Dream 11 is right around the corner and we here at MMACrazed are going to give you some of our predictions for the event. Their will be two sets of predictions: one for myself and one for Garrett.

Featherweight Grand Prix Semifinals and Finals

Bibiano Fernandes vs Joe Warren

Dan: This should be a relatively close fight. Bibiano has a little bit more MMA experience than Warren but I don’t think that will matter much in the fight. What I think will matter is Bibiano’s submission and BJJ skills. He doesn’t have much of a striking game so it’s going to be important for him to take Warren down and keep him there. I have seen Warren put himself in some bad situations in his previous two (and only) fights which I think a good BJJ guy like Fernandes could capitalize on. I haven’t been too overly impressed with Warren as much as other people have. He has good takedowns and is decent in the clinch but his striking needs work and he is open to subs.  Probably the most pathetic thing about Warren is when you google his name the first result is this. That shit is hilarious, an MMA fighter in a huge tournament gets out-done by a college professor on google.

Verdict: Bibiano – 1st Round Submission

Garrett: This will hopefully be a good fight. Both fighters are really good at what they do. Fernandes is a top-notch Brazilian Jiu-jitsu player, who during KOTC destroyed Faber for the first minute of the fight by maintaining back mount. The only problem I foresee is in his inability to properly handle explosive strikers, both on the feet and on the ground, and his ability to finish fights.

Joe Warren really impresses me. He has a plethora in his arsenal including knees, boxing and a phenomenal wrestling base. Additionally, he’s a pretty exciting fighter to watch—he always goes for it, and he likes to mix up what he does. Though he only has two professional fights, both where against excellent opponents in Chase Beebe and Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, and both of which he won in relatively impressive fashion. Another impressive note is Warren took gold in the 06 Pan Am and World Championship as well as the gold in 07 at the World Cup.

This one is a really hard one to call, Warren may be overwhelmed by the Brazilian’s ground assault early in the match, or he may be able to slip  in a late fight submission due to Warren’s inexperience in MMA. Hopefully Warren does not go for a Judo throw against Fernandes, and is not willing to just sit in his guard.  I’m going to have to go with my gut though, and choose Warren for his greater level of versatility.

Verdict: Warren- Unanimous Decision

Hiroyuki Takaya vs Hideo Tokoro

Dan: I feel that this fight is kind of a toss up. Tokoro has some nice ground moves and Takaya normally gets raped for a while until he punches the dude ridiculously hard in the face and knocks him out. I think they are going to stand for a little bit until Tokoro decides to take it down and then does so. From there, Takaya will be in trouble a few times until there is a scramble and they stand again, at which point Takaya will land a bomb (as usual) and knock Tokoro out.

Verdict: Takaya – 1st Round TKO

Garrett: This should shape up to be a really exciting and action packed fight. Takaya’s got some heavy ass hands, and it is rather relieving having an Asian superstar with the ability to knock out his opponent. However, I think that his primary weakness, (getting outworked on the ground) falls right into Tokoro’s strengths.

I really like Tokoro. It can be argued that his inability to finish a fight may be his weakest point, but it doesn’t bother me. He is still explosive with his ground and pound and has some really sick submissions that come from nowhere. His skill level makes any fight he engages in enjoyable, and I am really looking forward to this bout.

Both fighters are crafty and exciting veterans and I think it is a really good matchup. While many would probably have Takaya for this fight, considering the level of his competition, I like Tokoro for this one. I think if he takes Takaya down, and keeps on top of him, he’ll be able to ground out a unanimous decision victory.

Verdict : Tokoro- Unanimous Decision

Tournament Winner for Dan

So I’m going to pick Bibiano Fernandes to win the tournament with two subs. One against Warren and one against Takaya. This is probably too crazed of a prediction because Bibiano really isn’t that good but whatever. I really wanna see someone tear through the competition and I think both Takaya and Warren would be susceptible to Bibiano’s subs. I think that Tokoro will put a little submission fear into Takaya and he will be a little off when he fights Bibiano, giving Fernandes room to capitalize and take the tournament.

Verdict: Bibiano Fernandes

Tournament Winner for Garrett

I’m going to go for the long shot and say that  Hideo Tokoro wins the entire tournament by defeating Joe Warren in a war that goes to the scorecards. I know many people do not consider him anywhere near the favorite, but I think he has good position to take the tournament.

Verdict : Hideo Tokoro

Super Hulk Grand Prix Semifinals

Hong Man Choi vs Ikuhisa Minowa

Dan: This is an enjoyable tournament since now that Gegard Mousasi is out of it everyone else is horrid. I think big ass Hong Man will win this fight because he is fucking huge and Minowa probably won’t be able to use his normal giant killing techniques on him. It will probably go to the ground where Choi will land some huge handed bombs on Minowa’s body and face.

Verdict: Hong Man Choi – 1st Round TKO

Garrett: Woo!! No Jap event is complete without a complete and utter freak show! Typically I’d go with my boy Minowa by retarded ass submission, but I can’t bring myself to think my Korean brother is actually shitty enough to lose to this guy. Sure Fedor destroyed him, but Minowa is no Fedor.

Verdict : Hong Man Choi – 1st Round Facial Pounding

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs Bob Sapp

Dan: The battle of the horrids. Too bad I think Bob Sapp is more horrid than Sokoudjou. I see this going the distance and both these guys being amazingly tired and pathetic looking. In the end Sokoudjou should pull through. I really want Sokoudjou to get a judo throw off on Bob Sapp; if he does that I will be satisfied with him.

Verdict: Rameau Sokoudjou – Unanimous Decision

Garrett: Another horrid. Let’s take a washed up loser and a fucking freak and have them fight. It’s sort of like watching the Predator vs. Alien, except instead of Alien you have an idiot, Bob Sapp. You know, this fight wouldn’t normally annoy me as much, but it is pretty much a fight to see if Sokoudjou was a complete fucking fluke or if he can even manage to beat the “Beast”.

Verdict : Rameau Sokoudjou – Bob Sapp crying like a baby

Lightweight Bouts

Shinya Aoki vs Joachim Hansen(c) – Championship Bout

Dan: The rubber match is here and it’s for the championship. Both these guys better bring their A games. One thing that will benefit both parties is that they both had ample time to prepare for each other, unlike their last meeting. Aoki is damn good on the ground–that part is simple and he has already subbed Joachim in their first meeting. The problem with him is that his stand up is shit. I think that Joachim is the more well rounded fighter and at this point he should be able to avoid Aoki’s submission attempts. I see Joachim landing some serious strikes against Aoki and putting him in some tough situations.

Verdict: Joachim Hansen – Unanimous Decision

Garrett: So what ever happened to Joachim fighting Alverez as his first title defense? Guess it doesn’t matter considering what a name Aoki is in Asia. At any rate, this is the fated rubber match between Hansen and Aoki and I couldn’t be more excited. The story is the same as it was for both of their previous fights, Hansen has the hands that can knock Aoki out and Aoki has the skill to submit or defeat Hansen via decision.

It is a very close match, and shows a very distinct dynamic between strategies, and how these strengths still exist in contemporary MMA. It seemed in their last fight Joachim had Aoki’s number, and with such a blatant strategy I can’t see him falling into the same trap as their first fight. The problem with Aoki is he is one dimensional and everyone knows it. It is much easier for Hansen to learn submission defense than it is for Aoki to develop a completely different repertoire of stand up or ground and pound skills.

Verdict: Joachim Hansen – 1st Round Face Smashing

Tatsuya Kawajiri vs Melchor Manibusan

Dan: Kawajiri better win this bullshit fight and he better go crazed and knock this dude out. I want to see Kawajiri go that extra mile and finish this guy. Melchor is 2-3 and hasn’t fought in three years….. Kawajiri should dominate this dude.

Verdict: Kawajiri – 1st Round TKO

Garrett: This is one of the gimme fights of the night. I hope Kawajiri actually gets a knock out on this scrub; it’s something he’s been unable to do since 06. I have no clue who Manibusan is.

Verdict: Kawajiri – 1st Round TKO

Other Bouts

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Rubin Williams

Dan:  Sakuraba dominates this fight. He shouldn’t fuck around with no stand up and just go straight for the takedown. Then he should proceed to dominate Rubin Williams. This is what better happen and nothing else. I wanna see utter Sakuraba domination.

Verdict: Sakuraba – 1st Round Submission

Garrett:I hope Sakuraba twists Williams up into a pretzel and shows the world he still has it. This guy is an utter joke, and he will be taken down and submitted in minutes.

Verdict: Sakuraba – 1st Round Submission