UFC 171 Picks

If Jake Shields can do this to Dan Henderson
 he can do worse to Hector Lombard.

UFC 171 did not get off to a good start with the weigh ins when 3 fighters missed weight on their first attempts.  Gastelum and Hendricks thankfully made weight on their 3rd and 2nd tries respectively and Renee Forte never made the weight.  Missing weight is very unprofessional and really gets me going.  Regardless UFC 171 will crown a new welterweight champ and promises to be very exciting.  I do have to say I am also kind of pissed I cannot watch any of the prelims because of UFC Fight Pass and because I do not get FS2 but I will pick on anyway.  Here is how I see it going down:

• Daniel Pineda decision over Robert Whiteford
• Bubba McDaniel decision over Sean Strickland
• Justin Scoggins decision over Will Campuzano
• Renee Forte missed weight but will dispose of my new least favorite UFC fighter Frank Trevino
• Alex Garcia KO of Sean Spencer
• Dennis Bermudez moves into featherweight title contention with a decision win over the slick submission skills of Jimy Hettes
• Jessica Andrade 1st round guillotine choke over Raquel Pennington
• No idea who wins between Kelvin Gatelum and Rick Story.  Screw it I'm going with Story for the upset via KO.

Main Card:

• OSP is overrated and I will be pulling for Nikita Krylov but I think Ovince St. Preux gets an unimpressive win over Krylov today.
• Jake Shields is an underdog and isn't fighting GSP or Johny Hendricks.  Not only am I picking Jake Shields but I have some cash money behind this pick.  Hector Lombard is all hype and although his KO of Nate Marquardt impressed me it does not mean he can handle Jake Shields.  I think Jake is the best welterweight in the world and he will either be the UFC champ or cut (if he losses 1 fight) by the end of 2015.  Boring (to lame casual fans) but effective.  Shields via submission!
• I am really torn on whether I think Diego Sanchez or Myles Jury will win this fight.  I have though Jury was an elite lightweight for a while and was leaning towards him ever since this match has been made. However, Diego Sanchez looked in better physical shape than I have ever seen him in my life at the weigh ins yesterday and something tells me Diego isn't done just yet.  He did almost finish (in my opinion) the best lightweight in the world, Gilbert Melendez, in his last fight.  Speaking of his last fight, there is no chance he tops it although this still has Fight of the Night written all over it.  Win or lose Diego will entertain the masses.  Going with Jury to win a 29-28 decision with Diego only winning the 3rd round as he so often does.
• Another fight that I am torn on is the co-main event.  Carlos Condit has recently become one of my favorite fighters in the Octagon and one of my favorite guys outside of the cage as well.  He is a really cool and exciting guy.  However, until he gets his wrestling fixed I don't love his chances of beating a sick wrestler.  I think Tyron Woodley is good but not great right now.  He could be a title contender but I just don't think he has what it takes to ever become champion.  I like him looking to wrestling to win this fight but not just by controlling Condit on the ground.  I think Condit can scramble to his feet when he gets taken down.  It will be the takedowns that makes Woodley capable of standing up with Condit without dying that will win him this fight.  I say Woodley takes home a split decision and fights Rory MacDonald next. (Condit should fight Rory if he wins too)
• Johny Hendricks KO over Robbie Lawler in the 2nd round.  No brainer here in my opinion.  Hendricks is better at everything and I think his chin is one of his best assets.  While Lawler can give it and take it I think he worries about the wrestling too much after Johny gets a few early takedowns and  finally takes a left hand to the chin he can't handle.  Hendricks is too good and I take him over everyone in the division except maybe Shields (yes that includes a potential GSP return).