UFC 155 ‘Dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2’ Preview

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Bantamweights

Brad Pickett (22-6, 2-1 UFC) vs. Eddie Wineland (19-8-1, 1-2 UFC): Pickett lived up to his moniker of “One Punch” at UFC on Fuel TV 5, where he knocked out Yves Jabouin with a right uppercut in the first round. In his last outing, Wineland did something that Renan Pegado, Dominick Cruz and Pickett could not: he knocked out Scott Jorgensen. With his fearsome knockout power and stout takedown defense, Wineland will be an interesting foil for the relentless Pickett, who could get serious title consideration with a win. Wineland edges the Brit via decision.

Lightweights

Jamie Varner (20-7-1, 2-2 UFC) vs. Melvin Guillard (30-11-2, 11-7 UFC): These two were originally scheduled to clash at “The Ultimate Fighter 16” Finale before a pre-fight illness left Varner unable to compete. Guillard is the faster, more accurate striker. Assuming he thwarts the majority of Varner’s takedowns, look for him to move in and out, landing punches en route to a decision triumph.

Heavyweights

Todd Duffee (7-2, 1-1 UFC) vs. Philip De Fries (9-1, 2-1 UFC): After a 19-second knockout loss to Alistair Overeem and a relatively easy win over Neil Grove at Super Fight League 2, Duffee is back in the UFC -- the promotion which unceremoniously released him following a come-from-ahead loss to Mike Russow two and a half years ago. If his head is in the right place, Duffee still has plenty of potential, and he will not have to worry about getting his chin tested against De Fries, who is primarily a grappler. Duffee makes a triumphant return to the Octagon with a first-round knockout.

Flyweights

Chris Cariaso (14-3, 4-1 UFC) vs. John Moraga (12-1, 1-0 UFC): After a 3-1 run as a bantamweight, Cariaso looked solid in his 125-pound debut, outpointing Josh Ferguson at UFC on Fuel TV 4. Moraga was explosive in his first Octagon appearance, as he punished Ulysses Gomez against the cage with elbows and power punches to earn a TKO win in the opening frame. Moraga wins a decision and becomes a person of interest in the flyweight division.

Lightweights

Michael Johnson (12-6, 4-2 UFC) vs. Myles Jury (10-0, 1-0 UFC): Johnson seems to have really turned a corner with the Blackzilians camp, posting victories over Shane Roller, Tony Ferguson and Danny Castillo in his last three outings. A longtime King of the Cage staple, Jury submitted Chris Saunders in his UFC debut at “The Ultimate Fighter 15” Finale. Johnson uses superior hand speed and aggression to give Jury his first career loss via decision.

Bantamweights

Erik Perez (12-4, 2-0 UFC) vs. Byron Bloodworth (6-2, 0-1 UFC): Anchored at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts, Perez has the look of a promising prospect. Just 23 years old, the Monterrey, Mexico, native has dispatched John Albert and Ken Stone in a combined 4:35 in two Octagon appearances. Bloodworth has not competed since a loss to Mike Easton at UFC on Fox 6 in October 2011. Perez wins by submission in round two.

Featherweights

Leonard Garcia (15-9-1, 2-5 UFC) vs. Max Holloway (6-1, 2-1 UFC): Is this a pink-slip bout for Garcia? In the current UFC climate, one can never assume that a struggling fighter will be released, and, despite three consecutive losses, “Bad Boy” remains beloved for his wild brawls of UFC’s past. After a hiccup in his promotional debut against Dustin Poirier, Holloway has bounced back with consecutive wins over Pat Schilling and Justin Lawrence. The 21-year-old is a gifted striker who figures to give Garcia fits on the feet. Holloway takes this one by unanimous decision.