Yesterday we took a look at the stacked preliminary card for UFC Fight Night 26, and today it’s time to examine what is probably the deepest main card ever for a free UFC card.
Watch UFC on Sportsnet: Shogun vs. Sonnen on Saturday Aug. 17 starting at 6pm ET / 3pm PT on Sportsnet 360, plus catch three bonus prelims on sportsnet.ca starting at 4:30pm ET / 1:30pm PT – Broadcast Schedule
There are six main-card matchups on tap tomorrow night, and here are my predictions for each bout.
Chael Sonnen vs. Mauricio (Shogun) Rua.
The main event of UFC Fight Night 26 is an intriguing light-heavyweight bout between Sonnen and former UFC champion Rua. It’s a must-win fight for Rua if he wants to remain in the top 10 of the 205-pound division, while for Sonnen it will likely mark his final light-heavyweight bout before he moves back to middleweight.
Although Sonnen is the betting favorite, I believe that Rua should be the fighter who is actually favoured as he has proven himself to be the far superior fighter at 205 pounds. I’m going with Shogun tomorrow night, and I think he’s going to win the fight by knockout.
Prediction: Rua via KO
Alistair Overeem vs. Travis Browne
The co-main event of UFC Fight Night 26 is a heavyweight matchup between big bombers Overeem and Browne, a fight that won’t be going the scheduled 15 minutes.
Many of these heavyweight matchups are decided by whoever connects with the first punch and I think tomorrow night that will be Overeem, who will KO Browne and move back into the division’s elite.
Prediction: Overeem via KO
Urijah Faber vs. Yuri Alcantara
An intriguing bantamweight match between Urijah Faber and Yuri Alcantara is also on the schedule, and it’s a big fight in the 135-pound division as the winner will move one step closer to a title shot.
This is a very competitive matchup and it will be close but I’m going with the underdog Alcantara to come through here as he wins a tight decision and moves into the bantamweight title picture.
Prediction: Alcantara via decision
Matt Brown vs. Mike Pyle
My pick for the “Fight of the Night” at UFC Fight Night 26 is the welterweight bout between surging veterans Brown and Pyle, a fight that cannot possibly be boring.
Both guys are on a roll and both can win but I’ve been more impressed with Brown during his recent win streak and I see him finishing Pyle with a brutal TKO win as he climbs into the division’s top 15.
Prediction: Brown via TKO
Uriah Hall vs. John Howard
TUF 17’s Uriah Hall returns to the cage after losing in the finale to Kelvin Gastelum and he’ll look to bounce back in impressive fashion against Boston native John Howard, who is making his UFC comeback after going 6-1 on the regional circuit as a middleweight.
Although I think Hall is overrated and won’t be a champion like many have predicted, I do think he is a better mixed martial artist than Howard and I see him mixing in the strikes and takedowns to score a decision win.
Prediction: Hall via decision
Joe Lauzon vs. Michael Johnson
In the opening fight of the main card, UFC bonus king Joe Lauzon fights in his home state against Michael Johnson in a fight that is basically a grappler vs. striker matchup as Lauzon will look to get the fight to the ground while Johnson will look to keep things standing.
Eventually I do see Lauzon being able to get this fight to the mat and I see him sinking in a rear-naked choke as he picks up the evening’s “Submission of the Night” bonus.
Prediction: Lauzon via submission
