The Ultimate Fighter Finale 23: Team Joanna vs. Team Cláudia

I’ve been told I go way too deep into the analysis of my fight picks were I look deeper than I need to go.  I have taken this into consideration and just picked who I thought was going to win rather than super analyze every pick. 

Joanna Jędrzejczyk vs Cláudia Gadelha

Jędrzejczyk Decision

Andrew Sanchez vs Khalil Rountree

Rountree 1^st TKO

Amanda Cooper vs Tatiana Suarez

Tatiana 2^nd Sub

Ross Pearson vs Will Brooks

Brooks Decision                                               

Doo Ho Choi vs Thiago Tavares

Doo Ho Choi 1^st KO                         

Joaquim Silva vs Andrew Holbrook

Juaquin Silva Decision                                   

Gray Maynard vs Fernando Bruno

Fernando Bruno 2^nd KO                                

John Moraga vs Matheus Nicolau

Moraga 2^nd Sub                                

Cezar Ferreira vs Anthony Smith

Smith 2^nd RD KO                                                               

Cory Hendricks vs. Josh Stansbury

Josh Stansbury decision

Jake Matthews vs Kevin Lee

Mathews 3^rd KO                                                              

Li Jingliang vs Anton Zafir

Jinglang 1^st KO

My Draft King Picks

Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs Claudia Gadelha

This is basically going to be the same fight as last time. Joanna is going to have the striking advantage and Claudia is going to have the grappling advantage.  Just like the last fight Joanna is going to tag Claudia with big shots and Claudia is going to take down Joanna.  The only difference is that this fight is going to be 5 rounds and just like the last fight Claudia won’t be able to hold Joanna down and she is going to get caught with big shots.  Joanna almost finished her in the first round of their fight and Claudia takedown game was wearing her down and she was visibly exhausted in-between rounds.  With each round starting on the feet I have to give the fight to Joanna. Joanna by Decision

Khalil Rountree vs Andrew Sanchez

In my new true form of picking fights.  I don’t remember Andrew’s fight to get into his house but he was able to negate Light skinned Dynamite flashy kick boxing game.  But here are the facts Khalil is a finisher with KO power.  He is fast and explosive and proved that he has the ability to keep the fight on feet now.  So expect Sanchez to take the fight to the ground and look for Khalil to drop his hips back and sprawl.  Watch out for the KO because that’s what Khalil is going to do to Andrew Sanchez.

Khalil 1^st RD KO

Jake Matthews vs Kevin Lee

This is going to be a crossroads fight for both fighters actually.  Lee is the bigger fighter who will try to use take downs to win the fight but Matthews has more tools offensively. Kevin Lee has not shown me anything that I found impressive and Jake Matthews being the Justin Bieber look alike and on top of that Australian,  keeps surprising me. Jake Matthews 3^rd Sub

Li Jingliang vs Anton Zafir

Li Jingliang lost his last fight. He was winning until his opponent pulled a come from behind transition into rear naked choke submission.  Then we have our next fighter in this matchup,  Anton, who how lost in his UFC debut in the first round showing no skill at all. He let a karate based fighter with no ground game take him down and showed us that Anton Zafir is only in the UFC because someone pulled out of UFC 193 on less than a week notice and no one wanted to take a 35 hour  flight to Australia so they grabbed some Aussie no one ever heard to fill the space.  Anton Zafir is here because of contractual issues, He has the standard two fight deal. He gets another fight, I don’t expect this fight to go beyond 3 minutes.  That’s right I’m not even giving Anton the respect of an entire round.  Li destruction first round.  

Gray Maynard vs Fernando Bruno

I will tell you right now I don’t remember the Fernando Bruno’s last fight.  It was probably boring I remember Bruno liking to hump dudes against the cage.  I’m not going to go back and watch that fight? You know why because Bruno is fighting Maynard that’s why.  I’m not even going to Sherdog Bruno’s record.  You know why? BECAUSE HE IS FUCKING FIGTING GRAY MAYNARD!!!.  Maynard has lost his last four fights.  He’s been knocked out in 3 of the 4.  He was badly hurt in the last one but his opponent had made the cut down from welterweight and was not in the condition to finish the fight when, SURPRISE, Gray Maynard got rocked.  That’s my break down Maynard doesn’t have a chin. So instead of retiring he is going to cut down to 145 so he can be more dehydrated so he can be even more acceptable to brain damage. That’s my breakdown Maynard is going to die in the cage.