UFC 145: Early Full Card Preview and Predictions

The highly anticipated UFC 145 is coming up on April 21 in Atlanta. It's going to be headlined by a grudge match for the light heavyweight championship between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.

Also on the card will be rising welterweight prospects Rory MacDonald and Che Mills in the co-main event. Both men have gained a lot of momentum coming into this match, and both could be close to a title shot with a win.

Here is a full preview of the UFC 145 card.

Marcus Brimage vs. Maximo Blanco

Kicking off the card on Facebook will be a featherweight confrontation between Ultimate Fighter alum Marcus Brimage and newcomer Maximo Blanco.

Marcus Brimage is still young in his MMA career, holding a 4-1 record overall.

In his time on The Ultimate Fighter, he won his preliminary fight to get in the house, before being submitted by Bryan Caraway. In his latest bout at the finale, he won a decision in convincing fashion over Stephen Bass.

Brimage brings powerful striking to the cage, which could lead to a barn burner with fellow striker Maximo Blanco.

Maximo Blanco makes his UFC and featherweight debut, following a one-fight stint in Strikeforce and a number of fights with Sengoku.

Blanco is a devastating striker, knocking out seven of his adversaries. The featherweight division could be the correct weight class for Blanco, as he was not the biggest lightweight.

Prediction: Blanco defeats Brimage via late knockout or decision.

Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris Clements

In the second of two Facebook prelims, long-time mixed martial arts veteran, Keith Wisniewski, takes on UFC newcomer, Chris Clements.

Keith Wisniewski made his return to the octagon in his latest outing—a loss to Josh Neer.

The fight marked his return, after nearly six years outside of the UFC. Previous to the loss of Neer, Wisniewski had not lost in three years. He is well-rounded but prefers the submission game, as he has tapped out 15 opponents in his career.

Chris Clements comes to the octagon on the back of four straight victories. A student of the now-deceased Shawn Tompkins, Clements has shown to be an exceptional striker, as all of his victories have been knockouts.

Prediction: Wisniewski defeats Clements via submission.

Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero

Kicking off the FX Network portion of the undercard, former Ultimate Fighter winners Efrain Escudero and Mac Danzig meet in a lightweight showdown.

Mac Danzig has had a disappointing UFC run thus far, winning just enough of his fights to stay employed.

Since winning the Ultimate Fighter, Danzig has gone 3-5, beating Mark Bocek, Justin Buchholz and Joe Stevenson. His latest bout, a rematch with Matt Wiman, saw Danzig fall via decision. He is good at most things—but great at none.

Efrain Escudero made his return to the UFC, losing a short-notice bout to Jacob Volkmann. After his release, Escudero went 5-1, which earned him a spot back with the UFC. He has won most of his bouts via submission.

Prediction: Escudero defeats Danzig via decision.

John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani

The next bout should be the fight of the night, as lightweight strikers John Makdessi and Anthony Njokuani meet.

John Makdessi tasted defeat in his last outing for the first time in his career, falling by submission to an overweight Dennis Hallman.

Previous to that, Makdessi won his first two UFC bouts against Pat Audinwood and Kyle Watson via vicious spinning back fists. Makdessi finds himself with his back against the wall here, so a win is necessary.

Anthony Njokuani has shuffled wins and losses in his UFC career thus far, falling to Edson Barboza and Danny Castillo, while gaining a victory over Andre Winner.

This followed up a WEC career, which saw mixed results for the Nigerian striker. Experience may play a factor here, which would greatly give an advantage for Njokuani.

Prediction: Njokuani defeats Makdessi via decision.

Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson

Next up, we will witness a welterweight showdown, as UFC mainstay Matt Brown meets Stephen Thompson.

Matt Brown has survived the UFC for a long time now, as this is his fourth year in the octagon. He most recently saved his job with a knockout victory of Chris Cope. Brown is 6-5 with the UFC but does not have a marquee victory yet. That could change with a win here.

Stephen Thompson entered the UFC with a bang, ending his UFC debut against Dan Stittgen with a devastating head kick knockout. Thompson has an extensive kickboxing background, complemented by a solid jiu-jitsu background under the guidance of Carlos Machado.

Prediction: Thompson defeats Brown via knockout.

Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs

In the feature fight of the preliminary bouts on FX, heavyweights Travis Browne and Chad Griggs will square off in a fan-friendly affair.

Travis Browne has enjoyed a fruitful UFC career thus far, holding a 12-0-1 record. The only mark on his record was a draw against Cheick Kongo. Other than that, he has put away James McSweeney, Stefan Struve and Rob Broughton.

Browne is extremely powerful, as showcased by his nine knockout wins, but his gas tank remains a concern.

Chad Griggs will again play the underdog role here, as he has already in so many past matches. Griggs had a 3-0 run in Strikeforce, winning all three fights which he was not supposed to win. These wins include defeats of Bobby Lashley, Gian Villante and Valentijn Overeem. Griggs would love to surprise everybody again.

Prediction: Browne defeats Griggs via decision.

Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio

Fellow Canadian lightweights meet on the pay-per-view opener, as late replacement John Alessio takes on Mark Bocek.

Since 2010, Mark Bocek has traded victories and defeats.

He's put away Dustin Hazelett and Nik Lentz, while falling to Jim Miller and Ben Henderson. He has been with the UFC since 2007, showcasing his submission skills along the way. (Seven of his 10 career wins were by submission.)

John Alessio fills in on short notice for Matt Wiman, who pulled out of the fight due to injury.

Alessio has not stepped into the UFC cage since 2006. Since then, he's kept busy, winning fights in the WEC, MFC, Dream and Superior Cage Combat. His latest outing was a decision victory over ultra-tough Ryan Healy.

Prediction: Bocek defeats Alessio via decision.

Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin

The next bout is a featherweight scrap, pitting Mark Hominick against Eddie Yagin.

Mark Hominick finds himself on a two-fight skid, dropping a title bid against Jose Aldo and losing quickly to Chan-Sung Jung.

Hominick looks to rebound here, in a fight designed for him to get back on track. Previous to the losing streak, Hominick won five in a row against solid competition.

Eddie Yagin looks to get back on track following a loss in his UFC debut to Junior Assuncao.

Previous to that, Yagin had achieved victories over notable featherweights Casey Olsen and Joe Soto. His best option is to take this fight to the mat, as Hominick has the definite advantage in the striking department.

Prediction: Hominick defeats Yagin via knockout.

Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald

The next bout is one of the most anticipated bouts on the card, as bantamweight legend Miguel Torres takes on the hottest prospect in the division, Michael McDonald.

Miguel Torres is a former WEC champion, who has sandwiched a loss with two wins thus far in the UFC.

Although he lost a hotly contested decision to Demetrious Johnson, he was able to defeat Antonio Banuelos and Nick Pace. Torres, a submission expert, stands the best chance of winning this fight on the ground.

Michael McDonald has yet to falter under the Zuffa banner, claiming wins over Clint Godfrey, Edwin Figueroa, Chris Cariaso and Alex Soto.

This will be his toughest fight to date, as Torres is not only extremely skilled but extremely experienced as well. McDonald brings a well-rounded attack, so he should be able to hold his own.

Prediction: Torres defeats McDonald via decision.

Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell

In an intriguing heavyweight bout, Ultimate Fighter runner-up Brendan Schaub takes on scrappy veteran Ben Rothwell.

Brendan Schaub was the hottest prospect in the heavyweight division at one point, before Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira put him to sleep with a deadly combination.

Before that loss, Schaub was on an impressive four-fight win streak over the likes of Mirko Cro Cop and Gabriel Gonzaga. Schaub has heavy hands that can put any man out cold.

Ben Rothwell is in dire need of a win, following a loss to Mark Hunt in his first fight in over a year. The durable Rothwell is well-rounded, being good at a lot of things, while being great at none. A win here would put him back on track to higher ranked opponents.

Prediction: Schaub defeats Rothwell via decision.

Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills

In the co-main event of the night, Canadian Rory MacDonald takes on the United Kingdom's Che Mills.

Rory MacDonald is the brightest up-and-comer in the welterweight division, disposing of all comers placed in front of him.

Despite a loss to Carlos Condit in a fight he was dominating, he has put away tough guys like Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle. His training with Georges St. Pierre has made him a multi-dimensional powerhouse and one of the best in the world.

Che Mills joined the UFC in his latest bout—a quick knockout of Chris Cope.

He previously was on the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter, before losing in the preliminary round to James Wilks. He is riding the momentum of five wins in a row, and another win here would put him into contention talks.

Prediction: MacDonald defeats Mills via submission.

Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans

In the main feature of the night, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones meets his ex-teammate, Rashad Evans, in a grudge match for the light heavyweight strap.

Jon Jones has been dominant his entire career—even more so since winning the belt from Mauricio Rua. And he has successfully defended the belt with submissions of Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida.

On April 21, he meets a man who knows him better than any opponent ever will—Rashad Evans.

Evans has won two straight since returning from injury, earning a stoppage of Tito Ortiz and dominating a decision over Phil Davis. Evans has looked rejuvenated since moving to the Blackzilian camp and will be very aware of Jones' moves when the cage door closes.

Prediction: Jones defeats Evans via middle-round knockout or decision.