The UFC itself recently revealed that Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, the last man to hold the WEC Lightweight Championship, will be fighting for the second time inside the Octagon at UFC 136. His opponent will be well-respected veteran Jeremy Stephens.

Also, MMA Junkie has reported that UFC 137 will see the return of Brandon Vera. Vera’s currently-scheduled opponent will be Eliot Marshall.

Those who witnessed it live will probably never forget Anthony Pettis’ wall walk cage kick that came near the end of a thrilling five-round war against Ben Henderson at the final WEC event, WEC 53. The win was supposed to give Pettis the next shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship, but it didn’t end up working out that way. Pettis would instead debut in the UFC against Clay Guida, and in one of the biggest disappointments of the last several years, Guida would abandon his long-admired style of “the scrappy brawler” and instead lay on Pettis for three rounds, taking home an ultra-boring Unanimous Decision.

Pettis’ opponent, Jeremy Stephens, is currently on a two-fight win-streak and has won four out of his last five fights. Stephen’s biggest moment in recent memory came when he KO’d Welterweight journeyman Marcus Davis in Davis’ Lightweight debut, literally KO’ing Davis right out of the UFC.

Brandon Vera is another fighter that recently had to endure a humbling loss before getting kicked out of the UFC. In one of the bigger “what could have been” stories in MMA, Vera once seemed poised to take the UFC by storm but was recently released on the heels of a three-fight losing-streak. However, that third loss would end up being overturned when his opponent, Thiago Silva, was found to have tried to cheat on his urine test. Thanks to the resulting scandal, the UFC has decided to give Vera one last chance.

While Eliot Marshall isn’t in the exact same situation, he is coming off of a humbling loss in his second go-round inside the Octagon. Marshall recently lost his UFC return by first-round TKO to Luiz Cane. Marshall’s current UFC record stands at a decent 3-2.

I really hope Jeremy Stephens tries to strike with Anthony Pettis. I’ve seen Jeremy Stephens fight, and I know that that’s generally what he likes to do, so I do have some high hopes for this fight. Pettis may not have the best ground game, but his striking is definitely on another level. This should be a rebuilding fight for Pettis, and hopefully it ends in dramatic fashion.

I think Brandon Vera does deserve another shot in the UFC… but only one more shot. It’s become clear to me that Brandon Vera will never realize his full potential, and there are only so many times I can see him fight and really care about it. If Vera doesn’t win this fight, he definitely deserves to get cut. Eliot Marshal probably won’t get cut if he loses, but then again, he got cut from the UFC after only one loss, and after having won three fights beforehand.

Overall, I think these two fights are good additions to what should be amazing cards.

He was a former top prospect in the sport, a former contender in the UFC’s heavyweight division, whom has recorded a first-round TKO win over former titleholder Frank Mir.

However after his third-consecutive loss against Thiago Silva on January 1st, it looked like his roller coaster ride inside the octagon was finally over. Now, though, fate has shown kindness to “The Truth” and he will now be back in the UFC fold following recently having been cut from the organization.

FiveOuncesofPain.com has been able to confirm that Vera will be back within the organization in the immediate future, likely thanks to his last outing with Thiago Silva, ironically enough.

At UFC 125, both Silva and Vera were featured on the main=card of the pay-per-view event. While Brandon remained aggressive on the feet, he was taken down and battered repeatedly by the bigger and more physical Silva, who man handled “The Truth” en route to a decision win.

Since then, Silva had been schedued for a 205-pound encounter with former champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, however with his post-fight drug tests still pending from the January event, the UFC has reason to believe that Silva has failed said tests. Conversley, it looks as if the bout could be changed to a “no-contest” rather than a win for Thiago and a loss for Brandon.

Vera’s losing streak dates back to November of 2009, where Brandon lost a controveral split-decision to Hall of Famer Randy Couture. Following the performance, Vera next lost via first-round TKO to current title challenger Jon Jones last March, then Vera met with Silva.

In his prime with the UFC, Brandon rattled off a four-fight win streak in the heavyweight division which earned him top-billing in the organization, where he was earning six-figures in his heyday.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Silva is rumored to have testes positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs, though nothing will be for certain before test results are confirmed. Sound off in the comment section below.

According to Five Ounces of Pain, Antonio “Mandingo” McKee has been released from the UFC after having only one fight with the organization. At UFC 125, McKee lost via Split Decision to Jacob Volkmann after McKee spent several weeks hyping up his UFC debut, which included a bizarre interview where he compared himself to Muhammed Ali. The defeat to Volkmann marked the first time McKee had been beaten in MMA since 2003.

Five Ounces of Pain also brings word that Brandon “The Truth” Vera has officially been released from his UFC contract after a one-sided loss to Thiago Silva at UFC 125. The defeat marked Vera’s third in a row, a far cry from when he first entered the UFC and took the Heavyweight division by storm. Now it looks as if Vera will use the time off he needs to heal his horrendously-broken nose by looking over contracts.

In all honesty, I’m not too surprised with either firing and I don’t think the UFC is losing that much with these two no longer on the roster. If you’ll recall, I actually predicted that Vera would get the axe the day after UFC 125 in my traditional “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series.

In all honesty, I never understood the hype behind Antonio McKee. Everyone criticized him for continually winning by decision, but that never really bothered me. What bothered me is the amount of hyper-active self-promotion Antonio McKee involved himself in. The man built himself up as a destroyer, someone that would take the UFC by storm, and in the end he couldn’t even squeak by one single UFC opponent. I’m really finding it hard to empathize with the man, because frankly, he became so in love with himself that he overlooked his opponent and paid the price.

I certainly do feel a bit sad for Vera, though. Vera is a tough lesson that a lot of hot prospects should learn from: sometimes the incredible hype that goes alongside being a young and dominant fighter can turn into your worst enemy even if it starts off as your best friend. Vera began believing his own hype and developed a bloated sense of self-worth, and it took several humbling victories to send him crashing back down into reality. Unfortunately, he learned his lessons too late, he now sports a 11-6 record and is now a free agent. Vera should still be able to make a pretty penny on the regional circuit and I wouldn’t be surprised if Bellator, Strikeforce, or even SHINE Fights scooped him up. But his story is a somber one, and it’s a firm reminder that the phrase “anything can happen in MMA” is quite the double-edged sword.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on the UFC releasing Brandon Vera and Antonio McKee?

According to MMA Junkie, the UFC 125 medical suspensions are as follows.

Frankie Edgar: Suspended until July 1 due to nasal fracture, though a doctor can clear him early. Minimum suspension until February 16 with no contact until February 1.

Gray Maynard: Suspended until February 16 with no contact until January 23 due to facial lacerations.

Chris Leben: Suspended until February 6 with no contact until February 1 for precautionary reasons.

Brandon Vera: Suspended until July 1 due to nasal fracture, though a doctor can clear him early. Minimum suspension until February 16 with no contact until February 1.

Marcus Davis: Suspended until July 1 due to nasal fracture, though a doctor can clear him early, Minimum suspension until March 3 with no contact until February 16.

Josh Grispi: Suspended until July 1 due to a jaw injury, though a doctor can clear him early. Minimum suspension until February 16 with no contact until February 1.

Phil Baroni: Suspended until July 1 due to nasal fracture, though a doctor can clear him early. Minimum suspension until March 3 with no contact until February 16.

Diego Nunes: Suspended until January 23 with no contact until January 16 due to left-eye contusion.

Greg Soto: Suspended until July 1 due to a left-shoulder injury, though a doctor can clear him early.

It should come as no surprise that all four brothers of the broken nose had their noses wrecked, since all four received some brutal punishment throughout the night. Phil Baroni showed some early promise in his bout with Brad Tavares, but once again Baroni proved that his chin is suspect when hit cleanly, as Tavares ended up TKO’ing Baroni in Round 1. Marcus Davis looked to be doing good in his Lightweight debut against Jeremy Stephens… until Stephens landed a bomb that knocked Davis out cold. Brandon Vera’s injury needs no introduction, and it’s something that has to be seen to be believed. It truly is one of the most gruesome breaks I’ve ever seen in MMA. And Frank Edgar’s broken nose was most likely the result of the utterly insane amount of damage that he absorbed in Round 1, and to be honest, I’m still utterly baffled at how Edgar was able to survive Maynard’s onslaught.

All in all, I hope everyone heals up, because a lot of fighters put on some very entertaining performances at UFC 125 and I look forward to seeing all of them back into the Octagon sooner rather than later. And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of the UFC 125 medical suspensions?

Next for Clay Guida: Once again it’s time to see if Clay Guida is ready to fight top-division talent. Guida looked great against Gomi even though he’s already being accused of doing a fantastic Willow Smith impersonation (because HE WHIPS HIS HAIR BACK AND FORTH HE WHIPS HIS HAIR BACK AND FORTH HE WHIPS HIS… you get the point). Even though Guida normally always ends up with a deflating loss whenever he goes on an impressive hotstreak, few can doubt that he’s once again earned his chance to prove everyone wrong and finally ascend to top-division status.

Next for Nate Diaz: Even though I think Nate Diaz has progressed admirably in his most recent run at Welterweight, it’s still very clear that the Diaz style, at least the way Nate utilizes it, is still a work-in-progress. Diaz was in no trouble on the ground, but he kept getting taken down, and he needs to address that issue. If he truly wants to excel to the highest levels of the UFC, Nate needs to realize that completely relying on your ground game and having virtually no takedown defense is an incredibly one-dimensional way of thinking.

Next for Brandon Vera: Strikeforce, Shark Fights, DREAM, SHINE Fights… take your pick. Putting it plainly and bluntly, I’d be shocked if Brandon Vera kept his job after this performance. With this loss to Thiago Silva, “The Truth” has permanently put himself into the “what could have been” files. It was a humiliating defeat, and one that will likely haunt Vera for some time. I honestly don’t know how successful Vera will be on the minor circuit or in second-tier promotions… I just know he’s headed there.

Next for Brian Stann: The world is Stann’s oyster, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more deserving individual. Stann has an incredible backstory and a lot of skill, so he’s got all the tools necessary to become a major draw and also a top-ranked athlete. Stann really and truly impressed me at UFC 125, and I think he’ll quickly find himself fighting top-division talent as he rolls into 2011 with an incredible amount of momentum.

Next for Chris Leben: This was a crippling blow for “The Crippler”. As harsh as this sounds to say, I think this fight finally closed the book on Leben’s championship aspirations. The man has been in too many wars, he’s eaten too many big shots and while his style is entertaining, it’s “take two to give one” nature continues to be his biggest downfall. I don’t think Chris Leben will ever be outright fired from the UFC, he’s got the skills to be a mid-level threat for quite some time and he’ll always be a marketable bad-boy brawler, but I do think that we’ve seen the last of any serious talks of Chris Leben as a top-division athlete.

Next for Frank Edgar: Anthony Pettis, of course. I know how a lot of people are already calling for an immediate rematch, but it just doesn’t seem fair to make Pettis wait until after Maynard/Edgar 3. So I’m all for “The Answer” meeting “Showtime” and giving us the much-talked-about WEC/UFC Lightweight Championship Unification Bout.

But how is Edgar going to do against the final WEC Lightweight Champion? If his performance at UFC 125 is used as a basis…  Frank Edgar is going to get knocked out. If Pettis catches Edgar the way Maynard caught Edgar, Pettis has the kind of killer instinct necessary to finish the job and emerge the champion. My respect and even admiration for Frank Edgar continues to grow on a per-fight basis, but I’ve been saying that Pettis will become the UFC Lightweight Champion for a while now. And while his fight at UFC 125 was excellent, Edgar simply didn’t show me enough to make me change my stance.

So that’s what I see when I gaze into my crystal ball and try to channel my inner Nostradamus, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of UFC 125: “Resolution”?

Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard fight to a Split Draw. Brian Stann defeats Chris Leben by TKO (Strikes) at 3:37 of Round 1. Thiago Silva defeats Brandon Vera by Unanimous Decision. Dong Hyun Kim defeats Nate Diaz by Unanimous Decision. Clay Guida defeats Takanori Gomi by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:47 of Round 2. Jeremy Stephens defeats Marcus Davis by KO (Punch) at 2:33 of Round 3. Dustin Poirier defeats Josh Grispi by Unanimous Decision. Brad Tavares defeats Phil Baroni by TKO (Strikes) at 4:20 of Round 1. Diego Nunes defeats Mike Brown by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). Daniel Roberts defeats Greg Soto by Submission (Kimura) at 3:45 of Round 1. Jacob Volkmann defeats Antonio McKee by Split Decision.

So much for the “Muhammed Ali of MMA”, it appears as if Antoni McKee was a victim of his own hype… hype that pretty much only existed in his own head. Speaking of failed hype, Josh Grispi looked completely out of his element against Dustin Poirier, it was honestly a downright embarrassing performance. I guess Dustin wasn’t lying when he said that we’d all know his name before UFC 125 is over. I can’t wait to see how Poirier builds off this pretty huge win.

I was very impressed by Thiago Silva’s performance, and I think that this was one of those fights where you can undoubtedly say that the winner is “back”. Silva looked fantastic as always on the feet and seemed to have found new life on the ground, plus he gave Brandon Vera one of the most heinous broken noses ever seen in MMA. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Thiago.

Brian Stann made a gigantic statement at UFC 125, and I think huge things are in store for this man in the future. He’s already incredibly marketable due to his backstory, but being the man to end arguably the hottest hotstreak of Chris Leben’s career immediately puts him into a prime position in the UFC. We might just have seen a possible UFC Middleweight Championship contender emerge at UFC 125.

The main event was wildly entertaining and fully lived up to the amazing potential I just knew it had. I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for both competitors, and I think Edgar/Maynard 2 has officially set the quality benchmark for 2011. While I am disappointed that the fight didn’t have a clear winner, I think both men proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they’re far from boring and are two of the UFC’s absolute best and brightest. I can’t wait to see what’s next for both men.

All in all, I was pretty glad that I tuned in to UFC 125. The event had several memorable fights and several fantastic finishes. I was a bit gutted that some of my perennial favorites like Marcus Davis, Chris Leben, and Nate Diaz would all lose, some of them dramatically, but all in all, I hesitate to call any of the UFC 125 fights bad. The UFC had a pretty good kickoff to 2011, which is already shaping up to be an utterly amazing year.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your early thoughts on UFC 125: “Resolution”?

In a new interview with Tapology, the feared American Top Team product recently said the following: “I don’t consider myself a violent person. A violent person to me is someone who fights or kills another person for something stupid… I have seen it and I don’t want any part of it… My job is to train and to be prepared to fight when I’m suppose to… Fighting is a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual challenge between two men, and only the man who is stronger in all of these areas will win… I love the challenges this sport offers. It is unlike any other.”

Thiago Silva is currently scheduled to face Brandon Vera on New Year’s Day as part of the stacked Pay-Per-View telecast of the upcoming UFC 125 “Resolution” event. Silva entered the UFC a flawless 9-0 and would go on to win his next four bouts, all by strikes, before being matched up with Lyoto Machida. Machida would go on to hand Silva the first loss and the first KO of his career. Silva emphatically rebounded with a stunning first-round KO over Keith Jardine, but recently faltered against Rashad Evans at UFC 108, a card notorious for its continued reworking due to a host of injuries that bizarrely all occurred in and around the same time of each other.

I admit to only being a mild fan of Thiago Silva, but with this interview he certainly gained a measure of respect from me. I think this is a great mentality to have, but as others have said, it’s a bit ironic to read about Silva claiming that he’s not a violent person, considering that this is a man most famous for doing a throat-cutting gesture after he brutally knocks his opponents unconscious.

Even with that in mind, I applaud Silva’s professionalism and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing him step into the Octagon against Brandon Vera. I think this is a match-up that sees both men at very interesting, very crucial crossroads in their careers. Silva needs another big KO to keep his name out there and stay at or near the top of the division. Vera needs a win or else he starts looking expendable in the eyes of the UFC, since Vera hasn’t won a fight in over a year. While I don’t think Thiago Silva is in a do-or-die situation, I do think that he’ll go into the fight with that kind of mentality simply because he wants to remain a top-level threat that badly. And make no mistake, Vera is most definitely in a do-or-die situation. So it should be a great fight.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of Thiago Silva’s recent comments, and how do you see him matching up with Brandon “The Truth” Vera?

Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi: I think Gomi still swings hammers when he throws punches, but I also think that Clay Guida knows this. This fight will all depend on the mentality Clay Guida brings when he faces the former PRIDE FC destroyer. If Guida avoids brawling and sticks to taking Gomi out of his element, Guida is well-rounded enough to virtually coast to an easy Unanimous Decision win. But if Clay Guida comes in looking to strike for whatever reason, I think Gomi will eventually land something huge and be the first man to (T)KO Clay Guida, probably in the second round.

Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim: I’ve enjoyed watching “Stun Gun” go to work in his time with the UFC, but I think this fight will focus almost exclusively on the continuing evolution of Nate Diaz. Diaz seems to have finally learned how to duplicate his brother Nick Diaz’s vaunted “punches in bunches” style, and both Diaz brothers have never looked better. Diaz may be a dark horse when it comes to a future shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship, but I’m very confident that he’ll win this fight by TKO in Round 2 or 3.

Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva: It’s been an interesting, long, winding, and considerably rocky road for Brandon Vera, the “next big thing” that never was. Vera is dangerously close to the precipice, one more loss gives him a three-fight losing streak, and it’s become generally accepted that that’s the golden number where you start looking expendable in the eyes of the UFC. Unfortunately for “The Truth”, I think Thiago Silva is just too much for Brandon Vera. Thiago Silva will win by Unanimous Decision.

Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann: Chris Leben should come out of his corner swinging like his life depended on it, because in a way, it does. While this may be a co-main event, Brian Stann is a step backwards compared to the talent Leben has been facing and beating recently. A loss to Stann would be the absolute worst thing to happen to “The Crippler” since Anderson Silva made his UFC debut by pounding Leben’s face into mush. The added pressure combined with Leben’s already-aggressive style has me thinking that Chris Leben wins by KO in Round 1.

Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard: Get ready for a war, because this one is going all five rounds and both men are going to tear each other apart from the first bell to the final second. Expect to see big takedowns, huge slams, lots of striking, and an amazing pace. If Gray Maynard doesn’t show up in monster shape, Edgar’s uncanny cardio may be his biggest ally in the fight with “The Bully”. I don’t know how he’ll specifically do it, but every indicator I have points towards Edgar once again coming into a big fight with the best gameplan possible and once again forcing everyone to shut up and take him seriously. Frank Edgar wins by Unanimous Decision.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you see emerging as the big winners and losers when UFC 125 is over?

The Event: UFC 125 “Resolution”, scheduled for January 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will air live on Pay-Per-View starting at 7 PM PT/10 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: The UFC is starting 2011 with a bang. The #1 Lightweight in the world defends his championship against the only man that’s ever beaten him, Gray Maynard. Despite the criticism this match has been getting, I’ve vehemently defended it as what should be a very entertaining fight between two amazing wrestlers. Plus, you’ve got big names like Nate Diaz, Thiago Silva, Chris Leben, Brandon Vera, Clay Guida, Marcus Davis, and Mike Thomas Brown all competing at some point throughout the night.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Constant, blistering action between two men with fantastic cardio and serious wrestling skills. There’s a very personal rivalry between these two, and with the championship on the line, they’ll be bringing their absolute best for this event. Maynard will continue to try and live up to his nickname “The Bully”, while Edgar will once again look to combine his ridiculous cardio with his uncanny ability to put together the best gameplan possible. It’s going to be close, it’s going to be a war, and it’s going to be an awesome fight no matter what anyone else says.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Look for two big strikers to come out headhunting the second the bell rings. Leben wants to end this decisively and quickly, since he’s arguably never been this close to getting a shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship. Brian Stann is fighting for relevancy in the increasingly-crowded UFC Middleweight division, and being the man that ends the best win-streak Chris Leben has ever been on would immediately put him on everyone’s radar. It won’t last very long, but it’ll be immensely entertaining until someone gets (T)KO’d.

Why You Should Watch This Card: This card is a strong indicator that the WEC/UFC merger is already paying dividends. This card is filled with fantastic talent, and they’re all smartly booked. It’ll be the first MMA event of 2011, but I have a feeling that it’ll also be remembered as one of the best events of 2011.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I honestly, sincerely cannot think of a good reason. The only thing you can really hold against this card is that there’s only one championship on the line. Even though the main card is loaded with potential, most of the fighters involved are working their ways towards top-division status rather than actually being top-division talent. Still, even the untelevised undercard is filled with interesting match-ups and potential. From Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi to Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim, this looks to be an action-packed night of fights that has a little bit of something for everyone.

Closing Thoughts: The UFC may not be throwing us its biggest guns and its brightest stars to start off the New Year, but they’ve put together an incredible card nonetheless. The only question surrounding this card is whether or not it can live up to its potential. I’ll certainly be giving it a watch, and while it’s true that anything is possible in MMA, I’m very confident when I say that this show should be well worth a purchase and even repeated viewings.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on UFC 125?

UFC 125 has some obvious sales points mainly centering around the main card title fight between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard.  However, some second tier questions will also get solved or advanced towards solution come January 1^st.

What is the future for Brandon Vera?

Vera was heralded as a multi weight-class phenom when he knocked out Frank Mir in 2006.  Then he went into exile for a couple years when he had contract issues with Dana White.  Since his return, he has rarely flashed the same cage dominance.  Now, after consecutive losses to Randy Couture and Jon Jones the question is … will we ever the see Brandon Vera circa 2006 again?  Thiago Silva, his opponent at UFC 125, will provide more than an adequate measuring stick towards that answer.  I think Vera needs to win or must engage in a dynamic “Fight Of The Night” style affair to keep his good graces with the UFC.  However, working in his favor to stay with the UFC is his Phillipino heritage.  With the UFC expanding to Asia, Dana White may well give Vera every chance to keep his job.

Is Marcus Davis fighting to keep his career alive?

The Bangor Maine pugilist may be in his last UFC fight unless he wins on January 1st.  At 38, and 1-3 in his last four fights, Davis was unable to execute his brawling style against Nate Diaz, Ben Saunders, and Dan Hardy.  His opponent at UFC 125, Jeremy Stephens, may be just what the doctor ordered for Davis.  Stephens is a guy who is all about getting into a fist fight.  Davis will need to overcome his shortcomings from his last fight against Nate Diaz … which was finding way into range to connect.  Stephens does not have the reach that Diaz carried, so he may find more success.  If this is the end for Davis, he has had a tremendous career considering he started as a boxer and was able to round out his skill set to compete out at the highest levels of MMA.

Will a Nate Diaz win elevate him to serious contender status at 170lbs?

Nate Diaz, at times, has shown to be as talented as any fighter in the UFC as he shuttled between the 155 and 170-pound weight classes.  Apparently settled now at the 170lb level, Diaz now looks for his 4th win in his last 5 fights against Dong Hyun kim.  Diaz has used his smothering jab and peppering boxing style to keep opponents at bay while dropping a heavy volume of leather to the body and brain.  Despite impressive wins over Marcus Davis, Rory Markham, and Melvin Guillard of late, Diaz has not been considered in the top 6 of either weight class. If Diaz can beat Kim and settle into the 170lb class, he certainly has the talent to compete at the highest level.  Can this fight start his rankings climb?

It’s all yours folks … will UFC 125 answer these questions for Vera, Davis and Diaz?

@john_moody

Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard for the UFC Lightweight Championship, Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann, Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera, Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim, Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida, Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens, Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier, Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares, Mike Thomas Brown vs. Diego Nunes, Daniel Roberts vs. Greg Soto, and Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann.

My early thoughts on this card are very simple and easily summarized: wow. This is an awesome-looking card. I say this without hyperbole: I think all of the main card fights could have headlined their own “Fight Night Live” special. Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann should be a great back-and-forth war. Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera is going to end very, very violently. Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim should be an important stepping stone and proving point for both men, especially if either one is able to finish and finish convincingly. And then you have Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida: it won’t be technical by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s going to be one entertaining scrap and a fantastic way to kick off the PPV portion of the show.

We’ve even got some pretty good names on the undercard. Marcus Davis always steps into the Octagon ready to brawl. Josh Grispi would have been the next man to face Jose Aldo if Aldo hadn’t pulled out with an injury. Mike Brown is a former WEC champion. You’ve even got veterans like Antonio McKee, Phil Baroni, and Jeremy Stephens. Some may say that the preliminary card has a lot of fighters that are down on their luck in their most-recent fights, but I personally think that shouldn’t and ultimately doesn’t overshadow the fact that they almost always put on entertaining fights.

And in the main event, you’ve got two great Lightweights competing for the championship of a division that’s been blown wide open ever since Frankie “The Answer” Edgar managed to beat BJ Penn not once, but twice. In an era where “The Prodigy” is back at Welterweight and Frank Edgar is the #1 Lightweight in the world, it’s literally anyone’s ballgame. This should be a fantastic fight between two great wrestlers, and I personally can’t wait to see it happen. I know that some fans are quick to criticize how both men haven’t finished their opponents in what feels like forever, but I’m willing to give both these men a pass since they’re entertaining throughout their long wars that end up going to the judges. Don’t believe the doom-sayers, fans and friends: Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard is going to be an awesome fight.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Now that everything is “officially official”, what’s your opinion on UFC 125: “Resolution”?

Next New Year’s, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the UFC will return to Nevada with a lightweight title fight pitting current champion Frankie Edgar, who is riding on a 5-fight win streak (which included two back-to-back victories over former champion BJ Penn) will look to exact revenge when he defends his title against the only man to defeat him, undefeated UFC lightweight title challenger Gray Maynard.

Also in action, former Interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin is coming back to action after succumbing to his first defeat as a professional at UFC 116 when he tangles with the former IFL heavyweight champion and season 10 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Roy Nelson.

Nate Diaz has recently been announced as a new addition to the card. Making his third consecutive trip to the welterweight division, Diaz will look to go three-in-a-row following some recent success with victories over Rory Markham and Marcus Davis (respectively) finishing both competitors before it went the distance.

Meeting Diaz will be Korean Judoka, Dong Hyun Kim. An undefeated prospect in the 170-pound division, Diaz will arguably be his toughest test to date, and should Dong come away from the bout in impressive fashion, it could spell title implications.

While no official word has come as far the order of the match ups, though I would assert that the card should look something like this. Here is the event in it’s entirety, though additional match ups are soon to be announced.

Main Card:
-Lightweight Championship bout: Frankie Edgar (champion) vs. Gray Maynard
-Heavyweight bout: Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson
-Lightweight bout: Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi
-Middleweight bout: Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann
-Welterweight bout: Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim

Preliminary:
-Light Heavyweight bout: Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva
-Middleweight bout: Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares
-Lightweight bout: Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of match ups so far? Any additional bouts you would like to see make the main card? Which bouts do you think, should they be featured, for the Spike Prelims special?
Sound off in the comment section below.

But, none the less, both competitors will find themselves pitted against one another when the collegiate wrestlers meet at an as of yet announced event in Las Vegas, Nev., for UFC 127.

Jones, the proverbial golden boy of the light heavyweight division, has been nothing but impressive since his inception into the UFC. While his record reads 11-1, by all means the Endicott, New York, native is an undefeated prodigy. His lone loss, a disqualification against “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran Matt Hamill, showed the new and improved Jon Jones, who had then transitioned to Greg Jackson’s camp. Almost immediately, Jones was able to take down the accomplished with a trip, mount, and unleash a hellish barrage of ground and pound, however the fight was stopped when Hamill was deemed unable to continue after illegal elbows were thrown.

While Jones picked up the first loss of his career, he also picked up the biggest push as well. In his next two fights, “Bones” was pitted against veterans Brand Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko–two men who have fought some of the best guys in the world, contenders in their division, and were deemed the toughest challenges in the 23-year-old Jones’ career. I guess someone forgot to tell Jon, whom ended both fighters inside of the first round with his patented ground-and-pound assault, with elbows as his weapon of choice.

The less flashy of the two, Bader, a collegiate wrestling All American, has risen to the top of his division with victories over veterans Eric Schafer, Keith Jardine, and most recently, top-5 light heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueria.

Against “Minotoro” (not to be confused with “Minotauro”), Bader excelled with his wrestling prowess, which all took place at UFC 119 on September 23. Taking down the former PRIDE star all throughout the bout, the fight was decided only a little bit on the feet, where Ryan found he was a few years behind his Brazilian counterpart, who was part of Brazil’s Olympic Boxing team. Eventually, Bader was able to squeak out a unanimous decision victory, though the bout was much closer than the scores would indicate.

The two light heavyweight contenders are expected to meet at UFC 127, on Super Bowl weekend on February 5, in Sin City.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match up between the two prospects of the 205 pound division? While Jones’ style is flashy and aggressive, Bader does represent a legitimate test as a power house wrestler. Sound off in the comments section below.

Here’s what Silva had to say in an interview with Tatame.com: “I think it’s a good fight, the two of us like to bang and it seems it’ll be a great fight. I’m anxious for this fight, our games match. He won’t be like trying to grab me all the time, we’ll trade a lot of punches. There’s plenty time and I still have to fix my spine. I’m doing treatment for it. It’ll take a month so I can go back to the trainings, but now I just have to wait for me to fight again.”

I wish Thiago Silva a speedy recovery, and can’t wait to see him get back inside of the Octagon. The UFC’s Light Heavyweight division boasts some of the most diverse, dynamic, and entertaining strikers in the entire sport of MMA, and I think Thiago Silva should be regarded as one of those strikers. At 27, with five years as a professional Mixed Martial Artist, he’s still got plenty of time to mold himself into a true championship-caliber fighter. I think this fight with Vera will go a long way towards reestablishing Thiago Silva as a force to be reckoned with in the super-competitive UFC Light Heavyweight division.

In regards to his opponent, it’s put up or shut up time for Brandon Vera, plain and simple. 1-2 in your last three fights is a dangerous record to have in the UFC, no matter who you lost to or how they beat you. If Silva comes back strong and gives Vera his second straight (T)KO loss and his third loss in a row, it just might be enough to get Vera cut from the UFC. But if Vera comes back strong with a win over Silva, and wins in a big way, not only will it take his career in the UFC off of life support, I honestly think it will jettison him up several spots and put him in line for some major-name fights.

And if you want my opinion? I think a healthy, motivated Thiago Silva is more than a match for a down-on-his-luck Brandon Vera. I think both men want to win this fight very badly, so it should be wildly entertaining from start to finish. Vera has some very powerful leg kicks, but Silva’s punching power is right up there with the rest of the division’s heavy hitters. His ground game may need a lot of work, but if the fight goes the way Silva thinks it will, with Vera choosing to keep the fight standing up, you’ve got to give the advantage to Silva. It’s a do-or-die situation for both men: Silva’s relevancy is on the line, as is Vera’s livelihood. This is going to be an awesome fight.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Who takes it: Brandon Vera or Thiago Silva? And how/why?

Jonny Bones has utterly destroyed every single opponent he’s ever faced. The only person to ever beat Jon Jones has in fact been Jon Jones, when Jones lost his head for a moment and landed some illegal elbows to Matt Hamill which forced those in charge to disqualify Jones. Jones dominated Stephan Bonnar like no one had ever dominated him before, he’s only one of two men that have ever (T)KO’d Brandon Vera, and he currently holds the record for the quickest (T)KO win over thirteen-year veteran Vladimir Matyushenko, a record that was held by former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski since 2003. I hate to say this, but I think Brandon Vera may be a bit bitter that Jones is realizing his potential as a superstar when Vera himself was in this same position a few years ago, only to hit some very hard stumbling blocks and ultimately fail at becoming a big-time star. Whereas Brandon Vera was touted as the future of the Heavyweight division and failed to live up to such acclaim, Jon Jones has done everything in his power to prove once and for all that he is definitely the future of the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division.

And remember, this is all coming from someone who went against the grain and predicted that Matyushenko would be the one to beat Jones. Instead, Jones gave us arguably the best performance of his career and seemed to have it all too easy finishing off a man that started fighting as a professional Mixed Martial Artist when Jon Jones was ten years old. I honestly don’t see Jones’ domination ending anytime soon, even as he finally transitions into fights with the super-elite of the Light Heavyweight division. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Jon Jones is “the chosen one” destined to bring about an end to the string of UFC Light Heavyweight Champions losing the belt in their first few fights. Jones will likely have his string of quick, all-out dominating finishes brought to a halt when he’s matched up with people like Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson, or Mauricio Rua, but I gotta say: I think Jon Jones could win every single one of those fights.

In all honesty, I think Brandon Vera may be a little jealous, a little green with envy, when it comes to Jon Jones. I think a Jones/Vera rematch doesn’t make a whole lot of sense unless Vera gets some good wins under his belt, but I wouldn’t mind seeing it if Vera works his way back up. If Vera truly believes he can beat Jon Jones, actions always speak louder than words. I think Brandon Vera can work his way up to a rematch with Jon Jones if he tries hard enough, but until then, Vera is just stirring the pot and trying to keep his name out there while he heals up from the elbow Jones hit him with that broke his face in three places.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Does the prospect of Jones/Vera II appeal to you?

I have seen many people say they think this fight is a mismatch and that Jones is taking a step back in competition after his dismantling of “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-5) at the first UFC on Versus.

The Janitor is a grinder in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). Similar to the poker player that can win at the mid and lower stake games but never can seem to pull the trigger in the higher stake games. The Janitor tends to use his strength and wrestling to wear men down and win by Unanimous Decisions.

His opponent Jones is a great wrestler though and will put the Janitor to the test. Jones has four wins inside the Octagon and should have five. He lost to “The Hammer” Matt Hamill (7-2) due to a disqualification from illegal elbows in the process of putting a severe beating on Matt.

Looking at his opponents it is clear the UFC is taking their time grooming him and giving him the best shot at a positive future in the UFC. Jones is very explosive and once on the ground has some of the best ground and pound I have seen in a long time. His striking game, while creative and interesting, has a way to go and this is what the UFC recognizes. Fighters.com believes they see a highly marketable fighter and future champion in Jones and they do not want to push him to fast.

The growth of a fighter can be a long road for some but Jones seems to be taking a short cut. He improves drastically each time I see him fight and his future is very bright if he keeps improving and doesn’t hit the plateau. So many promotions make the mistake of fast tracking a fighter with the potential of a guy like Jones and it ends up backfiring. Not only does it hurt the promotion but it hurts the fighter and can put them back a year or two in the growth process.

Booking this fight between the Janitor and Jones is an all around win for the UFC. They get the chance to see how Jones can handle a man who only has four losses and all against top-level competition. They also get to see if the Janitor can manage to grind out yet another win, making him even more marketable. Should Jones get passed the Janitor I look for the UFC to put him up against someone near the top of the division for his next fight.

Regardless of the outcome much will be learned about both of these fighters when UFC on Versus II takes place August 1 in Oakland, California.

The damage came in the first round after Jones got a take-down and was working some ground and pound. Vera was utilizing a butterfly guard and controlling an one of the arms of Jones. Then came the elbow strike to the face that Jones credits to the ground and pound strategy of coach Greg Jackson.

Before I go any further I would like to congratulate Jones on his victory and his meteoric rise to the top of the division. He looked much better than I expected and is deserving of a much larger fight in the very near future.

I hear many readers and fans of mixed martial arts (MMA) saying that Vera was destroyed and looked awful. I could not disagree more with this assertion.

Vera did get taken down in a fight where many thought he had the advantage in the wrestling aspect. Yet once the fight hit the ground I saw Vera control Jones by using the butterfly guard. Sometimes just a half butterfly with the right arm of Jones trapped. It seemed he was preparing to set up an armbar or a triangle. I don’t think there is any denying that Vera has a very good ground game. It strikes me as odd that people think he was hanging on for dear life with no strategy. Clearly he was working on a set up until that elbow literally crushed his face. While I fully expected Brandon to submit Jones, it did not happen that way and yet I feel as if Vera was working a planned attack on the ground. Yet the saying goes “Game plans go out the window once you get punched in the face.”

Many are writing Vera off after this loss and spouting off about how he got “owned”. I know I am in the minority here but I think this is actually a step in the right direction for Vera. Sometimes one needs to hit rock bottom to make the proper changes needed to rise to the top. What can be more rock bottom than having your face crushed with one elbow?

Vera will heal up, get cleared by a doctor to resume to contact and take this experience and get back to the basics. I fully believe that we will see a shift in strategy from Vera once he makes it back into the Octagon. I know he is 3-3 since his drop to light heavyweight from heavyweight in July 2008 but a fighter many fighters thrive on adversity. How many times have we seen an undefeated fighter get his first loss, drop a couple more and then come back with a renewed view on training and his fight strategy?

While not undefeated, Fighters.com and UFC lightweight champion “The Prodigy” BJ Penn (15-5-1) took a similar road. He made the move to welterweight and had issues with cardio. It was something that has plagued Penn for years. It took a crushing defeat at the hands of Fighters.com and UFC welterweight champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) for BJ to re-examine his training. Not only his cardio and how he trained but where he trained as well. He decided to take his fight camp out of his home in Hawaii to California where he had less distractions and was more likely to focus and stay the course in his training.

This could be what we will see from Vera in the near future and I welcome a new and improved Vera who can re-introduce himself to the light heavyweight division.

As always you can join me and my co-host, Gary Friedman on MMA Gospel Radio each Wednesday form 8-10 PM EST/ 5-7 PM PST and discuss this or any other topic that you may have on your mind. Head over to www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel to listen to the show live and to join in the live chat.

UFC on Versus is headlined by “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-4) versus “Bones” Jon Jones (9-1). The co-main event for the event has “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (11-4) taking on Fighters.com fifth-ranked heavyweight “Cigano” Junior Dos Santos (10-1) in a fight to determine yet another challenger for the UFC heavyweight title.

I am excited to watch Vera take on Jones and see if he can get back to the Vera we knew before his year long layoff due to contract disputes. We keep saying this could be his comeback fight and it never seems to happen for Vera. He has looked tentative and seemingly OK with grinding out decisions. Could this be the last of Vera or will he expose the much younger Jones on his rise to the top?

Either way this will be a thrilling fight but maybe not quite as brutal as when we see Cheick Kongo (14-6-1) versus “The Executioner” Paul Buentello (27-11). These two men love to stand and trade and this could very well be the fight that gives us the “Knock Out of The Night”.

Eventually we will shift from the UFC over to Japan for DREAM 13 which is scheduled for five full hours on HDNet. DREAM starts at midnight PST and any fight should be tuning in to this for a few reasons.

Pride Fighting Championships is now a long lost organization that many hardcore fans swoon over. The loss of Pride left an empty pit the size of the Grand Canyon in the world of Japanese MMA. Japan loves MMA and has some of the most knowledgeable fans in the entire world. DREAM may be the last chance to revive those long lost days of glory and fill that void.

DREAM has seen it’s fair share of issues though with financial instability, soon very bad ratings and matches that seemed to defy any real sense of reason. Their saving graces thus far though have without a doubt been the grand prix tournaments and the recent partnership with Strikeforce. Those alone will not carry the promotion but a fantastic night of fights tonight could endear them in the hearts and minds of fight fans around the world.

Fighters.com fourth-ranked lightweight “Hellboy” Joachim Hansen (18-8) finally makes the much anticipated drop to featherweight to take on DREAM’s featherweight champion and jaw dropping grappler, “The Flash” Biannual Fernandes (7-2). These two fighters are both great grapplers and yet neither are afraid to stand and throw down toe to toe.

This fight is already being talked about as a Fight of the Year candidate then add the fact that these guys are both top-tier elite fighters and no fan of combat sports in their right mind should miss this.

Also on the DREAM card is the return of KJ Noons(7-2) after almost a two year hiatus from the sport. His fight against “Dida” Andre Amade “(6-3-1) is not going to be the easy win some are making  it out to be this week. While Andre is not a very technical striker, he has the heart to gut it out and Noons lack of any significant power leaves this fight wide open.

Do I need to mention every hardcore MMA fans Japanese super hero? “The Punk” Ikuhisa Minowa (42-28-8) steps back inside the ring once again to the delight of fight fans everywhere. Watching him fight is always a treat and I suggest everyone tune in as you never know when we may see him finally retire. Get it while you can!

There is much more in store tonight on DREAM 13 including the chance to listen to one of the best announcers in all combat sports, “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and his amazing one-liners.

Until next time, in the words of The Voice, Goodnight Irene!

Razor Rob is having a viewing party this Sunday at Beachfront 301 on Main Street in Huntington Beach, California and I will be joining him to represent Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio. The party starts at 6 PM PST.

This is the first event the UFC has held on Versus and is headlined by “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-4) versus “Bones” Jon Jones (9-1). The co-main event for the event has “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (11-4) taking on Fighters.com fifth-ranked heavyweight “Cigano” Junior Dos Santos (10-1) in a fight to determine yet another challenger for the UFC heavyweight title.

Make sure to get there early and look for me wearing my MMA Gospel Radio signature shirt from KOBC Clothing. We look forward to meeting you.

Vera lost a unanimous decision to former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champ “The Natural” Randy Couture (17-10) at UFC 105 in Manchester November 14, but the decision was controversial and Vera may have earned respect for his performance in a grueling main event.

Jones lost to The Ultimate Fighter 3’s “Hammer” Matt Hamill (7-2) by disqualification when he threw an illegal “12-6″ elbow at SpikeTV’s  The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale in Las Vegas December 5.

Randy won a unanimous decision with scores of 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27.  This decision, along with the fight between Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0) and third-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4) made me wonder just what the judges are looking for and scoring during a fight.

The criteria for judging a mixed martial arts fight, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission is as follows: Clean Strikes, effective grappling, Octagon control, and effective aggressiveness.

What jumped out at me at first was the term “effective” Randy Couture did not have effective grappling in the fight. He used a clinch to push Vera against the cage (an argument can be made that he had Octagon control, but more on that later) but was never able to get him to the mat, whereas, in the third round, Vera managed to effectively take down Randy and pass to full mount.

How about effective aggressiveness you may ask?  This, per the NSAC, is defined as: “Who is moving forward and finding success. (scoring)  Throwing a strike moving backwards is not as effective as a strike thrown moving forward. Throwing strikes and not landing is not effective aggressiveness. Moving forward and getting struck is not effective aggressiveness. Shooting takedowns and getting countered and fended-off is not effective aggressiveness.”

So, using the proper criteria, did Randy do enough to win two, let alone all three rounds? He did move forward and clinch against the cage, but never scored much from that position. He attempted take downs, but got countered, thus giving Vera the edge in effective aggressiveness according to the strict NSAC guidelines.

The next criteria is Octagon control which is: “The fighter who is dictating the pace, place, and position of the fight. A striker who fends off a grappler’s takedown attempt to remain standing and effectively strike is Octagon control. A grappler who can take down an effective standing striker to ground fight is Octagon control. The fighter on the ground who creates submission, mount, or clean striking opportunities.”

Many believe Randy to have won this category. He did dictate where the fight took place by using the clinch against the cage. However, Brandon fended off his take down attempts, he took Randy down and went to mount. So, of the four parts that make up Octagon control, Randy owned one while Brandon was better at three of them. Thus giving Vera the edge in octagon control as well. Brandon Vera has now won three of the four criteria used in judging a fight per the NSAC.

However, we heard Cecil Peoples say he scores on who’s trying to finish a fight, not on number of strikes landed. I may have missed the part in the NSAC regulations that I have in front of me that states anything about trying to finish a fight. This is what leads me to believe scoring is arbitrary. There is a clear definition of what to look for and the order of importance with effective aggressiveness factored in last. It is the criteria of least importance. Since the definition calls for moving forward and scoring, it is imperative for the judges to look at the scoring first. Trying to finish a fight is effective aggressiveness as I have come to understand it. Landing leg kicks that essentially take away your opponents ability to strike and score effectively, as Mauricio Rua did to Lyoto Machida at UFC 104, is the essence of clean strikes. The leg kicks were both effective and efficient as per the NSAC guidelines.

After listening to Mr. Peoples and watching the two fights I have discussed, it is clear to me the judges are using their own criteria for scoring fights and not strictly following the guidelines laid out very clearly to them. In combat sports we have always had and will continue to have close decisions that people will argue about. As fans, journalists, and fighters, we need to speak loud and clear to the athletic commisions. Judges need to be held to a higher standard and someone needs to ensure they are scoring based on the correct guidelines and not based on the fact that it is Randy Couture in the cage or the fact that it is a title fight. Cecil Peoples proves by his comments that he is not scoring based on the proper criteria.

As the host of MMA Gospel Radio I did a segment called “Save MMA” where I discussed a few things we need to see in mixed martial arts to ensure a bright future for a sport instead of the dim situation we currently see in boxing. One of those ideas is to make the judges get a national certification rather than state-to-state certification. Included in this idea was that, in order to keep said certification, all judges must attend an evaluation course three times a year. The evaluation will consist of watching a fight and all judges will score the fight. The the scores will need to be defended in front of their colleagues using the guidelines they are to be following. This would help to eliminate a judge using his or her own criteria. If a judge is found to be scoring incorrect, that judge would be put on a probation period. If they continue to fights outside of the confines of the rules and regulations then their certification is revoked until they can demonstrate appropriate knowledge of the scoring system.

In the end, we can eliminate the arbitrary scoring we are currently seeing in mixed martial arts today. Then and only then can MMA step-up to take it’s place as the best sport in the world.

Reverend Turk Vangel, Gary Friedman, and Drew Hall will welcome Zack Mickelwright (9-1) to Saturday’s MMA Gospel Radio broadcast.  Listen live and join us in the chat room at www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel Saturday between 6:00 and 8:00 PM.

Fighters.com scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Vera.  After the decision was announced, Couture said, “You just dont know what the judges are looking at and what determines the fight.”

A dejected Vera left the cage upon hearing that he had lost and sat, head-shaking, on the steps to the cage.

Couture said, “Brandon is a great fighter and he had to dust off his wrestling skills for this one, and he did a great job.”

After Vera opened the bout exploding with a high kick and 1-2 combo, Couture took control of round one in the clinch, pressing Vera to the cage and working for takedowns.  Couture scored a trip takedown; but, Vera stood immediatley, back into Couture clinch.  The referee broke the clinch twice, but Couture controlled the round.

After the fight, Couture said, “I controlled a lot of the tempo of the fight.”

In round two, Vera dropped Cotoure with a left body kick followed by an overhand right.

“He kicked me hard,” said Couture.  “He stung me a good one.”

But, Vera pounced on Couture and only landed an elbow before the referee stood the fighters. 

“He got me again in the third round,” Couture admitted after Vera again landed a hard body kick in the final round.

But, Couture controlled much of the action again, without doing much damage.  Vera, though, turned the tables on Couture and scored a takedown in the final round.

UFC 105 takes place at M.E.N. Arena in Manchester November 14 and features a light heavyweight main event between “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10) and “Truth” Brandon Vera (11-3).

Fighters.com’s  ninth-ranked welterweight “Quick” Mike Swick (14-2) and tenth-ranked “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (22-6) will also matchup to determine the top UFC contender to Fighters.com and UFC Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2).

Fighters.com has learned Rogers has trained at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose for the fight, where UFC contender Cain Velasquez (6-0) and “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (27-9) train full-time.

In September, seventh-ranked “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1) cemented his ranking for October when he forced once-feared “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (25-8-2) to quit at 2:00 of round three at UFC 103 in Dallas.  The win wasn’t enough to push dos Santos ahead in the rankings though.  Let’s face the fact that Cro Cop is a shell of the fighter he once was.  Still, the “W” further justifies dos Santos’s place among the elite heavyweights.

The heavyweight “Cigano” forced from the top ten with a first round KO at UFC 90 in Montréal last October, “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1), returned to the elite list in October at the nine spot.  He tapped “MAK” Mike Kyle (11-7-1) in a guillotine in 1:24 at Strikeforce in San Jose August 15.

Second-ranked Brock Lesnar (4-1) will defend his UFC title from Shane Carwin (10-0) UFC 106 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas November 21.  The hype around this monster fight has been strangely muted, hasn’t it?

Former UFC champ and recent challenger, third-ranked Frank Mir (12-4) will fight Cheick Kongo (14-5-1) at UFC 107 in Memphis 12 December.

Tenth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10) has evidently followed through on his intimations to leave the heavyweight division and return to 205 where he’ll fight “Truth” Brandon Vera (11-3) at UFC 105 at M.E.N. Arena in Manchester November 14.

“Minotauro” Rodrigo-Nogueira”>Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) and “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) are waiting in limbo for potential title shots, Nog’ versus the winnner between Lesnar and Carwin and Barnett possibly versus “Junior” Antonio Silva (13-1) for a Sengoku title.

Fighters.com October Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (30-1)

2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)

3. Frank Mir (12-4)

4. “Minotauro” Rodrigo-Nogueira”>Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1)

5. “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-0)

6. Shane Carwin (10-0)

7. “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1)

8. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5)

9. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1)

10. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10)

As speculated Monday, the UFC welterweight contender matchup between American “Quick” Mike Swick (14-2) and Brit “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (22-6) was officially announced for Manchester.

The co-main event pits Brit “Count” Michael Bisping (17-2), returning from a highlight reel knockout loss to “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas in July, across the Octagon from Canadian Denis Kang (34-11-1).

The rest of the card includes:

Matt Brown (10-7) v “Lightning” James Wilks (4-2)
“Real Deal” Ross Pearson (14-5-1) v Aaron Riley (28-11-1)
Terry Etim (13-2) v Shannon Gugerty (12-3)
“Relentless” Paul Taylor (10-5-1) v. “Hitman” John Hathaway (10-0)
“Slick” Nick Osipczak (5-0) v Matthew Riddle (3-0)
Alexander Gustafsson (7-0) v Jared Hamman (2-1)
Andre Winner (10-3-1) v “Crazy Cuban” Rolando Delgado (6-4-1)

The matchup will be contested at the light heavyweight limit of 205 pounds, or 14 stone and nine pounds…cheerio!

Couture lost a three-round UD to fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) at UFC 102 in Portland August 29, Couture’s second consecutive loss.

Before fighting Nog’, Couture had publicly expressed interest in fighting Fighters.com’s Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Ryoto Machida (15-0) and didn’t rule out returning to 205 pounds in the post-102 press conference.

But, Vera is a long way from Machida in the light heavyweight class Couture once strode as champ.

Vera won a unanimous decision over “Polish Experiment” Krzysztof Soszynski (19-9-1) at UFC 102 and has collected three wins and a loss since dropping down from heavyweight on consecutive losses to top ten competition.  Vera’s loss at 205 pounds was a split decision to then top ten “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (14-6-1).

It’s the kind of matchup Couture has avoided his entire career in the Octagon.  Though his record is 16-10, win or lose, Couture has never fought outside of the top ten.  A win over Vera proves MMA’s Methuselah is still competitive, but a loss could consign “The Natural” to the next season of “Dancing with the Stars” or worse…”Bully Beatdown”.

Hamill tore his meniscus training for the fight and will rehab for three to four weeks, according Hamill’s trainer Duff Holmes at MMA Junkie.

Soszynski knocked out Andre Gusmao (5-2) at UFC 98 in Las Vegas 23 May making him 3-0 in the Octagan since coming up short during his stint on TUF.

Former heavyweight contender Vera is 2-1 since dropping to 205 pounds. He TKO’d Michael Patt (12-4) in the second round at UFC 96 in Columbus 7 March.

After a Jardine takedown to begin round one, Vera opened a cut on Jardine’s head with elbows from his guard.  The referee stood the fighters and Vera rattled Jardine with an uppercut; but, Jardine countered with a right hand that dropped Vera to a knee and Jardine beat-up Vera at the cage as the bell sounded.

Jardine began round two scoring with leg kicks until Vera took Jardine down and landed two crushing knees.  Jardine worked his way up, but caught a Vera body kick.

In round three, Jardine rushed face-first into a left hook, then caught another kick to the body.  Jardine clinched with Vera, maneuvered to to Vera’s back, and landed a barrage of right hands.  Vera wrestled away and landed a left hook.  The fighters searched, sometimes frantically, to seal the deal with a big shot, but the bell dinged with both fighters on their feet.

With the win, Jardine erased the memory of his 36-second knockout to seventh-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) at UFC 84 in Las Vegas 4 May.

“I’m sure I’m going to get another top ten guy real soon,” said Jardine after the win.  “So, no easy fights for me.  I’ve got to get back to work.”

Once boasting that he could hold titles at heavyweight and light heavyweight, Vera finds himself at a crossroads, having lost his last two fights versus top ten heavyweight opposition and, now, having lost his first fight versus a top ten 205er.

“Count” Michael Bisping (16-1) 185 pounds v “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4) 186 pounds

“I’m glad you guys let me into your country,” main event fighter Leben said at Thursday’s press conference.  “I was a little worried on the plane.”

Leben was originally scheduled to fight Bisping in London 7 June, but opted to put to rest legal issues in Oregon stemming from an earlier DUI arrest to ensure a legal UK visa.

But, the pressure is squarely on the shoulders of Brit Bisping, who told the press, “I am on a quest.  Losing this fight for me is not an option.”

Leben, wearing tight cornrows, chided his opponent, saying, “It seems to me that, when Michael Bisping fights, self-preservation is top on his list.”

A brawl would certainly benefit Leben.  Bisping’s stand-up style is a bit more circle-and-poke, while Leben is happy to plant and throw bombs.

“We’re going to be lettin’em fly!  We’re going to be having fun doin’ it,” Leben promised, which usually means they’ll knock their heads together shooting for takedowns at the opening bell.

But, let’s hope not.

Eighth-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) 205 pounds v “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2) 203 pounds

At the pre-fight press conference Thursday, a very serious Vera turned to Jardine and challenged, “We’re going to be together for 15 minutes in the Octagon and I hope, I hope we get to find out a lot about each other before one of us goes to sleep.”

Jardine agreed, and quipped, “He’s got a real pretty style; and, me, I got a real awkward, real mean style.  So, it’s kind of going to be kind of like a beauty and the beast type thing.”

Jardine is coming off a 36-second knockout loss to seventh-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-81) in May; and, Vera made a disappointing debut at 205-pounds in a unanimous decision “W” over Reese Andy (7-2) in July.

Vera, a former heavyweight, summed up the meaning of the fight: “Me and Keith are both at a point in our career right now where we get either to take one huge step forward or end up taking two or three steps back.”

“Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (14-4) 169 pounds vs. “Tellys” Paul Kelly (7-0) 169 pounds

Davis will try to come back strong from a loss to “Quick” Mike Swick (12-2) in June versus Kelly, who Davis called “a brawler.”

Davis put down the weights for this fight in favor of getting back to his boxing background.

“I’m going to make-up for it in technique and speed.  Being able to fight off angles and stuff like that.  It might look like I’m right in front of him, but I’m actually not going to be right in front of him,” Davis said.

Kelly, of Wolfslair Academy, revealed, “You never know where it’s going to be.  It’s MMA.  You know?  I can’t guarantee I’m going to put Marcus on the mat.  We’ve worked on what we think he’s going to do.”

Ninth-ranked “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) 205 pounds v “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) 206 pounds

“Lights Out” Chris Lytle (25-16-5) 170 pounds v “Relentless” Paul Taylor (9-3-1) 170 pounds

Akihiro Gono (28-12-7) 171 pounds v “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (19-6) 169 pounds

Shane Carwin (9-0) 264 pounds v “Old Skool” Neil Wain (4-0) 254 pounds

David Bielkheden (12-6) 156 pounds v “Joker” Jess Liaudin (12-10) 155 pounds

Terry Etim (10-2) 155 pounds v “Hands of Stone” Sam Stout (13-4-1) 155 pounds
 
David Baron (16-2) 155 pounds v Jim Miller (11-1) 155 pounds

“Dog” Samy Schiavo (10-5) 156 pounds v Per Eklund (13-3-1) 156 pounds

Jackson lost a decision to Griffin, but won a decision over third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7) and knocked out fourth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)…twice.

Henderson knocked out sixth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1), but lost the aforementioned decision to Jackson.

Liddell won a decision over Wanderlei Silva, but lost a decision to seventh-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) and, again, got knocked out by “Rampage”…twice.

Silva knocked out Jardine and has two TKOs of Jackson from PRIDE, but got knocked out by Henderson and lost a decision to Liddell.

Which leads me back to Jardine, who TKO’d Champ Griffin before he was Champ and won a decision over Liddell, only to be kayoed by Wanderlei Silva in 36 seconds.

Somewhere in that mixed soup of wins and losses from one through seven in Fighters.com’s September Heavyweight Rankings there’s order.  The following is Fighters.com’s version of it.

Conspicuously left out of the party is fifth-ranked “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0).  UFC President Dana White chose to match him down to formidable tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (13-0) rather than take his hard-earned shot at one of the division’s studs.

Evidently Machida still needs to prove himself while heavyweight Brock Lesnar (2-1) leap-frogged fifth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) this week for a crack at returning UFC Heavyweight Champion and Hall of Famer “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) after going 1-1 in the Octagon.  Hmmm…

After winning a UD over “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1), Machida should’ve drawn Liddell to determine a true top contender to the UFC title; but, instead, Liddell will make his case for a UFC title shot Saturday in Atlanta versus unranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1).  Hmmm…

“Rampage” seems fated to avenge PRIDE-era losses to Wanderlei Silva or ninth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3) in December…or not avenge those losses?

Jardine will fight former heavyweight “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2) in Birmingham; and, eighth-ranked Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) will fight fast-rising “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1).

Unfortunately, Henderson probably won’t return to the division he’s been most successful in the last two years.

September Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. Forrest Griffin (16-4)

“The Ultimate Fighter” is now truly the ultimate fighter after a close decision over Jackson, but now carries a target on his back in MMA’s most competitive division with Jackson, Liddell, and Machida taking aim.

2. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

Jackson returned from a 10-month holiday to lose a close UD to a hungry Griffin, but is 4-1 since bringing his “Rampage” to the cage.  He’s out-wrestled Olympian Hendo and became the only man to put Liddell on ice twice.

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7)

To think 205 is Hendo’s other weight class is astounding. A UD to Vitor Belfort paved a path for him to hold the PRIDE belt after a KO of long-time champ Silva. Henderson came up just short of unifying titles in a slog with ‘Page.  Until next time?

4. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)

Liddell has faced the toughest schedule the last two years, but fell consecutively to Jackson and Jardine.  He looked tough in his return to winning in the long-awaited face-off with Silva.

5. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0)

Versus Sokou, the undefeated “Dragon” proved he could fly high and finish; but, his UD over Tito Ortiz was back to boring. His measured style is as tough for opposition to decipher as it sometimes is for fans to watch. His “W” column reads like a who’s who of MMA, but Machida needs stoppages to excite.

6. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1)

It’s been a bloody mess for “The Axe Murderer” the last two years, but a 36-second slaughter of Jardine in May means the division still has to deal with one of it’s most popular names.

7. “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1)

A 36-second knockout loss to Silva, the third time he’s been kayoed in under a minute, left the “Dean” exposed amidst a division of big punchers.  But, wins over Liddell and Griffin keep him in the 205 mix.

8. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2)

Sokou had been punching fighters out of their top ten ranking until he ran into Machida, but there’s no shame in tapping to “The Dragon”.  Another big punch knocking out Kaz Nakamura in June stamped Sokou firmly in the top ten.

9. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3)

Whether injury, energy, or focus was the issue, Rua debuted in the UFC with a loss to then-struggling Griffin after earning the kudos of many with PRIDE wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem and Kazuhiro Nakamura.  His injured knee leaves him out of active duty until December.

10. Thiago Silva (13-0)

Undefeated in four Octagon appearances, Silva was the first to expose Houston Alexander‘s ground game and recently made “Antonio Mendes scream “uncle” beneath a brutal first-round G’n'P barrage.  He’s only seen the second round once in the last two years.

In Las Vegas 4 July, Fighters.com’s new Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) worked over now top contender “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) with leg kicks in a close unanimous decision.

Though Griffin hopped seven spots to take the championship, the decision loss was close enough that Jackson only drops one rank.

Jackson has declared his next opponent to be sixth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1), who drops a rank on Griffin’s ascension; but, no official word has come from the UFC.

Jackson versus Silva would make a trilogy that Silva dominated 2-0 in PRIDE.

Griffin will probably fight the winner of fourth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) versus “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1), which gets on in Atlanta 6 September, but may also take on the winner of fifth-ranked “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0) versus tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (13-0) in Birmingham 18 October.

The debate rages across Internet message boards about who the top contender to Griffin’s title is: Jackson, Liddell, or Machida?

It seems third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson will stay at 185-pounds after an impressive three-fight run at light heavyweight.

Seventh-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) will fight former heavyweight “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2) in Birmingham.

On the same card, eighth-ranked “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) will fight rising dark horse “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1).

Ninth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3) remains on the DL with a knee injury.

August Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. Forrest Griffin (16-4)

“The Ultimate Fighter” is now truly the ultimate fighter after a close decision over Jackson, but now carries a target on his back in MMA’s most competitive division with Jackson, Liddell, and Machida taking aim.

2. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

Jackson returned from a 10-month holiday to lose a close UD to a hungry Griffin, but is 4-1 since bringing his “Rampage” to the cage.  He’s out-wrestled Olympian Hendo and became the only man to put Liddell on ice twice.

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7)

To think 205 is Hendo’s other weight class is astounding. A UD to Vitor Belfort paved a path for him to hold the PRIDE belt after a KO of long-time champ Silva. Henderson came up just short of unifying titles in a slog with ‘Page.  Until next time?

4. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)

Liddell has faced the toughest schedule the last two years, but fell consecutively to Jackson and Jardine.  He looked tough in his return to winning in the long-awaited face-off with Silva.

5. “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0)

Versus Sokou, the undefeated “Dragon” proved he could fly high and finish; but, his UD over Tito Ortiz was back to boring. His measured style is as tough for opposition to decipher as it sometimes is for fans to watch. His “W” column reads like a who’s who of MMA, but Machida needs stoppages to excite.

6. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1)

It’s been a bloody mess for “The Axe Murderer” the last two years, but a 36-second slaughter of Jardine in May means the division still has to deal with one of it’s most popular names.

7. “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1)

A 36-second knockout loss to Silva, the third time he’s been kayoed in under a minute, left the “Dean” exposed amidst a division of big punchers.  But, wins over Liddell and Griffin keep him in the 205 mix.

8. “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2)

Sokou had been punching fighters out of their top ten ranking until he ran into Machida, but there’s no shame in tapping to “The Dragon”.  Another big punch knocking out Kaz Nakamura in June stamped Sokou firmly in the top ten.

9. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3)

Whether injury, energy, or focus was the issue, Rua debuted in the UFC with a loss to then-struggling Griffin after earning the kudos of many with PRIDE wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem and Kazuhiro Nakamura.  His injured knee leaves him out of active duty until December.

10. Thiago Silva (13-0)

Undefeated in four Octagon appearances, Silva was the first to expose Houston Alexander‘s ground game and recently made “Antonio Mendes scream “uncle” beneath a brutal first-round G’n'P barrage.  He’s only seen the second round once in the last two years.

His dismantling of “Big” Tim in 36 seconds earned him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, jumping from sixth and dumping Sylvia from third to seventh.

The “W” strips naked UFC President Dana White’s proclamation that all other promotions are the minor leagues, at least at north of 205-pounds.

In fact, Emelianenko’s victory makes clear that the Octagon hasn’t been the proving grounds for the world’s top heavyweights for quite some time.

The UFC Champ, second-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), took a thrashing from Sylvia in February before tapping the two-time UFC titlist in a guillotine.

Nogueira loses his Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, falling into the top contender spot, but a top contender whose register already records two UD losses to the new champ four years ago.

Nog’ is set to clash with un-ranked former UFC Champ Frank Mir (11-3) after Mir tapped rook’ Brock Lesnar (1-1), which tells you all you need to know about the UFC heavyweight class.

But, Emelianenko’s new promoter, Affliction, is playing the name game too.

Emelianenko will fight fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5) in October after Arlovski knocked out up-and-comer “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-6) on the same Affliction debut card.

Fighters.com considers “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett(23-5) Affliction’s top contender after MMA’s otoko viciously knocked “Rock” Pedro Rizzo(16-8) cold and leap-frogged Arlovski to place third in August’s rankings.

Rizzo may not be the fighter of UFC highlight reels; but, Barnett stood with the still-dangerous striker to earn the KO.

But, Affliction opted for the highly recognizable and heavily hirsute mug of Arlovski over Barnett, whom, though legendary across the Pacific, is only just re-acquainting his babyface with the mainstream North American audience.

Fighters.com considers fifth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) the top contender to the UFC title; but, the Brazilian lingers as Nogueira v Mir remains an unscheduled inevitability.

Sixth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) drops four spots in August due to inactivity.

Fighters.com quizzed sources at Xtreme Couture about why the originally intended October Emelianenko v Couture match-up was so quickly brushed aside by Affliction and got responses reflecting the increasingly pessimistic outlook from Couture’s camp, “There is no sense waiting for something that’s not guaranteed to ever happen.”

Eighth-ranked “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13) fights Brock Lesnar (1-1) next weekend in Minneapolis in the face of odds-makers’ slights.

“Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) found a bit of his old mojo last month with gimme’ “W” over Justin McCully (8-4-2), propelling him into the ninth ranking.

Tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) failed to meet California State Athletic Commission Standards to fight “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (26-10) in Anaheim 19 July, but no one is confirming why.

Fighters.com heard the Hepatitis rumor the day after Affliction’s premier, but hasn’t reported it because no one will confirm it.

August Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1)

Emelianenko took his right-left combo and used it to erase “doubt” from Fighters.com’s rankings when he dismantled Sylvia.  The depth of his recent opposition remains shallow; but, taking Sylvia apart quicker than anyone else earns him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship to defend from Arlovski in October.

2. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him the Fighters.com’s top contender spot.

3. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (23-5)

“Babyface Assassin” is on a tear with a KO of Pedro Rizzo, UD over Jeff Monson, and submission of Hidehiko Yoshida, but no recent work at the top of the division.  Arlovski got the October nod versus Emelianenko, but Barnett should get a top ten test too.

4. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5)

“Pitbull” got his bite back versus Ben Rothwell, adding the KO to a UD over Werdum and a pair or wins over lesser competition.  Arlovski will need all the bite he has left versus Emelianenko in October.

5. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, then played a samba on Brandon Vera‘s head in June.  Werdum is streaking into a rematch with Noguiera for the UFC and probably Fighters.com title.

6. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6’8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

7. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-5)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are only to legends Emelianenko, Nogueira, and Couture.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will fight an even bigger name in Brock Lesnar.

9. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

10. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emporer”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.

The UFC also confirmed two more bouts on the card, between light heavyweights “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) and “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2), and between welterweights “Lights Out” Chris Lytle (25-16-5) and Paul Taylor (9-3-1).

Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked Jardine looks to rebound from a 36-second knockout loss to fifth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) in May.

Vera won a unanimous decision over Reese Andy (7-3) at Ultimate Fight Night 14 last week.  He is 1-0 since moving down a weight class.

Lytle lost a unanimous decision in May to fourth-ranked Josh Koscheck (13-2).

Taylor won a split decision over “Joker” Jess Liaudin (13-11) in June.

“The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2) def. Reese Andy (7-3) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 29-28).

“The Answer” Frank Edgar (9-1) def. Hermes Franca (18-7) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 30-27).

Cain Velasquez (4-0) def.  Jake O’Brien (10-2) via TKO, 2:02 of round one.

“The Fire” Kevin Burns (7-2) def. “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (5-2) via TKO, 3:35 of round three.

“Doberman” CB Dollaway (7-1) def. Jesse Taylor (6-3) via submission (Peruvian necktie), 3:58 of round one.

Timothy Credeur (10-2) def. Cale Yarbrough (0-1) via TKO (punches), 1:54 of round one.

Rory Markham (16-4) def. Brodie Farber (13-4) via KO (head kick), 1:37 of round one.

Nate Loughran (9-0) def. Johnny Rees (10-1) via submission (triangle), 4:21 of round one.

“Bad” Brad Blackburn (15-9-1) def. James Giboo (11-3) via TKO (strikes), 2:29 of round two.

Shannon Gugerty (11-2) def. Dale Hartt (5-1) via submission (rear naked choke), 3:33 of round one.

There were a couple of shakers this month, but no movers.

In London 7 June, seventh-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) played a samba on “The Truth” Brandon Vera‘s (8-2) noggin for a first round TKO.

Werdum remains the top contender to “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira‘s (31-4-1) UFC Heavyweight Championship.

Of course, Big Nog’ is pitted versus struggling, but dangerous former UFC Champion Frank Mir (11-3) in a made-for-TUF match-up in October.

Werdum will probably draw the winner of 9 August’s eighth-ranked “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13) versus Brock Lesnar (1-1) fight, maybe on the same October UFC card to build the follow-up versus the winners.

Also in action this rankings period, tenth-ranked “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) blew through confidence-booster Justin McCully (8-4-2) in Las Vegas 5 July to break a two-fight losing streak for the man who sentenced “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) down a spiral the Croatian has yet to ascend from.

This weekend in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, Affliction will twist the heavyweight Rubik’s cube and a lot of colorful riddles will turn black-and-white.

With bated breath, the MMA world awaits the answer to biggest mystery in the division:  How good is sixth-ranked “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)?

Many rank the Russian tops, but even his minions struggle like “Techno Goliath” Hong Man Choi (1-1) in an armbar to defend Emelianenko’s two-year dearth of top competition.

Will third-ranked “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) shake his history of choking in the face of the big challenges?  Sylvia has always fought tougher as an underdog…

On the same card, fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5) and “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-5) have heavyweight questions to face-up to.

Can Arlovski regain his pre-Sylvia KO tenacity that earned him the nickname “Pitbull”; or, is he comfortable fighting “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0) for the title of “MMA’s Most Elusive”?

Is Rothwell “Big” enough for the top ten?

Also, fifth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (21-5) will try to avenge a vicious 2001 knockout to “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-7) and earn a fight versus the winner of Sylvia/Emelianenko.

Finally, ninth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) will slug it out with “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (25-10) on the undercard’s main event, possibly the most exciting fight of the night.

Fighters.com will be live in Anaheim Saturday for the biggest heavyweight MMA card in history.  Get the true scoop as it happens right here.

The odd man out is legally-challenged top contender “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8), who could lose his top contender status this weekend if Emelianenko beats Sylvia by stoppage.

July Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship.

2. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6’8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

3. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson.

4. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5)

“Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07.  Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire.

5. “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (21-5)

“The Babyface Assassin” returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and UD Jeff Monson and is the last man to beat Noguiera. He also holds a submission of hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years.

6. “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)

Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn’t fought another top ten heavyweight in 33 months.   He’ll take sixth and like it or take first by defeating Sylvia in July.

7. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, then played a samba on Brandon Vera‘s head in June.  Werdum is streaking into a rematch with Noguiera for the UFC and probably Fighters.com title.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongoin March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will fight an even bigger name in Brock Lesnar.

9. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emporer”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.

10. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

White denied the reason to hold the event was to counter the Affliction’s Banned debut, on pay-per-view the same night.

UFC and Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “The Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4) is expected to headline against “The Sandman” James Irvin (14-4) in light heavyweight match-up.

Silva will not give up his middleweight title and is expected to return to that weight division.

Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked lightweight Hermes Franca (18-6) versus “The Answer” Frank Edgar (8-1) will also be on the card, up from their scheduled fight in Minneapolis 9 August.

As well, heavyweight “The Truth” Brandon Vera (8-2) and Reese Andy (7-1) will meet in a light heavyweight bout; and Cain Velasquez (3-0) is to face Jake O’Brien (10-1).

Hughes stalked Alves for a takedown at the first bell, settling for bottom position by pulling guard, but never finding the submission opportunity he thought he could force.

Again, Hughes took the Brazilian to the mat mid-way through the first and smothered the kickboxer; but, Alves utilized butterfly guard to neutralize Hughes’s offense.

The only damage done on the mat in round one was after the confident “Pitbull” bulldogged the veteran to the mat and hammered a crevice in Hughes’s nose with an elbow strike.

Hughes, like Gracie at UFC 60, was impotent. Alves wasn’t falling for the tried and true tricks, wasn’t physically overwhelmed by the stocky farm boy from rural Illinois, and wasn’t intimidated by the future Hall of Famer’s legacy.

The second round was short; the end poignant.

Hughes ducked for the takedown that’s served as a sure-shot for ten years; and, Alves flew the distance between him and Hughes, colliding into Hughes’s right jaw with his left knee.

One punch later and referee Herb Dean waved off the fight, and, officially, the Matt Hughes era.

Alves never doubted the outcome, but remained humble while pleading from the Octagon, “Mr. Dana White, I’ve been a good boy, please give me a title shot!”

“He got me, no doubt,” Hughes admitted.

For Hughes, there remains a grudge match with fourth-ranked “Terror” Matt Serra (9-5), then a lot of prayer and consultation with his family for the proudly Christian husband and father of two.

UFC 85′s co-main event featured a pair of UFC heavyweight title contenders, seventh-ranked“Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum(11-3-1) and perennial Pinoy prospect “The Truth” Brandon Vera (8-2), ending in a controversy that’s much ado about nothing.

Werdum quite simply spanked “The Truth” from full mount to a first round TKO at 4:40.

“There was 15 seconds left [in round one]. Let me take my ass whupping and let’s go to a second round,” complained Vera.

But, that’s not the rule Octagon referees are instructed to enforce. Vera had made no attempt to improve his position or fight back while mounted by “Vai Cavalo” and he knows clamming-up and waiting for the round to end is not an “intelligent defense.”

After two exciting finishes, Werdum moved passed his boring Octagon debut versus fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski(12-5) into the UFC top contender’s spot.

After being outsized for the second straight fight, Vera should seriously comtemplate a move to 205-pounds.

Take a cue from “The Count” Michael Bisping (16-1), who again ran roughshod over an opponent in his new weight class of 185-pounds.

Canadian “Dooms Day” Jason Day (17-6) withered under the pressure of the big lights in London and big fists of Britain’s Count of The Cage, Bisping, in a first-round TKO at 3:42.

“People think I have no wrestling, no ground game. Have a bit of faith!” Bisping said after taking Day to the mat twice before pounding him out.

Day was intended to serve a challenge on the ground to Bisping, who’ll now look for bigger match-ups in the middleweight division.

And, “Quick” Mike Swick (12-2) propelled himself into contender talk in his new weight class of 170-pounds after ending “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis‘s (14-4) eleven-fight win streak in a dominating UD.

Davis never overcame 6’1″ Swick’s height and reach advantage, neutralizing Davis’s powerful boxing combos.

When Swick took Davis to the mat, “Quick’s” dynamic assault sealed the 29-27 times three unanimous decision which left Davis with a deep crevice on his left cheek.

Middleweight Thales Leites (13-1) won a split decision on point deductions over Nathan Marquardt (26-8-2).

Leites floored Marquardt with a straight right in the first round, which was later avenged with a right uppercut from Marquardt that sent Leites to the fence.

Marquardt dominated the final two rounds with G’n'P that broke Leites’s nose in the second round.

However, Marquardt was deducted a point in the second round for an illegal knee to Leites’s head while Leites’s knees were still touching the mat.

In the third, referee Herb Dean deducted another point from Marquardt for an elbow to the back of the head after Dean repeatedly warned the former title challenger. Upon replay, the strike seemed to land on the side of Leites’s head, not the back.

One judged scored the fight 28-27 for Marquardt; but, the other two agreed with Fighters.com with the score of 28-27 for Leites.

In the events most exciting fight, “Handsome” Matt Wiman (10-3) upset lightweight prospect Thiago Tavares (13-2), leaving Tavares slumped at the cage after a barrage of Wiman punches knocked Tavares out at 1:57 of round two.

Xtreme Couture kickboxer “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (16-2) tapped middleweight veteran “El Conquistador” Jorge Rivera (15-7) in a guillotine choke at 2:44 of round one.

UFC debuting Kevin Burns (6-1) earned “Submission of the Night” with a triangle choke of American Top Team “Jucao” Roan Carneiro (12-7) at 2:53 of round two.

“Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) TKO’d “Punisher” Jason Lambert (23-8) at 2:07 of round one in a light heavyweight fight.

Brit welterweight Paul Taylor (9-3-1) won a split decision over Frenchman “Joker” Jess Liaudin (12-10).

Dutch heavyweight Antoni Hardonk (7-4) TKO’d Eddie Sanchez (8-2) at 4:15 of round two.

Through no fault of his own of course, Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) won’t meet either threshold when he defends his UFC title versus Frank Mir (11-3).

So, what’s Fighters.com to do?  Second-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) admitted this week to Canada’s Globe and Mail, “I’m also OK with the idea that [I may not fight again].  I may get a bad [court] ruling and I can’t really see myself at this point going back and fighting two more times for the UFC if that’s what the state says I have to do.”

Should 19 July’s more competitive match-up between third-ranked “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) and sixth-ranked “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) be for Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Championship?

Both Sylvia and fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5) climbed two spots on fifth-ranked “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett‘s (22-5) inability to put away “The Snowman” Jeff Monson in Tokyo last month coupled with Barnett’s submission of ninth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) falling off his two-year record.

Of course, Arlovski officially announced today that he’ll fight top heavyweight prospect Ben Rothwell (29-5) 19 July.  Rothwell steps-in well-hyped from the IFL and Arlovski looks to shake out of his funk.

Barnett returns on the same undercard to seek revenge from a 2001 KO loss versus now largely irrelevant “The Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-7) and Aleksander Emelianenko fights “The Headhunter” Paul Buentello (25-10) in my pick for fight of the night in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles.

This weekend in London, seventh-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and returning prospect “The Truth” Brandon Vera (8-1) will battle for the UFC’s top contender spot.

Eighth-ranked “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13) will fill-in for injured “Hammer” Mark Coleman (15-9) versus the UFC’s version of market-friendly “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-0), former pro-wrestler Brock Lesnar (1-1), in a fight that shouldn’t even be sanctioned, but only a big lug like Herring could find a way to lose.

In July, tenth-ranked “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) has a lot to prove versus Justin McCully (8-3-2); and, McCully might be thinking the same thing.

June Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship.

2. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6’8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

3. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson.

4. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5)

“Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07.  Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire.

5. “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (22-5)

“The Babyface Assassin” returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and UD Jeff Monson and is the last man to beat Noguiera. He also holds a submission of hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years.

6. “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)

Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn’t fought another top ten heavyweight in 33 months.   He’ll take sixth and like it or take first by defeating Sylvia in July.

7. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, his fourth consecutive top ten matchup, going 2-2 with two stoppage wins.  He’s matched versus fellow UFC title contender Brandon Vera 7 June.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will fight an even bigger name in Brock Lesnar.

9. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emperor”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.

10. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

The only April action was a first round TKO of Silvao Santos (1-1) by tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3).  It might as well have been a Monday morning sparring session.

So, why did “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) and “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) sink a spot respectively?  Sylvia’s stoppage of “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5) in 2006 fell off their two-year records, which is the time span Fighters.com considers when ranking fighters.

The division’s future is just as bleak as the recent past.

Adrenaline MMA still insists Emelianenko’s claim of an official fight with Sylvia in June is false.  To boot, the promotion that promotes Sylvia and rising heavyweight Ben Rothwell (29-5) claims Emelianenko’s delinquent repayment of a $500,000 signing bonus left over from the M-1 Global era is also holding up a fight for Rothwell on the same card.  Though Rothwell insists it ain’t happenin’, he’s been rumored to have been matched versus Arlovski.

All four fighters and the entire division need those two fights.

Unfortunately, third-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett‘s (21-5) rise will be short-lived because his submission of tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) will fall off his two-year record next month.  He’s scheduled to grapple with always competitive “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-7) at Sengoku this month; but, even the expected “W” can’t replace the submission of Emelianenko.

The UFC has scheduled a contender match-up between seventh-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and “The Truth” Brandon Vera (8-1) for London in June.  A win for Vera will launch him into the division’s top ten; a win for “Vai Cavalo” will prove that he belongs.

First-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) is rumored to be mauling a UFC title defense against Frank Mir (11-3).  For the love of God!  Mir is a gentleman, a technician on the mat, and a fine fighter.  He is not the top heavyweight contender in the UFC.

So goes a division where “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (2-0) and Brock Lesnar (1-1) make bank at the box office.

May Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him Fighters.com’s first ranking at heavyweight.

2. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6’8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

3. “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (21-5)

“The Babyface Assassin” returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and is the last man to beat Noguiera. Even with an involuntary 14-month layoff, he holds submissions over tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko and hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years.

4. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson.

5. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5)

“Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07.  Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire.

6. “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)

Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn’t fought another top ten heavyweight in 32 months.   He’ll take sixth and like it, or take first in a real fight.  It’s his decision.

7. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, his fourth consecutive top ten matchup, going 2-2 with two stoppage wins.  He’s likely Nogueira’s first UFC title challenge in a rematch that ended in a close decision for Nogueira in PRIDE.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will valiantly defend the gate to the UFC’s gold.

9. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

10. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emporer”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.

The former co-main event was promoted after “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) was removed from his match-up versus “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1) with a pulled hamstring.

Vera, whose father is Filipino, is in the Philippines promoting the fight.

Evans has been removed from the official card and there’s no word whether he’ll be matched against a light heavyweight replacement for Liddell.

Vera’s father, Ernesto, is Filipino from Quezon and “The Truth” is Tagalog-fluent.

A report by Manila Standard Today quotes Vera as describing his 6 June foe, Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked heavyweight “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum, as “My most dangerous foe to date.  I’ve never fought someone as good and as dangerous as Fabricio.”

Vera will rebound from an October 2007 unanimous decision loss to Fighters.com’s third-ranked heavyweight and former UFC champ “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) in which “The Truth” injured his thumb.

“The fight was boring,” Vera told the Manila Standard Today.  “It’s one of those fights that I wish I never fought.  It looked like it took half a day when it took only 15 minutes to finish it.”

Vera and Werdum will fight in London on the undercard of the “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) versus Rashad Evans (11-0-1) main event.

Loose lips had already divulged details for both events.

At the MGM Grand Garden Arena 24 May, “The Prodigy” BJ Penn will defend his UFC Lightweight Championship against the improper advances of former 155-pound champ Sean Sherk, returning from a banned substances suspension.

My Portuguese is a little rusty, but Wanderlei Silva has also confirmed via his blog that he’s signed to fight Keith Jardine on the Vegas strip.

Other rumored bouts include:

Ryoto Machida v Tito Ortiz
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou v Kazuhiro Nakamura
Rashad Evans v Thiago Silva
Wilson Gouveia v Goran Reljic
Rousimar Palhares v Ivan Salaverry
Dong-hyun Kim v Jason Tan
Terry Etim v Jeremy Stephens
Shane Carwin v Christian Wellisch

At 02 Arena in London 7 June, light heavyweights Chuck Liddell and  Mauricio Rua will headline in a fight that not too long ago would’ve been considered the king-maker at 205.

Brandon Vera has also confirmed he’ll return versus Fabricio Werdum in London.

Brock Lesnar is also rumored to return on this fight card.