After a venture back to his native Hawaii, Falaniko worked his way through the popular Icon Sport promotion, eventually garnering the organizations’ middleweight strap. However, he didn’t keep the title too long. When Niko met fellow UFC veteran Robbie Lawler, it seemingly began the descent of this once great fighter.

Niko, who stood at an impressive 20-3 at the time, lost to Lawler by knockout when thee former Miletich product connected on his patented hooks, dropping Niko to the canvas and hailing an end to the bout.

Following the bout, which took place in July of 2005, Vitale met with the colorful Jason “Mayhem” Miller, but turned in a not so colorful performance. The grappling ace ended up succumbing to a rear-naked choke by his lanky foe, and lost inside of the second round. After another loss to Lawler, which the promotion graciously allowed Niko to vie for his lost middleweight crown, Niko was hot and cold for the remainder of 2006 into 2008.

After a layoff in order to allow his body to recover and assimilate a better training regime, Niko returned in 2010 with a victory of former “The Ultimate Fighter” alumni Kalib Starnes–an Ezekiel choke submission, inside of the first round in Niko’s native Hawaii.

While Niko looked every bit the world beater he used to be in the bout with Starnes, it was his most recent victory–a title fight against challenger and fellow Hawaiian Kala Hose, that let everyone know that Niko was and still is relevant in the sport of mixed martial arts.

After a strong first round with Hose, at “X-1: Heroes” event just last night, which included ample take downs, effective positioning on the ground and submissions, Hose wasn’t completely out of the fight. The former Icon Sport middleweight champion (Hose) rallied back in round 2 and 3, clinching Niko against the cage and roughing him up with short punches and elbows.

However, in round 4 is where Niko found most of his success–well, all of it, since he finished the fight.
After taking down his fellow Hawaiian once again, Niko was able to turn the tables and again apply his famed Ezekiel choke to cinch the victory and retain his title.

Niko is finds himself in rare space, as the Ezekiel choke is a difficult submission to pull off in a fight, and he has done it since not once, but twice–in a row. It can be likened to the difficulty in applying a gogoplata. It just doesn’t happen all that often.

Niko’s next move is uncertain, though the 36-year-old is now riding high and is a force to reckoned with.

So, MMA fans, what so you about Niko? Does he still have some good fights ahead of him? Where would you like to see him? Against whom? Let your opinions be heard in the comments section below.

TUF 3

Starnes rose to infamy during his UD loss to “Rock” Nathan Quarry (10-2) in Montréal 19 April.

After breaking his foot, Starnes backpedaled and refused to engage…or, if you prefer, fight Quarry, earning him one judge’s score of 30-24.  He parted ways with the UFC after the fight.

Hose TKO’d Rolando Dominique (1-1) in Honolulu 2 August, coming off of a rear naked choke loss to “Bubba” Robert McDaniel (11-4) in Honolulu 14 June.

Both fighters have demonstrated enormous promise.

Starnes won a UD over UFC 89 main event fighter “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4) in Las Vegas May 2007.

In Honolulu 15 March, Hose TKO’d “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni (13-10) for Icon’s belt.