UFC on Fox 5 Prelims Preview

Jeremy Stephens (20-8, #17 ranked LW) vs. Yves Edwards (41-18-1, #34 ranked LW)
Yves Edwards is as tough and battle-tested as they come, but he has not performed well against heavy-handed strikers in recent years. Sam Stout, K.J. Noons, and Jorge Masvidal were all able to finish Edwards with strikes and unfortunately Edwards’ Saturday night opponent, Jeremy Stephens, possesses all the tools to do the same. Edwards is still dangerous with his kicks and submissions, but Stephens is the safer pick here. Stephens has fallen short against top-tier competition, but has more than held his own against everyone else. He’s had some distractions to deal with lately, but he should come into this fight looking to send a statement.
Pick: Jeremy Stephens

Mike Easton (13-1, #9 ranked BW) vs. Raphael Assuncao (18-4, #10 ranked BW)
Mike Easton has certainly seen his stock rise since signing with the UFC in 2011. Easton has not been some dominant force that many observers believe him to be though. Easton has relied heavily on his striking as of late, and that should be the difference maker in this fight. Assuncao is one of the most underrated fighters in the UFC. His only losses have been to elite competition and for whatever reason is being overlooked as a future title contender down the road. Unfortunately for Assuncao this matchup does not favor him, nor the fact that he accepted the fight on short notice. If Assuncao can win the battle of takedowns, he has a shot at scoring the upset, but he will have an uphill battle trying to overcome Easton’s overall strength advantage.
Pick: Mike Easton

Ramsey Nijem (6-2, #40 ranked LW) vs. Joe Proctor (8-1, #46 ranked LW)
If there was an upset pick on the undercard this would be it. Joe Proctor showed some flashes on TUF 15, but he is still the underdog coming into this fight against fellow TUF alum Ramsey Nijem. Nijem has looked great in his last 2 fights, and based on those outcomes, I am picking him to squeak out the win. Nijem’s striking is still a question mark, so if Proctor can keep things standing he has a shot.
Pick: Ramsey Nijem

Daron Cruickshank (11-2, #47 ranked LW) vs. Henry Martinez (9-2, #50 ranked LW)
Daron Cruickshank was one of the early favorites to win on TUF 15 once the cast was first announced. In fact, he was chosen to be part of the first fight picked in the house because everyone thought he would steamroll over unproven James Vick, but his TUF journey came to an abrupt end via knockout. Cruickshank was a solid prospect pre-TUF and defeated Canadian fighters like Mike Ricci, Brad Cardinal, and Jesse Gross. His wrestling should allow him to dictate where he wants this fight to take place. Though his opponent, Henry Martinez, is supposedly talented with submissions, we have yet to see that firsthand in the octagon. Martinez’s last fight in the UFC was horrible to watch. Though he won via decision, he showed absolutely no ambition to look for a finish or turn up the pace. Martinez should be fighting at 145 or even 135 based on his height. This fight will likely force him to consider those options as I see Cruickshank cruising to victory with his top game.
Pick: Daron Cruickshank

Tim Means (18-3-1, #37 ranked LW) vs. Abel Trujillo (9-4, Unranked LW)
Tim Means is still flying under the radar despite his impressive winning streak. Most thought he would receive a step up in competition, but instead he will be facing off against unheralded newcomer Abel Trujillo. Trujillo’s fight record leaves a lot to be desired, but based on his affiliation with the Blackzilians camp and recent wins over journeymen James Edson Berto and Frank Carrillo, he earned his call up to the UFC. Means will have a huge reach advantage and he should be able to pick Trujillo apart with strikes as he did Justin Salas. The wildcard in this fight though is how much has Trujillo improved training alongside Rashad Evans, Alistair Overeem, and Anthony Johnson. Trujillo’s wrestling is supposedly strong, so he could put Means on his back, which we have yet to see. Overall, based on recent results, Means has to be the pick here due to his experience and size.
Pick: Tim Means

Dennis Siver (20-8, #7 ranked FW) vs. Nam Phan (18-10, #33 ranked FW)
Many fans are wondering why Dennis Siver has been given the shaft on this fight card. He is arguably a Top 10 featherweight in the division, and with an impressive finish could be right in the mix of title contention. Siver was set to face Eddie Yagin, but due to injury, Nam Phan has stepped into his place. Siver will have a huge power advantage in the striking game, but Phan could use his technical boxing to try and frustrate Siver and possibly steal the decision. Siver struggled with his initial weight cut to 145 lbs. in his last fight, so if Phan can push the pace and avoid Siver’s power he could make things interesting. In all likelihood though, Siver will use his overall strength and power to hurt Phan with strikes or spinning kicks and earn the finish.
Pick: Dennis Siver

Scott Jorgensen (13-6, #8 ranked BW) vs. John Albert (7-3, #26 ranked BW)
My how far Scott Jorgensen has fallen in recent months. Jorgensen was fighting for the bantamweight title just two years ago, but is now fighting on the un-televised prelims with his job possibly on the line. Jorgensen is still a viable contender, but he needs to rebound from his current 2-fight losing streak. Jorgensen gets himself in trouble when he start to veer away from his wrestling and begins to headhunt with his punches. He cannot make that mistake again as he faces off with TUF 14 alum John Albert. Albert has a huge task in front of him, but he showed that he is not scared of fighting top-level competition as he nearly finished Ivan Menjivar earlier this year. Albert is dangerous with his finishing ability and powerful hands, but he has simply been too erratic and impatient with his fighting style to upset the seasoned Jorgensen.
Pick: Scott Jorgensen