We head first to MMAFighting for confirmation that UFC 136 will feature Grispi/Grice and Herman/Russow.

Up next is a report at MMA Weekly that states that UFC 136 will also host an encounter between Demian Maia and Jorge Santiago.

Dave Herman recently made his UFC debut against Jon Olav Einemo at UFC 131. Herman was a late replacement for Shane Carwin, who was Einemo’s original opponent. After enduring some heavy shots, Herman would end up rallying and TKO’ing his opponent in a “Fight of the Night” performance.

Mike Russow is currently 14-1 and riding high on a three-fight win-streak inside the Octagon. Russow’s biggest moment came when he KO’d Todd Duffee in an incredible third-round comeback that won him “Knockout of the Night”. Most recently, Russow earned a doctor stoppage win over John Madsen.

Once regarded as the last great threat to current UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo, former WEC veteran Josh Grispi has yet to taste victory inside of the Octagon. Grispi entered the UFC 14-1 and with a flawless 4-0 record in the WEC, but has lost back-to-back fights in the UFC.

Matt Grice, meanwhile, is fighting in the UFC for the second time after getting released in 2009 after going 1-3 inside the Octagon. Grice earned another shot inside the Octagon by chaining together four straight wins outside of it, with three stoppages. However, Grice lost his recent UFC re-debut by first-round TKO.

When he first debuted inside the Octagon and started submitting people left and right, Demian Maia was hyped as a Royce Gracie for the modern generation. After his initial run of submission wins, Maia would go 3-3 in his next six, with deflating losses to Anderson Silva and Nate Marquardt. Most recently, Maia lost a Unanimous Decision to Mark Munoz. Maia’s recent fights have seen him display improving stand-up, which is likely why he’s still able to win some fights even though he hasn’t submitted anybody in two years.

At UFC 130, Jorge Santiago re-entered the UFC with a considerable amount of hype after going on a great run in Japan. Santiago was immediately matched up against Brian Stann, and unfortunately for Santiago, Stann would put on a striking clinic before TKO’ing Santiago in Round 2.

Although these fights will probably take place near the start of the show or even on the undercard, I like them. I think this is more smart booking by the UFC, and if you take an “it is what it is” outlook on these fights, they should be pretty enjoyable. Yes, they’re not the best fighters, but they should be entertaining fights nonetheless.

I’m interested to see what Dave Herman does now that he’s got some hype around him. I’m also interested to see if Mike Russow can continue to try and emerge out of the shadow of his KO win over Duffee.

I think it’s “do or die” time for Josh Grispi, and that if he doesn’t win this fight he’s definitely going to be cut. I think you could make an argument for cutting Grice if he loses this fight as well.

Santiago/Maia has a lot on the line too. I really think this is Maia’s last chance to get back some of that hype he had way back when, because if he doesn’t win this fight he’s probably going to fade off into the background and never return to the spotlight. Santiago needs a win badly too, since he came into the UFC with so much hype.

Overall, UFC 136 looks to be an amazing event. And it gets even better with Part 2.

The winner of said bout will be making a strong case for himself to challenge for the promotion’s middleweight crown, as Demian Maia and Mark Munoz will now be meeting inside the octagon.

The June event in question, UFC 131, which takes place in Vancouver, Canada at the Rogers Arena on June 11. The main-event of the pay-per-view will pit former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar against top contender Junior dos Santos, and with that much generated interested on said bout, both Maia and Munoz will be in an unenviable position to be viewed by millions of fans world wide.

UFC officials recently announced said middleweight bout, which could potentially see co-main event honors on said card.

Maia was last seen in action when he picked up a dominating decision win last December at “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale” when he bested season 3 winner of TUF, Kendall Grove over the course of the three-rounds of action. The win helped extend a two-fight win streak which began on the heels of his loss to current title holder Anderson Silva in April of last year.

Munoz, meanwhile, is also enjoying a two-fight winning streak inside the UFC. Earlier this month, Mark was pitted against another talented wrestler in TUF veteran C.B. Dollaway. While many were wary of the match-up pitting two wrestlers against one another, the fight produced fireworks very quickly, as Mark was able to stun Dollaway almost immediately. Eventually, the “Kings MMA” product was able stun C.B. with a sharp right hand, followed by an uppercut which sent him staggering to the canvas. A few more shots eventually had secured Munoz the victor by way of knockout in just 54 seconds of the opening round.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the new match-up? Who do you favor? Mark has some of the best wrestling credentials in the business, and while Maia is lauded for his world class submission skills, will he be able to take Mark to the ground and implement his game? Only time will tell. Sound off in the comment section below.

The worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion recently held a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in order to announce it’s intentions on returning to the tropical country for the first time since October 1998.

Many native Brazilian fighters have already expressed their desires to compete on the card, ranging from champions Anderson Silva and Mauricio Rua, to top contenders Thiago Alves and now Demian Maia is among them.

Demian was last seen in action when he defeated season three winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Kendall Grove at the TUF 12 Finale show this past December in Las Vegas. Maia is now riding a two-fight win streak since dropping a decision defeat to the aforementioned champion in Anderson last April in hopes to claim the middleweight crown.

Now back in good footing within the organization, Maia is positioned at the top of the rankings once again and hopes not only to make 2011 a successful year for himself, but he hopes it will mark a return four-years in the making since he last competed before his countryman.

“I’m waiting… I’d like to fight in Brazil in August, it’s what I want the most, but there’s nothing confirmed”, said Maia who recently spoke with TATAME.com.

“My manager is talking to the guys there”, said Demian, excited with the possibility of fighting again in Brazil after over four years. “I can’t say much, I’ve fought MMA few times in Brazil and for me it’d be, like the Americans say, priceless”.

“UFC: Rio” is scheduled for August 27 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The venue can hold upwards of 18,000 in capacity, which in retrospect is not the largest gate that the organization can pull, however it marks a true milestone in the sport if they hope to make a successful splash back in Brazil, which has produced some of the best fighters in the world. In the UFC alone, three of it’s seven champions (Anderson Silva, Maurcio Rua, and Jose Aldo) are Brazilian, which speaks about the country as a beacon of the sport, much like how Las Vegas and Canada have continued to become hot beds for mixed martial arts.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Maia’s wishes to return to competition in Brazil? Do you think he’s one of the fighters on the forefront to compete in his native country? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Demian Maia

After several big “fall from grace” moments that came in the form of a KO loss to Nate Marquardt and a humiliating Unanimous Decision loss to Anderson Silva, it appears that Demian Maia has finally begun to win back some of the luster he had when he first entered the UFC and was being hailed as the next Royce Gracie. Stann has only been submitted once, but he’s never faced an expert the caliber of Maia. This fight would prove that Stann is well-rounded enough to overcome any threat in all areas of the MMA game, because make no mistake, Maia is still an ace on the ground and his stand-up continues to show noticeable improvement.

4. Alan Belcher

This fight would test Stann’s adaptability and especially his takedown defense. It would be entertaining, of that there can be no doubt, because Belcher has no problem making it a brawl if you want to make it a brawl. The test for Stann, however, lies not in who brawls the best, but what he’ll do if and when Belcher feels that he’d stand a better chance of winning the fight by taking Stann down. If Stann can deal with Belcher’s strong takedowns and his brawling prowess, he’d set himself up for several major match-ups in the future.

3. Michael Bisping

We know Brian Stann can beat Chris Leben, but we also know that, for all intents and purposes, Michael Bisping is a better version of Chris Leben. Bisping has better Octagon control, more precise punches, and a very good ground game. Much like Leben, Bisping is also on a pretty good win-streak right now and once again he’s flirting with top-division status. If Stann puts another halt to another good win-streak, he’ll have earned a sizeable amount of credibility with the UFC top brass, who will most likely begin taking him seriously as a true top-division threat.

2. Nate Marquardt

I think we’ve all been forced to realize that Nate Marquardt shines against mid-level competition but consistently falters when matched up against high-level threats. More than any other fight, this one would prove which of those two classes of fighters Stann belongs to. If Stann isn’t ready for the absolute best, Marquardt should be able to beat him and perhaps even beat him dramatically. But if Stann is a true championship contender, he’ll prove that by beating Marquardt.

And my #1 pick for Brian Stann’s next opponent is…

1. Wanderlei Silva

I admit that this is the Wanderlei Silva fanboy in me talking. A lot of people have taken to calling out Wanderlei recently, now that he’s established some credibility in the Middleweight division by scoring a thrilling victory over Michael Bisping. I think Wanderlei vs. Stann would be an epic brawl that would only end with one man face-down on the canvas and out cold. Even though Silva is still in the process of finding himself in the crowded UFC Middleweight division, this fight has the most potential to be exhilarating, entertaining, and a firm step in the right direction for whomever ends up winning it.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think of Brian Stann, and who would you like to see him fight in the future?

First we head to MMA Weekly, where a report indicates that the unofficial attendance for the TUF 12 finale stands at around 1,622. The live gate receipt was about $380,000. According to the report, these unofficial numbers come from UFC officials at the show’s post-fight press conference. The Nevada State Athletic Commission will release the official numbers in the next few days.

We then head to Sherdog for a report that reveals which fighters pocketed the traditional “Fight of the Night”, “Knockout of the Night”, and “Submission of the Night” bonuses that are handed out at the end of every UFC event. Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan both received the “Fight of the Night” award for their fight, despite the fact that it ended in a highly-controversial decision that saw Garcia the victor when an overwhelming majority felt that the fight should have gone to Phan. Preliminary card fighter Pablo Garza scored the only KO of the evening, but it was quite the vicious KO, so he rightfully received the “Knockout of the Night” award. “Submission of the Night” went to former TUF 12 contestant Cody McKenzie and his dreaded, patented Guillotine Choke. All four men received a $30,000 bonus for their spirited performances.

While I do think that Phan/Garcia was “Fight of the Night”, part of me suspects that this award was handed to them chiefly as a consolation prize. I’ve already said my piece on this fight, I’ve spoken about it at length in fact, so all I’ll say is that this fight typified the best and worst things about the UFC right now: it was an entertaining and fast-paced fight between two talented fighters that ended in a decision that absolutely went to the wrong man. I know this isn’t the UFC’s fault, as so many are quick to point out, but something must be done about this, and soon.

I was able to catch the Pablo Garza KO online, and I can say without hyperbole that it gave some of the Strikeforce: “Henderson vs. Babalu” KO’s a run for their money. The sound of Garza’s knee hitting his opponent’s chin was a big “jump out of your seat” moment. I really wish that fight could’ve made the main card.

Cody McKenzie’s guillotine was a good submission, but more and more I’m thinking that he’s a one-trick pony. It’ll be interesting to see how McKenzie does against either a high-level striker or a high-level submission expert. For now, though, who am I to criticize? He may have only one weapon, but so long as it keeps working, I can’t fault him for winning fights. It’s up to his opponents to prepare for the choke, but for now, McKenzie made a great UFC debut and scored himself a good win.

So, what about you fans and friends? Any opinion on the award winners, their fights, or the unofficial attendance and gate numbers?

Next for Leonard Garcia/Nam Phan: If you’ve followed this series, you’d know by know why I occasionally group two fighters together. For those new to “What’s Next”, however, here’s a brief explanation: I’m grouping them together because they need to fight each other. In order to get rid of all the controversy and the unfair criticism that’s been put on the shoulders of Leonard Garcia rather than on the ridiculous judging system, Garcia and Phan should be booked in an immediate rematch. Phan would more than likely win, true, but perhaps Garcia will finally get the respect he deserves for his vastly entertaining style afterward.

Next for Demian Maia: Why not a rematch with Nate Marquardt? It would be an important stepping stone for both men. If Maia is able to beat Marquardt, he’ll have avenged the defeat that, if we’re being honest, almost single-handedly proved that Maia was not all he was hyped up to be. Maia would stop scratching and clawing his way back to relevancy and would instead take a big step forward if he was able to beat Nate “The Great”. Conversely, another win over Maia would really help Marquardt stay afloat as he struggles to shake off his track record of looking excellent against lower-level competition and failing hard against top-division athletes.

Next for Kendall Grove: Obscurity, plain and simple. This is the last we’ve heard of Kendall Grove. Trust me, I know how harsh that sounds. But Grove’s time has simply passed. He’s going to be relegated to the UFC’s background fighters, the ones that win a couple, lose a couple, and never really emerge as anything more than cannon fodder. I truly believe that this was Grove’s last opportunity to try and establish himself as a top-division athlete.

Next for Stephan Bonnar: Bonnar will stay at the mid-level for the foreseeable future. The UFC knows exactly how to handle Bonnar: they give him good, mid-level competition known for striking and watch Bonnar entertain the fans as he lures his opponent into a wild brawl. Bonnar may have shifted that perception by focusing on his wrestling against Igor Pokrajac, but I think it’s going to take more than one fight for the UFC to change their booking philosophy.

Next for Michael Johnson: I think Michael Johnson has the ability to go very far in the UFC so long as he keeps training with Greg Jackson and company. Johnson is a great wrestler with some pretty decent power in his hands. He’s got all the tools., right now he just needs an expert craftsman. It may take a year or two, or even three, but Johnson has a great amount of potential and could conceivably compete at a top-division level one day in the future.

Next for Jonathan Brookins: Brookins’ situation is very similar to Johnson’s: the raw talent is there, he needs to find a good camp that suits him well in order to properly hone it. What Brookins needs most right now is a good boxing camp, for two chief reasons. One, Brookins swings with a lot of power but lacks the finesse to outright KO his opponent. Two, he fights with his chin so far up in the air that it may as well have a target painted on it and flashing lights pointing towards it. All the pieces of the puzzle are there, so long as Brookins has the drive to put them all together and a good camp behind him to help him along the way, his future is very bright.

So, that’s what my inner Nostradamus has to say, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale”?

Jonathan Brookins defeats Michael Johnson via Unanimous Decision. Stephan Bonnar defeats Igor Pokrajac via Unanimous Decision. Demian Maia defeats Kendall Grove via Unanimous Decision. Ricky Story defeats Johny Hendricks via Unanimous Decision. Leonard Garcia defeats Nam Phan via Split Decision. Dave Branch defeats Rich Attonito via Unanimous Decision. Pablo Garza defeats Fredson Paixao via KO (Knee) at 0:51 of Round One. Nick Pace defeats Will Campuzano via Submission (Modified Choke) at 4:32 of Round 3. Cody McKenzie defeats Aaron Wilkinson via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:03 of Round One. Ian Loveland defeats Tyler Toner via Unanimous Decision. Kyle Watson defeats Sako Chivitchian via Unanimous Decision.

Underwhelming. I hate to say it, fans and friends, but when compared to its competition, that’s exactly what this event was. Strikeforce: “Henderson vs. Babalu” had four straight KO finishes that were all televised on the main card. This event didn’t have four finishes period. Now, this is not to say that a KO can redeem a bad fight… Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipovic pretty much killed that train of thought. And a fantastic all-out war of attrition can indeed beat an epic KO. But the simple fact of the matter is that none of that happened. None of the Strikeforce fights that ended via KO were boring leading up to that KO. And none of the fights on the TUF 12 card stood out as particularly epic brawls.

This is not to say the event in and of itself was bad, however. Judged purely on its own, this was actually quite a nice night of fights and a worthy send-off to what I felt was one of the best seasons of TUF in recent memory. Demian Maia kept himself afloat with a good, solid win over Kendall Grove. Stephan Bonner used his wrestling, his wrestling of all things, to crank out a very good, winning performance against Igor Pokrajac. And despite the fact that even the announcers were quick to point out how many rookie mistakes both Jonathan Brookins and Michael Johnson seemed to be making, at the end of the day both men put a lot of heart and effort into their fight.

In all honesty, the one thing that disappointed me the most at this event were its fans. I say this without hyperbole: I was disgusted by the reaction Leonard Garcia received at the end of his fight. It completely undermined the strong performance he gave, and it ruined a very entertaining fight. Garcia was putting every ounce of his heart and soul into that performance, he was swinging for the fences from the first second of the fight until the last horn, and this fight is the second time in recent memory that he’s nearly been boo’d out of the arena.

That doesn’t sit right with me, fans and friends. Not by a long shot. I understand why fans were upset, this was yet another fight in the increasing list of fights that seems to point towards the MMA judging system as a whole being flawed beyond repair and in need of a drastic overhaul. But take that up with the judges, don’t boo the talented men and women that put every ounce of their being into a performance. Because when you do, it completely belittles the performer. And it makes you look like a complete jackass.

So, fans and friends, all in all it’s a big bag of mixed feelings for “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale”. At least, that’s how it ended up for me. But what about you? What did you think of this event?

Maia was last in action when he competed against the always tough Mario Miranda, who stands as only the second man to third man to go the distance with Demian inside the UFC. At the culmination of their August middleweight bout, Maia walked away with a clear-cut decision victory.

Now, heading into his match up with the Hawaiian Grove, Demain switched things up a bit in the last week leading up to the fight in hopes to gain a competitive edge in this pivotal 185-pound fight.

“We did some pads, some jiu-jitsu positions, but not a lot of things (in particular)”, said Maia who spoke with Karyn Bryant of MMA H.E.A.T concerning his time spent at Wand Fight Team in Las Vegas.

In his short stint so far in the casino rich city, Demian spent his last week working with former PRIDE champions Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua in preparation for his match up tonight.

“I saw them fight since before I started in MMA”, began the 33-year-old.

“I was just fighting in jiu-jitsu and I saw ‘Shogun’ and Wanderlei winning everything, so it’s very–I’m very glad that I can go and train with them.”

Along with improved striking prowess, which was largely on display in his win against Dan Miller this past February, Maia knows that the UFC crowd, and specifically Dana White, command exciting finishes with the most recent cuts to the organization roster. While knockout’s are crowd pleasers, Maia has no qualms with using his bread and butter to conclude a bouts end.

“To be complete I need to work on everything. I think the crowd also likes when you submit, so it’s just go in there and try to finish the fight before the time is finished”, proclaimed the Brazilian. “That’s the most important.”

While 2010 has treated Maia all that well, where he posted the lone two decision victories of his UFC tenure, and suffered his second defeat of his career when he lost his bid at the UFC middleweight title against Anderson Silva last April, he hopes that a win over Grove may the perfect ending for the year.

“I fought for the title with Anderson (Silva), until now I had three fights and I won two, I lost the title fight against Anderson, and I have one more so let’s hope I win (this fight).”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Maia’s chances tonight against Grove? Sound off in the comment section below.

All but one fighter, WEC veteran Nick Pace, were successful in making weight on their first attempts.

Pace was eventually deducted twenty-percent of his purse when he was unable to lose the additional 3 pounds which was required to reach the 136-pound limit of the bantamweight division.

Finalists Jonathon Brookins and Michael Johnson made 154 and 156 pounds, respectively, on their first attempts. It’s interesting to note that Brookins is a 2-1 favorite heading into the lightweight affair, however prior to the show has regularly competed as a featherweight, which in turn speaks volumes on his skill.

Both Demian Maia and Kendall Grove tipped the scales at 186 pounds even for their middleweight affair, which is featured as the co-main event of the evening.

The main event, the original finalist of “The Ultimate Fighter” Stephan Bonnar at 205 pounds in incredible shape, ironically both the leanest and biggest he’s looked in any of his most recent fights–where conditioning has never been an issue with the Las Vegas native. His opponent, Igor Pokrajac also came in at 205 on the nose tremendous shape as well.

Here are the rest of the weigh in results as presented by MMAJunkie.com, whom were on site for the event.

MAIN CARD

* Jonathan Brookins (154) vs. Michael Johnson (156)
* Stephan Bonnar (205) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205)
* Kendall Grove (186) vs. Demian Maia (186)
* Rick Story (170) vs. Johny Hendricks (171)
* Leonard Garcia (145) vs. Nam Phan (146)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Cody McKenzie (154) vs. Aaron Wilkinson (155)
* Ian Loveland (145) vs. Tyler Toner (146)
* Kyle Watson (156) vs. Sako Chivitchian (156)
* Will Campuzano (136) vs. Nick Pace (138)*
* Pablo Garza (126) vs. Fredson Paixao (125)
* Rich Attonito (185) vs. Dave Branch (185)

Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac: It’s going to get dirty, fans and friends. Real dirty. Heinously dirty. By the time this one is through, look for both men’s faces to be swollen and blood-stained. I’m picking Stephan Bonner because he always shines brightest in these types of fights: wild brawls where his opponent usually has good KO power but somehow just can’t get the job done against “The American Psycho”. Stephan Bonner wins by Split Decision after three fantastic rounds of action.

Jonathan Brookins vs. Michael Johnson: This is a fight that’s going to be ridiculously tough to call. Both men are very talented and showed some amazing potential in their numerous TUF 12 fights. I think Johnson has the better chance on paper, but Brookins is just so unorthodox. My gut and head are in firm disagreement on this one. In the end I’m a fan of the sport first and foremost, so I’m going with who I want to win and picking Jonathan Brookins to take a close Split Decision and become the TUF 12 Champion.

Demian Maia vs. Kendall Grove: I think a fellow fighters.com writer said it best when he said that this fight is “win or become irrelevant”. Honestly, where do these two go from here if they lose? Kendall Grove has been chasing Middleweight relevancy since… well, let’s be honest, he’s never stopped chasing Middleweight relevancy. If he loses this fight, I think Demian Maia has earned his place in the “what could have been” column. This fight will force both men to come out with their best, and Maia is simply a better all-around fighter than Grove. Maia wins by submission in Round 2.

Johny Hendricks vs. Rick Story: This is another fight that’s really tough to call. Both men are on pretty impressive win-streaks, Story’s stands at four while Hendricks has a flawless 9-0 record that includes wins in both the WEC and the UFC. Both men have shown a willingness to engage, so I think we’ll see this one eventually turn into a stand-up war . With that in mind I’ve just got to favor the undefeated fighter that has more (T)KO’s on his record than his 11-3 opponent. Johnny Hendricks wins via TKO in Round 2.

Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan: You really can’t ask for a better show opener if this fight does indeed start the night out. It’s a fantastic fight on paper, both men have incredibly solid chins and some serious power in their punches. With absolutely no disrespect meant to the man, I honestly don’t see Phan having the kind of punching power necessary to (T)KO Leonard Garcia. I also think Garcia is so well-versed as a high-level fighter that the experience gap between these two will be too much for Phan to handle. It’s going to be an awesome brawl, but Leonard Garcia wins by Unanimous Decision.

And that’s it for me, fans and friends. Now it’s your turn: how do you see everything turning out once this live night of fights gets underway?

5. Demian Maia

If Bisping wants to prove once and for all that he’s truly ready for top-level competition, he needs to face a top-level grappler. Maia has fallen from grace pretty hard, but he’s still a submission expert and Bisping would be in a lot of danger if it ever got to the ground. This fight would be a perfect showcase of Bisping’s well-roundedness if he wins it, so it’s definitely good enough to make this list.

4. Nate Marquardt

This is assuming that Nate Marquardt loses to Yushin Okami at UFC 122. I think a win over Marquardt would be huge for “The Count” and immediately put him into title contention. Marquardt has been looking fantastic in his fights lately; this would be a tough all-out war that would earn Bisping a lot of credibility if he won it.

3. Chris Leben

This is the perfect rematch: both men are at very different points in their careers than when they first met, and both men have displayed some interesting improvements since that first encounter. They’ve always been good strikers, yet we’ve recently seen how well-rounded both men are. This would still be a war, but it would be a lot more technical than I think a lot of people would give both fighters credit for leading up to this second fight.

2. Vitor Belfort

This is assuming that Belfort loses to Anderson Silva at UFC 126. I personally think a win over Belfort as he is now (a resurgent “Phenom”) would be as big for Bisping as a win over Dan Henderson would have been if Bisping beat Henderson at UFC 100. Bisping would enter top-division status with a roar and not a whisper if he managed to take down Vitor Belfort. This would likely be the toughest test for him out of anyone on this list, but it comes in at number two simply because I think my top pick is one that everybody wants to see.

And of course my number one pick goes to…

1. Wanderlei Silva

As a huge fan of Wanderlei Silva, I say this with absolutely no malice: Silva only won the first fight with Bisping because he stole some rounds with his round-ending flurries, and I think Bisping can beat and even KO “The Axe Murderer”. If Bisping fights in a style designed to drain Wanderlei’s energy, and if he avoids any and all flurries towards the end of the round, Bisping will be able to tee off on Silva at will by the third round, and Silva’s chin simply isn’t what it once was. This would be a huge rematch for both men, and I think nothing would erase the errors of the past for Michael Bisping quite like a big win over Wanderlei Silva.

But what about you, fans and friends? Who would you like to see Michael Bisping get in the Octagon against, and what did you think of my picks?

After all, at 6’4, undefeated as a professional with a perfect 10-0 record, and with only two decisions to his name, it was easy to see why this Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt was sought after by the worlds largest organization.

However, after a disappointing knockout loss to Gerald Harris and an additional loss to grappling ace Demian Maia at UFC 118, with a win over former UFC title challenger David Loiseau sandwiched in between, it looked like the Brazilian’s career inside the octagon would be short lived.

Shy Sadis, co-manager over the middleweight stud recently broke the news of the new 4-fight deal with MMAJunkie.com.

Accordingly, Miranda was in camp with idol and fellow middleweight Anderson Silva, to whom he helped emulate the style of Chael Sonnen (for his UFC 117 match), and since then, the two Brazilians clicked and the Blackhouse representative has taken a liking to Miranda.

Mario stepped up on short notice to fill in for an ill Alan Belcher, when the Demain Maia fight was presented to him. Originally slated to compete on the “UFC Fight Night 22″ card on September 15, the bout was pulled to an earlier date after the Belcher fall out. Instead, the fight was moved two weeks earlier to UFC 118, on August 28, in Boston, Mass.

Miranda held his own against Maia, staving off several submission attempts, but the superior grappling of Demian, a Abu Dhabi Grappling veteran, proved too much, and the former title challenger eventually secured a clean sweep, unanimous decision victory with 30-27 going all across the board.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news of Miranda re-signing with the UFC? Wise move? Can you see him make waves in the crowded division? Sound off in the comment section below.

According to the middleweight and season 3 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Grove will be returning where it all began for the 6’6 Hawaiian over 4 years ago when he meets Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Demian Maia on December 4, for the culmination of the 12th season of “The Ultimate Fighter” for the TUF finale show.

“December 4 live on spike tuff 12 final grove vs maia”, said the TUF winner on his official twitter account late last night.

The match will likely serve on the evening main card. Grove is accustomed to airing on SpikeTV broadcasts since his early inception into the UFC in 2006 following his TUF finale win over fellow UFC middleweight Ed Herman. This will be Grove’s 4th time on a SpikeTV broadcast–however in last performance against Goran Reljic at UFC 116, Kendall’s bout was originally to air on the special Preliminary feature on the aforementioned television network, however after some dicey words he shared with the Tapout Radio crew, his bout was off the special broadcast.

“I admit. I’m pretty sure I got on there not just because of my good looks, but because of I had a pretty good personality and a funny personality. Everything is ratings to these guys (SpikeTV) and what’s going to sell ratings,” said Grove. “They could care two-(expletive) about our career. They just care about the time we’re there and the six weeks that they’re shooting and trying to get as much drama and stupidity out of us. That’s all we are to them, just cattle and sheep.”

Kendall later retracted his statements and made public apologies on several occasions, and it looks like it’s paid off.

Maia, who just a couple of fights ago was vying for the 185-pound title,

Maia was last seen in action over the weekend when he out-pointed fellow Brazilian, Mario Miranda en route to a unanimous decision win, at UFC 118.

Maia, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu phenom who was coming off of a bizarre loss to Anderson Silva in Abu Dhabi last April, nearly submitted the fellow BJJ Black Belt on several occasions, often times favoring an elusive arm bar that Maia found open on several occasions, but was never able to secure the maneuver.

Demian has been nothing short of impressive in most of his UFC appearances. He holds a 13-2 record overall, with 7 of those victories coming inside the octagon–five of which were submission finishes. His lone two losses come to the aforementioned Silva, and fellow former title challenger Nate Marquardt.

While his original opponent Alan Belcher pulled out due to injury and Miranda was tapped as a late replacement fighter who prior to the bout held a sub par UFC record of 1-1, Maia had high praises for his fellow Brazilian.

“It ended up not being Alan Belcher, but he was an opponent up to par, as his record shows”, said Maia in regards to UFC 118 opponent Miranda, while speaking with Graciemag.com.

“He’s tall, well-rounded, very hard to finish. He’s strong for his weight and I feel it was a good return fight for me. Thank God it all worked out and I managed to do what I trained to do.”

“He defends really well, and in really sticky situations, where you have to defend taking blows. Sport Jiu-Jitsu is one thing, MMA is really different. He defended really well in difficult positions”, he continued.

“I didn’t try to finish him from his back that much and I think I could have been more incisive there. Now I tried to get his arm several times, but he really did escape. It’s something I need to fix, but credit to him, too.”

While he has seen a lot of success at 185, Demian suggests that the middleweight field in of itself is a mess, and wants to find immediate resolve and make his way back to the top, sooner rather than later.

“Things are all mixed up at this weight (middleweight). At this weight, in my 15 fights, I only have two losses and to excellent athletes. I feel it’s a bit of an illusion thinking dropping weight will be easier. Who knows, I might try it out some day, but I’m not stuck on that. But for the time being, I don’t intend to.”

So, would you like to see Maia at Welterweight, or should he continue to try his hat at the Middleweight division and make his way back to the top? He holds a key victory over top contender Chael Sonnen, who is on deck next (again) for Anderson Silva.

Next for Nate Diaz: A fight with another good technical striker: Dan Hardy. Even if it’s not Hardy, look for Diaz to get a shot at a top-tier opponent. Perhaps even Thiago Alves should be the next challenge for Nate.

Next for Marcus Davis: Once again Davis has been stopped in dominating fashion. While I don’t see him losing his job anytime soon, if ever, I also think that this fight permanently moved Davis to mid-level gatekeeper status. Look for him to receive a steady stream of UFC newcomers for his next several fights.

Next for Kenny Florian: He needs to come to grips with the fact that he’s a divisional gatekeeper if he doesn’t improve his ground game from the bottom. When fighters are able to take “KenFlo” out of his element, Florian has always looked downright lost in the Octagon. Florian is still one of the best fighters in the Lightweight division, but his inability to come back when the odds are stacked against him is a real hindrance.

Next for Demian Maia: In Maia’s continued quest to regain his Middleweight relevancy, his domination of Mario Miranda was a big step in the right direction. I think Maia is ready for a rematch with Nate Marquardt. If not Marquardt, I say give Maia another good striker, like Chris Leben, in order to highlight the submission skills that made him so famous and/or to highlight his admittedly improving striking.

Next for Randy Couture: Why not Jon Jones? Couture has had nothing left to prove for the last several years and he’s still had more wins than losses. Now that he’s got a three-fight win-streak under his belt, why not welcome Jon Jones to the UFC’s elite in a big way with a very tough opponent? I think it would be amazing to see how Jones’ wrestling holds up to Couture’s, and if Couture can stand up to the dynamic striking of Jonny Bones.

Next for James Toney: Kimbo Slice in a boxing ring. I don’t see James Toney going anywhere near an Octagon for at least a couple of years. If he ever does return to the UFC, he’ll likely face a predominantly striking-based fighter, someone like Cheick Kongo. I think Kimbo vs. Toney is very likely if only because the fight will generate a lot of interest and make everyone involved a boatload of money. Look for Toney to take the KO, by the way.

Next for BJ Penn: It’s tough to say. Has the Lightweight division finally caught up to BJ Penn, or is Frankie Edgar simply his kryptonite? If BJ stays at Lightweight, he’s got to learn how to deal with today’s version of the dominant wrestler, as opposed to someone like Sean Sherk, who Penn outright dominated. This issue is even further heightened if Penn moves to Welterweight, since it’s practically controlled by dominant wrestlers. Tough times are ahead for BJ Penn, whether he or his fans or anyone else wants to admit it or not.

Next for Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard: Each other, obviously. Look for this to be heavy on the wrestling, with Maynard trying to nullify Edgar’s impressive speed and off-the-charts cardio by holding him constantly and trying to grind out a decision. I think Edgar will be a wholly different fighter for this rematch, so I’m betting that Edgar evens it to 1-1. Maynard impressed against Florian and I have no doubt that he’s ready for his shot at the gold, but Frankie Edgar simply impressed me far, far more.

But what do you think, fans and friends? Where do people like Penn, Edgar, Couture, Florian and Maynard go from here?

The news, which was highlighted previously on Fighters.com , where according to Vitor himself on Twitter, “this year I am not going to fight for the title because the champion (UFC Middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva) is hurt but November we will be in action for sure that is what I can say.”

Silva, who was later reported injured prior to his bout with contender Chael Sonnen at UFC 117, is on an indefinite hiatus away from the cage. Anderson sustained fractured ribs before his last outing with Sonnen, while training with Judoka Satoshi Ishi and former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.

So, that definitely rules out Anderson for the rest of the year, and Vitor accordingly. But what about Sonnen? According to Belfort, in an interview with Sherdog.com, Chael is off the table as well for the surging middleweight, who began his career at 185 initially with a victory over Terry Martin under the Affliction banner in 2008, knocking out the UFC veteran on strikes in the second round.

The Brazilian followed up the performance with another commanding stoppage over the well traveled and well respected Matt Lindland, knocking out the former top middleweight in just 37 seconds, in January of 2009.

In his UFC return after the collapse of the aforementioned promotion Affliction, Belfort immediately put himself on the map when he needed just over three minutes to top former middleweight champion Rich Franklin at UFC 103 in Dallas, Tex., knocking out the former math teacher turned MMA fighter last September.

Since then, Belfort’s absence has gone noticed, and while many speculated that a match pitting both Sonnen and Vitor would be the next logical step, that doesn’t appear so likely now.

“I talked to Lorenzo (Fertitta) this week and will return in November,” Belfort said in his interview with Sherdog.com. “I just asked him to not be (on the November card in Germany). I’m tired of traveling. I would like to return to fighting here in America. According to my conversation with Lorenzo, my opponent will not be Sonnen, but another guy that will be decided soon.”

So, if not Sonnen, and not Anderson, than who? The only middleweight fighter that stands out to me, who isn’t already tied up in a fight, would have to be Chris Leben–or even Yushin Okami.

Nate Marquardt is tied up in his middleweight affair with Rousimar Palhares at UFC Fight Night 22 in September, Demian Maia is mixing it up against Mario Miranda at UFC 118, Alan Belcher is sidelined with a detached retina that may keep him away from fighting for good, and in my mind, there are no other viable contenders besides Okami and Leben.

Do you disagree? Anybody else in mind for Vitor?

Middleweight contender Alan Belcher reported via Twitter, that a detached retina will prevent him from competing opposite of Demian Maia, a match that “The Talent” had been campaigning for since his victory over former title challenger Patrick Cote.

While the Belcher-Maia match was to serve as the main event of the evening, with the loss of Alan, the UFC scrambled to find a suitable bout to headline the event.

The decision was made, and through the grape vine, Nate Marquardt and Rousimar Palhares were called to duty, and will now fill in, and will now take over headlining duties on September 25.

The date should prove beneficial for both competitors, as they will now have almost a full-month more to be able to prepare for the bout, since both competitors were originally scheduled for the main card of UFC 118, in Boston, Mass.

Demian, on the other hand, will be playing catch up, as he will now fill in at UFC 118, and will now be taking on Mario Miranda.

Miranda, who entered the UFC undefeated, has split his two bouts inside the octagon, debuting initially against budding middleweight Gerald Harris and losing by knockout in the first round, Miranda was able to bounce back at UFC 115 against former UFC middleweight contender David Loiseau, winning via TKO in the second round.

Maia, a heralded Jiu-Jitsu specialist and Abu Dhabi veteran, is probably most remembered for his most recent performance at UFC 112 against Anderson Silva, challenging for the middleweight title.

The bout saw Silva taunt, and berate the mild-mannered Maia throughout the fight, before Maia would become the aggressor in the later rounds, seemingly striking Silva at all, but ultimately lost by unanimous decision.

So, is Marquardt vs Palhares a suitable fight to covet main event honors for the Fight Night–which also serves as a lead into the 12th season of “The Ultimate Fighter–and does Maia have ample time to change his game plan, and prepare for a well versed opponent like Miranda (who has split training camps with AMC Pankration and The famed Black House team in California, training alongside the likes of the aforementioned Anderson Silva, Nogueria brothers, and Lyoto Machida)?

That’s right, the UFC president walked out when the man he calls the pound for best was still fighting, if that is what you want to call what Silva was doing inside the Octagon.

Silva came out doing some serious show-boating and taunting for the first three rounds of the fight. He went so far as to actually kneel a couple of times. He danced, juked and jived around Maia hurting him a few times and kept taunting Maia instead of doing what a champion should do, finish his opponent.

The final two rounds had Silva doing his best imitation of Kalib Starnes (9-4-1) as he ran around the Octagon avoiding Maia. He ran so much that referee Dan Miragliotta halted the fight in the final round and warned him that if he kept running and did not engage he would deduct a point. This would have been the perfect time to see the yellow card from Pride FC that deducted ten percent of a fighter’s pay. Joe Rogan made a similar comment moments after I tweeted the same thing.

According to Rogan, at the end of the fourth round Dana walked up to Ed Soares and “had a few words” with the man known for managing Silva. Dana having words with you while your fighter is still fighting can’t be a good thing.

Another report from Yahoo correspondent Kevin Iole stated that White threw down the title belt in and walked out of the arena. You really can’t blame Dana for showing the fighter disrespect as he was showing zero respect for Maia, the UFC or for the fans.

Dana brings the UFC to Abu Dhabi for the first time with plans on expanding throughout the middle east and this is how the champion behaves? How can a company build a new fan base when their middleweight champion who they are billing as the best in the world acts like a child inside the Octagon and taunts an opponent that he was unable to finish?

In the aftermath of the awful performance Dana said “This one took the cake. I am blown away, disgusted and saddened” Dana was then asked about the potential super fight with Fighters.com and UFC welterweight champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (20-2). His response was very interesting; “I don’t want to see GSP vs. Silva after tonight. Silva might be the first champion fighting on a prelim. I don’t want to see that [expletive]”

Those are very harsh words from the UFC president that obviously come from his frustration. The very same frustration fans and journalists were sharing on Twitter this morning. Many were giving Georges a hard time for his last fight but in that fight he actually pushed and tried to finish the fight, Silva never once came close and yet acted like he could have at anytime.

We as fans of MMA know that not every champion can finish their fights but I think it is reasonable for fans to to expect them to at least try and put away their opponent.

During the post fight presser Anderson said he wanted to punish Maia for disrespecting him. I am unaware of any disrespect that he has shown Silva but if that was the case, would he not want to knock him out to make a point? Nothing Silva can say at this point will make a difference. Dana is angry, the fans are livid and the journalists and bloggers have plenty of material to keep them busy for a while.

The actions displayed inside the Octagon today by Anderson Silva should not be tolerated in a sport built around respect. Dana has every right to be angry and it is nice to see him feeling the same way as the fans. Anderson Silva lost quite a few fans due to this fight and I am sure many will now hope that anyone he fights knocks him out.

Welcome to the ranks of another UFC champion Silva, heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (4-1).

Dana White has said he does not believe they will receive any rain but that the wind could be an issue. Dana was not very keen on holding an outdoor event and it took much convincing to get him to buy into it.

“I’ve always been terrified of doing an outdoor show,” White said during a recent interview with Rogers Sportsnet.

What has shocked me is that with the risk of rain and wind the UFC has not put together a back up plan. “If it starts raining and the wind starts blowing..right now there is no Plan B” said White.

While it may not rain on the UFC’s parade in Abu Dhabi, it very well might kick up a nasty wind storm. Dana stated “Wind could be a factor. It’s very dusty and sandy there. I’m worried about the wind”

If the wind does start to kick up this could be a major problem for Dana and the UFC. The last thing they or the fans want is any sort of controversy with fighters. Imagine a fighter losing as the wind had picked up and stating he had sand in his eye and could not see. This could happen mid-fight and a fighter turn due to this and similar to an unseen eye-poke, the fight could get stopped.

Not only that but you have to worry about fighter safety inside the Octagon. If the floor of the Octagon becomes covered in sand, even the smallest amount, it would wreak havoc on fighters who are trying to fight off their back. It is enough to be on your back, avoiding some vicious ground pound but to also have to deal with what amounts to sandpaper taking off layers of skin on your back, that is to much to ask of any fighter.

According to many, the fighters should only feel a breeze as the design of the venue reportedly minimizes the concern. The facts remain, fighter safety must come first, weather is unpredictable and titles are on the line.

UFC 112 will see two title defenses as Fighters.com and UFC middleweight champion “The Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) defends his crown against sixth-ranked middleweight Demian Maia (11-1). The other title up for grabs belongs to none other than top-ranked and UFC lightweight champion “The Prodigy” BJ Penn (15-5-1) as he does battle against sixth-ranked challenger “The Answer” Frank Edgar (11-1).

One of the other concerns raised by many is the religious climate. A country that is known for being predominately Muslim but also tolerant of other religions is a new aspect for a UFC crowd. All across the internet I have talked to fans who seem to wonder what type of crowd the fighters will be dealing with during UFC 112. Will the crowd be like a pumped up, loud and rabid group of fans here in the states or will they be more like the calm and quiet Japanese MMA fans?  Really it is difficult to try and predict anything in the way of crowd reaction.

I feel certain that the crowd will see less of the booing we tend to see here in the states when a fight hits the ground due to the rich history the region has with Jiu Jitsu and submission grappling but other than that I have no idea what to expect.

Will the crowd be tolerant of the swimsuit clad UFC ring girls in a country where the burka is common place? There are many questions lingering about this foray into a new country and the reaction the UFC gets could very well determine if they push into some of the other countries they are looking to explore in the middle east.

Saturday all of this will be answered if the entire event is not wiped out by a massive sandstorm.

If you want to discuss more about UFC 112 you can join myself and Gary Friedman tonight on MMA Gospel Radio from 8-9:30 PM EST/ 5-6:30 PT as we will be joined by Keith Florian and Jake Rosholt. We can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel. Come kick back and listen or join in the live chat during the show.

UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi is where the fight will take place and many seem to be writing off Maia. While Maia has obvious weaknesses in his stand up game there are other points we must take into consideration. Before doing that though we need to examine Silva and what he brings to the table as one of the most dominant champions in the history of the UFC.

Anderson Silva busted onto the scene by systematically destroying everyone they put inside the Octagon with him. If he should beat Maia he would hold the all-time record for title defenses in a single reign. His next record should he win at UFC 112, would be the most wins in title matches for a career. That record is currently held by both Matt Hughes (41-7) and “The Natural” Randy Couture (18-10) who have nine and Silva sits at six currently. Since his introduction to the UFC he has finished every fight except for one and has yet to taste defeat inside the Octagon. Other than a disqualification back in 2006 for an illegal upkick, his last loss was in back in 2004. Dominant is a word that seems to fit perfectly when discussing Silva.

Maia is stepping into the Octagon with a man whose biggest strength is his biggest weakness. We were able to witness just how behind Maia is in the striking game when he decided to stand in his fight with “The Great” Nate Marquardt (29-9-2) at UFC 102. Maia came out looking to use some kicks and in :21 seconds the fight was over after Nate put him out cold with one punch. However after that fight it became very clear that Maia was focusing on his striking when he fought Dan Miller (11-3) at UFC 109. Dan is another fighter in the UFC with very good jiu jitsu but just not on the same level as Maia. Most, including myself, expected Maia to get back to his bread and butter and take the fight to the ground and show Miller just what elite level jiu jitsu is all about. That was not the case in the least bit. Maia actually kept the fight standing and used much improved head movement and a jab that before was nowhere to be found. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea and think that due this I believe Maia can stand and trade with Silva. Miller’s striking is much different than Silva’s and light years apart. However it is a part of the game Maia has improved on and will need to use in order to avoid the big shots from Silva.

The only way I have heard that people think Maia can win is if he can get it to the ground. I think that is pretty obvious but I am shocked by those that think his chances of taking Silva down are slim to none. Silva will easily be the bigger man in this fight but that does not mean Maia can’t take him down.”Hendo” Dan Henderson (25-7) took Silva down and controlled him from top position until he got away from his own game-plan. I know that Maia is not the wrestler Hendo is but look at his fight with another top contender in the division, Chael Sonnen (24-10-1). Maia came out and shocked people by out wrestling Sonnen. There is no question what happened in that fight. He takes his shot, works off of Chael’s whizzer attempt and then uses better wrestling to gain the dominant top position.

This is what people seem to be glossing over when discussing Maia’s chances of taking Silva down. Anderson Silva does have a long reach and strikes from odd angles and Maia will have to avoid that brutal shot to get inside and take this fight to the ground. Yet Maia has much better wrestling than he is being given credit for and I feel he will be able to put Silva on his back. Once there he will have to make sure to not get locked up in the body triangle Silva loves to work off his back and this is where the fight could become quite the battle.

Demian Maia will surprise a lot of people by being able to do what only a could have been able to accomplish thus far, putting Silva in a spot where he is least comfortable. Will Maia walk away the champion this Saturday? I have no idea but I do know Maia should be as easily dismissed as he is being right now from other media outlets.

Vitor injured his shoulder training for the fight and when the news hit the social media sites were on fire trying to pick the next opponent for Silva. Twitter lit up with many thinking the only viable solution was for Silva to move to the light heavyweight division. The problem with that was that many of the top guys in the division were booked with other fights or injured.

That led us back to the middleweight division. The current number one contender is now Chael Sonnen (24-10-1) after his dominant win over fourth-ranked “The Great” Nate Marquardt (29-9-2). Sonnen however is currently under a medical suspension after his fight at UFC 109. So what was the UFC to do in order to keep Silva on the card?

They stunned the MMA world by announcing today that sixth-ranked Demian Maia (11-1), who was also on the UFC 109 pay-per-view, will now get his shot at the title. Maia is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt that may just have the best set-ups and submissions in all of mixed martial arts. He was on track to get a title shot until his plan was derailed by Nate Marquardt at UFC 102 by brutal first round knock out.

He rebounded at UFC 109 by beating hardcore fan favorite Dan Miller (11-3) by unanimous decision using a new found stand up game. That striking game will not work so well against Silva who has pin point accuracy with his Muay Thai based striking.

Demian Maia now has the chance of a lifetime and it is up to him to make the best of it against a man some are calling unbeatable.

I was very excited to see another Gracie step inside the Octagon but that fight was hard to watch. I am shocked the UFC actually showed the fight. I would have probably ended the broadcast early before showing that to awful display of MMA to fans. Neither fighter was worth watching and rarely, if ever, do I say that.

“The Terror” Matt Serra (10-6) had me eating crow as I called for “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-8) to use his wrestling to dominate the smaller Serra. Frank did not look for the shot and ended up getting knocked out by Serra.

Fighters.com sixth-ranked Demian Maia (11-1) has been working his striking and it was very evident in his fight with Dan Miller (11-2). Let’s not jump the gun here though. He could never stand with a clean striker but his improvement shows he is serious about trying to become the UFC champion.

This is the worst I have done with picks on any fight card,ever! Fighters.com ninth-ranked “Quick’ Mike Swick (14-4) did not help me out any. His loss to the man I am now calling the “AKA Hunter”, fourth-ranked welterweight Paulo Thiago (9-1) made a statement to the division. Paulo is a fast rising star in the division and his D’arce choke was very well set up.

Phil Davis (5-0) showed why he is such a great prospect. While his striking was sloppy, his speed and athleticism shined through. He moved from dominant position to dominant position during the fight. The UFC will need to bring him along slowly and allow his stand-up and submissions to improve before throwing him into the deep end of the division. He will be one to watch in the future.

After watching UFC 109 and thinking about the last Strikforce card, the UFC production team does a very good job of moving seamlessly from one thing to another. Plus they get prelim fights on the pay-per-view. Strikeforce will need to work harder to provide a painless broadcast like we saw last night.

A card that many mocked ended up with some entertaining fights, a knock out, great submissions and some shockers. All this and I did not have to sit through painful post-fight interviews by the fight professor.

Paulo Thiago (8-1) versus “Quick’ Mike Swick (14-3)

Fighters.com fourth-ranked welterweight Thiago takes on ninth-ranked Swick. Thiago was originally slated to fight seventh-ranked “Kos” Josh Koscheck(14-4) but that fight feel through and his teammate stepped up to get revenge.

Thiago is primarily known for his grappling but after the brutal uppercut KO of Koscheck many have been talking about his punching prowess, including Paulo himself.

Swick is a fast and aggressive striker with amazing takedown defense. His striking, while not technically perfect, has vastly improved and his use of the counter-punch is something he has relied on after his stint on The Ultimate Fighter Season One.

Thiago has a great chin and even though he knocked out Kos, his striking is sloppy. He loves to drop his hands and against the speedy Swick this could be trouble.

Swick is looking to get a rematch with fifth-ranked “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6) and even though he is taking this fight on short notice he has quite the advantage in training with Kos and third-ranked Jon Fitch (20-3). Fitch, in his usual style, ground out a decision win over Paulo.

I know Paulo could throw that Kos shot and catch Swick but I feel Swick is going to work to keep this fight standing and try to look for those dropped hands of Thiago. The one trend from Swick that concerns me is when he has fought in big fights in the past he seems to hold back.

The Gospel on this one is Mike Swick by Decision.

Demian Maia (10-1) versus Dan Miller (11-2)

Dan Miller is a hardcore MMA fan’s dream. Just a gritty fighter who loves to grind and usually puts on quite the show.

Fighters.com sixth-ranked Damian Maia has the best MMA jiu-jitsu in the sport and is looking to rebound from his crushing knocking out at the hands of fourth-ranked “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2).

Miller has good but not great muay thai skills and just recently received his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. There are differences in skills from one black belt to the next and I feel Dan will want nothing to do with hitting the mat with Maia.

Maia has rudimentary striking at best and will need to take this to the ground but Dan has a good grappling game and will need to use that to keep this fight standing where he has the clear advantage.

This fight may hit the mat and get stalled. I don’t think this will be a Fight of the Night candidate but I feel Maia, if his psyche has recovered from that KO, will catch Miller.

The Gospel is Maia by late third-round submission

“The Terror” Matt Serra (9-6) versus “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-7)

The smack alone before this fight has been epic however I don’t feel the fight will live up to the hype. Serra has said he refuses to lose to a man with a tramp stamp while Trigg has made cracks about Serra being a guido. Great stuff from these two guys.

The fight though will not be a barn burner. Matt Serra is another jiu-jitsu black belt but in contrast to Maia, he has not finished a fight via submission in eight years.

Trigg is a wrestler at heart and although Serra has not posed a threat on the ground in years, Trigg’s kryptonite is the rear naked choke.

Serra will likely want to turn this into a stand up war that will make boxing fans cringe as neither man has very clean striking.

I think Frank’s size and strength advantage will play a huge role in this fight

In the end Trigg will need to use a smothering top game to defeat Serra as a loss for him could mean leaving the UFC.

Gospel: Frank Trigg by unanimous decision

I will skip the Sonnen versus Marquardt fight as I wrote a piece this week on my thoughts of that fight..basically it will be Nate winning and getting the next title shot.

This leads us to the much talked about main event.

“The Natural” Randy Couture (17-10) versus “The Hammer” Mark Coleman (16-9)

You either love this fight or hate it. Some see it as two over-the-hill fighters making their last stand and trying to stay in a sport that is passing them by. Others see it as a fight they have been waiting to see since UFC 17.

Tenth-ranked heavyweight, but now fighting at light heavyweight, Couture is a greco roman wrestler who helped to define dirty boxing in MMA.

Mark Coleman is a freestyle wrestler who is the inventor of brutal ground and pound.

Mark has not evolved over the years like Randy has and this is a major area of concern in this fight.

Randy has taken his wrestling and used it to push fighters against the cage, use his dirty boxing and win fight after fight when he has been told he is to old.

While Mark did beat Couture the last time they met, in the 1989 Olympic Wrestling Festival, it was only by a point and much has changed since then.

The first key to this fight is obviously wrestling. While I feel Mark was the better wrestler, the additions to Randy’s game will help him to keep this fight standing where he has a huge advantage over Coleman.

The second key is cardio, cardio, cardio. Randy has it and Mark lacks it. Randy will want to keep the pressure on Mark, pushing him against the cage, using his dirty boxing and wearing him down.

Mark needs this fight to hit the mat with him in top position so that he can use that ground and pound to shock the world. Sadly for Mark he will not see this come to fruition.

Randy will tire Mark out and end up getting the takedown himself and beat Coleman at his own game.

I am a born and bred Buckeye and it hurts me to say, Randy Couture wins via TKO due to ground and pound in round two.

Today’s UFC 109 presser gave us this news and according to Dana, he has always considered a co-main event a number one contender’s bout. “We always had it in mind,” White said. “These are two of the top five [middleweights] in the world depending on what you look at.”  I don’t think anyone can argue that Nate is deserving of a shot.

White told those at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Mizuya Lounge in Las Vegas his thoughts on Nate. “Nate’s been deserving it for a while,” This is an assessment I can agree with as Nate is 4-1 since he lost to Fighters.com and UFC middleweight champion “The Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4). His lone loss since that time was a split decision loss to Thales Leites (15-3) that many feel should have gone to Nate.

What I don’t understand is the Sonnen getting a shot with a win. I know many will say that if he can beat Nate then he deserves a shot at Silva but let’s look at what he has done since his second arrival in the UFC shall we?

After coming over from the WEC he was matched against submission wizard Demian Maia (10-1) at UFC 95: Sanchez versus Stevens. Chael found himself on the losing end of a triangle choke in the first round. His next two fights, while both wins, were hardly performances befitting of a title shot. He ground out decision victories over hardcore fan favorite Dan Miller (11-2) as well as Yushin Okami (23-5).

Okami was on a three fight win streak until the Sonnen fight but those three wins were not against what I would call quality opponents. Dan Miller was on a four fight win streak until being derailed by Chael. Looking at the fact that he killed the win streaks of two fighters might lead one to believe he is worthy of a shot. The only thing that would make him worthy would be a very convincing win over Nate.

If he were to grind out a decision win over Nate is that spectacular enough to put him in the Octagon with Silva? Does it matter how you win as long as you win? The latter is a tough question as many believe you need to finish fights or at the very least dominate them in order to gain a title shot. I have long been of the opinion that a win is a win and racking up a string of victories should be enough to get you a fight for the title. Chael Sonnen in a title fight with Anderson Silva just does not scream pay-per-view main event to me.

Before I go any further I should say that I feel the likely-hood of Sonnen winning this fight is slim to none. Having said that, I find it hard to believe anyone other than Sonnen actually believes he could beat Anderson Silva. This would be a fight that did nothing but add another highlight reel knock out to the already long list the UFC has thanks to the champion.

What was once a stacked division has become a division of one with all others not being on quite the same level. I do believe that we will see Silva lose in a years time but I can tell you it will not be at the hands of Chael Sonnen.

As the host of MMA Gospel Radio, I offer you the chance to join us in our live chat room to discuss this topic or any other MMA story you would like to discuss. The show airs each Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST. Head over to www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel and join in the debates.

That sums it.

Until last year, UFC President Dana White boasted that his top-down authority over MMA led to matchups between the two best fighters in any division, unlike boxing where fighters were matched according to marketability wich has led to the unmarketability of boxing.  And, until November 2008 White was right.  But, in the past year-and-a-half or so, the matchups in the UFC have been determined by market more than sport.

The top challenger to Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) is second-ranked Strikeforce champion Jake Shields (24-4-1).  And, it’s a good matchup on paper too, Silva being the best striker in the sport and Shields being at the top of his grappling game.

But, I understand the business and give White a pass for not collaborating on big fights with competing promotions.  So, the next best matchup for Silva in the UFC was third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7).  But, White wouldn’t pony up the cash to keep Hendo in the Octagon to make the fight.  Henderson abandoned White and the UFC and signed with Strikeforce.

It happens.  Then, the next best matchup for Silva is fourth-ranked “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2), whom Silva himself calls the next king of the division.  But, Marquardt was passed over.

Instead, eighth-ranked “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) will challenge Silva at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi April 10 in a more marketing stand-up war between two big names.  But, Marquardt is right.  Belfort has been in and out of the middlweight division and his most recent TKO of “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5) at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19 was at 195 pounds.

But, as the hype behind Silva-Belfort barely simmers, a better matchup between Shields and Henderson at Strikeforce boils hot.

Shields is expected defend his Strikeforce title from newly-signed Henderson on CBS in April.  That’s the biggest fight in the division, bigger than the UFC’s title fight the same month.

The champion, Shields, is a long-time holdout from the UFC who has managed nonetheless to put together an outstanding record versus established talent.  Henderson was to be Silva’s next challenger in the UFC and, therefore, even White can’t talk-down Henderson’s ranking.  So, whichever fighter leaves the cage with the Strikeforce title in April is the legitimate world’s top contender to Silva.  And, he’s not in the UFC.  It’s a better matchup on paper, it’s a better matchup in the division rankings, and there’s a lot more on the line.

Fighters.com’s January Middleweight Top Ten

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

2. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7)

4. “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2)

5. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1)

6. Demian Maia (10-1)

7. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1)

8. “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8)

9. “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-2)

10. “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-1)

This fighter grappled to a draw with former UFC two division champion “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) in a 2006 submission grappling contest and has only lost to fifth-ranked “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1) in MMA since 2003.

Souza’s climb up the ranks, second-ranked Jake Shields‘s (24-4-1) hold on the top contender spot, and Strikeforce’s signing of third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7) gives Strikeforce four fighters in the 185-pound top ten.  (Of course, Mousasi has abandoned the division to take the Strikeforce 205-pound title.)

It’s likely Shields and Hendo’ will settle the top contender spot and fight for Strikeforce’s title in April, with the winner legitimately claiming the rank of best matchup for Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4).

Silva will fight tenth-ranked “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) at UFC 109 in Las Vegas February 6.  Belfort can’t be overlooked at 185 pounds with Silva coming off of elbow surgery and five months hiatus.

Fourth-ranked “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) and seventh-ranked Chael Sonnen (23-10-1) will battle the same night for the next title shot.

And sixth-ranked Demian Maia (10-1) will test strong prospect Dan Miller (11-2), making a trio of UFC 109 fights with maximum impact on the division rankings.

Also in December, ninth-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-1) submitted Tatsuhiko Nishizaka (3-5-1) at Bitetti Combat 5 in São Paulo December 12.  If Filho can get his act together, Fighters.com wouldn’t be surprised to see him in Strikeforce soon.

Fighters.com’s December Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

2. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7)

4. “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2)

5. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1)

6. Demian Maia (10-1)

7. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1)

8. “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-2)

9. “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-1)

10. “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8)

Shields reminded Fighters.com of Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) during his relentless press on the mat versus Miller.  Of course, Shields doesn’t have St. Pierre’s striking skills, and no one is in Silva’s striking league.  But, Shields shows no pretense of fancying himself a striker either.

At the opening bell Saturday night, Shields put Miller right on his back.  Both fighters were working their game plan.  Shields is going to put every opponent on their back.  Knowing that, Miller relented and hoped to wear Shields out by going rag-doll while defending Shields’s submission attempts.  But, Shields never wore down Saturday night and walked away with a UD and the Strikeforce title.

Now, if Silva has an exploitable weakness, it’s been on his back.  Versus “Serial Killer” Travis Lutter (10-5) at UFC 67 in Las Vegas in February 2007, Lutter briefly took control of the fight from top position before wearing down and succumbing to Silva’s barrage of elbows.  Third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7) was the first UFC fighter to win a round versus Silva and he did it from top position in the first round at UFC 82 in Columbus in March 2008, before fancying himself a striker and getting knocked silly and choked out in the second round.  That mistake still stings Henderson to no end.

But, Shields wouldn’t make the mistake Henderson made versus Silva.  Nor would he be so intimidated to shoot like former UFC title challenger Thales Leites (14-3) was at UFC 97 in Montreal April 18 that he’d just lay down and invite Silva into his guard.  Shields would take the fight to Silva and put him on his back.

Obviously, that guarantees nothing at all.  Despite looking beatable on his back at times, Silva has always regained his superiority and won in the UFC.  However, it’s interesting to note that two of Silva’s losses in the mysterious time before he emerged as the greatest middleweight in MMA history were by triangle choke to Daiju Takase (7-12-1) at PRIDE 26 in Yokohama in June 2003 and by flying scissor heel hook to “Piranha” Ryo Chonan (16-10) at PRIDE Shockwave 2004 in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve 2004.

I’m not ready to predict that Shields would beat Silva.  Only that Shields has the best shot at beating Silva among the current field of top ten middleweights.

And that field thinned in November as previously ninth-ranked “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5) dropped out of the top ten for the first time since Fighters.com began ranking divisions. In his place, and the place of previous perenial top tenner “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2) who also fell out of the rankings this month, “Ely” Paulo Filho (15-1) skipped up to the eighth spot, “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-2) moved into number nine, and “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) claimed the final position.

Third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7), fourth-ranked “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2), fifth-ranked “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1), sixth-ranked Demian Maia (10-1), and seventh-ranked Chael Sonnen (23-10-1) all held steady.

Fighters.com’s November Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

2. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7)

4. “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2)

5. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1)

6. Demian Maia (10-1)

7. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1)

8. “Ely” Paulo Filho (15-1)

9. “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-2)

10. “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8)

Belfort earned the title shot by upsetting ninth-ranked “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5) in just over three minutes in a 195-pound catch weight bout at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19.  Due to the catch weight, the victory over Franklin doesn’t earn Belfort a ranking in Fighters.com’s middleweight top ten.

After former champ Cung Le (6-0) stepped aside to focus on another film role, second-ranked Jake Shields (23-4-1) will fight for the vacant Strikeforce 185-pound title versus “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-5) in Chicago November 7.

Seventh-ranked Chael Sonnen (22-10-1) will fight “Thunder” Yushin Okami (23-4) on the untelevised undercard of UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.  Fighters.com thinks it’s outrageous to relegate this battle of contenders to the untelevised undercard.

Tenth-ranked “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2) is rumored to follow-up his victorious UFC debut versus “The Talent” Alan Belcher (14-6) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas July 11 versus tenth-ranked light heavyweight “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) at UFC 108.  Silva will be debuting at middleweight.

Third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7) is a free agent and in negotiations to return to the UFC, but Hendo’ told Sherdog negotiations aren’t going well.

Fourth-ranked “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) and Hendo’ will probably fight for the next UFC title shot if Henderson and the UFC can agree to a contract soon.

Fifth-ranked “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1) has stated he won’t return to the middleweight division and now holds the Strikeforce light heavyweight title; but, Fighters.com has met Mousasi and he’s a small 205er.  If Mousasi decides to compete at the top of the 205-pound division, he’ll be at a severe disadvantage.

Sixth-ranked Demian Maia (10-1) will look to rebound soon from his first-round KO loss to Marquardt at UFC 102 in Portland August 30.

Eighth-ranked Dan Miller (11-2) is recovering from an injury which kept him from fighting “Doberman” CB Dollaway (8-2) at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City September 19.

Franklin is in limbo after losing to Belfort and continues to contemplate his future at 185- and 205-pounds.

Fighters.com October Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

2. Jake Shields (23-4-1)

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7)

4. “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2)

5. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1)

6. Demian Maia (10-1)

7. Chael Sonnen (22-10-1)

8. Dan Miller (11-2)

9. “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5)

10. “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2)

“He telegraphed his kicks pretty far out there. I could see them comin’,” Marquardt explained after the fight. “I can’t plan on knockin’ someone out like that. I got to be happy with that win.”

Marquardt theorized the BJJ wiz, Maia, was trying to sucker him into the ground game.

“He was trying to setup his takedowns. And, I think he was probably kicking me to try to get me to kick him back,” said Marquardt.

The KO won Marquardt the $60,000 UFC “Knockout of the Night” bonus and a possible title rematch versus Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4).

UFC President Dana White had awarded the title shot to “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7), but reconsidered in the build-up to Marquardt versus Maia.

“Dan Henderson is definitely next in line to fight for Anderson Silva‘s title,” said White.

Silva has a 205-pound appointment with former UFC light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin (16-5) at UFC 101 in Philadelphia 8 August. White indicated the 185-pound title fighter versus Hendo’ will take place “as soon as possible…depending on how banged up he gets.”

Silva defended his title in a tranquilizing five-round UD over Thatles Leites (14-2) at UFC 97 in Montreal last April, his sixth consecutive succesful defense.

Hendo’ tranquilized “Count” Michael Bisping (17-2) with a fight-ending right hook at UFC 100 in Las Vegas 11 July.

Silva and Henderson will rematch a March 2008 fight at UFC 82 in Columbus that saw Henderson hand Silva his first losing round inside the Octagon only to tap in a rear naked choke with eight seconds remaining in the second round.

A UFC 102 match-up in Portland 29 August between Nathan Marquardt (28-8-2) and Demian Maia (10-0) was thought to give Silva his next title challenger, but White removed the speculation, saying, “It’s good to have these kinds of problems at 185.”

The fight opened with a left punch followed by a combination from Maia.

Maia’s first shot was stuffed by Quarry, but, after some scrambling, Maia wrestled Quarry to the mat and took top position.  Maia effortlessly advanced to the full mount and took Quarry;s back.  Maia wrapped a tight body triangle and continued to soften Quarry, steadily pounding on his head with punches.

Quarry  panicked under the punches, giving Maia the opportunity to slide his arm tightly underneath Quarry’s chin.  Maia sank the rear naked choke, forcing Quarry to tap almost immediately.

The “W” was Maia’s fourth in the Octagon, all by submisison.

Quarry stalked Kalib Starnes (8-3) to a unanimous decision victory in April.

Maia submitted “Athlete” Jason McDonald (21-10) with a third-round rear naked choke in August.

Riddle won his professional debut by unanimous decision over Dante Rivera (10-3) at the TUF 7 finale in June.  He trains at Arizona Combat Sports.

Thomas took a fight with “Berserk” Ben Saunders (6-0-2) in August on short notice and lost via second-round armbar.  He attends Eastern Illinois University where he is studying Elementary Education.

The win facilitates an apparent New Year’s Eve champion-versus-champion rematch between St. Pierre and Fighters.com’s Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn (13-4-1), who was invited into the Octagon after the main event to challenge St. Pierre, saying, “I want to put this fight together.”

St. Pierre accepted Penn’s challenge, proclaiming, “I’m a proud champion.”

In the co-main event, Brock Lesnar (2-1) dominated a three-round unanimous decision over Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked heavyweight “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-14) by scores of 30-26 three times.

“I fell off the horse,” Lesnar told the 15,082 spectator hometown crowd referring to his Octagon debut loss to former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir (11-3), “but, tonight I got on that stallion and rode it out of town, baby! Wooo!”

Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked lightweight “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (10-3) won a blow-out unanimous decision over “El Matador” Roger Huerta (20-2-1) by 30-27 on all three judges’ score cards in a UFC top contender bout.

“I trained to not got to the judges,” a somber Florian confessed after the fight. “A little disappointed in myself, but I’m going to learn from this.”

An even more disappointed, but dapperly dressed Huerta in vest and tie insisted after his loss, “I played into his gameplan. I made mistakes and I’ve got to fix those things.”

Florian’s victory and presumed ascension to the UFC’s top lightweight contendership spot leaves the Boston native in limbo after the UFC’s promotion of a champion-versus-champion showdown between St. Pierre and Penn.

One got the feeling Florian knew before his victory that a win didn’t earn him an immediate title shot when he replied to UFC commentator Joe Rogan’s question about a title fight, “We’ll wait and see.”

Florian beat Huerta walking away, literally.

In round one, Florian ducked under Huerta’s unwieldy haymakers and put “El Matador” on the mat, then mounted him. Huerta rolled into a Florian rear naked choke, but defended successfully.

In round two, Florian continued to let Huerta come to him, backpedaling and tagging Huerta with right hooks as Huerta marched aggressively forward.

“I was chasing him in the fight and that’s something I shouldn’t have done,” admitted Huerta, then he chided Florian, “If I wouldn’t have chased him, there wouldn’t have been a fight.”

In round three, Florian zapped Huerta with a front kick to the face, the second one Florian connected in the fight.

Florian praised, “I had him in some tough positions, had him rocked a few times, but he came back. He has a heart of a champion. That’s what I expected.”

St. Pierre’s vanquished challenger, American Kickboxing Academy’s Fitch, showed the heart of a champion too in his first title fight.

Despite being floored in the first round by a St. Pierre straight right as Fitch launched a leg kick, Fitch, bloodied and stunned, battled into round two through an onslaught of punches and elbows from a mounted St. Pierre.

“I rock him,” St. Pierre said after the fight. “He’s got a very good chin.”

St. Pierre yanked the reigns in a paced round two, which Fighters.com scored 10-9 for Fitch after Fitch pummeled St. Pierre’s body and landed a clean left hook to St. Pierre’s head.

“I was not in trouble,” St. Pierre insisted. “I was trying to pace myself because after the first time I rock him and I couldn’t finish him, I was like, ‘Man, this guy, I’m going to have to almost to kill him to win.’”

Round two would be the last round in which Fitch would challenge St. Pierre.

St. Pierre took Fitch down at will throughout the five rounds and, in round three, replayed the G’n'P onslaught that Fitch endured in round one.

The damage accumulated; and, Fitch’s stand-up, which, ironically, produced the former wrestling All-American’s best offense, grew sloppier.

St. Pierre began to land cleaner shots and more often, including a spinning backfist in round four that drove Fitch to the cage.

Round five was dominated on the mat by St. Pierre; but, both fighters were spent and produced little meaningful offense in the round.

“This loss is maybe the best thing that happened to [Fitch],” said St. Pierre. “It will only make him stronger.”

In heavyweight undercard action, Cheick Kongo (12-4-1) out-classed Octagon debuting Dan Evensen (10-3) in a first-round TKO at 4:55, then presumptuously asked the UFC for a title shot.

Welterweight Chris Wilson (14-4) won his UFC second chance over Steve Bruno (11-4) by unanimous decision.

“I’d like to not start waiting five and six months. I need to fight more often,” Wilson revealed after his UD. “So, if Uncle Dana [White] is willing to put me in sooner… He’s the boss.”

Lightweight Robert Emerson (8-6) knocked out TUF 5 runner-up “Pitbull” Manvel Gamburyan (8-3) in twelve seconds with a right overhand, followed by a left to Gamburyan’s temple as he fell to his back.

“I saw him throwin’, so I threw. You know, luckily mine landed first,” described Emerson after his impressive second UFC win. “Things are lookin’ up for me.”

Middleweight Abu Dhabi champion grappler Demian Maia (8-0) tapped a game, but out-classed “Athlete” Jason MacDonald (20-10) in a rear naked choke at 2:44 of round three in a dramatic back-and-forth mat battle.

“I just go and fight,” Maia said matter-of-factly after the stoppage.

TUF 6 middleweight “Berserk” Ben Saunders(6-0-2) remained undefeated with an armbar submission of Ryan Thomas (9-2) at 2:28 of round two.

“People go for the takedown, get a leg. I swung around to almost like a half-back type position. Did my homework, figured out exactly what I can do from there and [the armbar] was one of them, man,” described Saunders after the fight.

Welterweight “Barn Cat” Tamdan McCrory (9-1) won a unanimous decision over TUF 2 finalist Luke Cummo (6-6).

“I thought I broke his arm [in an armbar],” McCrory said after the fight. “I felt a little ring rust, but, I mean, I felt pretty good for nine months off. I’m ready to get drunk, man.”

Light heavyweight Jon Jones (6-0) won a unanimous decision over Andre Gusmao (5-1) in his Octagon debut.

“The win feels great,” Jones said. “I thought about this many nights, dreamin’ about it.”

MacDonald is excited about fighting Maia, saying, “I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s done in the jiu-jitsu world.  But, I think we’ve seen time and time again that good mixed martial artists have been able to defeat high-level jiu-jitsu guys.”

MacDonald added, “[Maia] is still fairly new to the MMA side of things so I’m hoping to go out there and put on a strong mixed martial arts fight.”

Maia, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, has made a strong showing so far in MMA with his perfect professional record.

Both fighters won their last fights, both at UFC 83 in Montreal. MacDonald’s second-round TKO of Joe Doerksen (39-12) was the “Knockout of the Night”, while Maia won “Submission of the Night” with his triangle-choke victory over “Short Fuse” Ed Herman (14-6).

This match is one of several recently confirmed on the card: Hermes Franca (18-6) versus “The Answer” Frank Edgar (8-1); Cheick Kongo (11-4-1) versus Dan Evensen (10-2); Chris Wilson (13-4) versus Steve Bruno (11-3); and “Berserk” Ben Saunders (5-0-2) versus Jared Rollins (6-4).

Former UFC Middleweight Champion and Fighters.com’s second-ranked 185-pounder “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3) also found the land of maple leaf friendly in a second-round TKO of “The Serial Killer” Travis Lutter (9-5).

TUF Champions “The Count” Michael Bisping (15-1) and Mac Danzig (18-4-1) debuted in new weight classes with stoppages.

Les habitants “The Athlete” Jason MacDonald (20-9), “Dooms” Jason Day (17-5), and Jonathan Goulet (22-9) also had success for the home team, while “The Rock” Nathan Quarry (10-2), Demian Maia (7-0), “No Love” Rich Clementi (31-12-1), and Cain Velasquez (3-0) scored wins as visitors to the true north, strong and free.

Though seven of the 11 duels on 83′s lineup featured St. Pierre’s fellow countrymen, this French-Canadian bon soirwas entirely the Quebecois phenom’s. He entered the Octagon blazing a crimson gi with the strength of 22,000 at the Centre Bell.

Serra had played a clever villain during the event’s promotional tour, but had no quips for “Rush” as St. Pierre packed him into the mat upon stuffing Serra’s initial shot.

St. Pierre mauled “The Terror” with short, sharp elbows as Serra pedaled through guards, all passed by St. Pierre. Serra finally crawled up the cage to his feet.

In the center of the cage, St. Pierre blasted Serra with a Superman punch, setting up a double-leg takedown near the end of round one.

Serra, a mouse puffing beneath his right eye, emptied his tank about 90 seconds into round two as “Rush” tagged “The Terror” with five snapping jabs before planting him back onto the mat with a double-leg takedown.

St. Pierre’s G’n'P onslaught poured on, driving Serra into turtle guard. A series of unanswered rib-rattling knees persuaded referee Steve Mazzagatti to end the fight at 4:45.

“I tired him out,” explained the best 170-pound fighter in the world.

Serra countered, “I ended up coming up short, no pun intended.”

Welterweights Goulet and Kuniyoshi Hironaka (11-5) both pocketed 75 grand for battling the “Fight of the Night” in the card’s opening bout.

Goulet got the worst of it in the punch-up’s first round. Attempting to press his striking advantage, Goulet got tagged with a short Hironaka left hook. The Japanese fighter fell the Canadian and followed with a mix of fists and elbows to close the round.

“He tried to finish me,” Goulet admitted after the fight, “but he got too excited. I was careful because of my experience.”

The two fighters traded evenly to open the second before Hironaka was stunned with a punch that backed him to the cage. Goulet stalked with a flurry that dropped his opponent for a TKO at 2:07.

In the co-main event, Franklin also rebounded from a lost first round in which Lutter took the former champ to the mat and worked his jiu-jitsu juju. Franklin was nearly tapped in an armbar before he countered in a nifty maneuver that rolled him into Lutter’s full guard.

Lutter had worn himself weary by the second round and got caught with head kick as he shot for single-leg takedown. Franklin hammered “The Serial Killer” and motioned for the referee to stand him up. “Ace” picked Lutter apart on their feet with a combination of slick boxing and knees until the referree stopped the fight at 3:01

Danzig predicted to Fighters.com that Mark Bocek (5-2) is susceptible to a knee and the debuting 155-pounder delivered three big knees to set Bocek up for a rear naked choke submission at 3:48 of the third round.

“I paced myself, and I needed that; because, if I didn’t pace myself I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did in the last round,” Danzig said.

His fellow TUF Champion Bisping debuted at 185-pounds with a dominant TKO “W” over “Chainsaw” Charles McCarthy (10-5), who was unable to continue due to an arm injury after round one.

“Charles couldn’t get up,” “The Count” expalined after the fight.

Middleweight Quarry chased down a timid Kalib Starnes (8-3-1), who probably ran himself out of the UFC, for a unanimous decision.

Middleweight MacDonald added $75,000 to his bank balance with a “(T)KO of the Night” versus Joe Doerksen (39-12) at 54 seconds of the second round.

Middleweight Maia also earned 75 grand for “Submission of the Night”, a triangle choke of “Short Fuse” Ed Herman (14-5) at 2:27 of round two.

Middleweight Day made a successful UFC debut with a 3:58 TKO of “The Talent” Alan Belcher (12-5).

Lightweight Clementi ruined Canadian “Hands of Stone” Sam Stout‘s (13-4-1) homecoming with a split decision victory.

Finally, touted heavyweight Velasquez only spent 2:10 in his Octagon debut before TKOing Brad Morris (9-3).

Today the UFC added the final bout to the undercard, announcing Ed Herman (14-5) and Demian Maia (6-0) will meet at middleweight.

Velasquez is an American Kickboxing Academy pupil and two-time All-American wrestler from Arizona State University.

He’s blown through both his opponents by first round stoppage.

Aussie Brad Morris is surfing a three-fight wave, including a BodogFight “W” over UFC vet “Hurricane” Kristof Midoux (6-10).

Most fans recognize “Short Fuse” Ed Herman from fumbling TUF season three to “Da Spyder” Kendall Grove (8-5).

Like Morris, Team Quest’s Herman rides into Montréal atop a three-fight streak, all won by stoppage.

Undefeated Brazilian Demian Maia tops Herman with six straight, all ending early except for a unanimous decision over “Ximu” Gustavo Machado (13-7-1).