UFC 142 Fight Card Breakdown: Erick Silva Vs. Carlo Prater

Brazilian welterweights Erick Silva (13-1, 1 No Contest) and Carlo Prater (29-10-1) meet in the opening bout of tonight's UFC 142 pay-per-view. The 27-year-old Silva is 1-0 in the UFC and the 29-year-old Prater makes his debut in the Octagon.

Despite only a three year age difference and both men having made their pro MMA debuts at age 20, Prater is the far more experienced fighter. He's been fighting in the U.S. for his entire career, jumping from regional organization to regional organization. Prater's biggest claim to fame is a 2004 win over UFC title contender Carlos Condit. Prater is essentially a grappler with 16 of his 29 wins coming by way of submission. He's also small for the 170lb division and has often fought at 155lbs. Prater was a last substitute for Siyar Bahadurzada who had to pull out of the fight.

Silva is multi-talented and well-rounded. He impressed in his UFC debut with a 40 second KO win over Luis Ramos. Prater should be a good test for Silva but it's hard to see how he gets the dynamic Silva to the ground. Look for Prater to make it a fight but don't be surprised when Silva's hand is raised.

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