UFC on Fuel 2: 5 Bold Predictions for the Main Card

The UFC will make its first trip to Sweden this weekend for UFC on Fuel 2, and the card is one of the most underrated in recent memory.

With all eyes locked on next week's UFC light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, the potential barnburner of a main event between Alexander Gustafsson and Thiago Silva is flying under the radar, along with the rest of a surprisingly fun main card this weekend.

Brian Stann and Alessio Sakara co-headline the card, and fun fights between Siyar Bahadurzada, Paulo Thiago, Dennis Siver and Diego Nunes make this card a must-see for fans who are suffering from some serious UFC withdrawal.

Brad Pickett Will Score Knockout of the Night Honors Against Damacio Page

Brad Pickett loves to end a fight by submission, and all but one of Damacio Page’s losses have come by tap out.

Seems like an easy fight to predict, doesn’t it?

But since these are supposed to be BOLD predictions, I’m going with Pickett by knockout.

Pickett’s striking actually looked very good against Renan Barao until he got hit with a big knee, and I think it will be just good enough to take out Page with a solid left hand and earn him another UFC bonus check.

Diego Nunes Will Finish Dennis Siver

One of the best fighters in the featherweight division, Diego Nunes has won six of his last eight bouts in the WEC or UFC.

Despite nice wins over former champion Mike Brown and Manny Gamburyan, Nunes has yet to get the respect he deserves as a top tier featherweight, but he will get that chance this weekend.

Dennis Siver is making his 145 lb debut, and while he was near the top of the lightweight division for a brief period of time last year, this weight is far better suited for him.

Siver isn’t getting any favors from Joe Silva with this matchup, and it will be interesting to see if the weight cut affects his performance in any way against the ridiculously fast Nunes.

In his eight fights under the Zuffa banner, Nunes has gone to decision in every single one of them, but that changes this weekend, as he scores a submission win over Siver early in the third round.

Siyar Bahadurzada Will Upset Paulo Thiago

Paulo Thiago made waves in his UFC debut when he knocked out Josh Koscheck with a solid uppercut at UFC 95, and now he’s going to have to prevent Siyar Bahadurzada from dealing him the same fate this weekend.

Bahadurzada is a highly touted welterweight newcomer with awesome submission skills, but he prefers to keep the fight standing and looking for the knockout.

Thiago is equally skilled on the mat, but I think Siyar has a slight advantage on the feet and will be able to out strike Thiago in the standup and keep it even on the mat en route to a decision victory.

Brian Stann and Alessio Sakara Will Fight to a Decision

When two heavy hitting middleweights like Brian Stann and Alessio Sakara meet inside the cage, the fight is almost guaranteed to end in a knockout.

Both guys have serious knockout power and love to stand and bang, but this fight is going to go to a decision, despite all the evidence to the contrary.

Expect a slow first round between these two, as neither one will be eager to throw a lot of punches due to the fear of being knocked out.  But once they start to open up in the second half of the fight, it will be the slugfest fans are hoping for.

Sakara’s been knocked out a few times in his MMA career, and Stann could easily end the bout with punches, but this one will end up going to the judges' scorecards

Alexander Gustafsson Will Submit Thiago Silva

In 17 career fights, Thiago Silva has never been submitted.

That says a lot about his BJJ skills and takedown defense, and he’s obviously a very competent fighter on the mat, so it seems a bit ridiculous to predict a win for Gustafsson by submission.

That being said, the standup between these two should be about even, and if Silva starts getting the better of Gustafsson on the feet, the Swede may try and take the fight to the mat.

Silva’s been out for a long time and has only fought once in the last two years, so ring rust could end up hurting him.  I think Gustafsson is going to capitalize and end up locking in a rear naked choke in the third round.