The Dane was originally scheduled to return to action last June when he was originally pitted against John Howard in a welterweight bout for “UFC on Versus 4″, though Martin subsequently suffered a knee injury which forced his removal from the bout.

It’s the same knee that forced him out of an originally scheduled middleweight bout with Rich Franklin at UFC 72 back in 2007–an opportunity of a lifetime that was cost due to the withered conditions of a knee that has seen the cutting board on three separate occasions.

Now, Kampmann is left with the memory of his last outing, a controversial decision loss to “The Ultimate Fighter” season one winner, Diego Sanchez. The two met back in March, and while Martin displayed an impressive blend of striking and effective takedown defense, it wasn’t enough to sway the judges in his favor.

“I thought it was a great fight”, said Kampmann.

“I thought I beat him in the first fight, but it is what it is. Judges sometimes don’t see it your way and of course I would love to beat him up again.”

Back in the gym, Kampmann is slowly weening himself back into action, but is still on the mend, much like another notable welterweight in Jon Fitch. The American Kickboxing Academy product has since been shelved for a shoulder injury suffered in preparation for a second meeting with former champion BJ Penn. The two initially met in at UFC 127 in the main-event, where they both battled to a controversial draw at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Fitch has since come out and discussed what would be his next move, since Penn has been pitted with budding contender Carlos Condit, and his plans could include Kampmann.

“I think Martin Kampmann might be a smart fight right now”, said Jon in an interview with MMACanada.net.

“He’s the only guy I can think of right now who’s healthy and who doesn’t have a fight scheduled, and has a big name and is a very tough opponent.”

“I heard that he wanted to fight me, so that could be an exciting fight”, said Martin in reference to the challenge thrown down.

“I’m coming off of two losses, even though they were both very close fights, but definitely a win over Jon Fitch would put me right back on top. That would be a great opportunity and he’s a very tough opponent, he’s a grinder, he takes people down, wears them out, and those are tough guys to fight. I think anybody can be beat and so can Jon Fitch. It would make for an interesting match-up for sure.”

Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez–either fighter is fine by Kampmann (though Diego has since been penned in for a bout with UFC Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes), however, his attention has become a simple, single thought. Win. Doesn’t matter who, just win.

“My focus is, I’m coming off of two losses, so I would love to get a win”, said the 29-year-old Xtreme Couture product.

“I just want to go in there and beat somebody up. Obviously it’s always nice if I can get a name opponent, that would help me get back on the right track. It’s up to the UFC, it’s up to my opponent…if (Matt) Hughes steps out, I would be happy to step in.

“I would always rather get the win. I’m there to win, I hate losing more than anything.”

John Howard and Martin Kampmann are expected to meet one another at an upcoming event under the UFC banner. While both men at one point or another stood above the rest in their class as top contenders, they have since descended to the bottom of the barrel as both men are currently riding two-fight win streaks heading into their bout.

The two notables are expected to meet at UFC on Versus 4, which is scheduled for June 26 at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Interestingly enough, the main-event of the evening will pit Anthony Johnson against Nate Marquardt–two men that both Howard and Kampmann are far too familiar with.

Howard was last seen in action at UFC 124 this past December when he met with former title challenger Thiago Alves. The Brazilian striker was able to secure a unanimous decision win over Howard, how was unable to match Alves power-for-power, especially when it came down to the crippling leg kicks landed by the American Top Team product coupled with his ever improving takedowns, which ultimately lead him to the win. The loss extended the two-fight skid which began with a third-round TKO loss to budding contender Jake Ellenberger which came due to a severely swollen eye that left Howard unable to continue.

Kampmann meanwhile is also the victim of misfortune. After emerging as one of the top contenders in the division with a split-decision win over former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit (upon the Greg Jackson’s debut within the promotion) he has since been unable to find proper footing in the weight-class. A loss to Paul Daley was followed by a two-fight win streak over the likes of Jacob Volkmann and Paulo Thiago, however Kampmann took a huge step back when he succumbed to contentious defeats at the hands of Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez, both of whom took the Xtreme Couture product to debated decision wins.

Both men, though fan-favorites and exciting fighters in their own right, will likely be battling for their jobs come this June, with the loser likely receiving the infamous UFC pink slips.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? Who do you favor? Sound off in the comment section below.

In advance of a week that will be filled with serious MMA news concerning UFC 128 in the New York City area, here is a little MMA humor to get started, courtesy of former Welterweight Champion, Matt Serra. In a recent discussion with Fighters.com Radio, Serra was asked about his current weight.  In response, he veered off into comparing his waistline with his UFC boss Dana White’s figure and fellow fighters, Georges St. Pierre and Martin Kampmann‘s abdominal structure.  He also commented on how he would modify the very popular and successful MMA weight loss program, “The Dolce Diet.”

Serra also hints about his time-table for his next fight.

Fun stuff with Mr. Serra.  Click through to listen. (Beware of NC 17 language!)

Next for Joe Stevenson: “Daddy” will dine on a diet of prospects for the foreseeable future. Stevenson promised that 2011 would be his year, but clearly that is not the case. Stevenson has now lost three straight, and although I hate to say this, I’m going to be bluntly honest and say that I firmly believe that Joe’s time has passed him by. If he wins his next fight, he’ll be the UFC’s Lightweight gatekeeper until he either retires or goes on enough of a losing streak to get the boot. And if he loses his next fight, he’ll get the boot.

Next for Damacio Page: I can also see Page being put into the role of a gatekeeper. Or if not that, someone who likes to brawl. Page is always down to fight, and any day now there’s going to be an influx of lighter-weight fighters hungry to come into the UFC and get their fair share out of the world’s biggest MMA promotion. As a member of the old guard, Page would do best as one of the ones to meet the charge of those incoming hot prospects.

Next for Brian Bowles: If he keeps the momentum going from his UFC debut, Bowles is only a fight or two away from a shot at the championship. I think a rematch with Miguel Torres is definitely called for. It’s the right move for all involved, since Bowles needs another huge win and Torres was the biggest win of his career. Plus, it would likely be a totally different fight from their first encounter due to Miguel’s completely different style. If not “Angel”, look for Bowles to get another top-division fighter whenever he fights next.

Next for Chris Weidman: Another middle-tier opponent, someone who can really test Weidman’s skills both as a wrestler and a striker. I think Chris Leben would be a pretty good choice, considering that he’s coming off of a big loss but he’s also still a very dangerous opponent. If not Leben, then perhaps CB Dollaway, who’s in the same exact position as “The Crippler”. No matter who Weidman draws in his second UFC fight, expect no easy tests for the hot prospect now that he’s proved himself against a tough, grizzled veteran.

Next for Mark Munoz: I’d like to see Munoz take on Jorge Rivera, personally. I think that would be a very entertaining fight. It would definitely test Munoz’s stand-up, and it would be a close and competitive match. I’d also like to see what Dan Miller would be able to do against someone like Munoz. Although Munoz is still a far cry away from championship contender status, he definitely took a step up the ladder when he KO’d CB Dollaway.

Next for Diego Sanchez/Martin Kampmann: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. Once again, this fight was a perfect example of judges not being able to appreciate the finesse of a truly skilled MMA fighter. Sanchez threw wildly and missed plenty of shots, but simply because he threw like a madman the judges thought he was in control. In reality, Kampmann never seemed to be in any real danger and reduced Diego’s face to mush before their fight was through. I say make the rematch to give Kampmann the shot at vengeance that he rightfully deserves.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you see happening in the near and not-so-near future of the big winners and losers of “UFC on Versus 3”?

The fight was tight and contentious throughout, however Sanchez was able to pick up the very close decision win over the Xtreme Couture product.

While the fight has since been hotly debated, both men didn’t lose much in the eyes of the promotion, as they were both awarded an additional $160k in bonuses for their “Fight of the Night” performance.

The evenings “Fight Night” awards were originally relegated at $40k apiece, however UFC President Dana White initially awarded both Sanchez and Kampmann an additional $20k for their efforts, totaling $60k in bonus earnings. However, in a later interview with Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, White claimed that both Diego and Martin took home an additional $100k for their stellar performance, which concluded to a total of $160k.

While the welterweight affair, which served as the evening’s main-event for “UFC on Versus 3″ at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., garnered most of the attention, two more bouts sought the eye of the promoter’s and fans alike.

Former WEC 135-pound champion Brian Bowles returned to action taking on perennial contender Damacio Page in a rematch a couple of years in the making. Bowles originally submitted the Greg Jackson product in August of 2008, and while both men have improved their skills since then, it was Brian who had the upper hand on “The Angel of Death” once again. Damacio came out the aggressor, however Bowles clipped Page with an uppercut, staggering his opponent before working the action to the mat. As Damacio postured himself to stand back up, he left his neck exposed for Bowles to lock up a fight-ending guillotine choke–the same submission the former titleholder used to submit Page in 2008. The win nabbed Brian “Submission of the Night” and an additional $40k for his efforts.

Shane Roller, a former WEC lightweight contender, made good on his UFC debut and proved that the new crop of lightweight fighter’s could hang with some of the best that the UFC had to offer. Roller was pitted against Brazilian Thiago Tavares on the evening’s preliminary portion of the card, however found his way to the televised card when Shane knocked out Tavares in the second-round. While Tavares seemed to have edged Roller in the opening frame with a takedown and solid strikes, Roller eventually connected on a stiff right-hand that floored Tavares. Additional ground-and-pound blows were just the icing on the cake that Shane needed to take home the “Knockout of the Night” bonus, which included an additional $40k.

The Lightning Strikes Twice Award: Brian Bowles, for beating the same man, by the same maneuver, at the exact same minute of the very same round. On both March 3, 2011 at “UFC on Versus 3” and on August 3, 2008 at WEC 35, Brian Bowles beat Damacio Page by Submission due to a Guillotine Choke at 3:30 of Round 1. Also, both times he was awarded a “Submission of the Night” bonus for doing so.

The “Hills Have Eyes” Award: Diego Sanchez, who looked like someone had shot him in the face during his bout with Martin Kampmann, and who looked like a “Hills Have Eyes” reject after the final bell had rung. In typical Sanchez fashion, “The Dream” fought better when he was pushed around and bloodied up, turning it on in the later rounds and even wobbling Martin Kampmann at one point.

The Greg Jackson Award For Silliest Nickname: Diego Sanchez, for changing his nickname from “Nightmare” to “The Dream”. At least “Nightmare” was somewhat original even if most people rolled their eyes when they heard it. “The Dream” just sounds like Sanchez is trying way too hard to distance himself from his former nickname. And does anyone else notice how so many of Greg Jackson’s fighters have ridiculous nicknames? “Sugar” or sometimes “Suga”, “Rush”, “The Carpenter”, “The Natural Born Killer”, “The Engineer”, and now “The Dream”. The team with some of the best fighters on the planet has most of the ridiculous nicknames. Go figure.

The Leonard Garcia Award For Outstanding Achievement In Windmill Imitation: Damacio Page, who fought Brian Bowles by doing what he always does: throwing caution to the wind and swinging for the fences with huge looping punches that even the crowd can see coming a mile away. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but at least Page tried to make the bout exciting. It’s a shame that he would end the night in an unconscious heap, because he helped give fans one of the best fights of the night.

The Scott Smith Award For Most Inspiring Comeback After Getting Your *** Kicked: Shane Roller, who received one hell of a beatdown at the hands of Thiago Tavares for much of the first round of their preliminary fight. Roller, however, would come back strong in Round 2 and nail a Hail Mary punch on Tavares that hit so solidly and with so much power that Tavares was unconscious before he hit the ground. It’s just further proof that anything really can happen in MMA.

The Cecil Peoples Award For Best Display Of Utter Blindness And Ineptitude: The judges of “UFC on Versus 3” that gave Diego Sanchez the win against Martin Kampmann. This just further shows that most MMA judges either don’t understand or don’t appreciate the finesse and skill involved in picking your shots and not wildly swinging for the fences like your life depended on it. Even though I’m a Diego Sanchez fan, it’s clear that Kampmann was the more tactile and successful puncher, and as Kampmann himself stated, simply look at his face compared to Diego’s to see which one really won this fight.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Any thoughts on this new series?

5. Chris Weidman dominating and slicing open Alessio Sakara.

It’s always tough to debut in the UFC. It’s even tougher when you’re relatively new to Mixed Martial Arts as a whole. It’s even tougher still when you debut against a tough veteran, both in MMA in general and in the UFC in particular. That’s exactly the spot Chris Weidman found himself in when he took on Alessio Sakara, and Weidman absolutely made the most out of the opportunity: with his constant wrestling and some vicious elbows, Sakara was a bloody, defeated mess by the time the fight was over. It was a big win for the newfound newcomer, and definitely a highlight of the night.

4. Shane Roller “Hail Mary” KO’ing Thiago Tavares.

Comeback KO’s are always a thing of beauty. Not only that, they represent one of the best things about this sport: its utter unpredictability. Sometimes it only takes one punch, and that’s a lesson that Tavares unfortunately had to learn at “UFC on Versus 3”. Shane Roller somehow found a way to survive the numerous onslaughts of Tavares in the first round of their fight, and in the second, Roller saw one brief opening and capitalized on it immediately. Seeing Tavares go from looking like a stone-cold killer to being stone-cold unconscious was definitely a big “WOW!” moment.

3. Mark Munoz knocking out CB Dollaway.

I have to admit, I thought both men would grind their way through a tough fight. I fully expected this one to go to a decision. Instead, Mark Munoz shattered my expectations and, in the process, shattered the chin of his opponent. I absolutely do not think that the ref stopped this fight too early, and I give Munoz all the respect he rightfully deserves. Seeing him KO Dollaway was one of the best moments of the night for me.

2. Brian Bowles choking out Damacio Page.

This fight and its outcome gets the number two spot for two main reasons. First and foremost, as a WEC fan I’m very glad that this fight lived up to its potential. It was a fight that featured constant action and lots of punches, and it ended quite dramatically. Secondly, I’m glad that Brian Bowles is back. Bowles is a proven champion, and I think he’s going to go very far in the UFC. I enjoyed seeing him debut in the world’s premiere MMA organization very, very much.

And my person pick for best moment of “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann” is…

1. Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann. The entire fight.

Even though the end of this fight was very controversial, with many people thinking that Martin Kampmann should have won, this was still a great fight. There’s really no other way to describe a three-round war that saw both men wobbled by punches and bloodied up. Kampmann was tactile and effective, while Sanchez was fiery and once again showed his fearlessness. Even if you think Kampmann should have won (and believe me, I do), I think at the end of the day you’ve simply got to give this fight the credit it deserves. It was a great main event.

So there you have it, fans and friends: those are the moments I’ll be remembering from “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”. But what about you? What do you think everyone will be talking about in the days/weeks to come?

Diego Sanchez defeats Martin Kampmann by Unanimous Decision. Mark Munoz defeats CB Dollaway by TKO at 0:54 of Round 1. Chris Weidman defeats Alessio Sakara by Unanimous Decision. Brian Bowles defeats Damacio Page by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:30 of Round 1. Cyrille Diabate defeats Steve Cantwell by Unanimous Decision. Danny Castillo defeats Joe Stevenson by Unanimous Decision. Shane Roller defeats Thiago Tavares by KO at 1:28 of Round 2. Takeya Mizugaki defeats Reuben Duran by Split Decision. Dongi Yang defeats Rob Kimmons by TKO at 4:47 of Round 2. Rousimar Palhares defeats Dave Branch by Submission (Heel Hook) at 1:44 of Round 2. Igor Pokrajac defeats Todd Brown by TKO at 5:00 of Round 1.

For the most part, I enjoyed the free preliminary fights on Facebook. Danny Castillo and Joe Stevenson fought a very tough, very close fight, and gave us several solid minutes of entertainment. The Cyrille Diabate vs. Steve Cantwell fight was entertaining at times, but dragged on a bit due to Diabate’s inability to go for the kill even when it was practically screaming at him. Cantwell looked dead on his feet from the start of the second round, but Diabate either didn’t want to risk getting caught with a Hail Mary salvo or he gassed himself out. Either way, the fight was a bit underwhelming. However, at the end of the day it’s still two free fights on Facebook. I really can’t complain too much.

I’m glad that the fight between Brian Bowles and Damacio Page lived up to its potential even though it was so short. Part of me really hoped that Page would somehow pull off the miracle/upset and land one of his huge looping punches that I’m sure Bowles could see coming a mile away, but in the end, the outcome of this fight didn’t surprise me in the least. With this win I think Brian Bowles has officially staked his claim in the UFC, give him one or two more fights and Bowles will be right back up there, challenging for the championship.

I was pretty happy to see Chris Weidman pick up a win over Alessio Sakara. I think Weidman definitely proved that he’s got a very bright future in the UFC, and I think we may be talking a whole lot more about him before the year is through. Weidman showed up with very little time to prepare and proceeded to control and slice open a very respected UFC veteran. I can only imagine what Weidman fights like with a complete training camp under his belt.

I’m siding with Joe Rogan on Mark Munoz vs. CB Dollaway. In a world of horrendous referees, Mario Yamasaki has never struck me as one. He’s actually one of the few refs I consider fair and balanced. The stoppage may have been a bit premature, but Munoz had Dollaway in deep, deep trouble, and I think Yamasaki saved CB from some extra and unneeded damage.

I found myself immensely enjoying the main event that saw Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann battle to a thrilling three-round decision. Both fighters took several hard shots throughout the bout, and Diego’s face was a bloody mess by the time all was said and done. It was a great main event, and a fitting end to what turned out to be a very solid, very entertaining event.

And there you have it, fans and friends: another UFC show has come and gone. But what about you? What did you think of “UFC on Versus 3”?

5. Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson at UFC: “Fight Night 24”.

Both men are at a pretty interesting crossroads in their careers right now. Dan Hardy was the tough Brit who would never quit and had an iron chin… until Carlos Condit knocked him out. Anthony Johnson was supposed to be the next big can’t-miss prospect at Welterweight… then Josh Koscheck submitted him in November 2009 and “Rumble” hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since. Both men have a lot to prove in this fight, and it should be a fantastic fight.

4. Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland at UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”.

This entry definitely makes the list mostly because I’m an unabashed WEC fanboy, but this is one occasion where I have no problem letting my fanboy flag fly free. I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for Urijah Faber, and I think he’s found his fire again after dropping down to Bantamweight. I’m really looking forward to seeing Faber debut in the UFC and letting all the non-WEC UFC fans know what they’ve been missing, especially given the disappointing debut of Miguel Torres.

3. Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann at “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”.

I’m going to enjoy this fight even if Diego Sanchez loses, simply because it has all the makings of an epic encounter. This is the type of match perfect for the main event of a TV card: it’s two semi-big names in a smartly-booked fight that plays to both men’s strengths. Whoever emerges the winner takes a big step towards championship relevancy, and this should motivate both men to perform at their best. And when they perform at their best, they’re very entertaining. And performing at their best against each other? That will be even more entertaining.

2. Dan Henderson vs. Rafael Cavalcante at Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”.

As a massive fan of the old school, part of me really wants Dan Henderson to beat Rafael Cavalcante. But as a moderate fan of Rafael Cavalcante, another part of me wants “Feijao” to beat Henderson in order to both legitimize his championship reign and bring stability to Strikeforce’s Light Heavyweight division. It’s a tough fight to call, and it could go either way, and very few things are for certain until these two step into the cage. But one thing is for certain: if it lives up to its potential, this will be an awesome match.

And by quite a large margin, my number-one most-anticipated fight of March 2011 is…

1. Mauricio Rua vs. Jon Jones at UFC 128 “Shogun vs. Jones”.

I’ve talked about this match a whole lot, and I’ve had to deal with my fair share of criticism for my views. But I can’t wait to be proven right, because I wholeheartedly believe that I know exactly what is going to happen. I think Mauricio Rua’s mega-hyped comeback is all smoke and mirrors, and I think Jon Jones will prove once again that he’s the future of the Light Heavyweight division. A new era is about to dawn: Jon Jones will break the streak of Light Heavyweight Champions losing the belt in their first few defenses, a chain that has remained unbroken since Quinton Jackson famously dethroned Chuck Liddell all the way back in 2007. I absolutely cannot wait for this match.

And there you have it, fans and friends! But what about you? What bouts are you most looking forward to for March 2011?

I think there are a lot of good preliminary fights on this card, and I hope I get to see at least a few of them. In particular, I’d like to see Joe Stevenson’s fight, because he’s usually pretty entertaining. Steve Cantwell vs. Cyrille Diabate should also be a good fight. I’d like to see Takeya Mizugaki fight too, he’s always good for a fun fight win or lose. I’d even like to see Rousimar Palhares fight.

I really think Damacio Page vs. Brian Bowles is going to be the “sleeper hit of the night” if it lives up to all of its potential. This has all the makings of a fast and furious brawl that could go all three rounds or just as easily could be stopped within the first few minutes. It all depends on how hungry both men are for a win and how badly they want to push the pace. However, I have to be honest and admit that part of me is dreading that this fight could turn into a near-duplicate of the recent Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos fight, which I found very boring and supremely disappointing. I certainly hope it doesn’t come to that.

Part of me really wants Chris Weidman to win, but another part thinks that Alessio Sakara just has too much of an edge on him. I think Weidman has a very tough test for his UFC debut, and if he does win, he’ll immediately make some waves. However, I just think this is a matter of “too much, too soon”. My head is 100% behind Alessio Sakara, but my heart does wish that Weidman finds a way to pull off the upset. It’ll certainly be an interesting fight no matter how it unfolds.

Although neither man has really stood out in the Middleweight division, CB Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz is a very solid match. I haven’t ever really followed both men throughout their careers, so I can’t say much besides that. I do think it’ll be a pretty entertaining fight, though. I just don’t know what the future holds should they win or lose.

I think the main event will be a terrific fight, but again, only if it lives up to its potential. I think Sanchez will push Kampmann and throw Kampmann and bully Kampmann, unless Kampmann shows up at his best. I think the best is yet to come for Diego Sanchez, and I think before the night is through we’ll see him once again run screaming across the cage with his opponent on his shoulders. This is going to be a very close fight, but ultimately, I’m hoping Diego picks up the win.

And that’s it, fans and friends! Those are my final, assorted thoughts on “UFC on Versus 3”. But what about you? And final thoughts or predictions for this card?

Sanchez will be back on Pay-Per-View with regularity.

The only way I don’t see this happening if Diego wins is if it’s a boring fight. And while Sanchez is many things, he’s usually never boring. If Sanchez beats Kampmann, the UFC will fully invest into his comeback and begin putting him against the division’s best talent. With a few more wins, Sanchez may even find himself in the co-main event slot of a major Pay-Per-View.

Diego Sanchez may end up facing Brian Ebersole.

There’s a lot of unanswered questions that are still hovering around Brian Ebersole, even after his shocking win against Chris Lytle. Can Ebersole really hang with the elite of the division? Now that the element of surprise is no longer there, will Ebersole’s unorthodox style hold up, especially against someone like Sanchez, who is also pretty unorthodox? This would be a tough test for both men, and I’d love to see it happen.

Diego Sanchez will probably face Josh Koscheck sooner or later.

This rematch comes at a perfect time for both men. If Sanchez beats Martin Kampmann, he deserves a high-profile fight against a top-division opponent. And it doesn’t get much more high-profile than a rematch with the man who just got done fighting for the UFC Welterweight Championship, and who also just happens to be the first fighter to ever give Diego Sanchez a loss. Josh Koscheck also needs several “rebound fights” in order to keep his Welterweight relevancy intact, and once again beating Diego Sanchez, especially with Sanchez in the middle of a comeback, would be an excellent start.

If he remains active, Diego Sanchez will have to beat BJ Penn to get a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship.

I think this is the one thing Diego Sanchez absolutely has to do in order to make a serious claim for a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship. Of course, this all depends on whether or not BJ Penn is still fighting at Welterweight, or even still fighting at all, by the time Sanchez compiles the type of win-streak necessary to warrant a second encounter with the man who so thoroughly beat him at Lightweight. But if the stars align and all the pieces fall into place, Sanchez should absolutely pursue a rematch with Penn in order to wash away what was undoubtedly the most one-sided loss of Sanchez’s career.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for Diego Sanchez if he manages to beat Martin Kampmann at “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”?

Brian Bowles vs.  Damacio Page: I’ve simply got to favor the former WEC Bantamweight Champion. It’s been almost a year since Bowles last fought, though, so I expect him to show up a bit rusty. Even so, Damacio Page simply hasn’t been able to do too much against top-ranked competition. Even worse, Bowles has beaten him once before. But thanks to ring rust and Page’s toughness, I’m predicting that Brian Bowles wins by Unanimous Decision.

Alessio Sakara vs.  Chris Weidman: I hate to pick against Chris Weidman, because I really think the man has a very bright future both in the UFC and in general, but this is a terrible first fight for him, especially considering that Sakara is on a fantastic three-fight win-streak that includes two (T)KO wins, one of which earned him a “Knockout of the Night” award. This is simply a matter of too much experience, it’s too tough of a test for Weidman’s first go-round in the UFC. Part of me hopes that Weidman proves me dead wrong and wins by TKO in Round 1, but I’m going to side with my head and not my heart on this one and call for Alessio Sakara to win by TKO in Round 2.

C.B. Dollaway vs.  Mark Muñoz: This is definitely a tough fight to call, since both men share so much in common. They’re both relatively new to the sport. They’ve both lost twice. They’ve both had some pretty dominating victories in the Octagon. Both have stumbled against some tough competition in the past. In the end, I’ve simply got to go with the man that’s currently on a three-fight win-streak, and took home a “Submission of the Night” award for his last fight. CB Dollaway will win by Unanimous Decision.

Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann: This is certainly the toughest fight to call, given how multi-dimensional and evenly-matched both men are. I think both men are incredibly motivated for this fight, and that they’re at their best when they’re this motivated. It’s going to be a total war, with lots of give-and-take, but I simply think that Sanchez has it in him to give Kampmann the first two-fight losing-streak of his career. Diego Sanchez wins by a very tough, very close Split Decision.

And that’s what I think will happen when “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann” goes live on the Versus network, fans and friends. What about you? Who do you think will win big at “UFC on Versus 3”, and why?

5. Diego Sanchez has plenty of power in his hands.

Diego Sanchez may have nine wins by submission, but three of those wins have been submissions due to punches. Especially in the UFC, Sanchez’s best moments have come when he viciously pounds on an opponent and forces a stoppage. And that’s simply not the best opponent to face when three of your four losses as a professional Mixed Martial Artist have come by way of (T)KO.

4. Kampmann always seems to be chasing a belt, Diego has actually fought for one.

Experience always plays a factor in any upcoming MMA bout, and in this particular case, Sanchez has an invaluable amount of experience over Martin Kampmann: Diego Sanchez has actually fought for a championship. Despite his best efforts Kampmann hasn’t been able to ascend to top-division status, while Sanchez toughed it out for five straight rounds against BJ Penn. Even though he was soundly defeated, that type of championship encounter is a huge learning experience for any fighter and a big advantage Sanchez holds over Kampmann.

3. Sanchez is coming off of a dominating win.

After losing to upstart prospect John Hathaway in his return to Welterweight, Diego Sanchez was in dire need of a big win. And he got just that in his most recent fight, putting on a classic performance and basically dominating the tough Paulo Thiago. The last time Sanchez had a comeback, he won four straight fights and challenged for a championship. If this truly is the return of the old Diego Sanchez, Martin Kampmann could be in for a very rough night.

2. Martin Kampmann is coming off of a big loss.

Just when it seems that Kampmann is ready to add his name to the official list of championship challengers, he suffers a very deflating loss. It happened first when Nate Marquardt TKO’d him, it happened again when Paul Daley TKO’d him, and it happened most recently when Jake Shields defeated him via a semi-controversial Split Decision. Every time Kampmann has had to endure such a loss, he’s always rebounded against weaker competition before throwing himself back into the shark tank. This time, Kampmann will enjoy no such luxury.

And the number one reason why I think Diego Sanchez could beat Martin Kampmann is…

1. Diego Sanchez is back.

He basically proved this when he ran screaming across the cage carrying Paul Thiago on his shoulders before viciously slamming Thiago to the mat. Sanchez is hungry again: hungry for a title shot, hungry to prove that he’s still a force in whatever division he competes in, hungry to prove that the best is still yet to come. Sanchez is arguably more focused and more motivated than he’s ever been, meaning that he’s also better than he’s ever been. And that’s the single biggest reason why he could be able to beat Martin Kampmann.

And there you have it, fans and friends: that’s why I think Diego Sanchez could beat Martin Kampmann. One more time: who’ve you got winning this fight, and why?

5. Kampmann is talented in all major areas of the game.

Although several of his recent fights have gone to a decision, an overwhelming majority of Martin Kampmann’s professional MMA fights have ended with Kampmann scoring a stoppage win: of twenty-one fights he’s won seventeen, those seventeen wins include thirteen finishes. And those thirteen finishes are split nearly down the middle, with Kampmann holding seven wins by (T)KO and six by submission.

4.Kampmann knows that his welterweight relevancy is at stake in this fight.

Kampmann really can’t afford to lose this bout, and I think he knows that very well. If Kampmann beats Sanchez, he pretty much guarantees himself a shot at a top 10 Welterweight in his next fight. If he loses, it’s back to the mid-level, and that is absolutely not where Martin Kampmann wants to be right now.

3. Kampmann has never lost twice in a row.

The battle scars of Diego Sanchez’s run at Lightweight have only just begun to heal. It’ll take a long time before Sanchez fully emerges from the shadow of the utter schooling he received at the hands of BJ Penn. He then went on to lose to John Hathaway, marking the second time in Sanchez’s career that he lost two fights in a row. Kampmann has never lost two in a row, and that’s a real confidence booster heading into a fight against someone who has lost two in a row on two separate occasions, with both occasions having at least one fight where Sanchez’s opponent dominated him.

2. Kampmann has halted comebacks and win-streaks before.

Thales Leites entered the UFC an unbeaten 9-0 submission machine… then lost to Martin Kampmann. Jorge Rivera had just brutally KO’d Kendall Grove… and then Martin Kampmann submitted him. Carlos Condit entered the UFC as the last WEC Welterweight Champion, a belt he successfully defended on three separate occasions, finishing each and every one of those bouts… and then he lost to Martin Kampmann. Kampmann has made a habit out of giving fighters a rude awakening just when it looked like they were in the middle of something big, and that experience will be one of the integral keys to beating Diego Sanchez.

And the number one reason why I think Martin Kampmann could beat Diego Sanchez is…

1. Martin Kampmann is always a dangerous opponent.

There’s really no other way to describe it. Even though he’s never managed to outright win a shot at the championship, that shouldn’t overshadow the fact that Martin Kampmann has been hovering around the top of the UFC’s welterweight division since he made the drop from Middleweight back in January 2009. In a way, Martin Kampmann is the UFC’s 170-pound gatekeeper, and that’s a role that’s worked out very well for him, winning four of six bouts. Martin Kampmann is a threat to anyone at any time, and that’s the biggest reason I think he could end up beating Diego Sanchez.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. Stay tuned for the next part of today’s “5 Reasons Why” two-parter, it’ll be up soon. But for now: do you see Martin Kampmann beating Diego Sanchez? Why or why not?

5. Plenty of solid undercard bouts we’ll probably end up seeing.

Most live UFC shows tend to have a few preliminary fights shown during the official live broadcast, that’s just the nature of the game when you’re broadcasting a sport as unpredictable as MMA. Depending on how fast the main card fights end, we could see some pretty entertaining preliminary fights on Versus, featuring stars like Joe Stevenson, Steve Cantwell, Takeya Mizugaki, and more.

4. We have to support MMA on Versus or else one day we might end up not getting MMA on Versus.

When it was revealed that the UFC/WEC merger would result in a noticeably diminished schedule of live MMA events on the Versus network, UFC President Dana White basically said “yeah, sorry, we’ll try to make it up to you by making the cards worthwhile”. And I firmly believe that if these “UFC on Versus” shows aren’t successful, the UFC very well may choose not to sign a new deal with Versus once their current deal expires. I know I’ve said “free MMA on TV is rarely a bad thing” countless times, but I also fully believe that the reverse is true as well: less MMA on TV is rarely a good thing.

3. Let’s see if Chris Weidman can live up to the hype.

There’s been a lot of talk about Chris Weidman and his impending UFC debut, especially on fighters.com. Weidman is an undefeated 4-0 prospect and he’ll basically burst onto the main stage if he’s able to beat talented veteran Alessio Sakara. It’s always interesting to see whether or not a fighter lives up to the hype, and seeing Weidman try to live up to his should be one of the most interesting moments of the night.

2. Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page should be a wild brawl.

In a way, I think this is the fight that Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos should have been. In one corner we’ve got a former WEC champion, the first man to ever stop Miguel Torres, who had both won and finished every single one of his fights as a professional MMA athlete up until he lost to current UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz. In the other corner is Damacio Page, who always shows up to entertain and either finish his opponent or get finished. If it lives up to its potential, this should be one of the best fights of the night.

And the number one reason I think fans should watch “UFC on Versus 3” is…

1. The main event is going to be awesome.

Again, it all has to do with living up to the potential the match has on paper. On paper, these two are a perfect match for each other. They’re fast, they’re fluid, they’re good at basically everything. Both just don’t want to win, they want to dominate in order to prove that they belong at the top of the division. This fight easily could have been on Pay-Per-View, so it’s great that we’re getting it for free on Versus and it’s definitely the biggest reason to tune in and give this show a watch.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see “UFC on Versus 3”. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

The Event: “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”, currently scheduled for March 3, 2011 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The main card will be broadcast live on the Versus network starting at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.

Why You Should Care: With the WEC officially being folded into the UFC at the start of the year, these are the sole live MMA outings left on the Versus network. That’s a big gap that the UFC must fill, and with it comes a smaller amount of shows than WEC and Versus fans are used to. To overcome that problem, the UFC is putting together a solid card that seems to be a step above their usual “Fight Night Live” outings.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: In his last fight, Diego Sanchez re-discovered the fire inside him when he ran right through Paulo Thiago. Sanchez seems to be a new man thanks to famed trainer Greg Jackson. Meanwhile, Martin Kampmann is still chasing the shot at the championship that he’s never been able to firmly grasp hold of. Both men want and need a win pretty badly, so expect plenty of fireworks for this fight.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Expect a fast pace and a lot of hard work when CB Dollaway and Mark Munoz battle it out. Both men could use a big win on their records right now, and both are coming off of pretty decisive wins. Dollaway in particular is on a three-fight win-streak, so expect him to show up very motivated. They may not be the brightest stars on the card, but these two workhorses should put on a pretty entertaining scrap.

Why You Should Watch This Card: Simply put: potential. The potential is there for all the “UFC on Versus” fights to not only be entertaining, but surpass your expectations. The main event should be a great fight, and a lot of the undercard bouts feature smart match-ups between tough fighters.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: The card has undergone some pretty significant changes since it was first announced, so several of the must-see match-ups have gone through serious revisions. As a whole, the card just isn’t as appealing as it was when it was first announced. It’s still a pretty solid event, but only the main event comes close to “must watch” status, and given that Sanchez is just barely starting a comeback and Kampmann lost his last fight, it may not even deserve that status.

Closing Thoughts: The card honestly isn’t as good as it once was, but that’s hardly the UFC’s fault. I really like the main event of this show, and free MMA on TV is rarely a bad thing, so I’m definitely going to be tuning in to watch this event. If it happens, it wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve come into a show with relatively low expectations and proceeded to be blown away by the quality I’m presented with. There’s a chance that this show could be underwhelming, but there’s also a chance it could be a great night of fights. I’m willing to take the risk.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on “UFC on Versus 3”?

March 3, 2011: “UFC  on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”: A reinvigorated Diego Sanchez looks to stake his claim to the UFC Welterweight Championship by beating Martin Kampmann, an always-dangerous elite-level 170 pounder that most recently nearly spoiled the UFC debut of Jake Shields. Former WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles will also be making his UFC debut, taking on the super-tough Damacio Page. Other interesting bouts include Alessio Sakara vs. Chris Weidman and Joe Stevenson vs. Danny Castillo.

March 5, 2011: “Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson”: Former PRIDE FC and UFC veteran Dan Henderson looks to make the most out of his most recent comeback by taking the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship away from the man who just won it, the tough and talented Rafael Cavalcante. Also, former Strikeforce Middleweight Championship contender Tim Kennedy will be in action, taking on Middleweight powerhouse and wrecking machine Melvin Manhoef. Other interesting bouts include Jorge Gurgel vs. Tyler Combs and Marloes Coenen defending her Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Championship against Liz Carmouche.

March 19, 2011: “UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones”: Mauricio Rua makes his long-awaited first defense of his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against the man many consider the future of the division, Jon Jones. Also, WEC legend Urijah Faber makes his long-awaited UFC debut against the tough Eddie Wineland, who is on a four-fight win-streak. Other interesting bouts include Nate Marquardt vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama and Mirko Filipovic vs. Brendan Schaub.

March 26, 2011: “UFC Fight Night 24: Nogueira vs. Davis”: Grizzled veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira looks to remain relevant in the UFC’s super-competitive Light Heavyweight division by beating the fast-rising Phil Davis. Also, former UFC Welterweight Championship contender Dan Hardy takes on Anthony Johnson in what should be a fantastic war. Other interesting bouts include Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan and Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier.

And now, here are some thoughts on how I think the month of March 2011 will unfold.

I think “UFC on Versus 3” will be a quality event from top to bottom, and I also think that Sanchez will more than likely beat Kampmann. Urijah Faber will also most likely win his UFC debut too. While I think Dan Henderson is definitely on the comeback trail, I think he’s being given a title shot too soon, and I also think that Cavalcante will be able to beat him. It seems as if Strikeforce is trying their hardest to make “Hendo” a champion after going through so much to acquire his services, and I just don’t see that happening.

I’ve already vocally supported Jon Jones and picked him to win against Mauricio Rua, and I’d just like to note that nothing has happened to change that opinion. Mark my words: “Shogun” will have nothing for “Bones”. I also think Brendan Schaub is going to KO Mirko Filipovic. And finally, I think Davis may have it in him to beat “Little Nog” by Unanimous Decision so long as he doesn’t get careless on the ground. Because if he does, Nogueira could end it anywhere at any time.

All in all, it looks to be a great March 2011, fans and friends! But what about you? How do you think the month will shake out, and what’s your take on this new series?

5. Diaz has been properly TKO’d once in his career… over eight years ago.

Diaz has been TKO’d twice in his career, and one of those times had nothing to do with Diaz being separated from his mental faculties. Diaz has in fact been properly stopped by punches only once in his career, losing by TKO to Jeremy Jackson way back in September 2002. Since that time, Diaz has fought some of the toughest strikers and hardest punchers in several major promotions, from the UFC to PRIDE FC, from EliteXC to Strikeforce. Diaz’s chin has held up remarkably well these past eight (going on nine) years, and based on its toughness and the fact that Diaz is so great at ducking and dodging, I just don’t think it’s going to fail him again anytime soon.

4. The last three fighters Paul Daley (T)KO’d all had major (T)KO’s on their record shortly before meeting Paul Daley.

You can love him or hate him, but Josh Koscheck raised an excellent point where he claimed that he had loosened up the chin of Dustin Hazelett a year before Paul Daley ever got a chance to KTFO him. But it doesn’t stop there: Scott Smith is equal parts famous and infamous as a “Comeback King” because he usually comes very close to being KO’d before he makes a dramatic comeback, and he was in fact coming off a pretty hard (T)KO loss to Cung Le before he met Daley. As stated previously, it hadn’t even been a year since Josh Koscheck brutally KO’d Dustin Hazelett when Daley KO’d Hazelett. And Martin Kampmann? Again, it hadn’t even been a year since Nate Marquardt TKO’d Kampmann when Daley TKO’d Kampmann. Daley’s last three KO’s, impressive though they were, were all against fighters that had their chins tested and found wanting shortly before they met “Semtex”.

3. Paul Daley hasn’t fought a true top-division welterweight since being booted out of the UFC on the heels of a one-sided loss to Josh Koscheck.

Who has Daley beaten since his post-fight scuffle with Josh Koscheck got him permanently exiled from the sport’s biggest and most competitive promotion? He beat Scott Smith, who is a tough veteran but has never emerged as a true championship contender in Strikeforce. He beat Jorge Masvidal at Shark Fights 13, but most fans know Masvidal as the fighter that was on the wrong end of that amazing Inverted Triangle Choke by Toby Imada, the one that quickly became a viral video. Daniel Acacio hasn’t been relevant since the last time he fought in PRIDE… in 2005… in a fight that he lost. Depending on who he fights, a three fight win-streak is normally a great indicator that a fighter is ready either for top-division fighters or a championship opportunity outright… but Daley’s last three opponents have virtually all been “gimme” fights.

2. Diaz hasn’t lost in over three years, and realistically, that number should be higher.

Diaz’s last loss was in November 2007, which was a hugely-controversial doctor’s stoppage due to a cut. The outcome spawned an intense rivalry between Diaz and the winner of the bout, KJ Noons, a rivalry that was recently settled once and for all when Diaz pummeled Noons for nearly five whole rounds in the rematch that took several years to get properly worked out. Diaz also had a win over Takanori Gomi in PRIDE FC, but it was overturned and the outcome was changed to a No Contest when Diaz tested positive for marijuana. Considering the fact that Diaz would have more than likely beat Noons the first time if the fight hadn’t been called off, given the outcome of their second encounter, he should be on a ten-fight win-streak instead of an eight-fight win-streak. And depending on how you personally view marijuana and its effects as a performance-enhancing drug, that undefeated streak should conceivably be as high as fourteen straight fights, with Diaz being undefeated since early 2006.

And my number one reason why Nick Diaz will beat Paul Daley is because…

1. Paul Daley crumbles under pressure.

Nick Diaz has lost seven times, but he’s been to a decision five times. Paul Daley has lost nine times and has only been to a decision on three occasions. Even when you take into account the fact that Paul Daley’s lone (T)KO victory was due to a dislocated thumb, that shouldn’t overshadow the fact that Daley has been submitted on five separate occasions and lost all three of his decision fights by Unanimous Decision. Make no mistake, Daley’s raw punching power represents a major threat to any fighter regardless of their past history. But if a fighter is brave enough to look past that and skillful enough to nullify it, Paul Daley can be made to look like an outright amateur. When a fight doesn’t go exactly his way and doesn’t remain in the one and only element he’s ever been any good at, Paul Daley can crumble and has crumbled under pressure. And against Nick Diaz, he’ll crumble again.

So, fans and friends, that’s why I think Nick Diaz will be able to resoundingly beat Paul Daley. And what about you? What’s your take on the matter?

According to MMA Junkie, yesterday the UFC officially announced the following four match-ups for the event: Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page, Alessio Sakara vs. Maiquel Falcao, Shane Roller vs. Thiago Tavares, and Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera.

With the official confirmation of these four bouts, in addition to some bouts currently in-the-works that have yet to be officially confirmed, the “UFC on Versus 3” card is shaping up as follows: Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez, C.B. Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz, Maiquel Falcao vs. Alessio Sakara, Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page, Shane Roller vs. Thiago Tavares, Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera, Alexandre Ferreira vs. Rousimar Palhares, Cyrille Diabate vs. Steve Cantwell, and Matt Brown vs. Mark Scanlon

The UFC is putting a lot of effort into this event, and I think it’s really beginning to show since a lot of these matches look like can’t-miss encounters. Brian Bowles is a former WEC Bantamweight Champion most famous for ending the incredible championship reign of Miguel Torres, who had dominated the WEC Bantamweight division for quite some time. Takeya Mizugaki was a noted foe that Torres beat, and their epic five-round encounter is remembered as one of Torres’ finest moments, while Mizugaki is now remembered as an always-tough opponent that won’t stop fighting unless he is fully and wholly separated from consciousness.

In regards to the event overall, I think Sanchez vs. Kampmann is easily the biggest and most important bout on the card, and I’m glad that it’s getting top billing. This sounds like a fantastic match on paper, with both men hungry for a victory and willing to leave it all on the line in order to get one. Both men are once again fighting for relevancy in the UFC’s crowded Welterweight division, and a big win could put either man right back “in the mix” and on the shortlist of possible championship contenders. With both men possessing impressive cardio and near-granite chins, it should be a fantastic multi-round encounter.

In general, I think “UFC on Versus 3” will be a great card, a fun night of fights, and a good start to 2011 for UFC on the Versus network. I won’t pretend that it wholly makes up for the loss of the WEC and its multiple shows per year, but I also won’t hold that against this card since it’s really not fair for me to do so. If they live up to their various potentials, this card should give us several good encounters and a lot of noteworthy moments.

And what about you, fans and friends? As it continues to become more concrete, what do you think about the “UFC on Versus 3” card?

MMA Weekly brings word that March 3 has officially been named the date of the event, although a venue has still not been announced. The report also states that Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez has been officially confirmed as the main event of the evening. Diego Sanchez recently got back to his winning ways with a brilliant performance and a dominant victory over Paulo Thiago. The win brought new life to Sanchez’s sagging career, snapping a two-fight losing-streak that included an unsuccessful attempt at capturing the UFC Lightweight Championship. The always-dangerous Martin Kampmann most recently lost to former Elite XC and Strikeforce champion Jake Shields in Jake’s UFC debut.

MMA Weekly also brings word of another match-up that is all but confirmed: Takeya Mizugaki will be taking on Francisco Rivera in what should be an entertaining scrap. Takeya Mizugaki is 2-2 in his last four fights and is perhaps most well known for his hard-fought but ultimately losing performances against Miguel Torres and most recently Urijah Faber. Francisco Rivera also lost his most-recent fight, ending up on the wrong end of a TKO in his WEC debut. Before that, Rivera was on a five-fight undefeated streak with three (T)KO wins.

I’m glad that Sanchez vs. Kampmann has been made official, I think that’s a great main event and I can’t wait to see it happen. I think Sanchez really re-discovered the fire inside him in his latest bout, and he’ll need every bit of it to overcome a fighter like Kampmann. Despite hitting a few stumbling blocks here and there, Martin Kampmann remains a major threat to virtually any UFC welterweight on any given day of the week. This will be an important proving point for both men, and I can’t wait to see what happens when their two wildly-contrasting styles meet in the middle of the Octagon.

I’m also looking forward to Rivera vs. Mizugaki simply because it has the potential to be a fun little brawl. Both guys show up to either finish or get finished, so the fight could end up being a short one-round affair or a long three-round war of attrition. Either way, I think it’s going to be an entertaining scrap. Despite his big losses to the WEC’s best competition, Takeya Mizugaki has really grown on me, based on the way he leaves it all out there whenever he fights. I’ll definitely be looking forward to seeing him make his UFC debut.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your early feelings about the first “UFC on Versus” card of 2011?

MMA Weekly reports that a 170-pound tilt between top-division athlete Martin Kampmann and former UFC Lightweight Championship contender Diego Sanchez is being pegged early on as the main event for the first “UFC on Versus” of 2011.

Diego Sanchez recently cleared a pretty rough series of hurdles: his dreams of becoming UFC Lightweight Champion were crushed into nothingness courtesy of a dominant humbling he received at the hands of BJ Penn, while his return to Welterweight was spoiled by hot prospect John Hathaway. “Nightmare” needed a big win in a big way… and got just that, recently putting on a classic performance against Paulo Thiago that saw Sanchez earn the Unanimous Decision win as well as a “Fight of the Night” award.

His opponent, Martin Kampmann, has made several attempts to become the next man to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship, but has been beaten back every time. Most recently, Kampmann lost to former EliteXC and Strikeforce champion Jake Shields, who was making his UFC debut.

MMA Weekly also reports that Mark Munoz is expected to face CB Dollaway at the event. Munoz recently gutted out a Unanimous Decision win over his friend, Aaron Simpson. C.B. Dollaway was last seen submitting Joe Doerksen via guillotine choke to keep his three-fight win-streak alive.

All in all, I’m a fan of both of these fights and I think they give the first “UFC on Versus” card a lot of potential. As far as free TV main events go, Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez is a really, really good one. Diego Sanchez looked great against Paulo Thiago, so he should put on an excellent performance against the always-dangerous Martin Kampmann. Kampmann may have lost to Jake Shields most recently, but he always puts on a good performance and he’s beaten some pretty good competition in the past. This one should be hectic, wild, and very entertaining.

Munoz vs. Dollaway is also a fight that has a lot of entertainment value on paper. Both men have what it takes to go the distance, but both also have the ability to finish the fight if an opportunity presents itself. I can’t say I’m a huge fan of either man, but I certainly respect their abilities and I think this fight will be an important stepping stone for the winner.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you think these two match-ups are a good sign of things to come, or is it still too early to say that the first “UFC on Versus” show will be a success?

Here’s what Thiago recently told Tatame, with English translations courtesy of MMA Mania: “I think if I lose I’m out. I have to train all that has to be trained… I am just training hard and waiting for my next fight, they still have not told me anything about my next fight… Now it’s kill or be killed, just one more chance.”

Thiago is 3-3 in the promotion since debuting in early 2009. Big wins over the aforementioned Josh Koscheck as well as Koscheck’s teammate Mike Swick have been tempered by losses to Jon Fitch (another one of Koscheck’s teammates) and Martin Kampmann. Thiago entered the UFC with a flawless 10-0 record, his three career losses have all occurred inside of the famed Octagon.

Perhaps most importantly, Thiago is on a two-fight losing-streak, suffering back-to-back losses to Kampmann and most recently Diego Sanchez. Barring a few exceptions here and there, there’s a clear precedent in the UFC that a three-fight losing-streak is the surest way to find yourself in the unemployment line. Thiago was not over-embellishing, not in the slightest, when he said that his situation was “kill or be killed”.

I think Paulo Thiago is simply another hot-and-cold fighter in a long line of hot-and-cold prospects that don’t live up to all of their hype but aren’t necessarily bad fighters either. I can’t really point to one thing in particular that Thiago has done wrong, he seems to match up perfectly against some opponents while other opponents make it look easy to beat him. I will say this, though: if Paulo Thiago loses his next fight it wouldn’t surprise me at all if word came in the following days that he had been released from the UFC.

I know that’s a harsh stance to take, but as the UFC itself is so eager to point out nowadays, it’s a dog-eat-dog world in MMA’s #1 promotion. If Paulo Thiago wins his next fight, and rest assured, there’s a good possibility of that happening, then I’ll be more than happy to see him continue to try and find secure footing in the UFC. But if he loses again, I think it’s time for the UFC to put Thiago in the “what could have been” bin and send him back down to the minor leagues. And who knows? Maybe a temporary UFC exile will be good for Paulo Thiago.

Despite the fact that Thiago is a very talented Mixed Martial Artist, dark days do appear to be ahead for the man. But as the saying goes, it’s always darkest before the dawn. Perhaps this two-fight losing streak will come to a dominant end in Thiago’s next fight, perhaps he’ll finally make the changes necessary to realize his full potential. Anything can happen in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, and I look forward to seeing which Paulo Thiago becomes the dominant Paulo Thiago as we head into 2011.

And what about you, fans and friends? How important do you think Paulo Thiago’s next fight is, and do you think we’ll ever see him compete for a UFC championship?

As if you couldn’t guess, UFC mega-star Brock Lesnar earned the most money at UFC 121. In fact, he earned double that of his opponent, despite losing to Velasquez in very humbling fashion. Lesnar’s situation is mirrored by Tito Ortiz, who pocketed a cool quarter million despite Matt Hamill making easy work of him. Here’s how everyone’s pay scale broke down, courtesy of MMA Weekly.

Cain Velasquez: $200,000 (includes $100,000 win bonus) defeated Brock Lesnar: $400,000. Jake Shields: $150,000 (includes $75,000 win bonus) defeated Martin Kampmann: $27,000. Diego Sanchez: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus) defeated Paulo Thiago: $18,000. Matt Hamill: $58,000 (includes $29,000 win bonus) defeated Tito Ortiz: $250,000. Brendan Schaub: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win. Court McGee: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus) defeated Ryan Jensen: $10,000. Tom Lawlor: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) defeated Patrick Cote: $21,000. Daniel Roberts: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) defeated Mike Guymon: $8,000. Sam Stout: $32,000 (includes $16,000 win bonus) defeated Paul Taylor: $16,000. Chris Camozzi: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) defeated Dongi Yang: $8,000. Jon Madsen: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) defeated Gilbert Yvel: $30,000.

Ironically, Lesnar finds himself the most well-paid fighter of UFC 121 but also the fighter that may be out the longest due to injuries sustained during the fight. Unless Lesnar is medically cleared, he’s looking at a six-month layoff thanks to Cain Velasquez’s barrage of fists. Jake Shields could also be sitting on the sidelines for 180 days unless he too is cleared by a doctor. Courtesy of MMA Mania, here are the full list of medical suspensions for UFC 121.

Brock Lesnar, Jake Shields, Diego Sanchez, and Court McGee are all suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a doctor for various injuries incurred during the course of their fights. Brendan Schaub, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Jensen, Dongi Yang, Gilbert Yvel, and Gabriel Gonzaga were all suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days, for precautionary reasons. Paulo Thiago and Chris Camozzi were suspended 60 days, with no contact for 60 days, due to the cuts they sustained during their fights. Both men are looking at reduced suspensions if they are cleared by a doctor.

Love him or hate him, I think Brock Lesnar earned every penny of his almost half-million salary. Everyone is still talking about UFC 121, and that’s a good thing even if you hate Lesnar. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if this Lesnar-headlined card drew another million buys, which seems to be the norm for him nowadays. And people wonder why UFC President Dana White looked so crestfallen when he had to put that big lump of gold around Cain’s waist. In regards to the fighter suspensions, they all seem par for the course.

So what do you think, fans and friends? Who earned their dollars and who got an easy paycheck at UFC 121? And anything noticeable about the suspensions from where you’re sitting?

New UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez was rightfully awarded “Knockout of the Night” for making quick work of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. The fight was blissfully brief: both men traded takedowns, then Lesnar got clipped and Cain pounced on him like the monster that he is. Daniel Roberts earned himself $70,000 as well for a great Anaconda Choke on Michael Guymon that Guymon fought bravely against but ultimately tapped to. And finally, Paulo Thiago and Diego Sanchez each got their additional $70,000 as well, as the two men received the “Fight of the Night” award for their fast-paced and very exciting encounter.

I think Cain Velasquez definitely deserved “Knockout of the Night” for his amazing performance against Brock Lesnar. If you recall, I thought Cain would win it by TKO, but I had Lesnar lasting four rounds and succumbing to punches out of fatigue more than anything. Instead, Cain picked his shots, delivered huge power right onto Lesnar’s chin, opened up a massive gash on his cheek, and pounded out the man who famously survived the striking game of Shane Carwin. In an era where “bigger is better”, Velasquez proves that you don’t need to tip the scales at 265 to be a UFC Heavyweight Champion. I wish him all the best and am really looking forward to seeing him defend his championship.

As for Paulo Thiago and Diego Sanchez, I was very impressed by their fight as well. Paulo Thiago always seems to have a problem when it comes to justifying his hype, he’s never truly gotten out of the shadow of his KO win over Josh Koscheck but he’s made some admirable attempts. Diego Sanchez seemed to discover that old fire inside himself in this fight, and I think he earned himself another worthy entry into his highlight reel when he ran screaming across the cage with Paulo Thiago on his shoulders before sending the man crashing down to the mat with a massive slam.

Overall, UFC 121 was a big event and saw some big finishes that were awarded with big bonuses. I’m glad that the UFC’s “Of the Night” bonuses continue to increase, the athletes receiving them usually fully deserve them, and a huge bonus is a great incentive to keep producing entertaining and engaging fights. I think UFC 121 set up quite a lot of fights that will play out in 2011, so I look forward to seeing what the future holds.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of the UFC 121 fight bonuses, and UFC 121 as a whole?

Next for Brendan Schaub: In all likelihood it’ll be a rematch with Roy Nelson once Roy Nelson loses to Shane Carwin. I love me some “Big Country”, but I just don’t see him being able to withstand Carwin’s raw punching power, which I think is the pound-for-pound best in the UFC right now. If Nelson does beat Carwin somehow, then Schaub might get another gatekeeper like Cheick Kongo.

Next for Gabriel Gonzaga: Gatekeeper status, as harsh as that sounds. Gonzaga has been hit-or-miss for a long while now, and his performance against Schaub proved that that’s not going to change anytime soon. He’ll always have the Mirko Filipovic KO to look back on, but he’s never again going to be anywhere close to a UFC championship. Even with all that said, though, he’ll probably be a pretty good gatekeeper. I still like Gonzaga, I’m just being a realist when I say that he’s going to be welcoming rookies into the upper echelon or sending them back down the pecking order for quite some time.

Next for Tito Ortiz: Retirement. No more excuses, Tito. Ortiz looked downright bad against Matt Hamill, and with absolutely no disrespect meant to the man, Matt Hamill has never been a top-division fighter. No matter how many corrective surgeries he’s had or how healthy he keeps saying he is, Tito Ortiz hasn’t gotten a good win over a relevant opponent in a long, long, long time. It’s time to pack it in and call it a career before you become your most hated adversary, Ken Shamrock.

Next for Diego Sanchez: It’ll be a trip back down to 155 as earlier reported, but now I can safely say that I think Sanchez will work his way back up to title contention when he cuts to Lightweight once again. Sanchez put on a vintage performance and rejuvenated a career that had honestly begun to stagnate. If we see the Diego Sanchez of UFC 121 show up in the UFC’s Lightweight division as it stands right now, we’re looking at a possible champion.

Next for Jake Shields: It’s already been confirmed that Dana White has made Jake Shields the top contender to the UFC Welterweight Championship. How do I think he’ll do? It depends who he’s facing. I think Jake Shields is a phenomenal fighter that simply made a few mistakes and perhaps let the pressure get to him, which is why he gassed out and barely edged out Martin Kampmann at this event. Whether it’s Georges St. Pierre or Josh Koscheck, I think Shields will once again do a lot better than virtually anyone gives him credit for and perhaps even win the title.

Next for Brock Lesnar: He’ll be back and better than ever, that’s all I can really say right now. Lesnar isn’t done, and he’s still growing by leaps and bounds as a Mixed Martial Artist. In his next fight, we’ll either see a Lesnar with an incredibly improved stand-up game or a Lesnar that does nothing but shoot for a takedown. Either way, I think Lesnar will jump right back into the title picture and may even get another shot at it by the end of 2011.

Next for Cain Velasquez: Junior Dos Santos if we’re talking specifics, getting marketed for everything he’s worth by the UFC if we’re talking in generalities. With how stacked the Heavyweight division has been lately, the UFC is going to milk Cain’s status as the first Mexican UFC Champion for all it’s worth, both because it makes sense and also because he may lose to Dos Santos.

And that’s what I see when I stare into my little crystal ball, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think is next for the winners and losers of UFC 121 “Lesnar vs. Velasquez”?

Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga: I honestly believe that Schaub is overlooking Gonzaga and is beginning to believe his own hype. There’s no doubt that Schaub is talented, but the fact that he’s already talking about a title shot convinces me that he’s not nearly focused enough on “Napao”, who can still be a major threat to the right opponent. Gonzaga may be a glorified gatekeeper, but he’s got a lot of fight left in him. Expect him to catch Schaub off-guard and get the (T)KO in the second round.

Diego Sanchez vs. Paulo Thiago: I think this is a make-or-break fight for both fighters, although much more for Sanchez. Even if it’s been revealed that Sanchez is dropping back down to Lightweight win or lose, I think that another loss would put his job in serious jeopardy. For Thiago, it’s all about getting the hype train rolling again after Martin Kampmann derailed it. I simply think Sanchez has more experience and wants the win more, but it’s going to be close, so I’m picking Sanchez by Unanimous Decision with 29-28 scores across the board.

Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill: Part of me hates myself for doing this again, but I truly believe Ortiz when he says that he’s back and healthy and better than ever. I think Matt is a good fighter, but he’s consistently proven that he’s just not up to top-level standards. And if Ortiz really is as healthy as he says he is, he’s still a top-level athlete. This is another do-or-die situation, with Ortiz squarely in the cross-hairs. Because he needs it badly and says that he hasn’t felt this good since he went on his historic run as UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, I’m picking Ortiz to win via Unanimous Decision. But if he loses again, and worse yet, if he makes more excuses, Tito Ortiz may as well call it a career.

Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann: His performance against Dan Henderson fully converted me; I now consider myself a Jake Shields fan. As such, I’m pulling for him as well as picking him to defeat Kampmann. I think Kampmann will always be a real-life example of “so close and yet so far away”, I see him hovering around the top of the division for the foreseeable future but rarely getting into true title contention. Shields is already a proven champion, so I think he’ll really impress in his UFC debut. I don’t expect him to outright dominate Kampmann, but I do think he’ll finish this fight. I’m picking Jake Shields to submit Martin Kampmann early in the third round.

Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar: I’ve been favoring Velasquez from the start, and that hasn’t changed. Cain has incredible cardio, serious power, unbreakable will, incredible heart, and trains with one of the most prestigious training camps in Mixed Martial Arts. Lesnar won’t be able to withstand the pace Cain will set and the leather he will throw for what could turn into a five-round fight. I’m still thinking Lesnar gasses out, despite the negative reaction that opinion has been getting. Trust me: Lesnar’s cardio has looked great because he’s controlled the pace for every single one of his fights, other than the Shane Carwin fight where he just absorbed punishment and survived to the end of the round. Cain will push Brock like he’s never been pushed before and tire him out. Look for Cain to nail one last barrage on a weakened and slow Lesnar and get the TKO in the fourth round.

And those are my picks, fans and friends. It’s not final call: who’ve you got for UFC 121 and why?

Nothing was made more evident when the former Strikeforce middleweight champion was able to successfully defend his title against former PRIDE middleweight and welterweight champion, MMA legend Dan Henderson.

After a shaky first round which saw Henderson land his trademark thunderous right hand which dropped Jake, he was able to mount back an offense, and dominated the Team Quest fighter for the remainder of the fight, winning every round thereafter en route to a unanimous decision victory, which was aided through his ground prowess.

Soon after the victory, which was Jake’s 13th consecutive victory overall dating back to 2005, he became the most popular free agent in the sport, and when Strikeforce was unable to come to terms with Shields, his destiny always remained with the UFC, where he felt he’s belonged all along.

And a victory over Dan Henderson, even if he’s not in the UFC, still means something.

“He just beat Dan Henderson. He should actually get the shot just for that, but timing and the way everything went,” said Dana during the pre-fight press conference heading into UFC 121, where Shields will make his debut with the organization against fellow welterweight contender, Martin Kampmann as the co-main event of the evening.

“He’s going to take a fight against a really tough guy.

“He should get the shot coming off the Dan Henderson win, but timing and coming into the UFC, it is what it is.”

While a title shot may not loom in his future right away, at least not without a victory over Kampmann, who has won 4 of his last 5 fights, Shield’s acknowledges that yes, he’s the UFC “newbie”, but by no means is he someone to be forgotten in the title picture, which his accolades in the sport leading up to his UFC debut would all but warrant just that.

“It’s been a long, hard road for me. I’m a new guy to the UFC, but everyone that’s been following the sport knows I’ve been at it for 11 years and on quite a streak”, said Shields.

“Obviously, it’s not a done deal yet, I’ve got to go out there and win the fight and it’s still up to the people that make the decisions, but honestly I would love to get that shot”.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of this 170-pound match up? If Shields wins, would you like to see him in next for the title shot? Georges St. Pierre will first look to defend his title against Josh Koscheck in December, so Shields could conceivably fight the winner afterwards. Or would you like to see someone get the shot in before Shields, or Kampmann if he’s successful? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle

I know it may be considered a “dark horse candidate”, but this fight interests me for several reasons. The winner will most likely be put back “into the mix” with a strong victory. Both men are veteran fighters that have almost always given us some very entertaining fights. It’s a rematch, but the best kind of rematch: both men are at very different points in their careers compared to when they first fought. And most importantly, this is a fight between a fighter with a great ground game and very under-rated striking going against a fighter with great striking and a very under-rated ground game.

4. Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann

I admit that you could put Jake Shields inside the Octagon against thin air and he’d still probably make this list, but I think Martin Kampmann is a great opponent for Jake Shields’ first fight inside the UFC. Kampmann was in serious contention for a title shot not too long ago, and Shields has never looked better. Shields is also coming off of the biggest win of his career, and will most likely receive a hero’s welcome based on how Strikeforce mistreated and mishandled Shields leading up to his surprise victory over PRIDE FC legend Dan Henderson. On the feet or on the ground, this should be a very, very exciting fight.

3. Jose Aldo vs. Manvel Gamburyan

To be bluntly honest, I don’t see anyone beating Jose Aldo for quite some time. But I also see every fight being immensely fun to watch and bringing something new to the table. In regards to top-tier opponents, Manvel “The Anvil” doesn’t get much better, given the great steak of wins he’s been on for over a year, which includes wins over a former WEC Featherweight Champion and a WEC Featherweight Championship contender. But Aldo is one of the most dynamic, exciting fighters currently fighting in MMA , and the best fighter in the WEC. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Jose Aldo, so I can’t wait to see this fight.

2. Nick Diaz vs. KJ Noons 2

Now this is the type of rematch everybody loves. Both men have a lot of ill will and bad blood towards each other, and both are at very different points in their careers. Noon has had to re-introduce himself to MMA fans following a stint in pro boxing, while Diaz needs no introduction and is standing tall as Strikeforce’s Welterweight Champion. Diaz’s striking has never looked better, while KJ’s stint in boxing has made his striking even more precise and powerful. There’s going to be fists flying a mile a minute in this fight, and as wild brawls go, this has the potential to be one of the wildest we’ve seen in quite some time.

But my number 1 must-see fight has simply got to go to…

1. Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

So many questions will be answered in this match. Can Cain handle Brock’s wrestling? Can Brock stand up to the punching power Cain will be throwing consistently throughout all five rounds (if it goes that long) of their fight? How will Lesnar’s cardio look when he’s not almost completely dictating the pace of the fight? Both men are great wrestlers, both men are big Heavyweights, and both men have an amazing amount of skill. A few years ago the UFC Heavyweight division was a non-entity, but now, the division grows by leaps and bounds with every single fight.

So those are my picks, fans and friends. What remaining fights are you still looking forward to as we get closer and closer to 2011?

In the co-main event slot, former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and Elite XC Welterweight Champion Jake Shields will make his debut in the UFC, fresh off his five-round outclassing of Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Nashville in April of this year. Standing in his way is the tough Martin Kampmann, who rebounded from a KO loss to UFC exile Paul Daley with big wins over Jacob Volkmann and Paulo Thiago. Speaking of Paulo Thiago, the man still trying to step out of the shadow of his surprise KO over the current UFC Welterweight Championship #1 Contender Josh Koscheck will also be competing at UFC 121. Facing Thiago will be Diego Sanchez, in Sanchez’s second Welterweight fight since losing a fight for the UFC Lightweight Championship to then-champion BJ Penn.

Also announced is a fight between popular UFC Light Heavyweight Matt Hamill and his friend/coach/mentor Tito Ortiz, the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and one of the most controversial fighters to ever step foot in the Octagon. Ortiz will be returning from an injury that forced him to back out of a proposed third fight with Chuck Liddell. It’s been four long years since Tito Ortiz has scored a win inside the Octagon. Rounding out the main card is a fight pitting Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Gabriel Gonzaga against each other. Gonzaga may have been cast in the role of elite-level gatekeeper in his recent fights, but should prove a very tough test for Schaub, who has looked excellent in all his UFC fights save for a KO loss to Roy Nelson.

UFC 121 is shaping up to be one of the best cards of the year, an astonishing fact considering that 2010 gave us “Aldo vs. Faber” and UFC 116. This card is loaded with potential from top to bottom, and I think every single Pay-Per-View fight could have been a headline attraction in their own right. Lesnar vs. Velasquez is a no-brainer. With the mentor vs. student appeal, Ortiz vs. Hamill could have headlined its own Pay-Per-View. Shields/Kampmann could easily have led a British PPV or a Fight Night Live, as could Paul Thiago vs. Diego Sanchez and Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. Anything can happen when the cameras go live, but on paper, the Pay-Per-View card is filed to the brim with can’t-miss fights. If all the fights live up to their potential, UFC 121 will be like a Christmas gift come early, even though it takes place near Halloween.

And what do you think, fans and friends? How excited are you for UFC 121, and which fight in particular are you looking forward to the most?

Thiago’s submission of swick was his second win the the 170-pound top ten.  He also knocked out seventh-ranked Josh Koscheck (14-4) at UFC 95 in London in February 2009.  Nonetheless, the UFC has pushed him backwards rather than forwards in the division.

Kampmann’s last victory was a submission of Jacob Volkmann (9-2), whose only other loss was a decision to Thiago.

Ellenberger TKO’d “Quicksand” Mike Pyle (19-7-1) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2, his first victory in the Octagon.

Saunders enters the fight off his biggest victory, a knockout of “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (16-6) at UFC 106 in Las Vegas last November and verges on entering serious title contention.

Kampmann suffered a cut over his eye that required stitches and forced him from the fight, he told MMA Weekly.

Fighters.com and UFC Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) and fifth-ranked “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6) are set to battle for the top spot at UFC 111 in Newark March 27.  Predictions range far and wide, from Hardy has one foot in the grave to Hardy is the man to upset St. Pierre like “The Terror” Matt Serra (9-6) di at UFC 69 in Houston in 2007.

Fighters.com doesn’t worry about Hardy’s health, but think he’ll be easily handled by the champ.

An exciting rematch between second-ranked “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) and third-ranked Jon Fitch (20-3) has also been rumored for UFC 111.  Fitch TKO’d Alves at UFC Fight Night 5 in 2006 and claims he gets a rematch versus St. Pierre if he stops Alves.

Fourth-ranked Paulo Thiago (8-1) and ninth-ranked “Quick” Mike Swick (14-3) of American Top Team will matchup at UFC 109 in Las Vegas Saturday.  Thiago is 1-1 versus ATT, knocking out seventh-ranked Josh Koscheck (14-4) and losing a decision to Fitch.

Koscheck will take on “Semtex” Paul Daley (20-9-2) at UFC 113 in Montreal May 8.

Eigth-ranked Matt Hughes (41-7) and and PRIDE veteran Renzo Gracie (13-6-1) will fight at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi April 10.

Tenth-ranked “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2) and “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (16-3) will matchup at UFC 111.

Sixth-ranked Jake Shields (24-4-1) has moved to middleweight as the champion in Strikeforce.

Fighters.com’s February Welterweight Top Ten

1. “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2)

2. “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4)

3. Jon Fitch (20-3)

4. Paulo Thiago (8-1)

5. “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6)

6. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

7. Josh Koscheck (14-4)

8. Matt Hughes (41-7)

9. “Quick” Mike Swick (14-3)

10. “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2)

If Hardy wants to win he has to be aggressive, unlike second-ranked “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) was when he turned into a poodle in the Octagon versus St. Pierre at UFC 100 in Las Vegas last July.

Now, it’s likely…  No, let me correct myself.  St. Pierre is going to slam Hardy to the mat every time Hardy throws a combination.  But, St. Pierre is going to do that anyway.

So, my message to Hardy, if he’s reading, is this: Go ahead and let me know now whether you’re going to be satisfied with going five rounds on your back just so you can claim you went the distance.  That way I can save $44.95.

However, if you want to take the slim chance that you can connect on GSP and, if not finish him, at least reset the dynamics of the fight and give yourself an oppotunity for an upset, then you can have my $44.95.

On the undercard of UFC 111, newly tenth-ranked “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2) and “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (16-3) will matchup.

Saunders made the list this month and Hardy jumped from ninth to fifth after Hardy’s disqualification loss to “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-4) in 2007 expired from Hardy’s two-year record.  Yoshida will need to prove himself to return to the welterweight top ten.

Fighters.com’s January Welterweight Rankings

1. “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2)

2. “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4)

3. Jon Fitch (20-3)

4. Paulo Thiago (8-1)

5. “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6)

6. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

7. Josh Koscheck (14-4)

8. Matt Hughes (41-7)

9. “Quick” Mike Swick (14-3)

10. “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2)

“Jesus, I love you,” shouted Belfort in the Octagon after the fight, and in his dressing room he added,  “God gave me a gift and I’m using it.  And, I’m ready.  A lot of people thought I was done, you know, and that’s what I’m bringing to this game – hope, faith, and hard work.

In Dallas, Franklin’s disastrous strategy most evidently handed Belfort his fifth straight victory since losing a UD to “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7) at PRIDE 32 in Las Vegas in 2006.  The usually cool as a cucumber Franklin pawed impatiently at Belfort with his right jab, leaving himself exposed to Belfort’s quick hands.

“First round, you have to feel your opponent, see where he are,” explained Belfort post-fight.  “I saw he was kind of rushed trying to pace the fight.  And then, I was just taking my time.”

One lunging Franklin jab too many and the quick-handed former UFC champion dropped Franklin with a grazing counter left hook and pushing right hook.

“I just listen to all my coaches,” said Belfort.  “They were saying, ‘Find your distance and throw.’”

Franklin fell to his knees, face down; and, Belfort crammed another left hook into Franklin’s jaw.  Franklin’s body limped up; and, referee Yves Lavigne pushed Belfort off Franklin.

Though Belfort and Franklin fought at 195 pounds, Belfort’s last several wins were earned in the middleweight division.  He now finds himself contending with Henderson and “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) for a title shot against Fighters.com Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4).

Franklin falls to 1-2 in his last three and remains without a clear future at either middleweight or light heavyweight.  “Losing wasn’t part of my plan,” Franklin admitted after the loss.  “So I’m just going to have to let the dust settle and figure out what’s going on.”

In the co-main event, heavyweight prospect “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1) forced once-feared “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (25-8-2) to quit at 2:00 of round three after a dos Santos straight right blinded Filipovic.

Though Filipovic overpowered the larger “Cigano” in the clinch in the first two rounds and connected a smattering of straights that left a healthy mouse beneath dos Santos’s left eye, “Cro Cop” phoned in another jittery performance in the Octagon. 

“My game is to move forward and be attacking at all times,” “Cigano” described after the fight.

When dos Santos advanced whipping combos at “Cro Cop”, “Cro Cop” backpedaled and threw his hands out to halt dos Santos’s advance.  Though Filipovic’s defensive strategy had the sophistication of a playground brawl, it actually kept the fight within reach for two rounds.

In round three though, dos Santos connected an uppercut beneath Filipovic’s defensive tactic and unloaded an assault of knee strikes to Filipovic’s body and head, until a knee to Filipovic’s body in the clinch against the fence opened “Cro Cop” up for the punch that left him blinded and waving off the fight.

“I’m here to finish fights,” proclaimed dos Santos after the third win during his 11-month UFC career.
 
Welterweight “Semtex” Paul Daley (19-9-2) TKO’d Xtreme Couture’s “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (15-3) at 2:31 of round one in Daley’s UFC debut.  Daley staggered Kampmann with a left hook, sending Kampmann reeling to the cage.  Another left hook clammed Kampmann up as Daley teed off in the barrage of punches that ended Kampmann’s night.  Referee Yves Lavigne stepped in to stop the fight while Kampmann was still on his feet.

“I was saying to myself at the beginning of the fight, standing across the cage from him, ‘I’m going to knock you out.  I’m going to knock you out,’” Daley said after the fight.  “I just kept repeating it in my head.  ‘I’m going to knock you out.  I’m going to knock you out.’  I stood there looking at him thinking, ‘I’m going to knock you out.’  And, there you go.”

American Kickboxing Academy welterweight Josh Koscheck (13-4) TKO’d “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-7) with a straight right at 1:25 of round one as Trigg clutched the cage.  Trigg dropped to the mat and Koscheck followed-up with two right hands before the referee stepped in.

After the victory, Koscheck announced, “I know there’s a guy who just signed a new contract.  His name is Matt Hughes. I’ve been asking for that for a long time.”

Xtreme Couture lightweight Tyson Griffin (14-2) TKO’d Hermes Franca (19-8) at 3:26 of round two.  Griffin crumpled Franca with a straight right, then pounced in a flurry while dodging Franca’s submission attempts until Griffin landed flush to end the fight on the mat.

Lightweight Efrain Escudero (8-0) TKO’d American Top Team’s “Magrinho” Cole Miller (15-3) at 3:36 of round one.

Middleweight “Gorilla” Tomas Drwal (17-2) tapped out Miletich Fighting Systems’ “Massacre” Drew McFedries (8-6) in a guillotine choke at 1:03 of round two.

Lightweight “Mongoose” Jim Miller (15-2) won a TKO 45-seconds into round two when Steve Lopez (2-2) injured his shoulder in his Octagon debut.

Lightweight “Carny” Nik Lentz (14-3-1) won a three-round unanimous decision over “Tractor” Rafaello Oliveira (8-2).

Welterweight Rick Story (6-2) tapped out Brian Foster (12-4) in an arm triangle at 1:09 of the second round.

Light heavyweight Eliot Marshall (7-1) won a three-round split decision over “Hitman” Jason Brilz (17-2-1).

Light heavyweight “Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (23-4) won a three-round unanimous decision over Igor Pokrajac (14-6).

Lightweight Rafael Dos Anjos (13-3) won a three-round unanimous decision over “Saint” Rob Emerson (9-8).

Both former middlweight title prospects who dropped weight to compete at 170-pounds, neither Swick nor Kampmann have proven themselves against the UFC’s established competition: former champions “Terror” Matt Serra (9-6) and Matt Hughes (41-7) and former title challengers “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) and Jon Fitch (19-3).

Swick trains with Fitch and former welterweight contender Josh Koscheck (12-4) and most recently outclassed “Killa B” Ben Saunders (7-1-2) with a second round TKO at UFC 99 in Cologne last month. But, Swick’s most noteworthy “W” is a unanimous decision over nails-tough “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (16-5), who never cracked the top ten himself.

Kampmann’s most impressive 170-pound notch is a split decision over former WEC welterweight king “Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit (23-5) at Fight Night 18 last April, though Condit himself had remained largely untested against top welterweights in Zuffa’s other promotion.

Koscheck will also fight on the card versus returning former UFC title challenger “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-6).

Koscheck was upset by TKO by UFC debuting Brazilian Paulo Thiago (6-1) at UFC 95 in London last February.

Trigg has peeled off four consecutive wins, most recently a UD over overmatched Danny Babcock (5-2) at Rumble in Race Town in Daytona Beach last February.

Former lightweight title challenger Hermes Franca (19-7) will fight Xtreme Couture’s Tyson Griffin (13-2).

Franca won a grudge match by UD over former training partner “Maximus” Marcus Aurelio (18-7) at UFC 90 in Chicago last October.

Griffin won a UD over Rafael dos Anjos (12-3) at Fight Night 18.

Kampmann plans to drop to welterweight for his next fight, according to Pavia.

The Xtreme Couture fighter was TKO’d at 1:22 of the first round by “The Great” Nathan Marquardt (27-8-2) at UFC 88 in September, breaking his nine-fight win streak.

Liddell lay unconcious on the canvas for several minutes after the punch.

Evans jitter-bugged around a stalking Liddell the entire fight.  Liddell never really got a beat on him, but landed a straight right in the first round.  Evans back-pedalled and taunted Liddell with a dance.

In the second round, Liddell lunged for an uppercut and took Evans’s counter right hook square on the jaw to end the fight at 1:51.

Franklin Finishes Friend

“Ace” Rich Franklin (24-3) TKO’d his friend and former training partner “Hammer” Matt Hamill (4-2) at 39 seconds of round three with a left kick to Hamill’s floating rib in Franklin’s return to 205.

Franklin had landed the same kick consistently through the first two rounds.  In the third, the kick dropped Hamill and Franklin landed two punches before referee Mario Yamasaki waved the fight off.

Franklin took a deep cut over his right eye from a Hamill uppercut in the first round.  In the second round, Yamasaki asked a referee to take a look at the cut.

“I’m walking around with a black eye already; so, it wasn’t too bad,” Franklin said of the cut after the fight.

The fight continued; and, Hamill chose to stand with “Ace” after several takedown attempts were resisted.

Of his new weight class, Franklin said, “Cutting weight this week was awesome; but, pushing around another 20 pounds wasn’t.”

Marquardt Kayos Kampmann

Middleweight Nathan Marquardt (27-8-2) quickly KO’d kickboxer “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (13-2) at 1:22 of round one Saturday night in Atlanta.

After the fight, Marquardt said, “I knew I was better and, though he was a kickboxer, I knew I could take him standing.”

Marquardt connected early with a right head kick that plopped Kampmann on his ass.  Kampmann bounced back up, but ate Marquardt’s straights while backpedaling to cage.  At the fence, Marquardt dug an uppercut into Kampmann’s chin.  Kampmann fell and the fight was stopped.

Pellegrino Brutalizes Tavares

Before Saturday night, only two fighters had ever defeated lightweight Brazilian Thiago Tavares (13-3).  “Batman” Kurt Pellegrino (12-4) beat him twice in Atlanta.

Officially, the judges scored the unanimous decision 29-27 twice and 29-8, all for Pellegrino.

Pellegrino won a 10-8 first round on two score cards, dropping Tavares with a flush right hook and crackling uppercut.  On the mat, Pellegrino’s elbows opened up cuts on each of Tavares’s temples and under his righ eyelid.

In the second round, the only round Tavares won (paritally due to an inadvertant eye poke by Tavares), Pellegrino squeezed an armbar from his back; and, Tavares appeared to tap; but, referee Yves Lavigne missed the call.

After the fight, Pellegrino said, “I know it was super duper tight.  Yeah, he tapped.  All I remember him saying was ‘you couldn’t get me.’”

Pellegrino eeked out a close third between two exhausted fighters to put away the unanimous decision.

Barbarian Chops Down Patt

After peppering Octagon rookie Michael Patt (12-3) with right hooks, “Barbarian” Tim Boetsch (8-2) crashed a straight right through Patt’s guard.

Patt took a seat on the mat with a split lip and a faint idea where he was.  Boetsch pounded the fight closed at 2:03.

Boetsch said after the fight, “I’m pumped.  I trained real hard to get an explosive finish like this.”

Kim Barely Beats Brown

“Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim (11-0-1) remained undefeated versus Matt Brown (7-7)…barely.

Kim won a split decision 29-28 twice and 28-29 for Brown.  Fighters.com scored it 29-28 for Kim; but, UFC commentator Joe Rogan told the disappointed crowd he thought Brown had won.

Kim rode Brown’s back most of round one, nearly finishing Brown in a rear naked choke while Brown stood.

Apparently, that was the controversial round as two judges and Fighters.com scored it 10-9 for Kim while Cecil Peoples scored round one 10-9 for Brown.

Kim was sluggish in round two.  Brown took advantage, capturing Kim in his Thai clinch and hammering knees to the Korean’s midsection.

In round three, Brown walked right through a square Kim left hook; but, Kim followed up with a toss into Brown’s full guard.  Kim opened up a deep cut under Brown’s left cheekbone with a slick elbow.

Kim lamented, “I hate to go to a decision.  Next time I’m going to be different.”

Brown made clear after the fight, “I don’t fight for the judges.  I fight for the fans and to finish.”

MacDonald Avenges Maia Loss

Middleweight “Athlete” Jason MacDonald (21-10) willed a second-round submission ”W” over “Punisher” Jason Lambert (23-9) after nearly being forced to tap in a guilltoine himself at the end of round one.

MacDonald said after the fight, “[The guillotine] was pretty tight; but, my head was toward the screen and I knew I could hold my breath for six seconds.”

MacDonald held on and dumped Lambert on his ass to open the second round, then passed to mount.  Lambert rolled right into J-Mac’s rear naked choke at 1:20.

“I knew he was getting tired from making the cut to 185 pounds,” MacDonald said, ”so I knew if I could take it into the later rounds I would get him.”

Chonan Earns Split Decision

Two of the three cageside judges prevented welterweight “Jucao” Roan Carneiro (12-8) from serving “Piranha” Ryo Chonan (15-8) a cold dish of revenge for 2005 TKO loss.

Chonan won a split decision by 29-28 twice and 28-29 once in favor of Carneiro.  Fighters.com scored the fight for Carneiro 29-28.

Carneiro dominated round one, flopping “Piranha” on his back and chiseling a cut over Chonan’s right eye with elbows.  Earlier in the round, Carneiro had nearly scored an omoplata transitioned from a triangle; but, Chonan rolled free.

Chonan won the second round by stuffing Carneiro’s shot and out wrestling him while landing infrequent punches.  The crowd pleaded with referee Herb Dean to stand the fighters; but, Dean let them tussle for position.

Chonan stuffed Carneiro’s shot again in the third, but rolled into Carneiro’s guard.  Carneiro landed a few shots before Chonan regained his feet.  Chonan gained top position before the round ended, but did little damage.

Hendo’ Earns First UFC “W” Since 1998

“It’s been awhile,” said “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (23-7) after squeaking a unanimous decision “W” over “Toquinho” Rousimar Palhares (8-2) passed the judges by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28.

A timid Hendo’ wanted no part of Palhares’s Brazilian jiu-jiu, consistently waving off the ground game throughout the three rounds.

Instead, “Hollywood” stalked with his devastating right hand cocked.

“Normally I’m more aggressive,” he said, “so, I apologize about that.

Palhares shot often, almost all of them stuffed by Henderson.  Palhares also peppered Hendo’ with an impressive array of kicks and nearly locked in two knee bars.

Hendo’ only landed his overhand right cleanly with ten seconds left in the fight, dropping Palhares.  Hendo’s pounced with two more overhands to steal the round.

Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked light heavyweight “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) bounced in place as reporters lined-up to interview the former UFC champion before his fight versus “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1) Saturday night.

Playful and boisterous, Liddell told Fighters.com he was ready to fight Evans today in a video interview that will be posted shortly.

Evans was a bit more low-key, focusing on the biggest fight of his career and rolling with middleweight training partner Nathan Marquardt (26-8-2), who fights “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (13-1) Saturday night.

Co-main event second-ranked middleweight “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3), moving to 205 Saturday versus former training partner “Hammer” Matt Hamill (4-1), skipped his scheduled session.

Sources in Franklin’s camp alternately told Fighters.com that Franklin wasn’t feeling well and that he was eating to maintain the weight of his new division.

Neither excuse gives much solace to Fighters.com after Franklin’s comments about his uncertainty about fighting his former training partner and moving to 205 pounds.

Especially since Hamill, who was late for his session because he and his girlfriend were shopping (a better excuse), was like a kid with a new toy when talking about the biggest fight of his career versus his “hero”.

“Athlete” Jason MacDonald (20-10) and Kampmann both attended too, but neither actually worked out.

Japanese fighters “Piranha” Ryo Chonan (14-8) and ninth-ranked welterweight “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-2) also attended, but only interviewed with the Japanese press.

Kampmann, a middleweight with Xtreme Couture, has nine consecutive wins, seven of which he finished in the first round.

Kampmann’s last fight, a unanimous decision victory over “El Conquistador” Jorge Rivera (15-7), was in June.

Marquardt won seven of his last nine matches.  He lost his last fight by split decision to Thales Leites (13-1) in June.

The other loss came by first-round TKO to Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion and UFC champ “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4) in July 2007.

But, the cold, hard ledger reveals Hendo’ hasn’t had a win at 185-pounds in two years.

Hendo’s previous rank was filled by tenth-ranked “Mayhem” Jason Miller (20-6), falling a notch to newly ninth-ranked “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1).

Souza debuted in the top ten after pulling off a tight two-round unanimous decision over Miller in DREAM’s Middleweight Grand Prix 15 June.

Also in June Japanese action, “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2) cemented his seventh ranking with a UD over “Pink Pounder” Logan Clark at Sengoku.

Misaki now seeks revenge over new Sengoku add-on, seventh-ranked “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (16-6).

No Sengoku match-up has been announced for Trigg; but, one would assume Misaki’s home nation promotion wants to match the old enemies as soon as Trigg is ready.

Sixth-ranked “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) was pulling away from “Hands of Stone” Scott Smith (13-4) in the third round of their EliteXC title fight 31 May in Newark, west of New York City, when a thumb to Smith’s eye rendered the result a No Contest.

Lawler held steady in June, as did the entire middleweight top five.

Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4) wisely avoided a move to 205-pounds to fight fourth-ranked light heavyweight “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) in September.

The UFC’s July match-up between “Predator” Patrick Cote (12-4) and “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-2) is being marketed as winner-get-Silva.

Baffling, since the UFC’s obvious top contender is fifth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4), who seems to be lingering in limbo after knocking out former UFC Champion Evan Tanner (32-7) in March.

Fighters.com predicts Okami will draw “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (16-2).

Fourth-ranked Yoshihiro Akiyama (10-1) continues to flirt with DREAM and will probably be the Middleweight GP champion’s first mandatory.

Third-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0) is out of rehab and training for a September WEC title defense rematch versus Chael Sonnen (20-9-1).

Second-ranked “Ace” Rich Franklin (22-3) is being pressured by the UFC to move to 205-pounds to clarify their middleweight rankings, but Franklin is resisting.

June Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4)

“Spider” fights like he’s hacked the matrix, making top-tier opponents look like they’re clumsily swatting at a web. In March he choked out former PRIDE champ Hendo’. His two-year record has both volume and quality with a “W” next to each challenger.

2. “Ace” Rich Franklin (22-3)

Despite two stoppages to Silva, Franklin is still the best of the rest, even according to Silva himself. “Ace” finessed from a Travis Lutter armbar to pick the TUF champ apart in April and outwrestled notoriously powerful Okami for a decision last July.

3. “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0)

Filho’s perfect rap sheet lists solid foes, but only an ’06 KO of Misaki among top-tenners. Chael Sonnen gave him hell in a controversial stoppage, but Filho missed the March rematch. A strong comeback in the September rematch will solidify Filho’s ranking.

4. Yoshihiro Akiyama (10-1)

The Zainichi judoka ran the K-1 gauntlet of weight-mismatched spectacles before bursting into 185-pound contention with a KO of Denis Kang. Akiyama drew Misaki on NYE, but the end was deemed illegal and the result a NC. He also needs a strong comeback.

5. “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4)

Okami has been most active among the top ten in the last two years and comes off a knockout of former UFC champ Evan Tanner.  His only UFC loss was to Franklin, but could’ve conceivably been a “W” had he went after “Ace” before the final two minutes.

6. “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4)

“Ruthless” rides a four-fight “W” streak since being choked out by Miller in ’06, including a KO of Trigg and stoppages of solid fighters Murilo Rua and Joey Villasenor. Upcoming versus Scott Smith won’t prove much unless he loses.

7. “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (16-6)

With all Trigg does, you may have missed his comeback at middleweight the last two years, starting with a TKO of Miller and a UD over Misaki. Lawler iced him at Icon, but he’s returned with a quick stoppage of Edwin Dewees. He’s my division wildcard to watch.

8. “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (19-8-2)

Misaki has made successful hits on Denis Kang and Hendo’, but also dropped decisions to Trigg and Hendo’ and a stoppage to Filho. Regardless, he’s won and lost among the division’s best, and may have added a “W” versus Akiyama if PRIDE rules ruled K-1.

9. “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1)

“Jacare” finally fulfilled the hype surrounding the BJJ world champion by overwhelming Miller on the way to a UD in June, but his besides “Mayhem” his record needs bolstered with better opponents.

10. “Mayhem” Jason Miller (20-5)

Always entertaining “Mayhem” has thrown in a stoppage over Lawler and a stoppage by Trigg into a mixed bag of competition the last two years.

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.