by Chris Asbrock

Coming off the heels of last nights UFC Fight Night card which saw the destruction of Paige VanZant by Rose Namajunas, this TUF 22 Finale is the second of the three major fight cards this week. Once again, this is another card loaded with big names. Along with the big names, there are some major title implications that can and will come from the main event.

The heavyweights kick off the just before the main card portion and features a UFC veteran taking on a newcomer to the promotion. Gabriel Gonzaga is one of the bigger names in the UFC but his recent history hasn’t been so great. Gonzaga is coming off three straight losses, in which two of those, he lost via TKO. Konstantin Erokhin is the much smaller fighter but hits like a ton of bricks. Eight out of his nine career wins have come via TKO. Expect that to be the case in this fight with Erokhin coming away with the win. Also featured on the prelims are Ryan LaFlare taking on Mike Pierce and Geane Herrera taking on Joby Sanchez. With that being said, lets take a look at tonight’s great card.

Jason Knight (15-1) vs Tatsuya Kawajiri (34-8-2)

This is a fight that is an interesting matchup and one that could end quickly. Kawajiri is 14 years the elder and obviously has the experience. However, with the age difference, comes a mobility difference. Knight is the superior fighter on the ground, finishing 11 opponents via submission in his short MMA career. He is making his UFC debut and a win over the veteran Kawajiri will certainly be a bright spot on his resume.

Chris’ Pick: Knight via submission
Jin’s Pick: Knight

Joe Lauzon (25-10) vs Evan Dunham (16-6)

This is a great lightweight fight between two UFC veterans who are coming off wins in their last fight. Lauzon, 31, has won three of his last four fights and has won 96% of his fights via stoppage. Only one of his wins was via decision. On the other side of the coin, Dunham is more than willing to go the distance with seven of his 16 wins going three rounds. This should be a solid fight and one that could certainly surprise people. Look for Lauzon to continue the momentum from his win over Takanori Gomi and defeat Dunham for his second straight win.

Chris’ Pick: Lauzon via TKO
Jin’s Pick: Dunham

Edson Barboza (16-3) vs Tony Ferguson (19-3)

This fight is a great supplement to the main event. Both Barboza and Ferguson are well known to UFC fans and will look to continue building on their legacies in this co-main event bout. Ferguson is coming into this fight riding high, winning his last six fights and 12 of his last 13. Barboza is also on a roll as he has won six of his last eight fights. A win for Ferguson will help him move up the lightweight rankings and back in position for a possible title run. Look for Ferguson to get the upper hand in this fight and stake claim to a victory over the veteran Barboza.

Chris’ Pick: Ferguson via unanimous decision
Jin’s Pick: Ferguson

Frankie Edgar (19-4-1) vs Chad Mendes (17-3)

There is no doubt this is one of the better fights of the entire weekend and that is certainly saying something. There is a lot at stake in this fight when it comes to the title picture. Edgar comes into this fight winning his last four fights, including his last fight over Chad Mendes’ Team Alpha Male teammate, Urijah Faber. A victory by Edgar will certainly put him in position to face the winner of Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo.

Mendes is coming into this fight looking to rebound after he lost his last fight to McGregor for the interim featherweight championship. Mendes took the fight on short notice after Aldo pulled out due to injury but was knocked out in the second round. If Mendes had a full fight camp, the outcome could have been much different. Now he has that full camp and is taking on a fighter in Edgar who has never been finished. This will be a very exciting fight and is extremely even. The smaller cage will certainly benefit Mendes as he can keep Edgar closer to him and showcase his wrestling skills. This fight is a can’t miss and could go either way.

Chris’ Pick: Mendes via split decision
Jin’s Pick: Edgar

This card will deliver and wet the appetite again for fight fans before tomorrow’s massive pay-per-view event. If you’re a fight fan enjoy as these next two nights will be epic.

Chris Asbrock is a staff writer and analyst for FTI Sports and can be followed on Twitter  and