UFC on Fox: 10 Predictions to Take to the Bank

The UFC will make history this weekend when they televise the heavyweight title fight on the FOX network.

It will be the first time the company has been see on network TV and the first part of the multi-year deal they have started with the FOX company.

Other than the fight there are a lot of uncertain factors that could take place around the event and on the card.

Even the aftermath of such an event and what it may lead to isn't known.

After Saturday, when the dust clears, everyone will get a clearer picture of where things stand.

Until then, here are 10 predictions that will probably come true.

The Title Fight Won't Go the Distance

On paper it shows that FOX will only be broadcasting one fight.

However, with the dynamite that both Dos Santos and Velasquez pack in their  fists it's a good bet that fans will see another before the hour is up.

Dos Santos might have the best boxing in the heavyweight division and won't be afraid to stand with Velasquez.

Velasquez has heavy hands also and even if they fail him the former wrestler can take the fight to the ground.  After that it might get a little trickier to see what will happen.

Dos Santos is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but no one has really since it in action.  He has been so dominant in taking people out on his feet that he just hasn't needed to use it.  That might change on Saturday when he faces Velasquez.

Velasquez on his part is a great wrestler and though we have seen more of it then we have of Dos Santos' BJJ he has knocked out eight of his nine victims.

Not only will the fight remain standing, by the end one of the combatants won't be.

Clay Guida vs Ben Henderson Will Steal the Show

Clay Guida has won fight of the night four times.

Two of those fights are considered by some to be fight of the year.

He has also won submission of the night twice.

Ben Henderson has won fight of the night twice when he was in the WEC.

His first fight with Cerrone was also considered by some to be fight of the year.

He too won a submission of the night award, again in the WEC.

Putting these two fighters together in the cage guarantees two things.

That there will be more hair flying around then at a metal concert and that no matter how great the heavyweight fight is on Saturday this is the one two watch for.

UFC 139 Will Get Plugged

The UFC may be giving fans a free fight on TV, but that doesn't mean that they aren't still in the pay-per-view business.  UFC 139 will take place a week later on November 19.

Expect them to remind us every chance they get.

Dan Henderson himself isn't much of a PPV draw, but with an add on network TV and a free title fight he might just get a boost.  Those two things just might push the buys up a bit more.

It also will mean more revenue for the UFC which is why they are putting this pay-per-view worthy main event on free TV.

After the fight on Saturday it will be interesting to see how many buys UFC 139 gets the following week.

Brock Lesnar vs Alistair Overeem Will Get Hyped

Brock Lesnar is the UFC's biggest star.  Considering that they are putting the heavyweight title fight on free TV he or Overeem is probably their next challenger.

Marketing both not only helps the pay-per-view, but it gets causal fans to see to giant monsters who might fight the winner of the match they are going to watch.

It not only helps sell UFC 141, but it helps sell another PPV down the road.

It's a brilliant marketing strategy and it would be crazy for the UFC not to do it.  Fans have always been drawn to the larger fighters and letting them see Overeem and Lesnar and then mentioning that the two will be fighting before year's end is a great way to drum up some buys.

MMA Critics Will Find Something Objectionable and Write About It

Whenever MMA reaches into the mainstream someone will either find a way to profit from it by railing against it or see an opportunity to preach against it's evils.

Now that it is going to be on TV there will certainly be someone who will mention that it is dangerous to let it be on Saturday night on a station kids could be watching.

Even though MMA has come a long way from the unregulated days of the 90s, some people haven't been paying attention.

Fans should prepare for those people to start complaining about the event and it's inherent "brutality".

It won't be pretty but the more MMA makes it into the mainstream the more it will be faced with this unfair criticism.

Luckily, as MMA gets more popular and mainstream the more people become educated about it and the less the sport will have to deal with these attacks.

At least in the long run.

MMA Fans Will Find Something to Complain About

For the first time in the history of the sport the heavyweight title is being competed for on free TV for everyone to see.

And yet some fans are complaining that their should have been more fights put on TV.  It really is amazing to see those fans complain about how the UFC should have put more free fights on their network debut when technically the deal with FOX hasn't even started yet.

The problem is that MMA fans are spoiled.  Boxing fans are continually screwed with the best fights being showed on Showtime or HBO and shown in almost no bars or pubs.

Still, the fight will be great and the event will turn out well barring bizarre incident a la Strikeforce Nashville brawl.

Fans will just have to deal with the fact that they can't always get everything they want and enjoy their free title fight

The Winner of Dustin Poirier vs Pablo Garza Will Be a Win Away from a Title Shot

Poirier is on a three fight win streak while Garza is on a two fight streak as well.

Neither is anywhere near close to a title shot, but that could change Saturday.

It won't mean that the winner will warrant a title shot but an impressive victory on the FOX undercard could get the fighter in the mix.

If either man ends up with fight, submission, or knockout of the night it would boost his case for a run at the UFC gold greatly.

Poirier has more wins but Garza has won a knockout and submission of the night bonus since his stint in the UFC.

No matter what the outcome of the fight is, expect the winner to be in a high-profile bout next time out.

Yamamoto Is Probably Going to Win and Head to UFC 144

Kid Yamamoto who is a huge name in Japan hasn't started off his UFC career with a win and now he is facing Darren Uyenoyama who seems to have way less experience then him.

Why the UFC made this fight against an impressive veteran and a relatively average fighter seems baffling.

Until fans remember that the UFC is headed to Saitama, Japan next year and needs all the stars it can muster.

There might be another reason that Uyenoyama is going to be across the ring from the standout Japanese star, but none that spring to mind.

After a win, expect to see Yamamoto announced for the UFC card in Japan.

Robert Peralta Might Be in the Process of Being Groomed to Be a UFC Star

Robert Peralta might not be well known in the UFC but that could soon change. 

Fighters who are Mexican or are of Mexican decent are getting less rare in the UFC but they are still a commodity.

It's no secret that the Hispanic market still helps drive boxing.  It is also one of the markets that the UFC has been trying to gain ground in.  If Peralta wins on Saturday they gain a little more traction on that market.

However, unlike Yamamoto, Peralta is facing a tough opponent in Mackens Semerzier.  Though Semerzier has lost three of his last four he is coming off a submission win against Ultimate Fighter alum Alex Caceres and before that lost a fight of the night split decision to Cub Swanson.

Peralta will have his hands full on Saturday with Semerzier.  If he wins he might be the UFC's next attempt at a Latino star.

The Fight on FOX Will Do Huge Numbers

This fight is going to get a lot of attention.

That may be the fan in me speaking, but their might be some fact to it as well.

Part of it is the fact that one of the fighters is Hispanic which might draw some ratings on it's own.  Another part is the fact that it is a heavyweight bout for the heavyweight title.

The other reason has a more factual basis.

The UFC preview show that appeared on FOX.  The show ended up getting over two million viewers.

And that was for the preview.

No one can be sure who many people will tune in to see the fight, but if the countdown show pulled in that many viewers, it's going to be quite a few.

And that may end up being the most anticipated part of fight night.