9 Predictions For UFC 178

By Jay Anderson /

9. John Howard vs. Brian Ebersole

Weight Class: Welterweight John "Doomsday" Howard (22-9) is currently on his second stint with the UFC, having made his return in August 2013, picking up a decision win over TUF 17 standout Uriah Hall. He then dropped to welterweight, where he has gone 1-1, most recently dropping a unanimous decision to Ryan Laflare. Between 2009 and 2011 Howard when 4-3 in his initial UFC run, but those three loses came all in a row leading to his elimination. Brian Ebersole (50€“16€“1 (1)), meanwhile, is in do or die territory here, entering the fight on a two-fight skid with a cut from the promotion likely should he drop a third consecutive fight. Until this point, Ebersole had never experienced back-to-back losses in his career, an impressive feat given he has over 60 pro fights. One key factor may be injury, as Howard was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout this past July. If he's free and clear on any nagging ailments, he should be able to pick up the win here, as Ebersole may be a little past his expiry date. Howard by decision.