We're in for quite an event on Saturday night from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, as two titles are on the line at UFC 175.
The main card puts the UFC middleweight title and women's UFC bantamweight title up for grabs, as Chris Weidman will look to continue his dominance in his weight class and Ronda Rousey attempts to keep her unbeaten streak alive against Alexis Davis.
With those two fights, plus another three on the evening's main card, expect to see some fireworks from a bevy of talent inside the Octagon.
So, as we await these fights, one simple question lingers on our minds: Who will win?
Let's pick the winner of each fight on Saturday's main card.
Marcus Brimage vs. Russell Doane
The opening fight of the main card should get things off to a relatively fast start in what figures to be a very evenly matched contest.
Brimage is a solid striker and can take a shot to the jaw. He has a nice list of victories against solid competition but recently lost his last outing via a Round 1 knockout by Conor McGregor.
Doane is a well-rounded fighter and light on his feet; however, if he can't get himself into a rhythm, he won't outlast Brimage.
Prediction: Brimage via decision
Uriah Hall vs. Thiago Santos
Hall is a capable striker, and his victory over Chris Leben speaks volumes for what he's capable of; however, he must maintain his focus to earn a win here.
Santos is a knockout artist. He doesn't attempt to go to the ground—he just wants to stand and fight. He made this bold statement, courtesy of MMAJunkie:
UFC 175's Thiago Santos on Uriah Hall: 'Good chance of a knockout' http://t.co/N2bD1ksY9c via @MMAjunkie
— MMAjunkie (@MMAjunkie) July 4, 2014
Both of these athletes are at their best when standing, but the nod has to go to the fighter who is more consistent on his feet.
Prediction: Santos via decision
Stefan Struve vs. Matt Mitrione
Struve returns after a long layoff from fighting. At 7'0", he's an absolute giant who has tallied a nice victory count over quality competitors. His length allows him to excel in the submission game, using his long legs and reach to wrap up an opponent.
He also appears fired up for this fight:
Sick of training, sick of getting asked questions about my heart, sick and tired of thinking of last year. So happy it's almost fighttime!
— Stefan Struve (@StefanStruve) July 3, 2014
Mitrione is completely the opposite. He's best on his feet and has pinpoint accuracy when striking. While he's a capable boxer, he also has a solid defense, but he must be wary of Struve's sneaky takedown attempts.
The win goes to experience here.
Prediction: Struve via submission
Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis
Rousey will look to increase her undefeated record; however, it won't be easy against a gritty Davis.
Davis is excellent on the ground, both offensively and defensively, and could give Rousey a run for her money when it comes to pulling off one of her signature armbar submissions.
Nevertheless, Rousey's expertise on the ground is second to none. She's a master of the armbar, and once she applies it, there's practically no escape.
Here's a strong opinion of Rousey, courtesy of UFC News:
.@Tgerbasi Column on @RondaRousey: "Ronda most menacing fighter since Mike Tyson." http://t.co/0bMRpoEqSQ pic.twitter.com/wqYlmjI2U0
— UFC News (@UFCNews) July 3, 2014
With both of these fighters possibly looking to take the bout to the ground early, the outcome will inevitably come down to which competitor has the best ground attack on the evening.
Rousey should be able to retain her title; however, Davis has enough defense to keep her out of the armbar and force the fight to go the distance.
Prediction: Rousey via decision
Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida
This main event has the makings of becoming one for the ages.
Weidman enters the fight as the undefeated champion after beating one of the greatest fighters of all time in Anderson Silva.
The definition of an all-around fighter, Weidman has a perfect blend of pinpoint striking, textbook wrestling and devastating takedowns. Capable of doing it all, he will be a tall order for Machida to handle.
Getting in a full training camp makes Weidman even tougher, and according to a tweet from UFC Tonight, he's done exactly that:
Chris Weidman: "I got a full training camp. I'm finishing this fight."
— UFC Tonight (@UFCTonight) July 3, 2014
On the other hand, Machida has some great qualities of his own. A brilliant striker, he's no stranger to standing toe-to-toe with an opponent, resulting in one of his many knockdowns. He also boasts a strong defense and can avoid takedowns—a trait that will help him against the champion.
What it all comes down to here is how easily Weidman can find his range. He will respect Machida's ability as a striker but has too much power, technique and finishing ability to be denied a victory once he establishes his position in the Octagon.
Prediction: Weidman via TKO
