Fox Sports 1 makes it official debut this Saturday with one of the best cards of 2013. This year has had some of the best fights in UFC history and after this weekend that list will get even longer. This is easily one of the most stacked cards in the UFC's 20-year history. Every fight, even the preliminary card, feature some of the best fighters in mixed martial arts.
Chael Sonnen returns to the octagon for the first time since losing to Jon Jones last April. The former middleweight and light heavyweight title contender takes on Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the main event. Alistair Overeem is hoping to stay relevant in the heavyweight title picture when he takes on Travis Browne in the co-main event. Fan favorite Urijah Faber is going for his third straight win against Yuri Alcantara, one of the best kept secrets in the bantamweight division. Matt Brown and Mike Pyle square off in a huge welterweight contest that should guarantee the winner a top-ten opponent in their next fight. Last season's Ultimate Fighter runner-up, Uriah Hall, returns for the first time since losing a split-decision against Kelvin Gastelum in the TUF Finale. He is hoping to put on a highlight reel performance against John Howard, who returns to the UFC for the first time since 2011. Joe Lauzon and Michael Johnson start of the main card in what should be a very exciting lightweight battle full of fireworks.
Event: UFC Fight Night 26
Where: TD Garden - Boston
When: August 17th
Main Card - Fox Sports 1 ( 5 PM PT )
Chael Sonnen (27-13-1) vs. Shogun Rua (21-7)
Alistair Overeem (36-12, 1 NC) vs. Travis Browne (14-1-1)
Urijah Faber (28-6) vs. Yuri Alcantara (28-4, 1 NC)
Matt Brown (17-11) vs. Mike Pyle (25-8-1)
Urijah Hall (7-3) vs. John Howard (20-8)
Joe Lauzon (22-8) vs. Michael Johnson (12-8)
Preliminary Card - Fox Sports 1 ( 3 PM PT )
Michael McDonald (15-2) vs. Brad Pickett (23-7)
Conor McGregor (13-2) vs. Max Holloway (7-2)
Mike Thomas Brown (26-8) vs. Steven Siler (22-10)
Diego Brandao (17-8) vs. Daniel Pineda (18-9)
Preliminary Card - Facebook ( 1:30 PM PT )
Cole Miller (19-7) vs. Manny Gamburyan (12-7)
Ovince St. Preux (13-5) vs. Cody Donavan (8-2)
Ramsey Nijem (7-3) vs. James Vick (4-0)
UFC matchmaker Joe Silva did another amazing job lining up a great fight card. The preliminary card features some of the best young talent in the organization. Conor McGregor is a name to remember in the featherweight division. The Ireland native has reeled off nine consecutive wins and only two have made it past the first round. He only needed 67 seconds to knock out Marcus Brimage in his UFC debut and is looking to start his octagon career a perfect 2-0 against Max Holloway. Michael McDonald and Brad Pickett square off in a huge bantamweight contest that has the potential to be "Fight of the Year." Mike Thomas Brown enters Saturday riding a two-fight winning streak, his first winning streak in three years. Steven Siler is 4-1 in his UFC career and the Ultimate Fighter alum tries to get the biggest win of his career against the former WEC featherweight champion. Season 14 winner of The Ultimate Fighter, Diego Brandao, is looking for a big-time finish against Daniel Pineda to inch near the top-ten in the featherweight division.
MAIN EVENT: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (5-5 UFC) vs. Chael Sonnen (6-6 UFC)
Sonnen and Rua come in with a mediocre .500 UFC record, but don't let that fool you. Sonnen is a way different fighter than he was during his first stint in the UFC from 2005-2006 when he went 1-2. Shogun Rua is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and lost his belt to the current 205-pound champion, Jon Jones. Chael Sonnen has done a lot better in his second stint going 5-4, with three of those losses coming to Anderson Silva and Jones. Sonnen signed a five-fight deal in July and is planning on dropping back down to middleweight after Saturday's main event.
Sonnen had a lot of success in the 185-pound division and gave Anderson Silva his toughest fight until Chris Weidman knocked out the former middleweight champion. During Sonnen's second UFC run he's beaten Michael Bisping, Brian Stann, Yushin Okami, Nate Marquardt, and Dan Miller. Sonnen is one of the best wrestlers in mixed martial arts and is one of the best at throwing his opponents off their gameplan. His non-stop pressure is hard to deal with. While he has zero career knockouts in the UFC or WEC, he makes up for it with a relentless attack. He is the second most-active striker in the UFC, averaging 10.4 strikes per minute. During his tenure at middleweight, he landed a ridiculous 1,300 strikes, putting him second all-time in the division's history. His 320 strikes landed in the first Anderson Silva fight is a UFC record for most strikes landed in a single fight. Sonnen's 35 career takedowns in the middleweight division are the most in the division's history and his takedown rate of 4.3 per 15 minutes are second all-time in the 185-pound division. "The American Gangster" hasn't lost a non-title fight since 2009 and an impressive performance against Shogun will get him right back in the mix for the middleweight belt.
Shogun Rua has been one of the toughest fighters to figure out. He was regarded as the best light heavyweight in the world after coming over from Pride in 2007. He entered the UFC on a four-fight win streak and won 12 of his previous 13 fights (his only loss was because he broke his arm against Mark Coleman). Rua is the former 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix Champion and UFC light heavyweight champion but consistency has been a major problem for Rua since moving organizations. After winning the 205-pound belt against Lyoto Machida he has lost three of his last five. Shogun has not had a two-fight winning streak since 2009 when he beat Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell. Both fighters were way past their prime by then. Rua is one of the best strikers in the UFC and 18 of his 21 career victories have been finished by knockout. His five career knockout wins are second most in the UFC's light heavyweight division. It is remarkable to think Shogun has finished six former UFC champions in his MMA career: Rampage Jackson, Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida, and Forrest Griffin. Shogun is only 31-years old but he has been fighting professionally for over a decade and the clock is ticking if he wants to make another title run. A strong performance against one of the baddest men on the planet would be huge for Shogun's career.
This is a tough fight to predict. It is going to come down to who sticks to their gameplan more effectively. Shogun has been known for gassing out and Sonnen is always in incredible shape. Rua has the power and versatile striking to knock out anyone, but Sonnen has only lost four times via knockout in his 41 career MMA fights. The longer this fight goes the more it favors Sonnen. This is a bigger fight for Rua because he is staying in the division and Sonnen is dropping back down to middleweight. Rua has never had a two-fight losing skid in his near 11- year career and I have a feeling this streak will come to an end on Saturday night. Sonnen is one of the best fighters at frustrating his opponent and Shogun won't be able to handle his relentless pace.
Prediction: Chael Sonnen via unanimous decision
CO-MAIN EVENT: Travis Browne (5-1-1 UFC) vs. Alistair Overeem (1-1 UFC)
This is a huge fight for both men. The winner of this fight is right back in title contention. Alistair Overeem was five minutes away from fighting Cain Velasquez for the heavyweight belt, until Antonio "Big Foot" Silva had different plans. Travis Browne was on the rise among heavyweight contenders, until he ran into "Big Foot" too. Browne's was a way different situation though, he tore his hamstring in the opening moments of the fight. Silva eventually knocked out Browne because he was fighting on one leg.
Overeem suffered his first defeat in 1,965 days at UFC 156. He was scheduled to fight Junior dos Santos at UFC 160, but had to pull out with an undisclosed injury, and now fans will finally get to see him return in less than a week. This is a huge fight for Overeem, in his only fight after being suspended for elevated testosterone levels (14:1), he got knocked out cold. He is the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Dream heavyweight champion, and K-1 World Grand Prix champion. He is the only fighter to ever hold a world title in both mixed martial arts and K-1 kickboxing at the same time. A lot of fans think all that success came from performance enhancers, and a good showing against Browne is much needed for his career. His kickboxing is the best in the UFC heavyweight division. He was winning on the scorecards against Silva through the first two rounds before he got too cocky and left his hands down. Sooner or later if you leave your hands down you will get caught, just ask Anderson Silva.
Travis "Hapa" Browne is the most underrated fighter in the heavyweight division. His only loss was due to an injury and he showed his toughness trying to fight through a torn hamstring. He bounced back strong in his next octagon appearance, knocking out Gabriel Gonzaga in just over a minute. Browne, 6'7", is an absolute monster in the heavyweight division and has knockout power in both hands. He has finished four of his five victories in the first round during his UFC career. Browne's finished 12 of his 14 career victories and 10 have ended in the first round. Browne is one of the most exciting and athletic fighters in the division. He trains with one of the best camps in the world under Greg Jackson and continues to get better and better every time he steps in the octagon. He's the new breed of heavyweights and this is his biggest fight of his career. A win against Overeem will ensure he is one or two wins away from fighting for the heavyweight belt.
This is going to be a very entertaining fight. Browne has finished 85.7% (12 of 14) of his victories and Overeem's finished 94.4% (34 of 36) of his wins. I would be shocked if this one makes it to the third round. It is a huge fight for Alistair Overeem's legacy. His legacy has taken a hit but a win against Browne will help re-establish him as one of the best heavyweights in the world. Travis Browne is trying to make a name for himself and prove to Dana White and company he can hang with the big boys in the heavyweight division. His two biggest wins during his UFC career are against Stefan Struve and Gabriel Gonzaga, two good fighters, but they are not top-tier fighters in the heavyweight division. A win against Overeem will skyrocket Browne as one of the best heavyweights in the world and get him closer to a title shot. This is a very tough fight to predict but I am leaning towards Browne. Overeem still has a lot to prove after being suspended for elevated testosterone levels. Browne is the best kept secret in the heavyweight division and this will be his coming out party in the co-main event.
Prediction: Travis Browne via TKO (Round 2)
Bantamweight Division: Urijah Faber (4-2 UFC) vs. Yuri Alcantara (3-1, (1 NC) UFC)
Urijah Faber hasn't lost a non-title fight since 2005. Yuri Alcantara has only lost once since 2009. This fight has all the ingredients to be one of the most entertaining fights on Saturday. Alcantara is one of the most underrated fighters in the bantamweight division and this a huge step up in competition for the 33-year old Brazilian to showcase his talents. Faber is riding a two-fight win streak and another impressive performance could land "The California Kid" another title shot.
Faber is one of the most entertaining fighters in the 135-pound division. He brings it every second of the fight and as an MMA fan you have to love that. Faber has beaten the who's who in the lower weight classes. Scott Jorgensen, Ivan Menjivar (2X), Brian Bowles, Dominick Cruz, Eddie Wineland, Raphael Assuncao, Jens Pulver (2X), and Jeff Curran are just some of the talented mixed martial artists on Faber's hitlist. He is one of the most versatile fighters in the division and has seven career knockouts and 16 career submissions victories. Team Alpha Male, the camp Faber started in 2004, made the best decision possible when they gave the head coaching job to Duane "Bang" Ludwig last December. Faber, Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes, Danny Castillo, and T.J. Dillishaw are a combined 10-0 with seven finishes since Ludwig became the head coach. "The California Kid" is 13-5 in his UFC/WEC career and is a perfect 13-0 when he outstrikes his opponent. Faber is on the cusp of another title shot after back-to-back submission victories over Jorgensen and Menjivar. Another impressive performance on Saturday should land the former WEC featherweight champ another title shot.
Alcantara is by far the lesser known fighter of the two. Faber is one of the most well-known fighters in the UFC and the same can't be said for his Brazilian counterpart. "Marajo" enters the octagon with an impressive 28-4 MMA record and has 24 finishes to his name. He is well-rounded with 12 knockouts and 12 submission finishes on his resume. His biggest win of his MMA career came at WEC 53 against Ricardo Lamas. It was the last WEC fight card and Alcantara knew he had to deliver if he wanted a UFC contract and he did. He knocked Lamas out cold in the first round. "Marajo" has only lost once in his last 16 fights and has finished 11 opponents. Alcantara knows this is the biggest fight of his life and pulling off the upset against Faber will skyrocket him in the bantamweight division.
This fight should be very entertaining. Faber has looked phenomenal in his last two octagon appearances and is a perfect 2-0 since Ludwig joined Team Alpha Male. Alcantara is taking a huge jump in competition and outside of Ricardo Lamas he doesn't have any wins against big-name opponents. If he adds Faber to his resume it should guarantee him another top-five opponent and that much closer to a title shot. However, the stage will be too big for "Marajo" and "The California Kid" will do something he hasn't done since 2007, win his third fight in a row.
Prediction: Urijah Faber via unanimous decision
Welterweight Division: Matt Brown (10-5 UFC) vs. Mike Pyle (8-3 UFC)
This fight features two of the hottest fighters in the welterweight division. Mike Pyle has reeled off four straight and Matt Brown is riding a five-fight winning streak. Both have knocked out all but one of their opponents during their winning streaks. This is a huge fight for both guys. Another win should earn the winner a top-ten opponent in the welterweight division.
I was glad to see Mike Pyle get the call when Brown's original opponent, Thiago Alves, got hurt and had to pull out of the fight. Pyle is one of the most underrated fighters in the UFC and now he gets to gain the exposure of fighting on the debut of Fox Sports 1. Pyle is 8-2 over his last 10 octagon appearances and his only two losses came to Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger. The former WEC welterweight champion has fought the who's who in his 14-year MMA career. His MMA debut was against Rampage Jackson, who weighed in 25 pounds heavier than Pyle. He took the former UFC light heavyweight champion all three rounds and lost via unanimous decision. Pyle has beaten Jon Fitch, Shonie Carter, Dan Hornbuckle, Brian Gassaway, Chris Wilson, John Hathaway, Ricardo Almeida, Josh Neer, James Head, and Rick Story during his long MMA career. He might be turning 38-years old this September but don't let his age fool you. Pyle is entering the best stage of his fighting career and is trying to have his first five-fight winning streak since 2006 and his first in the UFC.
Matt Brown is one of the most entertaining fighters in the 170-pound division. If you had to guess who has the most knockouts in the welterweight division among active fighters a lot of people would say Johny Hendricks, Georges St. Pierre, Carlos Condit, Jake Ellenberger, or Martin Kampmann. If you guessed one of them you would be wrong because the correct answer is Matt "The Immortal" Brown. His seven career knockouts in the UFC's welterweight division has him tied with Matt Hughes for most all-time. Brown has been on a tear reeling off five-straight and four by knockout. Jordan Mein was supposed to be one of the up and coming fighters in the division, until he tasted some nasty Matt Brown elbows for dinner. Mike Swick, Luis Ramos, and Chris Cope were all knocked out by Brown during his win streak and Stephen Thompson was dominated for three rounds in a one-sided unanimous decision victory. Brown has one of the best chins in all of MMA and has never been knocked out in his 28-fight career. However, he needs to be careful of Pyle's submission game because Brown has been finished nine times by submission and Pyle has 16 career submission victories.
There are at least five fights that have a good chance to steal fight of the night honors and this one ranks right up there. Both fighters love coming forward and exchanging. This fight has all the tools to be one of the more entertaining fights of 2013. This is a huge opportunity for both men because a big-time performance should earn the winner a top-ten welterweight next time around. If it stays on the feet Brown has the advantage, if Pyle can get it to the ground he has the advantage. Pyle is taking this fight on six weeks notice, but he trains non-stop 365 days a year so that shouldn't play a huge factor. Both are on a tear and this fight is 50-50 in my eyes but I am leaning towards Brown because this fight has a good chance of staying on the feet. It'll just be a matter of time until Brown catches him if the fight stays standing.
Prediction: Matt Brown via TKO (Round 2)
Middleweight Division: Uriah Hall (0-1 UFC) vs. John Howard
(4-3 UFC)
A lot of UFC fans are excited to see Uriah Hall step in the octagon again. The Hall we saw in last seasons Ultimate Fighter was not the same fighter we saw in the Finale against Kelvin Gastelum. He came out flat and was not throwing the powerful combinations we saw during TUF. John Howard makes his UFC return after being released two years ago after a three fight losing skid. Howard has won his last two and went 6-1 after being released.
Uriah Hall is one of the best fighters to ever compete on the Ultimate Fighter and he didn't even win it all. Dana White claimed that Hall was the most dangerous fighter in TUF history. Chael Sonnen had high praise for Hall as his coach and he gets the chance to prove his former coach right, who is fighting in the evening's main event. Before Hall's loss to Gastelum his only other two professional losses came to Chris Weidman and Costas Philippou. Weidman is the current middleweight champion and Philippou ranks in the top-ten in the 185-pound division. During his stint on the Ultimate Fighter he went a perfect 4-0 with three nasty knockout victories. The spinning hook kick he landed on Adam Cella was one of the best knockouts in MMA history. He shattered Bubba McDaniel's face in three places with a one-punch knockout and knocked out Dylan Andrews with strikes from his back to earn a spot in the TUF 17 Finale. Even though he lost in the Finale it was a very close fight and he lost a razor thin split-decision. This is a huge fight for Hall because he gained a lot of exposure from the Ultimate Fighter and a big performance in front of the big lights on the debut of Fox Sports 1 would do wonders for his UFC career.
John Howard was one of the best up and coming fighters in the welterweight division when he started his UFC career. He reeled off four-straight and had two devastating knockouts against Dennis Hallman and Daniel Roberts that earned him a fight with Jake Ellenberger. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worse and "Doomsday" lost three in a row. Ellenberger, Thiago Alves, and Matt Brown handed Howard his first ever three-fight losing streak. Howard did exactly what he needed to after being released and is 6-1 in his seven fights since. Five of his six wins have come by knockout. To add icing on the cake he is fighting in his backyard. The Boston native will have the crowd behind him on Saturday and an impressive performance against Hall will guarantee him another fight inside the octagon. "Doomsday" fought in the welterweight division during his first stint in the UFC and moved up to middleweight after his release. He found quick success in the 185-pound division but it was against mediocre talent. Howard took the fight after Nick Ring and Josh Samman pulled out with injuries and knew this was the perfect opportunity to make another run inside the octagon.
This is a very intriguing fight. Hall showed tremendous athleticism and power during his time on the Ultimate Fighter. Howard is a very powerful striker with some of the best ground and pound in the division. "Doomsday" has finished 75% of his victories with nine knockouts and six submissions. Hall is still a puppy with only 10-career MMA fights on his resume. He has finished six of his seven victories but every time he has taken a step up in competition he hasn't done well. Howard has the edge in experience and he is fighting in his hometown. After watching Hall in last season's Ultimate Fighter everyone knows he can end the fight during any second. This is a very interesting fight and we will find out if Hall is a name to pay attention to in the middleweight division or if Howard is here to stay. This is a huge opportunity for both men and expect a lot of fireworks when these two lock horns.
Prediction: John Howard via TKO (Round 2)
Lightweight Division: Joe Lauzon (9-5 UFC) vs. Michael Johnson (4-4 UFC)
I love it when Joe Lauzon's name is on the fightcard because he is arguably the most entertaining fighter in the UFC. His 12 fight night bonuses are tied with Anderson Silva for the most ever in UFC history. The Brockton native has lost two of his last three fights and needs an impressive performance against Michael Johnson. Johnson was on the rise in the lightweight division after a three-fight win streak but has lost his last two. He needs this win just as bad as Lauzon, and a loss for Johnson could earn him a pink slip.
Joe Lauzon caught the UFC's eye way back in 2006 when he won an eight-man tournament. He won all three fights in one night in the World Fighting League and was crowned the WFL Grand Prix Champion. This earned him a fight against Jens Pulver, the former UFC lightweight champion. Pulver was the first ever lightweight champion in UFC history and was 6-0-1 in his UFC career before leaving the organization after a contract dispute. Pulver came back to the UFC and took on Joe Lauzon at UFC 63. It was Pulver's first fight inside the octagon in over four years and it was Lauzon's UFC debut. "J-Lau" needed 48 seconds to knockout the former lightweight champion and he has never fought outside of the UFC since his debut nearly seven years ago. Lauzon has fought the who's who in the lightweight division. He has wins over Jamie Varner, Melvin Guillard, Jeremy Stephens, and Jens Pulver. His five losses inside the octagon have come against some of the best 155-pounders in the world: Jim Miller, Anthony Pettis, George Sotiropoulos, Sam Stout, and Kenny Florian. The most impressive statistic for Lauzon is he has finished all 22 of his victories. Only two of his 30 career MMA fights have gone to the judge's scorecards.
Michael Johnson comes into this fight knowing he has a good chance of being cut if he doesn't put on a good performance. The season 12 Ultimate Fighter runner-up has had an inconsistent run inside the octagon. After winning three straight after a 1-2 start in his UFC career he has lost two in a row to Myles Jury and Reza Madadi. Johnson trains with Rashad Evans and the Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Florida. Johnson is known for his athleticism but he still hasn't reached his full potential. He is hoping the Blackzilians can get him fully prepared for his toughest opponent to date. He knows the clock is ticking and needs a great performance on Saturday if he wants to continue fighting in the best mixed martial arts organization.
UFC matchmaker knew exactly what he was doing when he slated Joe Lauzon in the opening fight of the main card. Fox Sports 1 needs to make a splash with the networks debut on August 17 and starting off the main card with "J-Lau" is a lock to start the night with fireworks. This is the one fight on the main card that is one-sided. Lauzon has the edge in just about every category but Johnson knows he has to put on his best performance if he wants to stay in the UFC. However, I don't think that will matter because Lauzon is the much more experienced fighter and Johnson's biggest weakness is his submission defense. Lauzon has 18 career submissions to his resume and his last five wins have come via submission. His six-career "Submission of the Night" bonuses are the most in UFC history and there is a good chance he could make it seven on Saturday. If Lauzon wins any fight bonus he will move ahead of Anderson Silva for the most in UFC history.
Prediction: Joe Lauzon via submission (Round 1)
Preliminary Breakdown on Fox Sports 1
Bantamweight Division: Michael McDonald (4-1 UFC) vs. Brad Pickett (3-2 UFC)
This fight has all the tools to be one of the most entertaining fights of the year. McDonald and Pickett have combined for 38 wins and 30 have come by stoppage. McDonald had his eight-fight win streak snapped when he lost to Renan Barao in his last octagon appearance. Barao, the current interim bantamweight champion, hasn't lost in his last 30 fights (29-0-1). "Mayday" is only 22-years old and he still hasn't come close to reaching his potential, which is scary for everyone in the 135-pound division. Pickett has won three of his last four fights and his only loss was a split-decision to Eddie Wineland. Brad "One Punch" Pickett is one of the most exciting fighters in the division and he loves to stand and trade with his opponent. Pickett has walked away with four fight night bonuses in five octagon appearances. Outside of Dominick Cruz he is the only man to beat the current UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. I can't wait for these two to square off and the winner will be one win away from a title shot or next in line. This fight has a great chance to take home "Fight of the Night" honors.
Prediction: Michael McDonald via submission (Round 2)
Featherweight Division: Conor McGregor (1-0 UFC) vs. Max Holloway (3-2 UFC)
Max Holloway is a very talented young fighter but he has his hands full against Conor McGregor. McGregor is the real deal and he lived up to the hype in his UFC debut knocking out Marcus Brimage in 67 seconds. He has finished all 13 of his victories and 12 by knockout. He has won his last nine and an impressive performance against Holloway should land him a top-five opponent in the featherweight division. Holloway had his three-fight win streak snapped when he lost a very close split-decision to Dennis Bermudez in his last octagon appearance. Holloway is only 21-years old and is currently the youngest fighter in the UFC and if he pulls off the upset against McGregor it should land him a top-ten opponent. Holloway is one of the best strikers in the featherweight division. He is tops in the UFC's 145-pound division in strikes landed per minute, tied for the most knockdowns, second in significant strikes landed, and has the third best striking defense in the division. This fight will determine which young fighter skyrockets his career to the next level. When Chris Weidman came onto the scene in the middleweight division everyone said he would be the guy to dethrone Anderson Silva. The same can be said for Conor McGregor when it comes to finding someone who can match up with the featherweight king, Jose Aldo.
Prediction: Conor McGregor via KO (Round 1)
Featherweight Division: Mike Thomas Brown (2-2 UFC) vs. Steven Siler (4-1 UFC)
Mike Thomas Brown is best known for being the guy who finally beat Urijah Faber. Brown snapped Faber's 13-fight win streak and took home the WEC featherweight belt. Brown successfully defended the belt two-times against Leonard Garcia and Urijah Faber, then ran into a guy named Jose Aldo. We know how that went. After the Aldo loss, Brown hit a rough patch losing three of his next five. He has come back strong and has reeled off two in a row against Nam Phan and Daniel Pineda. Steven Siler has won four of his last five and a win against Brown would be huge for the Ultimate Fighter alum. This is a big fight for both these men because a win keeps them relevant in the 145-pound division.
Prediction: Steven Siler via split-decision
Featherweight Division: Diego Brandao (3-1 UFC) vs. Daniel Pineda (3-2 UFC)
This is a big fight for Brandao, the former Ultimate Fighter winner. He was the Uriah Hall of season 14's TUF. He was a perfect 4-0 with four first round finished, three by knockout and one by submission. Three of the four fighters he beat are currently fighting in the UFC: Steven Siler, Brian Caraway, and Dennis Bermudez. Brandao trains with Greg Jackson's camp and continues to mature as a fighter. His lone loss in his UFC career came to Darren Elkins due in large part of being out of shape. He learned his lesson and has won two in a row against Joey Gambino and Pablo Garza. The 26-year old Brazilian is still far from reaching his potential and he is a name to remember in the 145-pound division. His opponent, Daniel Pineda, is one of the best submission artists in the featherweight division. 12 of his 18 career wins have come by submission and all three of his wins in the UFC are by submission. Unfortunately for Pineda, Brandao has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has only been submitted one time in his 25-fight MMA career and it came in his fourth career fight.
Prediction: Diego Brandao via TKO (Round 1)
Facebook Preliminary Predictions
Manny Gamburyan over Cole Miller (Submission - Round 1)
Ovince St. Preux over Cody Donovan (TKO - Round 2)
Ramsey Nijem over James Vick (Unanimous Decision)
Hopkins and Andre Johnson are the making of Roddy White and Julio Jones, okay not quite, but the rookie out of Clemson has a chance to have a breakout season this year. Johnson might of lost a step, but he is still a top-five receiver in the game. He will demand double teams constantly and that should leave the Texan's first-round selection in a lot of one-on-one situations. As a junior at Clemson last year he set an ACC record with 18 touchdowns. He had 82 receptions and a school-record 1,405 yards that helped earn him being the 27th overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft. This kid is the real deal and in his first preseason game he made an acrobatic grab for a 34-yard touchdown. Right now Hopkins is projected in the 14th-15th round and has only been selected in 19% of the drafts so far. 
Bradshaw is a scary pick because of injury concerns. He was just taken off the physically unable to perform list earlier this week and could see action in the third preseason game next week. He is entering his seventh season as a pro and had his fifth foot surgery last February. Word down in Indy is he is feeling great and 100%, and if this is the case, Bradshaw would be a great pick in the mid-to-late rounds. The Colts don't have an every down back and Bradshaw would immediately have the edge to be the feature back for Andrew Luck. The best part with him is he is a great third down back, if he stays healthy he would stay on the field the majority of the time. He is one of the best blocking running backs in the NFL and has had at least 20 receptions and 200+ yards four-straight seasons. Bradshaw is currently a projected seventh round selection so if you can steal him late in round six, and you need help at running back, he is probably your best value pick. 
There is one thing for certain when talking about Montee Ball: he is not allergic to the goaline. His 83 career touchdowns and 77 rushing touchdowns are the most in NCAA Division 1 history. The Denver Broncos were lucky to have a back as talented as Ball fall to them in the second round of the NFL draft. Peyton Manning is the king of wizards when it comes to putting his offense in the best position possible. The Broncos lacked a goaline running back last season but things have changed quickly with the addition of Ball. He proved to be one of the best goaline running backs in one of the best conferences in the nation (Big Ten) during his four-year college career at Wisconsin. The Broncos are going to score a ton of points this season and expect Ball to join the party. The Broncos ranked near the top in redzone and goal-to-go rush attempts last year, so expect Ball to get a ton of those carries this season. Denver has three solid running backs in Ball, Knowshon Moreno, and Ronnie Hillman but expect the rookie from Wisconsin to earn the nod this year. He is the most talented running back of the three and he has a knack for crossing pay-dirt. Peyton Manning and the Broncos coaching staff are already ecstatic with the way Ball has performed during training camp and the job is his to lose. He is a projected seventh round pick and is the 25th rated running back in the yahoo rankings. 
It always seems like athletes in any sport always have their best season when it is a contract year. Tampa Bay elected to not give Freeman a contract extension and he enters his fifth season with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He has shown glimpses of being a really good quarterback in the NFL but has also had times when he looks completely lost. Last year Freeman threw for over 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns ranking in the top-ten in both categories. This will be the second year in Greg Schiano's system and he should be way more comfortable. The Buccaneers offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan is one of the best quarterback mentors and Freeman should have a better season this year. Sullivan played a large role in Eli Manning's success when he was an assistant coach with the New York Giants from 2004-2011. Tampa Bay has a ton of weapons on offense and one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. It is up to Freeman to take that next step if he wants to be a top-ten quarterback in the league. Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams make for a nice duo at wide receiver and Doug Martin was one of the best dual threat running backs in the NFL last season as a rookie. Martin should open up the field tremendously this season to make Freeman's job that much easier. Freeman is currently a projected 15th rounder and is the 24th rated quarterback in yahoo. He could be a late steal and is the perfect backup to have for your top quarterback's bye week or for when Freeman has the better matchup that week. 
The San Francisco 49ers were lucky to have Anquan Boldin handed to them for basically nothing in the offseason, especially with Michael Crabtree rupturing his achillies tendon. Crabtree won't be back until at least November, which instantly makes Boldin the Niners number one receiver. As we saw last year, Kaepernick loves his number one receiver. Crabtree had over 100 yards receiving in five of the last eight games (including playoffs) and had seven touchdowns. When Alex Smith was the quarterback, Crabtree only had four 100 yard games in 38 games when Smith was the starting quarterback. Point is, Kaep loves throwing to his number one target, and this year it's Anquan Boldin. Boldin and Kaepernick have become very comfortable with each other during training camp and expect the three-time Pro Bowler to put up good numbers in his first season in the Bay Area. Boldin is currently projected to go in the 10th round and is the 39th rated wide receiver in yahoo. Boldin would be the perfect wide receiver to have on the bench to put in during favorable matchups and to sub in during bye weeks at WR or at the flex. Boldin is flying under the radar surprisingly, especially with Crabtree out for at least the first half of the season. 
All signs point for a stellar rookie campaign for Le'Veon Bell. The second running back selected in the 2013 NFL Draft is a powerful running back who has a knack for the endzone. His running style fits perfectly in the Steel City and is a hard-nosed back who should get the rock plenty of times in goaline situations. Expect the Steelers to get back to the running game a lot more this year as Ben Roethlisberger is one year older. Big Ben has taken a ton of punishment during his first nine seasons in the NFL. Bell should handle a lot of the load this season for the Steelers offense and expect him to see the majority of touches out of the backfield. As a junior last year at Michigan State he rushed for 1,793 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had 33 rushing touchdowns during his three years at Michigan State and had at least 30 receptions during his last two years in East Lansing. Bell has a good chance to be the "Offensive Rookie of the Year" this season. The rookie running back is a projected eighth round pick and is the 19th rated running back in yahoo. Doug Martin and Alfred Morris were the steals of last years fantasy draft. Expect Bell and Ball to be the two steals of this years rookie running back class. 
