UFC 128 Fight Card: Predicting the Fight, KO and Submission of the Night

With some of the biggest names in the sport competing at UFC 128, there is potential for several exciting fights and finishes.

If stars such as Jon Jones, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Urijah Faber all deliver, the UFC might have a tough time determining which fighters most deserve their bonuses.

With this number of great fighters on one card, it's conceivable that anyone could end up taking home some extra cash.

However, here are the fighters that are most likely to take home the Fight, Knockout and Submission of the Night Awards.

Submission of the Night: Urijah Faber

Unless the main event ends in a submission, this is probably the safest bet of the three fight bonuses to be awarded.

Eddie Wineland is a dangerous striker, but opponents with much less dangerous ground games than Urijah Faber have made him submit in the past. Four of Wineland's six career losses, in fact, have come via submission.

Faber, who has 13 wins via submission in his career, is an intelligent fighter and will recognize that his advantage against Wineland is on the ground.

So once this fight goes to the ground, it becomes just a matter of time before Faber takes Wineland's back and locks up a rear-naked choke. 

Knockout of the Night: Edson Barboza

Edson Barboza is the pick for Knockout of the Night, but Barboza's opponent, Anthony Njokuani, could just as easily steal the award.

While with the WEC, Njokuani earned the Knockout of the Night in three consecutive fights, so he will be more than willing to stand with any opponent.

Against Barboza, though, that may not be a wise decision.

Barboza is an extremely quick and powerful striker, who has had many muay thai fights. Barboza ended his last two MMA fights with leg kicks alone.

If Njokuani stands and trades, we may see Barboza's seventh knockout victory in eight career fights.

Fight of the Night: Mauricio Rua vs. Jon Jones

One way or another, the fight between Jon Jones and Mauricio Rua will produce a fight bonus.

Over the course of his career, the majority of Rua's wins have come by highlight knockouts in the first round. Bearing in mind that his opponent hasn't truly had his chin tested, it's entirely possible that Rua could walk away from UFC 128 with his third Knockout of the Night award in just six fights with the UFC.

However, I see this fight going differently.

In the UFC, Jones has been successful in 91 percent of his takedown attempts in fights with opponents much more decorated than Rua. This does not project well for the Brazilian, who has been taken down on 90 percent of all takedowns attempted on him while in the UFC.

Jones has shown the ability to quickly put away his opposition once the fight is on the ground, but Rua has never been finished in the first two rounds of a fight aside from a fight-ending arm injury suffered against Mark Coleman in February 2006.

As long as Jones can get this fight to the ground and Rua can survive through a few rounds, this fight could go long enough to be considered for Fight of the Night honors.

UFC 128: Results, News and More

Sean Smith is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter @BR_Sean_Smith