Did you want me to make a more bold prediction?
It's come to my attention that in my call of Ross Pearson's bout against Edson Barboza ending as a majority decision in the B/R MMA staff picks for UFC 134, some have questioned if Barboza or Pearson will win a 10-8 round by my prediction.
My short rebuttal: it will be neither man that wins a 10-8 round, whether it be deemed as such by an ill-aimed low blow or a round of pure dominance by either man.
It won't be a slugfest that leaves both guys gassed by the second or third round, but the Fight of The Night potential will show as both men go at it and do their best to put on a show for the clearly-partisan crowd.
Whether it's Pearson's Judo or Barboza's punishing Muay Thai, or it's nothing but fisticuffs all throughout, both guys are going to make good on their promises to entertain the sold-out crowd in Rio. But make no mistake about it, the winner may be clearer than he may appear.
Why, then, will this be a majority decision and not a unanimous decision?
It could be a close fight, save for the previously-mentioned possibility of an unintentional low blow or a knockdown in a fight where nobody will keep score.
Compustrike might keep track of how many strikes were thrown or landed, but that's about it.
I mapped out this fight in favor of Barboza, who I still think is a bit more well rounded than Pearson standing and might show high competency on the ground if Pearson's Judo kicks in.
However, it's possible that we'll see Barboza's killer instinct and Pearson's concrete jaw in one round, as "The Phenomenon" drops "The Real Deal" and tries to finish him off but no avail.
Am I prepared for Pearson getting the knockdown and hurting Barboza more than he's been hurt in his unbeaten run?
You bet your bottom dollar, I do.
I fully intended on not seeing any "all-balls" target practice sessions in this fight, save for any inside leg kicks Barboza throws, because it's become the norm for an inside leg kick to miss the leg and tap the cup hard enough to look like an intentional nut-shot.
In any event, anyone looking for a cure for their insomnia should not be watching UFC 134 tonight, and the "Brazil vs. UK" class between Barboza and Pearson is one of the reasons why many will have trouble sleeping all around the world.
As epic as the co-headliner and the headliner are, we know this could at least be Fight of The Night, but don't be surprised if you find yourself asking if this is MMA's dark horse contender for Fight of The Millennium.
Barboza wants to electrify, Pearson wants to electrify. All bias aside, the most realistic expectation for this fight is that both men turn it up and give the Brazilian passion train a reason to demand more UFC action in the place where it arguably all started.
Vermont Voltage DFW Tornados Leeds United Cleveland City Stars FC Heartland Division
No comments:
Post a Comment