UFC 52: Couture vs. Liddell II Preview
Conclusion
Apr 13, 2005
With the first-ever Canadian versus Canadian bout the Octagon, the
debuts of Miller and Marsh and the return of Sobral, Wiuff and Van
Arsdale, there are plenty of high points to this card. Add in the
two title bout rematches and you have no excuse to go out Saturday
night. Enjoy the fights!
To recap, my picks are:
Salaverry def. Riggs submission R2
Lindland def. Lutter decision R3
Sobral def. Wiuff decision R3
Doerksen def. Cote submission R2
Van Arsdale def. Marsh TKO R2
St-Pierre def. Miller submission R2
Trigg def. Hughes TKO R3
Liddell def. Couture TKO R2
UFC DOWN THE ROAD:
Evan Tanner- Gustavo Machado: Machado has been on a roll but he hasn’t been scooped up by either of the big shows. With his only losses coming to Arona and Radach, he should give Tanner a run for his title.
Vitor Ribeiro- Alberto Crane: Crane is undefeated at 8-0 and looked impressive against Vazquez (injury or not) at KOTC 21. At 10-2, “Shaolin” just suffered his first loss in 10 fights.
Joseph Riggs- Andrei Semenov: The Red Devil is 6-2-2 since leaving the UFC including a win over Luta Livre demon Flavio Moura. He and Riggs would guarantee stand-up fire works.
Olaf Alfonso-Kultar Gil: Two exciting lightweights who can grapple and strike may add some interest to this fading division.
Rich Crunkilton- Dokonjonosuke Mishima: Rich has fought just once since his bout against Franca at UFC 42. Mishima has only lost to Ralph Gracie, Din Thomas and Takanori Gomi in the last five years. His name has been linked to the UFC before but he doesn’t leave Japan often. However, he fought in HOOK’n’SHOOT so I imagine he’d get in the Octagon if the money was right.
Mikey Burnett- Aaron Riley: “The East Side Assassin” is supposed to return to the cage as part of the Lion’s Den Renaissance. I’m sure Riley, who hasn’t fought in the UFC since ‘02 (6-2 in that time) would give him a real warm welcome back to competition.
Robbie Lawler- Ray Cooper: “Bradda” Cooper lost two of three to Hallman and Shields, but he just knocked out Hermes Franca. That is a welcome mat to the UFC if I ever saw one. As for Lawler, I hope the middleweight experiment is over and gets back to fighting guys his own size. This would be a serious test.
Ivan Salaverry- Dustin Denes: The ATT standout is 9-1-2 with draws against Gono and Suda. He’s ready for the UFC or PRIDE. Salaverry, at 11-4, is making another run in the UFC and if he beats Riggs this would be a solid submission battle.
Jason Black- Jutaro Nakao: Why did Nakao disappear from the Octagon? He is 6-1 since the loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 36. This is the same guy who knocked out DeSouza, submitted Miletich and went the distance with Menne, Cooper and Sakurai. Black is just being avoided. How can a guy who is 21-0-1 with wins over four UFC veterans slip under even Zuffa’s radar?
Georges St-Pierre- Nathan Marquardt: Marquardt has been up and down, going 1-1-1 in his last three but still carries an 18-6-2 record. He would be a good addition to the welterweight division and has wanted to fight in the UFC for some time. He might try out for next season’s TUF show but he has too much experience. St-Pierre could make a statement Saturday night and keep himself alive in the division.
Matt Lindland- Alex Stiebling: “The Brazilian Killa’” has lost two in a row and may want to drop to middleweight. Lindland, ever the journeyman, will likely win Saturday night but I doubt Zuffa gets excited at the prospect of him being champion. At least Stiebling can be a bit of a wild man.
To recap, my picks are:
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Lindland def. Lutter decision R3
Sobral def. Wiuff decision R3
Doerksen def. Cote submission R2
Van Arsdale def. Marsh TKO R2
St-Pierre def. Miller submission R2
Trigg def. Hughes TKO R3
Liddell def. Couture TKO R2
UFC DOWN THE ROAD:
David Loiseau- Nilson de Castro: After a rough
12-month period (lost three decisions and a DQ) Chute Boxe fighter
de Castro is back on track. Loiseau has proven he is a force in the
UFC.
Evan Tanner- Gustavo Machado: Machado has been on a roll but he hasn’t been scooped up by either of the big shows. With his only losses coming to Arona and Radach, he should give Tanner a run for his title.
Vitor Ribeiro- Alberto Crane: Crane is undefeated at 8-0 and looked impressive against Vazquez (injury or not) at KOTC 21. At 10-2, “Shaolin” just suffered his first loss in 10 fights.
Joseph Riggs- Andrei Semenov: The Red Devil is 6-2-2 since leaving the UFC including a win over Luta Livre demon Flavio Moura. He and Riggs would guarantee stand-up fire works.
Olaf Alfonso-Kultar Gil: Two exciting lightweights who can grapple and strike may add some interest to this fading division.
Rich Crunkilton- Dokonjonosuke Mishima: Rich has fought just once since his bout against Franca at UFC 42. Mishima has only lost to Ralph Gracie, Din Thomas and Takanori Gomi in the last five years. His name has been linked to the UFC before but he doesn’t leave Japan often. However, he fought in HOOK’n’SHOOT so I imagine he’d get in the Octagon if the money was right.
Mikey Burnett- Aaron Riley: “The East Side Assassin” is supposed to return to the cage as part of the Lion’s Den Renaissance. I’m sure Riley, who hasn’t fought in the UFC since ‘02 (6-2 in that time) would give him a real warm welcome back to competition.
Robbie Lawler- Ray Cooper: “Bradda” Cooper lost two of three to Hallman and Shields, but he just knocked out Hermes Franca. That is a welcome mat to the UFC if I ever saw one. As for Lawler, I hope the middleweight experiment is over and gets back to fighting guys his own size. This would be a serious test.
Ivan Salaverry- Dustin Denes: The ATT standout is 9-1-2 with draws against Gono and Suda. He’s ready for the UFC or PRIDE. Salaverry, at 11-4, is making another run in the UFC and if he beats Riggs this would be a solid submission battle.
Jason Black- Jutaro Nakao: Why did Nakao disappear from the Octagon? He is 6-1 since the loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 36. This is the same guy who knocked out DeSouza, submitted Miletich and went the distance with Menne, Cooper and Sakurai. Black is just being avoided. How can a guy who is 21-0-1 with wins over four UFC veterans slip under even Zuffa’s radar?
Georges St-Pierre- Nathan Marquardt: Marquardt has been up and down, going 1-1-1 in his last three but still carries an 18-6-2 record. He would be a good addition to the welterweight division and has wanted to fight in the UFC for some time. He might try out for next season’s TUF show but he has too much experience. St-Pierre could make a statement Saturday night and keep himself alive in the division.
Matt Lindland- Alex Stiebling: “The Brazilian Killa’” has lost two in a row and may want to drop to middleweight. Lindland, ever the journeyman, will likely win Saturday night but I doubt Zuffa gets excited at the prospect of him being champion. At least Stiebling can be a bit of a wild man.
