The WFA returns this weekend in a big way to the Los Angeles Forum! Get your tickets or PPV! www.WFA.tv The WFA returns this weekend in a big way to the Los Angeles Forum! Headlining the event will be Quentin “Rampage” Jackson against Matt “the Law” Lindland. Also will be the return of Bas Rutten as he takes on Kimo Leopoldo, Jason “Mayehm” Miller vs Lodune Sincaid, Ricco Rodriguez vs Ron Waterman and the US MMA debut of Lyoto Machida against Vernon White, plus Ivan Salaverry, Rob McCullogh and more. Tickets are still available and the event will be live on PPV! www.WFA.tv The WFA is a fighters first organization, and is prepared to help carry MMA to the next level. This card is one of the most potential laden in US history for certain. is Be sure to stop by the OTM FightShop in Hermosa Beach, we’ve got ticket giveaways for the WFA at the Forum! Gumby’s take: Alright, here’s the scoop, I normally don’t do MMA predictions for a number of reasons; while I’m very good at predicting the outcome of BJJ and grappling matches, my record in MMA is far less stellar. None the less, I am willing to put my reputation on the line and if my predictions manage to hold true and it won you a couple of bucks you can be sure to thank me later. Matt Lindland (18-3) vs Quinton Jackson (24-6) Gumby’s Pick: Matt Lindland This is about as inspired of a main event as you can get, as arguably two of the top MMA stars in the world are set to collide head on. Although both fighters are known for the antics and trash talking outside of the cage, there is very little of that this time around as in this case their abilities speak for themselves. Matt Lindland is an Olympic Silver medalist and thus one of the most accomplished wrestlers to ever enter MMA. He trains with Team Quest and has teammates and training partners in Randy Couture and Dan Henderson. Matt enters this bout on a seven fight win streak and seems to be gaining momentum with each match. Quinton Jackson is best known for his accomplishments in Pride Fighting Championships, where he was a headliner. Always fighting the top competition, you knew if Quinton was involved that you were going to be treated to a war. Known most for his powerful slams and trash talking, Quinton is pound for pound perhaps the strongest man in the light heavyweight division. Matt Lindland is mean in the cage, there is no two ways around that and in each of those wins he seems to get meaner (and more skilled). Quinton Jackson is certainly capable of being a mean guy in the cage as well, however he doesn’t quite have the same aura that he had when he first burst on to the scene. Jackson is fighting his largest match on US Soil in his adopted backyard, so he’s going to want to make a statement. However, both men’s strengths really boil down to their clinch ability in a fight, and I would have to say that the Olympic Silver Medalist has a BIG edge here. Furthermore, I think Lindland’s wrestling expertise will neutralize Jackson’s favorite weapon: the SLAM! This is going to be a war, no doubt, but I have Lindland taking this one by decision. Bas Rutten (27-4-1) vs Kimo Leopoldo (9-5-1) Gumby’s Pick: Bas Rutten Bas “El Guapo” Rutten is coming out of retirement (he last fought as the UFC Heavyweight Champion in 1999) and is a former King of Pancrase. Bas originally began as a kickboxer, who crossed over to submission fighting after his Pancrase debut. Watch out for Bas’s kick’s he is among the hardest hitters ever in this sport and if he lands to the liver (his favorite target) you are going down. Kimo has been in and out of the sport for over a decade, perhaps never making a statement greater than his debut against Royce Gracie, where he took the then undefeated legend to his toughest match to date. Although billed as an unorthodox street fighter, Kimo went on to train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and earn a black belt under Joe Moriera. My brain says this should be an automatic win for Kimo as he has, you know, actually fought this decade. Kimo is probably also the stronger of the two on the ground. Still, my gut tells me Bas, who despite not fighting in six years has been very active in the sport as both a commentator and trainer and still looks to keep himself in tremendous shape. Reportedly the two do not like each other. I’m going to say Bas by KO. Jason “Mayhem” Miller (15-4) vs Lodune Sincaid (7-2) Gumby’s Pick: Mayehm Miller Mayhem Miller is an internet superstar (see his legions of Mayhem Monkeys), an entertaining MMA Fighter and a hell of an accomplished submission grappler. Some people think he has an unorthodox style; actually he has a very good submission game built into his MMA style and is quite the showman as well. Mayhem seems to have been born without an inner monologue, which makes him a trip to be around or watch. Forget the homo-erotic Lodune that pranced around the first season of the Ultimate Fighter. Lodune has been working very hard to improve himself and the results are definitely showing themselves in the ring. He is on a three fight winning streak entering this bout. This is actually the fight I’m looking forward to most on the card, as you have two “crazy” guys who have the skills to back it up. I think Miller is going to win by submission, but I don’t think this is going to be the blowout that other sources are predicting. Ricco Rodriguez (22-6) vs Ron Waterman (13-3-2) Gumby’s pick: Ricco Rodriguez Ricco is a former UFC Heavyweight champion and one of the most accomplished submission grapplers the US has produced so far. After dropping the title Ricco went through some tough times and has done some soul searching before deciding to make a run back towards the top again. Ron Waterman has an incredible physique for a super-heavyweight and the skills to back it up. This is a rematch, as Ron Waterman defeated Ricco at the WEC just about a year ago. This was Waterman’s last match, where as Ricco is 4-1 since that point. Despite this, on paper it should be Ricco all the way, the question is which Ricco shows up to the cage. If he’ motivated and training proerly Ricco is a match for anyone in the world. I think the stars seemed to be aligned for Ricco in this one, hell, he NEEDS this win much more than Waterman, so I’m going with Ricco by TKO in this one. Lyoto Machida (7-0) vs Vernon “Tiger” White (24-27-2) Gumby’s Pick: Lyoto Machida Lyoto Machida may be the best MMA fighter you haven’t heard of. He has victories over quality opponents such as Rich Franklin, BJ Penn, Stephan Bonnar, Sam Greco, and Michael McDonald. He also recently defeated Rafael Lovato Jr. in a submission grappling match. This will be his chance to show a wider audience he is the real deal. Vernon Tiger White is a member of the Lion’s Den and one of the most seasoned fighters around. This match is being put together as a showcase for Machida, as Vernon is at this point in his career a journeyman fighter. Tiger dangerous and skilled enough to be taken seriously, and will always put on a tremendous fight, but again, Machida just may be the best MMA fighter you haven’t heard of. This will be entertaining bout, but look for Lyoto to take it, probably by TKO. Ivan Salaverry vs Art Santore (14-4) Gumby’s Pick: Ivan Salaverry Art could be very tough, with a great record and coming out of Team Quest. Ivan Salaverry has impressed me everytime I’ve seen him fight. Close match, but i think more time in the sportlight makes the Ivan a slight favorite here. Rob McCullough (12-3) vs Harris Sarmiento (18-14-0) Gumby’s Pick: Rob McCullough Another revenge match, as Sarmiento has a victory over McCullough over two and a half years ago. Since then McCullough is 6-0, winning all of his matches by KO or TKO, where as Sarmiento has dropped four straight. McCullough simply wants to erase his loss too much, so I say this is another KO win for him. Marvin “Beastman” Eastman (13-6) vs Jorge “Van Damm” Oliveira (2-1) Gumby’s Pick: Van Damm This may be another case of journeyman fighter meets hot up and comer. Van Damm doesn’t want to trade strikes with Eastman, but once it hits the ground Van Damm should be able to take control of the match. Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons vs Edwin Aguilar 8-6 Gumby’s pick: Pele Although Pele may not be as sharp as he once was, (he has been fighting since 1993) this may be the biggest mismatch on the card. Edwin however is much more dangerous than his record would indicate, only losing to top competition and being in great shape. Still a win by Aguilar would qualify as the upset of the night. Pele by KO. Antonio McKee vs Adam Arrendondo Gumby’s pick: Antonio McKee Antonio McKee is a large favorite here to win by decision.