Arguably the greatest mixed martial artist in history is set to make his return to the Octagon after a 13-month absence from the sport. At UFC 183 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Anderson “The Spider” Silva will attempt to regain the form that made him stand tall amongst the elite performers in his sport.
Providing the opposition is the talented, enigmatic and polarizing Nick Diaz. He’s a man of few words, but when he speaks, it’s usually bizarre and compelling.
If there was ever a mixed martial artist with a natural disposition suited for the world of professional wrestling, it’s Diaz. The Stockton, California native, has been out of the Octagon for a while himself. It’s been nearly two years since he lost to Georges St-Pierre in the main event of UFC 158.
Because of the layoffs with both fighters, we really don’t know what to expect from either man. That’s even more reason to watch. Here’s the viewing information and my predictions for every fight.
You can check out my preview that focuses on the main card here. For this write-up, let’s take a closer look at the preliminary fights.
Best Potential Scraps Before Main Card
Diego Brandao vs. Jimy Hettes
As UFC Fight Pass prelims go, the Brandao-Hettes clash is pretty impressive. Both men are veterans of the promotion and have scored some solid wins in their career.
However, each man is coming off a loss in his last bout and would like nothing more than to grab a victory to improve his status. Brandao has been stopped in each of his last two fights.
Most recently, he was demolished in the first round by top featherweight contender Conor McGregor. Prior to that, Dustin Poirier only needed a round to dispose of Brandao.
Hettes hasn’t fought in almost a year. In his last scrap, he too was stopped by Dennis Bermudez.
Against each other, the two men match up fairly well. Both have a solid grappling base, but Brandao is far more dangerous as a striker than Hettes. The latter has never finished a fight with strikes, and he’ll have a tough time getting Brandao to respect his striking.
Look for Brandao to put the pressure on Hettes, defend the takedown and earn a unanimous-decision victory with pressure and more effective striking.
Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall vs. John “Hands of Stone” Lineker
This bout was supposed to take place in Nov. 2014, but McCall had to withdraw due to a blood infection. Because McCall’s latest ailment follows a series of hand injuries, you have to wonder if he’ll be 100 percent in this fight.
If I was confident he’d be at his best, my prediction would have favored him. With uncertainty around McCall’s overall health, Lineker‘s power, pursuit and hunger make him the smarter choice.
Not only has Lineker escaped the injuries McCall has endured, at 24, he’s also six years younger than Uncle Creepy. I give McCall credit for being tough enough to withstand Lineker‘s potentially devastating striking, but the decision will go to the man they call Hands of Stone.
Miesha “Cupcake” Tate vs. Sara McMann
The battle for the title of second-best women’s bantamweight is an intriguing one. McMann‘s wrestling prowess makes her a tough out for any opponent, but Tate’s overall skill and experience also make her formidable.
In a battle that could put the winner one or two fights away from another shot at bantamweight queen Ronda Rousey or Cat Zingano—should the latter upset the champion at UFC 184 in February—McMann‘s strength in the clinch and on the ground will be the difference.
Tate says in the interview below with Fight Corner that McMann is one-dimensional, but she acknowledges that it has been working.
When Rousey defeated McMann in Feb. 2014, she didn’t allow the latter to get to her strength. A well-placed knee to the midsection spelled the end of the bout. Tate doesn’t have the striking skills to make McMann respect her, and she’s not physically strong enough to keep from being dominated on the mat.
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