Michael David Smith over at FanHouse was nice enough to put together some previews and predictions for, you know, the biggest friggin MMA event since Pankration.
MDS's predictions are solid, though we differ a bit on the main event where he picks Mir in five rounds. I'll be shocked if that fight goes that long with the punching power both men possess. Mir's only chance of surviving any kind of stand-up fight with Lesnar is to stay on the outside and away from Brock's hands--far away. He's got good footwork and he knows how to use the jab but 25 minutes is a long time to waltz around the Octagon with that behemoth. I think Joe Rogan said it best on Spike's Countdown to UFC 100: "If he fights with that big fu*king gorilla standing up, he's gonna get smashed." If he can't get this to the ground he's in trouble.
On a similar note, if Mir can turn this into a jiu-jitsu match, Lesnar doesn't stand a chance. Yea, he was a good wrestler in college, but the best double-leg takedown in the world is not going to do any good when you've got a dude snaked around your neck. Lesnar just doesn't have the tools to survive on the ground with someone of Mir's caliber. Much like their first fight, this is going to end fast and it's going to end ugly. I'm leaning toward Mir's experience on this one, but it's only going to take one mistake and Frank "The Man in The" Mir will get busted up.
Head to FanHouse to check out the rest of Smith's predictions, which matchup he picked for Fight of the Night, and more.
Photo Source: UFC
