(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The UFC 149 main card has been one incredibly laden with injury, but still the world’s premier mixed martial arts promotion has managed to piece together another spectacle for a sold out crowd at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Alberta, Calgary, Canada and the millions around the world watching live via Pay-Per-View. Kicking off the party is “The Menace” Chris Clements (11-4) teeing off against TUF alum “Deep Waters” Matt Riddle (6-3), followed by a welterweight tilt between “Hairrow” innovator “Bad Boy” Brian Ebersole (50-14-1), barely 30 days out from his UFC on FX 4 match-up, versus James Head (8-2). French kickboxer Cheick Kongo (17-7-2) and heavy-handed “The Savage” Shawn Jordan (13-3) anchor the card with a heavyweight battle. Former CFC, AFC, and Bellator champion “Lightning” Hector Lombard (31-2-1) will finally take his place inside the UFC’s Octagon, and welcoming him is “The Barbarian” Tim Boetsch (15-4). Lombard currently possesses one of the most lengthy winning streaks in MMA at 24, while Boetsch has recently built up his own momentum within the UFC. In the marquee bout of the evening, “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (26-5) will be put to the test by Brazilian monster and owner of an ongoing 28-fight win streak, Renan Barao (28-1), for the Interim UFC Bantamweight Championship title. In anticipation of the UFC’s latest effort being presented on Saturday, the MMA Gospel staff has taken another crack at predicting how the evening might play out.
Dan Griffin, MMA Gospel CEO
Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: Faber via Unanimous Decision
Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch: Lombard via KO (Punch), Round 2
Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan: Kongo via Unanimous Decision
Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Ebersole via Unanimous Decision
Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: Clements via TKO (Punches), Round 2
Mallory Mejia, MMA Gospel Editor-in-Chief
Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: Barao via Unanimous Decision
Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch: Lombard via TKO (Punches and Knees), Round 2
Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan: Kongo via Unanimous Decision
Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Ebersole via Unanimous Decision
Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: Riddle via Unanimous Decision
Cole Moorman, MMA Gospel Staff Writer
Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: Barao via Split Decision
Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch: Lombard via TKO (Punches), Round 1
Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan: Jordan via Unanimous Decision
Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Ebersole via Unanimous Decision
Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: Clements via Unanimous Decision
TJ Martinez, MMA Gospel Staff Writer
Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: Barao via Unanimous Decision
Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch: Lombard via Unanimous Decision
Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan: Jordan via TKO (Strikes), Round 2
Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Ebersole via TKO (Strikes), Round 1
Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: Riddle via Split Decision
Matt Homeyer, MMA Gospel Staff Writer
Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: Faber via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Round 3
Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch: Lombard via KO (Punch), Round 1
Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan: Kongo via KO (Punch), Round 2
Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Ebersole via Unanimous Decision
Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: Clements via KO (Punch), Round 3
Spilled Bag of Ice, MMA Gospel Guest Columnist & “Spilled Bag of Podcast” Host
Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: Faber via Unanimous Decision
Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch: Lombard via TKO (Punches), Round 3
Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan: Jordan via TKO (Punches and Elbows), Round 2
Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Ebersole via Unanimous Decision
Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: Riddle via Split Decision
SBOI’s Randomly Generated Picks
Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao: Faber via Submission, Round 2
Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch: Lombard via Submission, Round 2
Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan: Kongo via Decision
Brian Ebersole vs. James Head: Head via (T)KO, Round 3
Chris Clements vs. Matt Riddle: Clements via Decision
