMI YAMAMOTO			+950
34324	STEVE CANTWELL VS. RIKI FUKUDA			+1200
34325	CHRIS CARIASO VS. TAKEYA MIZUGAKI			+700
34326	ISSEI TAMURA VS. TIE QUAN ZHANG			+1500

[SPX]

The more I think about the it, the more I'm convinced that Cantwell's recent in-cage woes is karma for intentionally fucking up Al-Hassan's arm.