UFC Pittsburgh: SportsJOE picks the winners so you don’t have to

I’m seeing double here, four Cowboys!

This card may be down Tim Means, John Lineker, Brandon Thatch, Sarah Moras, Sam Alvey and Trevor Smith, but feck it, there’s still some interesting match-ups left.

Here’s what our MMA writers’ records for the year look like thus far. 

Bourbon Ben Kiely: 13-8

Darragh The Quizmaster Murphy: 11-10

Donald Cerrone (28-7, 1NC) vs. Alex Oliveira (13-3-1, 1NC)

BK: Cerrone’s clearly the better fighter, but it’s a little worrying how quickly he took this fight after that humiliating performance against Rafael dos Anjos. It’s not unusual for Cowboy (the real Cowboy) to take little time between fights but this will be the first in a long while that he’s done it coming off a loss.

It’s difficult to know how much getting demolished in another title fight will shake his confidence, but from what we’ve seen from him already, it’s easy to see him taking it in his stride and getting back to being one of the most entertaining fighters in the world.

Cowboy… I mean, Cerrone via TKO (round two)

DM: Just a simple chasm in fighter quality here in the Cowboy derby.

Donald Cerrone is one of the best fighters in the world, that much is obvious. And as exciting, and powerful, as the Brazilian ‘Cowboy’ is, Cerrone is just more technical.

He will likely want to keep this bout standing which will be welcomed by Oliveira but I think the recent lightweight challenger has more in his Budweiser-soaked toolbox.

And if he does find himself rocked or on the losing end on the feet, I fancy Cerrone’s chances of dominating Oliveira on the mat.

Donald Cerrone via submission (round three)

Derek Brunson (14-3) vs. Roan Carneiro (20-9)

BK: Carneiro’s 37-years-old, he’s too small for the division and the biggest scalp on his record is an over-the-hill Mark Munoz which he claimed not long before the Filipino Wrecking Machine hung up his gloves for good.

Brunson via TKO

DM: The record amassed by Carneiro in his stint away from the Octagon is impressive but going 5-0 in BattleGrounds, Road FC and something called Wild Bill’s Fight Night is a far cry away from the competition levels in the upper tier of the UFC.

Derek Brunson is very much an upper echelon fighter and he should have more in all areas than Carneiro who, startlingly, is a top 15 ranked fighter despite his only UFC win in eight years coming against Mark Munoz, and it wasn’t even the good Mark Munoz.

The only blip on Brunson’s UFC record has come against Yoel Romero and God only knows what magic juice Romero had been gulping ahead of that fight.

In his last three, Brunson has taken out fellow heavy-hitter Sam Alvey and notoriously hard to put away Ed Herman. I see him keeping that streak going.

Brunson via TKO (round one)

Cody Garbrandt (7-0) vs. Augusto Mendes (5-0)

BK: God damn it, Lineker. At least Garbrandt will find solace in the lucrative Performance Bonus he’s likely to earn.

Garbrandt via KO (round one)

DM: I’m just annoyed that John Lineker has dengue fever.

This is actually a step-down in competition for Garbrandt who had a tough fight at UFC 189 against Enrique Briones.

A far more experienced boxer, ‘No Love’ should find an easy night’s work against the promotional newcomer and late stand-in.

The Garbrandt hype train continues to choo-choo.

Garbrandt via KO (round one)

Dennis Bermudez (14-5) vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (35-8-1)

BK: Bermudez needs a win, Kawajiri wants to stay active, so the matchmakers decided to put this scrap together. Even the Japanese fighter isn’t picking himself in this fight.

It’s also interesting to note that Kawajiri ducked a fight with Doo Ho Choi in order to take this one. That really shows you how much of a monster the Korean Superboy is. Keep an eye on that hot prospect.

Bermudez via submission (round two)

DM: He may have lost his last two fights but Dennis Bermudez was on the cusp of a title shot only last year.

Having gone 8-1 in his first nine UFC outings, Bermudez’s momentum was halted by Ricardo Lamas before, on his way to a victory over Jeremy Stephens, a highlight-reel flying knee flashed into his jaw.

Bermudez could throw this away if he, as he has a tendency of doing, stands and bangs with Kawajiri but if he goes back to his wrestling basics, he should have enough to hold ‘Crusher’ down for fifteen minutes.

Kawajiri is 37! Bermudez is a stud.

Bermudez via TKO (round two)

With two 'Performance of the Night' awards in a row will it be a third for @MenaceBermudez at #UFC180 this weekend?https://t.co/FutbmtXZDn

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) November 13, 2014

Chris Camozzi (22-10) vs. Joe Riggs (41-16, 1NC)

BK: This would be a decent Bellator co-main event.

Honestly, who cares about this match up? Both fighters are on borrowed time in the UFC and are way past the peak of their respective powers.

Camozzi via something (who cares?)

DM: Whatever happens, we should all just be praying that Joe Riggs is forced to answer a question on his pledge that he would say goodbye to his penis if Conor McGregor beat Jose Aldo at UFC 194.

Both Riggs and Chris Camozzi hold unimpressive records and, in my opinion, both are past their prime and I doubt Luke Rockhold will be watching this with any great concern.

They’re both well-rounded enough but I think the damage that Riggs has taken throughout his career is set to start showing on his jaw shortly.

I think it could go either way but my gut is pointing me to a scenario in which Camozzi rocks Riggs and then finishes on the mat.

Camozzi via submission (round one)

Shane Campbell (12-3) vs. James Krause (22-7)

BK: Experience is only worth a damn if you have a high fight IQ. Judging by Krause’s inconsistent performances inside the Octagon, his decision making and tactical prowess isn’t really where it needs to be to allow me to comfortably pick him against such a superior striker.

Campbell via KO (round two)

DM: Simple breakdown. Submission advantage – Krause, striking advantage – Campbell.

Having said that, I think that Krause is able to hang with Campbell on the feet a lot more easily than Campbell deals with Krause’s elite ground game.

Krause is going to win by some ol’ choke or another.

Krause via submission (round two)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k3ph3__2QI