PRIDE FC brings us the conclusion to "Total Elimination" - "Final Conflict" this coming Sunday. It's a solid card that undoubtedly will be exciting. Here are my predictions for the card:

Gary “Big Daddy" Goodridge vs. Dan “The Bull” Bobish
Looks like Big Daddy is taking on another dangerous puncher. This fight won’t go the distance -
Guaranteed. Big Daddy has the speed and power to knock out Bobish but let’s not forget Bobish is no cream puff. He is a heavy hitter himself. If Bobish is to win, he needs to rush Big Daddy with punches and not get knocked out in the process. Tall order, but not impossible. Bobish then needs to take him down, get on top of him and rain punches to the face of Big Daddy and connect for the knock out or until the ref stops the fight. Bottom line, I think Big Daddy should be able to knock out Bobish in the first round.

Al - Gary Goodridge by KO

SN - Gary Goodridge by KO

Tournament Fight 1 - Quenton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell

Liddell is there to make a statement. The sole representative of the UFC. He’ll want to end this fight quickly.  Rampage will probably hold off the big artillery until he gets a feel for Liddell. They’ll probably exchange some good punches in the opening minutes of the fight. Rampage will not panic though. Rampage will be focused and in control. For Liddell to win, he’ll need to fight Rampage from the outside - use his kicks wisely. He’ll also have to punch more straight instead of around. Liddell has great kicks and he’ll need to use them on Rampage - go to the thighs outside and then inside - confuse Rampage and then land a straight left, right combo. But my guess is that Liddell will charge in and guess what -  “SLAM!” -  yes, Rampage will slam Liddell.  The fight will go back and forth between the fighters but in the second round, Liddell will come in and Rampage will catch him with some straight rights that will send Liddell down. And Rampage will not let that opportunity go by, he’ll follow him down with punches and maybe a kick, catching Liddell many times and putting him out.  Rampage is in the final.

Al - Rampage by TKO

SN - Rampage by decision

Tournament Fight 2 - Wanderlei Silva vs. Hidehiko Yoshida

Silva by knock out. Oh, wait a minute; I’m supposed to write something. Yoshida might wear… what am I saying? Yoshida’s only chance is to wear a Gi but Silva is too focused and knows how to defend very well. Yoshida cannot wait and let Silva throw blows because he'll get hurt. He needs to rush Silva with his guard up and grab him and take him down right away. Yoshida needs to get Silva’s back - from there, work a choke to an arm bar and back to a choke. He needs to get Silva on the ground to look for submissions. But most important, he cannot give Silva a target - especially the face. Silva will be able to pull away from any trouble though, and knock out Yoshida. Silva in Final.

Al - Silva by KO

SN - Silva by TKO

 
Tournament Reserve Match - Dan Henderson vs. Murilo Bustamante
Henderson will be a nonstop punching machine. He is hungry coming of his injury and Bustamante will not be able to stop him. I’ll give it until the second round before Henderson catches Bustamante with a right that will stun him. From there, Henderson will be a machine gun of punches until  the ref steps in and stops the fight. Winner Henderson by TKO. By my counter-part doesn't see it quite the same way. He feels that this match is a toss up and that it will go the distance. 

Al - Henderson by TKO

SN - Bustamante by split decision

Heath Herring vs. Norihisa Yamamoto

Herring will come out strong and impose his will on Yamamoto. Yamamoto will strike back but it won’t be enough. What Yamamoto needs to do is come in and work the inside, and as Herring is backing up, he needs to throw a right cross or a high kick to catch Herring in transition. After he stuns him, if he didn’t knock him out, he needs to rush him with punches to the face and be ready to sprawl and stop the takedown. Basically, Yamamoto needs to catch Herring with a few punches to the face until he goes down and out. But I think Herring will just keep on coming and send Yamamoto to the ground. He will follow with more punches until it’s declared a TKO.

Al - Herring by TKO

SN - Herring by TKO

Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Kevin Randleman
Oh man, why can’t Saku just get healthy? Sakuraba will act like he wants to stand-up and punch but it’s just an act to make Randleman come in for the takedown. Randleman needs to stun or hurt Sakuraba on top, then take him down with a slam to keep Sakuraba hurt. Randleman better not let him recover - Randleman needs to go off on him with a quick and hard ground and pound until the ref steps in and stops the fight. But I think as Randleman takes Sakuraba down, Sakuraba will catch him with a submission somewhere in the second round.

Al - Sakuraba by submission

SN - Sakuraba by submission

 
Micro “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira

Nogueira will not be able to hold Cro Cop down, if he is able to take him down. Cro Cop has improved tremendously on his takedown defense but Nogueira has not fought anyone with the power and speed of Cro Cop. Nogueira needs to fake like he is going to stand with Cro Cop but as Cro Cop comes in, clinch and take him down to the ground. He should go for something that Cro Cop is not expecting - he needs to go for the legs, either for a knee bar or a toe hold and submit him that way. But I think that Cro Cop will land punches as he sets up his kicks and we all know that a kick to the head will come but that’s not what he is going to knock him out with. It will come from punches.

Al - Cro Cop by KO

SN - Nogueira by submission


And for the Tournament Final, my two are: 

Quenton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva
This fight will go into the second round. Silva will start getting desperate from not being able to take out Rampage early and that will lead to him opening up and taking chances. Silva needs to come in and work close, that is where he is best. He needs to use his speed and power to get Rampage out of his rhythm. Once he does that, he should deliver a kick, then come back with a overhand right to Rampage’s face that will send him down and follow it up with kicks until the ref steps in. If he can do that, Silva will win by TKO. But I think Rampage will frustrate Silva. In the second round, Rampage will see this and make Silva pay for taking chances. He will set it up with a leg kick, then deliver a stiff jab and a straight right sending Silva down and out. Rampage tournament champion.

Al - Rampage by KO

SN - Rampage by decision 

I wish all the fighters the best,

AL

card subject to change

(11/5/03)

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