My UFC 321 picks. Stone Cold Picks of the Week, of the Year

[CroCopsLHK]

Aleksander Racic vs Azamat Murzakanov
Perhaps the hardest fight to pick. Theres simply not a lot of information. Azamat is climbing and undefeated but its now or never for an inactive Aleksander who is probably desperate for a win

Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Alameida
I can see Jailton finding a takedown early but Volkov is quietly one of the best heavyweights and will not be submitted. He still has it, much more big fight experience, too large. See his fight with Werdum

Umar Nurmogomedov vs Mario Bautista
The fight is much more competitive than the odds would say. Still Umar has championship experience against Merab and its still sort of his time. I see him imposing his will and where the fight will occur

Mackenzie Dern vs Virna Jandiroba
I hope Im wrong. If it's striking I may give a slight edge to Mackenzie but it will be a grappling match. My heart says Mackenzie but my head says Virna. She seems to have grown more from their last fight. She is a relentless grappler and though Dern may be more credentialed Virna is functional, filthy, evolving. Its still a very strange matchup I wouldn't put money on either

Tom Aspinall vs Cyril Gane
I know all the interesting problems Gane presents to Tom and all his skills. The narrative of he needs to finish him faster than Jones is irrelevant because everything is different now. Instead of analyzing the ins and outs I just feel Ganes inability to capitalize on title fights is the real outlier. Sure he won the IC against Lewis and sometimes he's the hammer but against the very best he's underperformed. For whatever reason

 

[BFoe]

That seemed like a very indecisive set of stone cold picks.

 

[Gabe]

I agree with all of your picks except for Volkov. I think Jailton will smother him and submit him.

 

[CroCopsLHK]

That seemed like a very indecisive set of stone cold picks.

Picks are not without nuance. What's stone cold is cemententing the pick

 

[Thy]

I'll let u know my pics after the fights are done. Fair warning i'm always right when i do that.

 

[rear naked ankle pick]

That seemed like a very indecisive set of stone cold picks.

welcome to the mod team

 

[Luthien]

 

[Harlekin]

I got Tom and Umar - quelle surprise

And I got the UFC trying everything that's possible to have Derm winning.
Virna - I forgot her name for the 6th time, has 60k followers containing mostly bots and hardcore lesbians. Derm has 1,6 Million.
So Derm gets 1-2 points on the cards and Virna probably had the loudest hotel room and food from yesterday.

Mackenzie's ass, tits and feet were too much in the embedded for the UFC to lose money here.
They don't want Virna near a title shot, or they can close that division.

 

[Spath]

I’ll give you 2 out of 5 of those picks.

 

[The_Renaissance]

Aleksander Racic vs Azamat Murzakanov
Perhaps the hardest fight to pick. Theres simply not a lot of information. Azamat is climbing and undefeated but its now or never for an inactive Aleksander who is probably desperate for a win

If Rakic wins, it'll be boring as fuck, it's his only route to victory. I think Murzakanov catches him late, he seems to retain his power pretty well. I don't expect a very good fight until then, though.

Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Alameida
I can see Jailton finding a takedown early but Volkov is quietly one of the best heavyweights and will not be submitted. He still has it, much more big fight experience, too large. See his fight with Werdum

Almeida runs riot on him, IMO. Quick takedown, Volkov survives the 1st but gets tapped in the 2nd.

Umar Nurmogomedov vs Mario Bautista
The fight is much more competitive than the odds would say. Still Umar has championship experience against Merab and its still sort of his time. I see him imposing his will and where the fight will occur

I don't think Umar has too much trouble with him, but won't finish him.

Mackenzie Dern vs Virna Jandiroba
I hope Im wrong. If it's striking I may give a slight edge to Mackenzie but it will be a grappling match. My heart says Mackenzie but my head says Virna. She seems to have grown more from their last fight. She is a relentless grappler and though Dern may be more credentialed Virna is functional, filthy, evolving. Its still a very strange matchup I wouldn't put money on either

Initially I picked Dern, I've changed my mind though, Jandiroba by decision.

Tom Aspinall vs Cyril Gane
I know all the interesting problems Gane presents to Tom and all his skills. The narrative of he needs to finish him faster than Jones is irrelevant because everything is different now. Instead of analyzing the ins and outs I just feel Ganes inability to capitalize on title fights is the real outlier. Sure he won the IC against Lewis and sometimes he's the hammer but against the very best he's underperformed. For whatever reason

I think Aspinall takes him down and taps him.

 

[xhaydenx]

Mackenzie Dern vs Virna Jandiroba
I hope Im wrong. If it's striking I may give a slight edge to Mackenzie but it will be a grappling match. My heart says Mackenzie but my head says Virna. She seems to have grown more from their last fight. She is a relentless grappler and though Dern may be more credentialed Virna is functional, filthy, evolving. Its still a very strange matchup I wouldn't put money on either

Man, Virna is getting slower and worse. She looked like shit against Loopy. Looked good against Lemos because Lemos isn't a good grappler.

The issue Virna is going to have is that Dern won't be afraid to just barrel through her on the feet. Dern wasn't afraid to do it at all against Andrade and Lemos, despite eating bombs over and over. She wasn't afraid last time they fought either. She's a better striker than she was back then as well. She'll do the same thing again this time.

 

[Deltron 6060]

Man, Virna is getting slower and worse. She looked like shit against Loopy. Looked good against Lemos because Lemos isn't a good grappler.

The issue Virna is going to have is that Dern won't be afraid to just barrel through her on the feet. Dern wasn't afraid to do it at all against Andrade and Lemos, despite eating bombs over and over. She wasn't afraid last time they fought either. She's a better striker than she was back then as well. She'll do the same thing again this time.

What an absolutely terrible comparison, Dern lost to both Lemos & Andrade .

 

[mkess101]

What an absolutely terrible comparison, Dern lost to both Lemos & Andrade .

Sure, but unlike those two Virna poses exactly zero threat standing. And while she's a very good grappler, she was petrified to take Dern down the first time so not sure what's changed.

Virna's ptv seems narrow. Cage hugging control for enough time to win rounds.

 

[bng]

i called Steve Austin and he said he didnt make any picks
reported

 

[Doughie99]

Aleksander Racic vs Azamat Murzakanov
Perhaps the hardest fight to pick. Theres simply not a lot of information. Azamat is climbing and undefeated but its now or never for an inactive Aleksander who is probably desperate for a win

Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Alameida
I can see Jailton finding a takedown early but Volkov is quietly one of the best heavyweights and will not be submitted. He still has it, much more big fight experience, too large. See his fight with Werdum

Umar Nurmogomedov vs Mario Bautista
The fight is much more competitive than the odds would say. Still Umar has championship experience against Merab and its still sort of his time. I see him imposing his will and where the fight will occur

Mackenzie Dern vs Virna Jandiroba
I hope Im wrong. If it's striking I may give a slight edge to Mackenzie but it will be a grappling match. My heart says Mackenzie but my head says Virna. She seems to have grown more from their last fight. She is a relentless grappler and though Dern may be more credentialed Virna is functional, filthy, evolving. Its still a very strange matchup I wouldn't put money on either

Tom Aspinall vs Cyril Gane
I know all the interesting problems Gane presents to Tom and all his skills. The narrative of he needs to finish him faster than Jones is irrelevant because everything is different now. Instead of analyzing the ins and outs I just feel Ganes inability to capitalize on title fights is the real outlier. Sure he won the IC against Lewis and sometimes he's the hammer but against the very best he's underperformed. For whatever reason

You said " Volkov......will not be submitted".

Ummm....Have you watched the Aspinall vs Volkov fight??

Volkov got SUBBED.

 

[Streeter]

If Tom cant finish him in rd 1 imo he gets frustrated and it becomes a distance fight that im insure Aspinal has the cardio to do given hes coming in heavy an flabby.

I think Gane has a better shot than folls think

Bautista imo gives Umar all he can hsndle

 

[FEDORFAN44]

Murzakanov
Almeida
Umar
Gane

 

[xhaydenx]

What an absolutely terrible comparison, Dern lost to both Lemos & Andrade .

How is it a terrible comparison? Lol do you even know who we're talking about here?

Virna is not Lemos or Andrade, is she? She isn't some power puncher who can check Dern's aggression when Dern comes charging in, and Dern isn't going to be terrified of grappling with Virna like other fighters are.

Dern literally beat Virna like this already. Virna couldn't deal with the pressure and was too afraid to really grapple with her and lost easily.