In a new report from MMA Weekly, the UFC recently made “UFC on Versus 6” official and have added an interesting rematch to the event. Mac Danzig will be taking on Matt Wiman. Their first fight ended in a lot of controversy: after securing a choke, Wiman was awarded the victory when the referee thought Danzig had been choked unconscious.  That turned out not to be true, but Wiman was awarded the victory anyway.

In addition to Danzig/Wiman, the only other fight currently being rumored for this event sees Charlie Brenneman take on Anthony Johnson. “UFC on Versus 6” is currently scheduled for October 1 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. This will be the first time in UFC history that the promotion has held a show in the nation’s capital.

Mac Danzig won the sixth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” while already being a veteran of over twenty fights. Like many former TUF champions and even TUF finalists, Danzig has been given a lot of leeway with the promotion. At one point, Danzig was on the dreaded three-fight losing-streak and still allowed to compete in the UFC. Luckily for him, he would turn it all around in his next fight and he’s currently 2-1 in his three most-recent encounters, the sole loss before the aforementioned controversial submission to Matt Wiman. Danzig is coming off of a great victory back in December of last year, earning a “Knockout of the Night” win over former UFC Lightweight Championship contender Joe Stevenson.

Matt Wiman has been fighting in the UFC since 2006, and has a respectable record of 7-4 with only one stoppage loss. In his time inside the Octagon, Wiman has both (T)KO’d and submitted his opponents. That versatility carried Wiman through a tough three-round war with rising Lightweight Dennis Siver, and it was a fight many thought Wiman should have won. He didn’t, and he expressed his frustration by storming out of the cage when Siver’s hand was raised and not his.

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of either of these two fighters. I think they’ve both got their fair share of talent, I’ve just never been that high on them throughout any point in their careers.

It really rubbed me the wrong way when Wiman stormed out of the cage following his loss to Siver. I get that he was angry and upset, but that just struck me as unprofessional and even a bit classless. He’s not the first person to feel like they won a fight that went to the judges, and it wasn’t even that bad of a decision considering how close the fight was.

It also rubbed me the wrong way that Mac Danzig, Mac Danzig of all people, was allowed to fight past the unwritten rule of a three-fight losing-streak getting you the axe. He’s definitely an entertaining fighter most of the time, but with so many good fighters being released from the UFC on three-fight, two-fight, and even one-fight losing-streaks… Mac Danzig just doesn’t seem like a fighter the UFC absolutely has to have, to the point where they’d make an exception to their own unwritten rule.

But in the end, I’ll put aside my misgivings and say that this will probably be a good fight. I’ll even go one step further and say that “UFC on Versus 6” will probably be a pretty good event as well.

Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber: Faber has simply had too many losses lately, and Dominick Cruz has been looking too good lately. If this was the Faber before the TKO loss to Mike Brown, before the rematch that saw him get controlled by Mike Brown, and before the fight with Jose Aldo that saw Faber practically eaten alive in the stand-up… then this fight would be just about dead-even. As it stands, Cruz is just too good even if he hasn’t finished anybody in a while. Dominick Cruz wins by Unanimous Decision.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben: I want to believe in Wanderlei Silva… I do believe in Wanderlei Silva. I think Wanderlei wants to win this fight very badly, and I know he’s a better brawler than Chris Leben. Leben could catch Silva with a good punch and possibly KO him, Silva is also coming off of a long layoff. But that just isn’t enough to force me to pick against one of my favorite fighters in the game. This will be a very tough test for Wanderlei, but one that I both hope and believe he will pass. Wanderlei Silva wins by Unanimous Decision.

Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader: It’s curtains for Tito Ortiz, fans and friends. I just don’t see him beating a hungry upstart like Ryan Bader, especially with Bader coming off of an incredibly humbling loss. Bader will take his recent loss to Jon Jones and turn it into a learning experience, and this will be the fight where Bader begins to realize his full potential. Ryan Bader wins by TKO in Round 2.

Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim: We all know what I want to happen: I want Condit to go out there and take “Stun Gun” Kim’s head off. If Kim does try and stand with Condit, that’s exactly what’s going to happen, and Carlos Condit will win by KO in either Round 1 or 2, most likely Round 2. But if Kim does what everyone is suspicious of and decides to blanket himself on Condit for three rounds, he’ll win a Unanimous Decision. As much as I dislike the notion of Kim winning this fight, I have to admit that it’s definitely a possibility.

Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman: Both men are within shouting distance of each other’s records, but MMA today is a constant game of “what have you done lately?” And lately, Dennis Siver has looked like a wrecking machine in the cage. It becomes tougher and tougher to finish a Lightweight fighter as you get higher and higher up the food chain, which is why I’m thinking Siver won’t get the (T)KO. But I do think Siver will control and even dominate Matt Wiman with crisp, precise kickboxing. Dennis Siver takes a very clear Unanimous Decision.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends.

The Event: UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber”, currently scheduled for July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Four free preliminary fights will air over the UFC’s Facebook page starting at 6:15 PM ET. Two additional preliminary fights will air on Spike TV starting at 8:00 PM ET. The five-fight main card will be broadcast live on Pay-Per-View starting at 9:00 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: This is the UFC’s big summer event, it takes place on Independence Day weekend and it features the UFC debut of Dominick Cruz. Even better, he faces one of the most popular and skilled lighter-weight fighters of all time, Urijah Faber. Then you’ve got Wanderlei Silva facing Chris Leben in what should be an epic brawl, plus Tito Ortiz fights with his job, nay, his entire career on the line against Ryan Bader. And on top of all that, you’ve got two big match-ups at Lightweight and Welterweight that should establish the winner as a top contender in the division. And, of course, you get a bunch of free fights on Spike TV and Facebook.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Dominick Cruz hates Urijah Faber… truly hates him. Cruz losing to Faber sparked a fire that has now resulted in Cruz claiming the mantle of the best Bantamweight on the planet as of now. Urijah Faber wants to breathe new life into his career, and he wants to do so not just by beating Dominick Cruz, but by humbling him in the same way he humbled him in their first fight. Both men are two of the best Bantamweights in the world, and their intense rivalry will bring out the best in each other. This fight could end in many different ways, and seems destined to be a “Fight of the Year” contender.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Are you kidding me? Who doesn’t love a fight between guys like Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva? These two love to have wild brawls, Silva will probably go down as one of the best brawlers in the history of the sport once all is said and done. This fight could end in an instant, or it could see both men swing for the fences for three straight rounds and never give an inch. If you’re a fan of good fights, this is one you just can’t miss.

Why You Should Watch This Card: It may not be stuffed with superstar talent, but UFC 132 features a host of big names in very well-booked fights. A lot of these fights are brimming with potential thanks to the fact that so many fighters match up stylistically well with their opponents. We may not get to see the biggest stars the UFC has to offer, but we’ll probably be getting a boatload of good-to-great fights.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: The only fights I’d recommend missing are the prelims if you absolute have to and the bout between Dennis Siver and Matt Wiman, also only if you have to. Every fight on this card has plenty of potential, but I’m not so optimistic that I believe that every fight will live up to its potential. I think most of them will, though, and this should be a good card.

Closing Thoughts: I’m very, very, very pumped up for this card. I think it’s going to be a sure-fire “Event of the Year” contender, although I don’t think anything will out-shine UFC 129 this year. Still, I think this one is going to be a hit and I’m going to walk away at the end of the night a very happy UFC fan. Definitely count me in for UFC 132.

Matt Wiman is nearly a seven-year veteran, and in that time he’s assembled a respectable record of 13-5. Wiman has never lost more than twice in a row, although there was  time where he went 1-3 in four fights. Wiman debuted in the UFC in 2006 but would unfortunately find himself on the receiving end of a highlight reel knockout. He rebounded about as good as anyone could rebound: by winning his next four fights, with three stoppages.

Just as Wiman was beginning to establish himself as a possible championship contender, he would go on to lose back-to-back fights, first against Jim Miller and then against Sam Stout. But Wiman rebounded once again, and is currently on a three-fight win-streak that includes one first-round stoppage. It’s also interesting to note that no one has finished Wiman since his UFC debut.

But if there’s one thing Dennis Siver is, it’s a finisher.

Dennis Siver has been fighting in the UFC since 2007, but debuted with an unimpressive 1-3 record in his first trip inside the Octagon. After taking a fight outside the Octagon in 2008, Siver returned to the UFC a new man. He put together a great three-fight win-streak with all three fights ending via stoppage, two of which saw Siver nail his patented spinning back kick. After losing to Ross Pearson in March 2010 in a “Fight of the Night” performance, Siver won back-to-back fights before challenging George Sotiropoulos.

Sotiropoulos was quickly making a name for himself as an Australian submission magician. Sotiropoulos was also on an eight-fight win-streak that included seven successful UFC fights. Many people thought that this fight would be over the second it hit the ground. But Siver never really gave Sotiropoulos the chance. Displaying very good takedown defense, Siver forced Sotiropoulos into a brawl, and with Siver being a skilled kickboxer, Sotiropoulos would lose a one-sided Unanimous Decision. It was perhaps the biggest, most meaningful victory in Dennis Siver’s UFC career.

I’m very high on Dennis Siver right now, and I think he’s got what it takes to go all the way and become a challenger to the UFC Lightweight Champion. Some people say he’s too one-dimensional, but when you have a fighter that’s really good at one dimension and knows how to negate and/or defend against all the other dimensions of a fight… then that’s a fighter that knows how to win and will keep on winning. If Dennis Siver doesn’t want the fight to go on the ground, the fight usually doesn’t go to the ground. And once he finds his comfort zone, Dennis Siver turns into a very dangerous fighter and a great striker. With his recent wins and his great performances, Siver has got to be the favorite to win this fight.

And that’s two down and several more to go, fans and friends! Stay tuned for more editions of “A Closer Look At UFC 132”.

We head to MMA Weekly for a big announcement on two major UFC 132 matches. According to the report, the UFC recently announced that UFC 132 will feature a rematch between BJ Penn and Jon Fitch as well as a major Lightweight showdown between George Sotiropoulos and Evan Dunham.

We then head to Sherdog for another major match-up for UFC 132. According to their report, the UFC is also targeting a fight between Dennis Siver and Matt Wiman for UFC 132.

UFC 132 is currently expected to take place July 2 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As a big Jon Fitch fan, I’m very glad that he’s going to rematch BJ Penn. I want Fitch to prove once and for all that he can beat BJ Penn, because I believe without a shadow of a doubt in my mind that he can. Their first fight was very close, up until the third round, where Fitch went back to basics and utilized his famed style of grinding to completely dominate Penn. If Fitch had fought all three rounds the way he fought the third round, we wouldn’t need a rematch.

But we definitely need one now, and I’m very glad that this match-up is coming together.

I think a bout between George Sotiropoulos and Evan Dunham will really test where both men are in the UFC’s Lightweight division. Both men recently suffered some very deflating losses, and at one time both men looked like can’t-miss prospects. However, Dunham is on a two-fight losing-streak while the aura of invincibility surrounding George Sotiropoulos was pretty much torn down under the constant attacks of Dennis Siver. This is a fight where both men’s top-division (or near the top of the division) status may very well be on the line. As a fan of George Sotiropoulos, I’m honestly hoping that he won’t be the one to lose his hold near the top of the UFC’s 155-pound heap.

Matt Wiman vs. Dennis Siver is a fight that simply makes sense. Wiman has won seven of his last nine bouts, while Siver has won seven of his last eight. Siver is also coming off of the biggest win of his career, a major beat-down of the aforementioned George Sotiropoulos. Wiman also looked pretty impressive in his last bout, beating Cole Miller by Unanimous Decision. Unlike Sotiropoulos vs. Dunham, this fight will likely decide which fighter is ready to attain top-division status. I personally am pulling for Siver, who has got to be one of the best strikers in the UFC’s Lightweight division.

Overall, this is shaping up to be an awesome event and I’m sure we’ll be talking about this one a whole lot more when summertime rolls around. But what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early reaction to UFC 132?

The two lightweight standouts first became familiar with one another on the fifth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”. Early on, Wiman was pegged as one of the favorites to win the show’s coveted six-figure contract in the end, while Miller (in stark contrast) was considered to be one of the series weaker competitors.

Well, the roles have certainly been reversed.

MMAJunkie.com first made news of the 155-pound contest, which will be taking place on New Years day at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for UFC 125, which will be headlined by a lightweight match up pitting current champion Frankie Edgar looking for his second successful title defense against the only man to defeat him to date, undefeated Xtreme Couture product Gray Maynard (whom was also a cast member on said season of TUF).

It’s too early to tell if the two lightweights will be featured on the main card of the pay-per-view event, though it’s unlikely with big names such as Roy Nelson, Shane Carwin, Clay Guida, Takanori Gomi, and Nate Diaz adorning the card.

Season five of “The Ultimate Fighter” is arguably the promotion’s deepest pool of talent that the UFC has collected to date. Gray Maynard, a semi-finalist on the show is now vying for the lightweight title, Cole Miller has become a perennial contender in the weight class (though hot and cold at time), Wiman had ridden a 4-fight win streak inside the UFC inching closer to a title shot, and Nate Diaz has become widely successful both in the lightweight and welterweight ranks.

Both will Cole and Matt will look to improve their stocks in the lightweight division in a bout that is a true “throwback” to any hardcore fan.

So, MMA peeps, who do you think takes this match up? Sound off in the comment section below. 10 points if you can guess who Miller is punching in the picture.

It is a matchup that has taken a winding road to arrive.  Escudero was first slated to fight John Gunderson which was then switched to Matt Wiman.  Wiman suffered an injury and the UFC tapped Oliveira.  Nonetheless, Escudero told the collected media on Thursday’s UFC Fight Night 22 conference call that the flip-flopping of opponents is no big deal.

“I really didn’t pay much attention to it.  It was a month out. I still had enough time. It was a 48-hour window span where everything moved so quickly.  For me, we are worried about what we are brining to the table. Not worried about what they are going to bring to the table.  We are making them fight our fight and we are going to go out and do our job.”

Escudero, fighting out of Tempe, AZ, is going for his 14^th career win and no longer is concerned that he lost his undefeated streak to Dunham earlier this year.  He feels he made mistakes in that fight but has no ill will for Dunham, the rising star.

“I always said I put records aside.  But the bottom line is it actually does play a big role. I have that first loss out of the way, I got caught making a mistake. I blame it a lot on my cardio.  Dunham, I wish him the best.  He capitalized on my mistake.  I think I gained a lot more from that loss than a victory.”

The former Pima Community College wrestler noted progression is the key to surviving in the UFC and something he focused on in this camp and will reveal itself in Austin, Texas next week.  Oliveira, after all, is a balanced fighter with six knockouts, six submissions and one decision to get to 13-0.

“My progression has been great.  I started being a wrestler and then been two years and been working a lot on Jiu Jitsu and standup since the Ultimate Fighter.  It has been showing in my fights and expect a good fight on Sept 15.”

Who wins this fight?  Why?  Is Escudero a rising star at 155lbs in the UFC.  Sound off now.

Twitter:  @john_moody

The September card, which is headlined by former champions Frank Mir and Mirko Filipovic, better known simply as “Cro Cop”, is now going 11-deep with the addition of the lightweight match up of veteran Thiago Tavares against octagon debutant Pat Audinwood.

Tavares, a once prominent contender in the UFC’s 155-pound weight class, has largely struggled as of late inside the cage. In his last four performances, Tavares has only picked up only one win, a decision victory over “The Ultimate Fighter” season five finalist Manny Gamburyan who left the UFC in early 2009 to try his hat at 145 in the WEC. In his most recent outing, Thiago drew with fellow lightweight Nik Lentz this past January after having a point deducted in the third round after repeated low blows–Tavares was ahead on the score cards and likely on his way to victory before the final 9-9 round enabled the draw decision.

Before the win and subsequent draw, Tavares was riding a two-fight losing streak to standouts Matt Wiman and Kurt Pellegrino, respectively.

Audinwood, an undefeated prospect from the east coast, hails from “Team Bombsquad” out of Cortland, New York–the same team that heralded UFC veteran Tamdam McCrory and UFC phenom Jon Jones. A pro since 2007, Pat is ten fights into his mixed martial arts career, sporting a 9-0-1 record, 4 of his victories come by way of submission. “Awesomely Awesome” (yes, that’s his real nick name) doesn’t hold an “Awesome” signature victory to his credit, but a win over Tavares is certainly a step in the right direction for the UFC rookie.

The lightweight match up is important for both men, a means to an end for Audinwood and all his hard work leading up to this point, and a chance for Tavares to reassert himself as a viable fighter in a deep 155-pound division, where he was once regarded as one of their best.

The bout takes place on the night’s untelevised, preliminary card.

While most would indicate that Edwards is either past his prime, or not caught up with the present botch of talent that exists in the lightweight ranks nowadays, Edwards is exciting and an old-school commodity.

Winner of his last 4 out of 5 fights, Edwards returns to the UFC to face IFL veteran John Gunderson, after John’s original opponent, season 8 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Efrain Escudero was pulled from the match in order to face Wiman, who was originally to face fellow TUF veteran Mac Danzig in a rematch, in the co-main event of the evening on Sept. 15, for UFC Fight Night 22.

Wiman, as previously reported, had pulled out from his bout with Escudero after breaking his arm in practice.

Many people may remember Edwards from his early UFC days, especially his highlight reel knockout over former UFC contender and former Strikeforce lightweight champion, Josh Thomson, back in 2004 at UFC 49.

And while the years’ after haven’t been the nicest to Edwards, who is 3-3 in his last 6 outings, his experienced is virtually unmatched, and he should prove to be a formidable opponent for anyone he faces.

In his last bout, Edwards defeated Luis Palomino at Bellator 24, the same man who bested division standout Jorge Masvidal by split decision not too long ago.

So, do you think Edwards has what it takes to defeat Gunderson, let alone, make a run in the UFC’s 155-pound division, or are his best days behind him?

The season 8 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” has faced some hurdles since his inception into the UFC, not so long ago. After suffering his first career loss to contender Evan Dunham last January, via arm bar submission in the third round of their lightweight affair, “Hecho en Mexico” bounced back against Dan Lauzon last May on the preliminary card.

And while Efrain aspires still to be a contender in his weight class, they just couldn’t make it easy on the proud Mexican-fighter.

After garnering preliminary honors for the second time, Efrain was to face John Gunderson, however was pulled to compete as the new co-main event, opposite of Matt Wiman, after Wiman’s original opponent and fellow TUF veteran Mac Danzig had pulled out due to injury.

Well now the news has made it around the bend, and it looks like Wiman has suffered a broken arm, and in steps in arguably the best Jiu-Jitsu practitioner in the 155-pound division, Charles Oliveira. The dynamic Brazilian, who has already been likened to the “Jon Jones of the lightweight division”, made his UFC debut against Darren Elkins, needing less than a minute to submit the gritty-lightweight with a first round submission, arm bar (ironically enough).

MMAWeekly reported the news Thursday, after learning of Wiman’s injury.

Will the shift change anything for Escudero come Sept. 15, for UFC Fight Night 22? Who does the match up favor more? Logic would say, Escudero is a natural wrestler, but taking it the ground this time might not be the greatest idea. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Round one began with a swarm of punches from both fighters. Miller came out on the better side of the exchanges before Wiman shot for a takedown. During the takedown attempt, Miller caught Wiman in a powerful guillotine choke. Rolling eventually into mount, Miller put pressure on the choke but Wiman escaped. Miller followed with a flurry of punches that were answered by a left hook to his chin from Wiman. At round’s end, a body kick hurt Wiman before he was saved by the horn. 

The second round started more intense than the opener with both fighters swinging furiously. After a pause, Miller caught Wiman with another hurtful body kick. Sensing reward, Miller backed Wiman into the cage with a flurry of punches followed by a strong knee. Wiman displayed a respectable chin under the barrage of shots from Miller but ended up in guard only to take on more punishment before the end of the round. 

The final round stayed in theme as the previous two with Miller unleashing a flurry of punches upon Wiman. Miller continued forward with a strong left hand punch and a knee that visibly hurt his opponent. Miller pushed continuously forward with a takedown and side control. Following Miller’s dominance of the round, Wiman briefly took top position before Miller transitioned into a rear naked choke attempt. At the sounding of the final horn, Miller’s overall performance was impressive and dominant.

Jim Miller officially won via unanimous decision. 

Edgar suffered his first career loss in April, a unanimous decision that went to “Bully” Gray Maynard  (5-0), but rebounded to win a unanimous decision over Hermes Franca (18-7) in July.

Wiman, a TUF 5 alum, is coming off four consecutive wins, the last one being a second-round KO of Thiago Tavares (13-3) in June.

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.