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The MMA calendar for 2013 is quickly coming to a close and the UFC is giving their fans an early Christmas present with two big events this weekend. The first of those events will be the UFC Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale, but since the finals are not yet set, we will be looking at UFC On Fox 13 first. Please note quickly that there will be a change to how these columns will be done from this point forward as I will be previewing the main cards of each event, which simply doing quick picks for the preliminary card bouts.
Main Card
Main Event
UFC Heavyweight Division Fight
Junior “Cigano†Dos Santos (16-3-0) vs. Stipe Miocic (12-1-0)
Junior Dos Santos is in an odd position right now in the heavyweight division as he has lost twice to current UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and he is unlikely to get another shot until Velasquez loses his gold. Miocic, loss to Stefan Struve in 2012 aside, is easily one of the better heavyweight prospects in the UFC right now. Miocic is coming off of a victory over a vastly undersized Fabio Maldonado at the UFC Ultimate Fighter Brazil III Finale, but he on a three fight winning streak at the moment. Dos Santos has not competed since losing the rubber match to Velasquez, as he was originally set to face Miocic at the UFC Ultimate Fighter Brazil III Finale before an injury took him out of the fight. This fight should be nothing short of a glorified boxing match and Dos Santos is the better striker when compared to Miocic, Dos Santos wins by second round TKO.
Co-Main Event
UFC Lightweight Division Fight
Nate Diaz (17-9-0) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (22-7-0)
The Diaz brothers are back on good terms with the UFC (for now anyways) and the first brother to step back into the octagon will be younger brother Nate. Dos Anjos is easily a victory or two away from a title shot at reigning champion Anthony Pettis and he is coming off of the biggest win of his career when he defeated former UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson at UFC Fight Night this past August. Diaz’s days as a top tier lightweight are seemingly behind him as he has not achieved a meaningful victory since he submitted Jim Miller at UFC On Fox III. Dos Anjos has only lost one time in the last three years, which was a defeat to the next lightweight title challenger in Khabib Nurmagomedov. Diaz will provide a threat to Dos Anjos, but Dos Anjos is on another level right now and he will defeat Diaz via decision.
UFC Heavyweight Division Fight
“The Demolition Man†Alistair Overeem (37-14-0-1NC) vs. Stefan “Skyscraper†Struve (25-6-0)
Alistair Overeem came into the UFC with a ton of fanfare, but fast forward almost four years later and Overeem has no steam behind him in any way possible. Struve is also on the backburner following heart issues that have kept him out of the octagon since a loss to Mark Hunt at UFC On FX VIII. Struve was originally set to fight Matt Mitrione earlier this year, but he passed out backstage and the fight was abruptly cancelled. Overeem is no longer a title contender and his best days are behind him, his UFC job is also on the line in this one. Struve has no idea how to use his range to keep opponents away at him and Overeem will swarm him with bombs until he knocks out Struve in the first.
UFC Heavyweight Division Fight
Gabriel “Napao†Gonzaga (16-8-0) vs. Matt “Meathead†Mitrione (8-3-0)
Gonzaga has been less than stellar since returning to the UFC in 2011 in the sense that he could defeat lesser skilled opponents, but he always falters when opposite top tier opposition. Mitrione is a fighter who is in the same boat as Gonzaga, with the major difference is that Mitrione is still improving as a fighter. Mitrione is coming off of a pair of first round finishes as he defeated both Shawn Jordan and Derrick Lewis via first round TKO. Gonzaga is coming off of a loss to Stipe Miocic at UFC On Fox X, a fight that saw him get picked apart by his fellow heavyweight for fifteen minutes. Gonzaga is one of the more dangerous heavyweights in the UFC in a one round bout, but Mitrione will get the fight to the later rounds to knockout an exhausted Gonzaga.
Preliminary Card
John Moraga over Willie Gates
Claudia Gadelha over Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Ben Saunders over Joe Riggs
Jamie Varner over Drew Dober
Derek Brunson over Ed Herman
Joe Ellenberger over Bryan Barberena
David Michaud over Garrett Whiteley
Henry Cejudo over Dustin Kimura
Anthony Birchak over Ian Entwistle
