UFC Fight Night Picks – Amir Sadollah vs. Brad Blackburn

Without the Ultimate Fighter TV show, the UFC likely wouldn’t be a fraction of what it is today. And while the champions from the show haven’t done as well recently as some of the original champs like Forrest Griffin, Michael Bisping, and Diego Sanchez among others have done, many of them still have a chance to become great fighters in the UFC in time.

Some people still believe that Amir Sadollah has greatness in him, and if he continues to fight like he did in his last fight against Phil Baroni, he could prove them all right when it’s all said and done.

Sadollah will have perhaps a tougher task at hand at UFC Fight Night 20, however, as the former Ultimate Fighter winner takes on Brad Blackburn, a man who is 3-0 in the UFC and capable of pulling the slight upset.

Sadollah will return to his home state as a favorite over Blackburn going into their fight at -160 to +130 in UFC odds.

He comes into the fight still young and a bit inexperienced as a pro fighter with a 2-1 record overall, having won The Ultimate Fighter’s Season 8 as an amateur, which was unheard of at the time.

That accomplishment is a good example of his talent but also could mean the 15-9 Blackburn could have a serious advantage in terms of knowing exactly how to go about his business in front of the bright lights of TV and being in the cage against a fellow pro fighter.

Bets could be won or lost in the first two minutes of this fight as we’ll know a lot about the direction of the contest right away.

Sadollah’s main weakness is that he can be overpowered at times if he lets fighters get inside of his defenses like when he let his guard down against Johny Hendricks at UFC 101 and got KO’d, albeit in controversial fashion.

Blackburn holds wins over quality fighters like Ryo Chonan and Jay Hieron and he has the physical strength and toughness to get inside on Sadollah, perhaps use the clinch, and take the finesse kickboxing-type game Sadollah likes to use away from him.

Sadollah knows what’s coming, however, and he’s a smart fighter who has shown an ability to adapt and react to his opponents while staying a step ahead of them. The Hendricks loss could prove to be a valuable lesson for the talented young prospect, and if he has indeed learned it, he should be able to stay defensive enough against Blackburn to keep him at bay with his vast arsenal of muay thai kicks and other strikes.

Sadollah has a ways to go to be a contender, but he has some excellent tools you can’t teach and is the more gifted of the two fighters. That should go a long way as the favorite at UFC Fight Night 20 in his home state.

The pick: Amir Sadollah (-160) by unanimous decision.