By TXMMA Staff | Emil Fischer | Photos: Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
UFC Fight Night 39 features heavyweight contenders in main event
April 10, 2014 – On Saturday night, fight fans will get to enjoy a great event headlined by two amazing heavyweights, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (“Big Nog”) and Roy “Big Country” Nelson. We’ll also get to watch two rising Texan stars, Johnny Bedford and Andrew Craig go toe to toe against tough opponents. This will be a great night of entertaining fights!
UFC Fight Night 39 – Main Card Preview and Predictions (UFC Fight Pass)
Starting at the top of the card, we’ve got revered Pride FC Veteran Antonio “Big Nog” Rodrigo Nogueira vs. TUF Winner Roy “Big Country” Nelson. This heavyweight battle will be a good time all around, as we’ve got the aging, aggressive Big Nog going head to head against the juggernaut that is Big Country. Neither fighter has had a great year; both are coming off of losses to fresher, more relevant fighters. We expect to see Big Country doing his best to engage on the feet and exact punishment via one punch knock out, and it is very likely that Big Nog will kindly oblige. Big Nog, who at a time was considered one of the best grapplers that MMA has ever seen, has suffered two losses in the past couple of years by submission, most brutal being the rolling, arm shattering, Submission of the Year winning Kimura by Frank Mir. Despite losing his past two fights, Big Country has never been finished in the UFC and hits like a Mack truck so it is very likely that sooner or later Big Country takes this fight very likely by way of KO in the second. Either way this is going to be a battle for the ages.
PREDICTION Roy Nelson wins by KO in the 2nd Round
155 lbs.: Clay Guida vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
Both of these fighters are in their twilight years, but only one of them has had his brains rattled around in the recent past. Clay Guida vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri will be an extremely entertaining featherweight fight between the beleaguered UFC veteran and the highly successful newcomer (who is, ironically, older). Kawajiri, who is on a six fight win streak just had his first fight three months ago and successfully proved that he has what it takes to fight in the UFC. Guida has gone 1-3 since beating the now lightweight champ, Anthony Pettis. Kawajiri will probably have to go the distance and beat Guida by unanimous decision.
PREDICTION: Tatsuya Kawajiri wins by Unanimous Decision
170 lbs.: John Howard vs. Ryan LaFlare
John “Doomsday” Howard has experienced a reawakening since his 2010-2011 three fight loss streak and has only lost once since then. On the other hand we have hungry newcomer, Ryan LaFlare who is undefeated. This welterweight fight will be amazing! Expect the striker, Doomsday to come out swinging hard. Actually, expect BOTH fighters to come out swinging hard. This fight will be highly entertaining as both fighters like to stand and bang but if it goes to the ground John Howard has much higher finishing numbers. In fact, it would appear that this fight ends in a third round knockout of LaFlare because he’s just not as experienced as Howard.
PREDICTION: John Howard wins by KO the 3rd Round
155 lbs.: Ramsey Nijem vs. Beneil Dariush
Ramsey Nijem vs. Beneil Dariush is a lightweight fight between a relative newcomer (Dariush) with an impeccable record and a more experienced (and beaten up) fighter, Nijem. Dariush takes this fight by decision because, quite frankly, Nijem’s record is not very strong and Dariush’s is. Nijem is super tough though which is why this will end in a decision rather than a finish. On a card full of likely finishes, this one may come as a disappointment to bloodthirsty fans, but it will be an entertaining firefight that will keep the viewer on the edge of their seat till the very end.
PREDICTION: Beneil Dariush by Unanimous Decision
UFC Fight Night 39 – Undercard Preview and Predictions (UFC Fight pass)
At the top of the undercard we’ve got two heavyweight sluggers in Jared Roshold and Daniel Omielanczuk. Both of these fighters are exciting and down for the battle. Submission specialist Omielanczuk has a longer more impressive record so it is very likely that we get to see some fancy Jiu Jitsu in the first round for a submission victory.
PREDICTION: Daniel Omielanczuk by submission in the 1st Round
145 lbs.: Rani Yahya vs. Johnny Bedford
Rani Yahya is currently one of the best submission artists in the game, with 15 of his 19 wins in coming from submissions. The world class Jiu Jitsu specialist will have his hands full with the versatile Johnny Bedford in this bantamweight blowout. These two fighters are both so tough, and it would appear that Bedford is susceptible to good Jiu Jitsu as several of his losses have come from submission. However Bedford has been training hard for this fight with Brandon Quick of Bquick Jiu Jitsu so he’ll weather that storm of submissions. Don’t be surprised to see Bedford tough it out and get the decision through grit and determination.
PREDICTION: Johnny Bedford by Split Decision
185 lbs.: Thales Leites vs. Trevor Smith
The next fight brings highly successful Thales Leites en route to a head on, middleweight collision with submission artist Trevor Smith. Leites has the more impressive record and is on a five fight win streak while Smith suffered two losses and only one win since January of 2013. Both fighters are going to show a lot of heart and there is a good chance we’ll see a lot of fancy grappling. At the end of the day, Leites will finish this fight in the second as there is a good chance the Smith’s wrestling skills won’t provide answers for his world class Jiu Jitsu.
PREDICTION: Thales Leites by Submission in the 2nd Round
185 lbs.: Chris Camozzi vs. Andrew Craig (bout cancelled due to sickness)
Both fighters coming off of losses, Camozzi vs. Craig is bound to be a stressful bout for these two middleweights. It would not be surprising to see the UFC, who has been on a culling rampage lately, cut the loser of this fight. Fortunately for Craig, his overseas record is very strong, and in spite of Camozzi’s talents this fight will go well for Craig. Craig will get the Unanimous Decision.
PREDICTION: Andrew Craig by Unanimous Decision
145 lbs.: Alan Omer vs. Jim Alers
At the very bottom of the card, we’ve got two successful featherweights Alan Omers and Jim Alers. Omers has the more impressive record, but this could go either way. Don’t be surprised to see an exciting slugfest ending in a KO, with Omers taking the W in the second.
PREDICTION: Alan Omers by KO in the 2nd Round