Potential superstar vs. late replacement. One was featured on BE as a top prospect long before the UFC came calling, and made the most of his big-league call-up earlier this year. The other is a scrappy guy that's shown his face in a bunch of different organizations, but hasn't got his shot in the UFC until now. Erick Silva (13-1, 1 NC, 1-0 UFC) faces natural lightweight Carlo Prater (29-10-1, 0-0 UFC).

Neither fighter is currently ranked in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, but Silva looks like a guy that has the potential to crack the list relatively soon. Prater is a journeyman, and even a huge upset win over Silva isn't likely to earn him much consideration. Sorry. This welterweight UFC 142 fight will be the second fight of the main card, and will be aired live on pay-per-view. The PPV broadcast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

How do these two stack up?

Silva: 27 years old | 5'11" | 74" reach
Prater: 30 years old | 6'0" | 71" reach

What have these two done recently?

Silva: W - Luis Ramos (KO) | W - Francisco Ayon (SUB) | W - Gil de Freitas (SUB)
Prater: W - Gleristone Santos (SUB) | W - Cameron Dollar (SUB) | W - Henrique Mello (SUB)

How did these two get here?

Erick "Indio" Silva is a black belt in both judo and BJJ and has only been defeated once in his 14-fight career. The Team Nogueira fighter has a very well-rounded game and is comfortable anywhere the fight goes. He was the winner of the Jungle Fight welterweight grand prix, which he capped off with a 67-second submission win in the finals. He is also a former Jungle Fights welterweight champion. Silva made quite an impression in his UFC debut, stopping Luis Ramos via KO in just 40 seconds at UFC 134, then capping it off with one of the coolest cage flips ever.

Carlo Prater is a name you've likely heard in passing, but you can't place the face. Did you see him in the WEC? Strikeforce? The Shine tournament? The 30-year-old has been fighting for close to 10 years, and has definitely had an up and down career. The man once fought for the WEC welterweight title, but Carlos Condit dispatched him inside four minutes. That kicked off an ugly 4-6 streak, but he has rebounded lately with four wins in a row and has earned his shot in the big leagues. Can he knock off the highly-touted prospect? He's an undersized welterweight so it's gonna be tough, but stranger things have happened in MMA.

Why should you care?

Erick Silva is something special, and you'll be kicking yourself if you didn't take the time to see his early UFC bouts. KO, sub, or decision? That's the only relevant question.

You can catch more UFC 142 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.

SBN coverage of UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes

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UFC RIO 142: Aldo Vs. Mendes Staff Predictions - Bloody Elbow

UFC 142 RIO: Rousimar Palhares Vs. Mike Massenzio Dissection - Dallas Winston

UFC 142: Jose Aldo Is The New GSP, And That's Not A Good Thing - Fraser Coffeen

UFC 142: Aldo Vs. Mendes Betting Lines - Tim Burke

UFC 142 RIO: Edson Barboza Vs. Terry Etim Dissection - Dallas Winston

UFC 142 RIO: Erick Silva Vs. Carlo Prater Dissection - Dallas Winston

Will Tim Tebow Hurt UFC 142's PPV Performance? - Brent Brookhouse

UFC 142 Pre-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke

Watch Countdown To UFC 142 Rio Video On Bloody Elbow - Josh Nason

UFC 142 RIO: FX Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston

UFC 142 Judo Chop: The Leg Lock Set Ups of Rousimar Palhares - T.P. Grant