Tough to follow Silva vs Sonnen II but so it goes for the UFC on FUEL TV 4 event happening in San Jose on Wednesday night. Leading the card are two of the top middleweights in the world each hoping their win puts them next in line for a title shot against champ Anderson Silva. For some fans, these type of matches are just as interesting as the sometimes over-hyped title fights. Personally, I like em both.

One could also debate that the rest of the card lacks star power but that’s a given with it being mid-week and in San Jose. There are some okay matchups though so we should see a few entertaining fights.

My predictions are below. This post can also be used as a discussion post to express any related views you may have on this event.

Middleweights: Mark Munoz (12-2) vs Chris Weidman (8-0)

Mark Munoz has been walking around pretty confident that he’s going to win this one, and he should be. Munoz has been through some wars and seems ready for a title shot. With Lombard, Boetsch, Weidman, Belcher, Bisping, Evans, Jones, and GSP all names thrown out there as possible next opponents for Anderson Silva, Munoz needs to strike now to get his opportunity. An impressive win over Weidman would definitely make him a front-runner. Anything else and somebody else might just edge him out.

As for Weidman, he’s one tough dude with very strong wrestling skills, but quite frankly he’s where Munoz was a year or two ago, and he doesn’t have the vicious striking and GnP that Munoz has.

Munoz has paid his dues and should be able to land the bigger blows to get a late round stoppage.

Munoz by KO/TKO in the 4th

Light Heavyweights: James Te Huna (14-5) vs. Joey Beltran (14-7)

This should be a good one. These guys love to bang so the fight should remain standing, which will most likely end with one of them being knocked out. My money is on Te Huna getting in the fatal blow.

Beltran has moved down from Heavyweight, and that move may have helped against a different opponent, but Te Huna is not that opponent. He’s basically a smaller Lavar Johnson so a similar result is very likely. Also like Johnson, Te Huna is susceptible to the submissions, but Beltran is just not a submissions type of fighter. His only hope is that his conditioning is better than Te Huna and he can pull off something in the third.

It’s going to be rock em sock em robots with Te Huna doing the most damage.

Te Huna by KO/TKO in the 3rd

Welterweights: Aaron Simpson (11-3) vs. Kenny Robertson (11-1)

This was supposed to be the return match for Jon Fitch but he had to pull out due to injury. It turned out instead to be a return match for Kenny Robertson who was sent packing from the UFC after his first UFC appearance ended with a TKO loss to Mike Pierce at UFC 126.

Robertson’s opponent this time though is 37-year old Aaron Simpson who’s just not at the same level as a Mike Pierce. Simpson was probably meant to be a soft landing for Fitch’s return, and now he’ll be a better chance for Robertson to get his first UFC win. It won’t be a walk in the park but Robertson should be able to find a way to win.

Robertson by Decision

Middleweights: Francis Carmont (18-7) vs. Karlos Vemola (9-2)

Karlos Vemola is a beast, even at middleweight, but normally he fights at Light Heavyweight or Heavyweight. Carmont is also a beast in his own right and is a more natural middleweight. Carmont can do it all but I’m guessing he doesn’t want to get into a slugfest with Vemola. He won’t have an easy go with Vemola on the ground either but with the drop in weight he may be able to outwork him and dominate on the ground, possibly getting a sub.

Carmont by Decision

Bantamweights: T.J. Dillashaw (5-1) vs. Vaughan Lee (12-7-1)

Team Alpha Male’s T.J. Dillashaw should have a relatively easy time with Lee. Dillashaw’s usual game plan is hard striking and then get it to the ground where he can wear out his opponent, outpoint, GnP, and go for a sub if it opens up. It seems he should be able to execute his normal game plan here.

Dillashaw by Submission in the 3rd

Lightweights: Anthony Njokuani (15-6-0-1) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (16-6)

Rafael dos Anjos is a very well-rounded and tough opponent. A little too much for Njokuani I’m afraid. Njokuani is a much taller fighter but I’m guessing that dos Anjos exploits the height advantage and eventually lands a big blow or works in a quick sub.

dos Anjos by KO in the 2nd

Middleweights Rafael Natal (14-3-1) vs. Andrew Craig (7-0)

Andrew Craig is powerful and tough, but so is Natal. These guys are bruisers so it should be a very physical battle. Craig is not as experienced though as Natal so I think Natal will find a way to outpoint Craig.

Natal by Decision

On the rest, here are my quick guesses:

Bantamweights: Alex Caceres (6-5) vs. Damacio Page (15-7)

Caceres by Decision

Flyweights Chris Cariaso (13-3) vs. Josh Ferguson (8-4)

Cariaso by Decision

Welterweights Marcelo Guimaraes (7-0-1) vs. Dan Stittgen (7-2)

Guimaraes by Submission in the 2nd

Bantamweight Raphael Assuncao (16-4) vs. Issei Tamura (7-2)

Assuncao by Submission in the 2nd