UFC 119 Prelim Predictions By Jason Hagholm
Jason Hagholm has predictions for the the first four non-televised fights for UFC 119.
Folllow Jason on Twitter at dadrrtywhyteboi.
Sean McCorkle vs Mark Hunt: K-1 & PRIDE star Hunt has powerful hands and not much of a ground game and has been on a big losing streak coming into the UFC. Granted, they were to guys that he was no match for like Fedor, Barnett, and Moussasi. McCorkle is a tall and thick heavyweight who has a 7-0 record, which really doesn’t mean much because it was on the independent scene. McCorkle loves to get a fight to the ground and just ground and pound you into submission or until the ref stops it.
Prediction: McCorkle TKO 2nd Round
T.J. Grant vs Julio Paulino: Paulino is coming off a decision loss to Mike Pierce but he has good hands and a decent ground game and has fought some name guys, so he is experienced. Grant is a guy who brings his lunch bucket and puts in work on all of his fights and recently lost to Johnny Hendricks at UFC 113. But he has a consistent record in the UFC beating Ryo Chonan and Kevin Burns and to me, he should have beat Dong Hyun Kim. If Grant gets this fight to the ground, I think he can pull off the submission on Paulino.
Prediction: T.J. Grant 3rd round submisison
Waylon Lowe vs Steve Lopez: In a fight between two unknowns to many, both guys have fought in the UFC before suffering losses. Lowe lost to Melvin Guillard by a devastating knee to the body and Lopez lost to Jim Miller via TKO, though granted he couldn’t continue after he injured his shoulder. Lowe has the experience but I think Lopez’s youth will shine through and he will grind out a decision victory.
Prediction: Steve Lopez Unanimous Decision
Pat Audinwood vs Thiago Tavares: Tavares is a vet of UFC events and is coming off a DRAW against the man who killed the Spike prelim ratings for UFC 118, Nik Lentz. Tavares has a great ground game, decent hands and can go the distance. Pat “Awesomely Awesome” Audinwood has maybe the coolest nickname in all of MMA, but he is more than just a nickname as he has a good ground game which has comprised most of his victories. He, like Tavares, can push a fight to the distance but if I were a betting man I would take Tavares to get a 1st round submission on the inexperienced fighter and for Tavares’s sake hopefully his submission is Awesomely Awesome.
Prediction: Thiago Tavares 1st round submission
*two thumbs up* I hope we get tons of bonus fights tomorrow.
I’m clearly intrigued by McCorkle/Hunt.