UFC On FOX 12: Lawler vs. Brown Main Card Predictions

Josh Thompson vs. Bobby Green

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwlBt7MB7IQ Weight Class: Lightweight This is a tough fight to predict. Even if this were under normal circumstances, it would be a tough one - Green (22-5) is undefeated in the UFC, and on a six fight win streak overall. He has defeated the likes of Pat Healy and Jacob Volkmann during that span. Thompson (20-6 (1)) is 1-1 in the UFC since moving over from Strikeforce, where Green also fought - but Thompson's level of competition has been consistently higher. Healy is arguably the biggest name on Green's recent record, but he's 0-4 and on his way out of the promotion. Thompson, meanwhile, is a former Strikeforce lightweight champion who beat Gilbert Melendez in 2008 to win the belt, then lost it back to him a year later (he would also lose a close split decision in their rubber match in Strikeforce back in 2012). In the UFC, Thompson knocked out Nate Diaz, then fell to Benson Henderson. Overall, that gives an edge to Thompson, however there are two additional factors to consider: one, Green took the fight on short notice as an injury replacement for Michael Johnson, and two, Green recently suffered the loss of his brother, who was murdered in a drive-by shooting in June. It's not fun to speculate about the impact of such a tragedy. As much as you want to focus on MMA, who knows how emotions will play out on the night of the event. Will this be a case of coming back too soon, or will it be a situation where personal loss turns into motivation, and Green puts on the performance of a career in memory of his brother? I honestly don't want to lessen the personal loss here, so I'm going to look past it for the sake of a prediction, and say that Thompson's big-fight experience gives him the win here, by submission in the third. Though I'd be just fine with Green picking up the win.