Dana White is thrilled that UFC 146 is just hours away. This has been a tough stretch leading up to this card. Alistair Overeem had to withdraw from the card after he failed a pre-fight drug test that has him suspended until late December. Mark Hunt and Gabriel Gonzaga suffered injuries forcing them off the card. Light Heavyweight champ, Jon Jones, was arrested for a DUI earlier this week. He is the only fighter who is sponsored by the UFC. It has been a nightmare for the UFC leading up to this card. Luckily, they can take a deep breath because once 6:45 PM (ET) rolls around on Saturday it is time for some action.
HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT: JUNIOR DOS SANTOS vs. FRANK MIR
Junior dos Santos has dominated all eight of his opponents inside the Octagon. There has never been a moment where it looked like dos Santos was going to lose. On November 12th, 2011, dos Santos knocked out the Heavyweight champ, Cain Velasquez, to win the belt. This was the biggest night for the UFC as they made their network debut on Fox. Junior dos Santos definitely stole the show, and did it in just 64-seconds. He has compiled a 14-1 career MMA record with 10 (T)KO's and two submission victories. He is a perfect 8-0 since making his Octagon debut in October 2008. He has beaten the likes of Cain Velasquez, Shane Carwin, Roy Nelson, Gabriel Gonzaga, Gilbert Yvel, Mirko Cro-Cop, Stefan Struve, and Fabricio Werdum. He is the best boxer in the Heavyweight division, and no one is even close to his level. He averages over two knockdowns per 15-minutes, which is second best in UFC history. Just ask Shane Carwin who thought he had the edge standing up. By the third round Carwin was trying to secure a takedown because dos Santos was toying with him on the feet. However, Frank Mir is a different type of animal than any of the other eight opponents dos Santos has faced in the UFC.
In Frank Mir's last fight he snapped Antonio "Big Nog" Nogueira's arm in half. Big Nog is Junior dos Santos' mentor, so this definitely adds some spice to the fight. Frank Mir is 2-0 against Big Nog, being the only man to ever submit him, and the first to ever knock him out. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is one of the best Heavyweights in MMA history, and Frank Mir made him look like an amateur. Mir has the most wins in the history of the Heavyweight division with 14. He is tied with Anderson Silva with the 7th most wins inside the Octagon. His eight career submission victories are tied with Nate Diaz and Kenny Florian for most in UFC history. He is a two-time Heavyweight champion. You want to talk about battling adversity, Frank Mir can make the claim no one has had to go through the road he has. After breaking Tim Sylvia's arm and winning the UFC Heavyweight belt in the summer of 2004, he was on top of the world. It did not last too long. Mir crashed his motorcycle five months after winning the belt and was seriously injured. His MMA career took years to get back on track. Battles with alcohol and drugs during this time almost cost Mir a chance at returning. When Mir returned to the Octagon 17-months after the motorcycle accident, it was evident he was not the same. He lost two of his first three fights. He thought about leaving the sport, but thank his wife, Jennifer Mir, for not allowing that to be an option. She challenged him to get back to the level he was once at, and get even better. Frank is a smart man, he listened. He's won seven of his last nine fights inside the Octagon. Mir has beaten the likes of Antonio "Big Nog" Nogueira (2x), Roy Nelson, Mirko Cro-Cop, Cheick Kongo, Brock Lesnar, Antoni Hardonk, Tim Sylvia, and Tank Abbott. If Mir can add dos Santos to the list, he will become a three-time Heavyweight champion. There will be no question on who is the best Heavyweight to ever step inside the UFC Octagon if Mir can pull off the upset.
PREDICTION
I keep going back and forth on this one. I feel Frank Mir has a better chance than most people are giving him. Dos Santos is currently a 4:1 favorite in Vegas. I understand that dos Santos has made it look easy inside the Octagon, but he is going up against the guy who is 2-0 against "Big Nog", the guy who mentored dos Santos. This fight is pretty simple to break down. Mir needs to get it to the ground and dos Santos needs to keep the fight standing up. In dos Santos' only career loss, he lost via armbar. I really do not think that plays any role in this because it was nearly five years ago. In all five of Mir's losses, he has been TKO'ed. I think this will end up being a tough fight for Mir. Junior dos Santos is outstanding at takedown defense. He has only been taken down two times in his eight fights inside the Octagon. The guy knows how to sprawl. The only way I see Mir getting it to the ground is by pulling guard or landing a reversal on dos Santos if he gets on top of Mir. I do not see either of those situations going down. I think this is going to end up being a quick and devastating knockout. Junior dos Santos will defend his belt successfully and earn his ninth straight victory inside the Octagon.
JUNIOR DOS SANTOS - 1ST RD. TKO
CO-MAIN EVENT: CAIN VELASQUEZ vs. ANTONIO SILVA
Cain Velasquez has not fought since losing his belt last November to Junior dos Santos. He is ready to get back in the Octagon and start another winning streak. He wants another crack at dos Santos, but he will have to get through a tough challenger tomorrow night first. I really think Cain Velasquez is still the best Heavyweight in the UFC. He was battling through some injuries that affected him tremendously against Junior dos Santos. Velasquez is the most well-rounded fighter in the Heavyweight division. He has the best wrestling in the division. He has some very good hands, which he keeps improving on. He trains at the American Kickboxing Academy, which is one of the top gyms in the world. He is going to keep getting better. I feel the setback he suffered in his last fight will soon be forgotten. He was coming off surgery on his shoulder and hurt his knee while training for dos Santos. Before Velasquez lost his belt he was dominating his opponents. He was a perfect 9-0 in his MMA career, and 7-0 inside the Octagon. Eight of nine victories were knock out wins. He has beaten the likes of Brock Lesnar, Antonio "Big Nog" Nogueira, Ben Rothwell, and Cheick Kongo. I honestly feel he would of had a good chance at being 10-0 if he was not banged up for the dos Santos fight. However, injuries happen, and as a result, the former Arizona State wrestling star is 9-1.
Antonio "Big Foot" Silva is a monster. Big Foot is the perfect nickname for Silva because he is a huge dude. Silva is not as popular as a lot of the fighters on this card because he spent the last five years fighting for Strikeforce and EliteXC. He had a lot of success in Strikeforce and the EliteXC posting a 7-2 record. He is 16-3 overall and only two of his wins have gone the distance. He has 11 career (T)KO's and 3 submission victories. However, Strikeforce and the EliteXC do not provide the same talent level as the UFC. Silva has beaten the likes of Fedor Emelienko, Mike Kyle, Andrei Arlovski, Justin Eilers, and Ricco Rodriguez. Let's not get carried away though. He beat Fedor when Fedor was washed up. Mike Kyle is not that great. Arlovski was clearly over the hill. Justin Eilers and Ricco Rodriguez were both washed up and out of shape when Big Foot beat them. This is a huge step up for Antonio Silva. This will be the toughest fight for Antonio Silva and he better be prepared for the best Cain Velasquez.
PREDICTION
This is an easy fight to predict. Cain Velasquez has the edge in just about every category except for size. Velasquez's speed will be too much for Silva to handle. I see this fight playing out just like Antonio Silva's last fight. Silva got knocked out in the first round by Daniel Cormier, a training partner at AKA with Velasquez, and I see Velasquez coming out with the same game plan. The only difference I see in this fight, is I do not think it will take Velasquez 3:56 seconds to knock him out. I see this being an early TKO win for Velasquez. Ground and pound gets the former champ back near the top to challenge for the Heavyweight belt. Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez II could be in the near future.
CAIN VELASQUEZ - 1ST RD. TKO
ROY "BIG COUNTRY" NELSON vs. DAVE "PEE-WEE" HERMAN
This is going to be a very ENTERTAINING fight, if both guys come in prepared. This has been an issue for both of these fighters. Dave Herman looked great in the first round against Stefan Struve in his last fight. Then, the second round came, and he gassed out, which resulted in a 2nd-rd. TKO loss. Big Country has lost three of four and needs a win badly. Roy Nelson could be a really good fighter if he would take his job a little more serious. He comes in with a respectable 16-7 MMA record. However, he has always come up short against the top-tier fighters. He has beaten the likes of Mirko Cro-Cop, Brenden Schuab, and Stefan Struve, but has fallen short against the likes of Frank Mir, Fabricio Werdum, and Junior dos Santos. He has never taken advantage of winning the one fight that will put him among the top Heavyweights. He will always be a mid-tier fighter unless he gets in better shape. He was originally slated to take on Gabriel Gonzaga, but Gonzaga had to withdraw with an injury. I feel this is going to be a tougher fight for Nelson facing Dave Herman.
Pee-Wee is one of the most underrated fighters in MMA. Largely because he has been fighting for Sengoku, Bellator, and other MMA promotions that are not as well-known as the UFC. Also, Herman has not faced the toughest competition during his MMA career. He has a very impressive record of 21-3, with 15 (T)KO's and five submission victories, but he has not fought the cream of the crop. This is his perfect opportunity for him to make a name for himself in the UFC. Herman is 1-1 inside the Octagon. He won fight of the night honors in his 2nd-rd. TKO victory against John Olav Einemo. However, he could not build any momentum after that win, and lost his next fight in the UFC. He looked good in the first round against Stefan Struve, but gassed in the second, making it an easy ground and pound victory for Struve. This will be the main vocal point for Herman in this fight. If he comes in great shape he should present a tough challenge for Nelson. We will see how the training camp has gone for Herman, because he took this fight on short notice in late April, so fatigue could be an issue once again for Pee-Wee.
PREDICTION
This has a really good chance to be the most exciting fight of the night. However, it will depend heavily on these guys coming into this fight in shape. Also, Roy Nelson was originally slated to face Antonio Silva, then Gabriel Gonzaga, and now Dave Herman. (Thank Alistair Overeem for all the confusion leading up to this card.) This could play a role in this fight as Nelson was originally training for "Big Foot" Silva and now gets a totally different fighter in Dave Herman. Herman took this fight on short notice so this could play a factor in this fight. Herman gassed in both his previous fights in the Octagon, and taking this fight on short notice, could very well result in the same outcome. This is a very tough fight to predict. Roy Nelson is a badass who can probably take more damage than any other fighter in the UFC. Dave Herman, if in shape, is one of the most talented fighters in the world. I am taking Roy Nelson via decision. I think Herman will come out strong in the opening frame but will gas in the 2nd and 3rd round. Nelson takes advantage of his granite chin and withstands the damage in the first round. He will outwork Herman in the last two rounds to secure a unanimous decision victory. Roy Nelson will fight the winner of the Shane del Rosario/Stipe Miocic after this win in my opinion.
ROY NELSON - UNANIMOUS DECISION
BATTLE OF THE FUTURE: SHANE DEL ROSARIO vs. STIPE MIOCIC
Get your popcorn ready for this fight. This fight features two of the top prospects in the UFC's Heavyweight division. Shane del Rosario went through a very similar predicament as Frank Mir. Just over a year ago, a drunk driver ran into del Rosario's car while he was stopped at a red light. His MMA career was close to being over. He was close to losing his life. Luckily, for del Rosario, he is a very strong individual and battled back relentlessly to get back to this point. He was originally slated to face off against Daniel Cormier in Strikeforce to show who was the best young Heavyweight in Strikeforce. Unfortunately, the car accident occurred before this fight took place. Cormier went on to secure the Strikefoce Heavyweight Grand Prix title last Saturday against Josh Barnett. Shane del Rosario gets a chance to prove himself in the UFC. He comes in with a perfect 11-0 MMA record. Del Rosario has finished all 11 of his opponents, and only one has made it through the first round. He is making his Octagon debut in a matter of hours. Del Rosario proved himself in Strikeforce to make a name for himself. He showed how good of a fighter he is in his last fight against Lavar Johnson. He withstood Johnson's power shots in the early part of the opening frame and submitted Johnson late in round one with an armbar. This was del Rosario's last fight before the car accident took place. He is hoping the 17-month layoff won't affect him on Saturday night.
Stipe Miocic is an absolute monster and should make every Heavyweight in the UFC nervous. This up-and-coming fighter brings a lot to the table. Like del Rosario, Miocic has not tasted defeat yet. He is 8-0 in his MMA career with 6 (T)KO's and one submission victory. He is a perfect 2-0 in the UFC. He beat a very tough Joey Beltran easily in his Octagon debut and then knocked out a previously undefeated Phillip De Fries in :43 seconds. Stipe Miocic could very well end up being the Jon Jones of the Heavyweight division. The potential is through the roof for the 29-year old Heavyweight. The former baseball and wrestling star from Cleveland State is a very athletic Heavyweight. If he wanted to pursue a baseball career he could very well be playing in the majors right now. Not only is he an absolute athlete, he is also very intelligent. He is a former Golden Gloves champ too. This is going to be a very tough fight for both of these young prospects. The winner of this fight will be on the right path at earning a title shot in the next couple of years.
PREDICTION
This is definitely a pick em' fight. Both these guys are young studs who have the potential to be the Heavyweight champ down the road. Shane del Rosario showed his toughness when he submitted Lavar Johnson. When Johnson hits you, you usually go down, (just ask Joey Beltran or Pat Barry) but not Shane del Rosario. I think this is going to be a very close and competitive fight. Stipe Miocic is taking this fight on short notice so that could be a factor in the fight. However, del Rosario is coming off a 17-month layoff and is fighting for the first time since his car accident. Also, it will be his Octagon debut so there could be some jitters for Shane del Rosario. I give the slight edge to Miocic in this fight. as I see him earning a split-decision victory. Miocic is a very well-rounded fighter who is comfortable in all areas and I think he will be able to control the pace of the fight. I definitely think this fight could capture fight of the night honors.
STIPE MIOCIC - SPLIT DECISION
BONES vs. MUSCLE: STEFAN STRUVE vs. LAVAR JOHNSON
Stefan Struve was originally slated to take on Mark Hunt. Hunt was rapidly rising up on the Heavyweight charts after running through Cheick Kongo with ease. With a win against Struve it would have guaranteed him his 4th straight win and a top-5 Heavyweight in his next fight. Unfortunately, Hunt had to pull out with an injury. Up next for Struve is the hard-hitting Lavar Johnson. Not many people took notice of Johnson when he came to the UFC from Strikeforce. There really wasn't reason to. He dropped his final two fights in Strikeforce. Wow, how things have changed quickly for Johnson. He has been wrecking havoc since making his Octagon debut against Joey Beltran in January. He knocked Beltran out in the first round, a guy who was known for having a granite chin. He made his next fight in the UFC look pretty easy too. He knocked out Pat Barry in the first round. Just like that Lavar Johnson is making noise in the Octagon. Lavar Johnson stepped up to the plate when Dana White called him asking if he would step in to face Struve. He fought 20 days ago when he knocked out Pat Barry, so he is making a quick turnaround accepting this fight on short notice. (Chris Leben isn't the only guy who will take a fight with less than three weeks to train.) Lavar Johnson brings a 17-5 MMA record into the Octagon and has knocked out 15 of his 17 opponents in his victories. I think it is safe to say this dude comes to throw down. Also, let's not forget he trains with the American Kickboxing Academy so he is getting some of the best training in the world. 
Stefan Struve is no joke. This kid is as tough as they come. He can take some shots. Every Stefan Struve fight I have watched goes like this: he gets his ass whooped in the first round then becomes a new fighter in the second round and finds a way to either get the TKO or the submission victory. Struve would be smart to try and get this fight to the ground because you do not want to get in a slug fest with Lavar Johnson. If Struve goes that route he could be asleep very early on Saturday night. Struve has compiled a 23-5 professional MMA record with 15 wins coming via submission and six (T)KO victories. He has become a young UFC veteran. He will be making his 11th appearance in the Octagon tomorrow night and has won seven of his 10 fights in the UFC. The Skyscraper comes in at 6'11" making him the tallest fighter to ever step foot in the Octagon. Even though he has already had 10 fights inside the Octagon, he is still very young at the age of 24. The sky is limit for this kid and if he continues to tighten up his game he could become a top-ten Heavyweight in the near future. PREDICTION
The winner of this fight will be the guy who can dictate where the fight goes. If it stays standing up it will be Lavar Johnson's fight to win. If Struve can get it to the ground, it gives him a great opportunity to win this one. Struve has only lost five times, but in four of those five losses he was knocked out. Lavar Johnson is hoping to be the fifth guy to knock out the Skyscraper. Johnson has only lost five times, but in four of those five losses he was submitted. Stefan Struve is hoping to be lucky number five in that department. I think Struve is still a young fighter, and will go away from the game plan and get in a slug fest with Lavar Johnson. This will be a horrible decision for Struve as Johnson knocks the Skyscraper out in the first frame. Johnson wins his 3rd fight in a row, and 2nd in three weeks. I see a fight with him and Mark Hunt coming up after Hunt heals up from his injury.
LAVAR JOHNSON - 1ST RD. TKO
PRELIMINARY BOUT PREDICTIONS
Diego Brandao (14-7) vs. Darren Elkins (13-2)
 |
| Diego Brandao armbar (Dennis Bermudez) |
PREDICTION: DIEGO BRANDAO - 2ND RD. TKO
Edson Barboza (10-0) vs. Jamie Varner (19-6-1)
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| Edson Barboza (left) Jamie Varner (right) |
PREDICTION: EDSON BARBOZA - 3RD RD. TKO
C.B. Dolloway (11-4) vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller (23-8)
 |
| Jason Miller (left) C.B. Dolloway (right) |
PREDICTION: JASON "MAYHEM" MILLER - SPLIT DECISION
Dan Hardy (23-10) vs. Duane Ludwig (21-12)
 |
| Duane Ludwig |
 |
| Dan Hardy |
PREDICTION: DAN HARDY - 1ST RD. KO
Glover Teixeira (17-2) vs. Kyle Kingsbury (11-3)
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| Glover Teixeira |
Kyle Kingsbury is no joke. He trains with the American Kickboxing Academy and is training with one of the best camps in the world. Kingsbury was riding a four-fight win streak until he ran into Stephan Bonnar in his last fight. Kingsbury is 4-2 in his UFC career and his Octagon experience could play a role in spoiling Teixeira's UFC debut. However, I do not see it playing out like that. I see Teixeira dominating the fight wherever it ends up.
PREDICTION: GLOVER TEIXEIRA - UNANIMOUS DECISION
Paul Sass (12-0) vs. Jacob Volkmann (14-2)
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| Jacob Volkmann (left) Paul Sass (right) |
PREDICTION: PAUL SASS - TRIANGLE CHOKE RD. 2
Mike Thomas Brown (25-8) vs. Daniel Pineda (17-7)
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| Mike Brown against Faber |
 |
| Daniel Pineda |
PREDICTION: DANIEL PINEDA - REAR NAKED CHOKE RD. 1
PREDICTION RECAP
JUNIOR DOS SANTOS over FRANK MIR (1ST RD. TKO)
CAIN VELASQUEZ over ANTONIO SILVA (1ST RD. TKO)
ROY NELSON over DAVE HERMAN (UNANIMOUS DECISION)
STIPE MIOCIC over SHANE DEL ROSARIO (SPLIT DECISION)
LAVAR JOHNSON over STEFAN STRUVE (1ST RD. TKO)
DIEGO BRANDAO over DARREN ELKINS (2ND RD. TKO)
EDSON BARBOZA over JAMIE VARNER (3RD RD. TKO)
JASON MILLER over C.B. DOLLOWAY (SPLIT DECISION)
DAN HARDY over DUANE LUDWIG (1ST RD. KO)
GLOVER TEIXEIRA over KYLE KINGSBURY (UNANIMOUS DECISION)
PAUL SASS over JACOB VOLKMANN (2ND RD. TRIANGLE CHOKE)
DANIEL PINEDA over MIKE THOMAS BROWN (1ST RD. REAR NAKED CHOKE)
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