Ratcliff
Striking : 2.5
Grappling : 1.5
Submissions : 1.5
Experience : 2.0
Total : 1.9
Njokuani
Striking : 3.0
Grappling : 1.5
Submissions : 1.0
Experience : 3.0
Total : 2.1
Both guys are tall and lanky with above-average striking, especially Njokuani (9-1), who comes from a muay Thai background and packs a solid stand-up game. Ratcliff (6-1) makes up for it with his youthful abandon and unpredictability; hailing from San Diego, Calif., he will also be the hometown favorite.
Prediction: Njokuani is the more seasoned striker of the two. If he does not fall back into his old ways -- he sometimes fails to give 100 percent to finish a fight in order to showcase more of his skills -- he should take this one by first-round knockout.
Edgar Garcia vs. Hiromitsu Miura
Power Ratings
Garcia
Striking : 2.0
Grappling : 3.0
Submissions : 1.5
Experience : 1.5
Total : 2.0
Miura
Striking : 2.5
Grappling : 2.5
Submissions : 1.5
Experience : 2.5
Total : 2.3
Garcia (6-0), a former Arizona state champion wrestler, will take on the well-traveled Japanese veteran Miura in a welterweight tilt. The Tokyo native is coming off his challenge for the promotion’s welterweight title last August, when he was stopped by WEC champion Carlos Condit in the fourth round. Miura (9-5) will look to rebound from the loss with a convincing performance against the undefeated Garcia.
Prediction: Miura comes into this fight the favorite based on experience and well-rounded skills. Take the Japanese standout by TKO midway through the first round.
Dominic Cruz vs. Ian McCall
Power Ratings
Cruz
Striking : 2.0
Grappling : 3.0
Submissions : 1.5
Experience : 2.5
Total : 2.3
McCall
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 2.0
Submissions : 1.5
Experience : 3.0
Total : 2.0
These California fighters are almost blueprints of one another, but Cruz (11-1) is the bigger, potentially stronger and more active of the two. A former Total Combat champion, Cruz was thrown in at the deep end at WEC 26, as he got the dubious pleasure of taking on then titleholder Urijah Faber in his promotional debut. Both guys share a common opponent in Charlie Valencia; Cruz defeated him on points, while McCall (7-1) suffered his lone career loss.
Prediction: Cruz will pick up his third win in a row via unanimous decision.
Scott Jorgensen (5-2) vs. Frank Gomez (5-0)
Power Ratings
Jorgensen
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 3.0
Submissions : 2.0
Experience : 2.0
Total : 2.1
Gomez
Striking : 2.0
Grappling : 2.0
Submissions : 1.5
Experience : 1.5
Total : 1.8
In one of two bantamweight division clashes on the card, tough and durable wrestler Jorgensen (5-2) will lock horns with promotional newcomer Gomez. Jorgensen has made a name for himself as a poor man’s Mitsuhiro Ishida -- a hard-nosed wrestler who’s extremely tough to finish. Gomez (5-0) is pretty much a clean sheet at this time. What is known is that he trains with Jake Shields and Gilbert Melendez, so he will have at least a basic understanding of every aspect of the game.
Prediction: Jorgensen is used to fighting in front of bigger crowds and taking on opponents with a winning record. Look for him to grind out another unanimous decision.
Blas Avena vs. Jesse Lennox
Power Ratings
Avena
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 2.5
Submissions : 2.0
Experience : 2.0
Total : 2.0
Lennox
Striking : 2.0
Grappling : 2.0
Submissions : 2.5
Experience : 2.0
Total : 2.1
An experienced BJJ competitor, Avena (5-2) has been featured in the WEC ever since it was purchased by Zuffa. His bread-and-butter move is the guillotine choke, which he has used to finish three of his seven fights inside the first round. Lennox (9-1) comes from the same camp as former UFC champions Tim Sylvia and Jens Pulver -- the Miletich Fighting Systems in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Prediction: Lennox seems too well-rounded to face much of a challenge from Avena. The question is whether his hands are good enough to knock out the Las Vegas-based grappler; finishing him by submission will be a steep challenge. Lennox by TKO before the 10-minute mark is a reasonable pick.
Charlie Valencia (9-5) vs. Seth Dikun (6-2)
Power Ratings
Valencia
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 3.0
Submissions : 2.0
Experience : 4.5
Total : 2.8
Dikun
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 2.0
Submissions : 1.5
Experience : 2.0
Total : 1.8
Former King of the Cage lightweight champion Valencia and Thomas Denny understudy Dikun will open WEC 38. Valencia has been around since the turn of the millennium, making him one of the most experienced mixed martial artists in the Golden State. The same cannot be said for Dikun, who has only been training for four years. He has shown some promise fighting and beating lower-level fighters in local California shows.
Prediction: Even though he has been on a slide for the past two years, losing five of his last seven bouts, Valencia is just too experienced and too skilled on the ground for Dikun. Count on Valencia by rear-naked choke midway through the first round.