FanPost

Junior dos Santos vs Cain Velasquez 2: UFC heavyweights predict this Saturday's UFC 155 main event

The grand mixed martial arts (MMA) finale for 2012 will be a marquee heavyweight contest -- a rematch of one of the quickest title fights to happen in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Its prominence has inspired a series of 265-pounders who perform under the UFC banner to share their predictions for this Saturday's UFC 155 main event of the evening. As the former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will attempt to retrieve his title belt from the man who took it from him in little more than one minute, current champion Junior dos Santos.

Randy Couture, a three-time UFC heavyweight champion of the past breaks down this weekend's match and believes it will play out differently this time around. "The Natural" breaks down the heavyweight rematch below (via ufc.com )

The rematch is gonna be interesting, I think you'll see Cain back at the top of his game and sharp it was a question with the shoulder issues he had. Coming back and fighting a guy the caliber of Dos Santos. he was just sitting there waiting and obviously hungry. Cain certainly wants his belt back so i think maybe we'll see a little bit tighter Dos Santos than we've seen in the past. but it will be an interesting rematch, for sure. I expect to see a lot more wrestling out of Velasquez, to deal with the punching and striking abilities of Junior dos Santos."

Roy Nelson, every time "Big Country" has won a UFC fight, he's ended it by way of knockout. With a three round decision loss to the current belt holder, "Cigano," Nelson breaks down some scenarios for us.

Check out the video by clicking (here):

"I think I was the only one who gave Junior a chance to actually finish that fight...I still got Junior. Just because, he hits hard and if anything he's got five rounds to knock Cain's block off. If Cain does the same thing he did last time, it's not gonna be a good thing. I think Cain has to just change his game-plan up and actually go out there and execute good, solid grappling match game-plan, then he'll be okay. As long as you're tying him up, he can't punch you."

Matt Mitrione, a striker himself, but coming off a brutal loss recently, isn't biased. He expects to see a lot more efficiency by Cain in the rematch (via mma30):

"I think Cain will win that fight. I think Dos Santos is a phenomenal striker. I think Cain's motivated. I think he's an exceptional wrestler nobody has chain wrestling like him, or cardio. I think he can stay on Dos Santos' legs, shot, shot, re-shot, re-shot. Do everything else to get Dos Santos' back and I think that Cain's got phenomenal top control. Even if Dos Santos gets back up. I think Cain will just re-shoot on him, once again. I think it will be a wrestling match."

Shane del Rosario, before his devastating knockout loss to Pat Barry, shared his intelligent thoughts on the upcoming marquee title fight. (video here)

"It's gonna be a very tough fight. If Dos Santos doesn't catch him I think Velasquez has a good chance to grind him out and take the win over all five rounds. I'm rooting for Dos Santos and I hope he gets the win. I think he will."

Alistair Overeem says Cain will take care of dos Santos (in this video):

"I think Cain is gonna do good in this next fight. I think he might even get the belt. I think he's gonna get the belt."

Shane Carwin, former interim champ, has fought "Cigano" for three rounds. He offered nothing more than expected, offering his succinct pick (here):

"Dos Santos and Cain...I think it's more of the same from the last fight. Dos Santos."

Frank Mir, a former heavyweight champ and the last man to be knocked out by the current champ, was once scheduled to battle Velasquez before stepping up and taking the fight with "JDS." His prediction (via fueltv):

"I think it's really close. Again, I think Velasquez is extremely well rounded, very tenacious has great grappling ability. I think the way to beat Dos Santos is to close off the cage, to put him against there and put him down on the ground. Lets test his abilities in other areas. He's already proven he's an unbelievable fighter when it comes to the open area. His footwork, his speed. I think if you want to take the champion away from that, you have to take him out of that element. I think Velasquez has the potential to possibly do so. That being said he's already tried once and came up short and Dos Santos, so far no one has really figured out the riddle on really how to cut him off and get him down to the ground. No one has been able to really be dominant at all, or even show a chink in his armor. As of right now, he goes around and he does what he does best and no one is able to stop him. They're both such great fighters. I'll probably slide toward the champion just because he is the champion. It's not something I would actually bet my house on."

Fabricio Werdum, the man who welcomed dos Santos to the Octagon way back at UFC 89, is looking for his own title shot after he meets Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): "Brazil" series. He makes his prediction (here):

"I don't know, it's very difficult because Dos Santos has the best boxing in the UFC. Velasquez is definitely a complete guy. It's a very good fight for sure. I want Dos Santos to win again, because I want a fight with him. Velasquez trains a lot. I know. He has good wrestling, good boxing, good muay thai. I think Velasquez has a good team. Maybe a smart team...put Dos Santos to the ground. Because if he stay stand up. Maybe Dos Santos will knock him out again."

Also, catch more predictions by Rashad Evans, Frankie Edgar, Pat Barry, Forrest Griffin, Ian McCall, Colton Smith and Mike Ricci here and here.

Regardless of the outcome, one thing is for certain: The chances of this bout lasting longer than the first (64 seconds) are good.

So who do you pick?

Can Velasquez get the talented power puncher down to the ground? Or will dos Santos remain the champion?

UFC 155 goes down at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Dec. 29, 2012.

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