UFC Fight Night 24: Predictions for Knockout, Submission and Fight of the Night
Ultimate Fight Night in Seattle will feature a light heavyweight main event between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (23-4) and Phil Davis (8-0). Davis is a late replacement for an injured Tito Ortiz.
The co-main event will be a stand-up battle in the welterweight division between Dan Hardy (23-8) and Anthony Johnson (8-3).
Other fighters featured on the card are Amir Sadollah, Leonard Garcia, John Hathaway, Jon Madsen and Mike Russow.
Knockout of the Night: Dan Hardy
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"It’s time to go out there and put them hands up and do what me and Dan do best, and that’s throw punches and knock people out," said Anthony Johnson in a pre-fight conference call. "So, one way or another, somebody is getting knocked out, and no disrespect, but I’m going to be the winner."
It's hard to choose who will get the Knockout of the Night, but it's pretty clear it will be one of the two fighters featured in the co-main event.
Dan Hardy is 23-8 and is currently on a two-fight losing streak. His opponent, Anthony Johnson (8-3), is one of the more dangerous strikers in the division.
The 28-year-old from Nottingham, England hasn't exactly had as many spectacular knockouts inside the UFC as Johnson has, but his hunger will be at an all time high for this fight. His last two fights were back-to-back defeats against welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and highly touted contender Carlos Condit.
Johnson has a hard time making the 170-pound weight limit, and it could be his downfall once again. Instead of taking him down and getting a submission, Hardy will choose to stand and take care of him on the feet, resulting in his second knockout victory inside the Octagon and a big bonus.
Submission of the Night: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
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"I’m definitely going to take some time off after this fight to improve my game," said Phil Davis, who graduated from Penn State with a collegiate wrestling record of 116-17. "This fight came a little sooner than I wanted to step back in the cage."
Davis made his pro debut eight months after Jon Jones and seems to be on a similar path to greatness. With Jones already being a UFC champion, no one can say this fight is too soon for the 26-year-old, even if he admits it is.
His opponent is Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, younger brother of former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He has fought in Pride, Affliction and the UFC against some of the very best, including Dan Henderson, Shogun Rua and Alistair Overeem.
Davis' physical capabilities combined with his assertive fighting style make him a dangerous contender in one of the most stacked divisions. If Rogerio hasn't learned his lessons in his previous fights against Ryan Bader and Jason Brilz, it could be a long night for the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt if he ends up spending most of it on his back.
If Rogerio makes the proper adjustments, Davis will have to conduct the perfect game plan to pull off the victory. It's going to be hard to do against one of the best submission fighters in the division.
Fight of the Night: Leonard Garcia vs. Jung Chan-Sung II
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Their first battle was regarded by most fans as the 2010 Fight of the Year.
Leonard Garcia (15-6) makes his fifth appearance inside the UFC to face late-replacement Jung Chan-Sung (10-3) once again.
It was originally supposed to be a rematch of one of the biggest robberies of 2010, which saw Nam Phan lose a split-decision to Garcia, his fourth split-decision in a row. "The Korean Zombie" accepted the challenge on two-weeks' notice.
Don't expect anything different in this fight. Garcia only knows one style, even if trainer Greg Jackson is known for his thought out and relatively "safety first" game plans.
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