Hoping to make his way back into the ufc fold once again, Irvin knows that the task at hand is simple. Continue to win, improve, and prove that you are a valuable commodity to the organization.

However simple the formula may be, “The Sandman” knows full and well that the mission is daunting. Because of regardless of who he fights, a fight is a fight and anything can happen.

This is my third time being let go from the UFC,” said Irvin while a guest on the MMAJunkie.com Radio program. “I’ve had 10 UFC fights. I seem to be on the path of I win two fights, and I lose one, and I have go fight somewhere else. This is nothing new to me.”

The inconsistency inside the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion is what’s pegged him as a “journeyman”. James has never been able to garner more than a two-fight win streak while in the UFC.

His 5-5 record inside the octagon, though pedestrian at best, isn’t totally indicative of his skill level. Since his inception into the promotion in 2005, Irvin has faced some of the sports best including season one finalist of “The Ultimate Fighter” Stephan Bonnar, top-10 light heavyweight fighter Thiago Silva, and current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Irvin now has the chance to reclaim his status in the UFC with a potential win over Jorge Oliveira, which will take place at Tachi Palace 7, at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, Calif. Should he claim victory over the former prospect, Irvin would be two-in-a-row since his recent UFC exit, which will most likely put him back on the map for a swift return.

“It seems like every fight is my next big fight,” Irvin said. “I lost a few UFC fights. Now I’m on my road to get back there.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Irvin’s next fight? Should another win signal a return back to the big show? Sound off in the comment section below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

After knocking out Tyson Griffin in just over a minute in the first round of their lightweight affair, Gomi not only picked up an impressive win over a perennial contender, he picked up the “Knockout of the Night”, which added additional pleasure to his already impressive portfolio, as the former Pride Lightweight champion.

Here are the fighter payouts, initially reported by MMAJunkie.com, through the California State Athletic Commission. Gomi earned the event high.

The following is in bout order.

The total list of paydays include:

Jon Jones: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Vladimir Matyushenko: $31,000

Yushin Okami: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Mark Munoz: $22,000

Jake Ellenberger: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. John Howard: $15,000

Takanori Gomi: $80,000 ($40,000 win bonus)
def. Tyson Griffin: $30,000

Jacob Volkmann: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Kelly: $17,000

Matt Riddle: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. DaMarques Johnson: $10,000

Igor Pokrajac: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. James Irvin: $20,000

Brian Stann: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus)
def. Mike Massenzio: $5,000

Charles Oliveira: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. Darren Elkins: $8000

Rob Kimmons: $18,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Steve Steinbeiss: $6,000

http://mmajunkie.com/news/20176/ufc-on-versus-2-fighter-salaries-takanori-gomi-earns-event-high-80k-payday.mma

Do any of the figures above shock you, or are they as expected? I personally though, Jon Jones would be receiving a bigger pay day by now, since Brandon Vera was at one point making a flat rate of $100,000, after 3 fights into his UFC career, though at the time, Vera can be likened to the phenom that is Jones.

Paul Kelly vs. Jacob Volkman (lightweight)

Late arriving San Diego fans may witness one of the best fights of the night in the last match of the undercard.  For Paul Kelly, coming off an impressive choke-out win of Matt Veach at UFC 112, a win over Jacob Volkman would propel him out of the “prove yourself” stage in the UFC and into a marquee main card fight to cement his status as a top-eight lightweight.  For Volkman, this fight is about career survival.  After losing his first two UFC fights, the Minnesota fighter beat Ronny Torres this past March to avoid getting cut.  A loss to Kelly would create a 1-3 UFC record and a potential return spot on the chopping block.  Watching a fighter who “must” win to keep his job with the UFC is a fascinating study of, ‘game plan’ vs. desperation.  Desperation to preserve a career can do funny things to a fighter. Will Volkman maintain discipline, or throw the kitchen sink at Kelly if he gets behind? The mental part of this sport is often more intriguing than the physical.

Demarques Johnson vs. Matthew Riddle (welterweight)

The “Darkness” (Johnson) vs. “Monster Mash” (Riddle) is a battle of two fighters clearly on the way up.  Riddle is coming off a DQ win over Greg Soto and Johnson a stunning Knockout of the Night victory over Brad Blackburn in Abu Dhabi.  Riddle was a wrestling stud in upstate New York and Johnson took up Jiu Jitsu in the Army before each arrived in the UFC.  So, a ground affair may be in the offing, but if Johnson’s standup skills from the Mid-East make it on the plane to San Diego, look for a very entertaining back and forth clash.  And, given that Riddle recently told MMAJunkie.com that  “I’m smashing DeMarques,” the potential for leather to fly appears on both sides.

James Irvin vs. Igor Pokrajac (lght heavyweight)

The question in this fight is … which James Irvin will we see?  The explosive fighter who has impressive career wins over Luiz Cane, Doug Marshall, Hector Ramirez, and Houston Alexander, or, the one who struggled against Alessio Sakara, and was easily knocked out by Anderson Silva.  Irvin has publicly mentioned his financial struggles, of late, so he will have internal pressure to get the win and the win-bonus cash.  The Croat, Pokrajac, is 0-2 in his recent stint in the UFC.  A loss to Irvin and he may be headed back to Zagreb in need of a job.  The hook to this fight is, can Irvin generate another thrilling Octagon moment, as he did with his Superman Punch finish of Alexander only eight seconds into round-one at UFC Fight Night 13 in 2008?  If he can, he will have re-ignited his career and probably landed some extra coin from Mr. White.

Mike Massenzio vs. Brian Stann (middleweight)

Brian Stann first made his name as a war hero leading his unit through a multi-day battle in Iraq, subsequently earning a Silver Star.  In the cage it was a brutal left hook that shut down Champion Doug Marshall and earned the war veteran the WEC Light Heavyweight title in 2008.  On August 1^st, Stann will find himself staring at one of the best pure wrestlers in the UFC.  Mike Massenzio was the 2001 national high school wrestling champion out of New Jersey.  He finished Drew McFedries with a Kimura in his first UFC fight and then lost to CB Dollaway via TKO.  Massenzio often trains with Jim and Dan Miller so toughness and stamina will not be an issue for the Jersey fighter.  This is a classic affair of a ground specialist against a big puncher.  Note: Stann will be fighting at middleweight for the first time.  How will he handle the weight cut?

What are your thoughts/predictions about these UFC on Versus undercard fights coming up on Sunday night?

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Irvin was knocked out in 61 seconds by Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion and UFC Champ “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4) in their 19 July fight.

Irvin has 20 days to respond to the findings and may be fined and/or suspended by the NSAC.

Methadone is a synthetic opioid used to treat opioid dependence, and can be prescribed to manage chronic pain.  Oxymorphone is a semi-synthetic opioid painkiller.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fresh from a first-round TKO of “Chainsaw” Charles McCarthy (10-5) in Montréal, “The Count” Michael Bisping (15-1) will fight “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4).

Leben TKO’d “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara (12-7) in March.

Also, “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1) has been added back to the card after his original opponent, “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5), was pulled with an injury.

He’ll face “The Sandman” James Irvin (14-4), who comes off a UFC record eight-second KO of Houston Alexander (8-3) in Denver earlier this month.

The former title challenger from Sityodtong, Florian, dominated the quirky computer tech.

“KenFlo” opened a gash on the back of Lauzon’s head with elbows from his full guard in the first round, but was warned by referee Herb Dean for striking behind the head.

It was a call Dean missed while refereeing a lightweight fight between “Cleat” Rich Crunkilton (16-2) and Sergio Gomez (7-2) at last week’s Las Vegas WEC event.

After the stand-up, Lauzon clinched for a takedown and stepped over Florians body in half-guard for a knee bar that turned into a Achilles lock that Florian yanked free from.

Lauzon snatched an ankle again and reclined into a heel hook that Florian was again able to wriggle free from to end the round.

The frantic mat work and elevation exhausted “J-Lau” for the second round and Florian was able to score a takedown into full mount that Lauzon never bucked free from.

Florian poured on a cocktail of elbows, straights, and hammerfists from the mount, but Lauzon defended.  Dean called an end to the fight after it was clear Lauzon was to spent to transition out of the bad spot.

In a grueling war game between undefeated wrestlers, “The Bully” Gray Maynard (5-0) won a decisive unanimous decision over “The Answer” Frank Edgar (8-1).

Maynard set the pace in the first round by stuffing Edgar’s takedown attempts and deciding when he’d take the inevitable wrestling match to the mat.

Edgar made it a scrap in the second round with crisp 1-2 combos that scored, but Maynard continued to stuff “The Answer’s” shot and score his own powerful takedowns, though neither fighter did much more than molest the other on the mat.

Edgar was gassed by round three and the bigger “Bully” slammed Edgar three times to convince all three judges he was dominant.

Earlier in the night, “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (5-1) pummeled TUF finalist Tom Speer (9-3) over 51 seconds, knocking home the stoppage “W” with a clean straight right that slumped Speer against the cage.

“I’m crunk right now, I’m real crunk,” said Johnson after the fight.

Johnson began the end with a left kick to Speer’s head as the wrestler attempted to shoot, followed by a knee that backed Speer to the cage.   Speer was out on his feet when he absorbed the death blow.

In a welterweight clash, “The Pitbull” Thiago Alves (14-3) crumpled “The Heat” Karo Parisyan (18-5) with a left knee strike to Parisyan’s head in the second round as Parisyan sought the clinch.

At 34-seconds of the round, referee Steve Mazzagatti dove across the downed fighter as he defended Alves’s follow-up pounding.

“The referee did a good job,” Alves claimed after Parisyan disputed the stoppage.  “He was out!”

Parisyan had won round one with deft, one-off striking versus the American Top Team trained kickboxer, who appeared wary of Parisyan’s takedowns. 

In his UFC debut last February, “The Barbarian” Tim Boetsch (7-2) surprised David Heath (7-3) with an onslaught ending in a first-round Boetsch TKO.

Tonight, “The Hammer” Matt Hamill (4-1) weathered Boetsch’s first round avalanche of strikes to reveal “The Barbarian” couldn’t continue his barrage passed the first five minutes.

Hamill began the fight with a powerful double-leg takedown, but couldn’t capitalize before the referee stood the fighters.

Boetsch proved effective with a repeating knee strike that split Hamill’s lip like a ripe peach, splashing blood across Hamill’s chest.

In round two, Boetsch heaved heavily from his corner.  He shot for a single-leg takedown and held Hamill’s leg as the champion wrestler hovered over him hammering punches.  Boetsch rolled into guard, but had nothing left as “The Hammer” finished him at 1:25 with undefended plugs to Boetsch’s face.

Fast-rising Nathan Diaz (9-2) submitted Kurt Pellegrino (11-4) in an air-tight leg triangle choke in the second round of their undercard match, flashing double middle fingers in the air as Pellegrino tapped helplessly.

Diaz was cut on his right eyelid by Pellegrino punches in a first round controlled on the mat by Pellegrino.

Pellegrino dumped Diaz at will and hammered punches and elbows inside Diaz’s full- and half-guard.  Pellegrino passed to side control and pinned Diaz’s arms, hammering Diaz’s unprotected face to open the cut.

But, durable Diaz escaped a lost first round.

The second round continued as the first, with Diaz getting dumped to the mat by Pellegrino.  This time, Diaz ran his guard up Pellegrino’s back and submitted the lightweight in a leg triangle at 3:06 of the round.

“He shouldn’t have pinned me down like that,” Diaz scolded Pellegrino after the hard-won “W”. 

In the televised card’s first fight, “The Assassin” Houston Alexander (8-3) got touched by “The Sandman” James Irvin (14-4) in the first exchange of their light heavyweight match.

Alexander was beaten to the punch by a right Superman punch from Irvin as Alexander launched his own right cross.

Alexander fell to the mat and Irvin followed with a right exclamation point to Alexander’s noggin as referee Steve Mazzagatti dove to Alexander’s rescue at :08 of the fight, tying a UFC record for quickest KO.

“I was still conscious,” Alexander repeated after the stoppage.

Amidst boos, Irvin challenged, “We can do it again right now.  If you want to go out into the parking lot, we can do it right now.”

 In untelevised fights, “The Dentist” Josh Neer (24-6-1) won a unanimous decision over “Dinyero” Din Thomas (20-8), who was returning from a knee injury in his last outing.

 ”Maximus” Marcus Aurelio (16-5) submitted lightweight Ryan Roberts (8-3) 16 seconds into the fight.

“Pitbull” Manvel Gamburyan (8-2) submitted Jeffrey Cox (9-5) in guillotine choke at 1:41 of the first round.

“The Carpenter” Clay Guida (23-9) TKO’d lightweight Samy Schiavo (10-5) at 4:15 of round one.

Finally, welterweight George Sotiropoulos (9-2) TKO’d Roman Mitichyan (5-2) 2:24 into round two.