UFC 141 Bleacher Report Full Main Card Staff Predictions

John HeinisDec 28, 2011

Two of the biggest men in the business square off when Brock Lesnar takes on Alistair Overeem in the main event of UFC 141.

The winner will take on UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos sometime next year with the coveted title belt on the line.

The co-main event has "show stealer" written all over it when lightweights Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz clash in a bout that has some bad blood behind it.

Jon Fitch makes his return on this card against fellow accomplished college wrestler Johny Hendricks, where the winner will undoubtedly enter the title discussion.

In a classic case of a wily veteran vs. a young up-and-comer, Vladimir "The Janitor" Matyushenko takes on Alexander "The Mauler" Gustafsson in a bout that could propel the winner into the top 10 of the division.

The main card begins when Nam Pham takes on undefeated grappling ace Jimy Hettes, who is looking to go 2-0 in the UFC on this occasion.

Bleacher Report MMA Featured Columnists Jeffrey McKinney, Dale De Souza, Jordy McElroy, Brian Lopez-Benchimol and myself, John Heinis, tell you who the winners will be on Friday.

Take a look inside for the in-depth breakdown.

Nam Phan vs. Jimy Hettes

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John Heinis: Pham definitively avenged a 2010 loss to Leonard Garcia this past October in a highly entertaining affair.

While Pham has his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Hettes is a 24-year-old BJJ prodigy, boasting a 9-0 record where each victory came by way of submission.

Clearly, Pham, a former professional boxer, has the best shot at winning by keeping this fight standing.

While Hettes, who also has world-class Judo, is a tremendous grappler, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Pham is able to pick Hettes apart in a stand-up war.

Nam Phan via unanimous decision (29-28)

Jeffrey McKinney: In the opening bout of the night, 9-0 Jim Hettes will take on TUF Season 12 cast member Nam Phan.

Phan is coming off of a "Fight of the Night" victory against Leonard Garcia while Hettes defeated Phan's TUF cast mate Alex "Bruce Leroy" Caceres.

Hettes not only has a perfect record, but also has won each fight by submission. Hettes will have a tough time in his second UFC match, though, because Phan has never been submitted.

This match could be a close one, but Phan is tough, may be more diverse and if he's aggressive enough, he could win this fight.

Nam Phan by a close split decision

Dale De Souza: Nam Phan needed a win over Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia in their UFC 136 bout, a rematch of their encounter at The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale.

That bout ended in a controversial decision win for Garcia, but UFC 136 saw Phan earn the unanimous decision.

Now the 16-9 Phan finds himself opening up the final UFC card of 2011, and the great thing about his bout with Jimy “The Kid” Hettes is that Phan might be as much tested by the undefeated 9-0 newcomer as he will be a test for “The Kid.”

Sure, Phan’s a well-versed, well-traveled and well-rounded fighter who has a strong technical ground game and an aggressive boxing game, but he’s never had to deal with the Olympic-level Judo that Hettes presents, and the newcomer is knowledgeable enough to know that if he’s going to attack Phan on the feet, it’ll have to be for setting up takedowns.

Hettes can always show a vastly improved striking game if he wants, but it may take a very vast improvement on the part of Hettes—or a hesitance to let the hands go on Phan’s part—in order for the newcomer to have any luck on the feet.

If the fight stays standing, the best bet might be on Phan scoring a quick TKO or KO win over the newcomer, who has not fought past the second round and could have his gas tank tested greatly.

If Hettes can chain together submission attempts once he’s created openings to go for submissions, it will result in something even better for this young upstart, who might just be able to capitalize on his own failed attempts in order to successfully find the finish if need be.

Jimy Hettes by second-round submission (Omoplata)

Jordy McElroy: The card opens with an interesting featherweight tilt pitting “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 12 alumnus Nam Phan against undefeated grappler Jim Hettes.

After suffering back-to-back decision losses, Phan recently rebounded in his UFC 136 drubbing of Leonard Garcia. Hettes is coming off an impressive Octagon debut at UFC on Versus 5, where he submitted “Bruce Leroy” Alex Caceres.

Phan is easily the more well-rounded fighter of the two. He is a solid boxer with the ability to keep his head in the pocket. Hettes showed some deficiencies in his striking defense against Caceres, which forced him to seek out takedowns.

On the ground, Hettes has tremendous versatility in his ability to control and setup submissions. Phan will have to avoid getting careless in the transitions.

With that said, this is an incredibly tough matchup stylistically for Hettes. He doesn’t possess the wrestling chops to secure takedowns in the open.

His only chance in getting the bout to the floor will lie in his ability to close the distance and utilize Judo throws from the clinch.

Phan has the striking to keep Hettes at arms' length and the hips to avoid being bullied to the floor. Look for him to take a fairly lopsided unanimous decision.

Nam Phan by unanimous decision

Brian Lopez-Benchimol: It's an interesting fight, which will be an immediate contender for "Fight of the Night" as fan favorite Nam Phan takes on up-and-comer Jimy Hettes.

Hettes made an impressive debut when he submitted the colorful Alex Caceres by second-round rear-naked choke.

The victory helped Hettes keep his "xero" intact, though Phan will be the right kind of guy to stop his momentum.

Hettes will work tirelessly for the takedown, though Phan will fend them off and work some of his underrated boxing skills, lighting up the relatively inexperienced fighter on the feet.

Nam Phan by unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)

Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Alexander Gustafsson

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John Heinis: A classic bout between a wily veteran and a rising prospect, Gustafsson turned some heads at UFC 133 when he took out Matt Hamill in the second round.

"The Mauler" comes in boasting a 12-1 record, with his sole loss coming at the hands of title contender Phil Davis.

Meanwhile, "The Janitor" is coming off of a 20-second knockout of Jason Brillz at UFC 129 and apparently still has title aspirations at 40 years old (and turning 41 next week).

Matyushenko doesn't have the flashiest look or fighting style, but his high-level wrestling and heavy hands have led him to 26 wins in 31 professional fights.

Also note that his losses have come to quality opponents in Tito Ortiz, Antonio Rogerio Nogueria, Andrei Arlovski and Jon Jones (he gets a free pass on the loss to Vernon White early in his career).

With that being said, Gustafsson is just too relentless and skilled for me to give the old guy a chance here.

Alexander Gustafsson via third round TKO

Jeffrey McKinney: Veteran Vladimir Matysushenko proved he is still dangerous by knocking out Jason Brilz in just 20 seconds at UFC 129.

Along with some good boxing, Matysushenko brings experience and a strong wrestling background into this fight. He will need to use all of it if he's going to get past Alexander Gustafsson.

Gustafsson is 12-1 with eight KOs and three submission victories. Gustafsson's lone lost came to Phil Davis at UFC 112.

While Matysushenko is a crafty veteran, this is just another stepping stone for Gustafsson. Gustafsson has decent wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu and pretty decent boxing.

Here he has yet another chance to prove he is the future in the light heavyweight division.

Alexander Gustafsson by first- round TKO

Dale De Souza: In his last fight, Vladimir Matyushenko knocked out Jason Brilz in twenty seconds at UFC 129.

Take that however you wish to take it.

Meanwhile, Alexander Gustafsson took Matt Hamill to the woodshed and wound up retiring the TUF 3 fan favorite after a second-round TKO due to punches and elbows from the mount.

Now, they crossroads at UFC 141 in the last UFC light heavyweight bout of 2011, and it’s a very intriguing story as we come closer and closer to fight night.

Vladimir felt he was finally a top 10 light heavyweight with the Brilz win but never got to defend that claim due to the injury that forced him out of UFC 133—when he and Alexander were originally supposed to cross paths—and he also feels the division is so stacked right now that it’s tough to claim that “The Mauler”has hit that mark.

In a way, that’s reasonable because the UFC light heavyweight division is stacked enough to where it’s “Jon Jones and the people who aren’t Jon Jones” in a nutshell, with Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans falling in the latter category.

However, if Alexander can mount some respectable damage onto Matyushenko—who might be the better wrestler but has not faced a guy like Alexander yet—Vlad’s claims may be obsolete.

Matyushenko got his game plan going against Brilz, but if he thinks he’s facing another Brilz in Alexander on the UFC’s first “Friday Night Fight” card, Matyushenko has another thing coming on December 30th.

Alexander Gustafsson by first-round TKO

Jordy McElroy: Vladimir Matyushenko is set to welcome another potential light heavyweight star when he meets Alexander Gustafsson.

In August 2010, Matyushenko had the unfortunate job of getting into the Octagon with future world champion Jon “Bones” Jones.

While Gustafsson doesn’t have nearly the same amount of hype backing him, he is slowly turning heads as a future light heavyweight superstar and potential title contender.

Matyushenko is far from an easy opponent. The 40-year-old veteran is coming off back-to-back wins over Jason Brilz and Alexandre Ferreira.

Gustafsson proved his ability to hang with the middle-of-the-pack light heavyweight bunch in his UFC 133 dissection of Matt Hamill.

Technically, he is superior to Matyushenko in nearly every aspect, but there are never any certainties when you’re dealing with a veteran like “The Janitor.”

Gustafsson needs to use his height and reach to keep Matyushenko at bay. Matyushenko is a decent striker with underrated power.

It took him merely 20 seconds to dust off Brilz at UFC 129, but he needs to think twice about engaging in prolonged stand-up exchanges with Gustafsson, who is the lengthier and more proficient striker.

This fight should seem almost like a rerun of Gustafsson’s bout with Hamill.

Matyushenko will lose out on the stand-up exchanges and pursue desperate takedowns, but his inability to threaten the Swedish striker on the feet will leave his attempts looking telegraphed and rehearsed.

Gustafsson will rack up massive damage on the feet before latching on a guillotine choke and earning the second-round submission victory.

Alexander Gustafsson by Round 2 submission (Guillotine)

Brian Lopez-Benchimol: Ironically enough, at the tender age of 40, Vladimir is reaching the pinnacle of his career.

"The Janitor" is riding a two-fight win streak, and in his most recent outing scored an emphatic knockout victory over the always tough Jason Brilz.

Gustafsson has been equally impressive, emerging as a budding contender in the division, going 3-0 in his last three outings.

For all his promise, his lone defect has been his wrestling, which teammate Phil Davis has been working on to plug those holes.

But against a gritty veteran like Matyushenko, who has long been regarded as one of the more powerful wrestlers in the division, Gustafsson will falter.

Vladimir Matyushenko by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)

Jon Fitch vs. Johny Hendricks

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John Heinis: Hendricks is 6-1 in the UFC, with his sole loss coming at the hands of Rick Story.

Regardless what your opinion is of the former four-time Division I All-American wrestler, Hendricks has a real chance of pulling off an upset against perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch.

The American Kickboxing Academy member has not been in the Octagon since a February draw with BJ Penn due to a shoulder injury.

Fitch is already clamoring for a shot at the winner of the interim welterweight title bout between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit at UFC 143, but let's be honest: Unless he finishes Hendricks in dominant fashion, that's not happening.

Even with a spectacular KO or submission win, Fitch would probably be given another opponent prior to a title shot just to prove that the last outing wasn't a fluke.

While a lot of fans, and Dana White, won't like it, I think Fitch finds a way to win yet again and will continue to lobby for another shot another chance to wear championship gold.

Jon Fitch via unanimous decision (30-27)

Jeffrey McKinney: The last time we saw Jon Fitch, he fought to a draw with BJ Penn. Before that, Fitch had not lost since a 2008 fight with Georges St-Pierre.

It's been even longer since Fitch finished a fight. Fitch may try to make a statement in this match. The only problem is he's taking on a 11-1 Johny Hendricks.

Hendricks, like Fitch, has a strong wrestling background. Although Hendricks is far less experienced than Fitch, he has more wins by knockout and almost as many wins by submission as Fitch.

Fitch may seem like the obvious pick, but Hendricks could be overlooked and catch Fitch off-guard. Either way, I believe this fight goes the distance. Fitch gets my vote as a safe pick.

Jon Fitch by decision

Dale De Souza: If you think Jon Fitch’s 13-1-1 UFC runs is fifteen fights worth of “Fight of The Year” candidates, you don’t know Jon Fitch.

His shtick hasn’t changed since the last time you saw him fight: He says he wants to put his opponent through such punishment that they look as though they went through a meat grinder, but during the fight, he just does enough to exhaust his opponents and very rarely does any significant damage to them.

Fitch’s last finish was on June 12th, 2007, and that bout came at a UFC Fight Night card against Roan Carneiro. Since then, he’s been unable to finish any opponent prior to GSP or after GSP.

Fitch gets a free pass for his two fights with Thiago Alves, his UFC 127 bout with BJ Penn and the Fight of The Night winner in his UFC 87 loss to Georges St-Pierre, but Johny Hendricks is a different story from what he’s faced.

Hendricks’ only loss was to Rick Story, and he rebounded from that loss with a Knockout of The Night bonus winner against TJ Waldberger and a split decision win over Mike Pierce.

Much like Pierce, Hendricks has six wins by some form of knockout, so this is really more of Fitch’s fight to lose than it is Fitch’s to win.

The big question is whether or not Fitch's not having fought since UFC 127 will have any adverse effect on him when he faces the 11-1 prospect Hendricks—or to rephrase the question, will Fitch be on point with his takedown-heavy offense?

If he chooses to stand with Hendricks, will he be able to implement his reach without much hesitation and time every shot he throws?

If he isn’t, Hendricks will find a way to make Fitch regret it, but on the other side of the coin, the time between Fitch’s UFC 117 rematch with Alves and the UFC 127 bout with Penn was a good six months also, and Fitch won the latter on many scorecards despite the fight being seen as a draw.

Don’t be surprised if Fitch can do it again, and in dominant fashion as well—and don’t worry, we’ll wake you up when it’s over.

Jon Fitch by unanimous decision

Jordy McElroy: The following statement will shock a lot of people: Stylistically, this is the best fight on the entire fight card.

Now that we got that out of the way, you can go ahead and pick your bottom lip off the floor and resume reading.

Jon Fitch is the perennial runner-up in the welterweight division to UFC champion Georges St-Pierre.

His world-class wrestling and grinding style may not be the most exciting way to fight, according to some fans, but it has propelled him past world-class opposition and into the pound-for-pound rankings.

Johny Hendricks presents an intriguing style matchup for Fitch’s wrestling-heavy fight game.

Between the two, Hendricks is actually the more accomplished wrestler. The former collegiate star won two NCAA Division I titles at 165 pounds at Oklahoma State University.

Still, MMA wrestling and collegiate wrestling are quite different. There are plenty of fighters, including St-Pierre, with virtually no grappling background that end up out-grappling former Olympians and NCAA champions.

Fitch will need to show strides in his standup to setup takedowns against Hendricks. On the feet, Hendricks isn’t the most technically polished striker, but he possesses power in the both hands and the ability to end a fight with one punch.

For a betting man, Hendricks is a sexy pick. He has the striking to outpoint Fitch on the feet and the wrestling to shrug off takedowns or even implement some of his own.

With that said, Fitch is such a grizzled veteran. He always seems to get the job the done.

Hendricks will open strong, but it will only be a matter of time before the accomplished wrestler gets sucked into the abyss of Jon Fitch takedowns and smothering top control.

Jon Fitch by split decision

Brian Lopez-Benchimol: Though Hendricks on paper is the more talented collegiate wrestler, it's Fitch that has proven to be arguably the most adept MMA wrestler, just behind that of Georges St-Pierre.

Its just a matter of too much too soon for Hendricks, whose lone career loss came at the hands of Rick Story, who is now riding a two-fight losing streak.

Expect Fitch to do his Fitch thing and grind out another decision that is sure to garners some boos from the attending crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Jon Fitch by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)

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Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone

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John Heinis: An interesting back story about this fight is that Cerrone allegedly went to introduce himself to the younger Diaz brother in October, and not surprisingly, Nate didn't give him the time of day.

Not that this fight needed any hype given the two fighters going toe-to-toe: two great strikers with slick jiu jitsu.

Diaz basically embarrassed former Pride champion Takanori Gomi at UFC 135, while Cerrone decimated Dennis Siver at UFC 137.

"Cowboy" certainly has the hot hand right now, going 4-0 in 2011 going into this fight. A 5-0 record in the UFC in one calendar year is no easy feat, but this is certainly a winnable fight for the former WEC lightweight champion.

Nate Diaz is a guy who likes to scrap, with plenty of skill to boot, but aside from making Melvin Guillard tap to a guillotine in September of 2009, he does not have many quality wins to boast about.

I doubt we see a finish here and Diaz can hang with a the majority of guys in this division, but I see Cerrone doing enough to earn a close decision win.

Donald Cerrone via split decision (29-8 x 2)

Jeffrey McKinney: Two of the most unique fighters in the lightweight division will meet when Donald Cerrone meets Nate Diaz.

After two losses at welterweight, Diaz returned to lightweight in his last fight, defeating Takanori Gomi and earning "submission of the night" at UFC 135.

Cerrone also earned "Submission of the Night" in his last fight when he defeated Dennis Siver at UFC 137. Both Cerrone and Diaz are known for their submissions and their striking.

Diaz, like his older brother Nick, is a bit of a trash talker inside the cage. Cerrone may not be the person you want to piss off, though.

Cerrone has fought four times already this year, and has won each fight. In fact Cerrone has won his last six fights with only two going the distance. This should be a fun fight that gets "Fight of the Night."

Although Diaz is tough, I see Cerrone holding him off to get the decision victory.

Donald Cerrone by split decision

Dale De Souza: The main event might be the one filling out the arena, but it’s the co-headliner that has some people talking.

Despite the difference in camps and even the level of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu of both men, one should not question if either Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone or Nate Diaz will try to bring the fire with them into the last UFC event of 2011—and anyone throwing down money on this fight being an abomination should expect to file for bankruptcy on New Year’s Day.

In Cerrone’s own words, Nate and his brother Nick “f***ing bring it” whenever they fight, and Nate does have the power to drop Cerrone if he lands a heavy, well-timed punch, but Cerrone’s no slouch in the striking department.

Actually, he’s pretty high-level—at least, Greg Jackson seems to believe so—and Cerrone did have a nice 28-0-1 record in Kickboxing/Muay Thai before going full time for MMA.

But what does it all mean for UFC 141?

If nothing else, it means both men will battle each other with all their will, but Cerrone could wind up pouring on more of the punishment and leaving very little doubt who won.

Diaz will make the rounds seem closer than how the judges will call it, but anticipate Cerrone’s hot streak rolling on with a potential title opportunity in the works for him in 2012.

Donald Cerrone by split decision (Cerrone 29-28 x 2, Diaz 29-28)

Jordy McElroy: There’s no love lost between Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone.

An unfriendly confrontation a couple of months ago has fueled a showdown between bitter rivals and potential lightweight title contenders.

Since losing to Ben Henderson in April 2010, Cerrone has dominated all opposition in a quiet bid to returning to title contention.

He is riding a six-fight win streak, with the last pair of victories coming over highly touted opposition in Dennis Siver and Charles Oliveira.

Meanwhile, Diaz is coming off a major submission victory over MMA legend Takanori Gomi at UFC 135.

Diaz is a legit threat on the feet. He tends to pace his strikes and pepper his opponents from afar like his brother Nick Diaz.

While their styles are comparable, Nate doesn’t possess the same technical efficiency as his brother in the stand-up exchanges.

Cerrone has always boasted knockout power, but he is really coming along in his ability to utilize range and find openings to land consistently.

Diaz’s best advantage lies in his world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but unfortunately, he doesn’t have the wrestling chops to put Cerrone on his back and keep him there.

This bout will be decided on the feet and the clinch. With ground play likely out of the equation, it’s tough not to like Cerrone’s chances.

Fans can expect a fun scrap that could earn honors for “Fight of the Night." Look for “Cowboy” to square dance his way to another Octagon victory.

Donald Cerrone by unanimous decision

Brian Lopez-Benchimol: In a fan-friendly lightweight scrap, Season 5 winner of The Ultimate Fighter Nate Diaz takes on the red-hot Donald Cerrone.

If you tuned into the pre-fight pressed than you got a small taste of what kind of bout this is shaping up to be.

Both men are no-nonsense, scrappy fighters who are all but guaranteed to walk away with some kind of bonus.

While Diaz is a talented jiu-jitsu practitioner and boxer, his shortcoming will be exposed by the well-rounded Cerrone.

Expect the "Cowboy" to utilize his newfound wrestling skills to move the fight up and down whilst relying on his amateur kickboxing background to knock out the lead leg of the heavy-footed Diaz.

The Stockton fighter will keep things interesting, but you can expect to see Cerrone earn the close decision win.

Donald Cerrone by unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)

Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem

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John Heinis: Two of the biggest—and scariest—heavyweights collide in this colossal main event.

Brock has been on the shelf since losing the UFC heavyweight title to Cain Velasquez in October of last year due to a second battle with diverticulitis.

Meanwhile, "The Demolition Man" has been on the shelf since a June victory over Fabricio Werdum in the quarterfinals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

Afterwards, it looked like 'Reem was headed to a semifinals bout with Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva.

However, after refusing to fight in September since he did not feel that he could get a sufficient training camp in, Alistair vacated his heavyweight title and unceremoniously left the promotion.

The situation looked to put Overeem's career in jeopardy—that is until he got a call from Dana White and here we are now.

The massive heavyweight comes in riding a seven-fight win streak and hasn't lost since Sept. of 2007.

Lesnar would be remiss in trying to stand and trade with the former K1 champion, but Overeem's lack of wrestling make this one anybody's ballgame.

Assuming Brock is finally back to 100 percent, I don't think this fight lasts very long or is even competitive.

Brock Lesnar via first-round TKO

Jeffrey McKinney: Brock Lesnar will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon as he takes on Alistair Overeem, who is making his UFC debut.

Both Lesnar and Overeem have a lot of questions that should get answered in this fight.

We all know that Lesnar will have the obvious wrestling advantage. Lesnar also has a speed and stamina advantage over Overeem.

But the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion is a powerful striker, has a huge experience advantage over Lesnar and has a decent submission game.

I believe whether or not Overeem can stuff Lesnar's takedowns and if he tries to work his submissions will make a huge difference in this fight.

If Overeem is going to win, I see him ending it in the first couple of rounds. For Lesnar, he will have to prove he can hold Overeem down and protect himself from submissions.

I believe Lesnar may actually try to stand with Overeem for a little bit.

Although he hasn't been able to take much of a punch in his last couple of fights, Lesnar has dropped Frank Mir, Randy Couture and Heath Herring in his fights before facing Shane Carwin.

Lesnar knows what it takes to be champion, and he's been in the spotlight before. While Overeem has been champion before, he hasn't faced the level of competition that Lesnar has in his short career.

This is a tough fight to call, but if Lesnar is truly healthy this time and can get back into the form he had before his first bout with illness, he could be a tough welcome party for Overeem.

Lesnar by third-round TKO

Dale De Souza: Is it asking too much if I wish for Brock Lesnar to fight Alistair Overeem right now?

It is?

Ugh...well, anyway…I suppose everyone knows that, even though Pat “HD” Barry is officially Team DeathClutch these days, Lesnar and his 5-2 record are still thinking that Overeem cannot defend a solid takedown, and therefore, Lesnar will want this fight on the ground.

Lesnar’s also capable of laying in some heavy power punches and even a flying knee to throw his foes off, but although he’s faced and defeated some serious competition in Shane Carwin and Frank Mir, Lesnar’s loss to Cain Velasquez has raised serious doubts.

A lot of people might be expecting a slow-paced bout that goes five rounds and figure Lesnar will win a dull 50-45 sweep in a unanimous decision, but if that’s a serious prediction, then that’s showing a serious absence of faith in Overeem’s ability to actually make the fight watchable.

Remember, in addition to being the only man to hold three titles at one time—having held the Strikeforce, K1 and DREAM heavyweight titles before signing with the UFC—he also defeated the likes of Tyrone Spong, Gokhan Saki and the legendary Peter Aerts in their own field.

Lesnar has never faced anyone that can say they stepped into the K1 field of combat and beaten them under K1 rules (i.e. no takedowns), and while this is not a K1 rules bout, this is also not the easy cakewalk that many perceive it to be.

Lesnar might be down as the underdog in the betting lines, but in reality he’s an overwhelming favorite over Overeem despite the circumstances that have surrounded Lesnar and his comeback into the Octagon.

What will it make Overeem—the alleged “favorite” at -140 in the odds—when he sees a takedown coming from the quintessential odds-on “must-pick” former champ, and stops it the only way he knows how?

Alistair Overeem by second-round KO (Knee)…if Lesnar survives Round 1

Jordy McElroy: Gargantuan heavyweights will collide to determine the next No. 1 contender when former UFC champion Brock Lesnar meets former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem.

While the primary hype behind this bout is the significant size of the fighters, people seem to be underestimating a quality stylistic matchup.

Overeem, a K1 World Grand Prix Champion, is arguably the best all-around striker in the entire heavyweight division.

Along with a deep stand-up arsenal, Overeem boasts jarring knockout power.

Lesnar tends to shy away from aggressive exchanges. If he thought Cain Velasquez hit hard, he’s going to be in for a rude awakening against Overeem.

This fight will be determined by Lesnar’s ability to avoid the big strike and consistently secure takedowns. In the past, Overeem has shown a tendency to wilt when the going gets tough.

If Lesnar can drag “The Reem” through some adversity, he may be able to pull off the upset.

When it comes to Overeem’s skill set, the most overlooked part about his fight game are his submission skills. Despite being recognized as a world-class striker, the vast majority of Overeem’s wins have come by submission.

If taken down, Overeem should be able threaten Lesnar’s spotty submission defense. This bout won’t go the distance.

Look for Lesnar to get pummeled on the feet and fail on a couple of telegraphed takedown attempts. The possibility for the upset is great, and people shouldn’t sleep on Lesnar.

With that said, this journalist is banking on Overeem overwhelming the former UFC champion with superior striking and good takedown defense.

Alistair Overeem by Round 1 TKO

Brian Lopez-Benchimol: The Reem has finally arrived.

It's a good day to be a mixed martial arts fan, as some of the matchups that are beginning to take shape were only thought to be those "dream" matches that never come to fruition.

Here we have the classic striker vs. grappler kind of battle with arguably two of the biggest men in the heavyweight division.

While Lesnar has continued to plug away in his striking with the likes of Pat Barry and crew, it won't be enough to mirror the kind of punching power that Overeem possesses.

Expect Lesnar to remain tentative on the feet, telegraph a takedown from far away and eat a knee to the grill, eliciting the stoppage inside of the first round.

Alistair Overeem by Round 1 KO