UFC 138: Predictions for Fight, KO and Sub of the Night

The UFC returns to England for a great night of fights this Saturday for UFC 138. The card is headlined by heavy-handed middleweight fighters Chris Leben and Mark Munoz, who might only be one or two fights away from a title shot.

Munoz comes into the fight with an 11-2 record and on a three-fight win streak while Leben is 4-1 in his last five fights with wins over Wanderlei Silva, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Aaron Simpson.

Other main-card bouts include Cyrille Diabate vs. Anthony Perosh, Terry Etim vs. Eddie Faaloloto, Thiago Alves vs. Papy Abedi and Brad Pickett vs. Renan Barao.

The fights will be broadcast via tape delay on Spike TV.

These are my predictions for fight, knockout and submission of the night.

Fight of the Night: Brad Pickett vs. Renan Barao

Brazilian prospect Renan Barao (26-1) comes into his second UFC bout versus former WEC fighter Brad Pickett (20-5), who will be making his UFC debut.

This bantamweight bout will have everything that fans wish for when they watch two 135-pound fighters, and the contrast in styles makes for a fun fight that should have plenty of action.

Barao is the more technical of the two, but Pickett is more well-rounded and better at taking the fight to where he wants it, whether it's on the ground or on the feet.

Pickett is also not afraid to slug it out, and this will probably be his game plan for this fight while utilizing all aspects of his skillset. If Barao's training with Jose Aldo has helped him, expect to see him have confidence in his stand-up ability, which should make this an exciting three-round scrap.

Knockout of the Night: Thiago Alves

Thiago Alves (18-8) is due for a knockout, and he may just get it when he faces UFC newcomer Papy Abedi (8-0) in the co-main event.

Alves hasn't scored a knockout since he finished off Matt Hughes early in 2008. His last five fights have all gone the distance, three of which he lost.

It's tough for the UFC to put Abedi in against one of the tougher fighters in the welterweight division, but Alves' recent performances have left him looking uninspiring and slow, so they really have no choice but to give him a fight to get back on the winning track.

These types of fights can sometimes backfire, but Alves should be more than motivated for this bout, and it's one he can use to get his career back on the right foot.

Submission of the Night: Terry Etim

Terry Etim (14-3) returns to the Octagon for the first time since losing to Rafael dos Anjos in 2010 to take on Eddie Faaloloto (2-2).

Both of Faaloloto's losses have come in the WEC and the UFC, and he has yet to prove that he really belongs fighting the upper echelon of fighters.

Etim has too many advantages in this fight not to get the finish at some point, and whether it comes by knockout or submission, it will be an impressive win for Etim.