The Karate Blitz

1.  CAN SILVA AVOID THE GROUND? In their last meeting, Bigfoot Silva threw a low kick, Cain Velasquez quickly caught the kick, took Silva to the ground and dominated him from there.  Since that time, Silva admitted he made a mistake in his approach with Cain, but does that mean he won't throw kicks?  Is he practicing his takedown defense?  Cain is not only the fastest heavyweight but also the best wrestler, Cormier notwithstanding.  On his feet, Cain has been wobbled and his only loss came when Junior Dos Santos caught him in a stand-up exchange.  Silva might also hope to gas him out like he did with Alistair Overeem before he put him away, but Cain also possesses the best cardio in the division.  Still, anything is better than fighting Cain on the ground. 2.  WILL JUNIOR DOS SANTOS TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE GROUND? Dos Santos can outbox pretty much anyone in his division but any fighter who tries to stand with Hunt may land a few successfully, ...

JUNIOR DOS SANTOS VS MARK HUNT When former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and former K-1 champion Mark Hunt meet in a battle between two of the three best strikers in the division, the biggest question comes down to strategy.  Will dos Santos, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, take the fight to the ground where Hunt has shown weakness for submissions?  Or will dos Santos test Hunt's impermeable chin while resisting the lure of a straightforward brawl that favors brick-fisted Hunt over most any man on the planet.  Even if dos Santos tries to take the fight to the ground- a rare sight for him- he must get past Hunt's UFC-best takedown defense. GLOVER TEIXEIRA VS JAMES TE HUNA At light heavyweight, Glover Teixeira might be Junior dos Santos's doppleganger, possessing top-notch striking, heavy hands and a solid chin.  James Te Huna, a big, well-rounded fighter with ten KO's or TKO's on his resume, has been hurt in the past by lesser strikers but ...

Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez walked through Antonio Silva like a paper finish line when they first fought one year ago.  Velasquez took Silva down early in the fight and finished him on the ground,  taking almost zero damage.  Coming into this fight we can only wonder if anything will change. Since their last meeting, Silva plastered both Travis Browne and heavily-favored former K-1 champ Alistair Overeem on their feet.  Neither of them threatened to take him to the ground, whereas the heavyweight champion wields the best MMA wrestling in his division and drags everyone down into his domain.  In reclaiming his throne, the constant threat of takedowns and actual attempts rattled former champion and boxing wunderkind Junior Dos Santos to the point it was Velasquez who landed the most significant strikes.  Silva must defend those takedowns or try to catch him much in the way Junior Dos Santos did in handing Velasquez his first loss. While Silva's...

1.  CAN BELFORT HURT ROCKHOLD? Yup.  A spinning heel hook to the jaw answered that question, followed by a few undefended punches on the ground for good measure.  The big surprise was that Rockhold with his reach and fight savvy was unable to stay clean for even one round. 2.  WILL ROCKHOLD EXPERIENCE JITTERS IN HIS FIRST TRIP INTO THE OCTAGON? This is a possibility.  He did fight cautiously, but any Octagon veteran would know better than to wade recklessly into the deep waters of Belfort's choppy fists. 3.  WILL THE FIGHT GO PAST THE THIRD ROUND? Again, the big surprise was Rockhold allowing himself to be caught against such a dangerous striker.  Then again, how often have we ever seen Belfort throw that kick?  And with suck accuracy, too. 4.  WILL JACARE STRIKE WITH CAMOZZI? Jacare exchanged a few strikes with Camozzi on the feet but wisely chose to take it to the ground where he thoroughly dominated Camozzi.  Jacare an...

1.  CAN BELFORT HURT ROCKHOLD? Rockhold uses his reach and his kicks to control the distance of his fights.  Belfort likes to attack but if he follows a plan like Jon Jones then Belfort may have difficulty landing any of his punches. 2.  WILL ROCKHOLD EXPERIENCE JITTERS IN HIS FIRST TRIP INTO THE OCTAGON? Rockhold rolls into his UFC debut with plenty of pressure and high expectations.  Only the best fight here and the scrutiny that follows UFC fighters blows away the media attention for the other mixed martial arts leagues. 3.  WILL THE FIGHT GO PAST THE THIRD ROUND? Just like his fight against perennial contender Michael Bisping, Rockhold wants the fight to go long enough until Belfort slows down.  The plan worked great until Belfort set Bisping up with a strike and he ducked into his second head kick of the match.  Fight over.  Rockhold knows this and will surely plans to not emulate Bisping's results. 4.  WILL JACARE STRIKE W...

Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold debuts against a middleweight contendor in Vitor Belfort who has only ever lost to the very best. Traditionally, when Belfort wins he finishes his opponents early with powerful strikes that some consider the fastest in the UFC.  When he loses, the muscular TRT-laden Belfort gasses out.  And although he is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Belfort rarely uses it.  The exception being the Jon Jones fight when he nearly submitted the indomitable light heavyweight champion with an arm bar. Luke Rockhold blends wrestling, boxing, kicking and submission skills into one of the most well-rounded opponents Belfort has ever faced.  Though not particularly outstanding or dangerous in any specific area, the sum of the whole puts Rockhold on collision course to eventually fight for the middleweight championship, perhaps as soon as his next fight should he leave victorious. With a height and reach advantage, most feel ...