Picking & Grinning: UFC Fight Night ‘Swanson vs. Lobov’

Cub Swanson will have a difficult time surpassing his latest performance.

A little more than four months after he defeated South Korean prospect Doo Ho Choi in an epic three-round war, Swanson returns to the Octagon against SBG Ireland’s Artem Lobov in the UFC Fight Night 108 main event on Saturday (current odds) at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Meanwhile, Serra-Longo Fight Team standout Al Iaquinta will take on Diego Sanchez in the lightweight co-headliner, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship touches down in the Music City for the first time since August 2015.

The rest of the six-fight main draw features a light heavyweight clash pairing Ovince St. Preux with Marcos Rogerio de Lima, a bantamweight tilt pitting John Dodson against Eddie Wineland, a lightweight affair matching Joe Lauzon with Steven Ray and a welterweight confrontation slotting Jake Ellenberger opposite Mike Perry.

Ahead of UFC Fight Night “Swanson vs. Lobov,” Sherdog.com staff members and contributors swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:

THE LINEUP

145: Cub Swanson vs. Artem Lobov
155: Al Iaquinta vs. Diego Sanchez
205: Ovince St. Preux vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
135: John Dodson vs. Eddie Wineland
155: Joe Lauzon vs. Steven Ray
170: Jake Ellenberger vs. Mike Perry
185: Thales Leites vs. Sam Alvey
125: Dustin Ortiz vs. Brandon Moreno
155: Scott Holtzman vs. Michael McBride
115: Jessica Penne vs. Danielle Taylor
135: Alexis Davis vs. Cindy Dandois
170: Bryan Barberena vs. Joe Proctor
125: Hector Sandoval vs. Matt Schnell

THE STANDINGS

Jordan Breen: 81-35-1
Tristen Critchfield: 77-39-1
Connor Ruebusch: 76-40-1
Brian Knapp: 74-42-1
Todd Martin: 73-43-1
Eric Stinton: 71-45-1
Mike Fridley: 70-46-1
Mike Sloan: 67-49-1

THE PICKS

Jordan Breen: Swanson, Iaquinta, St. Preux, Dodson, Lauzon, Perry, Alvey, Ortiz, Holtzman, Penne, Davis, Barberena, Sandoval

Tristen Critchfield: Swanson, Iaquinta, de Lima, Dodson, Ray, Perry, Leites, Ortiz, Holtzman, Taylor, Davis, Barberena, Sandoval

Connor Ruebusch: Swanson, Iaquinta, de Lima, Dodson, Ray, Perry, Alvey, Moreno, Holtzman, Taylor, Davis, Barberena, Schnell

Brian Knapp: Swanson, Iaquinta, St. Preux, Dodson, Ray, Perry, Leites, Ortiz, Holtzman, Penne, Davis, Barberena, Sandoval

Todd Martin: Swanson, Iaquinta, St. Preux, Dodson, Lauzon, Perry, Leites, Moreno, Holtzman, Penne, Dandois, Barberena, Sandoval

Eric Stinton: Swanson, Iaquinta, St. Preux, Dodson, Ray, Perry, Alvey, Moreno, Holtzman, Penne, Davis, Barberena, Sandoval

Mike Fridley: Swanson, Iaquinta, de Lima, Dodson, Ray, Perry, Leites, Moreno, Holtzman, Penne, Davis, Barberena, Schnell

Mike Sloan: Swanson, Iaquinta, de Lima, Wineland, Lauzon, Ellenberger, Alvey, Moreno, Holtzman, Taylor, Dandois, Barberena, Sandoval