Now, I don't want Conor McGregor-bashing to be the theme of my articles... I mean, yes, I may have given him a slight bashing - perhaps more of a tapping, or light spanking, if you will - in two of the three articles that I've written for TheODDSbible, but that doesn't mean anything really.
Who hasn't wanted to lightly spank the little Irishman? (Sidenote: this is the name of my first erotic novel, out in time for Christmas). However, to quickly summarise why, on a level of angry, I'm right up at Tugging-on-your-Testicles-until-a-little-bit-of-poo-comes-out-of-your-bottom-Furious:
Firstly, he's never defended his Featherweight Title. Georges Saint-Pierre defended his Welterweight strap 9 times and didn't receive a shot at another belt, and Anderson Silva retained his Middleweight Championship ten times and he didn't get a sniff at the Light Heavyweight title, despite actually winning three times at that weight in the UFC.
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The Notorious One hasn't fought at Lightweight once since being with the company... yet McGregor receives a Lightweight title shot. He goes 1-1 at Welterweight, getting dominated and finished in the first fight and winning a dubious decision in the second... yet McGregor receives a Lightweight title shot. Dana White announced that Khabib Nurmagomedov would be getting the championship fight against Alvarez and not McGregor... yet McGregor receives a Lightweight title shot.
White also repeatedly stated that he was forcing McGregor to defend his Featherweight belt next, or he would be stripped of it, now he's gone back on his word (shock horror) by letting McGregor keep the title... and McGregor receives a Lightweight title shot.
I'm not mad at McGregor. I mean; the fact he takes a lot of photos of himself posing in expensive clothes is a bit cringeworthy (you ain't Kim Kardashian, babe), but it's the UFC's fault; not his. Who wouldn't want to make history and be the first fighter to hold two belts in different weight-classes at the same time? Randy Couture never did it, BJ Penn tried and failed, Jon Jones may never get there... but McGregor can, and will. He's already said he wants to be immortalised in the images of him holding both the Featherweight and Lightweight belts aloft in the octagon: his name well and truly etched into the record books forevermore.
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He's such a colossal draw - sidenote: I misspelled 'colossal' slightly and my computer auto-corrected it to 'coleslaw'. He's such a money making machine that he has been able to hold the UFC to ransom. I believe he beats Alvarez. McGregor has stated that he'll knock the champ out in the first, and while he's been worryingly accurate with his predictions thus far, I don't think it will be quite that quick.
I do think he'll finish Alvarez with strikes, but closer to the third round mark. I am consoling myself with the fact that when he comes up against the aforementioned Nurmagomedov, he is getting destroyed in a most coleslaw way. No amount of photographs of him making the international gesture for 'oooooh look at me, I've got a lot of money' are going to help him save face; he's getting BEASTED by the Russian... which is coincidentally the title of my second erotic novel.
Official prediction: Conor McGregor def. Eddie Alvarez by T/KO (Rounds 3 or 4).
UFC 205 Main Card Predictions:
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Meisha Tate def. Raquel Pennington by Decision
Tate is tough as nails. She may never get that elusive win over arch nemesis Ronda Rousey, but she'll run through whoever it takes to at least get the opportunity again. 'Rocky' is a tough test for Tate, but I think that the former Women's Bantamweight Champion grinds out a decision, setting up either a rematch with Holm, a superfight with Cyborg or even a farewell fight with Rousey.
Donald Cerrone def. Kelvin Gastelum by Decision
I'm tempted to say that Cerrone will win this by stopping Gastelum with strikes. 'Cowboy' has looked unstoppable at welterweight, going 3-0 since moving up after losing to former Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos.
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However, Gastelum is incredibly durable; he's never been finished and he's beaten some of the best fighters in the world at 170lbs.
However however, Cerrone keeps improving and his fluid striking style and clear reach advantage could see him catch Gastelum with something and finish the fight, I mean, in his last outing he stopped the ultra tough Rick Story.
However however however, the safest bet is a 'Cowboy' decision. Expect Cerrone to use his length and speed to avoid being forced up against the cage by Gastelum and pick the little southpaw apart, in a potential Fight of the Night winning bout.
Chris Weidman def. Yoel Romero by Decision
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It does seem as if I'm expecting a decision-heavy card, but this is the last one. Weidman had been utterly flawless in every one of his UFC bouts before the first loss of his career, and the loss of his middleweight title, to Luke Rockhold in December of last year.
Yoel Romero has a little undefeated streak of his own, going 7-0 in the promotion. Romero is an incredibly strong grappler, but then so is Weidman; he's prone to knocking guys out cold; but then so is Weidman.
These two are evenly matched and both rightfully sitting at the top of the UFC rankings for a reason, but I just think that Weidman is better. He's got the crisper stand-up and his world renowned wrestling is superior. I think the Luke loss was a fluke loss, and I see the New York native beating everyone on his road back to the Rockhold rematch.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk def Karolina Kowalkiewicz by T/KO
In the battle of the undefeated strawweights, I can't see past the champ Jędrzejczyk prevailing. If she was American, she'd be as big as Rousey right now. The girl is dynamite; her kickboxing is world class and she has controlled every fight she's had in the octagon.
In a five round fight I think she'll catch Kowalkiewicz - who is no slouch herself when it comes to Muay Thai - with something late on and force the referee to stop the fight. I don't see Jędrzejczyk losing her UFC Strawweight strap any time soon, and the fact that she simply gets better and better in every fight she has is incredibly exciting.
Stephen Thompson def. Tyron Woodley by T/KO
On paper this is the classic wrestler vs striker matchup that the Ultimate Fighting Championship was built on, but delve a little deeper and you'll see that it isn't necessarily as black and white as that. Yes, Woodley is a grappler; an NCAA Division wrestler, but he's got heavy hands... just look at the savage way he took the welterweight championship off Robbie Lawler.
Thompson is very much an out-and-out striker, this is evident with his knockout wins over Jake Ellenberger and former welterweight champion Jonny Hendricks. But, it was his last win, a decision nod over one of the best 170lb fighters in the world, grappler Rory MacDonald that showed 'Wonderboy' can hang with a different kind of opponent. If Thompson can avoid the takedown and keep Woodley at bay with his karate offence, then I see him getting the highlight knockout win and taking the belt.
Words by: Tom Holmes
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