UFC on FOX 10 has some very interesting matchups and promises to be action-packed. It is always nice to get a stacked card for a free event, and UFC fans will almost certainly not be disappointed. Both mainstays and prospects will be giving it their all on a card that’s filled with talented and extremely hungry fighters. Some are trying to prove that they belong, while others are trying to keep their UFC roster spot.

UFC on FOX 10: Henderson vs Thomson – Pre-fight Analysis

More than talent, this could be a night of underdogs. Josh Thomson showed he is one of the best fighters in the lightweight division after knocking out the hard-chinned Nate Diaz. Diaz had never been knocked out in the past and this was a huge victory for the Muay Thai specialist and San Jose native. Gabriel Gonzaga has also played the underdog role on several occasions and has capitalized beautifully, just ask Mirko Crop Cop.

The full card has a total of 11 fights, one preliminary fight for UFC Fight Pass owners and six on the Fox Sports 1 prelims. The main event has four fights, all of which will be, as Jim Ross from the WWE used to say, “Slobberknockers”.

MAIN CARD

BENSON HENDERSON (19-3-0) VS. JOSH THOMSON (20-5-0, 1NC)

This fight could easily be a PPV main event, or at least a co-main event. The lightweight division is one of the most talent-filled weight classes and both Benson Henderson and Josh Thomson are at the top of the ladder. Other than Bendo’s early career loss, the only other fighter he has lost to is Anthony Pettis, twice. His nemesis now carries the title but lucky for him, Pettis got injured. This opened the door for Saturday’s main event as Josh Thomson was originally scheduled to fight for the title after his impressive win against Diaz.

Thomson is a world-class kickboxer and proved it with his head kick victory. At 35 years old, he is a true veteran of the sport and has fought some great fighters throughout his career. Bendo is simply an all-around fighter that adapts to his surroundings well. He can go the distance with ease and has a solid wrestling background. Some people feel he needs to finish more fights and not leave it in the judges hands. He defended the lightweight title three times before losing to “Showtime” and was the 2012 Fighter of the Year for many publications including the UFC. Needless to say, a win is a win, regardless of how boring the fight might be.

This will be the most important bout of Thomson’s career but will be a grueling battle from the start. Bendo can take damage and loves grinding out fights. Pettis’ creativity is one of the only reasons Bendo lost in the past, but he is a strong minded fighter who welcomes the opportunity to get better. He has overcome quite a bit when it comes to Pettis, and he likely wants nothing more than another shot at the lightweight champ. Thomson should stick with with his striking style to hurt Bendo throughout the fight. If he chooses to play to Bendo’s tune, it will be a long and boring night for him and fans alike, with Bendo getting another decision victory en route to a title shot.

STIPE MIOCIC (10-1-0) VS. GABRIEL GONZAGA (16-7-0)

Is there really anything better than watching two heavyweights throw anvils at each other? Both Stipe Miocic and Gabriel Gonzaga are very confident in their boxing skills and will surely test their chins. The best indication of this is the career total of three fights that have gone to the judges. Miocic has won two via decision, while Gonzaga lost to the Brendan Schaub. Both have shown incredible knockout power and it is highly unlikely that this fight goes the distance.

One of Gonzaga’s biggest advantages is his BJJ skills. He is a 4th degree black belt but has taking a liking to knocking people out. When he gets you on the ground, his size and skill should almost guarantee him a victory. However, he would need to take Miocic down to have any chance of submitting him, and let’s just say that is a task in itself. The NCAA Division I wrestler has only been taken down once in his previous five fights, and is considered a freak athlete by his coaches and training partners. Interestingly, Gonzaga has not been taken down at all in his previous five. Whether Gonzaga tries to use his BJJ skills remains to be seen, but taking either of these guys down is one tiring  endeavor.

People have written-off Gonzaga before, and frankly, it’s truly unfair. When considering his seven losses, this fact becomes even more clear. Other than his decision loss to Schaub, Gonzaga has only lost to Randy Couture, Shane Carwin, Junior dos Santos, Travis Browne and Fabricio Werdum twice. To put Miocic in that category would mean that he has truly approached the next level as a fighter. Based on the knockout power of both fighters, this fight could go either way, making this a highly anticipated bout.

DONALD CERRONE (21-6-0, 1NC) VS. ADRIANO MARTINS (25-6-0)

This might be the most interesting matchup, and potentially, the most exciting fight. Donald Cerrone is never a boring fighter. Both him and his good friend Leonard Garcia have been known to bang with the best of them and hold nothing back. He is a world-class kickboxer and has some devastating leg kicks. His usual game plan is to break you down, tire you out, and make you tap. He has danced with the best and has only lost to top level fighters. However, “Cowboy’s” opponent Adriano Martins is no slouch, and judging by a few of his camp videos, this dude is going hard and ready to make a name for himself in the UFC. Both his wife and son are part of his gym, making them a true MMA family.

This will be a huge jump in competition for Martins, but the fact is, he deserves it.  He is on a six-fight win streak, was 1-0 in Strikeforce and won his UFC debut fight against Daron Cruickshank. He is a black belt in in BJJ under Cristiano Carioca and is a brown belt in judo. His BJJ skills cannot be questioned, as he has never been submitted and displayed great technique by beating Cruickshank via armbar in the second round. Cruickshank landed a measly eight strikes in almost two rounds of fighting, while getting absolutely dominated on the ground. Martins has 11 wins by knockout and demonstrated solid conditioning through 11 decision wins and five decision losses. His biggest advantage could be Cerrone stating he has not watched any tape of his previous fights. If this is true, it should give Martins a nice element of surprise.

What makes this fight so exciting is both fighters’ ability to push forward and stay aggressive. If Thomson and Gonzaga are underdog candidates, you can bet that Martins falls in that category as well. Cerrone should have his hands full with the Brazilian, but it will be interesting to see if Martins is truly ready for such a step up in competition. If he is, watch out, because this guy is hungry and could be the next up-and-coming fighter to keep an eye on.

DARREN ELKINS (18-3-0) VS. JEREMY STEPHENS (22-9-0)

Likely the least appealing fight on the main card, Darren Elkins will be looking to get back on a win streak when he takes on Jeremy Stephens. Since 2011, Elkins’ only loss has come at the hands of Chad Mendes, which says a lot about him. Since making the drop to featherweight, Elkins has gone an impressive 6-1 and has demonstrated solid cardio. He has never been defeated via decision, and has lost by submission only once. The biggest question surrounding Elkins is if he can truly stand with the UFC’s best.

Stephens will be a great challenge for Elkins. He is two years younger but has fought 11 more times. He has 15 career knockout victories and possess a black belt in BJJ. To say Stephens is a dangerous fighter would be an understatement, but similar to Elkins, he needs to prove he belongs at the top of the pecking order. His last three losses have come against Yves Edwards, Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis. What is even more impressive is Stephens was able to push his fights against Cerrone and Pettis to the very end, leaving it in the judges’ hands. This is not an easy thing to do, and those experiences will prove to be a great asset going into Saturday night.

Both fighters are always looking for the knockout which should make this a very exciting fight. However, this fight could really go either way, and the hungrier fighter will come out victorious.

FOX SPORTS 1 – PRELIMINARY FIGHTS

ALEX CACERES (9-5-0, 1NC) VS. SERGIO PETTIS (10-0)

Alex Caceres is a fighter who had a lot of hype but has not proved much. A blatant favorite of Dana White, Caceres has stretched the patience of the UFC and has been forced to smarten up. During his TUF stint, Caceres demonstrated immense creativity and elusiveness, but had a tough start to his UFC career. After his fight with Kyung Ho Kang, Caceres tested positive for marijuana, which overturned his split decision win. If it were not for that foolish decision, Bruce Leeroy would actually own a record of 5-1 since joining the bantamweight division, and his only loss was primarily due to point deductions for kicks to the groin. His 4-1-1 record as a bantamweight is still strong, but he will need to prove himself against tougher competition to stay relevant in the MMA world.

Speaking of tougher competition, the brother of current lightweight champion Anthony Pettis could be just that. Sergio Pettis, who is just 20 years old, is currently 10-0 as an MMA fighter and  won his UFC debut against Will Campuzano via unanimous decision. He has some of the best training partners at Roufusport and has proven to have the same blood as his older brother. Could he be better? Only an increase in competition can determine that. Big brother is a champion and has defeated some of the best, so it will takes some time for Sergio to make a name for himself. This will easily be his toughest fight and it should be a great way to end the preliminary bouts.

EDDIE WINELAND (20-9-1) VS. YVES JABOUIN (19-8-0)

To be honest, it is quite surprising to see Eddie Wineland on the preliminary card, especially since his last fight was for the UFC bantamweight belt against Renan Barao. This is a big step down in competition for Wineland and his overall skill should be more than enough to get him the win. He is a well rounded fighter who loves to bang, and judging by his two knockout losses in 30 career fights, he has all the reason in the world to keep it standing. He is a very talented kickboxer and has only lost to some of the best fighters in MMA today. This should be a breeze for Wineland, but then again, anything can happen.

For Yves Jabouin, there is no better opportunity to prove himself. To beat the previous number one contender suggests that Jabouin has the ability to take on the best fighters in the world. He too has lost to only some of the best fighters, most recently Brad Pickett.  Since making his bantamweight debut, Jabouin has a very impressive record of 4-1 and could be a handful for Wineland. With 11 of his 19 wins coming via knockout, it is quite obvious that Jabouin shares Wineland’s love for the fisticuffs. This could be a very entertaining fight with the possibility of it ending in a flash. Needless to say, do not expect this fight to go to the judges.

CHICO CAMUS (13-4) VS. YAOTZIN MEZA (20-8)

Chico Camus is another well rounded fighter who has demonstrated impressive skill in his MMA career. Also fighting out of Roufusport, Camus has been training with some of the best coaches available and has gone 2-1 in the UFC thus far. His only loss came against Dustin Kimura via submission, while he won his other two fights via decision.  Of his 13 victories, four have come by knockout and three by submission. He does not possess a belt or trade of any kind, but has evolved as an MMA throughout his 17 career bouts. He has solid stamina and can win it on the ground or on his feet, which should give him some confidence going into this fight.

Yaotzin Meza is another veteran of the sport and has had an up and down career thus far. Losing his first three MMA fights, Meze went on to win eight straight bouts before taking his next loss. If things were not tough already, his UFC debut was against Chad Mendes, and not surprisingly, he lost via KO in the very first round. With that said, Meza is 1-1 in the UFC and will be looking to build off his previous submission win come Saturday night. Similar to Camus, he has been able to win fights in every way, which should make this a solid chess match for both fighters.

JUNIOR HERNANDEZ (14-5-0) VS. HUGO VIANA (7-2-0)

Junior Hernandez has demonstrated solid all-around ability and could be a fighter to watch for the future. He is approaching his prime at the age of 27 and has four knockout victories, five submission victories and four by decision. In his UFC debut last September, Hernandez lost to Lucas Martins, which was the first submission loss of his career. His other four losses have come via decision, which gives him a big advantage in in the stand-up department, especially since Hugo Viana has lost only by knockout, and has only finished one of his seven wins via knockout.

Viana is a fighter on the rise and is 2-1 in the UFC. His only loss came versus UFC veteran T.J. Dillashaw, which proves the “Wolverine” has some work to do. He is another Brazilian climbing the ranks and has shown the ability to grind through a fight. His conditioning has been solid in the past and should be his best asset going into this fight. With Hernandez being such a good finisher, this will be a great test for Viana, who should have learned a lot in his fight against Dillashaw.

DARON CRUICKSHANK (13-4-0) VS. MIKE RIO (9-3-0)

Daron Cruickshank had a solid start to his UFC career but lost to John Makdessi after going 2-0. The increase in talent seemed to throw Cruickshank off his game and he has had trouble finding it ever since. After beating Yves Edwards via split decision, he went on to lose to Cerrone’s opponent Martins. Cruickshank was a Division III NCAA wrestler and has a black belt in taekwondo. Not surprisingly, most of his victories have come by knockout or decision while two of his four losses were via submission. He has a lot to prove as he tries to find his way in the UFC and Mike Rio will be a solid challenge for the Michigan native.

Rio is more of a veteran fighter than Cruickshank and is likely fighting for his UFC career on Saturday. He is just 1-2 in his UFC, losing by submission in his last two fights. Both losses came in the first round, suggesting his juijitsu skills at this level are more than questionable. One thing on Rio’s side is his chin. He has yet to be knocked out in his MMA career and it will be a solid asset against the knockout artist Cruickshank. Nevertheless, Rio will need to have the fight of his life to continue his career as a UFC fighter.

GEORGE SULLIVAN (14-3-0, 1NC) VS. MIKE RHODES (6-1-0)

George Sullivan has  been really impressive in his recent bouts and is riding a six-fight win streak. He is not known for his submission ability, as 10 of his 14 wins have come via knockout. Given that his other four victories have come by decision, Sullivan has shown both the ability to grind and to finish. The only questions surrounding Sullivan’s game is his jiujitsu. He has not demonstrated the ability to submit his opponent, while two of his three loses have come via submission. To become a tougher opponent and succeed in the UFC, Sullivan will have to work on his BJJ.

Mike Rhodes may be in a similar position, as his only loss as an MMA fighter has come via submission. On the other hand, Rhodes has recorded a submission victory, which gives him the slight upper hand going into this fight. He has also knocked out three opponents and won by decision twice. If Rhodes has studied his opponent, his best chance of dominating the fight would be to work on his wrestling and BJJ. Sullivan seems to struggle on the ground and taking him down would give him a solid advantage. Using his anger issues as a child to his advantage, Rhodes has become a solid fighter outside the octagon and will be given a shot at the big show on Saturday.

UFC FIGHT PASS – PRELIMINARY FIGHT

WALT HARRIS (6-2-0) VS. NIKITA KRYLOV (15-3-0)

Walt Harris is nothing short of a beast. At 6’4″ and 250 pounds, “The Big Ticket” represents his nickname quite well. One of the most obvious things about Harris’ game is he loves standing. His six victories have all come via knockout, and it seems he is confident in his striking, for now. Of those six victories, all of them have come under two minutes of round one, which suggests that Krylov would be smart to keep his distance from the heavy-handed monster. Another interesting thing about Harris is that his only two losses have come via decision, which shows his ability to grind through a fight and take some shots. Hopefully, Harris has learned ahead of time that he needs to be an all-around fighter to succeed in the UFC. In his UFC debut, Harris lost to Jared Roshholt via unanimous decision on the TUF 18 Finale.

His opponent, Nikita Krylov, is a Ukrainian-born fighter and has worked hard for a chance at the UFC. Similar to Harris, “Al Capone” is by definition a finisher. He has not let a fight go the scorecards and has demonstrated solid ground skills. Of his 15 wins, 10 of them have come via submission while the other five were knockouts. In addition, Krylov also wastes no time, finishing 11 of his 15 wins in under two minutes of the first round. Given the skill-set of Harris, Krylov surely has the upper hand on the ground and could stand and trade if he wishes. In the end, Krylov’s all-around skill could prove to be his greatest asset, as Harris has yet to be challenged in all aspects of the game.

The UFC is all about well-rounded talent, and it will be difficult for Harris to keep to his game if he hopes to climb the UFC ladder. Judging by their resumes, both fighters love to bang and UFC fight pass owners should be in for a real treat.