UFC 146 Predictions: Diego Brandao vs. Darren Elkins

In just a few short hours, UFC 146 will be live on FX with four free fights for fans to see. One of those fights, the last fight on the FX broadcast before the PPV, features Ultimate Fighter 14 winner Diego Brandao facing off against 13-2 Darren Elkins.

Brandao comes into this fight after decimating the competition on The Ultimate Fighter, scoring three brutal knockouts en route to the finale. In the finale, he and Dennis Bermudez had a back-and-forth fight, where both fighters got rocked and were nearly out. However, Brandao pulled out a gorgeous armbar, earning him both the Submission of the Night and Fight of the Night, and became The Ultimate Fighter champion.

Elkins comes into the fight on a two-fight win streak and is 5-1 in his last six. His only blemish came at the hands of Charles Oliveira, and there's no shame in losing to him.

After the loss to Oliveira, Elkins dropped to featherweight, where he has gone 2-0, scoring unanimous-decision victories over Michihiro Omigawa and Tiequan Zhang.

Many have said that Brandao may be a future champion, but if Elkins can stop his hype train, maybe he can get a little notice in the crowded 145-pound division. However, the odds are not looking too good for Elkins on Saturday. Of his two losses, one was a 41-second submission loss to Oliveira and the second was a 13-second knockout on the regional scene.

I think we all remember how quickly Diego Brandao starts and how dangerous he is. Expect a fast knockout for Brandao, so don't look away during this one.

Tim McTiernan is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. For the latest news on everything MMA, follow him on Twitter @TimMcTiernan.