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The vacant UFC welterweight title will finally be decided on Saturday, when Johny Hendricks faces Robbie Lawler in the main event of UFC 171 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Matt Harrison Jersey . TSN 1290s Jordan Cieciwa, Big Marv and Toby are here to give their predictions on who will leave with the belt and who will take some of the other key bouts on the card. Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler Jordan Cieciwa How do you pick a fight where two guys have the ability to end a fight with one punch. So whos going to win? The fans. Mix in Dana Whites pre-fight speech to all the athletes about getting fired no matter who you are for a boring fight and this one is going to end with a bang. Im going to go out on a limb with this one and talk about Robbie Lawler. I really think he is the fighter in this matchup who has proven he can do more than just the one lucky punch. Johny Hendricks looked amazing against GSP, but he didnt finish the fight. I think Lawler has the ability to out box Hendricks. If this doesnt end with a massive KO, its going to be Lawler out pointing Hendricks. Robbie Lawler via first round TKO Marv For the first time in six-years, well have a new undisputed UFC welterweight champion. Many felt Hendricks beat GSP in their last fight, so when St-Pierre walked away from the octagon and vacated his title, naturally Bigg Rigg was given that championship spot. On the other side, Rory Macdonald was likely to take that role, but he was dominated by Robbie Lawler whose career is resurging after returning to the UFC and dropping back down to 170lbs. Lawler finished former title challenger, Josh Koscheck in the first round, KOd Bobby Volker and beat Macdonald to earn the shot at championship gold. Hendricks is a wrestler who has Hulk-like strength and one-punch knockout power. Lawler is arguably the best striker in the welterweight division. If Hendricks cannot knock you out in the first round, he uses his wrestling to control the fight, which is what I expect him to do against Robbie Lawler. If Lawler can sprawl and brawl and pick Bigg Rigg apart, I see him finishing it in the third round for the upset. Lawler over Hendricks via TKO round 3 Toby Well, its been a long time since weve said “Welterweight Championship” and GSP isnt in the conversation, UFC 171 is a big night for the welterweight division. Johny Hendricks has proven that he is without a doubt one of the top 170 pounders in the world with an outstanding wrestling base and knockout power. I see this fight going to the ground early and often as Robbie Lawler can end a fight with one punch (as can Hendricks). Honestly, Im cheering for Lawler. Id like to see Robbie Lawler win AND Carlos Condit as well, only because (on paper) it would be a title fight with guaranteed fireworks. I get goose bumps just thinking about those two fighting, but back to reality, I have to go with my gut and choose: Hendricks via unanimous decision Carlos Condit vs. Tyrone Woodley JC Tyrone Woodley has been demonstrating some excellent skill. His wrestling and athleticism are unquestionable, he can hit a ton and knockouts are always one second away. That being said, hes never the same great fighter twice. Hes inconsistent, and has a tendency to lose fights he should easily win. Condit is a professional, probably one of my favorite fighters. He is skilled, and aggressive. He takes the first round to get going, and thats where I see this going bad. The only chance Woodley has is in the first three or four minutes. Once Condit finds his stride, he will win this fight. Condit via unanimous decision Marv This is shaping up to be an exciting fight with two welterweights that just go after it. Add a possible title shot to this match and the fight becomes that much more interesting. Woodley, the former Strikeforce welterweight champ is a bit inconsistent in his win/loss column. But he has incredible knockout power and athleticism. Condit is a former WEC champ and former UFC interim champ. His striking is great, he has KO power and can bring the fight to you. Woodleys game plan should be to out wrestle Condit. But I still see Condit taking this one. Condit over Woodley via TKO round 2 Toby This one has fight of the night written all over it, These guys go for it and look to finish fights, as fans, what more can we ask for? A tough one to call because theyre both so explosive, Im going to give the edge to Condit if Woodley cant get it to the ground. Condit via TKO in the third round Diego Sanchez vs. Myles Jury JC Diego Sanchez made a name for himself in a big way with his fight against Gilbert Melendez. Sanchez has always been one to watch, that fight made him someone to talk about. I dont think Myles Jury has what it takes to stand in there and trade with Sanchez. He is 13-0 for a reason, but without having seen a competitor like Sanchez, its tough to bet on the guy with the perfect record. Sanchez via third round TKO Marv The one thing you can always count on is that a Diego Sanchez fight will be fun to watch. His fight against Gilbert Melendez was arguably 2013s Fight of the Year. He fights like a Rockem Sockem robot and brings pressure. Jury is 13-0 in MMA, hes well rounded, can knock you out or submit you, but will he buckle under the pressure that Sanchez brings? I say Jury keeps his undefeated streak going, but it wont be easy. Jury via unanimous decision Toby Sanchez, one of the few cast members from the first season of The Ultimate fighter still fighting in the UFC, is always exciting to watch and brings the fight to his opponent. I see him putting the pressure on but Jury is so well rounded and on a tear (13-0) I see him winning this one. Jury via unanimous decision. Sanchez via most entertaining post fight speech. Hector Lombard vs. Jake Shields JC Hector Lombard is back, he found his weight, hes explosive, and hes on a mission. Jake Shields is an amazing talent, and if I was going to start in the sport, I would ensure I made time for him to be my coach. I dont think he has what it takes physically to stop Lombard. That being said, if Hector doesnt show up with this absolute “A” game, he will end up in a submission or being pinned to the cage with some of the games best MMA Wrestling. Hector Lombard via second round doctor stoppage. Marv One of two things that will happen here, either Hector Lombard knocks out Shields in the first round, or Shields wrestles out a decision. With the exception of his fight with Ellenberger, I see Shields doing just that against Lombard. Shields over Lombard via unanimous decision Toby I couldnt agree with Big Marv on this fight more, Lombard will stop this one early or Shields will grind this one out on the ground and grab the decision victory. Shields via Diaz yelling mean things at Lombard from the corner and a unanimous decision. Shin-Soo Choo Authentic Jersey . Barcelona says Pique tore a muscle in his right leg. The Spain international will miss Spanish league games against Almeria and Valladolid, but should be back for the Champions league match against Manchester City on March 12. Russell Wilson Texas Rangers Jersey . They won gold today in the womens bobsled competition at the Sochi Games. The Canadian duo finished with a four-run time of three minutes 50.DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki was watching when the Dallas Mavericks took a double-digit lead for good against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The steady progress of Devin Harris had a lot to do with the surge. Nowitzki scored 23 points, Harris had a season-high 16 and the Mavericks pulled away from Cleveland 124-107 Monday night, handing the Cavaliers their fifth straight loss. Nowitzki was on the bench for most of a key third-quarter stretch led by Jose Calderon, Brandan Wright and Harris, who was playing his eighth game after missing the first 41 following off-season toe surgery. "Just trying to get comfortable out there," Harris said. "I am trying to make the most of my minutes." Harris had seven points on a 9-2 run that gave the Mavericks their first 15-point lead, and Wright scored nine of his 14 points in the third. Jose Calderon had four of his game-high 10 assists in the quarter and hit a pair of 3-pointers. "Were just passing the ball and trying to get a really nice pace," said Calderon, who scored 11 points. "I think it was good for us." Kyrie Irving had 27 to lead the Cavaliers, who have dropped seven of their last eight. Anthony Bennett, Clevelands rookie No. 1 pick averaging just 2.8 points per game coming in, had eight in the second quarter and finished with 11. "There were a few instances in this game where we gave ourselves a legit chance to get into the game, but we just couldnt get over the hump," said Irving, who scored at least 20 for the ninth time in 10 games. Dallas Monta Ellis started fast after going most of the first half without scoring Friday against Sacramento and finished with 22 points and seven assists. Harris had his previous season high of 14 points in three straight games before getting seven in Fridays win over Sacramento. He finally broke the 14-point mark with two free throws, and then assisted on a dunk by Samuel Dalembert that gave Dallas its biggest lead at 106-87. Dalembert had 18 points -- two off his season high -- and two blocks after not even attempting a shot and getting three rebounds when the Mavericks held on to beat the Cavaliers last month in Cleveland, despite a combined 37 poiints and 31 rebounds from Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao. Matt Harrison Authentic Jersey. "I cant guarantee you the offence because some days the ball is coming to me and some days I only take one field goal," Dalembert said. "What Im trying to do is make sure the guys are crashing the boards." Five days after Cleveland general manager Chris Grant questioned his teams will, the Cavaliers didnt quit. They scored eight quick points and had a chance to make it nine when Jarrett Jack got fouled after making a 3-pointer. Jack missed the free throw, and the Cavaliers couldnt get the deficit under 10 after that. Luol Deng scored 18 points, Thompson had 17 and both had eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who had seven players in double figures. "I thought offensively we did some nice things out there," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "Weve got to keep grinding until we get out of it. The only thing we can do is work, keep our head up and keep looking forward." Nowitzki, who was averaging 33 points in his previous three games, had 16 in the first half and matched Dalembert with eight rebounds for the game. Nowitzki scored the last eight points on a 13-2 run that put the Mavericks up 52-39, but he missed his last three shots of the first half as the Cavaliers got back within seven at halftime. Ellis followed up an 11-point fourth quarter that boosted a rally to beat Sacramento with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the first half against Cleveland. NOTES: Mavericks F Shawn Marion missed his second straight game with lingering issues from shoulder and rib injuries. Hes missed six games since getting hurt Jan. 7 against the Lakers. ... Varejao started after being questionable with a left knee injury. He recorded both the 4,000th point and 4,000th rebound of his career. ... Rookie G Shane Larkin was back with the Mavericks after a one-game stint with their D-League affiliate in suburban Dallas. His playing time has dipped significantly since Harris return. ... Ellis had six of Dallas 13 turnovers after ending a 114-game streak with at least one turnover by going without one against Sacramento. The Mavericks had a season-low four as a team against the Kings. wholesale jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
