UFC Fight Night Henderson vs. Thatch:4-2
2015 Overall: 27-24
2015 Title fights: 0-1
Now onto the next event! Due to, mostly, a lack of interest, I will only be predicting the main card fights.
The Main Card
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sean Strickland
Santiago was stellar on his season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil before being pulled from the finale with an injury. While it kept him from a TUF title, he has shown that even the best on that show were probably just mediocre. His last outing was stellar and he looks like a physical beasts, but a decision loss to Ryan LaFlare in his debut was a sad sight. Stickland's win over Luke Barnatt, even controversial was a better win that Santiago's lone UFC win. Plus, nobody has ever beat Strickland with only four fights ever going to decision. As much as Santiago looks stronger physically, I think Strickland keeps finishing. Strickland by TKO
Iuri Alcantara vs. Frankie Saenz
This should be a no brainer. Alcantara has been fighting in the octagon for much longer and has faced some really good competition. His last loss came to Urijah Faber and he was moderately competitive in a fight he had no chance of winning. He rallied off three wins in 2014 against some decent mid-level fighters in the division. Alcantara by Submission
Rustam Khabilov vs. Adriano Martins
Khabilov was exposed as probably not a top-tier 155-pound fighter in his loss to Benson Henderson, but that doesn't mean he isn't a higher tier guy than Martins. Martins' best win is over Daron Cruickshank and he was decimated by Donald Cerrone. Meanwhile, Khabilov is still very, very good and has only lost twice ever. He beat up on Jorge Masvidal in a Fight of the Night and once suplexed Vinc Pichel to sleep. Easy win here. Khabilov by TKO
Cezar Ferreira vs. Sam Alvey
Nobody knows where either of these two guys fit into the middleweight division. Cezar can be a beast, but looked bad in a loss to CB Dollaway and just ok in a win over Andrew Craig. Still he sits at 4-1 in the UFC and a win here could get him a top 15 opponent. Alvey was brought back to the UFC after being part of the embarrassing TUF: Nelson vs. Carwin season. He looked great against Dylan Andrews, but was that a fluke? Ferreira by TKO
Edson Barboza vs. Michael Johnson
In my opinion, the best fight on the card. Barboza can be vicious (just Google his head kick demolition of Terry Etim in 2012) and has withstood every UFC test but two (losses to Jamie Varner and Cerrone). His biggest problem is lack of consistency. He mutilated Evan Dunham last July but then ho-hummed through a decision win against Bobby Green in November. If he slacks here, Michael Johnson could put him on the wrong end of another highlight reel knockout. Johnson seems to have found his stride after a back and forth start in his UFC career, but has not fought in a year due to some domestic issues. But before that break, he pounded former title contender Melvin Guillard in a decision win, knocked out the iron-chined Gleison Tibau and went to an absolute amazing war with Joe Lauzon, picking up the decision. This is a big test for Johnson (ranked 12th) against the sixth ranked Barboza. A win for Barboza could get him close to a title shot, but a win for Johnson would finally get him inside the top 10 and a chance to angle for a big fight next. Johnson by TKO
Frank Mir vs. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva
Let us all go to a magical land where we care about this bout in 2015. I like Frank Mir, I really do. But he shouldn't have a job and Silva. Other than upsets (see "Punchers chance") over Alistair Overeem and Travis Browne, he has not won since February 2011 when he used that same lucky heavy hand to stop Fedor Emeliankenko, which was kind of a right of passage in Fedor's career in 2011. Silva's last actual impressive fight that was a win was 2010 against Mike Kyle. It has almost been as long for Mir who snapped Big Nog's arm in 2011 before being destroyed in succession by Junior Dos Santos, Daniel Cormier, Josh Barnett and kind-of Alistair Overeem. This is likely a loser-leaves-town fight where both guys could be singing their career swan songs. They should be anyway. Mir by Submission
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