TUF 20 Finale Preliminary Card Predictions

The show is over, the bracket has been busted and finals are set. That's right, The Ultimate Fighter 20 is over, and it's time to crown a new champion. 

While the championship is being settled on the main card, most of the other participants on the show occupy the undercard. They will jockey for position to get in the title picture of a new division looking for challengers.

UFC 181 saw me win more than I lost. Hopefully here, we continue to push the winning percentage to a higher number.

With that said, let's look at the prelims and make predictions. 

2014 Riley's Record: 167-100

Last Event: UFC 181 (4-2)

Emily Kagan vs. Angela Hill

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A pair of Team Melendez teammates will square off, as Angela Hill makes her official pro strawweight debut when she meets Emily Kagan.

Kagan is a Greg Jackson disciple who owns a 3-1 record as a pro. She relies heavily on wrestling, clinch and ground work, which is where she thrives. This could be hugely important when fighting a striker like Hill.

Kagan owns notable wins over Glena Avila and Ashley Cummins, where she took split decisions over both ladies. However, when it came time to scrap on TUF, Kagan was outed in the opening round in a spirited effort against Joanne Calderwood.

As for Hill, she is a muay thai fighter who fought at atomweight in the past. She has just one pro fight to her name, which was a knockout of Stephanie Skinner.

On the show, she drew top-ranked fighter Carla Esparza in the opening round, and she was handily defeated by the vastly superior and well-rounded fighter. The chokeout showed that Hill is still green on the ground, something that may hurt her in this fight.

Kagan's ability to move forward and achieve the takedown will be the difference here. Expect a heavy dosage of distance closing, clinch and takedowns, where Kagan will earn her fourth win as a pro.

Prediction: Kagan def. Hill via decision

Aisling Daly vs. Alex Chambers

Team Pettis teammates are set to square off in the next bout, as Ireland's Aisling Daly meets Australia's Alex Chambers in a grappler vs. striker affair.

Daly is a longtime veteran of the WMMA scene and a trail blazer of sorts. Debuting in 2007, Daly, a grappling-heavy fighter, has gone 14-5 while facing some of the best in the world, including Barb Honchak, Jessica Eye, Lisa Ellis and Rosi Sexton.

Daly scored a TKO stoppage of Angela Magana in the opening round of the competition, showing she can be well-rounded. However, she was ousted in her next bout by Jessica Penne, who outhustled her to a three-round decision.

As for Chambers, she was the only member of Team Pettis not to get past the opening round. She was paired off with Rose Namajunas, whose aggression and skill were too much for Chambers, who would end up getting tapped out.

Chambers is a striker who has added some good striking to her arsenal. Her lone career blemish came at the hands of Japanese prodigy Mizuki Inoue, though she does own big wins over Jodie Esquibel and Mika Nagano.

If Chambers can keep this fight standing, she has a chance, as Daly isn't as technical or quick. However, Daly is a big 115er to Chambers, who has fought at 105 in the past, and should be able to snag a victory here.

Prediction: Daly def. Chambers via decision

Bec Rawlings vs. Heather Clark

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A pair of teammates who showed some dislike for one another in the house will meet, as Team Melendez teammates Bec Rawlings and Heather Clark square off next.

Hailing from Australia, Rawlings has become a fan favorite in her time with Invicta. A boxer, Rawlings has underrated submission skills, which have seen her tap out three opponents. 

Her stint in the tournament saw her ousted in the first round, as she was defeated by decision at the hands of Tecia Torres. It was a close fight that could have seen a third round for Rawlings.

As for Clark, she was one of the main targets of teammate frustration and dislike in the house. That being said, she has been a pro since 2010, and the former pro hockey player has taken on some stiff competition.

On the show, she was matched up in the first round with bitter rival Felice Herrig, who she previously dropped a split decision to in Bellator. She again fell short against Herrig, getting outwrestled and grappled to a unanimous decision.

On the feet, Rawlings is likely the more technically gifted boxer, though Clark's takedown game can negate that. However, Rawlings is a good grappler in her own right and can prove her worth in victory here.

Prediction: Rawlings def. Clark via decision

Joanne Calderwood vs. Seo Hee Ham

Next up is a cast member vs. non-cast member bout, as quarterfinalist Joanne Calderwood takes on South Korean striker Seo Hee Ham.

Calderwood is a muay thai fighter with a brutal clinch game. In fact, she is most effective when she is closing distance and not creating a lot of space, as her knees and elbows are brutal.

Owning wins over Katja Kankaanpaa, Norma Center and Ashley Cummins, Calderwood earned herself the second seed in the tournament and was an early favorite to win. However, after besting Emily Kagan by decision in the opening round, she was submitted by Rose Namajunas in one of the best fights of the season.

As for Ham, she will be moving back up to 115 pounds after an extremely successful stint at 105 pounds. She has proven to be a wildly entertaining striker, though she can handle herself on the ground as well. 

With wins over Naho Sugiyama, Sadae Numata and Mei Yamaguchi, Ham has definitely earned her spot in the UFC and could be a new dark horse in the division.

Calderwood is larger and more technically sound on the feet. Those are two big keys in this fight, as Calderwood earns the stoppage.

Prediction: Calderwood def. Ham via TKO

Tecia Torres vs. Angela Magana

Two ladies who were somewhat at odds in the house will meet next, as Tecia Torres meets Angela Magana in the battle of brief teammates on the show.

Torres is a striker who is quick in and out but does not have the greatest power. She is technical and athletic, which allows her to light up opponents and get out of harm's way.

On the show, she was outed in the opening round by the upset machine known as Randa Markos. However, when Justine Kish was injured, Torres was brought back to fill in as a replacement. 

With that second chance, Torres scored a win over Bec Rawlings to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. However, she was again outwrestled to a decision by Carla Esparza, finally finishing her run in the tournament.

Magana earned a bad reputation on the show due to her negative attitude toward certain castmates. That aside, Magana is a veteran of the sport, owning 17 career fights dating back to 2007. 

She was beat by Aisling Daly in the first round of the tournament, as the Irish fighter earned a stoppage from strikes on Magana. 

This fight will come down to a battle of styles. If Magana can expose the wrestling of Torres, she will be in good shape. However, Torres has much better striking and will make use of that here.

Prediction: Torres def. Magana via decision

Felice Herrig vs. Lisa Ellis

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Two veterans of the sport will collide next, as highly popular Felice Herrig looks to score one of her biggest wins to date when she meets up with WMMA pioneer Lisa Ellis. 

Herrig is a muay thai fighter who is a veteran of XFC, Bellator and Invicta, showing she has fought at a high level for a while. She is technical on the feet, though her wrestling and submission grappling have been exposed in the past. 

She made the quarterfinals on the show after beating Heather Clark in the opening round. However, Randa Markos was able to expose her submission game in her next bout on the show, scoring a scarfhold armlock that eliminated Herrig from the tournament.

As for Ellis, she is a decade-long vet of the sport and has fought seemingly everyone who laid the groundwork for early WMMA. Her strength is definitely her submissions, as most of her wins end that way. However, her layoff due to having a child recently is concerning.

On the show, she was defeated fairly quick by Jessica Penne, who got a first-round submission of Ellis. She looked hesitant and rusty in that fight, which again could be attributed to her long layoff.

If this was the Ellis of a couple years ago, I think I may take her here. However, it's not, and if she can't get Herrig down, she will be in for a long night.

Prediction: Herrig def. Ellis via decision