UFC 159: Fight Card Predictions

UFC 159 Main Fight Card Predictions

UFC is the leading organization in the MMA community and is getting ready to put on another amazing show for the people, this coming Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

UFC 159 is set for Saturday night beginning at 6:35 p.m. with three fights on a preliminary card to be broadcasted online via Facebook and YouTube. The webcast card includes fights between Kurt Holobaugh and Steven Siler, Nick Catone and James Head, as well as a featherweight bout between Leonard Garcia and Cody McKenzie.

After the online bouts are completed, the fights move over to the FX Network for a second preliminary card. Fights include Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros, Ovince St. Preux vs. Gian Villante, Johnny Bedford vs. Bryan Caraway, and will also feature the third ever women’s bout between Sheila Gaff and Sara McMann.

The first seven fights are all leading up to the main card on Pay-Per View featuring a lightweight bout between Jim Miller and Pat Healy, light heavyweight bout between Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes, Roy Nelson vs. Cheick Kongo in a heavyweight tilt, a middleweight fight between Alan Belcher and Michael Bisping, and culminating with the night’s light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen.

UFC 159 brings a close to a busy month for the UFC and is one of the most anticipated fight cards of the year so far. Tune in starting at 6:35 p.m. online, 8:00 p.m. on FX and 10:00 p.m. on Pay-Per View (all times eastern).

Let’s take a look at who will win each bout on the UFC 159 Main Card.

Disclaimer: Fights are verbally agreed upon and card may change at any time. Some fights may not be broadcast.

Justin Soderberg is a Boston Red Sox and MMA writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, "Like" him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.

Kurt Holobaugh vs. Steven Siler

Kurt Holobaugh enters his first UFC fight coming off his first ever professional loss, which came during a Strikeforce bout against Pat Healy. Holobaugh has posted a career 8-1-0 record with most of his wins coming by way of submission.

Steven Siler had an unimpressive stint on The Ultimate Fighter, but has transitioned well into a UFC fighter. Siler holds a 21-10-0 professional record and is also coming off a loss. In his four UFC fights, the 26-year-old is 3-1 with 2-of-3 wins coming by way of judges' decision.

Prediction: Siler def. Holobaugh via decision

Nick Catone vs. James Head

Nick Catone and James Head are as tough as they get and will have one heck of a fight come Saturday evening. Both are coming off losses and are desperate for a win, but only one can come out on top.

Catone enters the octagon with a 9-4-0 professional record, losing his last two fights and going 2-4 over his past six. The 31-year-old has outstanding take defense and will control most of the fight with his wrestling.

Head enters Saturday night with an unimpressive 9-3 record and posting only a 2-2 record since joining the UFC. The 29-year-old was finished by knockout is his last bout against Mike Pyle. Head also has a great wrestling game and will be a great match for Catone.

Prediction: Head def. Catone via submission, Round 3

Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie

Leonard Garcia and Cody McKenzie were originally scheduled for UFC 155, but this bout was moved to UFC 159 after McKenzie was unable to fight due to injury.

Garcia goes for broke and is an all-out brawler who doesn’t know what backing up is. Entering Saturday night, the 33-year-old is 19-10-1 and currently on a four-fight loss streak as a loser of seven of his last nine fights. “Bad Boy” is desperate for a victory inside the octagon and will do anything to get it.

McKenzie enters UFC 159 with a 13-3-0 professional record, but all three of his losses have come over his last four fights. Another fighter desperate for a victory, the 25-year-old will standup against Garcia and fight for his life.

Prediction: Garcia def. McKenzie via KO/TKO, Round 1

Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros

Rustam Khabilov made headlines during his UFC debut, knocking out Vinc Pachel via suplex in the very first round. It was not an unusual moment to see Khabilov take out Pachel since he is the holder of a 15-1-0 professional record and is a Combat Sambo world champion.

Yancy Medeiros enters his first UFC bout with an undefeated 9-0 professional record. Medeiros won his last two Strikeforce bouts before making his UFC debut this coming Saturday. The 25-year-old will try to keep the fight standing while Khabilov will try and bring him to the ground.

Prediction: Khabilov def. Medeiros via KO/TKO, Round 2

Sheila Gaff vs. Sara McMann

Sheila Gaff and Sara McMann will compete in the third women’s bout in UFC history at UFC 159. Gaff, an up-and-coming German fighter, enters the octagon with a 10-4-1 record.

McMann will be Gaff’s biggest challenge yet as the latter makes her UFC debut. McMann is an Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling and owns an undefeated 6-0-0 professional MMA record.

Predicition: Gaff def. MacMann via submission, Round 2

Ovince St. Preux vs. Gian Villante

Ovince St. Preux and Gian Villante are both making their UFC debut after fighting the majority of their professional careers in the now defunct Strikeforce.

St. Preux holds a professional record of 12-5-0, winning five of his last six bouts in Strikeforce. The 30-year-old either finishes quick or goes the distance it seems, winning four of his last fights by decision or in the third round.

Villante is 10-3-0 entering the octagon on Saturday night and is currently on a three-fight win streak. Another fighter who likes to fight deep into his bouts, this fight is looking more and more likely to head to a judges' scorecard or be finished late in the third.

Prediction: Villante def. St. Preux via decision

Johnny Bedford vs. Bryan Caraway

Johnny Bedford is undefeated in the octagon since his UFC debut in 2011 and holds a professional record of 19-10-1. Both of his UFC wins have come by way of the knockout in the second or third round. Look for Bedford to try and knockout his opponent.

Bryan Caraway holds a professional record of 17-7-0 and is 2-1 in the UFC. Coming off a split decision loss in his last fight back in March, Caraway is looking to get back on the right track. Three of his last four wins have come by way of submission, and he will try and do the same to Bedford.

Prediction: Bedford def. Caraway via submission, Round 3

Jim Miller vs. Pat Healy

Jim Miller and Pat Healy are both grinders and will make this fight one-to-watch come Saturday night. The two fighters likely will grind-it-out and fight for most of three rounds.

Miller enters Saturday night with a 22-4-0 record and is looking for his first back-to-back wins since UFC 124 and UFC 128. Healy holds a 31-15-0 record and is looking for his seventh straight win in his UFC debut.

Prediction: Miller def. Healy via Submission, Round 3

Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes

The first-of-two light heavyweight bouts on the main card at UFC 159 will feature Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes. The two fighters are more even than most people think, but Davis has the advantage.

Davis is 10-1-0 coming into UFC 159 and is looking for his second straight win. All of the 28-year-old’s wins since joining the UFC have come via submission or decision. Magalhaes, TUF Nog vs. Mir runner-up, has a 11-5-0, 1NC record and picked up his first win since joining the UFC at UFC 152.

Prediction: Davis def. Magalhaes via submission, Round 2

Roy Nelson vs. Cheick Kongo

In what could end up being the Fight of the Night, Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo are going to exchange blows and someone is going to get knocked out.

Nelson, TUF: Heavyweights winner, holds a professional record of 19-7-0 and packs a mean punch. In his last two UFC fights, Nelson finished the bouts in the first round by knockout and is looking to do the same on Saturday. Kongo is 28-7-2 and is one of the scariest dudes in the octagon. Four of his last seven wins have come by way of the knockout.

Prediction: Nelson def. Kongo via KO/TKO, Round 2

Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher

There is no arguing that Michael Bisping likes to run his mouth and create a feud out of thin air with just about any fighter in the UFC. While on the other side Alan Belcher is one of the most likable UFC fighters, but that hasn’t stopped Bisping from running his mouth again.

Bisping holds a professional record of 24-5-0, but he is 2-2 over his last four UFC fights. He is a volume striker and attempts 11.1 significant strikes per minute. Belcher touts a 17-6-0 record and is coming off a loss for the first time since 2009. Belcher will look to use his horrific leg kicks against his opponent on Saturday night.

Prediction: Belcher def. Bisping via decision

Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen

Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen are set for the main event of UFC 159 and will fight for the light heavyweight belt, a belt and title which Jones currently holds. This fight will also finish off season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, which these two fighters were coaches on.

Jones is seeking his fifth straight title defense and his ninth straight win. With a win, Jones would tie Tito Ortiz, who defended the title five times. “Bones” holds a professional record of 17-1-0 and is the second best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC at the moment. Jones has never been taken down in his UFC career, stopping all 16 attempts by his opponents.

Sonnen is 28-12-1 over his career, mostly in the middleweight division. He recently moved to light heavyweight. Sonnen has fought for a belt twice at 185-pounds against Anderson Silva and lost both bouts. The contender is known for his wrestling and averages four takedowns per fight.

Prediction: Jones def. Sonnen via KO/TKO, Round 2

Justin Soderberg is a Boston Red Sox and MMA writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, "Like" him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.