UFC on Fuel TV 2: Info and Predictions for Every Fight on the Card

On Saturday, April 14th, the UFC will hold its long-awaited first show in Sweden. Headlined by a light heavyweight clash between Alexander Gustafsson and Thiago Silva, the twelve-fight fight card has interesting matchups from top to bottom.

Like many interesting matchups, many of the fights on UFC on Fuel: Gustafsson vs Silva have divisional implications. There are also some debuting fighters who could become relevant in their respective divisions down the line. 

The show kicks off at 12:30 PM ET with six preliminary fights streaming on the UFC's Facebook page. After those fights conclude, turn your televisions on and tune into the fights on Fuel TV at 2:00 PM ET. 

Jason Young vs. Eric Wisely

This bout was originally scheduled to be Jason Young vs. Akira Corassani, but that fell apart when Corassani withdrew because of injury. 

The matchup between Jason Young and Eric Wisely is an interesting one as both fighters are likely fighting to retain their jobs in the UFC. Entering the fight, Young is 0-2 in the UFC with the losses coming at the hands of Dustin Poirier and Michihiro Omigawa, while Wisely is 0-1 in the promotion having lost to Charles Oliveira at UFC on Fox: Evans vs Davis. 

Jason Young trains with American Top Team out of Coconut Creek, Florida. Prior to joining ATT he trained with the Semtex Fight Team in England. Though he started his career as a finisher, he hasn't put an opponent away in over three years. He's got power in his hands and brutal leg kicks. However, he's been susceptible to submissions with three of his five losses ending via tap out. 

Eric Wisely may not train out of a big name camp, but he's a typical midwestern wrestler. He has shown pretty good instincts on the ground with most of Wisely's wins have come via either TKO or armbar. Wisely has also shown he has a solid chin and solid submission defense.

The fight really depends on Wisely's ability to get the fight to the ground. Young looked great against Dustin Poirier on the feet and possesses the stand up skills to be a solid fighter in the featherweight division.

Prediction: Jason Young wins the fight in the second round by TKO. 

Simeon Thoresen vs. Besam Yousef

In the second fight of the preliminary card, Simeon Thoresen faces Besam Yousef.

Simeon Thoreson is a student of Joachim "Hellboy" Hansen. Much like his trainer, Simeon is an incredibly well-rounded fighter from Norway. Of his 16 victories, 14 came by way of submission. A submission specialist, Thoreson is dangerous off his back and fighting from someone's guard. At a lanky 6'1", he possesses the physique to give Yousef fits should he get taken down. His stand up is decently technical, but his best path to victory is definitely by submission.

Besam Yousef is a solid grappler in his own right. Fighting out of Shooters MMA, Yousef has finished three of his six opponents with a submission. He tends to favor chokes as he has the strength to muscle a finish though his opponent's defenses. But he's in no way a one trick pony: Yousef also possesses knockout power.

Simeon Thoreson has the clear advantage on the ground from both a technical stand point and pedigree. Training with "Hellboy" means that Simeon can pick the brain of one of the best lightweight fighters in the history of the sport.

On the feet it's a totally different matter. Simeon's range will allow him to keep the fight at a distance, but Yousef has the power to not just test his chin but put him away early. 

Simeon Thoreson should win this fight pretty handedly. He's super long for a welterweight and is incredibly savvy on the ground.

Prediction: Simeon Thoreson wins by submission in the first round.

Reza Madadi vs. Yoislandy Izquierdo

The third bout of the night sees Swede Reza Madadi take on Cuban karate fighter Yoislandy Izquierdo.

Sweden's own Reza Madadi is arguably the best wrestler on the entire card. Having been a competitor on the mats since 10 years old, he's been fighting professionally since 2006. He tends to favor submissions as his desired way to finish fights and has a great guillotine choke.

That doesn't mean he can't do work on the feet. He has decent power and is fairly technical in his stand up. However, he's at his best when fighting from top position and maintaining his posture to reign down punches. If there's a knock against him it's that he's never had big fight experience which could possibly play a factor on Saturday.

His opponent Yoislandy Izquierdo is undefeated in his mixed martial arts career. A karate fighter, he's at his best when keeping an opponent at range. There are legitimate questions about just how limited a fighter he actually is. He has the advantage on the feet, but his takedown defense and ground game are both suspect. His long frame could possibly be his biggest asset in keeping control of Madadi should the fight hit the mat. 

Reza Madadi will likely pick up the submission win this weekend. Izquierdo is a solid karate fighter but his submission defense is extremely suspect. Expect Reza to pick up the win for the hometown crowd. 

Prediction: Reza Madadi by second round submission. 

Francis Carmont vs. Magnus Cedenblad

The fourth fight of the Facebook prelims pits Francis Carmont against Magnus Cedenblad. 

Francis Carmont trains out of TriStar gym in Montreal, Canada. He is primarily a stand up fighter but as a training partner of UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, he's been able to pick up some functional wrestling along the way.

His fighting style is very similar to that of Melvin Manhoef in that he has brutal chopping leg kicks that connect with crazy power. His wrestling has improved since joining TriStar due to the influx of quality training partners. His biggest hole is in his submission game as he's been susceptible to arm bars and chokes. 

Magnus Cedenblad was unsuccessful in his attempt to get into the UFC via the thirteenth season of the Ultimate Fighter. Originally planned to be a season of both middleweights and welterweights, the UFC made the decision to produce the show with only welterweights.

He's enormous for a middleweight and will likely be the bigger fighter come fight time. He's fairly well-rounded in his skills with an ability to finish opponents with punches or with a creative submission. His striking isn't very technical, though, which will put him at a disadvantage against Carmont. 

Francis Carmont takes this fight via second round TKO. His ground and pound is brutal and will be relentless once he gets Magnus Cedenblad to the mat. It will be a big win for the Frenchman who will pick up his second victory inside the octagon.

Prediction: Francis Carmont by TKO in the second round. 

Cyrille Diabate vs. Tom DeBlass

In the second-to-last fight on the Facebook preliminary card, Cyrille Diabate takes on Tom DeBlass in a light heavyweight bout. This fight was originally scheduled to be Diabate vs. Jorgen Kruth, but Kruth was forced to pull out of the fight due to injury.

Cyrille Diabate is the UFC veteran. He's an extremely long and rangy kickboxer who is known for his accurate punches and murderous leg kicks. At one point in his career, he wasn't very savvy on the ground, losing via submission on numerous occasions. Recently, he's learned to use his long frame to set up triangle chokes from the guard. Still, his wrestling and submission defense remain the leas developed part of his game. 

Tom DeBlass is considered one of the top light heavyweight prospects right now in MMA. Currently 7-0, he's spent his entire career fighting in New Jersey's Ring of Combat promotion where he held the promotion's heavyweight and light heavyweight belts. A member of Team Ricardo Almeida, he's been able to blend an aggressive style of Brazilian jiu-jitsu with his wrestling. He lacks big fight experience and will be making his UFC debut on extremely short notice, which could limit his ability to game plan and train for Diabate.

My gut tells me that DeBlass wins this fight with relative ease. Yes, he's taking a huge step up in competition for this fight, but he has all the tools to finish Diabate.

Prediction: I expect Tom DeBlass to win in the second round with a leg lock. 

Papy Abedi vs. James Head

The final fight of the Facebook prelims sees Sweden's Papy Abedi take on America's James Head.

Papy Abedi is likely the best Swedish fighter on the card not named Alexander Gustafsson. He's primarily a grappler as he's been training in Judo since he was seven years old and has picked up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu along the way. He made his UFC debut at UFC 138 against Thiago Alves and lost by rear naked choke in the first round.

This has likely changed the way that a lot of analysts view Abedi. Prior to the Alves loss, Abedi was on an eight fight winning streak finishing seven of his eight opponents. He's most dangerous working from an opponent's guard as he has extremely strong posture. He also is great in a scramble should he get taken down.

James Head was once considered one of the best fighters to come out of the mid-west. He's a dynamic grappler and has proven to be difficult for opponents to beat on the ground. He also has extremely accurate punches due to his experience in boxing.

He earned a shot in the UFC last year after winning a decision over Gerald Harris. His UFC debut was unsuccessful as he lost by submission in the third round. A huge concern regarding Head is that he's prone to injuries and may not be entering the fight at one hundred percent.

I'll go against the grain and pick James Head to defeat Papy Abedi in front of the Swedish crowd. His stand up is far superior, and he has the grappling to escape any potentially bad position that Abedi puts him in on the ground.

Prediction: James Head by Unanimous Decision.

Brad Pickett vs. Damacio Page

Opening up the Fuel TV card is a bantamweight clash between Brad Pickett and Damacio Page.

Brad Pickett is a member of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Long considered one of the top fighters in England, Pickett has been unable to put together a winning streak in the United States. Though he's known as "One Punch," most of his wins have come by submission.

That isn't to say that his opponents shouldn't fear his stand up as Pickett is an extremely technical striker with his hands and feet. He's also been able to pick up some wrestling as he trains with one of the most respected camps in the United States.

If there's a hole in his game it's his mental game. If an opponent is able to stifle his offense and take him off his game, Pickett has shown a tendency to crumble. 

Damacio Page fights out of Greg Jackson's camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Japanese MMA fans will probably remember him best as the fighter who lost to Genki Sudo in his retirement fight.

Page is a bit of a wildcard in the bantamweight division. He possesses ridiculous punching power in his hands and has been able to many fighters to sleep in one shot. The problem is that he tends to burn out quickly which leaves him open for a submission. 

This will be an extremely entertaining bout, and it depends solely on Page's ability to put Pickett away early. He'll have to test Pickett's chin and hope that the British fighter crumbles under the pressure. I don't see that happening though. I think Pickett will be able to withstand the early onslaught to get a takedown and submission in the second round.

Prediction: Brad Pickett by second round rear naked choke. 

DaMarques Johnson vs. John Maguire

The second fight on the Fuel Card sees DaMarques Johnson square off against John Maguire.

DaMarques Johnson made his way to the UFC like many fighters by having a great showing on the Ultimate Fighter. As a finalist Johnson was seen as one of the top American fighters on the season that pitted the United States against the United Kingdom.

A student of Jeremy Horn, Johnson excels when he's working from top position on the ground. He's recently been able to add decent striking to his skill set and has demonstrated a decent chin, even in defeat. If there was a knock against him, it's that he is easily drawn into a slugfest and has lost fights because he didn't stick to his game plan.

John Maguire is considered one of the top English welterweights. The reigning UCMMA welterweight champion is currently riding a six fight winning streak. He made his UFC debut at UFC 138 against Justin Edwards, winning by Unanimous Decision.

He's a solid ground fighter with passable striking. Most of his wins have come by submission. He tends to work for chokes though he has the ability to finish fights by armlock. His biggest weakness is his wrestling, though his grappling abilities have allowed him to scramble out of bad positions in the past.

This should be an entertaining ground fight between two dynamic grapplers. DaMarques Johnson has more experience in the UFC and when two fighters have similar skill sets, that's usually the deciding factor. Unless Maguire can take Johnson out of his element, this should be a win for DaMarques.

Prediction: DaMarques Johnson by Unanimous Decision.  

Dennis Siver vs. Diego Nunes

In the third fight of the Fuel TV broadcast, Diego Nunes takes on Dennis Siver.

Diego Nunes fights out of Nova União, a camp that has produced some of the best lighter weight fighters in MMA. A teammate of featherweight champion Jose Aldo, Nunes has demonstrated skills similar to the champ's. His Muay Thai is incredibly dynamic, and he's shown an ability to hurt opponents with his kicks. His bread and butter though is on the ground, where he excels. His wrestling remains as the one facet of MMA he hasn't been able to employ in fights. 

Dennis Siver is making his debut at featherweight after a mildly successful run at lightweight. Having the appearance of a miniature Terminator, Siver wow'd fans with his flashy spinning kicks. He's been able to develop a defensive wrestling game which was most evident in his fight with George Sotiropoulos at UFC 127.

Siver, though, should be viewed as a strictly offensive fighter. His head movement is close to non-existent, and he's almost entirely ignored submissions. There are also questions about his chin and how it will stand up to punishment in future bouts. 

I like Diego Nunes in this fight. To me, Siver's drop to featherweight screams "gaming the system" as he had a huge amount of bulk at lightweight. Nunes is way too young and hungry to let Siver embarrass him in his debut. 

Prediction: Diego Nunes by second round submission. 

Paulo Thiago vs. Siyar Bahadurzada

The fourth bout of the Fuel TV broadcast sees Paulo Thiago face UFC newcomer Siyar Bahadurzada in a welterweight clash. 

Paulo Thiago may very well be the most inconsistent welterweight in the UFC. He stunned everyone in his UFC debut when he knocked out Josh Koscheck with a ridiculous uppercut then lost a close decision to Jon Fitch in his next outing.

Thiago's punching power may "wow" crowds, but it's his grappling skills that are most impressive. He has the ability to submit opponents from all positions. The biggest issue for Thiago is his conditioning as he has gotten tired late in his fights. His fight with Diego Sanchez was extremely close before Thiago gassed out at the end of the second round.

Siyar Bahadurzada is finally making his UFC debut after being put in purgatory by Strikeforce due to visa issues. Siyar recently parted ways with his longtime camp, Golden Glory, and has been training with Jason Miller recently. Siyar has heavy hands and dominant wrestling but has been susceptible to submissions. 

This is actually one of the more interesting fights on the card from a stylistic standpoint. Both fighters are incredibly aggressive and are known to put opponents away quickly. Thiago's experience in the big show is likely the deciding factor. 

Prediction: Paulo Thiago wins with a submission midway through the second round. 

Brian Stann vs. Alessio Sakara

In the co-main event of the evening, Brian Stann looks to take his first step back towards the title picture when he faces Alessio Sakara.

Brian Stann has become a complete fighter since making his MMA debut. Originally just a brawler who relied on his punching power, Stann now boasts technical stand up and and underrated wrestling. He was also the first person to truly turn the lights out on Chris Leben.

If there's a concern about Stann entering this fight, it's that he had to spend part of his camp in Atlanta as he had a loss in the family. It may not seem like much but a change in environment can often take a fighter off their game. 

Alessio Sakara may be the worst technical boxer in the UFC. Fans have likely heard Joe Rogan talk about how "elite" Sakara's boxing is whenever he fights. The truth is that he has solid footwork and hand speed but lacks any sort of defensive abilities. His chin is questionable as is his takedown defense.

The only advantage that Sakara may have is in submission as he trains with a BJJ-focused camp in American Top Team. 

This should be a relatively easy fight for Brian Stann. He's just better all around and in the case of stand up fighters, I choose the one with a better chin. That's Brian Stann.

Prediction: Brian Stann wins this fight by TKO in the second round. 

Alexander Gustafsson vs. Thiago Silva

In the main event of the night, Alexander Gustafsson faces a returning Thiago Silva.

Alexander Gustafsson has been on a roll since making his debut. As one of the most physically imposing fighters in the light heavyweight division, many feel that Gustafsson may be the biggest test for Jon Jones in the division.

Alex excels on the feet as a rangy boxer with knockout power in both hands. He possesses a killer instinct when an opponent is hurt and often goes in for the kill if he smells blood. He still has to work on his wrestling ability but has demonstrated an ability to get a fight to the ground if there is a need. 

Thiago Silva is finally making his return to the UFC after serving a year suspension for failing a drug test following UFC 125. Fans have referred to him as "Murderface" due to his disposition in the cage and aggression when fighting in the clinch.

Once a member of Chute Boxe, Silva's most dangerous in the thai plumb throwing knees to the body and head. That doesn't mean he lacks skills on the ground, as he also holds the rank of black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

There are two huge concerns about Silva entering this fight. The first is ring rust. A year away from MMA is a long time and skills can often deteriorate if they aren't kept fresh. The other is that he has a questionable chin. His aggressive style is extremely entertaining, but it also means that he leaves himself open for a huge knockout shot. 

This is a very dangerous fight for Alex as Thiago has a style and power to put most of the division away. I don't see that happening though. I think a year away is just way too long of a time, and Alex is surging. Wrong fight at the wrong time for Thiago Silva.

Prediction: Alexander Gustafsson by third round TKO.