Bobby G’s Preview and Predictions for UFC 169 [Video]

UFC 169 is following in the footsteps of the one of the most exciting UFC pay-per-views ever (UFC 168) – but with two title fights and a couple heavyweight monsters on the card, the potential is definitely there. Keep reading (and watching) to see my breakdown of the top three fights on this card and my picks for each.

Frank Mir vs. Alistair “The Reem” Overeem

Let’s start with two beasts from the heavyweight divison. With Frank Mir at 6’ 3” - 250lbs and Alistair Overeem at 6’ 5” – 265lbs, they don’t get much bigger than these guys. While I can’t imagine a title run in the future of either fighter, I have to think their UFC future, in addition to their pride, is on the line with this fight. Mir is coming off three straight losses (two by KO) and Overeem has dropped his last two fights (both by KO) – having said that, both guys are still ranked in the top 10 of UFC heavyweights (for now). The fact is, both men are MMA veterans with a lot of fights under their belt and a lot of miles on their bodies.

My prediction: See the video below

Jose “Junior” Aldo vs. Ricardo “The Bully” Lamas

This fight is for the UFC Featherweight belt. Jose Aldo, the undisputed champ, has dominated the 145 pound weight class since it was introduced to the UFC back in 2011, and the WEC featherweight division before that. The fact is, Aldo hasn’t lost a fight since 2005 for crying out loud. The man is a stud! His opponent is no slouch though. Ricardo Lamas has an impressive 13-2 record and has beaten some tough guys in the past few fights. But the fact remains that Lamas hasn’t faced the level of competition that Aldo has – and nobody has really even come close to taking the belt away from the champ.

My prediction: See the video below

Renan “The Baron” Barao vs. Urijah “The California Kid” Faber

The main event of the night is a rematch between these two guys battling for the UFC Bantamweight belt. They last fought in July of 2012 when Barao beat Faber by unanimous decision. Barao has gone on to successfully defend his belt two more times in 2013. But since that loss Faber has been one of the hottest fighters on the planet. An argument could be made the Faber had the best year of fighting in the history of MMA. I’m not trying to use hyperbole here, but the guy went 4-0 last year with three really impressive submissions and a dominant decision win. The question is – how will Faber handle the pressure of a championship fight? You see, Urijah Faber was a dominant champion back in the WEC, but has yet to win a belt in the UFC.

My prediction: See the video below.