Kaleb Kelchner filling in for our predictions man, KJ Gould, who is living "The Hangover" from what I can tell, celebrating his birthday!
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva (World Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarter Final Bout)
Kaleb Kelchner: Fedor via TKO, round 2 - I think Fedor is just an all around better fighter than Silva, and it will show as soon as the first bell rings. If Mike Kyle can topple Silva, so can Fedor, and Fedor will finish the job. I also think that Silva knows it, and that will cause him to be tentative early on, allowing for Fedor to size him up and find his range. Fedor will drop him with a right hand, and finish the job with some beautiful shots from above.
Derek Suboticki: Fedor via submission, round 2 - Bigfoot is frustrating. He's got the size, he's got a really legitimate ground game, but he's enigmatic. Looks awesome against Werdum for a round, loses a decision. Beats up Arlovski but can't find the sweet spot. Has, according to Fightmetric, the shittiest first round of what became a win in terms of strikes absorbed, against a guy 50 pounds smaller than him. Bigfoot showed heart (and Kyle's gas tank) coming back, but Fedor ain't Mike Kyle. This is probably the final leg of the Farewell Fedor tour, but the wheels don't fall off until the next round.
KJ Gould: Fedor
Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov (World Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarter Final Bout)
Kaleb: Arlovski via decision - Kharitonov's style is incredibly easy to break down, and he has some glaring weaknesses. Arlovski's time with Greg Jackson will pay off, and Arlovski will get the job done by follow a slow, but sure game plan to victory. Inside leg kicks and crisp, straight punches will batter Kharitonov, and Arlovski will avoid letting him tee off at all costs. Despite how much damage he may inflict on Kharitonov, Arlovski will have to do his best to not go for the kill, lest he leave himself open to be hit with a classic Kharitonov power shot. It might not be incredibly exciting after it gets repetitive, but it'll work.
Derek: Kharitonov via KO, round 1 - This pick has some nostalgia to it - Sergei used to be my dark horse pick to beat Fedor, and I love the extensive Russian sambo records that he holds. I've decided to take a holiday from remembering his dogshit performance against Jeff Monson, and focus instead on Arlovski. His best win is Tim Sylvia, in what I hesitate to term a fluke only because that heel hook was pretty quick thinking. He's lost three straight, two of them in the first round, and Sergei hits like a mule. Sorry, Leonidas.
KJ: Arlovski
Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson
Kaleb: Rosario via TKO, round 1 - First off, I'm never going to pick a guy who would go by Lavar "Big" Johnson. I mean, really? SDL should be able to bring a varied attack that will eventually catch him, and put him to sleep.
Derek: Rosario via KO, round 1 - It's hard not to root for Lavar, given his comeback from a gunshot wound sustained at a barbeque. Del Rosario is just someone I've been looking at for a long time, and I hope he impresses (and then signs a UFC contract).
KJ: Rosario.
Ray Sefo vs. Valentijn Overeem
Kaleb: Overeem via submission, round 1 - This is a ridiculous match up, and as interesting as an "all heavyweight" main card sounds, there are better fighters that deserve to be on the main card here. Neither man is particularly good, but Overeem should be wise enough to get the fight to the ground, and finish it there.
Derek: Sefo via whatever God strikes Overeem down with - I'm just shocked that this fight is even occurring, let alone within the context of the GP. I hope it ends quick and doesn't involve Sefo sloppily defending submission attempts from Underreem for fifteen minutes. That's a fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, let alone Strikeforce.
KJ: Sefo
Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante
Kaleb: Villante via KO, round 1 - Villante should be able to put out enough offense to topple Griggs, although Griggs can take a bit of a beating. I'm wary though, Villante's fights don't tend to last long, and if he can't finish early, he may gas much like Griggs' last opponent, Bobby Lashley. I don't think we'll get that far though.
Derek: Villante via TKO, round 2 - I liked Villante on Helwani's show. Good on SF for giving Griggs another fight - we'll find out here if he has something other than the good fortune to draw gasmonster Bobby Lashley.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva (World Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarter Final Bout)
Kaleb Kelchner: Fedor via TKO, round 2 - I think Fedor is just an all around better fighter than Silva, and it will show as soon as the first bell rings. If Mike Kyle can topple Silva, so can Fedor, and Fedor will finish the job. I also think that Silva knows it, and that will cause him to be tentative early on, allowing for Fedor to size him up and find his range. Fedor will drop him with a right hand, and finish the job with some beautiful shots from above.
Derek Suboticki: Fedor via submission, round 2 - Bigfoot is frustrating. He's got the size, he's got a really legitimate ground game, but he's enigmatic. Looks awesome against Werdum for a round, loses a decision. Beats up Arlovski but can't find the sweet spot. Has, according to Fightmetric, the shittiest first round of what became a win in terms of strikes absorbed, against a guy 50 pounds smaller than him. Bigfoot showed heart (and Kyle's gas tank) coming back, but Fedor ain't Mike Kyle. This is probably the final leg of the Farewell Fedor tour, but the wheels don't fall off until the next round.
KJ Gould: Fedor
Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov (World Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarter Final Bout)
Kaleb: Arlovski via decision - Kharitonov's style is incredibly easy to break down, and he has some glaring weaknesses. Arlovski's time with Greg Jackson will pay off, and Arlovski will get the job done by follow a slow, but sure game plan to victory. Inside leg kicks and crisp, straight punches will batter Kharitonov, and Arlovski will avoid letting him tee off at all costs. Despite how much damage he may inflict on Kharitonov, Arlovski will have to do his best to not go for the kill, lest he leave himself open to be hit with a classic Kharitonov power shot. It might not be incredibly exciting after it gets repetitive, but it'll work.
Derek: Kharitonov via KO, round 1 - This pick has some nostalgia to it - Sergei used to be my dark horse pick to beat Fedor, and I love the extensive Russian sambo records that he holds. I've decided to take a holiday from remembering his dogshit performance against Jeff Monson, and focus instead on Arlovski. His best win is Tim Sylvia, in what I hesitate to term a fluke only because that heel hook was pretty quick thinking. He's lost three straight, two of them in the first round, and Sergei hits like a mule. Sorry, Leonidas.
KJ: Arlovski
Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson
Kaleb: Rosario via TKO, round 1 - First off, I'm never going to pick a guy who would go by Lavar "Big" Johnson. I mean, really? SDL should be able to bring a varied attack that will eventually catch him, and put him to sleep.
Derek: Rosario via KO, round 1 - It's hard not to root for Lavar, given his comeback from a gunshot wound sustained at a barbeque. Del Rosario is just someone I've been looking at for a long time, and I hope he impresses (and then signs a UFC contract).
KJ: Rosario.
Ray Sefo vs. Valentijn Overeem
Kaleb: Overeem via submission, round 1 - This is a ridiculous match up, and as interesting as an "all heavyweight" main card sounds, there are better fighters that deserve to be on the main card here. Neither man is particularly good, but Overeem should be wise enough to get the fight to the ground, and finish it there.
Derek: Sefo via whatever God strikes Overeem down with - I'm just shocked that this fight is even occurring, let alone within the context of the GP. I hope it ends quick and doesn't involve Sefo sloppily defending submission attempts from Underreem for fifteen minutes. That's a fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, let alone Strikeforce.
KJ: Sefo
Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante
Kaleb: Villante via KO, round 1 - Villante should be able to put out enough offense to topple Griggs, although Griggs can take a bit of a beating. I'm wary though, Villante's fights don't tend to last long, and if he can't finish early, he may gas much like Griggs' last opponent, Bobby Lashley. I don't think we'll get that far though.
Derek: Villante via TKO, round 2 - I liked Villante on Helwani's show. Good on SF for giving Griggs another fight - we'll find out here if he has something other than the good fortune to draw gasmonster Bobby Lashley.
