Sherdog Pick’Em Trends: UFC on Fox 2 Prelims

Evan Dunham has lost two of his last three fights. | Photo: Dave Mandel

Consecutive losses to Sean Sherk and Melvin Guillard made Evan Dunham, once a Top 10-ranked lightweight, something of a forgotten man. Now, Nik Lentz stands in his way.

A staggering 91 percent of players in the Sherdog MMA Pick’Em fantasy game have picked Dunham to defeat Lentz in their preliminary matchup at UFC on Fox 2 “Evans vs. Davis” this Saturday at the United Center in Chicago. Only Charles Oliveira -- 99 percent against Eric Wisely -- has a larger contingent of participants in his corner on the prelim lineup, a majority of which will air on Fuel TV.

Dunham (12-2, 5-2 UFC) last appeared at UFC Fight Night 25 in September, when he defeated “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 alum Shamar Bailey by unanimous decision at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. An Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts representative, the 30-year-old Eugene, Ore., native burst on the UFC scene in 2009 and rattled four consecutive wins inside the Octagon. Dunham, who holds the rank of black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, has secured eight of his 12 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

A replacement for the injured Paul Sass, Lentz (21-4-2, 5-1-1 UFC) will look to rebound from his first loss in nearly five years: a unanimous decision to Mark Bocek at UFC 140 in December. The 27-year-old Texan wrestled collegiately at the University of Minnesota and made the transition to professional MMA in 2005. He has since scored 21 victories, 15 of them finishes.

Other Sherdog MMA Pick’Em trends for the UFC on Fox 2 prelims:

• By a relatively narrow 53-percent majority, players favor Mike Russow over fellow Pride Fighting Championships veteran and 2003 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist John Olav Einemo. Russow, a Chicago native, will enter the cage on a 10-fight winning streak;

• Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of participants foresee “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 semifinalist George Roop beating fellow WEC veteran Cub Swanson;

• A strong 83 percent of users expect WEC import and three-time NCAA All-American wrestler Shane Roller to get past “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 12 finalist Michael Johnson in their lightweight tilt. The 32-year-old Roller will aim to bounce back from consecutive losses to Guillard and T.J. Grant;

• Despite defeats in three of his last four outings, Joey Beltran will enter his heavyweight battle with Strikeforce veteran Lavar Johnson as the man to beat, according to 72 percent of players. Beltran, who has never been stopped via strikes, last appeared at UFC 136 in October, when he dropped a unanimous decision to the unbeaten Stipe Miocic;

• A vast majority (87 percent) of participants expect “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 11 alum Chris Camozzi to oust the once-beaten Dustin Jacoby in their middleweight affair.