UFC on FOX 2 fight card: Joey Beltran vs Lavar Johnson prediction, preview and breakdown

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight Joey Beltran will have the duty of welcoming recent Strikeforce import Lavar Johnson to the Octagon at UFC on Fox 2 TONIGHT (Jan. 28, 2012), which goes down at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Johnson, who collected a 3-2 record while under the Strikeforce banner, is heading into this evening riding two consecutive losses, and hopes to right his ship with a win over the super tough Joey Beltran.

Beltran, on the other hand, has gone an even 3-3 in the Octagon, losing to strikers Matt Mitrione, Pat Barry and most recently, Stipe Miocic at UFC 136.

"Big" hopes to get a fresh start in the UFC, but "The Mexicutioner" will meet him at the door with a not so friendly reception into the world's pre-eminent mixed martial arts (MMA) organization.

Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC on FOX 2 heavyweight slobberknocker between Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson.

The Breakdown

Beltran is as tough as they come, proving time and time again that he can take punishment all while dishing out some of his own. Having yet to be finished inside the eight-walled cage, Beltran took Pat Barry's and Matt Mitrione's best shots and kept on ticking.

Though he lost both of those bouts via decision, the heart and tenacity Beltran displayed won him the admiration and respect of MMA fans. What he lacks in technique, he more than makes up with aggression and toughness.

"The Mexicutioner" is a hard-nosed all out brawl-type of fighter. With 11 of his 13 wins coming either by (technical) knockout, it's no secret what he prefers to do once the cage doors are locked behind him. Regardless of the fact that Johnson is coming off of two submission losses, he still has the power to knockout anyone.

• Exhibit A: 13 knockouts to his name, 11 coming in the very first round.
• Exhibit B: See Exhibit A.

Standing at 6'4" and weighing in at 245 pounds, "Big" is an appropriate moniker for Johnson, an American Kickboxing Academy (AKA)-trained fighter. However, once he goes to the ground, all that size is seemingly useless, as four out of his five losses have come via submission (one of those, however, was injury related).

No worries for Johnson though, as the chances of this fight going to the ground are slim to none.

The Pick

Fireworks!

When UFC matchmakers put this fight together, I am pretty sure they had a stand up, back-and forth battle in mind. Two heavyweights who swing hard can only mean one thing:

Fight of the Night.

Though he has garnered respect and fans for his all out brawl style of fighting, it will behoove Beltran to be a bit more selective with his shots against Johnson, as one big shot from Lavar can be disastrous for "The Mexicutioner."

I expect Beltran to come out guns blazing, pushing the pace to rattle the UFC rookie. Johnson will have to hope for a quick finish that he is accustomed to, however, he will have his work cut out for him as Beltran has prove to have an iron chin.

In an exciting back-and-forth affair, the UFC veteran Beltran will finish the Strikeforce import Johnson late in the second round via strikes. It may not be a technical fight, but it sure as hell is going to be an exciting one.

Beltran defeats Lavar Johnson via technical knockout (TKO) in the second round

That's a wrap for now. Be sure to share your thoughts on this fight and more in the comments section below.

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See you then!