While both men have seen better days, they meet at an impasse as both men are coming off of losses inside the UFC, however in the case of Paulo, it could be night night to his once promising career under the Zuffa banner.

There isn’t really any better way to make a splash in the welterweight division, at least not like knocking out perennial contender Josh Koscheck in your organization debut. However, the loss likely set the Brazilian up for failure as he has since yet to receive any sympathy inside the cage, and Hendricks will give him no less.

MMAJunkie.com has reported that verbal agreements are in place for the welterweight fight, which takes place at “UFC on Versus 3″ at the KFC Yum! Arena in Louisville, Ky. on March 3.

For the first time in his career, Thiago is coming off consecutive losses inside the octagon. In fact, it wasn’t until the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt made his inception into the UFC that he suffered any career losses. Among his three losses in the cage, they have all been against top-flight competition with Jon Fitch, Martin Kampann, and Diego Sanchez (respectively) among those to thank.

Paulo is a three-time recipient of the coveted UFC bonus, having won “Fight of the Night”, “Submission of the Night”, and “Knockout of the Night” at least on one occasion.

However, he will likely have a hard time making a fight with the Div. I collegiate wrestling champion Johny Hendricks all that exciting.

Hendricks has already carried the reputation of being an underdeveloped mixed martial artist since he was introduced into the UFC in August of 2009, where he has since went to three uninspired decisions–losing the final one when he was pitted against budding contender Rick Story last December. The loss snapped Johny’s nine-fight win streak in his previously undefeated career as a professional.

Though to his credit, he is still a developing fighter, only making his pro debut in 2007 and since found himself in the UFC.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the welterweight fight? Thiago has had problems with people taking him down and controlling him on the ground. And in Johny, it looks like Paulo will have anything but problems with the stocky Oklahoma native. Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Paulo Thiago

It’s one of the biggest losses of his career, and in a way, Koscheck is still fighting to get out of the shadow of this loss. And what better way to do just that than by stepping back inside the Octagon with Paulo Thiago in order to prove once and for all that Thiago’s victory was more fluke than fantastic? If Koscheck can return the favor and KO Thiago, he’ll have permanently closed the book on the entire situation and he’d also take a firm step on the comeback trail.

4. Chris Lytle

A lot has changed since Chris Lytle first met Josh Koscheck in 2008. It now appears that, after years of fighting tooth-and-nail up the rankings, Chris Lytle has finally emerged as a top-division star. His boxing has never looked more crisp and precise, and his ground game has resulted in several amazing submission wins in several of his recent fights. This would be an important test for both men, and if Koscheck can make his record against Lytle a perfect 2-0, he’ll have firmly established that he’s far from done in the UFC’s Welterweight division.

3. Thiago Alves

I know this list does seem to have a large amount of rematches in it, but to be fair, every single one of these matches makes sense and would really help further along Koscheck’s career. After hitting a rough patch ever since he lost to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100, Thiago Alves most recently found his inner “Pitbull” when he thoroughly outclassed John Howard. If the old Alves really is back, he represents a major opportunity for Koscheck to reestablish himself.

2. BJ Penn

This match makes sense for so many reasons. If BJ Penn beats Koscheck’s teammate Jon Fitch in their upcoming encounter, this will be an awesome grudge match. If Fitch beats Penn, it’ll be Penn that looks for revenge against another member of the American Kickboxing Academy. Both men also have very impressive stand-up and, for the most part, very strong chins. This match sounds great enough on paper, but add a little BJ Penn vs. AKA rivalry into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for an awesome and pretty important fight.

And my #1 opponent for Josh Koscheck to fight in the near future is…

1. Matt Hughes

Josh Koscheck has been campaigning for this match for quite some time, and he’s vocally called out the UFC Hall of Fame member in the past. With Hughes turning towards retirement, this would be an epic showdown, and it would be a tremendous moral victory and a huge motivating factor if Josh Koscheck ends up being the man that retires Matt Hughes. And of course Matt Hughes wouldn’t go down without a fight. Not only would this be an incredibly important fight, it also would more than likely be one of the year’s best.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Who do you think Koscheck should face in the near future, and why?

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?

TATAME brings word that Thiago will call the UFC home for the foreseeable future despite most recently losing two fights in a row. His back-to-back losses to Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez marked the first time in Thiago’s entire MMA career that he’s lost consecutively. As of this report, both the date and the opposing fighter for Paulo Thiago’s next fight has not been set.

For better or for worse, I think Paulo Thiago is a victim of circumstance. I hesitate to call his dramatic KO win over Koscheck “lucky”, anyone who’s followed me for any length of time knows that I believe that there is no such thing as luck in MMA. Let’s just say this: Thiago capitalized on his opponent taking him lightly and engaging carelessly despite being a wrestling-based fighter, and those mistakes have simply not been made by some of Thiago’s other opponents. Thiago was on the verge of real welterweight legitimacy after submitting Mike Swick, but this two-fight losing streak has set him back considerably. He’s not back to square one, but he’ll have to string together some big wins before he gets within shouting distance of title contention.

I also hesitate to call Thiago “overhyped”. He opened a lot of eyes when he KO’d Koscheck, and that puts a lot of pressure on a fighter. Thiago has risen to the occasion more than once in the UFC, and even in his losing efforts he’s tried very hard and usually he produces some very entertaining fights. The fact that half of the six fights Thiago has competed in have earned “Of the Night” honors is a testament to his ability to keep pace with some of the UFC’s best while also producing the kinds of fights that fans pay to see.

But if we’re being completely honest, I think a step back in competition would be good for Paulo Thiago. Thiago has proven to be a hit-or-miss fighter when matched up against the UFC’s welterweight elite. If he keeps rushing in full-tilt against the UFC’s best and brightest, he’ll continue to hover around a 1.0 win/loss ratio in the UFC. I don’t think Thiago’s UFC record will ever take a dramatic turn for the worse, but I also don’t see it being anything to build a championship on if he keeps getting high-level fighters.

Right now, I think a trip back down to the mid-level would be the best thing that could possibly happen for Paulo Thiago. He’s signed for four fights, I’d say let him fight and beat two mid-level welterweights and then give him another crack at the top tier. Because even if the UFC has signed Thiago to a new contract, ultimately no job is safe if a losing streak remains unbroken. At the end of the day, I wish Paulo Thiago all the best and I look forward to seeing what’s next for him.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think the future holds for Paulo Thiago?

“And just for the record, I do plan on dropping back to 155 after this fight. Me and Greg (Jackson) and the team are just gonna work together and see what (UFC matchmaker) Joe (Silva) can get lined up for me… For now I think it’s basically gonna be permanent, but that all depends because I feel like I can fight in both weight classes… So now it’s 170, after this fight I’m gonna get down to 155 again, try to make a title run, and there will be time later down the road where I can make something happen at 170. For right now, I’ve got my mind set on beating Paulo Thiago.”

In all honesty, I never bought into all of the talk of Sanchez running away from Lightweight with his tail between his legs. I think a lot of people don’t like Sanchez because of how eccentric he is, and they were all-too-happy to get their shots in when the man was down. Now, I wouldn’t call myself a Diego Sanchez fan, but I can respect what the man has done in the Octagon and I think he’s a great competitor. You simply don’t go 10-4 in the world’s best and most prestigious MMA promotion without having some skill.

I think Diego Sanchez is simply an opportunist. He had to regroup after his five-round thrashing he received from BJ Penn, he simply chose to do it in the division where he got his start. Now that BJ Penn has been dethroned and the entire Lightweight division has been blown wide open by the ascension of Frank Edgar, Sanchez knows that the time is right and that he could get right back into title contention at Lightweight. He may even get another shot at Penn if Penn doesn’t make his own return to Welterweight a permanent one.

At the end of the day, I think Diego Sanchez has a bright future no matter what division he chooses to compete in. He’s a wild man, he’s pretty off-putting, the whole “YES!” thing is equal parts bizarre and hilarious…but Diego Sanchez is Diego Sanchez, and Diego Sanchez is a very gifted, very driven Mixed Martial Artist. With Frank Edgar now unquestionably the best Lightweight in the world, I think it’s time we expect the unexpected and realize that anything is possible. Right now, I think the only thing holding Diego Sanchez back from another title shot is Diego Sanchez. It will be very interesting to see where this second drop to 155 leaves him.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of “Nightmare” returning to Lightweight after only two fights back at Welterweight?

Champion GSP will look to make his fifth successful title defense against foe Koscheck. The two had met previously at UFC 74, where the American Kickboxing Academy product was riding a 5-fight win streak inside the cage coming into the bout, meanwhile, “Rush” was coming off of a disappointing and shocking knockout loss to the unheralded Matt Serra at UFC 69.

While competitive in spots, St. Pierre was able to dominate the wrestling department against the former NCAA champion, en route to a unanimous decision victory.

UFC officials made the fight-card official yesterday, with GSP vs Koscheck serving as the headliner. While the card is filling up quickly, no co-main event has been announced as of yet.

The rematch is 3 years in the making, and both competitors have improved leaps and bounds. While GSP has gone undefeated since then, eventually reclaiming his welterweight title against Matt Serra in a rematch at UFC 83 in his native Montreal Josh has faltered against some of the top competition in his division. With losses to Brazilians Thiago Alves and Paulo Thiago inside of a three-fight stretch, Josh was able to bounce back with three-straight wins over Frank Trigg, Anthony Johnson, and most recently UFC castoff Paul Daley (UFC 113), have enabled the brash and cocky fighter his shot at the title.

No other bouts have become official as of yet, however the following bouts are rumored for the fight card as well.

Thiago Alves vs. John Howard
Mark Bocek vs. Dustin Hazelett
Sean McCorkle vs. Stefan Struve

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the fight card so far? With the bout officially official, who do you think takes the rematch? Sound off in the comment section below.

After his losses to former champion BJ Penn at lightweight, and then budding welterweight star John Hathaway, Diego will try his hand once again at the 170-pound division at UFC 121 against Paulo Thiago. Sanchez largely made his name after winnings “The Ultimate Fighter” season one as a middleweight, before dropping down to the welterweight division in dominating fashion.

After defeating fellow finalist Kenny Florian at the TUF finale, Diego would make a name for himself in victories over Karo Parisyan, Nick Diaz, and Joe Riggs. While Diego can attribute a large amount of his success to his hard work and dedication, but in some respects a little of that success also needs to be addressed to the man, the myth, the legend–Greg Jackson.

In the beginning, Sanchez was one Greg Jackson’s first success stories. Soon more would follow, and flock towards Albequerque, New Mexico, to be trained under his tutelage. Now, Jackson hosts some of the worlds top fighters in all different weight classes, including UFC phenom Jon Jones, welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre, former champions Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and additionally WEC contenders Damacio Page, Leonard Garcia and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.

Early rumors dubbed Sanchez’ initial reasons for leaving the camp was due to none other than one GSP who joined the crew before meeting with adversary BJ Penn at UFC 94, where at the time Diego was dubbed at the top of the heap in that division, before meeting his first set of back-to-back losses against division standouts and American Kickboxing Academy teammates Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch (respectively).

After a move with Saulo Ribeiro‘s school was short lived, spanning just the last couple of fights, Diego is hoping that a change to New Mexico might be the difference maker–and he’s going to need it, should he expect to fair well against welterweight standout Paulo Thiago.

So, is the change back to Jackson’s camp too little-too late for Sanchez, or will he have a shot against Thiago? You decide.

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.

I was very excited to see another Gracie step inside the Octagon but that fight was hard to watch. I am shocked the UFC actually showed the fight. I would have probably ended the broadcast early before showing that to awful display of MMA to fans. Neither fighter was worth watching and rarely, if ever, do I say that.

“The Terror” Matt Serra (10-6) had me eating crow as I called for “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-8) to use his wrestling to dominate the smaller Serra. Frank did not look for the shot and ended up getting knocked out by Serra.

Fighters.com sixth-ranked Demian Maia (11-1) has been working his striking and it was very evident in his fight with Dan Miller (11-2). Let’s not jump the gun here though. He could never stand with a clean striker but his improvement shows he is serious about trying to become the UFC champion.

This is the worst I have done with picks on any fight card,ever! Fighters.com ninth-ranked “Quick’ Mike Swick (14-4) did not help me out any. His loss to the man I am now calling the “AKA Hunter”, fourth-ranked welterweight Paulo Thiago (9-1) made a statement to the division. Paulo is a fast rising star in the division and his D’arce choke was very well set up.

Phil Davis (5-0) showed why he is such a great prospect. While his striking was sloppy, his speed and athleticism shined through. He moved from dominant position to dominant position during the fight. The UFC will need to bring him along slowly and allow his stand-up and submissions to improve before throwing him into the deep end of the division. He will be one to watch in the future.

After watching UFC 109 and thinking about the last Strikforce card, the UFC production team does a very good job of moving seamlessly from one thing to another. Plus they get prelim fights on the pay-per-view. Strikeforce will need to work harder to provide a painless broadcast like we saw last night.

A card that many mocked ended up with some entertaining fights, a knock out, great submissions and some shockers. All this and I did not have to sit through painful post-fight interviews by the fight professor.

Paulo Thiago (8-1) versus “Quick’ Mike Swick (14-3)

Fighters.com fourth-ranked welterweight Thiago takes on ninth-ranked Swick. Thiago was originally slated to fight seventh-ranked “Kos” Josh Koscheck(14-4) but that fight feel through and his teammate stepped up to get revenge.

Thiago is primarily known for his grappling but after the brutal uppercut KO of Koscheck many have been talking about his punching prowess, including Paulo himself.

Swick is a fast and aggressive striker with amazing takedown defense. His striking, while not technically perfect, has vastly improved and his use of the counter-punch is something he has relied on after his stint on The Ultimate Fighter Season One.

Thiago has a great chin and even though he knocked out Kos, his striking is sloppy. He loves to drop his hands and against the speedy Swick this could be trouble.

Swick is looking to get a rematch with fifth-ranked “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6) and even though he is taking this fight on short notice he has quite the advantage in training with Kos and third-ranked Jon Fitch (20-3). Fitch, in his usual style, ground out a decision win over Paulo.

I know Paulo could throw that Kos shot and catch Swick but I feel Swick is going to work to keep this fight standing and try to look for those dropped hands of Thiago. The one trend from Swick that concerns me is when he has fought in big fights in the past he seems to hold back.

The Gospel on this one is Mike Swick by Decision.

Demian Maia (10-1) versus Dan Miller (11-2)

Dan Miller is a hardcore MMA fan’s dream. Just a gritty fighter who loves to grind and usually puts on quite the show.

Fighters.com sixth-ranked Damian Maia has the best MMA jiu-jitsu in the sport and is looking to rebound from his crushing knocking out at the hands of fourth-ranked “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2).

Miller has good but not great muay thai skills and just recently received his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. There are differences in skills from one black belt to the next and I feel Dan will want nothing to do with hitting the mat with Maia.

Maia has rudimentary striking at best and will need to take this to the ground but Dan has a good grappling game and will need to use that to keep this fight standing where he has the clear advantage.

This fight may hit the mat and get stalled. I don’t think this will be a Fight of the Night candidate but I feel Maia, if his psyche has recovered from that KO, will catch Miller.

The Gospel is Maia by late third-round submission

“The Terror” Matt Serra (9-6) versus “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-7)

The smack alone before this fight has been epic however I don’t feel the fight will live up to the hype. Serra has said he refuses to lose to a man with a tramp stamp while Trigg has made cracks about Serra being a guido. Great stuff from these two guys.

The fight though will not be a barn burner. Matt Serra is another jiu-jitsu black belt but in contrast to Maia, he has not finished a fight via submission in eight years.

Trigg is a wrestler at heart and although Serra has not posed a threat on the ground in years, Trigg’s kryptonite is the rear naked choke.

Serra will likely want to turn this into a stand up war that will make boxing fans cringe as neither man has very clean striking.

I think Frank’s size and strength advantage will play a huge role in this fight

In the end Trigg will need to use a smothering top game to defeat Serra as a loss for him could mean leaving the UFC.

Gospel: Frank Trigg by unanimous decision

I will skip the Sonnen versus Marquardt fight as I wrote a piece this week on my thoughts of that fight..basically it will be Nate winning and getting the next title shot.

This leads us to the much talked about main event.

“The Natural” Randy Couture (17-10) versus “The Hammer” Mark Coleman (16-9)

You either love this fight or hate it. Some see it as two over-the-hill fighters making their last stand and trying to stay in a sport that is passing them by. Others see it as a fight they have been waiting to see since UFC 17.

Tenth-ranked heavyweight, but now fighting at light heavyweight, Couture is a greco roman wrestler who helped to define dirty boxing in MMA.

Mark Coleman is a freestyle wrestler who is the inventor of brutal ground and pound.

Mark has not evolved over the years like Randy has and this is a major area of concern in this fight.

Randy has taken his wrestling and used it to push fighters against the cage, use his dirty boxing and win fight after fight when he has been told he is to old.

While Mark did beat Couture the last time they met, in the 1989 Olympic Wrestling Festival, it was only by a point and much has changed since then.

The first key to this fight is obviously wrestling. While I feel Mark was the better wrestler, the additions to Randy’s game will help him to keep this fight standing where he has a huge advantage over Coleman.

The second key is cardio, cardio, cardio. Randy has it and Mark lacks it. Randy will want to keep the pressure on Mark, pushing him against the cage, using his dirty boxing and wearing him down.

Mark needs this fight to hit the mat with him in top position so that he can use that ground and pound to shock the world. Sadly for Mark he will not see this come to fruition.

Randy will tire Mark out and end up getting the takedown himself and beat Coleman at his own game.

I am a born and bred Buckeye and it hurts me to say, Randy Couture wins via TKO due to ground and pound in round two.

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)

It was brash, exciting, and the attitude that pathed Florian’s return to a UFC title fight versus Fighters.com and UFC Lightweight Champion “Prodigy” BJ Penn (15-5-1) at UFC 101 in Philadelphia August 8.  And, for the most part, Florian kept his promise, finishing exciting fights that left no question he was the top contender in the division.

Now take third-ranked welterweight Jon Fitch (20-3) who won a unanimous decision over Mike Pierce (6-2) at UFC 107 in Memphis December 12.  It was Fitch’s sixth consecutive fight that ended in a decision.  Pierce was undoubtedly the lowest level of competition Fitch has faced in two years and it’s beginning to feel like the UFC is using Fitch as a threshold for young fighters with potential.

Fighters.com and UFC Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) has called Fitch his toughest challenge since earning the championship.  But, it’s unlikely Fitch will ever get a rematch until he begins finishing fights.  Not because Fitch can’t beat the other top contenders at 170 pounds, but Fighters.com doesn’t think the UFC will match Fitch versus the top contenders to earn another title shot until Fitch starts finishing fights.

I’ve met Fitch and he’s one of the most thoughtful, humble, and friendly fighters I’ve met.  But, I’ll be honest, I could miss his fights and not be too disappointed.  They’re sometimes as grueling to watch as they are for his opponent in the Octagon.

Fitch has to adopt the attitude Florian had when Florian earned a second title shot.  Fitch has to finish fights.  For Fitch, I think there’s a crossroads before him.  Again, Fighters.com doesn’t think the UFC will grant him another title fight until he starts finishing fights; so, Fitch has to realize that, in order to get his second title shot, he has to change his style.  Otherwise, Fitch will be forced into the role of threshold to prospects and, eventually, Fitch will come up short and be a stepping-stone to one of those prospects.

Fighters.com’s December 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. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

6. Josh Koscheck (14-4)

7. Matt Hughes (41-7)

8. “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-4)

9. “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6)

10. “Quick” Mike Swick (14-3)

Thiago TKO’d Koscheck in the first round at UFC 95 in London in February, skyrocketing the previously unknown Thiago into the top ten welterweight rankings.

Koscheck submitted “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (8-3) in the second round at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21.

At the same event, Thiago won a unanimous decision over Jacob Volkmann (9-1).

After Hardy’s victory in Manchester, St. Pierre entered the Octagon to graciously acknowledge his next challenger, but also seemed bored by the prospect of fighting Hardy. St. Pierre’s last loss was at a similar peak of dominance with the prospect of defending his title versus an underwhelming challenger, “Terror” Matt Serra (9-6).  At UFC 69 in Houston in April 2007, St. Pierre was TKO’d in the first round versus Serra.

Like Serra at the time he beat St. Pierre, Hardy had a confident calm standing in the Octagon having earned a challenge versus St. Pierre.  Hardy simply said, “I’m excited,” but looked more interested in celebrating his victory over Swick with his team.

The situations aren’t analagous on many levels, most significantly in St. Pierre’s commitment to MMA.  But, would you blame St. Pierre for becoming complacent with the welterweight division?  He’s already dominated second-ranked “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4), third-ranked Jon Fitch (19-3), sixth-ranked Josh Koscheck (14-4), and seventh-ranked Matt Hughes (41-7).  Fourth-ranked Paulo Thiago (8-1) couldn’t step-up versus Fitch to earn the shot, but frankly it wouldn’t have been a much more compelling matchup than St. Pierre versus Hardy.

St. Pierre’s next best challenge at 170-pounds is fifth-ranked Jake Shields (24-4-1), but Shields is contracted to Strikeforce.  Ironically, if St. Pierre dominates Hardy, perhaps it’s time for St. Pierre to follow Shields into the middleweight division for new challenges.  UFC President Dana White has said he’d let St. Pierre fight at 185-pounds when St. Pierre clears out the division.  With a win versus Hardy, can we consider the division cleared?

Fighters.com’s November Welterweight Rankings

1. “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2)

2. “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4)

3. Jon Fitch (19-3)

4. Paulo Thiago (8-1)

5. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

6. Josh Koscheck (14-4)

7. Matt Hughes (41-7)

8. “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-4)

9. “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6)

10. “Quick” Mike Swick (14-3)

Topping the bill is the return of former UFC light heavyweight champion “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) as he is set to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) in a rematch of the 2006 fight that was Griffin’s first loss in the UFC.

Although a winner of the inaugural Ultimate Fighter reality show, to many observers Griffin’s loss to the veteran Ortiz was the fight that catapulted the Xtreme Couture fighter into the deeper ranks of professional MMA. Now currently coming off a two fight losing streak, Griffin has a lot to win and a lot to lose when he faces Ortiz for the second time.

For Ortiz, UFC 106 will be a triumphant return to the promotion following over a year of bad blood with the organization. His last appearance in the Octagon was a losing effort at the hands of current UFC light heavyweight champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0) at UFC 84 in May, 2008.

UFC 106 will also feature two heavy-handed welterweights as Josh Koscheck (13-4) is set to clash against “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (8-2) in the co-main-event. Johnson is recently coming off a devastating win over “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) in 41 seconds of a catchweight bout at UFC 104.

The fight card is rounded out by a series of bouts that set a theme of old versus new when veteran of the UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championship “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni (13-11) returns to the Octagon for the first time since UFC 51 in 2005 to face off against The Ultimate Fighter 7 champ Amir Sadollah (1-1).

Fighters.com seventh-ranked light heavyweight “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) and fellow Brazilian ”Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (12-3) continue the theme of veteran versus up-and-comer. Nogueira makes his UFC debut following a near decade-long career worldwide.

Remaining main card bouts for UFC 106 include UFC veteran and Judo superstar “The Heat” Karo Parisyan (18-5) as he meets Dustin Hazelett (11-4). “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (14-4) is set to fight American Top Team’s “KIlla B” Ben Saunders (5-0-2 ). And the Ultimate Fighter 3 winner, “Da Spyder” Kendall Grove (9-6) will take on wrestler and WEC alumnus Jake Rosholt (6-1).

UFC 106 is rounded out by Paulo Thiago (7-1) versus Jacob Volkmann (9-0), Brock Larson (27-3) versus Brian Foster (9-12), Caol Uno (25-11-4) versus Fabricio Camoes (6-0), and George Sotiropoulos (10-2) versus Jason Dent (29-9).

“In this sport it sometimes takes years for fighters to find the weight class where they’re at their best,” UFC President Dana White said in a statement at UFC.com Tuesday.  “I don’t think there’s any question that BJ Penn and Diego Sanchez have finally found their homes at 155 pounds, making the UFC 107 main event a fight between the best Penn and Sanchez we’ve ever seen.  BJ hasn’t lost in this weight class in years, and Diego has looked unstoppable in his lightweight fights, and when these two meet in the center of the Octagon, it’s going to make our first trip to Memphis one fight fans will never forget.”

“I can’t wait to defend the title,” Penn told UFC.com. “I know what kind of competitor Diego Sanchez is and I am training very hard. This will be a good test.”

“I’ve always wanted to face the best,” Sanchez said.  “I’ve worked so hard for this and now I finally have a shot at the title. I’m training like I’ve never trained before and I expect an all-out war.”

Also officially confirmed Tuesday, Fighters.com third-ranked heavyweight Frank Mir (12-4) will fight Cheick Kongo (14-5-1) and second-ranked welterweight “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) and fifth-ranked Paulo Thiago (7-1) will matchup.

Missing from the card, of course, is perhaps the primary reason Zuffa lobbied so vigorously for Tennessee to sanction MMA: now-retired fifth-ranked light heavyweight “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7).

It’s the UFC’s second visit to the state after debuting in Nashville April 1 with UFC Fight Night 18.

For St. Pierre, it’ll be his first fight since injury his groin in a UD over second-ranked “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas July 11.

Though it’s not official, Alves is expected to fight fellow Brazilian fifth-ranked Paulo Thiago (7-1) at UFC 107 in Memphis December 12.

Third-ranked Jon Fitch (19-3) is expected to fight unranked “Cacharrao” Ricardo Almeida (11-3) at UFC 106 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas November 21, though again the fight hasn’t been officially announced.

Fourth-ranked Jake Shields (21-4-1) has apparently abandoned the division and will challenge “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-5) for the vacant Strikefore middleweight title at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates 33 miles northwest of Chicago November 7.

At UFC 103 in Dallas September 19, sixth-ranked Josh Koscheck (13-4) bounced back from his loss to Thiago at UFC 95 in London February 19 with a first-round knockout of “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-7) then called out seventh-ranked Matt Hughes (41-7).

Hughes rebuffed Koscheck, but remains tight-lipped about his opponent when he returns to the Octagon in 2010.

Eighth-ranked “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-2) will fight division prospect “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (7-2) at UFC 104

Fighters.com October Welterweight Rankings

1. “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2)

2. “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4)

3. Jon Fitch (19-3)

4. Jake Shields (21-4-1)

5. Paulo Thiago (7-1)

6. Josh Koscheck (13-4)

7. Matt Hughes (41-7)

8. “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-2)

9. “Quick” Mike Swick (14-2)

10. “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (22-6)