(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The phrase “most anticipated fight of the year” is thrown around very liberally in the landscape of mixed martial arts, and has long since become overstated in respect to both frequency and descriptiveness. Saturday night’s UFC 148, however, boasts a match-up that truly is the most anticipated fight of the year, if not of the past two years since the headlining combatants first met in August 2010. In just over 24 hours, one of the biggest scores in recent MMA history will be settled when long-reigning UFC Middleweight Champion “The Spider” Anderson Silva (31-4) comes face to face with boisterous, professional wrestling-esque smack talker Chael Sonnen (27-11-1), who in their first meeting came all too close to handing Silva his first loss in over four years before being submitted late in the fifth round. Directly supporting the ultimate grudge match of a main event is a rubber match between former champions and staples of the UFC, Forrest Griffin (18-7) and “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (16-10-1). Revered 185lbs. striker Cung Le (7-2) welcomes fellow heavy-hitter “The Predator” Patrick Cote (17-7) back to the Octagon after a two-year-long UFC hiatus. Welterweights “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim (15-1-1) and Demian Maia (15-4) will compete in what is sure to be a battle on the mat. Former top 145lbs. contender “Money” Chad Mendes (11-1) will square off with TUF alum “AK Kid” Cody McKenzie (13-2), preceded by a bantamweight affair between “The Hulk” Mike Easton (12-1) and “The Pride of El Salvador” Ivan Menjivar (24-8). The winners and losers of UFC 148 have yet to be determined, but here are the MMA Gospel staff’s picks of who is likely to come out on top.
Dan Griffin, MMA Gospel CEO
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen: Sonnen via Unanimous Decision
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz: Griffin via Unanimous Decision
Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote: Le via Unanimous Decision
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia: Kim via Unanimous Decision
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie: Mendes via Unanimous Decision
Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton: Menjivar via TKO (Strikes), Round 2
Mallory Mejia, MMA Gospel Editor-in-Chief
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen: Silva via TKO (Strikes), Round 2
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz: Griffin via Unanimous Decision
Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote: Le via TKO (Strikes), Round 1
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia: Maia via Unanimous Decision
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie: Mendes via Unanimous Decision
Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton: Menjivar via TKO (Punches), Round 2
TJ Martinez, MMA Gospel Staff Writer
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen: Silva via Unanimous Decision
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz: Griffin via Unanimous Decision
Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote: Cote via TKO (Strikes), Round 1
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia: Maia via Submission (Triangle Choke), Round 2
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie: Mendes via Unanimous Decision
Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton: Menjivar via Split Decision
Cole Moorman, MMA Gospel Staff Writer
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen: Sonnen via Unanimous Decision
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz: Ortiz via Split Decision
Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote: Cote via KO (Punches), Round 2
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia: Maia via Submission (Arm-Triangle), Round 3
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie: Mendes via TKO (Punches), Round 1
Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton: Menjivar via TKO (Ground-and-P0und), Round 1
Ronald Young Jr., MMA Gospel Staff Writer
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen: Silva via (T)KO (Knees & Punches), Round 2
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz: Griffin via Unanimous Decision
Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote: Le via KO (Head Kick), Round 1
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia: Maia via Submission (Triangle Choke), Round 2
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie: McKenzie via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Round 2
Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton: Menjivar via Split Decision
Matt Homeyer, MMA Gospel Staff Writer
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen: Silva via KO (Punch), Round 3
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz: Ortiz via TKO (Punches), Round 2
Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote: Le via KO (Head Kick), Round 2
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia: Kim via Unanimous Decision
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie: Mendes via KO (Punch), Round 2
Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton: Easton via KO (Punch), Round 1
Spilled Bag of Ice, MMA Gospel Guest Columnist & “Spilled Bag of Podcast” Host
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen: Sonnen via TKO (Punches & Elbows), Round 4
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz: Griffin via Unanimous Decision
Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote: Le via TKO (Kicks & Punches), Round 2
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia: Kim via Unanimous Decision
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie: McKenzie via Submission (“McKenzietine”), Round 2
Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton: Easton via Unanimous Decision
