The Intern’s Picks: UFC 140

Saturday is Jon Jones versus Lyoto Machida day, and warrants a gathering of friends to behold the spectacle.

The UFC 140 main event, in Toronto, Canada, could pan out to be of the other big showdowns of 2011, like Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard, Junior Cigano vs. Cain Velasquez, Dan Henderson vs. Shogun, etc.

What will be the outcome? Can Machida’s disconcerting karate punch holes through the flawless game of Jon Jones?

Jones has already run through two opponents this year, first snatching Mauricio Shogun’s title, then defending his title by outgunning Quinton Jackson. Now Lyoto Machida has a spectacular front kick over Randy Couture from last April to boast of. The move shot the karate stylist into title contention.

And what about the other fights, like the rematch between Rodrigo Minotauro and Frank Mir? What excitement is in store for us.

Tasked with covering the lead-up to UFC 140, GRACIEMAG.com’s young trainee guaranteed he can do even better: predict the victors and the defeated.

Once our laughter had died down and we’d seen he still wore a serious expression on his face, we tried arguing, but the trainee wouldn’t waver. He promised to get most of the fights right. If he doesn’t, he will give up on trying to get a raise. If he makes good, he wants either a job in the field as a reporter or a new gi, whichever is easiest.

So here you have them, and may they be what God and Dana White wish for, the Trainees Predictions for UFC 140! Don’t skip putting in your two cents’ worth in the comments section, dear reader. Let us know if you agree, or if the kid’s a few marbles short.

UFC 140
Toronto, Canada
December 10, 2011

1) Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida
Prediction: Jon Jones (unanimous decision)

2) Frank Mir vs Rodrigo Nogueira
Prediction: Rodrigo Minotauro

3) Tito Ortiz vs Rogério Nogueira
Prediction: Rogério Minotouro

4) Claude Patrick vs Brian Ebersole
Prediction: Brian Ebersole

5) Mark Hominick vs Chan Sung Jung
Prediction: Mark Hominick

Under card (on Ion Television)

6) Krzysztof Soszynski vs Igor Pokrajac
Prediction: Krzysztof Soszynski

7) Jared Hamman vs Constantinos Philippou
Prediction: Jared Hamman

8) John Makdessi vs Dennis Hallman
Prediction: John Makdessi

9) Yves Jabouin vs Walel Watson
Prediction: Walel Watson

Undercard (on Facebook)

10) Mark Bocek vs Nik Lentz
Prediction: Marck Bocek

11) Rich Attonito vs Jake Hecht
Prediction: Rich Attonito

12) Mitch Clarke vs John Cholish
Prediction: Mitch Clarke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-xS-JbqmUA