UFC 146: Predictions You Can Take to the Bank

UFC 146 limps its way to viewers on Saturday, as the card has undergone a number of changes due to injuries and other circumstances.

Originally headlined by Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem, Frank Mir has stepped in for Overeem due to a pre-fight drug test failure. This was the first of many changes to the card.

With a card full of heavyweights, this event will either be a huge success or a massive failure. Here are some predictions that are all-but-sure to happen.

Daniel Pineda Adds Mike Brown to His List of UFC Victims

Daniel Pineda and Mike Brown are polar opposites in terms of where they are at in their respective careers. While Pineda is on the fast-track on his way up the division, Mike Brown has fallen on hard times.

Since entering the UFC, Pineda has earned two quick, impressive wins. In a combined time of 3:42, Pineda has submitted both Pat Schilling and Mackens Semerzier.

Mike Brown's UFC run thus far has been far from impressive. He has dropped decisions to both Diego Nunes and Rani Yahya, while winning a close decision against Nam Phan. He has not been the same since losing his WEC Featherweight title to Jose Aldo.

Expect for Pineda to earn a decision victory, while fighting off takedown attempts from Brown. He will earn the judge's nods and earn a top opponent in his next outing.

Glover Teixeira Finishes Kyle Kingsbury in Successful Debut

Long-time veteran Glover Teixeira finally makes his UFC debut this weekend, as he has long been seen as the best light heavyweight not in the UFC.

Kyle Kingsbury has proven to be an exciting fighter in his UFC tenure, but faltered in his latest outing against Stephan Bonnar. He was dominated on the ground by Bonnar, exposing a glaring weakness.

Although Teixeira is a handful in the striking department, he is especially dangerous as a grappler. If he chooses to exploit the weakness of Kingsbury, this fight will be short.

Teixeira is a world-class grappler and may earn a submission victory, should he avoid striking with "Kingsbu."

Jacob Volkmann Decisions Paul Sass, Calls out Obama Again

Love him or hate him, Jacob Volkmann is on a roll lately, and he looks to stay on that roll against fellow grappler Paul Sass.

Paul Sass is a submission machine, using triangle chokes and heel hooks to ward off opponents. He has been a handful on the ground for any man, but faces a whole different type of ground fighter in Volkmann.

Not only is Volkmann a power wrestler, but he is a gifted submission artist. His weapon of choice is the D'arce choke, which he applies effectively. 

When Volkmann gets on top of an opponent, he is very hard to get off. He is very heavy on top, so expect for him to ride out another decision and call out the President yet again, as he did following UFC 125.

Duane Ludwig Plays It Safe, Gives Hardy His Walking Papers

Two strikers meet on FX when Muay Thai machine Duane Ludwig meets fan favorite Dan Hardy. Although many expect this to be a striking war, I could see Ludwig playing it safe and attacking Hardy's weakness.

Ludwig has been working on his grappling, so it will come in handy in this fight. Hardy may be the worst ground fighter in MMA, so why would Ludwig risk a possible knockout when he could dominate a ground war?

Even if he does strike, he has a good chance of winning. Either way, Ludwig will win here and Dan Hardy will finally be released.

CB Dollaway Sends Mayhem Packing with Dominant Performance

Fan are behind Jason "Mayhem" Miller almost every time he fights, but the fact of the matter is he is not as good as advertised.

CB Dollaway has his back against the wall in this fight and will show people why he is nicknamed "The Doberman." His wrestling will nix any of Miller's jiu-jitsu skills, as Dollaway is heavy on top with ground-and-pound.

Expect for Dollaway to ride out a decision and for Dana White to finally get rid of the man known as Mayhem.

Edson Barboza Faces Adversity and Overcomes Against Jamie Varner

Edson Barboza has become one of the hottest names in MMA lately and for good reason. Barboza has dominated in his fights so far in the UFC, especially in his wheel-kick knockout of Terry Etim.

Jamie Varner is returning to the UFC as a late replacement for Evan Dunham. The former WEC champion was not imported over with the WEC veterans, as he failed to win four previous outings. 

Varner will be the first experienced wrestler Barboza will face, which will be a huge test. In the end, Barboza will use his striking to keep Varner at bay, en route to a decision victory.

Diego Brandao Puts Featherweight Division on Notice with Brutal Knockout

The featherweight division is in need of stars, and Diego Brandao may be the next star the division is looking for.

He will face a stiff test in Darren Elkins, who is a powerful wrestler. This aggressive wrestling attack will test Brandao, but in watching him on The Ultimate Fighter, it was seen that Brandao could overcome takedown attempts.

Expect a quick knockout by Brandao that will put an exclamation point on the undercard bouts. This will get the attention of the upper-tier fighters in the featherweight division and inch him closer to a title bout. 

Lavar Johnson Knocks Stefan Struve's Head off

Lavar Johnson just fought at the beginning of the month against Pat Barry, but steps in as a late replacement for the injured Mark Hunt. He has a big opportunity here to move up the heavyweight ladder quickly.

Johnson has some of the most powerful striking in MMA, as he has showcased in knockouts of Joey Beltran and Barry. This will play to his advantage, as Stefan Struve is not the best striker, nor is he especially great at striking defense.

Johnson will land a huge punch at some point in the first round, sending Struve into an unconscious state. He will then find himself in another quick turnaround fight, possibly on short notice.

Stipe Miocic Wins Battle of Undefeated Prospects

Originally set to meet Gabriel Gonzaga on the card, Shane del Rosario will now meet fellow undefeated prospect Stipe Miocic.

Miocic is the total package, possessing great striking ability as well as a solid wrestling base. He has looked immaculate in his first two UFC bouts, but receives a step up in this fight.

Look for Miocic to mix up takedowns and striking, never allowing del Rosario to get into a consistent rhythm. He will win by decision and continue his ascent up the ladder. 

Roy Nelson Uses Physique and Top Game to Finish 'Pee Wee'

Roy Nelson was initially supposed to fight Antonio Silva, before he was upgraded to the co-main event. Nelson was then supposed to meet Gabriel Gonzaga, but he eventually dropped out due to injury.

Now, Nelson faces Dave Herman, a man who needs to prove himself after his dominant loss to Stefan Struve. Herman and Nelson may be the best matchup in terms of personality, as both are really out there.

If you thought Herman struggled on the bottom against Struve, wait until Nelson gets on top of him. Nelson's bulky body will hold Herman down, earning a stoppage victory over "Pee Wee."

Cain Velasquez Follows Teammate Daniel Cormier's Footsteps, Knocks out Big Foot

This fight was initially supposed to be between Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir for the No. 1 contendership of the heavyweight title, but Mir moved up to fight dos Santos in Overeem's absence.

Now, Antonio Silva will meet Velasquez in his UFC debut, which to me will be too much for "Big Foot." Silva's last loss came to Daniel Cormier by knockout. Cormier is Velasquez's teammate, and the two are very similar.

Expect a similar outcome here, as Velasquez is more technical and equally powerful with his hands. He will earn a title shot against the winner of the main event.

Cigano Knocks out Mir in First Round, Finds Next Opponent in Velasquez

Let's face it, Frank Mir has a questionable chin, as showcased in the Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fight. Although Mir recovered to submit the Brazilian legend, he was pretty much done until Nogueira went for a submission of his own.

Dos Santos has the best boxing in the heavyweight division, great takedown defense and good cardio. The cardio will not be necessary, as he puts out Mir's lights in one round.

He will then be announced as fighting Cain Velasquez next, setting a rematch of one of the most anticipated heavyweight title fights ever.