UFC on FOX: Gustafsson vs. Johnson Predictions

Prediction watch
UFC Fight Night McGregor vs. Siver: 8-4
2015 Overall: 13-10
2015 Title fights: 0-1

Now onto the next event!

The undercard

Neil Seery vs. Chris Beal

Seery clearly has a more diverse game, but Beal showed in his last fight just how nasty he can be with his striking. His flying knee KO win in his last fight is something that will have a lot of people talking about Beal this weekend. How can he handle some spotlight, even if he is just in a Fight Pass prelim. A decisive win for Beal could catapult him up the rankings and I think he is still riding the momentum. Beal by TKO

Viktor Pesta vs. Konstantin Erokhin

I dunno. That is honest. Erokhin is making his UFC debut and is heavy handed, winning all but one career fight by knockout. He is the kind of guy that could really make an impression in the division, but Pesta is no slacker himself. Both guys are 9-1 and have decent futures in the UFC but I think that Erokhin is just too powerful. Erokhin by TKO

Mirsad Bektic vs. Paul Redmond

Remond is the underdog here for a season and that reason is Bektic's perfect record. This will be a hard fight to predict even though Bektic has the edge. Redmond by Decision

Mairbeck Taisumov vs. Anthony Christodoulou

Another tossup where I am going to take consistency on two guys that I really don't know. Taisumov by Decision

Andy Ogle vs. Makwan Amirkhani

Ogle has the shakier record, but when you see that four of his five career losses are in the UFC and include questionable decisions to Akira Corassani and Cole Miller, it isn't that bad. Amirkhani is making his UFC debut and hasn't fought anyone of note. Ogle is 1-4 in the UFC coming off his season of The Ultimate Fighter, but has looked impressive in all of those save for a submission loss to Charles Oliveira. Ogle's back is against the wall and that should make him dangerous against the newcomer. Ogle by Decision

Kenny Robertson vs. Sultan Aliev

Both of these guys are pretty similar with one exception. Look for Robertson to take this one too the ground, where he is much more proficient. A slugfest could favor either, but if Robertson can get this to the ground, he has a decent chance to finish the fight or at least ride it out safely. Robertson by Submission

Nico Musoke vs. Albert Tumenov

Tumenov is the favorite but there is just something I have liked about Musoke's game. He is slick and even though he is not a finisher, he did tapout veteran Alessio Sakara in his debut, a submission of the night. Musoke by Decision

Main card
Sam Sicilia vs. Akira Corassani
This is a tough fight for Sicilia and I am not sure it was smart to take. Corassani is unpredictable and fights very up or very down. My guess is that with the Swedish crowd behind him, he will be up. I don't think I am going out on a limb when I say that I expect a war here even though that is Corassani's game. I can see this fight going either way very easily and I don't know that I am at all confident in my pick. Corassani by TKO

Ryan Bader vs. Phil Davis
I worry that this will become an Arizona State vs. Penn State wrestle fest. Davis has championship potential but never shows it when needed. His win over Glover Teixeira was a clinic, but unimpressive. Bader needs this win to stay relevant, which is crazy since he was once one win from a title fight more than likely. Bader's win streak is nice but it has come against mediocre opponents and he hasn't finished anyone for two years. It has been longer since Davis has. This could be a great match but it could also be a snore fest. Either way, this fight is a toss up. Bader by Decision

Dan Henderson vs. Gegard Mousasi
I don't think Henderson has another title run in him, but I do think that in 2015 and every year prior, that Hendo is by far the better fighter here. I think he believes he has another run in him, so expect some bombs. Henderson by TKO

Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson
This is probably the most dangerous matchup that Gustafsson could have chosen for himself if he wants to fight Jon Jones this year. Rumble Johnson may not always be the best but he always has the punchers chance in a big way. This could be interesting but a worry as I don't see Rumble having a shot to take down Jones in a title fight. This will be a war, probably a little bloody, but Gustafsson showed against Jones that he can give it out as well as he can take it and the kid can take a punch. Shockingly, I don't see Rumble's power being able to take out the Swede easy and expect Gustafsson to throw caution to the win to get his rematch. Gustafsson by TKO (for fun, I'm saying 4th round)

> UFC 100 Predictions

>PRELIM FIGHTS
Matt Grice vs. Shannon Gugerty
Who cares? Its a pretty irrelevant fight that hopefully sets a good tone for the evening. -Grice by TKO in Round 2

CB Dollaway vs. Tom Lawlor
Very different styles collide and CB is just too much more disciplined.
-Dollaway by submission in Round 3

TJ Grant vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Grant steps in for Jonathan Goulet, who was originally scheduled for this fight. A fighter change always makes things interesting and in this case, I think that Grant is smart enough to avoid Kim's sharp elbows.
-Grant by unanimous submission

Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien
Jones is way stronger than O'Brien, that's all that matters.
-Jones by TKO in Round 1

Mac Danzig vs. Jim Miller
There have been no Ultimate Fighter winners more dissapointing than Danzig, who is boring and subpar at best. He'll be lucky if Miller gives him any room. Miller's loss to Gray Maynard will be offset as he dominates Danzig.
-Miller by unanimous decision

Mark Coleman vs. Stephan Bonnar
At the Ultimate Finale of the Griffin/Rampage season, Kendall Grove (a (TUF alum) fought the late Evan Tanner (a former world champion) in a match Grove labeled as "loser leaves town." This is the sequel. Fortunatly for Bonnar, who TWICE stood toe to toe with Forrest Griffin, Coleman is too old and not going to have the conditioning he needs.
-Bonnar by TKO in Round 2

>MAIN CARD
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher
This could become a slugfest with fight of the night potential even with the four other blockbuster main card fights. If Akiyama is smart, he won't let it become so because he can submit so much better than Belcher, a man who is much closer to one dimensional. Ground fight goes to Akiyama but I don't think he's smart enough to take it there.
-Belcher by unanimous decision

Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago
Thiago is 11-0 in his career, but only 1-0 in the UFC. And while he may be strong, very strong, knocking out Josh Koscheck isn't the most rare thing in the world. Fitch on the other hand doesn't care and I can all but guarantee that. He has the best chin in MMA and he'll take all that Thiago has to offer and give it back ten fold. My money is on my hometown boy.
-Fitch by split decision

Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson
Bisping's a striker, Henderson's a wrestler. The difference? Henderson can't defend striking as well as Bisping can defend wrestling. If the swing, eventually Bisping will catch Henderson but I don't know if Hendo can catch "The Count." On the ground, Bisping has improved his scrambling so well that Henderson may keep him down, but can he do anything with him while they are down there? It doesn't matter who Hendo has beaten, all that matters is this fight. It will be a classic but Henderson will go all out and that's comendable. I'd rather be a winner than commeded. Hendo stays close and fights, Bisping sticks and runs out of the line of fire. Call it what you will, I'll call it smart. Henderson will take Mike down, so the Brit was wrong. But he was right somewhere, he's gonna be the first to kncok Hendo out. The last time a fighter who has won The Ultimate Fighter, then gone on to coach the show later in their career, fought the guy they coached against, he won. Bisping is the new Griffin and fittingly he gets the next fight with Anderson Silva after Griffin fights him at 101.
-Bisping by TKO in Round 3

Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves
Haven't I already said that hammering on Josh Koscheck isn't that big of a deal? Ok, so Alves is much better than Paulo Thiago but still Koscheck isn't a high placed reference point. Alves is a heavy hitter and if he lands a couple good, quick shots then GSP could be in trouble as we learned in the first Matt Serra fight. But its a lot easier to get surprised by Serra than Alves, who is well, well known for his heavy hands and power. GSP has seen every side of ever style and lived to talk about it and even laugh down at it after he beat it's ass.
-GSP retains by unanimous decision

Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
Let's throw out that Lesnar doesn't even deserve to be in this spot and he got fast tracked because of his name. I am not sure how Lesnar thinks it is ok to talk that match trash when what he's done in the UFC is get dismantled by Mir, take 3 full rounds to beat Heath Herring (and who hasn't beat Heath Herring) and stop a very aged Randy Couture coming off an extended leave. If Lesnar wins, I will give him credit but there will still need to be a rubber match down the line. Until he wins, he's just a slightly more talented Kimbo Slice, ready to be exposed yet again. While most count Lesnar as the favorite- and yes he does have heavy, heavy hands- I see the fight as a lose/lose for him. If he goes to wrestler mode, we've seen what can and likely will happen. Frank Mir is just too good at BJJ no matter how much Brock has worked on his BJJ defense. Any position he wrestles Mir into, Frank can submit him. So how about just kick boxing? Well, Brock can't kick and Frank can. And no matter how much damage Brock's fists did in the first fight, Mir just...and let me make sure this is stressed...TKO'D NOGUEIRA!! Brock's too cocky, too angry and will make mistakes.
-Mir by submission in Round 2 to become the Undisputed champion