Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers

Manchester United  3 - 1 Queens Park Rangers




PREVIEW


Sir Alex Ferguson has seen Queens Park Rangers remove Mark Hughes on the eve of their trip to Old Trafford and now believes even more that a win against the bottom club should be regulation, especially as there is not yet a Harry Redknapp or any other permanent successor to provide the 'bounce' factor that can often lift players after a managerial sacking. Instead, Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki, Hughes' long-term lieutenants, take charge against United, who have lost their last two in all competitions. This all points to a home rout. Jamie Jackson
Venue Old Trafford, Saturday 3pm
Tickets £30-52 (0161 868 8000)
Last season Man Utd 2 QPR 0
Referee Lee Probert
This season's matches 7 Y23, R1, 3.43 cards per game
Odds Man Utd 2-9 QPR 16-1 Draw 6-1
Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers: Probable starters in bold, contenders in light. Illustration: Graphic

Manchester United

Subs from Johnstone, Lindegaard, Bébé, Giggs, Büttner, Welbeck, Powell, Jones, Macheda, Henríquez, Fletcher, Cleverley, Anderson, Hernández, Wootton, Evans
Doubtful Evans (groin), Smalling (shoulder)
Injured Nani (hamstring, 1 Dec), Kagawa (knee, 9 Dec), Vidic (knee, 15 Dec)
Suspended None
Form guide LWWWWW
Disciplinary record Y20 R0
Leading scorer Van Persie 8

Queens Park Rangers

Subs from Cerny, Green, Murphy, Derry, Hill, Park, Wright-Phillips, Mackie, Dyer, Ephraim, Harriman, Ehmer, Mbia, Magri
Doubtful Ephraim (hamstring), Park (knee)
Injured Bosingwa (illness, 1 Dec), Zamora (hip, Jan), Johnson (knee, Mar)
Unavailable Da Silva (terms of loan)
Suspended None
Form guide LLDLDL
Disciplinary record Y19 R2
Leading scorer Zamora 3

UFC 154 St-Pierre vs. Condit

WINNER



Result
Georges St-Pierre defeated Carlos Condit via unanimous decision
ohny Hendricks defeated Martin Kampmann via first-round KO
Francis Carmont defeated Tom Lawlor via split decision
Pablo Garza defeated Mark Hominick via unanimous decision
Mark Bocek vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Patrick Cote defeated Alessio Sakara via disqualification
Cyrille Diabate defeated Chad Griggs via submission
Antonio Carvalho defeated Rodrigo Damm via split decision
John Makdessi defeated Sam Stout via unanimous decision
Matthew Riddle defeated John Maguire via unanimous decision
Ivan Menjivar defeated Azamat Gashimov via submission (armbar)
Darren Elkins defeated Steven Siler via unanimous decision




 Preview


Georges St-Pierre (22-2) vs. Carlos Condit (28-5)
Joyanna: I am so pumped for this fight. It’s awesome that the welterweight division will have a king reigning after this bout. I see this fight starting very technical with both fighters starting to feel their rhythm in the cage. I expect the Canadian champion to strike a little bit before taking this fight to the canvas. Once there, expect him to pound on Condit for several rounds. It won’t be easy, as Condit is dangerous off of his back. Then again, the man they call “Rush” has dealt with BJ Penn off of his back, so he’s very capable there. I predict that Georges St Pierre will have his first win via technical knock out in over 4 years.
Prediction: Georges St Pierre by TKO, Round 4
ESK: I think Condit is a bad match-up for anyone even when they’ve been competing in regular intervals. When you’ve been off for 18 months and are coming back from reconstructive knee surgery, he becomes an even more difficult foe. As great as I think GSP is – and I think he’s one of the best ever – I also think this is the most vulnerable he’s been in some time, and Condit will capitalize. The former WEC champ is aggressive, well-rounded, and isn’t going to be discouraged even if he gets driven into the canvas for two rounds. Somewhere in the third, GSP makes a mistake, and Condit takes advantage to become the undisputed welterweight champion.
Prediction: Carlos Condit by TKO, Round 3
Johny Hendricks (13-1) vs. Martin Kampmann (20-5)
ESK: These deserved far more attention than they got this week, and the winner of this one is very much deserving of a title shot.
While I think Hendricks will land a good shot early, Kampmann makes a habit of fighting out of rough patches, and is too technical on his feet for “Bigg Rigg.” He also has incredibly underrated takedown defense and a very good ground game too, so even if he does end up on the mat, it’s not the end of the world. Kampmann puts in a workmanlike effort and gets the nod on the cards.
Prediction: Martin Kampmann by Unanimous Decision
JS: In my humble opinion, I do believe that Kampmann has fought much tougher competition than Johny Hendricks. Yes, Hendricks is coming off an impressive win over Jon Fitch, but I don’t think he won his split decision win over Koscheck. Hendricks will have to come out fast in order to beat Kampmann. He has good wrestling and a great left hand, but we saw how Kampmann handled his last fight against Jake Ellenberger, a guy who comes at full speed and doesn’t stop. Kampmann was able to survive against “The Juggernaut” and finish him with beautiful knees. I see “The Hitman” walking through anything that Hendricks throws at him before taking him down and finishing him off with his amazing jiu-jitsu skills.
Prediction: Martin Kampmann by Submission, Round 3
Tom Lawlor (8-4, 1 NC) vs. Francis Carmont (19-7)
JS: To be honest, I don’t understand why the UFC put this fight on the main card, especially over John Makdessi vs. Sam Stout. Nonetheless, this should be a pretty good fight. Lawlor is a very up and down type fighter; he wins one fight and then loses the next. Carmont, on the other hand, is working on his fourth win in the UFC. Even though Carmont doesn’t have his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, his opponents have suffered with underestimating his game. Both these fighters are going to want to put on a great performance and show that they are still valuable to the UFC. I see this fight taking place all over the octagon with Carmont doing most of the damage. Carmont will dominate on the ground and will get the submission late in the second round.
Prediction: Francis Carmont by Submission, Round 2
ESK: I honestly don’t get why so many people are upset about this fight being on the main card. Carmont has won three straight, and this is a showcase opportunity for him. It’s not like the UFC hasn’t rolled out fights like this on the main card of a pay-per-view before, geesh!
Carmont has looked more at home and more improved with each performance, and as charismatic and entertaining as Lawlor is at open workouts, heading to the scales, and on his walk to the cage, I don’t think he makes it through the opening round of this one.
Prediction: Francis Carmont by TKO, Round 1
Costa Philippou (11-2, 1 NC) vs. Nick Ring (13-1)
ESK: I really like Nick Ring – nice guy, solid fighter, and he’s Canadian – but I really think he should be 1-3 in the UFC. Philippou, on the other hand, has earned his 4-1 mark, and is the kind of heavy hitting striker that is tough for anyone to beat. I expect Philippou to be more aggressive this time around, and land with force throughout the 15-minute affair, leaving little room for the judges to get it wrong, save for a complete Montreal Screwjob.
Prediction Costa Philippou by Unanimous Decision
JS: UFC 149 was a total disaster for the UFC, not so much for Nick Ring who was on the right side of his decision win against Court McGee when many, including myself, thought that McGee had won the fight. Both these fighters are very good on the ground and I like Costa’s style of brawling. I don’t think that Ring stands a chance against Philippou. Costa proved that he could take a poke in the eye late in the round in his last fight against Riki Fukuda, and yet still come out to finish him. Philippou will likely do the same thing to Ring. He has fought the tougher fights. This fight will go the distance with Philippou getting his hand raised.
Prediction Costa Philippou by Unanimous Decision
Pablo Garza (11-3) vs Mark Hominick (21-11)
JS: “The Scarecrow” hasn’t fought since May of this year, and coming off consecutive losses, Garza is looking for redemption. Hominick will also be looking to turn his luck around,coming into this one with three straight losses.
Both these fighters are very fast in their fights. I do see Hominick looking to be more technical like he was in his last fight (Eddie Yagin) which won Fight of the Night. I have played this fight over and over in my head and have had many different outcomes. I do believe that Hominick is going to feed off the Canadian crowd and push the pace. He has great takedown defense, which was shown in his fight against Jose Aldo and is very skilled with his hands. He reminds me of the bantamweight champ, Dominick Cruz. I see this fight going the distance with Hominick landing the more significant strikes. However, Garza is very good off his back and Hominick will have to avoid taking Garza down.
Prediction: Mark Hominick by Unanimous Decision
ESK: A lot of people think Hominick has enter “The Miguel Torres Zone” where he just doesn’t have anything left. I think those people are wrong, but I’m biased because I know Mark, I like Mark, and I want the best for Mark.
Here’s the thing: last year was insanely emotional for Hominick. I don’t think he should have remained in his fight with Chan Sung Jung at UFC 140, and while he made some mistakes early against Eddie Yagin, he still looked very good over the final round. Now that he’s had time to get settled into working with Jeff Curran, get refocused on his career, and put some of the ups and downs of dealing with the loss of his coach and best friend, I think we’ll see a return to form from “The Machine” in this one
Prediction: Mark Hominick by TKO, Round 2
Preliminary Card Predictions
Patrick Cote vs. Alessio Sakara
JS: Patrick Cote via unanimous decision
ESK: Patrick Cote by TKO, Round 1
Cyrille Diabate vs. Chad Griggs
JS: Chad Griggs via TKO, Round 3
ESK: Chad Griggs by TKO, Round 2
Mark Bocek vs. Rafael dos Anjos
JS: Rafael dos Anjos via Split Decision
ESK: Rafael dos Anjos by Unanimous Decision
John Makdessi vs. Sam Stout
JS: Sam Stout via KO, Round 2
ESK: Sam Stout by Unanimous Decision
Antonio Carvalho vs. Rodrigo Damm
JS: Antonio Carvalho via Unanimous Decision
ESK: Antonio Carvalho by Unanimous Decision
John Maguire vs. Matt Riddle
JS: Matt Riddle via TKO, Round 1
ESK: Matthew Riddle by Unanimous Decision
Azamat Gashimov vs. Ivan Menjivar
JS: Ivan Menjivar via Unanimous Decision
ESK: Ivan Menjivar by Unanimous Decision
Darren Elkins vs. Steven Siler
JS: Darren Elkins via Split Decision
ESK: Steven Siler by TKO, Round 1
ESK Main Card Record: 109-62-1
ESK Overall Record: 228-140-2, 1 NC

UFC Macao Franklin vs. Le

event close!!!


PREVIEW

Rich Franklin (29-6, 1 NC) vs. Cung Le (8-2)
As I said yesterday, I think this fight still has relevance to the middleweight division. Le is a highly marketable fighter who will likely get a slight boost in recognition from his role in The Man with the Iron Fists (in theatres now), and Franklin remains a good name, a solid fighter, and a company man, so you can be sure he’ll be near the top of the marquee a few more times in 2013.
While Le looked much better in his second UFC appearance than he did in his first, I still favour Franklin in this match-up. Though the former Strikeforce middleweight champion took a more measured approach with Patrick Cote at UFC 148 than he did with Wanderlei Silva at UFC 139, this fight is scheduled for five rounds, and I don’t see him being able to go 25 minutes with a savvy veteran like Franklin.
“Ace” knows how to win these fights, and his style is perfect for a bout with Le. The former middleweight champion and overlooked superstar likes to stay on the outside and work his lanky left jab, mixing in kicks periodically, and setting a tempo that isn’t hellacious, but is brisk enough that it can tire opponents out when they try to match it.
Outside of icing “The Iceman” at UFC 115, it’s been a while since Franklin stopped anyone, and I don’t expect that to change here. What we should get is another workman-like effort from Franklin where he picks his spots well, stays out of serious trouble, and earns a decision victory in the end.
Prediction: Rich Franklin by Unanimous Decision
Stanislav Nedkov (12-0) vs. Thiago Silva (14-3, 1 NC)
Silva has struggled mightily over the last few years, but Nedkov’s inexperience and lack of activity over the last 15 months has me leaning towards the Brazilian in this one.
When he was making his way up the light heavyweight ranks, Silva was a fearsome striker who came forward without hesitation, firing strikers with brute force and bad intentions. Unless Nedkov does a complete about-face from what we saw when he took on Luis Cane last August, Silva should encountered an opponent who is willing to trade shots in this one, and while Nedkov was able to get the better of Cane, I don’t think he can survive the type of onslaught I expect Silva to unleash.
Two other things play into my selection of Silva:
(1) I like that he’s switched camps and is now training with The Blackzilians. They’re a hard-working, dedicated group with very good coaching, and I think striking coach Henri Hooft will tap into the skills that made Silva so dangerous earlier in this career.
(2) This is do or die for the Brazilian. With everything he’s been through in the last couple years – one win in his last five fights and a one-year suspension – you would have to assume Silva is on a short leash with the UFC. If I know that, you can be sure that his team knows that, and the potential of being released should spur Silva on once he steps into the cage on Saturday.
Prediction: Thiago Silva by TKO, Round 1
Dong Hyun Kim (15-2-1, 1 NC) vs. Paulo Thiago (14-4)
I’m really intrigued by this fight simply because I have absolutely no idea what to expect.
Kim had the weird rib injury thing against Demian Maia earlier this year, looked just alright in beating Sean Pierson last winter, and was quickly dropped by Carlos Condit in the fight before that. Thiago, as I mentioned yesterday, has struggled mightily since beating Mike Swick, so much so that he could be on his way out of the UFC if he comes out on the wrong side of things here.
As much as I like Kim’s control-based grappling game – especially in the clinch along the cage – I think Thiago is the better all-around fighter, and it will show in this one. Kim’s hands have never been that impressive, and I think Thiago will be able to land fairly easily when the two are in space. Once the fight moves to close quarters, the Brazilian has the submission game to keep Kim from over-committing in the clinch. Even if Kim is able to get this fight to the ground, I believe Thiago has the ability to be effective off his back, either threatening with submissions or getting back up to his feet to reset.
Just like Silva, I think Thiago knows he doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room heading into this one, and we should get a much better performance from him here.
Prediction: Paulo Thiago by Submission, Round 2
Mac Danzig (21-9-1) vs. Takanori Gomi (33-8, 1 NC)
This one really comes down to whether or not Gomi is able to land one of his overhand right fastballs on Danzig, and I don’t think he will.
As much as Danzig has struggled to find consistency over his 10-fight UFC career, he’s been in there with some solid competition, and also acquitted himself well, even in defeat. Gomi, on the other hand, has been a disappointment since debuting with the organization in March 2010. While some of that definitely comes from unfairly high expectations, he struggled in the opening round of his UFC 144 win over Eiji Mitsuoka, which doesn’t bode well for his chances here.
Part of what did Mitsuoka in back in February was his conditioning, but that won’t be a problem for Danzig. I expect the former Ultimate Fighter winner to close the distance behind his hands, and dominate Gomi in this one. The former Pride Bushido star has been finished in each of his three UFC losses, and was rocked at one point against Mitsuoka, so I expect Danzig comes away with a submission win here.
Prediction: Mac Danzig by Submission, Round 2
Alex Caceres (7-5) vs. Motonobu Tezuka (19-4)
I am an Alex Caceres convert.
When he first started in the UFC, I wasn’t a big fan; I thought he spent too much time being happy just to be in the UFC and worrying about his dancing/outfit/Bruce Leeroy thing, and it showed in the cage. Since moving to bantamweight, however, the former Ultimate Fighter contestant has looked very good, and would be riding a three-fight winning streak into this one if not for a crazy two-point deduction and some wonky scores in his bout with Edwin Figueroa.
Tezuka, who took this fight on short notice after Road FC champion Kyung Ho Kang was forced to withdraw, hasn’t fought since April, and while he’s the far more seasoned of the two, stepping up to the big stage without time to properly prepare is usually a recipe for defeat.
Caceres uses his length well, and is always hunting for submissions when he’s on the ground. If he keeps the fight standing, I think he can pick Tezuka apart from range, and if they go to the ground, I anticipate “Bruce Leeroy” finding a submission. Either way, Caceres should go home with a victory.
Prediction: Alex Caceres by Submission, Round 2
Jon Tuck (6-0) vs. Tiequan Zhang (15-3)
This is a great opportunity for Tuck, a TUF 15 tryout who lost to finalist Al Iaquinta in the elimination round and suffered a gnarly broken toe in the process.
Zhang is 2-3 under the Zuffa banner (1-1 WEC, 1-2 UFC) and his only UFC win was a complete gift againt Jason Reinhardt at UFC 127. He tries for roughly 382 guillotine chokes per fight, and was slept by Issei Tamura last time out. Provided Tuck doesn’t leave his neck exposed, I think the 6-0 Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter who has earned consecutive first-round knockout wins should come away with a victory in his UFC debut.