UFC on Fox--Henderson vs Melendez. 4/20/13

It isn't getting any attention, but this might be the best UFC event in April. I love the prelims.

No one is giving Melendez a chance but don't overlook him. Personally I'm betting El Niño at +240









Main card
Weight Class
Lightweight Benson Henderson (c) vs. Gilbert Melendez
Heavyweight Frank Mir vs. Daniel Cormier
Lightweight Nate Diaz vs. Josh Thomson
Welterweight Matt Brown vs. Jordan Mein

Preliminary Card (FX)
Featherweight Chad Mendes vs. Darren Elkins
Middleweight Francis Carmont vs. Lorenz Larkin
Lightweight Ramsey Nijem vs. Myles Jury
Flyweight Joseph Benavidez vs. Darren Uyenoyama
Lightweight Tim Means vs. Jorge Masvidal
Bantamweight T.J. Dillashaw vs. Hugo Viana


Preliminary card (Facebook)

Lightweight Anthony Njokuani vs. Roger Bowling
Middleweight Clifford Starks vs. Yoel Romero

 

When you look at the prospects on the FX prelims, you have some of the best up and coming talent in the UFC.


This will be fun.

 

It never matters, but Frank Mir looked to be in amazing shape at the weigh in. I don't give him a chance in hell against Cormier, but if anyone in the HW division can give Cormier trouble off his back, it's Frank Mir.

 

Lesbian Henderson wins easily.

btw, KELVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:hammert:

 

I'm finding it really hard to care about the main event. Both fighters are over rated. Both fighters have been the beneficiary of terrible judging. Truth be told, this fight should be Frankie Edgar vs Josh Thomson. But it’s on free TV, so I’m sure I’ll watch it, but I’m just completely underwhelmed by it. I’ll pick Henderson by decision. Or maybe Gil by decision. Who cares.

Cormier\Mir should be fun. Cormier is getting a lot of love these days, and Mir is a good test to see if it’s warranted. Hopefully Thomson brings his A game and we get one step closer to the Diaz brothers leaving the UFC altogether. And Mein\Brown should be a good scrap. If he can do the same thing to Brown he did to Miller, he’ll be a fighter to keep an eye on.


TFK

 

As expected, great card so far.

 

I was out with my wife and in laws, so I didn't see the card live but just watched it on DVR.

First and foremost, awesome job by Josh Thomson kicking the shit out of Nate Diaz. Now fuck off Nate and take your scumbag brother with you.

I had Melendez winning the main event, but the rounds were so close I can't complain either way. At least the judging was consistent and there wasn't a 50-45 or 49-46 in there. But those judges sure do love Henderson. He remains the belt holder for another day.

Cormier beat Mir, but I wasn't impressed at all. Mir looked awful. Lumbering was the word that came to mind as I watched the fight. He just didn't look right at all, but Cormier wasn't able to capitalize enough to get a stoppage. It was a dominating win, but not an impressive one.

Matt Brown is on a roll. Mein just looked totally outclassed out there, like he didn't belong.

Very good card for a free show.

TFK

 

Personally I thought Melendez clearly beat Henderson.

The entire card was great with the exception of Mir-Cormier.

I already thought that Josh Thompson should have been fighting Ben Henderson rather than Melendez. It looks like we will get it anyway.

 

I would take Pettis, Maynard, Chandler and Alvarez over both Melendez and Henderson. I just think they are both way over rated.

From what's being reported, the winner of Maynard\Grant is getting the next title shot. I have little interest in a rematch between Gil and Henderson.

TFK

 

You didn't have to tell me. I lost money on him last night.


oddly, after Josh Thompson walked thru Nate Diaz, you had all the evidence you needed that the Strikeforce lightweights were for real.

 

Grant is on an absolute roll so he deserves a shot if he beat Maynard convincingly. However, the idea of Maynard getting another shot is ridiculous. The dude is one win removed from being brutally knocked out in a title fight. I understand the lightweight division is thin with the departure of Edgar and Pettis, but I'd rather see Thompson get the shot.

 

WTF is it with Lesbo Bendo and gift decisions? Isn't this like the 3rd or 4th questionable decision he's received?

 

Some people still sleeping on Melendez huh? I thought it was tied up and I missed the 5th round cuz of my dvr didn't record it, but based off most people, Melendez won the last round.
Saw the Thomson fight, this is why he's my favorite, classy guy, and will just straight make a great fight, he looked impressive stopping Diaz.

 

Yep. People can think what they want about Nate Diaz, but finishing him was a damn impressive return for Josh Thompson.

 

Melendez won 1st and 5th, Henderson 3rd and 4th, and the 2nd could have gone either way imo. I'm probably in the minority but I felt it was slightly on the boring side. Bothe were trying to play the in/ flurry and out game while rerely landing anything clean. Reminded me of DLH/Floyd type of fight, where neither seems willing to really commit, but without the technic

 

Cormier and Mir was awful, it seems more and more probable that the power Cormier showed in the Silva fight was a fluke. He never even hurt Mir.

Didn't like Thompson strategy in the 1st round but he turned it up in the 2nd big time. The Diaz really have issues when dealing with movement, they're slow of hands and of feet and I wonder if they'll ever be able to adjust.

Mein/Brown was by far the best fight. But Mein doesn't seems to have the mental make up to make it in the sport. He seemed uncomfortable every time he was touched in the face

 

Good card, good fights.

It will be hard to drop Melendez in the rankings.

Matt Brown is easy to like, but he's also the product of soft matchmaking and a bit of luck. He's not that good.

 

Being a bigger fan of Gil than Henderson, I thought Henderson won the fight. Gil won the 1st and 5th clearly, Henderson won rounds 2-4. The second round was close and I wouldn't have argued had Melendez won that round and the fight, I just though Hendrson did a little more.

Cormier played it way too safe with Mir and made the fight boring.

The Nate Diaz KO was pretty crazy, if you look at Nate's knee after round one, it was fucked. His knee was HUGE after round one.

Matt Brown is always in great fights, but Mein gassed bad in one round. The guy had nothing at all in the second. I'd love to see Brown vs Nick Diaz.

 

I thought Melendez won Round 2 clearly.

By the way, I think it's time for Brown to step up to a top 10 guy. Give him Koscheck, Lawler or Kampmann. I don't like the Diaz fight because Brown has a problem with getting stuck in stupid submissions.

 

Wow, I just read that Frank Mir knocked down $200k for that pitiful display against Cormier.

 

Okay card. Main event was a typical boring Henderson fight. I think he edged it out. Cormier was once again unimpressive. If you can't KO Frank Mir you're not doing something right. It kinda looked like Cormier was scared to put the foot on the gas. I think Thomson is getting a little ripped off. He is coming off a SD loss to Melendez and just destroyed Nate Diaz (Something their champ couldn't come close to doing in 5) I think he should be the one getting the next title shot. Especially since he did what he did not only on the undercard of the Henderson's fight but also to a guy like I said before that Henderson couldn't come close to finishing.

 

Thompson looked real good in that fight, the guy is a legit contender. He's basically evenly matched with Melendez so you know he will give Henderson a good fight.