Before we discuss the merits of Rivera and Philippou, it should be noted that this fight was one of the hardest struck by the injury-plagued UFC 133 card. Originally, Rivera was expected to fight the tough Alessio Sakara after two failed attempts to put the match together. On two separate occasions, injuries forced the cancellation of the bout. UFC 133 was supposed to be “third time’s the charm”… until Alessio Sakara had to pull out due to injury. Rivera recently joked that their fight must be “cursed”.

Jorge Rivera has been fighting for over a decade, and is a veteran of almost thirty fights. Rivera first debuted in the UFC all the way back at UFC 44 in 2003, but would struggle to find stable employment inside the Octagon until 2006, after a stint on the fourth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, a season that was built around former UFC fighters fighting over a chance to get back in the Octagon and even challenge for a championship.

From 2009 to 2010, Rivera went on a bit of a rebirth, winning three straight fights with two (T)KO victories. He was then matched up against brash British bad-boy Michael Bisping, and proceeded to tear Bisping several new holes in a series of hilarious pre-fight promos and skits. Bisping didn’t take too kindly to that, and it showed during the fight when he landed a blatant illegal knee that many felt should have resulted in Bisping getting disqualified. The fight would end up continuing, and Bisping would TKO Rivera in the second round and afterwards spit at Rivera’s corner.

Rivera’s opponent, Constantinos Phillippou, has only been fighting since 2008. In that time, he’s pushed his record up to a respectable 7-2 with one No Contest. Five of his seven wins have been stoppages, although he did lose his UFC debut to Nick Catone by Unanimous Decision. Philippou probably took solace in the fact that the bout was a 195-pound catchweight fight.

Now that he’s going to be fighting at his normal weight class, I think Phillippou has a real shot of beating Rivera. Another aspect to consider in this fight is the mental game: Philippou wants to prove that he’s ready to become a UFC fighter, while Rivera has publicly talked about retiring following the tough loss to Bisping.

Then again, you simply can’t count out Jorge Rivera. That loss to Bisping was almost solely dependent on the illegal knee strike that badly messed him up. Before that, Rivera had been looking pretty good against decent competition. Rivera is definitely a journeyman, but he’s a good fighter and a wily veteran.

All in all, I think it’s going to come down to which Jorge Rivera shows up. If it’s the one that beat someone like Nate Quarry by out-striking him and then stopping him, than Phillippou is in for one tough fight and probably isn’t ready for a fighter as experienced as Rivera. But if it’s a Rivera that’s considering retirement and not fighting with his full heart, then I think Phillippou may be able to pull off the upset.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At UFC 127, which took place at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia, there was a lot of heat between both Jorge Rivera and Michael Bisping, who were the co-main event of the evening late last month.

Rivera posted numerous videos online, mocking the Brit, and it clearly got under his skin. Eventually, the two met and Bisping was declared the winner via TKO. However, the fight wasn’t without it’s issues, and the whole world took note, including UFC President Dana White, and he has since punished the Bisping accordingly.

At UFC 127, Bisping landed an illegal knee to a downed Rivera. While things of this nature happen all the time, Michael’s knee seemed a little more malicious, at least that was consensus by most fans and fighters who witnessed the bout. Rivera had both knees on the ground and Bisping meanwhile clinched with both hands and landed the knee to the head.

Though Jorge eventually rose to his feet, he was clearly never really back in the fight.

Rivera went on to battle through the second-round, however Michael flurried him against the cage, landing standing elbows which eventually dropped “El COnquistador” and called a halt to the bout.

Soon after, Bisping retreated to Rivera’s corner, screaming profanities and spitting at the cornerman of Rivera. As Jorge went to embrace Michael to congratulate him on the win, the Brit pushed his friendly gesture away and continued to be loud and boisterous.

Though Bisping was apologetic afterwards, Dana White took note of his actions and an interview with Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, reported that he had witheld a “bonus” from the Brit. While it’s unclear what that bonus is, White suggests that it would be than justifiable for what Michael had done.

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

As we head closer and closer to this show going live, I find myself more and more conflicted about who I think will win between BJ Penn and Jon Fitch. I certainly know who I want to win: Fitch, who I’ve vocally defended several times and is actually one of my favorite fighters. But without a doubt, this is Jon’s toughest test since he fought and lost to Georges St. Pierre. BJ Penn seems very focused and motivated going into this bout, and a focused and motivated BJ Penn is one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet.

Part of me really hopes Jorge Rivera is able to beat Michael Bisping. I stand by what I said in my “picks and predictions” post, I think Rivera will more than likely come in overly aggressive and Bisping will more than likely catch him. But I would hate for Rivera to be just another fighter that talked a big game and didn’t back any of it up. As much as I like Michael Bisping, I’ve busted a gut at countless Rivera videos where he and his team proceed to mock “The Count”. Hopefully all that wonderful, hilarious trash talk was not in vain. It should certainly be a good fight no matter what happens.

I think it’s really nice that the UFC is giving its more-hardcore fans so many ways to watch the preliminary fights of their Pay-Per-View events. It’s getting to a point where every UFC Pay-Per-View has a couple of free preliminary fights somewhere, and that’s in addition to the UFC’s busy schedule of Spike TV and “UFC on Versus” events. Some fans and insiders are already wondering if this is becoming too much of a good thing, but for my money, free MMA on TV is rarely a bad thing. I think the UFC will continue these “UFC Prelims Live” specials until they’re no longer successful, and if the ratings of the last several specials were any indication, the future of this series is ripe with potential.

Speaking of “ripe with potential”, I really hope George Sotiropoulos wins his upcoming bout with Dennis Siver. I think Sotiropoulos could become a serious contender to the UFC Lightweight Championship before the year is through. And even if that doesn’t pan out, there’s still a lot of potentially awesome fights for George Sotiropoulos at 155.

Overall, I’m really looking forward to this card and I hope it doesn’t disappoint. The UFC has been off to an excellent 2011, and I’d like for this show to continue that trend. With plenty of great encounters and several fights on free TV, UFC 127 is shaping up to be the benchmark for the UFC’s international efforts in 2011. Here’s hoping it lives up to my expectations.

And those are my “Finally Final” thoughts on UFC 127, fans and friends. But what about you? What’s on your mind as we get closer and closer to this show?

If any UFC 127 fighter’s life is ripe to be made into a movie it is the story of Jorge Rivera. A stunning knockout of Michael Bisping in Australia would certainly sweeten the script for any Hollywood suit on the fence.

Why Jorge Rivera?

He grew up suffering discrimination in Milford, MA as part of the only Puerto Rican family in his area.  He admits he made some mistakes as a teenager, which landed him in jail.  He had his first child as a young man as he turned to MMA after his time in prison.  As his MMA career took off with the UFC he grew apart from his first daughter who was living with her mother.  At seventeen, that daughter – Janessa Rivera, died from complications from her birth control medication.  Despite this terrible tragedy, Rivera has valiantly won his last three fights after her death and often mentions the presence of his daughter after each victory.  Now, an old man, by MMA standards at 38, Rivera has his highest profile fight against a UFC star in Britain’s Michael Bisping.

It is a hardscrabble story of overcoming the odds and great life tragedy to find inner peace, fame and riches through sport.

If you watched the UFC 127 preview show on Spike TV, you can understand why the producers devoted the most time to Rivera’s story.  He comes across as a man who was flawed and made mistakes early, suffered great heartbreak in his personal life, yet has persevered to find success in his sport.  Now, he has the biggest stage of his life to show the world of MMA, at the end of his career, if he has one final push of greatness, which can overcome the younger and flashier opponent in Michael Bisping.

Heck, a thousand movies have been green-lit with 1/10^th of the guts of this story.  It mixes themes we all identify with in our own way from loss to redemption wrapped in the compelling drama of a Mixed Martial Artist striving for glory.

Rivera is a street guy and some of that has come through in his pre-fight trash talk, no doubt.  But you can also see a man who has lived, has suffered, and fought in and out of the cage on many levels, but has come through the fire.  He may still be coming through the fire yet with a massive chance to wow us all at UFC 127.  How can’t one root for such a man?

Will this story have a rosy end with Rivera beating Bisping, winning a title belt, and living happily ever after … probably not.  But, it is about the life struggle.  And Rivera has shined in battling the struggle, no matter how things go in Australia.

–

What do you think of Jorge Rivera?  Should his life become a movie?

Kyle Noke vs. Chris Camozzi: This is a pretty tough fight to pick. Both men are on four-fight win-streaks, both have only lost a handful of times, and both men are pretty versatile. Camozzi has four (T)KO’s, five submissions, and five decisions, while Noke has six (T)KO’s, seven submissions, and five decisions. It’s going to be a tough brawl, but based on the level of competition he’s fought and beaten, I’m picking Kyle Noke to win via Unanimous Decision.

Chris Lytle vs. Brian Ebersole: Brian Ebersole won’t make it easy, but in the end I just think that there’s no stopping Chris Lytle. Lytle may have lost more times, but Ebersole has been submitted nine times and Lytle has 19 submission wins on his record, this despite the fact that Lytle always shows up to bang and has some pretty heavy hands. Everyone seems to sleep on Lytle’s ground game, and I think Ebersole’s susceptibility to submissions will result in Chris Lytle taking a submission win in Round 2.

George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver: Dennis Siver is a quality match-up for anybody, but against George Sotiropoulos, I just don’t think he has what it takes. George is quickly shaping up to be the next big can’t-miss prospect at Lightweight, and he’s gone a long way towards realizing that destiny with several impressive victories that have really shown his growth into a complete Mixed Martial Artist, rather than just a submission specialist. But since Siver has lost a majority of his fights by submission (four of seven), I’m calling for a classic “G-Sot” performance that ends with a first round submission.

Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera: I hate to say what I’m about to say, because I’ve really become a fan of Jorge Rivera thanks to his hilarious, bust-a-gut video interviews where he mocks Michael Bisping. But I just don’t think Rivera is on Bisping’s level. Part of me hopes he proves me wrong, but a larger part of me knows that Bisping fights hardest when he has a chip on his shoulder. The last time Bisping was this fired up was after he had gotten KO’d by Dan Henderson and wanted to prove that he was still a force at Middleweight. He proceeded to dominate and TKO the once-feared Denis Kang and send him right out of the UFC. With this in mind, I think Bisping will catch an overly-aggressive Rivera and TKO him in Round 1.

BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch: So it finally comes down to this: after weeks of speculation it’s now time for me to definitively choose a side. I’m a big fan of both BJ Penn and Jon Fitch, and this is honestly one of those fights where I really wish that neither man had to lose. But I’ve been siding with Fitch from the get-go, and in spite of recent developments, it’s Fitch that I’m going to stay with. Fitch will grind out BJ Penn and deplete his cardio to the point where we’ll see the same defeated, exhausted Penn we saw during the later rounds of Penn’s second battle with Georges St. Pierre. Jon Fitch will win this fight by Unanimous Decision.

And that’s it for me, fans and friends. But what about you? Who’ve you got winning, and why, for UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”?

5. Four free fights, two on Facebook and two on ION Television.

Does it really get any better than that? If you’re of the mind to do so, you’re basically getting two free, full hours of MMA action in addition to the normal UFC Pay-Per-View broadcast. The UFC definitely knows how to give back to its fans, and the great thing about this is that the free fights have plenty of potential even if you have no idea who’s fighting who. Free MMA on TV plus good MMA on TV equals a major reason to watch UFC 127.

4. The continuing evolution of George Sotiropoulos.

Sotiropoulos is on a fantastic eight-fight win-streak with seven of those wins occurring inside the world’s most prestigious Mixed Martial Arts organization. But Sotiropoulos faces a very tough threat in the form of Dennis Siver, Siver has won four of his last five fights and has several “Of The Night” honors to his credit. This is exactly the kind of test Sotiropoulos needs right now, with the UFC needing just a bit more proof before they book him as the next major threat at Lightweight. If he wins and wins decisively at UFC 127, expect George Sotiropoulos to become a championship contender before the year is through.

3. Is Chris Lytle really ready for top-division status?

I’m disappointed that Carlos Condit had to pull out of this fight, but Brian Ebersole is no throw-away opponent. Ebersole is a tough veteran with a gigantic 44-14-1-1 record, but most recently, he’s won his last seven fights. It wouldn’t be the first time that a tough newcomer upset the heavy favorite, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about Chris Lytle possibly losing this bout. If “Lights Out” can beat Ebersole, he’ll take one big, important step closer to this latest run towards championship relevancy.

2. Can Jorge Rivera really beat Michael Bisping?

This is the million-dollar question when it comes to this fight, isn’t it? Rivera has been striking comedic gold for the past several weeks with his hilarious YouTube videos, but that’s come at a price: Bisping now wants to knock Rivera’s head off. Can Rivera really hang with a fighter that’s consistently hovered around the top of his division for the last several years? Or were his interviews, as vastly entertaining as they were, simply a matter of all show and no go?

And my number one reason to watch UFC 127 is…

1. Does Penn have another title run in him? Can Fitch really beat one of the best in the sport?

If Rivera/Bisping was the million-dollar question, I suppose those are the billion-dollar questions. BJ Penn and Jon Fitch are both at crucial parts of their careers: Fitch is closer than ever to getting both the title shot and the respect that he’s been hungering for ever since losing to Georges St. Pierre, BJ Penn is on the verge of another dramatic comeback in a career that’s been highlighted by amazing comebacks. It’s a fight between two of the UFC’s best with a whole lot more than just a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship on the line, and it’s definitely the biggest reason to tune in and watch this show.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

The Event: UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”, scheduled for February 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. Because of the time differential, the event will be broadcast live on Pay-Per-View in the United States on February 26, 2011 starting at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT. Two preliminary fights will be streamed live on the UFC’s Facebook page at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. Two additional preliminary bouts will be shown on the Ion Television network at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.

Why You Should Care: The card is filled with some of the best of the best when it comes to the UFC’s international talent, and in the main event, BJ Penn and Jon Fitch lock horns to determine the next man to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship. This is a very important point in both men’s fighting careers, and it isn’t a match that should be missed. Plus, many of the matches simply look like a whole lot of fun on paper.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Both Penn and Fitch are chasing a title shot, but for very different reasons. Penn is all about cementing his legacy, Fitch is all about getting the credit he rightfully deserves. Fitch will come out hungry and look to grind down Penn, Penn will come out fiery and looking to serve up another KO after recently blasting Matt Hughes into unconsciousness. Both men will show up at the top of their game, and it’s going to be a great fight.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: For the past several weeks, Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera have been embroiled in bitter verbal warfare with plenty of mudslinging and much spitting of venom. Both men pretty much hate each other, so look for them to come in trying to knock each other’s heads off. Rivera does not fear Michael Bisping, and he wants to prove that he’s no longer simply a “journeyman” fighter. Bisping wants to prove that Rivera was never on his level and that the UFC needs to start giving him legitimate championship contenders. It’s going to be a fast-paced brawl with neither man giving an inch.

Why You Should Watch This Card: It’s simply loaded with talent, and the potential for good fights is very high. Not only that, but you’re getting four free preliminary fights across Facebook and ION Television. Even if you disregard the main and co-main events, you’ve still got big names like George Sotiropoulos, Chris Lytle, and more. This is one of the UFC’s best international events by far.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I honestly can’t think of any real reason to give this show a pass. You may not be a Jon Fitch fan, he’s certainly got his fair share of detractors, but the sheer quality of all the other fights makes this one event that’s difficult to pass up. This card really does have a “something for everybody” feel.

Closing Thoughts: I’m very excited for this event, and I think it’s going to be one of the year’s best shows. The UFC is already off to an amazing 2011, and this show will more than likely continue that trend. Mixed Martial Arts in general seems to be having a banner year, so I’m incredibly optimistic about where the sport is going as we head into Spring 2011.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends! What about you? What’s your opinion on UFC 127?

5. Bisping has fought (and beat) better competition recently.

Rivera is on a three-fight win-streak compared to Bisping’s two-fight win-streak, but Bisping has definitely fought better competition both in general and recently. Bisping’s last two conquests were against Yoshihiro Akiyama and Dan Miller, Rivera’s were against Nate Quarry and Rob Kimmons. Bisping has been competing at a high level for quite some time now, for Rivera, this is his chance to get on the level Bisping is already at.

4. Rivera hasn’t fought in nearly a year.

The last time Jorge Rivera stepped into the cage was in March 2010. And as I’ve said many times in regards to many different fighters, “ring rust” is very real. Any fighter, regardless of their past glories, can have a tough time getting back into the flow of things after a prolonged absence. And that “ring rust” factor will definitely be multiplied by the fact that Bisping is one of the elite in the UFC’s Middleweight division. Wining your return bout is hard enough, winning it against Michael Bisping will be one of the toughest tests of Jorge Rivera’s career.

3. Michael Bisping likes to knock people out too.

Jorge Rivera has a lot of (T)KO’s on his record, but so does Michael Bisping. In fact, both men actually have the same number of (T)KO wins on their records: twelve. Bisping has plenty of killer instinct still left in him, and now that he’s closer than ever to getting the title shot that has eluded him throughout his UFC career, he’ll come into this fight looking to separate Rivera’s head from his shoulders. A motivated Michael Bisping is a scary Michael Bisping.

2. When Rivera fights opponents at or near the top, he loses.

Let’s take a look at some of the famous names Rivera has fought and lost to: Martin Kampmann, Chris Leben, Rich Franklin, Anderson Silva… all of whom are pretty big stars in the UFC. Rivera has fought for upper-division status and championship relevancy in the past… and he’s lost. And while the cynics may argue where Bisping figures in the Middleweight rankings, you simply can’t deny that Bisping has floated around at or near the top of his division for the past several years.

And the number one reason Michael Bisping could beat Jorge Rivera is because…

1. Jorge Rivera is almost forty.

There is only one “ageless wonder” in the UFC. It’s not Jorge Rivera. Now more and more it seems that forty is the new cut-off date that all fighters should dread, the birthday that signals the beginning of the end and the degradation of both their bodies and their skills. Bisping may be the biggest threat Jorge Rivera has ever faced in the Octagon, but Rivera’s number one enemy right now is Father Time.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Bisping vs. Rivera: who’ve you got and why?

5. Rivera is coming off of two straight TKO victories, while Bisping hasn’t finished anyone in over a year.

Rivera’s last two fights have all ended with his opponents looking up at the lights, and that’s a huge confidence booster as Rivera heads into his fight with Bisping. Meanwhile, Bisping hasn’t stopped anyone since he beat Denis Kang back in November 2009. Bisping’s last three fights have all went to a decision, one of which he lost. This paints a pretty clear picture: Rivera’s killer instinct is still very much intact, Bisping’s appears to be faltering.

4. Jorge Rivera is in the middle of the biggest comeback of his career.

Rivera has never looked quite so good in the Octagon. He’s won three fights in a row before, but he’s never won three straight in the UFC. And Rivera’s last victory was a big win over former UFC Middleweight Championship challenger Nate Quarry. In fact, Rivera basically TKO’d Quarry into retirement, although that remains unconfirmed. Rivera is hungry, motivated, and winning like he’s never won before. His confidence is the highest it’s been in years, and he’ll need that to beat Bisping.

3. Jorge Rivera likes to knock people out.

Rivera has twelve wins by (T)KO, and he always swings with both power and authority. Against Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping was in serious danger of being knocked out at least once during their fight. And then of course there was the famous loss to Dan Henderson, a knockout loss so brutal that many cynics continue to hold it over Bisping and his fans to this day. If Rivera can catch Bisping, he’s definitely got a shot at finishing “The Count”.

2. Jorge Rivera has a lot of experience.

While Rivera only has two more professional MMA fights than Bisping, this point should still be made. Rivera’s UFC debut came almost three years before Bisping’s, Rivera also debuted as a professional MMA star close to three years before “The Count”. In that time, Rivera has faced humbling defeats and major victories. He’s been kicked out and fought his way back into the UFC several times. Jorge Rivera has a ton of experience, and he’ll need all of it in order to best Bisping.

And the number one reason why I think Jorge Rivera could beat Michael Bisping is because…

1. Jorge Rivera is under Michael Bisping’s skin.

Whenever someone truly gets under Michael Bisping’s skin, he loses. Dan Henderson is the clearest example of this: “Hendo” was completely unaffected by Bisping’s constant trash-talk, and ironically enough, not being able to get under Henderson’s skin allowed Henderson to get under Bisping’s. In all the pre-fight interviews Bisping has had leading up to this fight, I really get the feeling that Rivera is winning the psychological warfare. If one of the masters of trash talk can only offer up “dork” and “nerd” as a rebuttal, you know something is up. If Michael Bisping makes a mistake, Rivera will be ready to capitalize on it. And Bisping tends to make mistakes when a fighter gets under his skin.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. Stay tuned for the follow-up post, but for now, what’s your take on this fight?

In a new interview with The Independent, “The Count” had this to say regarding his fight with Rivera: “Rivera’s a [expletive] dork… He can try and make himself relevant by talking [expletive] and doing stupid videos. I make myself relevant by constantly fighting the best in the world… Obviously Jorge hasn’t written any of that himself because the guy hasn’t got two brain cells to rub together. I doubt he can even read… The guy’s 38 years old. You’d think he’d grow up and mature… It’s all pathetic garbage. He should spend less time making videos and more time in the gym.”

Heading into his UFC 127 bout with Rivera, Bisping is on a two-fight win-streak with big victories over Dan Miller and Yoshihiro Akiyama. Meanwhile, Jorge Rivera is on a three-fight win-streak and comes into this fight with Bisping on the heels of back-to-back TKO victories inside the Octagon.

I’ve watched several of Jorge Rivera’s videos on Michael Bisping, and even as a Bisping fan I have to admit that they have a witty charm and a great sense of humor that is all their own. I think Rivera has definitely struck a nerve and may be inside Bisping’s head. Bisping is a great trash-talker, but it really seems like Rivera is just blowing him out of the water. If you haven’t seen any of Rivera’s pre-fight diss videos, you should definitely track them down.

I honestly think it’s a little backwards to accuse Rivera of being a dork and say it like it’s a bad thing. I’m actually quite proud to be a dork, and for that matter, aren’t we all a bit dorky since we’re part of the hardcore MMA scene? In a way, Bisping even took a shot at a section of his fanbase by insulting Rivera for being a dork. I’m talking about fans like me, the fans that like Bisping because they can see past his bravado and boasting and focus on how he’s a quality fighter that shows a lot of heart, finesse, and technique whenever he steps into a cage. If you can appreciate the finer aspects of the fight game, the kind of aspects that let you appreciate a fighter like Bisping even though he’s always spitting venom, then you’re pretty much at least somewhat dorky.

So why is that a bad thing? I let my dork flag fly free, and I actually think that Bisping may be grasping at straws because, for the first time in a long time, someone is getting the better of him when it comes to pre-fight trash-talk. I’m still a fan of Bisping, but I’d be lying if I said that Rivera’s videos hadn’t won me over. It’s certainly going to be a very interesting fight.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Rivera’s videos and Bisping’s reaction to them?

MMA Weekly brings word from a huge Australian press conference where UFC Managing Director of International Development Marshall Zelaznik recently made the card official. While anything can happen between now and February, currently the card stands as follows: Jon Fitch vs. B.J. Penn, Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera, Dennis Siver vs. George Sotiropoulos, Chris Camozzi vs. Kyle Noke, Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle, Alexander Gustafsson vs. James Te Huna, Tom Blackledge vs. Anthony Perosh, Riki Fukuda vs. Nick Ring, Spencer Fisher vs. Ross Pearson, Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Curt Warburton, and Mark Hunt vs. TBA.

I’m looking forward to this card for several big reasons, and I honestly think it has the potential to be an early front-runner for the best UFC event of the year, perhaps even the best MMA event overall of 2011. First and foremost, I’m a massive fan of both Jon Fitch and BJ Penn and I can’t wait to see how their wildly different styles clash. Both men are amazing fighters and are coming off some big wins, and I think if Jon Fitch is able to pass this test, he’ll finally be given his long-awaited and long-overdue rematch with Georges St. Pierre.

I’m also looking forward to this card because I’m a big fan of Michael Bisping, and I think he’s going to KO Jorge Rivera. Rivera is an experienced veteran who’s on a good win-streak right now, but Bisping has always been hovering around top-division status and Rivera is clearly a middle-of-the-road somewhat-threat. Bisping has proven dangerous against top competition even if he’s lost to a few of them, so I think UFC 127 will be an important step for Bisping’s career as he grabs up another huge and convincing win.

I’m also a growing fan of George Sotiropoulos, and I think he’s definitely the next major threat at Lightweight. I was a bit hesitant to get behind him thanks to what I like to call the “Magic Submission Pants”, but his recent performances have proven that Sotiropolous is a great fighter no matter what he’s wearing. The clothes don’t make the man, Sotiropoulos could show up to an MMA event stark naked and probably still dominate his opponent… not that anyone would want him to, of course, I simply say this as a converted fan.

And finally, I’m a big fan of Chris Lytle. I’ve been a fan of his for quite some time, in the past, I’ve even said that my often-used and much-loved term “dark horse favorite” originated with Chris Lytle. If Lytle beats Condit he may finally step into the “promised land” and achieve top-division status. For someone who’s battled his way through the UFC for so many years, I can admit that it’d certainly be unexpected to see Chris Lytle finally emerge as a legitimate Welterweight contender in 2011. Unexpected… but certainly not impossible. So I’ll be pulling for “Lights Out” in a major way, and I wish him all the best.

So there you have it, fans and friends. For several reasons, UFC 127 is shaping up to be my can’t-miss event of the year. What about you? What are your early opinions on the card?

“…It’s going to be Jorge Rivera, co-main event I’m led to believe, Australia, 27^th of February, at the Acer Arena… I was after a higher-profile opponent, I asked for Nate Marquardt… If it’s going to be Jorge Rivera, then it’s gonna have to be Jorge Rivera… He’s been around a long time, he’s on a good win-streak at the moment, he’s a solid opponent… I don’t know what his problem is. He’s just another ***hole that’s going to get beat… His manager can kiss my *** as well… 27^th of February, Jorge’s going to get battered.”

I’m looking forward to this match for several reasons. First and foremost, I think both these fighters shine brightest when they’re put against someone who can really bring the fight to them. Both men have a majority of their wins by (T)KO, in fact, they even have the same number of (T)KO victories (twelve). However, I think this fight favors Michael Bisping for several reasons.

First and foremost, if this is a match where both men are looking for the KO and won’t mind the danger of getting KO’d themselves in order to nail their punches, that kind of match favors Bisping. Rivera has been (T)KO’d four times in his career, Bisping has been knocked unconscious only once. Bisping’s lone KO is far more famous than any of Rivera’s, but that’s beside the point. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that anyone would have been KO’d in Bisping’s position: walking right into the power shot of PRIDE FC legend Dan Henderson. But aside from the KO from “Hendo”, Bisping has displayed a fantastic chin, while Rivera’s has failed him on more than one occasion.

I think age will also play an important factor in this match. Bisping is seven years younger than Rivera, and Rivera is coming dangerously close to the dreaded forty-year-old cutoff date, since it’s generally assumed that a Mixed Martial Artist has passed their peak by the time they’re forty. Of course there are obvious exceptions to that unofficial rule, but Jorge Rivera is no Randy Couture, and 2011 will mark the tenth year that Rivera has competed as a professional Mixed Martial Artist.

So it should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that I’m picking Michael Bisping to win this fight. I have a lot of respect for Jorge Rivera, but Bisping is a terrible opponent for him. Bisping is energetic, a tactician, a strong puncher, an under-rated grappler, and in the midst of a pretty decent little comeback. It probably won’t be easy, at the very least it’s unlikely that Bisping will outright dominate Rivera, but I do think that Bisping will walk away with the win. And I look forward to the increasingly-bitter verbal war that this fight will almost surely produce. Because I’m almost positive that it’s going to get a whole lot worse before all is said and done.

And what about you, fans and friends? Now that it’s about as official as official gets, what do you make of Jorge Rivera vs. Michael Bisping?

Bisping spoke in his personal blog that he has been approached about fighting on the February card at ufc 127, but that no opponent had been discussed.

Following his brief stint in Germany, Jorge Rivera disclosed that preliminary talks were in place for a match up against Bisping for the Australia card. Jorge’s opponent at UFC 122 in Oberhausen, Alessio Sakara, had pulled out at the last minute of their co-main event slot due to illness.

Now, both Bisping and Jorge will look to climb the ladder of the middleweight division with a win over one another.

“I really, really want this next fight,” Rivera said while speaking with kimura.se, who first caught win of the news of the middleweight fight. “I not only want the fight, I want to (expletive) him up.”

Rivera has since went on to say that should the match come to fruition, he promises a knockout victory, which took Bisping by surprise since he never caught wind of the news.

“A certain someone who was supposed to fight recently but didn’t has been talking (expletive) about me,” said ‘The Count’.

“He says that we’re going to fight soon. I don’t know if that is to be the case or not. I haven’t spoken to my manager”.

MMAJunkie.com has confirmed with sources close to the promotion that verbal agreements are in place for the bout, which could take co-main event honors serving as the lead in for a headlining bout between former champion BJ Penn in a bout against the consensus number two welterweight Jon Fitch.

Both Rivera and Bisping are riding a wave of momentum into their potential meeting, but more so “El Conquistador” who in March finished off former title challenger Nate Quarry via TKO inside the second round, and has since gone three-straight inside the octagon.

Bisping, mean while, is coming off of successive unanimous decision victories over tough opponents in Dan Miller and in his most recent performance, Yoshihiro Akiyama before his fellow countryman at UFC 120, which took place in London, England.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the bout? Should the winner earn a title shot with a win over one another, or are they still a ways away? Who do you favor in this bout? Sound off in the comment section below.

Though he’s been riding high in a rebirth of his UFC career, where he is now riding a three-fight win streak inside the octagon, which is the first time he has been able to do so in his career, he has had a hard time setting up a fight.

His last victory, a big one at that, came in the form of a second-round TKO victory over former title challenger Nate Quarry last March at “UFC Fight Night 21″, but since then “El Matador” has had two failed bouts come to fruition against fellow resurgent middleweight, Alessio Sakara.

After a shoulder injury forced him out of his first bout with Sakara at UFC 118 in Boston, the UFC execs attempted to put the fight together for a second time at UFC 122, which took place in Oberhausen, Germany earlier this month. Sakara and Rivera were set to co-headline the event, however a late illness fell upon Alessio and the fight was canceled again.

According to Jorge following the UFC 122 proceedings, he would next face season three winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Michael Bisping at UFC 127, which takes place at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia on Feb. 27.

However, “The Count” has still mulled over the bout and has not signed his bout agreement. But if he does, it’s a fight that Rivera promises will end in a knockout. Can you guess who he’s pulling for?

“I promise you that I’m going to come to fight,” said Rivera while speaking with Sherdog.com. “If Michael Bisping comes to fight, then we’re going to have a good fight. … I know it will make for a good fight. I think I can knock him out. I think I have what it takes to keep him standing and to knock him out.”

Jorge believes the edge in the stand up belongs to him, mostly because he feels Bisping lacks the power at 185-pounds, even after having dropped from the light heavyweight division, where he spent his first 15 fights.

“I don’t think he commits to his punches as much,” said the 38-year-old. “I don’t think he hits as hard. I don’t think he’s committed to the striking as much. I think my pressure’s a little stronger and I commit to my punches more.

So the challenge has been set, Jorge now is just biding his time for Bisping to commit.

MMA peeps, what do you make of the match up? Who do you favor? Does Jorge hold the advantage? Sound off in the comment section below.

After a match up between fellow contender Alessio Sakara had been botched not once, but twice, you could understand how frustrated the Massachusetts native would be.

At the age of 38 and with nearly 10 years clocked into the mixed martial arts world, it’s now or never for Rivera. With his most recent resurgence, another win or two over credible opponents will make him an attractive challenger to the middleweight title. But first, Jorge must get through Michael Bisping.

UFC 118, Jorge pulled out of the proposed bout with Sakara due to a broken arm. No worries, you could chalk that up to some bad luck, and a “live to fight another day” scenario.

Then, a rematch was signed, sealed, and delivered at UFC 122–but with just a few hours to go (on fight day nonetheless), Sakara fell ill and the bout was scrapped.

Rather then attempt to reschedule the match for a third time, “El Conquistador” will be called to duty for UFC 127. The event is rumored to be the promotion’s second venture into Australia, and several bouts have been rumored for the card with no official word as of late.

However, Rivera himself confirmed the validity of a middleweight match up between himself and season three winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Michael Bisping. Rivera spoke with kimura.se following the botched match at UFC 122 in Germany, and MMAJunkie.com has since confirmed the bout with sources close to the fight.

Bisping most recently caught his second win-in-a-row when he defeated former PRIDE star, Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 120 this past October. Michael defeated the Korean star by unanimous decision and also credits Dan Miller to his recent winning streak.

Rivera was last seen in action at against former title challenger Nate Quarry last March at “UFC Fight Night 21″, pummeling “The Rock” for a second round TKO victory.

UFC 127 is said to take place once again in Sydney, Australia at the Acer Arena on February 27 of next year.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Good for Rivera picking up a credible opponent for his next bout. If either fighter wins, should he garner a title shot or does he need one more win? Sound off in the comment section below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The addition of Caol Uno (25-13-5)to the UFC seems to have become a failed venture. His loss last night to Gleison Tibau (18-6) was one sided and will likely cause the release of Uno from the UFC. Uno offered up nothing in the way of offense and was an easy and much needed win for Tibau.

“The Real Deal” Ross Pearson (16-5-1) looked very sharp in his decision victory over Dennis Siver (15-7). Ross has been known to step in and engage in a slug fest but against Siver, a very dangerous fighter, he had a good game plan. He moved in and out and never stayed engaged to long. He had great head movement and his feints kept Sivers off guard and somewhat confused.

My only critique of Pearson’s performance was his lack of killer instinct. He seemed to hurt Dennis a couple times in the fight and rather than push forward and try for a finish he sat back playing it a bit safe. Granted he got the win but as he moves up in the division he will need to use a similar strategy but also be able to incorporate that finishing instinct. He could go a long way in the UFC given ample amount of time.

While I thought Joe Rogan was a little off his game last night and flat out wrong about a couple of things I will discuss later, he was dead on about Jorge Rivera (18-7). I have never seen Jorge look so good in a fight. He dominated the guy I picked to win the fight, “Rock” Nate Quarry (12-4). He picked him apart in the fight once he found his range. Nate did land some solid leg kicks but again, once Jorge found the range he unloaded on Nate with power shots that seemed to rock the “Rock” each time. I also thought Jorge looked lighter on his feet and seemed to take some solid punches better than he has in the past. This could be the start of a new fight life for Jorge and I am excited to see where he goes from here.

Then there was MMA Gospel fan favorite “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (16-4) taking on “Big Country” Roy Nelson (15-4) in the co-main event. I think Struve can be a top contender in the heavyweight division in the future. He is young and the sky is the limit for him, no pun intended. Although in order for him to reach his full potential he will need to learn to utilize his height and reach advantage to his fullest. There is no reason Nelson should have gotten inside on Struve with very little effort. Struve needed to use his jab to keep Nelson at bay and instead of the leg kicks he should be using the front kick to the body. These are weapons a man of his size should be using to keep the shorter opponents outside their range so he can pick them apart.

Having said that I don’t feel he gave that fight to Nelson. I think Nelson worked hard and knew exactly what he had to do in order to win. It is hard to judge his performance because the fight only went 39 seconds but that is two big knock outs for Roy, a man many said was to fat and to slow for the UFC.

Now we move to the main event between Fighters.com seventh-ranked “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (12-4) and “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-6). This is where my critique of Joe Rogan comes in to play.

If you listened to Joe and Mike Goldberg you would think Kenny was destroying Gomi and that just was not the case. Granted Florian did a very good job in the first round using his jab to throw off Gomi’s plan of attack. That and his fast movement in and out of the pocket kept Gomi from unleashing anything substantial but then again Gomi has never been much of a defensive striker.In the past he has eaten plenty of punches in order to get inside to deliver his death blow. However in the first round he was blanked.

The second round told a different story though. Gomi was able to slip Florian’s jab and use a very effective one-two counter that had KenFlo putting on the brakes when working his own counter. It did not fully stop Kenny but it was working and proved to me that if Gomi were to take his training more seriously he could very well make a come back.

In the end though his ground game is still just awful as it always has been and Kenny’s seems to be getting better. The worst part for Florian is that he is stuck in a division where the champion is seemingly heads and tails above the rest.

All in all the Fight Night was full of exciting fights and fantastic finishes. Some shocking and others, well, not so much.

Florian weighed the limit at 156 pounds and Gomi weighed 155 pounds.

The Ultimate Fighter 10 champion “Big Country” Roy Nelson (14-4) and 6? 11? heavyweight prospect “SkySkraper” Stefan Struve (23-3) both also made weight for their matchup.  Nelson weighed 263 pounds while Struve weighed 248 pounds.

Fight night 21 will air live on SpikeTV at 8:00 PM EST.  The rest of the weights below:

Nate Quarry (186) vs. Jorge Rivera (186)
Ross Pearson (156) vs. Dennis Siver (156)
Rafaello Oliveira (156) vs. Andre Winner (156)
Ronys Torres (155) vs. Jacob Volkmann (155)
Rob Emerson (154) vs. Nik Lentz (155)
Gleison Tibau (156) vs. Caol Uno (156)
Lucio Linhares (184) vs. Yushin Okami (184)
Gerald Harris (186) vs. Mario Miranda (186)
Charlie Brenneman (170) vs. Jason High (170)

Rua weighed in at 204.5 pounds.

Machida has weighed in to a UFC light heavyweight fight as low as 199-pounds and is undefeated, however he has been more likely to win by stoppage when weighing 204 pounds or more the day before a fight indicating his weight does affect his performance.  Machida might expect a stand-up war versus the crisp striker Rua and therefore want to be lighter on his feet.

On the flips side of the coin, welterweight prospect “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (7-2) weighed 176 pounds, five pounds over the welterweight limit, for his fight versus eighth-ranked “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-2), who weighed in at the limit.  The two agreed to fight regardless of Johnson’s apparent disregard for the rules and disrespect for Yoshida.

Lightweights “Dentis” Josh Neer (25-8-1) and Gleison Tibau (16-5) both missed weight in their matchup.  Neer weight 156.5 pounds and Tibau weighe 157 pounds.

The rest of the card made weight:

Cain Velasquez (6-0) 238 pounds v Ben Rothwell (26-6) 265 pounds
“Daddy” Joe Stevenson (30-9 155.5 pounds v “King” Spencer Fisher (23-4) 155 pounds
“Darth” Ryan Bader (7-0) 205 pounds v “Red” Eric Schafer (12-4-2) 205.5 pounds
“HD” Pat Barry (2-2) 237 pounds v Antoni Hardonk (8-5)  249.5 pounds
Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked middleweight Chael Sonnen (22-10-1) 185 pounds v “Thunder” Yushin Okami (23-4) 185 pounds
“El Conquistador” Jorge Rivera (16-7) 185 pounds v Rosedale Reaper” Rob Kimmons (21-4) 185 pounds
Kyle Kingsbury (8-2) 205.5 pounds v Razak Al-Hassan (7-1) 204.5 pounds
Chase Gormley (2-0) 262 pounds v Stefan Struve (13-2) 243.5 pounds

Slotted instead are the main event between Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (15-0) and sixth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-3) and co-main event between heavyweights Cain Velasquez (6-0) and “Big” Ben Rothwell (26-6) as well as the following matchups:

Gleison Tibau (16-5) v “Dentist” Josh Neer (25-8-1)
“Daddy” Joe Stevenson (30-9) v “King” Spencer Fisher (23-4)
“Rumble” Anthony Johnson (7-2) v “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-3)

The Sonnen/Okami matchup could make the PPV broadcast if those fights run short and the Sonnen/Okami fight is both exciting and fits into the remaining time.

Okami is 7-1 in the Octagon and holds the distinction of being the only UFC fighter to hold a win over Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4), albeit by disqualification at Rumble on the Rock 8 in Honolulu in 2006.  Okami’s only loss in the UFC was a tight UD to Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5) at UFC 72 in Belfast in June 2007.

Slated for the undercard with Sonnen v Okami is:

Antoni Hardonk (8-5) v “HD” Pat Barry (2-2)
“El Conquistador” Jorge Rivera (16-7) v “Rosedale Reaper” Rob Kimmons (21-4)
“Darth” Ryan Bader (7-0) v “Red” Eric Schafer (12-4-2)
Kyle Kingsbury (8-2) v Razak Al-Hassan (7-1)
Stefan Struve (13-2) v Chase Gormley (2-0)

In his newsletter, Florian reiterated, “”It is a very difficult time right now for Jorge and his family as they try to make sense out of this unexpected tragedy.  Burial fees and medical expenses are significant and whatever help you can provide is very much appreciated.”

Rivera’s last reported purse was $12,000 at UFC 67.  His two 2008 fights have been fought in the England and the UFC doesn’t report purses for those events; but, River went 1-1 and probably earned a total of $36,000 before taxes.  Being a fighter,  he probably doesn’t have health insurance.

If you’d like to help the Riveras, make a check out to “Jorge Rivera” and mail it to:

USMMA
316 Hartford Avenue
Bellingham, MA 02019

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

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

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

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

The second round was short; the end poignant.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Hitman” hasn’t fought since injuring his left knee forcing him to withdraw from the main event of UFC 72 where he was set to battle “Ace” Rich Franklin (22-3).

“It was a big opportunity for me to prove I belong in the big leagues,” the Dane said.

Kampmann is 3-0 in the Octagon with wins versus Andrew McFedries, Thales Leites, and Crafton Wallace.

“El Conquistador” returns from upsetting TUF champ “Da Spyder” Kendall Grove (8-5) with a first round KO in January.

From Massachusetts, Rivera is a veteran of the Octagon, appearing first in a UD victory versus “The Crow” David Loiseau (15-8) at UFC 44 in 2003.

Both are dynamic kickboxers; though, Rivera has been stopped in all six of his losses, by both KO and submission.  Kampmann has never been stopped and has joined Xtreme Couture, hoping to counter Rivera’s experience in the “big leagues” by osmosis.