We are expecting big things out of our expert prognosticators in 2011. We’ve even stepped up the game a bit and added 2 more members to the panel. Back again are Justin Trapp (FighterPortraits.com), Mike Calimbas (TXMMA.com) and Rich Burmaster (TheCageDoor.net), and joining them this time around is Lance Edwards (TheCageDoor.net) and AJ Hoffman (Houston MMA Examiner).
Instead of keeping our experts record like we did last year, this year we’ll be keeping track of their point total. For every correct pick they get +5, for every correct round picked they get +2 and for every method they pick right they get +3. If they pick the correct award winner they get +5 for each. If this sound familiar it’s because we are using the same scoring system for our Legacy Fan Pick’em Contest. You can play along and when the fights are over, we;ll compare your score to our experts! Plus, if you score the highest, you can win some TCD.net swag!
Do you agree with them or do you think they are crazy? Either way, let ‘em know! When you’re done reading all the pics, feel free to leave your own picks and comments below and let our experts and Houston know who you think is going to win and why.
THE PREDICTIONS
Jordan Rivas vs Justin Murray
 |
Jordan Rivas | Name | Justin Murray |  |
| Nickname | ||||
| 6’0″ / 168lbs | Ht/Wt | 6’0″ / 170lbs | ||
| #7 | Rank | Not Ranked | ||
| 3-0-0 | Record | 2-0-0 | ||
| Elite MMA-Houston | Gym | Bushi Ban – World Headquarters | ||
| Justin – Mike | PICKS | AJ – Lance – Rich |
AJ: I am really looking forward to this one. I haven’t seen either one get pushed. They both had dominating wins at Legacy last July and Murray just destroyed Bryan Garcia at IXFA. This one is a coin flip for me, but I will take Murray just because I have seen more of him.
Prediction: Justin Murray via Submission in Rd 2
Justin: I should know better than to pick against Justin. Justin is a very well rounded fighter. One place Jordan does have a perceived advantage is on the ground. I believe if he can get Justin on his back he will be successful from there.
Prediction: Jordan Rivas vis Submission in Rd 2
Lance: Both good submission guys, I think we’ll have a good fight on our hands. Both of these guys are finishers and Im sure we’ll see it go to the ground. I see Murray as pulling off the sub however.
Prediction: Justin Murray via Submission in Rd 2
Mike: On ‘In the Cage’ last week I heard the guests in studio pick Jordan Rivas in this fight by virtue of his BJJ Black Belt. “When two grapplers fight, pick the one with the higher rank,” they said. They also said they didn’t know too much about Rivas prior to this fight but they will after it. Justin Murray is much improved but Rivas will show he is on another level by submitting Murray in the second round.
Prediction: Jordan Rivas vis Submission in Rd 3
Rich: Jordan Rivas is a scary good BJJ black belt and will look to take this fight to the ground immediately. Justin’s wrestling is good enough to stuff the takedown and he has shown high level BJJ skills himself in tournaments and in his recent MMA fights..Look for Justin to use his BJJ to avoid the submission attempts of Rivas and get back to his feet where he should hold an advantage,
Prediction: Justin Murray via TKO in Rd 3
Ricardo Talavera vs Jeff Rexroad
 |
Ricardo Talavera | Name | Jeff Rexroad |  |
| Nickname | ||||
| 6’0″ / 170lbs | Ht/Wt | 6’3″ / 170lbs | ||
| #5 | Rank | #9 | ||
| 2-0-0 | Record | 1-1-0 | ||
| Elite MMA-Houston | Gym | Paradigm Training Center | ||
| Justin – Lance – Mike | Picks | AJ – Rich |
AJ: Honestly, I have not seen Talavera fight, and I can’t find any footage online. My first impressions of Rexroad are that he is a really good ground fighter, but he spars with the Bronzoulises and Melancons of the world, and they have nothing but good things to say about it. This is only a half-educated pick, but I think Rexroad takes it.
Prediction: Jeff Rexroad via Decision.
Justin: This fight has been the toughest for me to pick…I go back and forth….I am a huge fan of the way Ricardo fights but with the same breath i was really enjoying rexroad’s fight with gardner switching from submission to submission…..flips coin………Ricardo
Prediction: Ricardo Talavera via TKO in Rd 3.
Lance: Both these fighters come from strong camps, and both will have been doing a LOT of preparation for this one. Rexroad has been around a long time training, with a brown belt in BJJ and improving skills in kickboxing Rexroad is no cake walk.
I really think Talavera is going to be a stand out in 2011 if he increases his activity level for fights. He’s extremely athletic and with a background in san shou I believe will edge this one out for the win.
Prediction: Ricardo Talavera via TKO in Rd 2.
Mike: Ricardo Talavera’s family and mine are very close. About as close as I believe these guys are matched in terms of skill, both truly very well-rounded guys. Like Rexroad said on the radio, “”a jack-of-all-trades.”" That’s how I perceive both of these guys. I see this one as a possible FOTN candidate, which I believe Ricardo will win likely by choke in the 3rd after two rounds battling in the clinch and controlling the striking from the middle distances. However, I will ABSTAIN from picking this bout officially due to the fact that there might be a probably of bias on my end due to our close friendship and I see this as a close one to call.
Side note – If any of my friends from Paradigm wants to bet on this though, I have $50 on Ricardo Talavera. Let me know and bring cash to the fights. 
Prediction: Ricardo Talavera via Submission in Rd 2.
Rich: Talavera is one of the most explosive fighters in Houston. Solid knee’s from the clinch wait any fighter who gets to close.Rexroad has a solid overall game and his ability to chain together submission attempts make him a dangerous foe.
Prediction: Jeff Rexroad via Submission in Rd 2.
Daniel Pineda vs Levi Forrest
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Daniel Pineda | Name | Levi Forrest |  |
| The Pit | Nickname | The Barbarian | ||
| 5’7″ / 145lbs | Ht/Wt | 5’11″ / 170lbs | ||
| #1 | Rank | #1 | ||
| 11-7-0 | Record | 6-0-0 | ||
| 4 oz Fight Club | Gym | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | ||
| Lance – Rich | Picks | AJ – Justin – Mike |
AJ: I love watching Daniel fight, but he is still not quite as complete of a fighter as I would like to see. Forrest has a great story, and it will be interesting to see how he responds to the weight cut. I think he is a little more well rounded, and if shows any jiu-jitsu here, he should take it.
Prediction: Levi Forrest via Submission in Rd 2.
Justin: Congrats to Daniel for being the cover athlete for the debut of Legacy Magazine.
Its hard for me to pick against an undefeated fighter who looked very good at 170. I do believe Pineda is much better than his record indicates…I think this fight will come down to gameplan and the Gracie Barra unit seems to have gameplans down pretty well.
Prediction: Levi Forrest via Decision.
Lance: What a tough one to call! Forrest is undefeated, whereas Pineda has a fair few losses on his record. Both these guys are finishers. Forrests only trip to decision was in his win against Bronzoulis, and Pineda’s philosophy seems to be win or die trying…
I expect a fast paced fight, and to be honest I struggled to decide which way I will go on this one, picking between Pineda by TKO and Forrest by sub, I settled on Pineda.
Prediction: Daniel Pineda via TKO Rd 3.
Mike: It’s very hard to pick against a streaking Daniel Pineda after his impressive performance against Rey Trujillo but I’ve got to do it. Houston hasn’t really seen much of Levi Forrest since his extremely impressive win against Mike Bronzoulis last March but all his pedigree remains the scene. He’s got a very even-keeled and balanced stand-up style and thirteen years of wrestling acumen to back it cup. Couple that with the fact that he is going to be the bigger fighter walking in and that puts him in the position of favorite for this one. He’s gone five rounds before and I think he’ll do it again to take the decision.
Prediction: Levi Forrest via Decision.
Rich: Do not leave your seats when this fight starts as it may not last long. Which ever fighter gains the advantage will likely finish the other via TKO .Two of Houston’s toughest fighters . The only question is how will the weight cut affect Levi?
Prediction: Daniel Pineda via TKO Rd 2.
Brian Melancon vs Derrick Krantz
 |
Brian Melancon | Name | Derrick Krantz | |
| Nickname | D-Rock | |||
| 5’8″ / 160lbs | Ht/Wt | 5’10″ / 170lbs | ||
| #2 | Rank | Not Ranked | ||
| 4-1-0 | Record | 10-3-0 | ||
| Paradigm Training Center | Gym | No Gym on File | ||
| AJ – Justin – Lance – Mike | Picks | Rich |
AJ: Krantz is really good, and is going to be a good gauge for where Melancon is at. 2 losses, one to Todd Moore and one to Dustin Poirier, who just got his first UFC win (in dominating fashion). That said, I think Melancon at 170 is scary. We saw what he has in his hands at 155 when he finished Moore, and who knows what he will look like at 170. I expect that his cardio is better without the cut, and if he fights a smart fight he should take a tough win
Prediction: Brian Melancon via Decision.
Justin: Todd Moore beat Derrick and Brian beat Todd a few months back. I know I know styles make fights but in this one I see a charismatic Melancon coming out of this one similar to the Todd Moore fight.
Prediction: Brian Melancon Rd 2 TKO.
Lance: Last time I wrote a prediction on Melancon i mentioned my concerns for him weight cutting, with his move to 170 I wont be voting against him on that basis.
Krantz is one of Texas’ most well respected fighters, with a record of nine wins and two losses according to Sherdog, and 10-3 on our own more accurate TCD rankings, Krantz brings more experience. Whereas Krantz lost to Moore, Melancon defeated Moore in their previous meetings.
Melancon is on the path to vindication, and Im sure he’ll be hungry! I doubt we’ll go past the second or third round in this one.
Prediction: Brian Melancon Rd 2 TKO.
Mike: If I were going to Legacy to see one fight, it would have to be this one. Reason being, both fighters are well-rounded physical specimens that throw as if they wear brass knuckles into the cage. They’re also both extremely hard to finish from any position. I’d have to give the edge to Melancon on the feet and Krantz as far as ferocity in his ground-and-pound. The experience factor along with the submissions go to Krantz… The more I think about it, D-Rock may just be the betting favorite in this fight but I think it’ll be very close. If it all comes down to that one shot, I have a hunch Melancon carries his power to 170 and lands the hook combo that wins it.
Prediction: Brian Melancon Rd 2 TKO.
Rich: This will be a very close fight and has potential to be fight of the night. Krantz is a tough fighter with the skill set to beat anyone at any given time. Melancon will be fighting back at 170 for the first time since having trouble with the 155 weight cut.Look for Brian to want to end this early with big power shots. Coin flipper IMO.
Prediction: Derrick Krantz via Decision.
Joe Christopher vs Mike Bronzoulis
|
Joe Christopher | Name | Mike Bronzoulis |  |
| Jitsu | Nickname | |||
| 6’0″ / 170lbs | Ht/Wt | 6’0″ / 170lbs | ||
| Not Ranked | Rank | #2 | ||
| 11-5-0 | Record | 10-2-1 | ||
| No Gym on File | Gym | Paradigm Training Center | ||
| Picks | AJ – Justin – Lance – Mike – Rich |
AJ: I have only seen Christopher fight once, and he seems a little one dimensional. I think this is probably just the next step for Mike B. He really seems to be on the rise right now. I know Christopher hasn’t been knocked out before, but Mike is looking to finish him.
Prediction: Mike Bronzoulis via TKO in Rd 2
Justin: Both of these guys are experienced fighters not to mention they are top shelf talent. I have seen Joe’s fights on Youtube and HDNet and I have seen Mike fight in person…. Initially I picked Joe Jitsu to win but after further review via Youtube im going with the Greek.
Prediction: Mike Bronzoulis via TKO in Rd 3
Lance: Joe “jitsu” Christopher is someone many local fans may not have seen, but he’s no slouch, a Bellator and MFc veteran, Christopher has a good five years at a professional level under his belt.
Everyone knows Bronzoulis in Houston, and after a first round defeat of the tough Harris at his last outing, he appears to be stepping up in his level of competition.
Expect to see bronzoulis come out strong, as this plucky power puncher tends to look for the KO. Christopher I feel will try and take Bronzoulis down, he’s good at sticking to his opponent on the ground and getting the sub.
I chose Bronzoulis for the win, but please guys hide the salad at the weigh-ins!
Mike: Based on what I’ve been hearing lately, Joe Christopher has been on top of his game and putting in an exceptionally good training camp. He’s a career fighter and family man who takes his profession seriously. He will, however, be walking into a hostile environment in Mike Bronzoulis’ hometown. The Greek puts up an exceptional pace and is a very active fighter, esp. with his GNP. I don’t think either fighter will finish the other. This one will go to the judges’ cards and I believe Mike B. will win out due to superior top control.
Prediction: Mike Bronzoulis via Decision
Rich: Mike B is on a roll and looks unstoppable right now. Look for him to look to outstrike Joe early and then finish this fight on the ground.
Prediction: Mike Bronzoulis via KO in Rd 1
QUICK PICKS
 |
John Malbrough | vs | Patrick Greene |  |
| AJ – Lance – Mike – Rich | PICKS | Justin | ||
 |
Jennifer Scott | vs | Karina Hallinan | |
| Justin – Rich | PICKS | AJ – Lance – Mike | ||
 |
Angel Huerta | vs | Andy Sandoval | |
| AJ – Justin – Lance – Mike – Rich | PICKS | |||
 |
David McClung | vs | Alex Morono |  |
| PICKS | AJ – Justin – Lance – Mike – Rich | |||
 |
Rey Trujillo | vs | Justin Reiswerg | |
| AJ – Justin – Lance – Mike – Rich | PICKS | |||
AWARD PICKS
| Awards | AJ | Justin | Lance | Mike | Rich |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub. of the Night | Levi Forrest | Jordan Rivas | Justin Murray | Jordan Rivas | Jeff Rexroad |
| KO of the Night | Angel Huerta | Angel Huerta | Brian Melancon | Brian Melancon | Mike Bronzoulis |
| Fight of the Night | Melancon v Krantz | Talavera v Rexroad | Melancon v Krantz | Scott v Halliman | Melancon v Krants |
For complete coverage of Legacy Fighting Championship on January 29th, check out the Legacy FC section of TheCageDoor.net.
Re: Rivas vs. Murray – I respect Murray as a fighter but I’ve got to believe in my friend Jordan. To that end, I want too put my money where my pick is. AJ, Lance, Rich, I have $100/ea for you guys if you want to some action on that one. Anybody want to nut up and place some money on their convictions for that one?
BTW – No fair on Lance! You can’t pick Talavera AND Rexroad on your prediction mate!
LOL That’s MY bad. I copy/pasted the wrong info!
I’m just glad to finally have a picture on here that doesn’t make me look like i just smoked $200 worth of crack!!!
lol
LMAO!! I’m going to put the other one back unless I get some hush money…or a Jeff Rexroad walkout shirt or something!
Man this card is amazing. Ive seen D-Rock fight a few times in lousiana and the fight with Melancon is going to be amazing. Great work Mick and congrats to Levi Forrest for getting is much over due purple belt in bjj today!
People forgot that KRANTZ koed Adam Schindler in the second round in Shreveport , Adam beat Brian in a three round decision. just adding my two cents. [Papa Krantz]
lol @ mike, is this the writers equivalent of MGY calling out JDF
actually, no. it’s me asking you if you want to bet a wager on a fight where we picked opposing winners.
4 to 1 against patrick greene ?!? yall must be related to malbrough!!!
not giving away game plans but Pineda is way more rounded than is getting credit for. also both fighters will weigh the same tomorrow at hooters and daniel walks around at 170 so weight wont be an issue leaving levi with only the height advantage or disadvantage depending on how you look at it. both fighters long overdue purple belts and 4oz isnt too shabby when it comes to game plans either. any way you look at it this will be fight of the night.
ricardo and rexroad is another fight that i am looking foward to seeing. ricardo is an absolute monster and rexroad is no slouch either, this one will be good.
Krantz and Brian has potential to be amazing, i think krantz doesnt get as much love because most folks here in houston have never seen him fight live, he brings it.
good card mick! see you at hooters!
Jeremy
IVoz
Agree with all your thoughts Jeremy. Saturday will be a fun one!
Your all wrong just copy and paste my predictions to yours and then you will be right.
good luck to all the fighters. got to give a big shout out to one of my best friends ever levi the barbarian forrest. great all around guy. hope everybody makes it home healthy.