UFC 80 will be held on January 19th LIVE at the Metro Radio Arena in England.
U.S. SHOW TIME INFO:UFC 80 will play LIVE at noon pacific, 3pm eastern on pay-per-view nationwide. UFC 80 will be re-played at 7pm pacific, 10pm eastern on pay-per-view nationwide.
BJ Penn Vs. Joe Stevenson
What a match this will be. BJ and Joe will be fighting for the lightweight title in this match after the CSAC held up a ruling that Sean Sherk tested positive for steroids. Everybody knows and hears the hype about Penn’s great flexibility and that he is a great grappler. He has never been submitted in his MMA career. Even so I think BJ will try to keep this standing up because he is so strong with his stand up. He really should be known as one of the best strikers in the lightweight and welterweight division in my book. Look at GSP’s face after BJ pounded on it for three rounds. BJ also has unique ways to defend the take down in his past fights. He is so flexible and has such good balance he usually stays up on one leg while giving his opponent fits. I think BJ staying in the lightweight division for now is good because it keeps him training harder and more to keep the weight in check. Stevenson is no joke on the ground. He can tap most lightweights with his speed, strength and most of all, technique. Joe also does not lose easily. Most of his recent losses have all been from decision and in a weight class he probably should not have been in. I would say look for Joe to try to keep it on the ground with BJ stuffing a lot of take downs. Who knows maybe Jo will last until the end, but keep in mind this is a five round championship fight so both of these guys better be conditioned. If BJ doesn’t catch Joe with a KO I think he will catch Joe in some sort of crazy hold while he pounds out a TKO maybe in the second.
Gabriel Gonzaga Vs. Fabricio Werdum
I am hoping this will be a good fight. Gonzaga had a different style when he fought Werdum the first time. I think Gonzaga is a lot more aggressive then he used to be and knows how to stay on the offense as opposed to the way he used to fight. Gonzaga is for real now and should be respected for what he did in the fight with Randy Couture. I mean the guy broke Randy’s arm with a kick and he was doing ok until Randy head butted Gonzaga in the nose. Not that Randy did it on purpose, but I would like to have seen how the fight would have went if that didn’t happen. Having a broken nose can completely effect your breathing and take everything out of a fighter so I think it ended up being an advantage that should have not been there. Not that Randy probably wouldn’t have won a decision in the end, but you like to see fights on an even playing field so you really know who wins. Werdum has beat Gonzaga in their last match with a TKO, but I am sure he is aware of Gonzaga’s new style as has prepared for it. In Wedum’s last fight him and Andrei Arlovski had a lackluster decision fight with Andrei coming out on top. I really don’t think this fight will go to the judges. I think Gonzaga is still very underestimated at this point in his career. Look for a lot of cage clinching with Gonzaga opening Werdum up and Gonzaga ending it with a TKO in the second round.
Jess Liaudin Vs. Marcus Davis
Both of these guys are coming into this fight off of good winning streaks. Davis has fought some of the tougher opponents as of late and has some really good hands due to his pro boxing career. Davis has fought his last few fights in the UK & Ireland so he isn’t a stranger to the cage or overseas fighting. Liaudin has fought in the UK as well under the UFC banner so this fight should have no excuses. Davis is quick and dangerous and he showed a lot of heart reversing the fight against Paul Taylor where he was about to lose. I will have to go with Davis on skill and heart for this fight. I think Davis will probably continue to showcase some newly learned submission skills and get Jess in something to end this fight with a submission in the first.
Wilson Gouveia Vs. Jason Lambert
Lambert has fought some of the best and knocked them out. The only thing with him is he hasn’t fought since March of 2007. One year is a lot of ring rust in the MMA community, but I think he will be ok. Gouveia has had some mixed success fighting the tougher guys in MMA, but he is one of the few with a win over Jon Fitch. I think Lambert is to much of a beast and will probably knock Gouveia out with something in the third.
Jorge Rivera Vs. Kendall Grove
I was wondering where Jorge went since he hasn’t fought since UFC 67. I guess he is back in the mix and against a tough opponent. Grove and him are coming off of losses so both of these guys should show a good fight in this one. Grove relies on his striking so I think he will clinch alot and work his Muay Thai knees into it, but Rivera can stand as well so this might end up on the ground. If it does I think Grove will work those long legs and get a triangle or some kind of submission in the second or third.
