Alessio Sakara, at one time a budding contender to the middleweight title, will be pitted to meet with another derailed contender Jorge Rivera. The two men were scheduled to meet two times before, but third time might be the charm.

Now, the two strikers will square off opposite one another at UFC 133, which takes place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In his last outing, Alessio put his wrestling to the test when he was pitted against top prospect Chris Weidman, who has emerged as a formidable force in the middleweight division. In the end, Sakara was unable to stop the takedowns of the former Division I collegiate wrestler, and in the end lost by unanimous decision. The loss snapped a three-fight win streak amassed inside the octagon, which included a decision win over one-time title challenger Thales Leites.

Rivera, meanwhile is coming off of a loss of his own against rival Michael Bisping at UFC 127. The two men met as the co-main event of the evening and the heat between these two was boiling before the fight began, with both men trading jabs at one another which crossed the line several times over. In the end, Bisping was the winner via second-round TKO. The bout was mired in controversy where in the first-round, Michael connected on a blatantly illegal knee to the head when Rivera had both his knees on the ground. The effect of the blow could have very well have effected his performance, though nothing is certain. The loss also snapped a three-fight win streak for Rivera as well, which included a second-round knockout of one-time title challenger Nate Quarry.

After failing to meet at UFC 118 when Rivera bowed out due to an arm injury, and again at UFC 122 some months later when Sakara caught a last minute case of the flu, the two seemed now poised for a collision course to face off against one another. Hopefully now the bout will not fail to materialize.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? Who do you favor? And do you think the fight is actually going to happen this time around? Sound off in the comment section below.

MMA fans are in hog heaven over the next three weeks with two UFC events and another major Strikforce show. There are numerous fights across all the cards which should dazzle, but I have targeted three, in particular, which will impact the sport at large to a greater scale.  They may not be what you expect … give a look!

February 27^th – UFC 127:
Dennis Siver v. George Sotiropoulos

George Sotiropoulos has not lost a fight since October 2006.  He has ripped off seven straight wins in the UFC while showing a vastly higher skill level in each outing.  He deserves a title shot at lightweight, now.  However, only one man can be next at a time, and for some reason he hasn’t been deemed the “next” challenger.  A convincing win over Siver will only ramp up the chorus for his title shot.  This fight will change MMA if GS emphatically shuts down one of the best stand up fighters at 155lbs forcing Dana White to position GS for a title shot.  He should be placed ahead of other hot fighters such as Melvin Guillard, Anthony Pettis, and Jim Miller with a dominating win.  GS does not carry the flash or personality of a Guillard or Pettis, but if he is thorough, he deserves the shot on merit – noting else.

March 3^rd – UFC on Versus 3.
Alessio Sakara v. Chris Weidman

Sakara/Weidman? Say what … you may be thinking.  No, this is not a title fight or even a marquee bout.  But it has one thing many east coast MMA geeks have been waiting a long time for … the arrival of Chris Weidman.   Weidman was a beast at Hofstra beating Ryan Bader and Phil Davis on the wrestling mats.  His coach, Ray Longo, asked him to try out for the Abu Dhabi regional in 2009.  He won it based on eight months of BJJ training.  He then went to Spain for the finals and beat Daniel Tabera and went to overtime with Vinny Margalhaes, losing on points. Recently, Weidman was biding time in The Ring Of Combat going 4-0.  At the time the UFC called, Weidman had standing offers from both Strikeforce and Bellator.  This fight will change MMA, if Weidman delivers a solid win in his first ever UFC fight against a tough veteran in Sakara.  MMA will have a new “it” kid at 205lb and we will witness what may be the start of a long UFC career.

March 5^th – Strikeforce
Marloes Coenen v. Miesha Tate

Coenen / Tate made this piece for one main reason.  I believe the jury is still out on the long-term survival for Women’s MMA. We all loved the mega bout between Carano and Cyborg, but has there been a female fight since generating even 1/10^th of the sizzle of that bout?  Tate is the hotter fighter having knocked off five opponents in a row while Coenen has split her last four.  There are still major questions around women in a cage trying to beat on each other.  I am still not sure how the majority of fans view women in MMA.  It is a dicey topic that includes equal rights, generation old clichés and stereotypes about women fighting side by side concurrent with a serious appreciation of highly skilled athletes pursuing their craft just like the men.  So, this fight will change MMA because it will be one more high profile opportunity for the ladies to show they have a product as advanced and entertaining as what the men have, regardless of where one stands on the moral issues.

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Have at it friends.  Am I off my rocker per the women’s fight? Are you excited to see Chris Weidman?

Rafael has reported suffered a knee injury in preparation for the March event, which is scheduled to be taking place at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

In his place, New Yorker Chris Weidman, a talented and lauded prospect in the middleweight division, will instead make his promotional debut against Sakara.

“UFC on Versus” takes place on March 3 with a welterweight headliner pitting “The Ultimate Fighter” season 1 winner Diego Sanchez against former contender Martin Kampmann.

HeavyMMA.com were the first to report the injury and subsequent change to the bout. Natal originally stepped up for the middleweight affair when Maiquel Falcao has also fallen prey to injury, therefor Weidman will be Sakara’s third opponent change for his upcoming middleweight bout.

Chris is two-years into the game, and comes from an extensive wrestling background, earning him collegiate wrestling victories over the likes of Phil Davis and Ryan Bader, whom both compete in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. A former two-time Division I NCAA All American, Weidman turned to mixed martial arts in 2009 after failing to make the U.S. Olympic team, and has reinvigorated himself as one of the best prospects in his class.

Weidman captured the Ring of Combat middleweight title when TKO’d Uriah Hall last September inside of the first-round. Currently, Chris is perfect as a professional, holding a 4-0 record.

He was one of the many notables who tried out for this season of “The Ultimate Fighter” however after plans to include a middleweight field were later botched, Weidman’s future within the organization was uncertain, until now.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Those who are unfamiliar with Chris, check out some of his stuff you can find on YouTube. He’s legit. In fact, he competed in Abu Dhabi and went into overtime with multiple time Jiu-Jitsu world champion Andre Galvao, losing only on points. He entered as a purple belt. Who do you think will win–Sakara or the UFC newbie? Sound off in the comment section below.

The highly-touted Brazilian squared off against then budding contender Gerald Harris at “UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida” in Detroit, Michigan where he earned a half-assed decision victory over Harris. The two middleweights engaged in a staring contest for the third and final round which only put an exclamation on a sluggish all around fight, though it appeared Maiquel was in control of the majority.

Hoping to make better on his second trip to the cage, Falcao will now have to wait since has been removed from the middleweight affair which has sidetracked his career in hopes to climb up the ranks.

MMAWeekly.com reported earlier this week that Rafael Natal, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who has so far gone a dissapointing 0-1-1 since his time spent in the UFC, will now be stepping up to the plate in place of Falcao. It’s possible that the Maiquel could be returning for a different fight on a later card.

Natal will now face Alessio Sakara at “UFC on Versus 3″ which takes place at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Sakara has been missing in action for quite some time now. The American Top Team product was originally scheduled to face Jorge Rivera on two separate occasions, first at UFC 118 last August however Rivera bowed out due to injury. The fight was later re-scheduled for a meeting at UFC 122 in Germany last October, however on the same day of the fight Alessio was reportedly vomiting backstage and the UFC exec’s had no choice but to cancel the bout.

Hoping to build upon his three-fight win streak in the middleweight division, Sakara will hope to make an example of Natal upon his return.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the new middleweight affair? Will Sakara or Natal take this fight? And if Sakara wins, he will be 4-0 in his last four outings—who would you like to see him fight next and do you think he’s close to a title shot? Sound off in the comment section below.

Dennis Siver was awarded “Submission of the Night” for his quick Rear Naked Choke victory over Andre Winner. The bout started and nearly ended on the feet, with Siver nailing a good counter-punch that floored Winner. After following it up with some quick ground-and-pound, Siver brilliantly transitioned to back mount and sunk in the choke. Siver takes home an additional $60,000 for his performance.

Preliminary fighter Karlos Vemola took home the “Knockout of the Night” bonus for his big first-round TKO’ing of “The Kimbo Killer” Seth Petruzelli. It seems as if my recent article on Petruzelli was right: the man will forever be known solely as the guy that punched out Kimbo Slice. Petruzelli remains winless in the UFC. Vemola also took home a cool $60,000 for his great performance.

UFC 122 was a night for the preliminary fighters, as the “Fight of the Night” award was handed out to Pascal Krauss and Mark Scanlon, two international talents that wowed the German crowd and UFC officials with their three-round fight. The German Krauss would go on to win the bout by Unanimous Decision, and both he and his opponent pocket an extra $60,000 for their spirited performances.

To be perfectly honest, this event strikes me as the kind of card people talk about when they say how the UFC/WEC merger will result in better UFC cards. Something simply felt “off” about this entire show. The preliminary fights were good, I’m not arguing that point. And it’s nice that some of them were included towards the end of both the live broadcast and the tape-delayed Spike TV rebroadcast. But the main card just felt flat to me.

Perhaps it has something to do with all the fights going to a decision. Now, normally I don’t subscribe to the train of thought that says that a fight absolutely has to end with a dramatic finish or else it’s boring. I think that a great three-round war can be just as entertaining as a first-minute KO or submission. But the main card didn’t really feature any “wars”. There were some close fights, but never anything to really write home about.

Above all else, this card reinforced the notion that the UFC saves their best for either the United States or Canada. I appreciate the effort it takes to put on an international event, especially with all the negative press the UFC has to deal with in Germany, but that effort honestly feels a bit wasted if all we’re given is a glorified “Fight Night Live” card. Again, I hesitate to call UFC 122 a bad event. There was never a time when I considered flipping the channel in earnest. But it was certainly a bit underwhelming.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel about UFC 122: “Marquardt vs. Okami”, and what do you think of the event’s bonus winners?

Next for Krzysztof Soszynski: I predict that a third and final encounter with Stephan Bonnar will happen sooner rather than later. Both men have an incredible amount of history with each other, and both of their fights have been very, very entertaining. Even thought it looks like a longshot that either man will challenge for a title anytime soon, I think a good third fight with a dominant finish would help inch either man towards both Light Heavyweight relevancy and that long-sought-after title shot.

Next for Amir Sadollah: Even though he got the big win he needed at UFC 122, I think Sadollah will be grinding it out against mid-level talent for the foreseeable future. Sadollah’s lone submission victory now stands against three decision wins, a decision loss, and a TKO loss. He’ll remain employed for quite some time so long as he keeps winning, but I don’t see him gaining any real momentum in his division until he starts finishing fights again.

Next for Dennis Siver: With another dominant performance now under his belt, I think Siver has taken an important step in his career. If he keeps winning, look for him to be given consistently higher threats on a per-fight basis. I think the UFC saw Siver’s potential at this event, so he’s going to have some really tough challenges in the near future. If he can get past them, we may see Siver transform into a legitimate title challenger before 2011 is through.

Next for Andre Winner: He’ll most likely get one last shot inside the Octagon, and if he loses he’ll be released. Look for Winner’s next fight to take place on another international card, most likely in Winner’s home base of England. So long as Winner wins his next fight, his exciting style coupled with his former past as a member of “The Ultimate Fighter and a winning record is realistically all he needs to be employed in the UFC for quite some time.

Next for Yushin Okami: The toughest test of his career, no matter who’s holding the belt. Whether it’s Anderson Silva or Vitor Belfort, Okami is set to face an incredibly deadly striker that can end the fight on a moment’s notice. Right now it looks very unlikely that Okami will wear the gold by 2011’s end. Okami earned his date with destiny, but I think it’ll be a date he’ll soon wish he could forget.

Next for Nate Marquardt: As tough as this is to say, since I consider myself a moderate Nate Marquardt fan, the future doesn’t look too good for him right now. I think this fight has finally edged Marquardt out of the “elite” rankings. I don’t see how you can argue the opposite when Marquardt continues to lose these kinds of big fights. He’ll look like an absolute wrecking machine one fight and then you’ll wonder where that guy went in his next fight. Marquardt’s going to be in the UFC for a long time, but this hit-and-miss record of his will probably be staying with him.

And that’s my take, fans and friends. What about you? What do you see the future holding for the winners and losers of UFC 122: “Marquardt vs. Okami”?

Sakara had rode a three-fight win streak into the middleweight contest, which began with a head kick knockout of prospect Joe Vedepo, then with a pivotal split-decision victory over former title challenger Thales Leites and has culminated with a TKO win over James Irvin, all inside the octagon.

A potential win over Rivera would have potentially vaulted the Italian into the cream of the crop of the 185-pound division, however it looks like now he’ll have to wait to take that next big step.

According to <a href="http://mmajunkie.com/news/21393/illness-forces-alessio-sakara-to-withdraw-from-ufc-123-bout-with-jorge-rivera.mma”>MMAJunkie.com whom is on site for tonight’s festivities, Sakara was experiencing flu-like symptoms just hours before he was set to enter the cage. A few moments later, UFC officials found him vomiting backstage. Sakara had still hoped to compete, however the promotion decided it was in the best interest of the fighter to nix the fight altogether.

This marks the second time both competitors were scheduled to face one another, but the bout had failed to materialize. Rivera fell out of their proposed UFC 118 match up (due to an arm injury), which was in his backyard of Boston, Mass.

With the late change, a welterweight bout pitting “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran Nick Osipczak and Duane “Bang” Ludwig has since filled the slot.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Sucks? I know. Sound off in the comment section below.

Carlos Eduardo Rocha defeated Kris McCray via submission (kneebar) at 2:21 of round 1. Karlos Vemola defeated Seth Petruzelli via TKO (punches) at 3:46 of round 1. Kyle Noke defeated Rob Kimmons via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:33 of round 2. Pascal Krauss defeated Mark Scanlon via unanimous decision. Vladimir Matyushenko defeated Alexandre Ferreira via TKO (elbows) at 2:20 of round 1. Duane Ludwig defeated Nick Osipczak via split decision. Krzysztof Soszynski defeated Goran Reljic via unanimous decision. Amir Sadollah defeated Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision. Dennis Siver defeated Andre Winner via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:37 of round 1. Yushin Okami defeated Nate Marquardt via unanimous decision.

Overall, I found myself disappointed in this show. I admit, part of it has to do with the bitterness I’m feeling right now at Nate Marquardt’s continued inability to shine in big fights while looking like a monster against lesser opponents. It’s hard to be a Nate “The Great” fan right now. I don’t know where Marquardt goes from here, but unfortunately, my gut tells me that we’re going to see him play the role of divisional gatekeeper for a long, long time.

And to be perfectly honest, another reason why I didn’t like this show was the absolutely horrendous decision in the Ludwig/Osipczak fight. Nick clearly won both Round 1 and Round 2, although his performance in Round 3 was downright pitiful. I don’t know what happened to Nick in Round 3, whether he developed some injury or if he was simply gassed out to the extreme, but I don’t think that one round should have caused the entire fight to be held against him. Even if Osipczak performed atrociously in Round 3, he performed admirably for the first two rounds and deserved the victory for surviving until the end of the third. It was yet another ridiculous decision in a long line of ridiculous decisions.

Amir Sadollah performed very well in his fight, and I admit that I may not have given the man enough credit. He completely outworked Peter Sobotta and earned every bit of his Unanimous Decision win. I’m not quite sure where “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 winner goes from here, but at least he displayed the kind of skill required to make me think that one day he may not just be “the guy who won TUF”.

The easy highlight of the night for me was Denis Siver’s destruction of Andre Winner. It was fast, it was furious, and it ended with a massive, massive crowd reaction. There’s really nothing more to say; I look forward to seeing how Siver capitalizes on this kind of momentum.

But overall, I was a bit disappointed with UFC 122. I know the usual response will be something like “what did you expect from an international card?”, but even for an international card this event felt a bit underwhelming. But, hey, at least UFC 123 is only a week away, and with fights like Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton Jackson and BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes, I’ll give the UFC one weak card so long as their next event impresses, which I wholeheartedly believe it will.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of UFC 122: “Marquardt vs. Okami”?

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Goran Reljic: Experience favors Soszynski in this fight, as he’s the one with the better win/loss ratio and has double the fights in the UFC when compared to Reljic. Both men have shown the ability to go all three rounds in the past, despite losing those fights, so we may be in for a long one here. I’m thinking both men give us two rounds of good action and then a slower third round to start off the night pretty well. Look for Soszynski to take a Split Decision.

Amir Sadollah vs. Peter Sobotta:  Both men need a win very, very badly, so look for both Sadollah and Sobotta to constantly be going for a finish. Another loss for Sobotta means the unemployment line, there’s really no other way to put it. Sadollah needs a win in order to keep his name value alive and not just be remembered as another TUF champion. Something tells me that having the hometown crowd behind him (Sobotta is German) will give Sobotta that extra inch he needs to get the job done. I’m predicting Peter Sobotta wins by TKO in Round 3.

Dennis Siver vs. Andre Winner: This one is going to get very ugly very quickly. Siver is no Nik Lentz, if Winner wants to stand and bang Siver will almost certainly be more than happy to oblige. Not unlike Peter Sobotta, I think the fact that Siver holds the hometown (more like “homecountry”) advantage will help propel him to great heights. It’s a pretty even match-up, but the extra desire to perform at your best since friends and family are here with you will push Siver over the edge and we’ll see him TKO Andre Winner in Round 2.

Jorge Rivera vs. Alessio Sakara: Both men have an incredible amount of experience heading into this fight: Sakara’s first UFC fight was five years ago, Rivera’s first time inside the famed Octagon was seven years ago. Along that remarkable span of time we’ve seen that both men can get submitted and can get (T)KO’d, while also possessing the ability to (T)KO their opponents. Both men have three straight wins, both men were finished in their last loss. Both men even have two (T)KO victories and one Split Decision win in their current winning streak. You couldn’t make these two more similar if you tried. It’s a toss-up through and through, although I’ll go out on a limb and say that Rivera wins by KO in Round 2.

Nate Marquardt vs. Yushin Okami: There’s really no other way to put it: I believe it’s Nate Marquardt’s time now. He’s worked hard to get back into title contention, he’s been faced with some tough losses, and he’s gotten some huge wins under his belt. I think the Nate Marquardt of today would utterly destroy the Nate Marquardt that lost to Anderson Silva in 2007. Marquardt is smarter, hits harder, and is more tactical. It’s going to be a blowout, mark my words. Nate Marquardt wins by KO in Round 1.

And that’s where I stand, fans and friends. It’s your turn now: what do you think we’ll see at UFC 122?

“People are paying good money at home to watch this fight and people in the audience are paying better money to put on a good show.  I think it is your job, it is an obligation you have to give them what they are looking for.  I am not going to run from my opponent, I am not going to lay on top of him.  I am going to finish every fight I am in.”

Rivera has certainly backed up this point throughout his career.  He has gone 6-3 in his last nine UFC fights and all but two ended in KO or TKO.  Sakara will be a test, but Rivera will not be in awe.  For MMA newbies, Rivera has career wins over Travis Lutter and David Loiseau and losses to Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin.  At 38, Rivera shared with Fighters.com that he wants to win but he also wants to thrill.

“I want to be known as an exciting fighter. A guy who comes to lay it all on the line win or lose I am coming.  I train hard.  Doesn’t matter who I am fighting I have to train hare.  This is the top tier in MMA right here.  Every single person in this organization is good and they belong.  To take anybody lightly to train soft is going to cost you in the ring.”

El Conquistador certainly must fit in Dana Whites list of favorite fighters and has been rewarded by fighting for the UFC since 2003.  White needs guys who generate oohs and ahhs from the house and this is what Rivera does best.  Rivera loves to bang, but also knows that this is entertainment and wants to give the people what they want.

“The fans are the ones to do it all.  When my career is over. I want to be remembered. Some of these guys may have more wins than I do.  May have fought tougher guys. But if they are boring, nobody is going to remember them.  I want to be remembered.  When my name comes up, I want people to say – ‘I loved watching him fight.’

Such a quote must be music to Dana White’s ears.

–

Give it up folks.  Can Rivera KO Sakara?  How will this fight play out.  Chime in now.

Budding middleweight contenders Jorge Rivera and Alessio Sakara will now face one another at UFC 122, in the UFC’s second venture to Germany (the first came at UFC 99 last year). The organization made the bout official today, for the main card of the Spike TV televised card, which will now be headlined by fellow middleweights Yushin Oami versus Nate Marquardt in a number one contenders’ match up.

Rivera, a native of Boston, was geared up and ready to go for what was going to be a large crowd on his side, however was removed from the bout after succumbing to injury. Now, though, the bout will breathe new life when the two skilled strikers meet on November 13th.

Jorge, a product of the famed Sityodtong school in Boston, Mass., will look for his fourth straight win inside the cage when he meets “Legionarius”. Among his new win streak, his most recent performance was the cap to his impressive run, when he was able to stop perennial contender Nate Quarry on second round strikes, after dropping his opponent on several occasions throughout the bout before finally closing the show.

Sakara, an American Top Team product, went on a 1-3 skid in 2007 before coming into his own in his most recent outings. Also looking for his fourth straight victory in the cage, Alessio has been looking impressive, gradually, in his most recent outings. Beginning the streak with a head kick knockout victory over then 9-1 Joe Vedepo, he followed up the performance with a split-decision win, besting former title challenger Thales Leites on points. In his last outing, the Italian, Sakara, was able to stop James Irvin by first round strikes last March at “UFC Live: Jones vs Vera”.

The bout between the two strikers will prove to be an early favorite for “Knockout of the Night” as both are proven finishers with a penchant for punching people in the face, hard.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of this match up? Will Rivera vs Sakara prove to be a contenders bout, and how do you think either would fair against top-10 competition? Let your opinions be heard in the comments section below.

It was already known that Belfort had planned to return in November. The UFC’s November outing will be UFC 122, which is expected to take place in the Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany. The tentative date is November 13. The event, like most overseas affairs for the UFC, is expected to air via tape-delay on Spike TV. This fight would headline a card with rumored fights that include Jason Brilz vs. Vladimir Matyushenko, Jorge Rivera vs. Alessio Sakara, and Amir Sadollah vs. Peter Sobotta.

While it may not be the most eagerly-anticipated main event, I think this is a good headline attraction for an overseas Pay-Per-View, since non-US and non-Canadian shows have developed a bit of a reputation for not having the same quality of fights that the US and Canada gets. I hope that doesn’t paint either man in a negative light, since I’m a big fan of both Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami. I think this fight will accomplish a lot: it will give Belfort a win against an actual Middleweight, a point that many held against him when it was announced that he would be next in line to challenge Silva. If Okami wins, it will give him that one major victory over a big name that has constantly eluded him in his eleven-fight career in the UFC.

In regards to the fight itself, this seems to be a very interesting clash of styles. Belfort has always been known to bum-rush and brawl, it has lead to almost all of his famous victories. However, his move to Middleweight has resulted in a more refined Belfort, someone who has the same deadly strikes but is far more technical in their implementation. Okami is a gamer, and knows how to take a punch, having only been stopped once in his entire MMA career while having a majority of his wins via Unanimous Decision. Even though Belfort only has four (T)KO wins over Okami when you take the time to look at both men’s records, the striking advantage obviously goes to “The Phenom”. Down on the ground, though, it may just be Okami’s fight to win.

This fight will most likely determine the next man to face Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship, and I’m strongly in favor of that. I think this latest career rebirth has resulted in the best Vitor Belfort that there’s ever been, and I think Silva/Belfort would be a real dream-match super-fight. Okami has always been a dark horse candidate for #1 contender, consistently beating opponents without ever really making any waves. He’s still the last man to ever beat Anderson Silva (even though it was because Silva got DQ’d when he threw an illegal kick), so there’s some good history between the two. I think Okami’s shot at the belt is long overdue, while Belfort’s utterly dominating wins at Middleweight would justify him receiving a title shot so soon. It’s an interesting fight between two great fighters, so I think the German fans have an awesome fight to look forward to.

But what about you, fans and friends? How excited are you about the prospect of Vitor Belfort fighting Yushin Okami? And who do you think wins this fight?

Said bout, a middleweight affair against Jorge Rivera against fellow banger Alessio Sakara has stayed alive. The bout will mark a true push for each competitor, as one another will look for contenders’ status in a crowded 185-pound division, dominated by Anderson Silva–though Chael Sonnen might argue the point.

UFC 118 takes place in Boston, Mass., Rivera’s hometown. The 185-pound veteran is based out of Team Sityodtong, under the tutelage of Kru Mark Dellagrotte.

Rivera has seen a resurgence in his lengthy and storied career, and for the first time has been able to string together a 3-fight win streak inside the octagon. After a split-decision victory over Nissen Osterneck, “The Conquistador” was able to put together two back-to-back TKO victories over the likes of Rob Kimmons and fellow “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran Nate Quarry, respectively.

Sakara too, has had the benefit of posting three in a row as well, starting with a head kick, knockout victory over Joe Vedepo, Alessio put together quality wins beginning with a split decision win over former 185-pound title challenger Thales Leites, and then the grizzly, emaciated, veteran–James Irvin, by first round TKO.

Both Rivera and Alessio are on their best standings since their respective inceptions into the UFC, and will now vie for a spot towards contender status within the UFC, which is slowly thinning since Anderson Silva has run through most top-flight competition in the weight class.

With that said, who do you think holds the key to victory in this match up? Who would you like to see the winner challenge next? And who do you think holds the best shot at defeating the 185-pound kingpin that is “The Spider”?

Daley versus Koscheck

“SemTex” Paul Daley (20-9-2) had a few things to say about his next opponent Fighters.com seventh-ranked welterweight Josh Koscheck (14-4). This comes from the UFC: “I know Koscheck is afraid of me. I know he is. Kos was actually in my training room for my first UFC fight against Martin Kampmann, making a load of noise. He’s a major irritant to everyone around him and everyone just wanted him to leave.”

“After I thumped Kampmann, he went totally quiet around me. I knew then he was scared. I also tried to say “Hi” to him backstage after I knocked out Dustin Hazelett at UFC 108, but he pretended he didn’t see me. Again, I could tell he would rather have a root canal done than be around me. I just laughed to myself.”

“I just hope the referee doesn’t fall for his ‘I’ve been poked in the eye and taken an illegal knee’ BS once I rock him. And I will rock him with my first shot. I will walk through a thousand of his right hands which he throws from his behind his arse, land one and say goodnight.”

The war of words between these two has been a good one so far and I hope the fight lives up to the smack talk.

Condolonces

Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio would like to send our condolences to UFC fighter Alessio Sakara (15-7) who has had to pull out of his fight against “The Great” Nate Marquardt (29-9-2) due to the death of his father.

Roy Nelson, Cheick Kongo and Frank Mir

“Big Country” Roy Nelson (15-4) was supposed to face Cheick Kongo (15-6-1) in a fight rumored to take place at UFC 116 on July 3 however due to a back injury that fight seems to be off. The rumor that Roy has heard is that he will possibly be facing Fighters.com third-ranked heavyweight Frank Mir (13-5). This is a fight I would love to see hit the ground as both men are very well versed in grappling.

Strikeforce Melee Update

After the massive brawl witnessed by many of us live on CBS, Strikeforce is taking action as suspensions may be issued from the athletic commission.

“Mayhem” Jason Miller (23-6) was pulled from the headlining spot next month on Strikeforce: Los Angeles and now it seems “Diablo”  Nick Diaz (21-8) has lost his bid to appear on the June 26 fight card in San Jose, California. MMA Junkie cites a source close to Nick’s camp told them he was turned down due to the role he played in the nationally televised melee.

Strikeforce is playing it smart here by not putting fighters on cards that they be pulled from if the commission levies suspensions. They are essentially saving themselves money and a major headache.

“Legionarius” Alessio Sakara (14 -7) upset recent UFC middleweight title challenger Thales Leites (14-3) in a three-round split decision, rendering Leites with consecutive disappointing losses.

And, “Doomsday” John Howard (12-3) won a three-round split decision over “Barn Cat” Tamdan McCrory (11-3), Howard’s second SD in the Octagon with no losses.

Matt Riddle (3-0) won a three-round UD over his The Ultimate Fighter 7 housemate Dan Cramer (3-1).

Lightweight George Sotiropoulos (10-2) tapped George Roop (9-3) in a Kimura at 1:59 of round two.

The cageside medic waved the white flag at 3:37 of round three to end the first fight of the night in favor of welterweight “Ox” Jesse Lennox (14-1) by TKO over “Indio” Danillo Villefort (7-3) due to a cut.

Aaron Riley (27-11-1) won a grueling unanimous decision over “Sugar” Shane Nelson (11-3) by scores of 30-27 three times.

The fight card from Philadelphia includes:

“Prodigy” B.J. Penn (13-5-1) v “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (11-3) for the UFC lightweight strap

Fighters.com’s third-ranked light heavyweight Forrest Griffin (16-5) v UFC middleweight champ ““Spider” Anderson Silva (24-4) in 205-pound matchup

The Ultimate Fighter 7 champ Amir Sadollah (1-0) v John Hendricks (5-0)

“Cacharrao” Ricardo Almeida (10-3) v The Ultimate Fighter 3 champ “Spyder” Kendall Grove (10-5)

“Batman” Kurt Pellegrino (14-4) v “Dentist” Josh Neer (25-7-1)

Aaron Riley (27-11-1) v Shane Nelson (11-3)

“Doomsday” John Howard (11-3) v “Barn Cat” Tamdan McCrory (11-2)

Thales Leites (14-2) v “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara (13-7)

Dan Cramer (3-0) v Matt Riddle (2-0)

George Sotiropoulos (9-2) v George Roop (9-2)

“Indio” Danillo Villefort (7-2) v “Ox” Jesse Lennox (13-1)

Yundt said, “I’m gonna be the reason the UFC sends his ass packing after I whoop his ass!”

Yundt lost his Octagon premier in February to “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-2) by first-round guillotine choke submission.

Despite ups and downs, Sakara has been a UFC fixture the passed three years.

“Legionarius” dropped to 185-pounds in March, but was TKO’d by “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4) in his division debut.

Yundt was originally told he would fight a TUF 7 cast member.

“That’s not the case anymore,” Yundt said.

The Alaskan told Fighters.com on 5 May that he had been training with ninth-ranked light heavyweight “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1) at Big Bear.

“I’m training hard and feel great.  I’ve been in Big Bear with Tito for four of the last six weeks and am heading back Sunday for another two weeks.  I’ll be ready for sure.”

However, it was UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva who left Nationwide Arena big pimpin’ with a total disclosed payday of $260,000 for his second round submission of “Hollywood” Dan Henderson.

Silva received $70,000 to show, a $70,000 win bonus, a $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus, and a $60,000 Fight of the Night bonus.  Mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money!

Henderson received a $60,000 bonus for participating in Fight of the Night.  “The Crippler” Chris Leben received $60,000 for Knockout of the Night in his victory over “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara.

Despite making the PPV broadcast in an non-stop stand-up war, Josh Koscheck and Dustin Hazelett lost out to Silva v Henderson for Fight of the Night.

The entire run-down below:

Andrei Arlovski: $170,000
Anderson Silva: $140,000
Heath Herring: $140,000
Dan Henderson: $100,000
Diego Sanchez: $60,000
Chris Leben: $50,000
Cheick Kongo: $30,000
Yushin Okami: $28,000
Evan Tanner: $25,000
Josh Koscheck: $20,000
Alessio Sakara: $17,000
Luigi Fioravanti: $16,000
Luke Cummo: $16,000
Jorge Gurgel: $14,000
Dustin Hazelett: $12,000
Jake O’Brien: $11,000
David Bielkheden: $8,000
John Halverson: $3,000

The kickboxer from Curitiba vanquished former PRIDE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion “Hollywood” Dan Henderson in a rear naked choke at 4:52 of the second round.

The first round illustrated why Henderson, 22-7, was pegged as Silva’s last great challenge at 185-pounds.

The wrestler from California nixed the champion’s world class stand-up with lateral movement that prevented Silva from setting and delivering his laser-like strikes.

Henderson grabbed hold of the “Spider” and dumped him to the mat in an awkward half guard that allowed “Hollywood” to smother Silva while peppering him with hammer fists.

The frustrated champion endured to the second frame.

In a sloppy Thai clinch, Silva slammed a knee to Henderson’s chiseled chin, causing the the top contender to crumble.

Silva pounced!  A barrage of strikes convinced Henderson to give up his back, the fatal flaw leading to a rear naked choke submission with just eight seconds to spare in the round.

While UFC broadcasters Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan wondered allowed who could challenge the champion, Silva seemed to indicate a third tussle with former UFC Middleweight Champion “Ace” Rich Franklin was due.

In the broadcasted card’s only heavyweight rumble, “The Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring tumbled into a split decision “W” over Cheick Kongo of France.

The Parisian kickboxer insisted on wrestling, to the surprise of everyone including Herring.  Kongo dumped the Texan by force of will, but never capitalized on his advantageous ground positions as Herring consistently swept and reversed into safer territory.

In the end, Herring’s pitter-patter of pounding and Kongo’s cluelessness on the mat served Herring the “W” and a possible rematch with current interim UFC belt holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, whom Herring came within a hair of beating last year.

In untelevised heavyweight action, former UFC titlist “The Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski wrapped-up his current UFC contract and possibly his Octagon career with second round TKO of Jake O’Brien.

Arlovski has openly entertained the idea of quitting the UFC for greener opportunities.

Another pair of middleweights made the PPV broadcast when former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner was knocked silly…er with a knee from the Thai clinch by Yushin Okami.

The fight was Tanner’s first since April 2006 and the vet seemed to gas late into the first round before eating the death blow at 3:00 of the second.

18-4 Chris Leben TKO’d 185-pound newbie “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara of Italy at 3:16 of round one.

“The Crippler” Leben knocked Sakara to his back with a left hook behind the ear, then pounced on the Roman with six unanswered punches before referee Herb Dean waved the affair closed.

Welterweights Josh Koscheck and Dustin Hazelett lit each other up for a round before a Koscheck kick found the button behind Hazelett’s ear a minute into round two.  Koschek pummeled the fallen fighter until the referee called it a TKO for Koscheck.

The PPV opened with the longest three rounds of my life between welterweight contender Jon Fitch and UFC-debuting Chris Wilson of Team Quest.

Wilson spent most of his Octagon initiation on his bicycle while Fitch tried to chase him down.  The judges awarded Fitch a unanimous decision for aggression and superior wrestling positioning.

The rest of the untelevised portion of the card included a unanimous decision  “W” for 12-3 welterweight Luigi Fioravanti over Luke Cummo, who falls to 6-5.

“Nightmare” Diego Sanchez was tossed a bit of red meat in Sweden’s David Bielkheden after dropping two consecutive fights.  Sanchez devoured Bielkheden in a first round strikes submission.

Lightweight Jorge Gurgel took a unanimous decision over John Halverson to improve to 12-3, 3-2 in the Octagon.

 UFC 82 sold out Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.