UFC 159 Quick Picks

Jon Jones on his way to tying Tito Ortiz's record.

Due to final examinations this week, I am late on a bunch of blogging.  UFC on Fox 7 recap articles are on the way.  As for this article, I have only hours to submit my picks before the fights without being a cheater.  So hear they are in writing, my UFC 159 picks.

I do not know who half of the preliminary card fighters are so hopefully they come out and impress and make names for themselves.  Here are the two fights I will weigh in on from the prelims:

• Cody McKenzie vs Leonard Garcia: Bad Boy only has his job because of his exciting brawling fight style.  McKenzie is a killer who is only employed because he had the balls to actually accept a fight with Chad Mendes, even though he was embarrassed in that fight.  Will it be another classic Leonard brawl or another guillotine victim for McKenzie? I think Garcia has been in there with good enough submission artists to survive Cody's ground game.  He has power despite a lot of his recent fights going the distance.  I say Leonard knocks out McKenzie in the first round.
• The other fight I will touch on is of course the 3rd women's fight in UFC history, Sara McMann vs Sheila Gaff.  Sheila is a finisher but McMann might be the best pure wrestler of all women in MMA.  I am taking McMann via decision.

On to the main card we go:

• Pat Healey has been on quite the winning streak since his loss to Josh Thompson but Jim Miller is an animal.  Look for Healey to be game and weather a tough storm of punches and elbows but lose a tight decision.  Miller via bloody decision.
• Phil Davis actually thinks he can submit Vinny Magalhaes.  This is laughable, but the idea of Phil winning is not.  Davis wrestles Vinny to a Jon Fitch style victory.
• Roy and Congo are two of the best sluggers in the heavyweight division.  Congo just isn't the fighter he used to be so I see Nelson winning this.  Nelson has one of the best chins in the game so he will eat a few shots and throw a knockout blow of his own.  Nelson via KO.
• Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher were both a win away from a potential title shot or top contender fight with Weidman.  They both lost.  They have trashed talked away and this fight has to be a classic. Look for Bisping to get hit almost as hard as he was by Dan Henderson.  I am a little biased here because I love Belcher, but I just don't see Bisping finishing him.  Belcher can use his sick kickboxing to put "the Count" out for the count.  Belcher via KO of the Night.
• Do not disrespect Chael Sonnen.  He is in Jon Jones' head without a doubt.  He is an Olympic caliber wrestler and one hell of a fighter.  That said, Jon is a talent that does not come around very often.  Jones should get beaten up a bit early, but as the fight rolls on he will stuff takedowns and pick Chael apart.  Jones via 4th round submission. (Standing Guillotine)