The Irish takeover continues.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Boston, Mass., this Sunday (Jan. 18, 2015) for UFC Fight Night 59: "McGregor vs Siver" live from TD Garden.
In the main event of the evening, rising star Conor McGregor looks to earn a UFC featherweight title shot by dispatching 18-fight UFC veteran Dennis Siver.
The co-main event pits two of the worlds' best lightweights against one another as former 155-pound champion Benson Henderson takes on the streaking Donald Cerrone in what many hope will be an epic trilogy bout.
That's not all.
First, we've got eight "Prelims" under card matches on tap, two of which will stream online via Fight Pass and the rest will broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
Here's what's in store:
125 lbs.: Joby Sanchez vs. Tateki Mastuda
Joby Sanchez (6-1) may have had an unsuccessful Octagon debut, losing to No. 15-ranked Wilson Reis via unanimous decision in Aug. 2014, but don't count out the Greg Jackson-trained product just yet.
During his run in the regional mixed martial arts (MMA) circuit, Sanchez notched six straight finish victories, including a rousing (technical) knockout victory over UFC veteran Antonio Banuelos just two weeks before his Octagon debut.
Tateki Mastuda (10-6) faced a similar fate in his Octagon debut, losing a unanimous decision to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) veteran Chris Beal in Sept. 2014.
The Team Sityodong product has yet to earn a name victory thus far in his career, but with five finishes to his name, Matsuda is a tough out for anyone.
Sanchez has all the tools to win this fight, as he nearly finished Reis in his Octagon debut. Even with the power to finish the fight, a knockout will be hard to come by against Matsuda, who has never been finished in his MMA career.
If Sanchez can keep this fight standing, expect to see stellar performance from the highly touted prospect as he wears out Mastuda on the feet for three rounds before earning a decision victory.
Prediction: Sanchez via unanimous decision
205 lbs.: Matt Van Buren vs. Sean O'Connell
Matt Van Buren (6-3) earned two impressive victories on TUF 19, including a (technical) knockout victory over Daniel Spohn in the semifinals before being knocked out by Corey Anderson in TUF 19's Finale in his Octagon debut last July.
"Gutter" returns to the cage this Sunday, but he won't have a large height advantage as he only stands four inches taller than Sean O'Connell (15-6), who stands at 6'1."
Following a successful run on the regional MMA circuit, O'Connell has now found himself on the brink of a pink slip from UFC brass following two straight losses inside the Octagon to Ryan Jimmo and Gian Villante.
O'Connell seemingly does not have what it takes to be successful inside the Octagon, and I fully expect the Alliance MMA product to give him fits this Sunday. If O'Connell doesn't hurt Van Buren early, he may be sleeping within the 15-minute affair follow a barrage from the Bellator veteran.
Prediction: Van Buren via technical knockout
145 lbs.: Charles Rosa vs. Sean Soriano
Sean Soriano (8-2) has not had the UFC career he was hoping for thus far, losing two straight in tough outings. Making his Octagon debut on short notice against Tatsuya Kawajiri, Soriano impressed on the feet in the first round before submitting to a brutal rear-naked choke in the second.
With Soriano's issues in the grappling department, UFC did him no favors by matching him up with the crafty Charles Rosa (9-1). Making his UFC debut on just a weeks' notice across the pond, Rosa put up an incredibly tough fight against UFC Fight Night 59 main eventer Dennis Siver, losing a unanimous decision after three hard fought rounds.
Soriano's strengths are clearly in the striking department, and you can certainly expect him to show off an improved ground game, but will it be enough to stifle the American Top Team product?
Expect an enthrallin fight on the feet, and wild scrambles on the mat, but Rosa will be getting the better of Soriano in most of the exchanges.
Will "The Boston Strangler" get the finish? I say he picks up his seventh career submission late.
Prediction: Rosa via rear-naked choke
155 lbs.: Johnny Case vs. Frankie Perez
Making your UFC debut on short notice is always a tough task. To do it against a fighter on a nine-fight win streak is essentially being thrown to the wolves.
Frankie Perez (9-1) will strut to the Octagon in Boston this weekend for the first time, looking to build off his recent World Series of Fighting (WSOF) victory over Tom Marcellino in Sept. 2014.
Standing in the highly touted prospects' way is Johnny Case (19-4), the man who viciously choked Kazuki Tokudome unconscious in his UFC debut late in 2014. While "Hollywood" certainly suffered from some Octagon jitters early, the Alliance MMA product showed flashes of brilliance in the second round leading to the finish.
Perez's best avenue to victory would be taking Case down and trying to control him on the mat, but that proved to be no easy task for Tokudome this past September. If Perez proves to have an elite grappling game as his five submission victories suggest, he could be leaving Boston with a huge victory in his debut.
In my opinion, Case will be able to keep this fight standing, where he should have the distinct advantage. If the Iowa native can perform to the best of his ability from the first round on, it could be a very long night for Perez.
Prediction: Case via unanimous decision
Four more UFC Fight Night 59 "Prelims" fights to preview and predictions tomorrow, including a pair of Irishmen in Cathal Pendred and Patrick Holohan.
We'll have them for you, same time tomorrow, Maniacs.