UFC on FOX 5: Henderson vs. Diaz Predictions

Mike Easton is a 28 year old Mixed Martial Artist who trains out of Alliance MMA / Team Loyd Irvin. Easton holds a black belt in BJJ (promoted in 2007) as well as a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Easton is 13 – 1 overall with 4 wins by knockout, 2 by submission and 7 be decision. In his first UFC fight he TKO’d Byron Bloodworth with knees and punches, in his second fight he defeated the game Jared Papazian by decision. Outside the UFC Easton has notable wins over John Dodson (split) and Josh Ferguson (guillotine choke) and a controversial split decision over Chase Beebe which was named Sherdog’s robbery of the year. Basically Beebe controlled Easton on the ground for 4 of the 5 rounds, a lot of the time spent in back mount and in dominant positions, the judges gave it to Easton after 5 rounds, terrible, terrible judging. In his last UFC fight Easton won a lackluster decision over Ivan Menvijar.

Prediction – I might give the edge to Raphael if he was not coming in on short notice.  I think Easton will be a little sharper overall while landing more standing and shrugging off a few take-downs from Assuncao, even coming in on short notice I think this will be super close and go to the Judges so better beware, never know what the judges are seeing up there. Easton by split decision.

Mike Easton is a 28 year old Mixed Martial Artist who trains out of Alliance MMA / Team Loyd Irvin. Easton holds a black belt in BJJ (promoted in 2007) as well as a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Easton is 13 – 1 overall with 4 wins by knockout, 2 by submission and 7 be decision. In his first UFC fight he TKO’d Byron Bloodworth with knees and punches, in his second fight he defeated the game Jared Papazian by decision. Outside the UFC Easton has notable wins over John Dodson (split) and Josh Ferguson (guillotine choke) and a controversial split decision over Chase Beebe which was named Sherdog’s robbery of the year. Basically Beebe controlled Easton on the ground for 4 of the 5 rounds, a lot of the time spent in back mount and in dominant positions, the judges gave it to Easton after 5 rounds, terrible, terrible judging. In his last UFC fight Easton won a lackluster decision over Ivan Menvijar.

Prediction – I might give the edge to Raphael if he was not coming in on short notice.  I think Easton will be a little sharper overall while landing more standing and shrugging off a few take-downs from Assuncao, even coming in on short notice I think this will be super close and go to the Judges so better beware, never know what the judges are seeing up there. Easton by split decision.

Raphael has been fighting top competition at the lower weight classes for years. He has faced opponents such as Urijah Faber, Joe Lauzon, Erik Koch, Diego Nunes and Jorge Masvidal. Raphael holds a black belt in BJJ but also has a notable background in kickboxing. He possesses fast and heavy leg kicks and usually prefers to counter strike. His bottom game is threating but he has a tendency to keep his hands low. He recently made the drop down to 135 where he has rattled off two wins, his last a KO over Issei Tamura.

Dennis Siver   vs.   Nam Phan  
Preliminary Card | Featherweight | 145 lbs (65.8 kg)

Phan (5’6) 17 - 10

Phan is a Vietnamese-American that has been studying martial arts since a very young age. He started Taekwondo at age 4, by 16 earned a 2^nd degree black belt in a Vietnamese martial art called Quyen Dao. Phan would begin training Jiu-jitsu in 2000 and has achieved the rank of black belt. Nam also holds a black belt in Karate and has professional boxing record of 3 – 1. Phan’s record of 17 – 10 is pedestrian at best, however most of his loses are to elite competition at the lower weight classes. Rob McCullough, Josh Thomson, Gesias Cavalcante, Billy Evangelista, Michihiro Omigawa, Isaac DeJesus, Leonard Garcia (ya right Phan won that fight), Mike Brown and the wrecking ball that is Jimy Hettes. Phan has great boxing, good combinations and some of the best body shots in the division.

Siver (5’7) 20 – 8

A talented kick boxer fighting out of Germany, Siver was sitting near the top of the heap in the hunt for lightweight title contention before Muay-Thai wrecking ball Donald Cerrone dropped Siver with a head kick and subsequently choked him out. This prompted Siver to make the drop down to 145 where I believe he is more suited for as he stands only 5’7. He would take a razor thin decision over Diego Nunes in his first fight at 145 for a successful weight cut. Siver is a purple belt in BJJ and holds a black belt in Taekwondo. Siver stand up is his real strength, he possess top notch foot work and head movement, above average power in his hands and definitely in his kicks, good take-down defense and is built like a brick house.  Although Siver realizes his bread and butter is his slick striking, he is willing to shoot in for a take-down to score points, he secured a take-down on Matt Wiman in the first round of their fight after defending Wimann’s take-down attempts and at least attempted to take down the slippery Diego Nunes.

Prediction – Nam Phan is always game but he will struggle with the stand-up of Siver and will not be able to take the German down. Siver by KO in the third.