UFC Mexico City predictions: Can 'El Cucuy' extend win streak?

Prior to UFC Fight Night 98, theScore's Themistoklis Alexis and Alexander K. Lee give their predictions on the evening's main-card bouts.

Lightweight Bout

Rafael dos Anjos (14-6 UFC, 25-8)
vs.
Tony Ferguson (11-1 UFC, 21-3)

Themistoklis Alexis: What more must Tony Ferguson accomplish to get his due? Beat a former champion in Rafael dos Anjos.

"El Cucuy" has won eight straight, but none of those conquests could match him skill for skill like dos Anjos will come Saturday. On the other hand, "RDA" has never faced a striker so reliant on unorthodox angles, nor are such habits easily replicated in training. The Brazilian's jiu-jitsu is top-notch, and he's yet to tap in over 30 career fights, so look for Ferguson to ditch the choke attempts and make it a scrap on the feet. The bloodier the fight gets, the more it'll swing in the Cali native's favor.

THE PICK: Ferguson

Alexander K. Lee: Ferguson has spent the last three years tearing up the lightweight division, but without a win over a top-five opponent he's been unable to nail down an elusive title shot. That could all change Saturday.

If Ferguson wants to add a ninth victim to his current win streak, he'll have to topple dos Anjos, one of the most well-rounded fighters in all of MMA. That means potentially making this fight a scrappy, ugly affair that keeps dos Anjos guessing. Even then, this one is almost too close to call, and expect it to go down to the wire with Ferguson winning by the narrowest of margins.

THE PICK: Ferguson

Lightweight Bout

Martin Bravo (0-0 UFC, 10-0)
vs.
Claudio Puelles (0-0 UFC, 7-1)

Lee: Just 20 and 23 years old, respectively, Claudio Puelles and Martin Bravo could be the future of Latino MMA. The prospects will go head to head on Saturday to determine the winner of "The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 3" - and it's Puelles who should have the edge.

Both fighters are good wrestlers, but Puelles has a slight strength advantage and is likely to get the better of what should be a fun fight filled with energetic scrambles. Look for the Peruvian to pound out Bravo on the ground or take the fight on the scorecards.

THE PICK: Puelles

Alexis: Bravo's unwavering will to take the fight to his foes should be enough to earn him a six-figure UFC contract. The Mexican will swarm Puelles early, and judging by his 80 percent finish rate, will keep the fight away from the judges' hands.

It behooves Puelles to score points with takedowns and possibly eke out a decision, but Bravo's suffocating style and penchant for stoppages will nullify the Peruvian's grappling and crown him Latin America's newest Ultimate Fighter.

THE PICK: Bravo

Lightweight Bout

Diego Sanchez (15-9 UFC, 26-9)
vs.
Marcin Held (0-0 UFC, 22-4)

Lee: The pressure is on Diego Sanchez to show his UFC career still has life.

The 34-year-old lightweight faces Marcin Held on Saturday, an opponent 12 years his junior. While Held will look to use sharp submission skills to make an example of Sanchez, this is a deceptively unfavorable matchup for the debuting fighter.

Held's last two losses have come against opponents with strong wrestling and good gas tanks - two traits Sanchez has built his reputation on. The original "Ultimate Fighter" might struggle early, but he's best with his back to the wall, and that will help him snag a decision in what should be a close contest.

THE PICK: Sanchez

Alexis: Anything can happen when two bulldogs are locked in a cage and sicced on each other.

While he'll be facing a durable, yet battle-worn Sanchez in his UFC debut, the waters can't get much deeper for Held, a Bellator import. The Polish prodigy is always willing to scrap, but he'd be playing right into Sanchez's hand if he does. Submitting "The Nightmare" is near impossible, but Held should still take the fight to the ground, where he can maintain control and possibly take Sanchez's back to win on points.

THE PICK: Held

Featherweight Bout

Ricardo Lamas (7-3 UFC, 16-5)
vs.
Charles Oliveira (9-6 UFC, 21-6)

Alexis: Ricardo Lamas must be thanking the MMA gods for BJ Penn's misfortune.

Instead of meeting Penn in the Philippines as initially scheduled, "The Bully" will face Charles Oliveira, whose greatest foil is usually Charles Oliveira. "Do Bronx" is as game as they come, but he's got a habit of eating two zingers for every one he lands. Lamas will keep the fight standing - as Oliveira is a snake on the ground - and exploit the Brazilian's reckless striking habits for a stoppage.

THE PICK: Lamas

Lee: Oliveira is the owner of eight UFC submission wins and Lamas has never been submitted, so this is a classic case of the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object.

The grappling-minded Oliveira has shown he's more than capable on his feet, but that confidence in his own skills often gets him in trouble. At 27 years old, the time is now for Oliveira to show he's matured enough to use his jiu-jitsu for control as opposed to chasing submissions. If he fights smart, he could pull out a rare decision win.

THE PICK: Oliveira

Lightweight Bout

Beneil Dariush (7-2 UFC, 13-2)
vs.
Rashid Magomedov (4-0 UFC, 19-1)

Lee: This should be a breakthrough fight for Rashid Magomedov, as he faces his first top-10 opponent. Magomedov is a gifted technical striker and he'll need to be at his sharpest to get past Beniel Dariush, especially considering Magomedov has not fought in over 11 months.

Dariush's best route to victory is getting the fight to the ground, a tall order given Magomedov's stout takedown defense. On the feet, Magomedov's range striking will keep his Muay Thai-inclined opponent at bay, causing Dariush to become increasingly frustrated as he's picked apart for 15 minutes.

THE PICK: Magomedov

Alexis: Magomedov will end his year-long layoff with a tall task.

The Dagestani matches up fairly well with Dariush, who'll play the aggressor and initiate the striking exchanges while the patient Magomedov works from the outside. The 31-year-old's first-rate takedown defense will keep him from falling prey to Dariush's vaunted ground game, meaning the Iran native will have to push the pace and outstrike "Goretz" to sway the judges.

THE PICK: Dariush

Women's Strawweight Bout

Alexa Grasso (0-0 UFC, 8-0)
vs.
Heather Jo Clark (1-1 UFC, 7-5)

Alexis: It's hard to look at Heather Jo Clark as much more than Alexa Grasso's latest punching bag. "Hurricane" won't shy away from trading leather, but Grasso will return fire with everything short of the kitchen sink. The Mexico native has finished just one of her last five opponents, a trend she'll likely reverse to make a statement in her UFC debut.

THE PICK: Grasso

Lee: Grasso is peaking at the right time for her UFC debut, and that's bad news for Clark. The 23-year-old Grasso is an active and varied striker with rapidly improving takedown defense. There's enough power in Clark's hands to test Grasso's chin, but the Mexican's superior striking will leave no doubt who the better fighter is after three rounds.

THE PICK: Grasso