Two of MMA's most popular fighters square off inside the octagon when two time former UFC champion BJ Penn (16-7-2) fights former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz (25-7-1NC) in the main event.
Not only are Penn and Diaz two of the sports most popular fighters but are also two of the best and most technically gifted competitors to ever compete in MMA. To say this is an MMA fans dream match is an understatement as both Penn and Diaz are mirror images of one another. Both possess great standup and on the ground both utilize a pure Brazilian Jiu Jitsu style. Both fighters always come to fight and they both share mutual respect for one another heading into Saturday nights fight.
According to Penn, Nick Diaz is the best boxer in MMA. Diaz is a high volume puncher who throws punches in bunches and combinations which ware his opponents down. Diaz has professional boxing experience and for years has trained with current WBA Super World Super Middleweight Champion and former Olympic gold medalist (168. Lbs.) Andre Ward.
Diaz' boxing style is unconventional, especially for MMA. Due to his length, Diaz' range is difficult to deal with as he normally has a reach advantage. A master of mixing up his strikes, Diaz throws punches to both the head and body, opting to throw multiple strikes throughout the duration of the fight instead of looking for the one punch knockout. This style is quite effective and popular, because Diaz normally gasses his opponents out quickly making them accessible to a potential finish in the later portions of the fight.
On top of his great technical skill, Diaz also constantly trash talks and taunts his opponents inside of the cage. Diaz will throw his hands up and talk while he is hitting you, urging his opponents to fight recklessly and make mistakes. Diaz has all the keys to open doors and make fights exciting and he does so with great efficiency.
Needless to say, Nick Diaz is a professional fighter who goes out to fight. Diaz never try's to win points on the judges scorecards by holding his opponents down to squeak out a decision victory. When you watch a Nick Diaz fight, you are not going to leave disappointed because the guy always brings it and loves to actually fight.
When Nick Diaz was asked about his opponent BJ Penn, Diaz said that he believes Penn is an all around better fighter then current Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre.
From a technical standpoint, Diaz might be right. Penn has top notch striking and when a fight hits the ground, there may not be a more dangerous man alive. A highly decorated Brazilian jiu jitsu competitor, Penn received his black belt, after only three years of training. In fact, many people believe Penn was the fastest student to receive that honor out of all active BJJ competitors.
A former UFC Welterweight and Lightweight champion, BJ Penn has competed against the best the sport has had to offer since its inception. Holding notable victories over Matt Hughes (twice), Kenny Florian, Renzo Gracie, Sean Sherk, Matt Serra, Takanori Gomi and Diego Sanchez, BJ Penn has also competed against current UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Jon Fitch, Lyoto Machida and current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre. Penn is a sure fire hall of famer and is only the second competitor to hold UFC titles in two different weight classes and holds the record for most Lightweight victories inside the UFC.
When focused and dedicated, Penn is one of the deadliest men competing in MMA today. However, the concentration is not always there and in the past, Penn sometimes relied to much on his extraordinary God-given talent and did not take his training seriously. Despite his accolades, Penn has a history of a short gas tank and if he is not properly prepared for this fight, Diaz will make quick work of him.
Wanting another title run before his MMA career comes to an end, Penn knows he needs a victory over Diaz to keep his title aspirations alive, as the winner is most likely next in line to receive a Welterweight title shot against GSP. However, if Dana White and the UFC offer him a chance to reclaim his Lightweight title, Penn has said that he is more than happy to jump at the opportunity to compete again at 155 lbs.
While I know both fighters are identical to one another in terms of overall technical abilities, I give the edge to Diaz for his conditioning. Unfortunately for Penn, his biggest weakness is Diaz' biggest strength and I see Diaz using his pitter-patter punches to wear Penn down, zapping his energy and finishing him in the second round.
The co-main event of UFC 137, is a heavyweight bout pitting Cheick Kongo (16-6-2) against the unbeaten former NFL player Matt Mitrione (5-0).
Competing for the first time since his unbelievable knockout victory over Mitrione's training partner Pat Barry this summer, Kongo is looking to get back into title contention. The fight against Barry, was one of the the craziest and most unforgettable stoppages I had ever seen in MMA, and this Saturday, Kongo has the opportunity to derail the hype train of the ever improving Matt Mitrione.
An ex-football player turned MMA guy, Mitrione has improved and looked like a different fighter every time we have seen him step inside the octagon. A fantastic athlete, Mitrione has great strikes but undoubtably will be facing the biggest test of his young career thus far against Kongo.
If both men are willing to dance the dance, this fight has all the makings of a fantastic heavyweight contest.
Another featured fight on the card is the return of MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop (27-9-2-1NC) when he competes against The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 winner Roy “Big Country” Nelson (15-6).
Cro Cop the former Pride Open Weight Grand Prix champion, has fallen on tough times during the later stages of his MMA career. After suffering back to back knockout loses to Frank Mir and Brandon Schaub and looking bad in the process, Cro Cop needs a win to keep his job with the UFC.
Still the owner of the most devastating head kicks in MMA history, Cro Cop has the ability to win this fight if he utilizes his sprawl and brawl to keep the fight standing. Kind of like a cat with his fighting style, Cro Cop will continuously stalk his opponent before he attacks with one of those fight ending head kicks which he describes as “right kick hospital, left kick cemetery.”
Undersized in most fights, Nelson could easily make Light Heavyweight or even Middleweight should he ever decide to eat healthy and dedicate himself to a diet. However, do not let his physique fool you as Nelson is a top notch fighter with shocking speed, power and athleticism for a man his size. Able to win the fight in any fashion, Nelson will most likely look to take this fight to the ground where he will use his belly to his advantage to submit Cro Cop sending the Croatian legend into possible retirement.
Also on the card, is the debut of one of the best Featherweight fighters in MMA today when North American audiences are introduced to Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2).
A ground specialist, Hioki will look to end the recent trend of Japanese fighters bad luck inside the UFC. Holding two notable victories over former number one contender Mark Hominick, Hioki is one of the most entertaining grapplers MMA has ever seen.
Always looking to pass guard and apply submissions, Hioki uses smooth transitions which seem effortless at times. Owner of one of the most unstoppable mounts in all of MMA, Hioki has a great triangle which he either locks in on top or roles to his back to finish. Either way, if Hioki traps you, it's goodnight.
This is a debut I am highly looking forward to and have a feeling Hatsu Hioki will be competing for the Featherweight Championship in the near future.
UFC 137 is a fantastic card with numerous great fights. The main event is a dream matchup, which has been in the making for years and is sure to be a can't miss exciting contest. I am personally pumped up for this card more then any other recent or upcoming UFC event and will be glued to my television aka internet screen on Saturday night.
Like Nick Diaz famously said, “Don't be scared, homie!” and watch UFC 137.
Predictions:
Nick Diaz defeats BJ Penn via second round submission
Matt Mitrione defeats Cheick Kongo via Unanimous Decision
Roy Nelson defeats Mirko Cro Cop via first round TKO
Scott Jorgensen defeats Jeff Curran via Unanimous Decision
Hatsu Hioki defeats George Roop via first round submission
Donald Cerrone defeats Dennis Siver via second round submission
Tyson Griffen defeats Bark Palaszewski via Unanimous Decision
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