UFC 136 QUICK PICKS:
Melvin Guillard (-325) VS Joe Lauzon (+265)
Guillard 10-4 seems to be firing on all eight cylinders in his last three fights. He’s brash and brutal. Guillard wins this one by TKO round 1.
Leonard Garcia (+145) VS. Nam Phan (-175)
Garcia got an early Christmas present with the decision win over Phan in their first fight. Assuming Phan fights the same this time out he should get the decision win over Garcia.
Chael Sonnen (-255) VS Brian Stann (+205)
Every great fighter needs a great opponent to bring out the best in him. For Sonnen that was Anderson Silva. My guess is that Sonnen is not going to look nearly as good in this fight as he did in the Silva fight. I’m taking the odds and going with Stann on this one. The only problem and it’s a big one for Stann, will be Sonnens wrestling ability. Should Sonnen takedown Stann at will, it will be a long night for Stann.
Jose Aldo (-325) VS Kenny Florian (+260)
Florian is one of the few guys in the UFC that is doing a monster weight cut and doing it well. He’s likely to weigh around 160 or even 165 the night of the fight. So far in title fights Florian has always been the bride’s maid and never the bride. Is this his time? NO. Florian is an exceptional fighter but Aldo is in the Matrix somewhere when it comes to fighting ability. Look for Aldo to win via TKO.
Frankie Edgar (-150) VS Gray Maynard (+120)
I know Frankie from the N.J. MMA scene, I also know his striking coach Mark Henry. Mark and Frankie have created something organic and special when it comes to Frankie’s striking style. Combine Frankie’s hyper technical movement/feint based striking style and his ability to drive quickly for takedowns you have a puzzle that Maynard will be unable to solve.
You can count on the fact that Edgars camp (Ricardo Almedia, Mark Henry, Chris Ligori, Tom DeBlass) has war gamed ad nauseam for Maynard. Frankie needs to make it out of the first and second rounds and he will win be decisive decision.