How I fared with my UFC 214 predictions

Despite the timestamp on this post, I'm publishing it after the fights completed.  In yesterday's entry, I picked the winners of all three title fights on the UFC 214 pay-per-view card that aired earlier tonight.

Let's see how I did.

Daniel Cormier (champion) vs. Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

I picked Jones, and I was right:  he won.  I expected, though, five grueling rounds.  The first two rounds were indeed rough, with a newly confident Cormier bringing the fight to Jones and, though Jones out-struck him, being the aggressor.

In the third round, Jone caught Cormier with a head kick and followed up with brutal kicks and punches and elbows that ultimately knocked out Cormier.

In his speech after his victory, Jone was gracious and mature.  I will hope that lasts.  Regardless of his personality, though, Jones is inarguably the best light heavyweight mixed martial artist in the world.

Tyron Woodley (champion) vs. Demian Maia for the UFC Welterweight Championship

In one of the least interesting fights of the evening, Maia tried 23 times to take down Woodley--and never succeeded.  Woodley tagged Maia from time to time, but he spent most of the fight evading take-downs and striking rarely.  In fact, the fight set a record low for strikes.

Woodley won a unanimous decision that had the crowd booing both fighters.  I picked Woodley, so I was right again.

Cris Cyborg (real name: Cristiane Justino Venâncio) vs. Tonya Evinger for the UFC Women's Featherweight Championship

I expected Cyborg to beat the heck out of and ultimately KO Evinger, and indeed Cyborg did.  What I didn't expect was Evinger to hang in the fight until the third round.  I have to give Evinger credit for lasting as long as she did, but in the end Cyborg overpowered her.

So, I went a perfect three for three.  Not bad, but not impressive, either, because these were easy fights to call.