There promises to be plenty of fireworks in Sydney, Australia on Sunday night.

The UFC will be traveling to the land down under for the first time on Sunday for UFC 110, a card headed by the heavyweight battle between up-and-comer sensation Cain Velazquez and grizzled veteran Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera. The pay-per-view event sold out within the first hour that tickets went on sale, and features a number of top tier UFC contenders, although there aren’t any actual title belts on the line.

However, the winner of the Velazquez-Noguiera fight will be the #1 contender to face Brock Lesnar (formerly “The Next Big Thing” of the WWE) for the UFC heavyweight title.

There’s also a lot on the line in the fight between Michael Bisping and legend of the octagon Wanderlei Silva, as Silva fights to hold on to his place in the UFC, and the British warrior Bisping aims to add a major name to his less-than-impressive list of victims.

So, with UFC 110 looming just about a day away, here are my predictions for Sunday night’s bouts.

Cain Velazquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera
This promises to be a battle, one that probably will not be dominated by either fighter. Noguiera has more experience and superior submission skills, but if Velazquez catches him with a haymaker he can end the fight with one punch. Velazquez is especially dangerous in close quarters, and his vast array of skills could prove too much for the aging Noguiera. This fight likely won’t be a first round knockout, so endurance will be the key. And purely based on that, I’m going to give this fight to Velazquez by a narrow margin. Both fighters will compete, but I think Noguiera has too many miles on him to be able to last with the younger, more athletic Velazquez. This fight, without a doubt, will live up to expectations.
WINNER-VELAZQUEZ

Michael Bisping vs. Wanderlei Silva
This is my prediction for fight of the night, with two aggressive competitors likely slugging it out throughout three intense, bloody rounds. Both Michael Bisping and Wanderlei Silva love to stand up and box, and so whoever gets caught first might be on the wrong side of the decision. Bisping has the fight and reach advantage, and I think that could go a long way if he can keep Silva outside with his jabs. Bisping is also the younger fighter, and I think with his fresher legs he has the advantage to win this fight. One thing is for sure though- neither Silva or Bisping will be holding any punches.
WINNER- BISPING

Joe Stevenson vs. George Sotiropoulos
It’s hard to call this fight, because while Sotiropoulos is 4-0, he has also fought on the undercard each time and hasn’t yet taken down a distinguished fighter. It will be a tall task for the newcomer to take down Joe “Daddy” Stevenson, the veteran and former “Ultimate Fighter” champion who is always contending in the lightweight division. Stevenson has the superior jiu-jitsu and ground-and-pound skills, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see an early tap out.
WINNER- STEVENSON

Keith Jardine vs. Ryan Bader
Bader, the season 8 “Ultimate Fighter” champion, is extremely unproven with his striking but is also incredibly effective when he gets his opponents to the mat. He will have to use his ground-and-pound skills extensively when dealing with Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine, an unorthodox striker with knockout power. As long as Bader avoids Jardine’s big fists and keeps the fight on the mat, he should score a win by decision.
WINNER- BADER