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UFC Fight Night 99 Predictions: Will Uriah Hall Add Another Knockout?

The UFC will look to continue the momentum of last week’s blockbuster UFC 205 with a doubleheader of events on foreign soil this weekend, with the first event, UFC Fight Night 99, going down in Belfast. Veteran middleweights Gegard Mousasi and Uriah Hall will face off in a main event rematch of their shocking first

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Veteran middleweights Gegard Mousasi and Uriah Hall will face off in a main event rematch of their shocking first bout at UFC Japan last year, where Hall knocked out the stalwart former Strikeforce champ with a monstrous spinning heel kick followed by a flying knee. “The Dreamcatcher” has been fighting like a man possessed ever since, however, while Hall has dropped two straight to surging competitors Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson.

In the co-main, longtime UFC mainstay Ross Pearson will fight Scotland’s Stevie Ray. Find out who we picked to win the main events of UFC Fight Night 99:

Gegard Mousasi vs. Uriah Hall:

Mike Drahota:

The first fight between these two drastically different fighters left me with my jaw agape just like everyone who watched it, and Hall flashed one of those elusive moments of just how dangerous his unique striking skill can be. Aside from his flashy arsenal of tools, Mousasi brings a more reserved boxing attack and a wholly dangerous ground game as well, making him the far more well rounded fighter.

‘The Dreamcatcher’ comes in a huge -525 favorite according to BigOnSports.com, a surprising line considering how Hall brutally beat him in their first meeting. Yet Mousasi has been on fire as of late, defeating three straight strong contenders. I think he uses his jab to work his way inside of Hall’ kicks, taking the fight to the ground for the win. Mousasi by first round submission (rear-naked choke).

Rory Kernaghan:

This is a tough one to call, with both men experiencing highs and lows inn their respective careers. Uriah Hall smashed Gegard Mousasi last time out, but ‘The Dreamcatcher’ has been rampant since then. My gut tells me experience will win the day in this fight, Mousasi by submission.

Mike Henken:

Hall is obviously an explosive striker with legitimate finishing ability, and he may have a slight mental advantage here given the fact that brutally knocked out Mousasi back in September 2015. With that being said, however, I feel as if Mousasi is the far superior fighter. The Dutchman possesses a high-level kickboxing background and a strong submission game that is, at times, over looked. I expect him to be more cautious on the feet this time around before taking the fight to the canvas and finishing Hall off there. Mousasi by second-round submission.

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman for USA TODAY Sports

Ross Pearson vs. Stevie Ray:

Mike Drahota:

This fight is a close match-up in my opinion, as Ray will certainly be motivated by the hometown crowd while Pearson is a tough out regardless if he’s largely alternated wins and losses in the last several years. ‘The Real Deal’ has his back up against the wall after two losses, and Ray is hungry to bounce back from his first UFC loss in four fights. The odds are matched evenly at -110 for each fighter according to BIgOnSports.com, and I expect the Scottish fighter to edge out a slight upset in Belfast. Ray by split decision.

Rory Kernaghan:

Ross Pearson has proved to be a tough nut to crack in the past, but Stevie Ray has looked promising in his young UFC career. Keeping in line with the main event, I feel Ross Pearson has the edge in experience, and I like his boxing in this pairing. Look for nice footwork and big body shots en route to a decision win for Pearson.

Mike Henken:

Pearson is a battle-tested, durable veteran with well-rounded skills, but he’s hit some rough times as of late, losing three of his last four bouts. Ray is also coming off of a loss, but prior to that he had won an impressive five straight. This is a pick ‘em fight for me, but I feel as if the younger “Braveheart” will outlast his veteran foe in this bout. Ray by unanimous decision.

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Main Event Breakdown: UFC Belfast

UFC 205 is in the books, but there is no rest for MMA fans in sight. Following the blockbuster card and an intense weekend of coverage from all manner of media outlets, we’re back at it with a full slate of 25 fights spanning two continents. Neither offering will be confused with the grandest event

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Neither offering will be confused with the grandest event in promotion history, but there are fun fights and intriguing fighters spanning both cards. The European slate features the incomparable Teruto Ishihara, the oft-delayed return of wild man Ian McCall, and the UFC debut of former Bellator heavyweight champ Alexander Volkov.

The weekend gets kicked off in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and is headlined by a middleweight rematch between Gegard Mousasi and Uriah Hall. Hall will be looking to get back on track and replicate his stunning victory over the Belgian.

Read on for the breakdown of the main event of UFC Belfast.

Middleweights Gegard Mousasi vs. Uriah Hall

First of all, this is puzzling matchmaking. Since their first encounter 14 months ago, Mousasi has re-established himself as a borderline title contender, even in the deep and rejuvenated middleweight division. He has beaten Thales Leites, Thiago Santos, and Vitor Belfort, finishing the latter two and making it look easy.

Hall, meanwhile, has dropped his two bouts since topping ‘The Dreamcatcher,’ falling to Robert Whittaker by decision and suffering a knockout to the surging Derek Brunson. Usually, the UFC likes to pit winners against winners and fighters coming off losses against one another.

Next, the first fight was a tremendous victory for the uber-dynamic Hall, but he is essentially being asked to make lightning strike twice. It does not seem remotely repeatable. Mousasi dominated the opening round with pressure and top control. As he looked to resume his assault in round two, it took a jumping spinning back kick to the face, followed immediately by a flush flying knee, followed by a barrage of punches to finish Mousasi.

Even for a gifted and flashy striker like Hall, doing something like that again is out of the question.

Mousasi’s clearest path to victory lies in replicating the first round for another five minutes. Deny Hall the space he needs to uncork his flashy kicks, take him down, and generally make life miserable for him with ground and pound and positional advancements. The Dutchman is no slouch in the stand-up department either. He is defensively responsible while also being dangerous at all ranges with punches, kicks, and knees.

As already mentioned, Hall is offensively potent, particularly with his kicks and his ground and pound. Although he is improving in these areas, he has a bad habit of going through periods of inactivity and backing himself to the fence. The former tendency cost him in fights with Whittaker and Rafael Natal, and the latter helped lead to his knockout against Brunson. Hall is a bit like fellow middleweight contender Yoel Romero, except being nearly impossible to hold down and lacking the ability to land a knockout shot at any range.

Hall has shown the kind of dynamism and athletic ability that could end the fight at any moment, but even a Hail Mary shot might not be enough against Mousasi. The Dutchman wasn’t even all the way out after two kill shots and a barrage of punches that would have put down a rhino. “The Dreamcatcher’s” well-roundedness, newfound aggression, and grappling chops will be enough to get the job done.

The Pick: Mousasi by second-round submission.

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UFC 205 Preliminary Card Fight Breakdown

We previewed the main card earlier this week (RIP Cowboy Cerrone vs. Kelvin Gastelum), so check that out if you missed it. The “prelims” put that name to shame, as just about every fight on this slate could headline a Fox Sports 1 card. Frankie Edgar will look to rebound from his one-sided loss to

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We previewed the main card earlier this week (RIP Cowboy Cerrone vs. Kelvin Gastelum), so check that out if you missed it. The “prelims” put that name to shame, as just about every fight on this slate could headline a Fox Sports 1 card.

Frankie Edgar will look to rebound from his one-sided loss to interim champion Jose Aldo at UFC 200 when he takes on the brick-fisted Jeremy Stephens. Edgar is one of the fighters who has been penciled in for this card since the idea of doing a card at Madison Square Garden was but a distant dream. The Toms River, NJ, native figures to get a big pop when he makes his walk to the Octagon.

Not even making the headliner of the prelims, Khabib Nurmagomedov will attempt to push his record to an unbelievable 24-0 against the talented but enigmatic Michael Johnson. The rest of the slate sees the return of Thiago Alves, a slugfest between bruising and defensively deficient middleweights Rafael Natal and Tim Boetsch, and what is sure to be a wildly fun welterweight banger between Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad.

Read on for analysis and picks of the preliminary portion of UFC 205.

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UFC 205 Predictions: Will Conor McGregor Make History In New York?

The wait is over and tonight’s (Sat., November 12, 2016) UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City is finally here. With it comes arguably the most jam-packed night of fights in ever, and indeed each main card bout presents pivotal implications for each division. And it should, a there are three title

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The wait is over and tonight’s (Sat., November 12, 2016) UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City is finally here.

With it comes arguably the most jam-packed night of fights in ever, and indeed each main card bout presents pivotal implications for each division. And it should, a there are three title fights and a title contender bout up for grabs.

That makes for an extremely exciting night of MMA that finally emanates from New York City. Without further ado, find out whom we picked to win every bout on the biggest main card in MMA history below….

miesha tate vs. jessica eye — Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Miesha Tate vs. Raquel Pennington:

Mike Drahota:

This women’s bantamweight scrap is a great one to kick off the UFC 205 main card, and I also think it may not be as easy a bout as many believe it will be for Tate, who actually brings a decent amount of pressure into the bout after sort of no-showing her first title defense against Amanda Nunes. Pennington has nothing to lose, and she brings the momentum of a recent hot streak with her as well. However, I still think the wrestling and veteran experience of ‘Cupcake’ should rule the day. Tate by unanimous decision.

Rory Kernaghan:

Tate showed us she had what it takes to be a champion, putting the highly touted Holly Holm to sleep to win the belt. Then, in just her first defense, ‘Cupcake’ got cooked by Nunes at UFC 200. Which version of Tate will we see against Raquel Pennington? In my mind, ‘Rocky’ is gritty and talented, but not dangerous in this scenario. I see Tate cruising to a unanimous decision win here.

Mike Henken:

Tate is coming off of one of the worst performances of her career where she surrendered her title in brutal fashion to Nunes, but I simply feel as if she’s the better fighter in this matchup against Pennington, although “Rocky” has won three straight. “Cupcake” has always had strong wrestling and grappling, and her striking has improved over the years. I expect her to bounce back in New York. Tate by unanimous decision.

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UFC 205 Full Main Card Fight Breakdown

The most stacked card in history is here. Blowing previous mega-cards UFC 200 and UFC 202 out of the water in terms of potential excitement, high-level competition, big names, and high stakes, UFC 205 will be the promotion’s inaugural foray into New York City. The blockbuster event will emanate Saturday November 12, 2016, from Madison Square

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The most stacked card in history is here.

Blowing previous mega-cards UFC 200 and UFC 202 out of the water in terms of potential excitement, high-level competition, big names, and high stakes, UFC 205 will be the promotion’s inaugural foray into New York City. The blockbuster event will emanate Saturday November 12, 2016, from Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.

The headliner will see the biggest draw in the sport today, Conor McGregor, seeking to make history. The current undisputed featherweight champion, the ‘Notorious’ one will attempt to dethrone current lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. If he is successful, he will become the first simultaneous two-division title-holder in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The hard-nosed Alvarez will be making his first defense of the title in the money fight of his choosing. He last appeared in July, when he ripped the belt from Rafael dos Anjos.

The main card also features two other title fights. First, Joanna J?drzejczyk will look to defend her title for a fourth time when she goes toe to toe with fellow Polish striker Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Then welterweight champ Tyron ‘The Chosen One’ Woodley will square off with consensus number one contender Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.

The rest of the main draw will see New York native Chris Weidman lock horns with Cuban wrestling dynamo Yoel Romero and former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate warring with Raquel Pennington.

Read on for a breakdown of every scrap on the main card.

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UFC Mexico Predictions: Which Top Lightweight Will Emerge?

Tony Ferguson vs. Rafael Dos Anjos: Mike Drahota: The UFC picked a strong fight to kick off their jam-packed year-ending push, and it’s one that many are pegging as unpredictable. Ferguson clearly has the momentum with his lengthy win streak, and he also provides some value as a +125 underdog according to BigOnSports.com. Favored former

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Tony Ferguson vs. Rafael Dos Anjos:

Mike Drahota:

The UFC picked a strong fight to kick off their jam-packed year-ending push, and it’s one that many are pegging as unpredictable. Ferguson clearly has the momentum with his lengthy win streak, and he also provides some value as a +125 underdog according to BigOnSports.com. Favored former champion dos Anjos has some questions to answer after he lost the belt to Eddie Alvarez in a surprising TKO loss this July.

Ferguson does as well, as he was nearly finished by unorthodox late replacement Lando Vannatta at July’s UFC Fight Night 91, signifying that he’s far from invincible despite his gaudy results. Still, I think the rangy Ferguson will be tough to take down, and his reach advantage could lend him an advantage in striking exchanges. If dos Anjos can pressure “El Cucuy” and make this fight dirty, it should be in his favor, but I think Ferguson is just too hungry to let that gameplan succeed. Ferguson by decision.

Rory Kernaghan:

The main event in Mexico City is certainly a tough one to pick. The former champion Rafael dos Anjos was steam-rolling opponents up until he met Eddie Alvarez, and is arguably the highest caliber of fighter Tony Ferguson has ever faced. ‘El Cucuy’ has looked rampant in his eight fight winning streak, and I feel he will be too much for dos Anjos. The reach advantage, ability to strike from a distance and an overall unpredictability will all play in favor of Ferguson. My pick is Tony Ferguson by decision.

Mike Henken:

This main event features an intriguing battle between two of the very best lightweights in the world, and I also admit that it was a difficult pick. Dos Anjos, the former champion, is an explosive striker/wrestler in addition to a rock-solid Brazilian Jiu-jitsu background. His striking has improved greatly in recent years and he has the ability to finish a fight in multiple ways, but he’s also coming off of a brutal stoppage loss to Eddie Alvarez just last July, which may affect him. Ferguson, on the other hand, has won an incredible eight straight. He typically uses an unorthodox striking style backed by a strong submission skill set of his own. In fact, five of his last eight wins have come by way of stoppage. With this bout, I simply feel as if “El Cucuy” will carry more momentum into the fight. Ferguson by fourth round TKO.

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas for USA TODAY Sports

Diego Sanchez vs. Marcin Held:

Mike Drahota:

A throwback to the early days of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), fan-favorite Sanchez now has his back against the wall against submission whiz Held after several losses. The young grappler will present some serious problems for Sanchez if and when this fight hits the ground, even though he possesses his own jiu-jitsu black belt. Time could be running out for Sanchez’ storied career, and unless he can goad Held into a brawl, things aren’t looking all that rosy for the +210 underdog on BigOnSports.com. The 24-year-old mat technician reminds me of a 155-pound Demian Maia in the making, and I agree that he has earned every bit of his status as a -255 favorite. With the deck stacked against Sanchez, I have to choose Held by first round submission.

Rory Kernaghan:

Diego Sanchez returned to lightweight against Jim Miller at UFC 196, looking miles better than he did at 145 pounds. At UFC 200 Joe Lauzon wrecked him, and so his bout against Marcin Held in Mexico really depends on who shows up. ‘The Nightmare’ is a demon in the pocket, but I feel the years of abuse in the octagon have really caught up to him lately. Although Held isn’t exactly a threat in the striking, he has some serious grappling chops to display. It’s a tough pick, and five years ago it would have clearly been a lot easier. Hometown advantage, and the fact Marcin Held is fighting for the first time in the UFC could come in to play here. I’m going to go with my gut, Diego Sanchez by decision.

Mike Henken:

Held will be making his UFC debut in this bout after a successful stint in Bellator, and he will be thrown right in with a longtime UFC veteran in Diego Sanchez. Sanchez is a wild fighter with a wealth of experience and a strong submission skill set, but I simply don’t feel as if he’s the fighter he once was. At 34 years of age, Sanchez has lost four of his last seven bouts. Held, 24, also possesses a decorated BJJ background and I see him getting the job done here. Held by first round submission.

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