5. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson

It’s the last call for a legend, and one of the greatest MMA fighters in MMA history. If Emelianenko can’t beat Dan Henderson, I have a strong feeling that he’ll retire. And Dan Henderson is currently riding a major wave of momentum now that he’s Strikeforce’s Light Heavyweight Champion. It’s going to be an awesome showdown between two of the best old-school MMA veterans still actively competing today.

4. Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson

It may not have the bitter rivalry of the inevitable showdown between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans… but this is certainly one colossal match-up. I honestly and fully believe that this fight will set the stage for years to come: depending on how Jones does against Jackson, we’ll know for sure whether or not Jones is “the chosen one” that will break the curse of UFC Light Heavyweight Champions losing the belt in their first few fights. I definitely can’t wait to see this fight.

3. Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami

Yushin Okami can’t beat Anderson Silva… right? Of course he can. Anybody can beat anybody, and anything can happen in Mixed Martial Arts. And this is a rematch that’s been years in the making. To a loyal contingent of fans, Okami is one of the most under-rated, under-appreciated fighters currently fighting in the UFC. To a vast majority of people, Anderson Silva is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. Any time Anderson Silva fights, you can definitely expect it to chart high on my lists like this. The fact that there’s such an interesting story between Okami and Silva is just icing on the cake.

2. Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva

Now this is a fight everyone can really dig their teeth into. Alistair Overeem has been living up to his nickname “Demolition Man” for a long time now, although he didn’t give the best performance against Fabricio Werdum. Meanwhile, Antonio Silva gave arguably the best performance of his life when he defeated Fedor Emelianenko. Whether you’re an Overeem fan, a “Bigfoot” fan, or simply a fan of great fights, this should definitely be the premiere showdown for the rest of Strikeforce’s year.

And my number-one most-anticipated fight for the rest of 2011 is…

1. Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre

The night Nick Diaz faced Paul Daley, I was on the edge of my seat from the moment that fight started. When Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre goes down, I won’t even need a seat. I’ll be too busy pacing back and forth. I’ve followed Nick Diaz for a long, long time, and in that time, he’s changed from one of the fighters I absolutely despise to one of only a handful of fighters I consider my favorites. Even though he’s incredibly controversial and one of the biggest “bad boys” in MMA, I just can’t help but love Diaz’s take-no-prisoners style and his gruff type of “us against the world” affection that he shows to both his fans and his teammates. I know that Nick Diaz is a legitimate “best in the world” athlete, and I want him to prove that against Georges St. Pierre. But to do that, he’ll have to beat a man that I consider one of the greatest Mixed Martial Artists of all time. This isn’t just my most-anticipated fight for the rest of 2011, it’s probably my most-anticipated fight of the last few years. Everything, and I do mean everything, will be on the line when Nick Diaz fights Georges St. Pierre.

We head to the one and only Sherdog for the official scoop. According to their report, the following four fights have now been confirmed for UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami, Ross Pearson vs. Edson Mendes Barboza Jr., Luiz Cane vs. Stanislav Nedkov, and Maiquel Falcao vs. Tom Lawlor.

In addition to those bouts, the following bouts have all been rumored to be taking place at UFC 134, although nothing has been officially confirmed by the UFC as of this article’s publication: Mauricio Rua vs. Forrest Griffin, Thiago Tavares vs. Spencer Fisher, Paulo Thiago vs. David Mitchell, Yuri Alcantara vs. Mackens Semerzier, and Rousimar Palhares vs. Alexandre Ferreira.

I honestly have some mixed feelings when it comes to the main event of UFC 134. I’ll always be an Anderson Silva fan, and I’ve said several times that Silva is one of the main reasons I started watching the UFC full-time. But it seems like I am not the only one being weary of this fight and the mentality Anderson Silva will approach this encounter with.

I don’t think Anderson Silva’s reputation can take a repeat of the bouts he had with Thales Leites or Demian Maia. His career probably can’t take it either, since Dana White once swore that he’d cut Silva if he ever again fought the way he did against Maia. But I just don’t know if that’ll be enough to motivate Anderson Silva to bring out his best for Yushin Okami.

Because let’s be honest: does anyone think Yushin Okami can beat Anderson Silva? Especially after Silva’s dramatic Front Face Kick of Death that KO’d Vitor Belfort, especially after his dramatic submission win over Chael Sonnen? When he shows up motivated and healthy, no one can stop Anderson Silva and most people look foolish trying to do so. But when he’s not motivated, he puts on atrocious fights for reasons I’m still not exactly clear on, although I doubt I’d ever fully agree with them.

In the end, I guess I’ll just have to trust the fighter I’ve grown to respect and even admire. I know Anderson Silva can beat Yushin Okami, I have almost zero doubts that he will. But I do wonder which Anderson Silva will show up at UFC 134.

Other than that, the card looks like it’s coming together very well. I think I’m really going to enjoy Rua/Griffin 2, it’s a rematch that’s been years in the making and it hits both fighters at very interesting points in their careers. Overall, UFC 134 isn’t quite as stacked as some of the UFC’s other summer outings, at least not yet, but it is shaping up to be a good show.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think about UFC 134 as it stands right now?

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will be defending his title for a record setting ninth time as he will be taking on rival Yushin Okami this August.

The event in question will take place on August 27, where the organization will revisit Brazil for the first time in a long time as the company will be returning to the infamous city, Rio de Janiero. The main-event of the evening will most likely be the aforementioned title tilt, with Silva, the native Brazilian, undoubtedly being the favorite heading into the title clash.

The bout is actually a rematch from many years ago, where the two fighters met under the Rumble on the Rocks promotion 2006 in a 175-pound tournament which featured many mixed martial arts notables, including former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit, UFC vet Frank Trigg, and Jake Shields–who would go on to win the illustrious tourney.

Silva and Okami met in the opening round of the tournament, where an illegal upkick from Silva eventually lead to a disqualification loss for the Brazilian. The DQ loss marks the last time that Silva, a member of the infamous Black House team, has tasted defeat.

In the UFC, Anderson has gone on an incredible thirteen-fight win streak, and remains undefeated within the promotion, where he has broke record after record en route to solidifying himself as the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet.

In his last bout, Silva took on former teammate and former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 this past February. After a brief feeling out process, “The Spider” was able to record another stellar knockout win when he front-kicked “The Phenom” to the face, sending him crashing to the canvas. A few additional blows on the ground eventually sealed the deal, awarding Silva the winner by KO, moving his overall record of title defenses to eight. The victory also netted Silva the evenings “Knockout of the Night” award.

Hoping to derail the hype train surrounding Silva will be Okami, who has gone 10-2 inside the UFC with his lone losses coming to the hands of former champion Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen, who went on to challenge Anderson for his middleweight title, dominating him for five-round before being submitted in the waning moments of the fight.

In his last outing, Okami defeated perennial contender Nate Marquardt at UFC 122 last November. The back and forth bout went up and down with strikes and takedowns mixed in, and eventually Okami was declared the winner by unanimous decision, cinching him his current title shot.

The bout has been rumored for sometime now, with former UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira being the first person to report the validity of the match-up. The event is expected to take place at the infamous HSBC Arena in Rio–the bout was originally confirmed by UFC President Dana White when he spoke with USA Today about the match-up. Verbal agreements are in place and contracts are expected to be signed shortly.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? Do you look at it for a means to an end? Is this just a feeder for Silva before he takes on GSP (assuming that the Canadian defeats Jake Shields come April 30)? Who do you favor in this match-up? Sound off in the comment section below.

At UFC 126, which took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas before a sold-out crowd, Silva successfully defended his title for a record eight-time inside the octagon when he knocked out former training partner and former 205-pound titleholder Vitor Belfort in one of his most impressive finishes in his career.

The win helped Silva extend a fourteen-fight win streak which began in April of 2006, and has solidified not only as the best middleweight fighter in the world but arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

So, does Georges St. Pierre or Yushin Okami deserve to challenge this prestigious athlete?

UFC President Dana White has long hinted towards the potential of the “super fight” pitting the middleweight champion against GSP, the reigning welterweight titleholder who has dominated all of opposition as of late. However, the French Canadian has a bout with Jake Shields on the horizon for this April and depending on whether or not St. Pierre wins and if he comes out of the bout unscathed will effect whether or not the two UFC champions will meet–which is expected to take place at 185-pounds if the fight materialize.

Yushin, though, has long been a man that I’m sure Silva has had in mind, as the two fighters have had some history with one another. Okami is the last man to hold a win over the middleweight champion, though it came in the form of a disqualification some years ago when Silva used an illegal up kick from his back to render the Japanese powerhouse unable to continue.

However in the octagon, Okami has done every little bit to solidify himself as the top contender to the title. Debuting within the organization in August of 2006, Yushin has only suffered two losses in his time spent inside the octagon, first in a close decision to former titleholder Rich Franklin in 2007, then to former title challenger Chael Sonnen in October of 2009. The Japanese Judo practitioner has since rattled off a three-fight win streak following the loss to Sonnen, with his latest victory earning him the number contender status when he dominated perennial contender and former King of Pancrase, Nate Marquardt last November.

Dana White of course is looking at the dollar signs that a fight with Anderson and Georges would generate, though timing wise he’s at a disadvantage. Should St. Pierre come out the victor with his fight against Shields, Georges has stated on several occasions that if he moves up to the middleweight class, he would need an ample amount of time to put on the additional weight in order to be competitive against some of the top athletes in the weight class, who consistently cut down from 200-pounds plus to make the 185-pound mark, meanwhile GSP walks around at around 190-pounds before making the 170-pound limit for the welterweight class.

It’s so hard to navigate through all the intricacies of the machine that is the UFC, but that’s why they are the best in the business, because they can solve solutions to problems like these. But what do you think, MMA peeps? Play matchmaker, how and who would you schedule for the next middleweight title fight? Keep in mind the shelf life that Silva has. While he is dominant now, you can’t leave a fighter of his talent on the shelf long awaiting his next fight. Sound off in the comment section below.

Perhaps it was his not so flashy start into the promotion. His formula worked for a while, takedowns coupled with ground-and-pound attacks, that is until he faced top level competition in the likes of Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen.

Since then, Okami has been able to rattle off three-consecutive wins over the likes of Mark Munoz and perennial contender Nate Marquardt, which cemented Okami as the next immediate contender for the middleweight title, which will be contested tomorrow night when champ Anderson Silva takes on former teammate Vitor Belfort.

Yushin recently caught up with MMAFighting.com, which has since reported the following via the 185-pound UFC contender:

“The Japanese middleweight has been promised a title shot against the winner of Silva-Belfort, and he told MMA Fighting on Friday that he expects Silva to walk away with the belt for a UFC record 8th consecutive time.

Okami said he didn’t know when his title shot will come, and there are some who believe he may have to wait longer than expected if the UFC does end up booking the Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre.”

Hopefully the Japanese wrestling powerhouse doesn’t pull a Rashad Evans and wait out for the better part of 2011 solely to secure his spot as the next immediate contender. The way things are panning out, it would be more likely then not that Okami would next be facing the winner of tomorrow’s title match before St. Pierre does. The French Canadian UFC welterweight champion has stated on several occasions that should he move up to the 185-pound weight class, it would take him at least six months to put on the appropriate amount of weight, and by then Silva (who I am picking to win the middleweight title match) would already be campaigning for his spot on the UFC: Rio event in his native Brazil this August.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the potential match-up? Do you think Silva will get past Belfort, and if so, do you think he’ll have the goods to take out Okami? The two met previously before years ago, however Yushin picked up the win when the Brazilian was disqualified for an illegal up kick. Sound off in the comment section below.

In a recent interview with Fighters Only, Marquardt said the following: “…My next opponent needs to be an elite fighter who will stand and bang with me in the center of the Octagon until one of us is knocked out. The fight that makes the most sense to me is Wanderlei Silva.  I have a ton of respect for Wanderlei and have wanted this fight for years… Wanderlei is an amazing fighter who is very aggressive, I will pursue him with unwavering tenacity, then I will knock him out! I promise the UFC, Dana, my fans, my team, my coaches and most importantly myself that never again will there be a question about my cage aggression.”

If you’re keeping track, fans and friends, several notable UFC fighters have called out Wanderlei Silva in recent months. In addition to Marquardt, both Chris Leben and Alan Belcher have vocally called out Wanderlei Silva and more or less made the same promise as Marquardt: that they would come at Wanderlei aggressively and knock him out.

As a Wanderlei Silva fan, I’m just happy that people are beginning to take “The Axe Murderer” seriously again. It wasn’t too long ago that Silva was facing possible retirement, and the unfortunate fact remains that he’s lost five out of his last seven fights. Silva needed a big win in a big way, and he got just that when he made his Middleweight debut and narrowly edged out Michael Bisping at UFC 110 back in February. It’s tough to say what the future holds for Wanderlei Silva, this comeback of his has just barely gotten underway and he’s just started to figure himself out as a Middleweight.

But I can say one thing for certain: I think Wanderlei Silva could beat Nate Marquardt, and Alan Belcher, and Chris Leben, and anyone else for that matter. On any given day, Wanderlei Silva could beat practically anybody. His skills may not match up perfectly, his opponents may be younger and somewhat faster, his hand speed and his punching power and even his chin may not be what they used to be back in his legendary PRIDE FC days… but don’t tell that to Silva himself, because he won’t believe you. And even if he does, he’ll ignore it and continue fighting with every fiber of his being.

Because that’s what Wanderlei Silva does. I can’t recall a single occasion where I’ve been bored watching a Wanderlei Silva fight. It’s just not computing. Now that he’s got a fresh cast of characters looking to make a name for themselves by knocking him out, I think the future is quite bright for “The Axe Murderer”. If nothing else, he’s got three potential fights against three big-name Middleweights. And who knows? If he answers all three calls and beats all three, he may even challenge for a championship. Far, far stranger things have happened.

In the end, I can’t wait to see what’s next for Wanderlei Silva. Whether it’s Alan Belcher, Chris Leben, Nate Marquardt, or anybody else, I think Silva will approach his next fight with the same tremendous heart and same fierce aggressiveness that has been his hallmark since the days when PRIDE was the be-all and end-all while the UFC played second-fiddle. It’ll be an interesting 2011, that’s for sure.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who should Wanderlei Silva face next, and what do you think his chances are as a Middleweight?

According to MMA Weekly, UFC 122 “pulled in an average viewership of 2.2 million, according to Spike TV officials. UFC 120, which aired from England via tape delay in October, drew 1.9 million average viewers.” UFC 120 saw Michael Bisping taking on and ultimately defeating Yoshihiro Akiyama in the headlining attraction. UFC 122 would see veterans Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami battle to determine the next man to challenge for the UFC Middleweight Championship after current champion Anderson Silva fights current top contender Vitor Belfort.

I think this show succeeded in the ratings for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I think that Nate Marquardt was a bigger draw going into this event than Michael Bisping was heading into his event. The last time Nate Marquardt was on free TV, he was viciously KO’ing Rousimar Palhares at UFC Fight Night 22 in September of this year. The last time we saw Michael Bisping on free TV prior to UFC 120 was when he was on the tape-delayed rebroadcast of UFC 105 back in November of 2009. Apparently absence absolutely does not make the heart grow fonder when it comes to MMA fans.

There’s another reason that this show probably did as well as it did, especially compared to UFC 120, although I hate to blame 120’s downfall (which I honestly felt was the superior card) on this reason alone. Putting it plainly, the absence of spoilers probably helped UFC 122 in the ratings department. The one and only ESPN found itself quickly drawing the ire of countless MMA fans when the network spoiled the results to UFC 120 before the tape-delayed rebroadcast. Nothing of the sort happened leading up to the rebroadcast of UFC 122.

But, at the end of the day, I suppose I shouldn’t be complaining. Big ratings are a good thing for all involved, especially now that the UFC will be merging with the WEC and hopefully that means we’ll be getting better fights on a per-event basis. I hate to sound so negative, but I really was surprised that this show did so well.

Am I wrong here? Is there something I’m missing? I can appreciate that the preliminary fights were pretty fun, but a lot of the main card encounters just felt flat to me. Nevertheless, I look forward to the next free MMA card put on TV. Because, at the end of the day, it’s free MMA. So long as you know what you’re getting yourself into, most of the time you can enjoy yourself.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you think this show deserved to rate higher than UFC 120? What did you think of UFC 122, as a whole?

Here’s what Marquardt said at the UFC 122 post-fight press conference, courtesy of MMA Mania: “I felt great coming into this fight. Mentally, I felt ready… When he was catching me, it wasn’t really affecting me, but the judges perceive it as him controlling the fight. I felt I did enough to win, but I wasn’t a spectator… Either way, I’m still one of the best, and I’m going to get back in there and be the champ one day.”

Dana White, however, disagrees. Here’s what he said at the same post-fight press conference (courtesy of Bloody Elbow):  “He is a choker, he choked tonight.  Marquardt is such a talented guy, and what I’m seeing is stuff from the Greg Jackson camp…  I mean, Nate Marquardt sat here tonight and said that he thought he won the fight. Where the [expletive] is his corner? You go into the last round and you’re getting outstruck by a wrestler, and you think you won the fight?”

I have to agree with Dana White on this one, although I disagree with the comments he made about Greg Jackson’s camp (more on that later). I didn’t find the judges giving the nod to Okami controversial at all, I think Okami did more than enough to win all three rounds of that fight. It’s tough to say what’s truly holding back Nate Marquardt, perhaps it’s the pressure, perhaps he simply can’t deal with high-level wrestlers. But whatever it is, Marquardt is setting a dubious precedent when he runs through mid-level competition while continuously faltering to high-level threats. If this chain isn’t broken and broken soon, Marquardt may quickly find himself fully embedded in the position of middleweight gatekeeper.

I don’t think you can blame his camp, though. The success of Team Greg Jackson is well-documented. They’ve got several championships under their belts and have propelled many fighters to great heights. The problems Marquardt ran into at UFC 122 do not mean that the Greg Jackson camp as a whole is flawed and needs reworking. Marquardt and his camp definitely need to go back to the drawing board in this one particular case, but the entire system is very sound.

If Marquardt really does want to stand and bang for the majority of his fights, he should focus on training to become the next Chuck Liddell, to use his “wrestling in reverse” to keep the fights standing. Team Greg Jackson has some incredibly dominant wrestlers filling its roster, Nate needs to be defending their takedowns on a daily basis if he wants to keep his fights standing and look for the big power KO. So while the future definitely looks bleak,  I firmly believe that all hope is not yet lost for Nate “The Great”.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you take from Nate Marquardt’s comments, as well as the comments made by Dana White?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The two 185-pound fighters, along with the ten other bouts scheduled for the Spike TV broadcast (five taking centered stage on the live feed, with the other five taking place on the nights preliminary un-aired broadcast) all made weight with no problem.

UFC 122 serves as the promotion’s second venture into Germany. After a lot of backlash and noise from the countries’ governing bodies coupled with the media alike, made it seem relatively impossible for the worlds leading mixed martial arts promotion to enter back into their new market. However, they made good on their promise, and the Zuffa owned promotion puts on their second show in a 17-month span.

MMAJunkie.com was on site for the weigh-ins, which took place at the Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany.

MAIN CARD

* Nate Marquardt (186) vs. Yushin Okami (185)
* Jorge Rivera (185) vs. Alessio Sakara (186)
* Dennis Siver (155) vs. Andre Winner (155)
* Amir Sadollah (170) vs. Peter Sobotta (169)
* Krzysztof Soszynski (206) vs. Goran Reljic (205)

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira (204) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (205)
* Pascal Krauss (170) vs. Mark Scanlon (170)
* Duane “Bang” Ludwig (170) vs. Nick Osipczak (171)
* Rob Kimmons (184) vs. Kyle Noke (185)
* Seth Petruzelli (205) vs. Karlos Vemola (205)
* Kris McCray (171) vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha (170)

Kris McCray, who competed as a middleweight and battled his way to the finals of the eleventh season of “The Ultimate Fighter” makes his official welterweight debut and his first return to the octagon since a loss to eventual show winner Court McGee, last December.

Karlos Vemola also has shed some pounds since his initial UFC debut when he lost a unanimous decision to powerhouse wrestler Jon Madsen at UFC 116, who is a main training partner of former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. He has since become a svelte and lean 205-pounder, which suits his 6’0 frame.

Goran Reljic originally began his career as a 220-pound heavyweight, eventually whittling down to the light heavyweight division. In the 205-pound class, he made a successful UFC debut against former contender Wilson Gouveia, defeating the veteran with a second-round TKO at UFC 84. After a two-year absence due to a debilitating back injury, Reljic returned to the promotion looking to keep his undefeated record intact as a middleweight. However, after back-to-back decision losses to C.B. Dollaway and Kendall Grove, Goran will now return to the light heavyweight class to face “The Polish Experiment” later today.

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

“When I watched the Chael fight, I realized I lost some focus of my desire to be champion.  Now I have that back fully 100% and just very excited for the fight and feel very prepared and very ready.”

Okami, like Marquardt, has recently lost to Chael Sonnen.  Yet, Marquardt says he is not looking to replicate how Sonnen defeated Okami.  In fact, he said watching the Sonnen/Okami tape has not been of much use at all.

“The bottom line – Chael is a different style fighter than I am.  I am going to be looking for openings to finish the fight.  It is not going to help me that much.  That fight, he fought completely differently than I am going to fight him. It doesn’t help me that much to watch that fight. There were other fights more valuable for me to watch.”

If he gets past Japan’s most successful UFC fighter, Marquardt is quite confident about facing Anderson Silva, should he defend the title against Vitor Belfort.  He feels Silva has always had holes in his game yet only since his narrow title defense victory over Chael Sonnen has the mainstream MMA media taken notice of the “The Spider’s” flaws.

“It’s been known to me that Anderson has holes in his game and if anything it has been eye opening for the media because they put him on this pedestal as if he was unbeatable.  Chael was able to expose, obviously that he is susceptible to take downs, and ground and pound and even if someone lands on a punch he gets wobbled.”

But first things first, and Marquardt has a giant obstacle in Okami blocking his second-chance title shot.  Will this go to the ground or stay standing … Marquardt didn’t divulge particulars, but sounded quite confident in his general game-plan.

“I fight best when I look for the opening and wait for the opening to come and then I capitalize and go for the finish 100%.   That how I fight best, how I do the most damage and this fight is not going to be any different.

—

How does Marquardt beat Okami?  We want to hear your prediction?  Which fight at UFC 122 has got you fired up.

5. Rampage Jackson v. Lyoto Machida (UFC 123)

This fight is all about the questions at hand.  Is Rampage mentally still excited about MMA. In several interviews he has not seemed to be his old wacky, trash talking self.  My view is that he is just clocking in to get his paycheck. Does he still burn to fight?  Will Lyoto be the old dominating Lyoto before Shogun knocked him out?

My concern is that both these guys like to counter.  Each needs the other to engage first.  This scenario can lead to a tentative, less exciting fight, as neither wants to commit first.

4. Matt Brown v. Brian Foster (UFC 123 Spike TV)

Matt Brown came into the UFC via the Ultimate Fighter show as a tough guy who came forward always looking to brawl and bully.  This led to winning 4 out of his first 5 fights.  His last two fights have ended badly, getting finished by Ricardo Almeida and Chris Lytle on the ground.  Can he return to his tough-guy standup strengths?  He will have to, to win and keep his job in the UFC.

3. Joseph Benavidez v. Wagnney Fabianno  (WEC 52)

One of the great things about the WEC joining under the UFC banner is the world will be exposed to some great fighters which have never received big media.  Wagnney Fabianno is one of these names.  A world class third degree Jiu Jitsu black belt with heavy hands.  Google the Fabianno / Lierley video from the IFL to see his knockout power.  At 35, Fabianno has been in the game a long time but should now have the stage to really shine.  However, he will have his hands full against Benavidez, who recently lost his title shot vs. Jose Aldo.

2. Nate Marquardt v. Yushin Okami (UFC 122)

Nate the Great is coming off an ackward win over Rosuimar Palhares and should lock up a title bout if he beats Okami.  With Chael Sonnen out of the picture, this is the time and chance for Marquardt.  Okami is coming off a solid win over Mark Munoz and also is back in title contention talk.  Both are warriors and this could be a classic, if one or both decide to come forward and not onlu wait to counter.

1.  Joe Lauzon v. George Sotiropoulos (UFC 123)

Lauzon and Sotiropoulos will not be the fight to headline UFC 123 commercials or brand the Times Square billboard, but these two are each peaking and the winner is primed for a title shot in the near future.  Sotiropoulos is simply beating people up across the board. 6-0 in the UFC, he is looking unstoppable on the ground.  Lauzon was a beast in easily dispatching Gabe Reudiger at UFC 118.  Since both have stellar ground games, this one may stay standing longer than most think.  This fight may showcase the highest level of skill on the entire UFC 123 card.

–

Which fights are you most looking forward to this month?

“Definitely I want to be exciting, but the main thing is I want to win this fight. Obviously if I get the chance I’m going to knock him out or submit him, but the number one thing for me is to win this fight, and for me, I have to follow the game plan… If I can follow my game plan and find my shots and find the openings to attack him, that’s where I’m going to be able to win the fight… I feel very comfortable. We’ve worked on some specific things that I think are going to be money in this fight. I feel very confident.”

Hopefully Marquardt is able to do both, and entertain as well as win on November 13. I’ve always been a semi-fan of Nate Marquardt, and I think that he’s really come into his own in his last few fights. He lost a very tough decision to Chael Sonnen, but other than that he’s had a fantastic run. His recent and dominating win over Rousimar Palhares was simply further proof that he’s ready for championship-caliber opponents once again. He’ll be 6-2 since losing to “The Spider” back in 2007 if he can beat Okami, so I think he’s definitely ready for another title shot.

And I’ll be honest, I like Nate Marquardt’s chances if he ever does get his rematch with Anderson Silva. I think the toll of being champion has begun to wear Silva down, and this is coming from an Anderson Silva super-fan. Anderson Silva just hasn’t looked the same in quite some time, even though he does have flashes of brilliance that remind us all why he holds the record for the most consecutive UFC wins and most consecutive UFC championship defenses. Still, with the way Marquardt’s been improving, I like his chances against Anderson Silva.

But don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean that I’m looking past Yushin Okami. Okami is a huge test for Marquardt, and I think Okami has been and will continue to be a huge test for anybody in the UFC’s middleweight division. He’s got an incredible amount of heart and skill, and it’s not a stretch of the imagination by any means to picture him beating Marquardt and challenging for the championship. It should be an excellent fight no matter who wins or loses. So I’m not and I won’t be counting out Yushin Okami. I’ll simply be pulling for Nate Marquardt.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you see winning this match-up and why? Also, who do you think poses the bigger threat to Anderson Silva?

Headlining the nights festivities will be former light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida in a non-title bout, with a trilogy between former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn being completed that night, serving as the co-main event of the evening.

Prior to these bouts, a pair of middleweights and 170-pound fighters will be in action as part of the Spike TV special, which will have the potential to reach 96.1 million people at home in these United States.

MMAJunkie.com has indicated that match ups between middleweights Mark Munoz vs Aaron Simpson, and Matt Brown vs Rory MacDonald, will serve as the two bouts selected for the Spike broadcast.

Munoz, a heavy handed wrestler is coming off the sting of his first defeat in the middleweight division, where he lost a close split-decision to top contender Yushin Okami. The Japanese star brought it to the former NCAA champion early and often, dropping Munoz on one occasion and stuffing all of his take down attempts. Mark hung tough, and even managed to wobble Okami to the ground and pressured him with his improved stand up arsenal. In the end it wasn’t enough, and Munoz saw a three-fight win streak snapped with the loss.

Aaron, meanwhile, is coming off a loss as well, his first as a professional mixed martial artist. A two-time NCAA champion in 96′ and 98′, became an assistant wrestling coach for Arizona State, where he initially compiled 110 victories for the university.

There, he coached the likes of UFC standouts CB Dollaway, Ryan Bader, and current UFC heavyweight number one contender, Cain Velasquez. Being bit by the biting bug, Aaron opened up to the idea of fighting as a living in 2007, and compiled a perfect 4-0 before joining the UFC. Going on to garner a three-fight win streak within the promotion, his run was snapped when Simpson met with Chris Leben at “The Ultimate Fighter” season 11 finale, losing by TKO in the second round.

Both Rory MacDonald and Matt Brown are coming off losses as well. The Canadian shined though, in his bout against former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit, last June at UFC 115. Arguably ahead on the score cards going into the third round after getting the better of the stand up against Condit, Rory was notably fatigued in the final round. Carlos was eventually able to work the fight to the floor, eventually mounting the former King of the Cage lightweight and welterweight champion, pounding him out for a TKO victory in waning moments of the fight. Prior to the loss, MacDonald made a successful debut into the organization with a first-round arm bar over fellow KOTC veteran Mike Guymon at “UFC Fight Night 20″ in January of this year.

Brown, however is feeling the sting of defeat well and hard. The former contender is coming on the heels of two consecutive losses, submissions at that, to standouts Ricardo Almedia and most recently current top contender Chris Lytle.

In the bout with Lytle at UFC 116, which was the second in the series, the two traded blows early, Brown effective on the feet, the welterweight battle found its way to the floor in the early stages of the second round. Both fighters were jockeying for position, and Lytle was eventually able to secure an arm, and completed the bout ends with an arm bar victory over Brown.

Prior to the losses to Ricardo and Chris, Brown was riding a three-fight win streak in the organization and four of his last five overall. However now on the cusp of his UFC career, this is a must-win situation for both Brown and MacDonald. A loss for either could spell pink slips, which can also be said of Munoz and Simpson.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the UFC 123 prelims? Worthy? Do you have any other bouts in mind as far as what you would rather see in place of said matches? Sound off in the comments section below.

Vitor Belfort recently announced via his twitter account that he is expecting to face Anderson Silva for the middleweight title, on Super Bowl weekend, for UFC 127 on February 5.

The event is expected to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, though no venue has been tapped yet for the event.

Just a few hours ago, “The Phenom” and former UFC light heavyweight champion made it known to the public of his title bout with champion Anderson Silva, stating “Hey guys look like I will be fighting on (February) on superbowl week”, said the Brazilian.

No other bouts have been rumored for the event as of yet, but the 185-pound match up is expected to be the main event of the evening.

Originally rumored for the January card in Las Vegas, which will feature a lightweight title bout pitting wrestlers Frankie Edgar (champion) against top contender Gray Maynard, however the change should come as no surprise. Prior to his bout with former top contender Chael Sonnen, who was recently believed to have been linked to steroids post-UFC 117, “The Spider” suffered rib injuries which he is now recuperating from.

The champion is healing up correctly at home in Brazil, where he will begin his training regime once his body is back in full form.

Belfort, mean while was pulled out of a number one contenders bout with Yushin Okami for the Spike TV live broadcast event for UFC 122, when Sonnen was found to have come in positive for Steroids, sidelining the Team Quest fighter for one full year since he will be serving his suspension.

Vitor was originally granted his shot at the title after a knockout victory over Rich Franklin back UFC 103 in September of last year, however pulled out of a scheduled UFC 112 meeting in April of this year when he had a shoulder injury. Now fully recuperated, Belfort will be waiting for Silva to be on the mend before the two explosive strikers meet, come February 5.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the timing of the card? It was originally believed that Silva-Belfort was to help generate numbers for the Maynard-Edgar fight in January, since no one believes that that particular fight can rightfully carry a Pay-Per-View. Sound off in the comments section below.

The Okami-Belfort bout was to serve as ufc 122′s headliner, the organizations second foray into Germany which is taking place on November 13 via-tape delay on Spike TV, however since Belfort had been pulled the bout, most speculated that the Brazilian was injured when former title challenger Nate Marquardt stepped up to the plate to face the Japanese star.

MMAjunkie.com found out the promotions plans with sources close to the event, UFC 125 where Anderson Silva is expected to return to defend his title for a record 8th time against fellow Brazilian and former friend Vitor Belfort.

The two have traded barbs left and right since they were originally to meet at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi last April, however Vitor had pulled out of the bout due to injury and Demian Maia stepped in his place–he lost via unanimous decision.

Silva was last seen in action where he defended his belt against Chael Sonnen, who had a commanding performance against the champion before he was submitted in the fifth round by triangle choke and by all sources was leading in the score cards. However, Sonnen has come under heavy fire as it has been speculated that he was under the influence of performance enhancing drugs since a failed drug test has come back from the California State Athletic Commission following their bout at UFC 117 in August.

Belfort’s return to the octagon came in September of last year, when the former professional boxer knocked out former middleweight champion Rich Franklin inside of the first round at UFC 103, in a catch-weight bout of 195 pounds. Belfort has yet to compete in the UFC’s middleweight division, however has seen 185-pound action outside of the UFC. He holds two knockout victories at 185 against standouts Terry Martin and Matt Lindland under the now defunct Affliction banner.

Vitor has willingly stepped up to the plate to attempt to claim the title from his former training partner Silva, after Sonnen had failed his drug test and as such has erased any implications of him returning to the octagon early enough to challenge Silva in February (UFC 125) for the Super Bowl weekend card. His suspension is expected to carryout well through 2011, until September 2 of next year.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of this news? Should Belfort bypass a number one contenders bout and get the immediate shot? Is there anyone you’d rather see in there? Let your opinions be known in the comments section below.

According to the report, Belfort was stricken down with an as-yet-unknown injury, with details still developing. The one-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is on a five-fight win-streak, his last loss occurring back when PRIDE FC was still around. Despite not having a fight at Middleweight in the UFC, his 195-pound catchweight bout with former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin, where “The Phenom” turned out Franklin’s lights in record time, propelled him to the top of the contender’s list. Belfort hasn’t fought once since that September 2009 fight.

It was confirmed that the winner of Belfort/Okami would be given the next shot at Anderson Silva’s Middleweight crown, and the odds are likely that this stipulation will still be attached to the Okami/Marquardt match-up. Despite a few bumps in the road, Nate Marquardt has been slowly, steadily, and sometimes dramatically working his way towards another title shot after getting TKO’d by Anderson Silva back in 2007. Yushin Okami remains the last man to have ever beaten Anderson Silva, even if the loss came when Silva threw an illegal kick and was disqualified.

I’m honestly a bit disappointed that Belfort/Okami has gone the way of the dodo. I was really looking forward to the return of “The Phenom”, who I’ve both admired and followed for quite some time. I think Belfort/Silva is destined to happen, no matter how many roadblocks are put in front of it. And if it’s not meant to be, I just hope that Belfort remains healthy enough to at least fight again in the UFC. He’s in the middle of a dramatic rebirth, and it keeps getting halted. It’s a shame to see, and I’d hate to see Belfort’s career resurrection be cut short if all these injuries result in him coming back to the Octagon with a sizeable amount of ring rust.

But there’s nothing any of us can really do, Marquardt/Okami is what we’re going to get. And you know what? That isn’t a bad match at all. In fact, I think it’s a credible main event for a foreign card. Marquardt has really impressed me lately, and if it weren’t for the stumbling block that was the loss to Chael Sonnen, I’d say that Marquardt is ready for an immediate title shot. Yushin Okami has always been an incredibly tough fighter, and while he may not be the most exciting athlete of all time, he gets the job done and I think it’s high time that he finally gets a chance to fight for the title.

And if you want to know what I think? It’ll be a rough night for Yushin Okami fans, since he’ll take another step backwards and once again be in a “so close and yet so far away” scenario. I’m thinking Nate “The Great” will win this by TKO or KO, based on his superior striking and footwork. If Okami does win, it’ll have to be by grinding out a decision. And that’s a very tall task for someone who can be as sneakily explosive as Nate “The Great” Marquardt.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you see winning the changed UFC 122 main event?

With translations courtesy of MMA Mania, here’s what he had to say: “I want the belt. The belt belongs to Anderson today and I want to fight him. He cannot fight this year, but I won’t wait for him. I know all of his game, I know all his jiu-jitsu, stand-up game, I know he likes spinning kicks and uses elbows. If I touch my hand on him, he falls and won’t stand on his feet anymore. If I get close like Chael Sonnen and Demian Maia did, my fire power is bigger than theirs… He knows that if my hand touches him he won’t stay standing up. That’s not a promise, that’s a fact. I’ll go towards him, I know what I want, I’m focused and don’t doubt on what I can do. I’m very excited.”

I think Belfort is right in some ways and wrong in others. He definitely has a point that his striking power is much better than Chael Sonnen’s and especially Damien Maia’s. Belfort has always had immense power in his hands, and the drop down to Middleweight has left them faster and deadlier than ever. Even better, Belfort’s long years of experience, the highs and lows of a career that has spanned almost a decade and a half, has made his striking much more technical and laser-precise. If Belfort is given even the smallest of opportunities nowadays, more often than not his opponent is off to the land of dreams.

However, at the end of the day this is Anderson Silva we’re talking about. No man has ever (T)KO’d Anderson Silva in MMA, even though some would say that a few got close. There’s technical counter-strikers, there’s good Muay Thai practitioners, and then there’s Anderson Silva. Despite all the fans that seem to be turning on him in droves with every new fight he competes in, there’s a reason why Anderson Silva is the longest-reigning UFC champion in MMA history. There’s a reason why he holds the record for the longest undefeated streak in UFC history. It’s because he’s one of the greatest Mixed Martial Artists of all time. Vitor Belfort knocking him out isn’t impossible, but everyone including “The Phenom” is fooling themselves if they think that Belfort/Silva would be over in a flash so long as Belfort finds an opening and takes it.

Belfort/Silva will be a war, and neither man is going down without a fight. I respect Belfort’s tenacity, his desire to fight and fight often, and I even admire the man a little bit. He’s been through losses that could have crippled the careers of lesser men, and every time he’s come back better than ever. You can’t not respect him for his ability to turn his career around whenever it looks like he may be done. But Anderson Silva would by far be the toughest test of his career, even when you consider all the legends Belfort has faced in the past. It will likely be a Fight of the Year fight…but it’s not ending in Round 1, no matter what anyone says.

But what about you, fans and friends? How do you see Belfort/Silva going down if the fight finally happens?

While speculation ran rapid, including who, when, and where Belfort would fight next, wait no longer–because the Brazilian has ended all speculation via his Twitter.

“Now it’s game time we have a fight nov 13 against okami”, said Vitor on his official Twitter account.

“The Phenom” was originally supposed to face champion Anderson Silva for the middleweight title last April at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi, however bowed out of the fight due to injury, and was replaced by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Demian Maia, who lost his chance at claiming the title by unanimous decision.

Belfort long campaigned for the bout even after sustaining the reported shoulder injury, assuring fans that he wanted the match right away after healing from surgery.

Vitor recently relocated to the United States with his family, which includes a wife and two children, to Las Vegas, Nevada in order to be closer to his training quarters–where he splits his time with the famed Xtreme Couture gym and the Tapout training center, where he trains stand up with former Xtreme Couture trainer Shawn Tompkins–while not sacrificing any time away from his family during a training camp.

Okami, the now Las Vegas residents’ next opponent, has been on the rise as of late. After opening up his UFC career with a 4-fight win streak inside the octagon, Okami succumbed to defeat against former champion Rich Franklin.

Another win streak began after the Franklin fight, and Okami ran into another brick wall when the Japanese star met the sharp-tongued Chael Sonnen, who eventually went on to challenge Anderson Silva for the middleweight title some time later. Okami reassessed his training regiment, and actually spent some time with Sonnen in the U.S. and has since racked up two-impressive back-to-back victories over Lucio Linhares and Mark Munoz.

“I talked to Lorenzo (Fertitta) this week and will return in November,” Belfort had said while speaking with Sherdog.com. “I just asked him to not be (on the November card in Germany). I’m tired of traveling. I would like to return to fighting here in America.”

While against the idea of traveling again, after relocating his family from Brazil to the U.S., looks like Belfort ultimately warmed up to the idea.

The event is expected to take place Germany on November 13th, marking the UFC’s second trip to Germany, and first in 2010. This will be Vitor’s first time fighting at 185 pounds inside the UFC. His initial return back to the promotion was at a catch-weight of 195 pounds against the aforementioned Rich Franklin, back at UFC 103 in Texas, in October of last year.

So, now that the match up has been made official, should the winner of this bout earn number one contenders status? Okami has certainly paid his dues, after being donned the red headed step child of the UFC’s middleweight division for over 4 years, but what about Belfort? Does he need more time inside the cage, or will a potential win over Okami be good enough? Let your opinions known.

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

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

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

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

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

The news, which was highlighted previously on Fighters.com , where according to Vitor himself on Twitter, “this year I am not going to fight for the title because the champion (UFC Middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva) is hurt but November we will be in action for sure that is what I can say.”

Silva, who was later reported injured prior to his bout with contender Chael Sonnen at UFC 117, is on an indefinite hiatus away from the cage. Anderson sustained fractured ribs before his last outing with Sonnen, while training with Judoka Satoshi Ishi and former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.

So, that definitely rules out Anderson for the rest of the year, and Vitor accordingly. But what about Sonnen? According to Belfort, in an interview with Sherdog.com, Chael is off the table as well for the surging middleweight, who began his career at 185 initially with a victory over Terry Martin under the Affliction banner in 2008, knocking out the UFC veteran on strikes in the second round.

The Brazilian followed up the performance with another commanding stoppage over the well traveled and well respected Matt Lindland, knocking out the former top middleweight in just 37 seconds, in January of 2009.

In his UFC return after the collapse of the aforementioned promotion Affliction, Belfort immediately put himself on the map when he needed just over three minutes to top former middleweight champion Rich Franklin at UFC 103 in Dallas, Tex., knocking out the former math teacher turned MMA fighter last September.

Since then, Belfort’s absence has gone noticed, and while many speculated that a match pitting both Sonnen and Vitor would be the next logical step, that doesn’t appear so likely now.

“I talked to Lorenzo (Fertitta) this week and will return in November,” Belfort said in his interview with Sherdog.com. “I just asked him to not be (on the November card in Germany). I’m tired of traveling. I would like to return to fighting here in America. According to my conversation with Lorenzo, my opponent will not be Sonnen, but another guy that will be decided soon.”

So, if not Sonnen, and not Anderson, than who? The only middleweight fighter that stands out to me, who isn’t already tied up in a fight, would have to be Chris Leben–or even Yushin Okami.

Nate Marquardt is tied up in his middleweight affair with Rousimar Palhares at UFC Fight Night 22 in September, Demian Maia is mixing it up against Mario Miranda at UFC 118, Alan Belcher is sidelined with a detached retina that may keep him away from fighting for good, and in my mind, there are no other viable contenders besides Okami and Leben.

Do you disagree? Anybody else in mind for Vitor?

After knocking out Tyson Griffin in just over a minute in the first round of their lightweight affair, Gomi not only picked up an impressive win over a perennial contender, he picked up the “Knockout of the Night”, which added additional pleasure to his already impressive portfolio, as the former Pride Lightweight champion.

Here are the fighter payouts, initially reported by MMAJunkie.com, through the California State Athletic Commission. Gomi earned the event high.

The following is in bout order.

The total list of paydays include:

Jon Jones: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Vladimir Matyushenko: $31,000

Yushin Okami: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Mark Munoz: $22,000

Jake Ellenberger: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. John Howard: $15,000

Takanori Gomi: $80,000 ($40,000 win bonus)
def. Tyson Griffin: $30,000

Jacob Volkmann: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Kelly: $17,000

Matt Riddle: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. DaMarques Johnson: $10,000

Igor Pokrajac: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. James Irvin: $20,000

Brian Stann: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus)
def. Mike Massenzio: $5,000

Charles Oliveira: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. Darren Elkins: $8000

Rob Kimmons: $18,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Steve Steinbeiss: $6,000

http://mmajunkie.com/news/20176/ufc-on-versus-2-fighter-salaries-takanori-gomi-earns-event-high-80k-payday.mma

Do any of the figures above shock you, or are they as expected? I personally though, Jon Jones would be receiving a bigger pay day by now, since Brandon Vera was at one point making a flat rate of $100,000, after 3 fights into his UFC career, though at the time, Vera can be likened to the phenom that is Jones.

Perhaps the best answer to that question is another question: how noticeable has Yushin Okami’s run in the UFC been? UFC President Dana White has gone on record time and time again and said that he loves exciting fights, to the point of letting entertaining fighters leapfrog the competition for a shot at the gold. His unwillingness to grant expert grappler Jon Fitch another shot at Welterweight gold, despite winning four in a row since his loss to current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, is the clearest example I can personally think of. So let’s break it down as such: in Okami’s wins in the UFC, four have come by decision, three have come by (T)KO, and he’s won one by submission. He’s also lost two by unanimous decision. Clearly, this is a fighter that can last 15 minutes.

Unfortunately for Okami, being able to grind out a decision just isn’t what it used to be. The perception has simply changed, now favoring those who finish and finish quickly over those who display the stamina and heart to go all three rounds. I see this as the biggest reason that Yushin Okami still hasn’t gotten a rematch with Anderson Silva: in a world that favors the quick knockout and submission, the art of dominating but not finishing an opponent is something that more often than not results in boos nowadays. Veterans and newcomers alike can put on clinics against their opponents and still be criticized for stalling and/or not finishing an opponent. I’d actually love to argue this point, since I think a dominant performance is a dominant performance no matter if the fighter was able to finish his opponent or not, and that such a performance should be held up equally as high as a sudden blitzkrieg KO or a lightning-fast submission. But for the sake of this article, let’s just say that this perception favoring the fast finish has become the norm, and it’s one of the main things holding Okami back.

That said, it’s not like Okami’s future is hopeless. As he has shown in the past, Yushin Okami can finish fights. With his record in the UFC a very solid 8-2, with his only losses coming to Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen, Okami may be only a couple of finishes away from finally getting his moment in the spotlight. In fact, if Anderson Silva can get past both Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort (who is next in line no matter who wins), I honestly don’t see anyone else for the champion to face except for Okami, not unless some hot new prospect shows up and lights up the division. It’s possible, but until I see it with my own eyes, I think Okami’s time to shine is coming a lot sooner than most people think.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Is Okami being unfairly treated? Should he have already gotten a shot at the title? And if you don’t think so, what will Okami have to do in order to get you to support him getting a title shot?

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

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

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

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

Today’s UFC 109 presser gave us this news and according to Dana, he has always considered a co-main event a number one contender’s bout. “We always had it in mind,” White said. “These are two of the top five [middleweights] in the world depending on what you look at.”  I don’t think anyone can argue that Nate is deserving of a shot.

White told those at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Mizuya Lounge in Las Vegas his thoughts on Nate. “Nate’s been deserving it for a while,” This is an assessment I can agree with as Nate is 4-1 since he lost to Fighters.com and UFC middleweight champion “The Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4). His lone loss since that time was a split decision loss to Thales Leites (15-3) that many feel should have gone to Nate.

What I don’t understand is the Sonnen getting a shot with a win. I know many will say that if he can beat Nate then he deserves a shot at Silva but let’s look at what he has done since his second arrival in the UFC shall we?

After coming over from the WEC he was matched against submission wizard Demian Maia (10-1) at UFC 95: Sanchez versus Stevens. Chael found himself on the losing end of a triangle choke in the first round. His next two fights, while both wins, were hardly performances befitting of a title shot. He ground out decision victories over hardcore fan favorite Dan Miller (11-2) as well as Yushin Okami (23-5).

Okami was on a three fight win streak until the Sonnen fight but those three wins were not against what I would call quality opponents. Dan Miller was on a four fight win streak until being derailed by Chael. Looking at the fact that he killed the win streaks of two fighters might lead one to believe he is worthy of a shot. The only thing that would make him worthy would be a very convincing win over Nate.

If he were to grind out a decision win over Nate is that spectacular enough to put him in the Octagon with Silva? Does it matter how you win as long as you win? The latter is a tough question as many believe you need to finish fights or at the very least dominate them in order to gain a title shot. I have long been of the opinion that a win is a win and racking up a string of victories should be enough to get you a fight for the title. Chael Sonnen in a title fight with Anderson Silva just does not scream pay-per-view main event to me.

Before I go any further I should say that I feel the likely-hood of Sonnen winning this fight is slim to none. Having said that, I find it hard to believe anyone other than Sonnen actually believes he could beat Anderson Silva. This would be a fight that did nothing but add another highlight reel knock out to the already long list the UFC has thanks to the champion.

What was once a stacked division has become a division of one with all others not being on quite the same level. I do believe that we will see Silva lose in a years time but I can tell you it will not be at the hands of Chael Sonnen.

As the host of MMA Gospel Radio, I offer you the chance to join us in our live chat room to discuss this topic or any other MMA story you would like to discuss. The show airs each Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST. Head over to www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel and join in the debates.

Rua weighed in at 204.5 pounds.

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

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

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

The rest of the card made weight:

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

Belfort earned the title shot by upsetting ninth-ranked “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5) in just over three minutes in a 195-pound catch weight bout at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19.  Due to the catch weight, the victory over Franklin doesn’t earn Belfort a ranking in Fighters.com’s middleweight top ten.

After former champ Cung Le (6-0) stepped aside to focus on another film role, second-ranked Jake Shields (23-4-1) will fight for the vacant Strikeforce 185-pound title versus “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-5) in Chicago November 7.

Seventh-ranked Chael Sonnen (22-10-1) will fight “Thunder” Yushin Okami (23-4) on the untelevised undercard of UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.  Fighters.com thinks it’s outrageous to relegate this battle of contenders to the untelevised undercard.

Tenth-ranked “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2) is rumored to follow-up his victorious UFC debut versus “The Talent” Alan Belcher (14-6) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas July 11 versus tenth-ranked light heavyweight “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) at UFC 108.  Silva will be debuting at middleweight.

Third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7) is a free agent and in negotiations to return to the UFC, but Hendo’ told Sherdog negotiations aren’t going well.

Fourth-ranked “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) and Hendo’ will probably fight for the next UFC title shot if Henderson and the UFC can agree to a contract soon.

Fifth-ranked “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1) has stated he won’t return to the middleweight division and now holds the Strikeforce light heavyweight title; but, Fighters.com has met Mousasi and he’s a small 205er.  If Mousasi decides to compete at the top of the 205-pound division, he’ll be at a severe disadvantage.

Sixth-ranked Demian Maia (10-1) will look to rebound soon from his first-round KO loss to Marquardt at UFC 102 in Portland August 30.

Eighth-ranked Dan Miller (11-2) is recovering from an injury which kept him from fighting “Doberman” CB Dollaway (8-2) at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City September 19.

Franklin is in limbo after losing to Belfort and continues to contemplate his future at 185- and 205-pounds.

Fighters.com October Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

2. Jake Shields (23-4-1)

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7)

4. “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2)

5. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1)

6. Demian Maia (10-1)

7. Chael Sonnen (22-10-1)

8. Dan Miller (11-2)

9. “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5)

10. “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2)

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

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

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

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

Slated for the undercard with Sonnen v Okami is:

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

Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked middleweight

Okami is coming off two consectutive wins.  His last fight was in March, when he KO’d the late Evan Tanner (32-8-0) in the second round.

Okami was expected to rematch with Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4) for the title but injured his hand during training.

Lister also won his last two fights, most recently submitting “Gumby” Jeremy Horn (80-18-5) with a first-round guillotine in June.

Trigg also welcomed a son, Stone, to his family in September.  Congratulations from Fighters.com.

The remainder of the Middleweight Top Ten was on holiday last month…well, at least at middleweight.

Top contender “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3) made a successful return to light heavyweight in Atlanta 6 September.  He remains wishy-washy about his future in either division.

But, before Franklin could move-up to 205, Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4) beat him there.  Franklin must wonder whether Silva is going to move to Cincinnati and start teaching high school math too.

Silva is preparing to defend his Fighters.com and UFC titles versus “Predator” Patrick Cote (13-4) in Chicago 25 October.

Third-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho‘s (16-0) WEC title defense versus Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) was postponed from tonight to 5 November due to Hurrican Ike.

Fourth-ranked EliteXC champ “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) is rumored to be considering a rematch versus Joey Villasenor (26-6), whom Lawler KO’d in 22 seconds in 2006.

Seventh-ranked “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1) will fight “Benkei” Zelg Galesic in DREAM’s Middleweight GP semi-final in Saitama 23 September, then, if Souza wins, the winner of Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1) versus “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-4-1) in the final the same night.

Ninth-ranked “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2) will fight “Diesel” Joe Riggs (28-10) in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles, 20 September.

Fifth-ranked Yoshihiro Akiyama (11-1), sixth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4), nor tenth-ranked “Mayhem” Jason Miller (20-5) have fights on their dockets.

September Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4)

“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 (23-3)

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 year.

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 November rematch will solidify Filho’s ranking.

4. “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4)

“Ruthless” rides a five-fight “W” streak since being choked out by Miller in ’06, including a KO of Trigg and stoppages of solid fighters Scott Smith, Murilo Rua, and Joey Villasenor.

5. Yoshihiro Akiyama (11-1)

The Zainichi judoka ran the gauntlet of weight-mismatched spectacles before bursting into 185-pound contention with a KO of Denis Kang. Akiyama drew Misaki on NYE, but the the result was a NC. He choked out Katsuyori Shibata in his July comeback.

6. “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4)

Okamihas been most active among the top ten in the last two years and comes off a knockout of former UFC champ, the late 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.

7. “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (17-6)

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 and UD of Makoto Takimoto.

8. “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 besides “Mayhem” his record needs bolstered with two big wins to take the DREAM GP.

9. “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2)

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.

10. “Mayhem” Jason Miller (20-5)

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

The UFC seemed intent that sixth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (21-4-1) miss his de facto UFC top contender challenge of Silva, marketing Cote versus “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-3) in Las Vegas 5 July as an eliminator fight even before Okami pulled up lame with a broken hand.

Cote won by split decision.

Okami, who holds a DQ “W” over Silva from 2006, dropped a rank for August on the ascension of fourth-ranked EliteXC Middleweight Champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4).

In Stockton, east of San Francisco, 26 July, Lawler erased the ellipsis left at the end of his May No Contest with “Hands of Steel” Scott Smith (13-5) and etched in a exclamatory second-round TKO over Smith.

To make the scattering of middleweights across promotions more frustrating, the entire top three – Silva, second-ranked “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3), and third-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0) – are throwing their hats into 205-pound bull ring.

Filho, who announced in February that he intends to move to 205-pounds, will rematch Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) in Hollywood, north of Miami, 10 September.

Perhaps Filho’s announcement was amidst his mysterious malaise, for which he’s been successfully treated; but, the WEC will shit-can their middleweight division before the end of 2008 and Filho, who signed with the WEC to avoid a confrontation with his pal Silva, will have to make a decision about which UFC weight class to compete in: the middleweight division Silva rules or the light heavyweight division Silva’s getting his kicks in.

Fifth-ranked Yoshihiro Akiyama (11-1) returned from an eight-month holiday to tap woefully mismatched Katsuyori Shibata (2-5) in Osaka 21 July.

Sixth-ranked “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (16-6) will return from a nine-month holiday to fight Olympic judoka Makoto Takimoto (4-4) at Sengoku in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 24 August.

Trigg’s deal with Sengoku could lead to a rematch versus eighth-ranked “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2), but not before Misaki makes his North American debut versus a yet-to-be-named opponent at Strikeforce 19 September in Los Angeles.

Ninth-ranked “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1) has drawn legit kickboxer “Benkei” Zelg Galesic (9-3) in DREAM’s Middleweight GP, to be fought in Saitama 23 September.

“Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-6) holds steady at tenth without any announced or rumoured bouts.

August Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4)

“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 year.

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. “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4)

“Ruthless” rides a five-fight “W” streak since being choked out by Miller in ’06, including a KO of Trigg and stoppages of solid fighters Scott Smith, Murilo Rua, and Joey Villasenor.

5. Yoshihiro Akiyama (11-1)

The Zainichi judoka ran the gauntlet of weight-mismatched spectacles before bursting into 185-pound contention with a KO of Denis Kang. Akiyama drew Misaki on NYE, but the the result was a NC. He choked out Katsuyori Shibata in his July comeback.

6. “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.

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 (20-8-2)

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 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.

‘‘There is no better way to introduce UFC to Chicago than with the championship fight between Anderson Silva and Patrick Cote,’’ UFC President Dana White said.

Silva made his debut as a light heavyweight 19 July with a 61-second knockout of “Sandman” James Irvin (14-5).

Cote also won his last fight, a split decision over “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-3) 5 July.

Fifth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (26-4), who has a win via disqualification over Silva, was expected to be next in line for the title shot, but broke his hand during training.

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.

In March 2005, as the original season of The Ultimate Fighter wound down winding-up a Stateside appetite for armbars and Superman punches, the first cage was erected in The Land of the Rising Sun.

The idea: To simulate the UFC Octagon and America’s Unified Rules in an Eastern MMA culture of rings and revolving rules, then send Japan’s samurai to America to conquer the big show.

That winter night in Tokyo at Greatest Common Multiple’s Demolition of Octagon Gear I, Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked middleweight “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4) submitted American “Tattoo” Brian Foster (9-12) in an arm triangle.

A year-and-a-half later, Okami debuted in the UFC and is since 6-1 inside the Octagon, awaiting an anticipated rematch with the world’s best middleweight, UFC Champ “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4).

From the D.O.G.’s current identity, Cage Force, another samurai will debut in the Octagon 24 May in Las Vegas when tenth-ranked welterweight “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (9-2) battles with TUF alum “War Machine” Jon Koppenhaver (5-1).

Yoshida was inked by the UFC in January after winning the Cage Force welterweight tournament, dominating a field that included welterweight King of Pancrase Katsuya Inoue (16-6-3) and former Shooto 167-pound champion Akira Kikuchi (16-4).

Yoshida’s martial arts foundation is firmly set in judo; but, it’d be unfair to call “Zenko” merely a judoka.

Under the guidance of Shooto vet “Kijin” Noboru Asahi (18-6-5), Yoshida has pieced together a 360 degree, if not polished MMA arsenal.

Stylistically, he’s Okami-like, deliberately lulling his opponents (and often fans) into a slog that allows Yoshida to deceptively crank-up offense versus a sleepy enemy.

His throws aren’t as slick as “Heat” Karo Parisyan‘s (18-5), but as effective.

However, his scrambles are silky smooth and his adept cage tactics haven’t before been seen by North Americans from a Japanese fighter.

From his back, “Zenko” works a furious guard in combo with vice-like body locks.

From the mount, his G’n'P is as thunderous as Okami’s, with big and small elbows and punches, though he can be swept by mat vets.

Also Okami-ish, Yoshida is money in the clinch, especially against the cage.

Yoshida is most vulnerable standing, but he’s not terrible.  He launches targeted strikes one-at-a-time, mixing in a mediocre high kick or better-than-average leg kick.

“Zenko” v “War Machine”

Versus “War Machine”, “Zenko” will be the smaller man in the cage.  In fact, he’s undersized as a UFC welter, a problem Okami doesn’t have at middleweight.

This fight might as well start on the mat, because both fighters will rush to their respective G’n'P specialties.

Yoshida’s judo will come into play in the clinch, ensuring him the majority of mount time.  Koppenhaver isn’t pimp enough to consistently sweep Yoshida, but is beast enough to weather “Zenko’s” ground’n'pound.

On their feet, it’s a 50/50 affair for both fighters, producing a boring exchange of single strikes.  However, Koppenhaver will stalk the patient Japanese fighter, walking through most of Yoshida’s standup, but also eating some damaging strikes.

Despite being outmaneuvered, Koppenhaver will muscle to the mount as the fight wears on; but, Yoshida’s active guard will expose Koppenhaver’s propensity to be submitted, probably by armbar.

Fighters.com predicts a successful UFC debut for Yoshida by third-round armbar submission over Koppenhaver, but “Zenko’s” deliberate style won’t propel him into contendership until he bags a few more wins in the Octagon.

“I would love a shot at [Yushin] Okami,” exclaimed Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked welterweight “The Goat” Nick Thompson (35-9-1), when asked if he would like a shot at redeeming a loss years prior.

“Thunder” Okami (22-4) is Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked middleweight.

“No disrespect to him, but I got injured in the fight right after taking him down.  I took him down fairly easily.  I’m fairly confident that when I’m on top of anybody I’m going to end the fight.”

To the average MMA fan, this might seem like a lofty goal, but it doesn’t stop there for Thompson.

“I have my last final [exam before graduating University of Minnesota Law School], then I take the bar [exam] in July.”

Not to mention his fight scheduled for 3 June at Sengoku III versus Chute Boxing Academy’s “Maicon” Michael Costa (9-3).

“I’ll fight at heavyweight if the offer is right! Or 155, I’ll just cut off a leg!”

Perhaps a fight against sixth-ranked heavyweight “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1).  “It’d be scary, but fun from my position!”

There is no shortage of personality for the man that has enough sense of humor to be known as “The Goat”.  Not to mention continuing with MMA after starting 1-3.

“I just enjoy it.  I was never really good at it.  It was just something that I was enjoying, then I started beating people I wasn’t supposed to beat.
 
“I would be brought in as an opponent.  I think Josh Neer is a prime example.  He had just fought in the UFC; and, they brought me in just to get him a win, then I beat him [via rear naked choke in the second round] and a couple of black belts from Top Team.

“I was just being brought in as a tune-up fight and, suddenly, I was beating guys; and, my coach pulls me aside and says ‘Hey, you should really think about doing this and really taking a shot at it.’”

“It wasn’t even really until after the Karo Parisyan fight that my wife sat me down and said that I had to make a decision whether I was going to train full time or not.  Until the Karo fight, I was only training maybe four hours a week.  Now I’m training four or five hours a day.”

Of course, that isn’t to say that all of Thompson’s fights have been lined up as he would like.  Thompson admits that “there have been sometimes when I wasn’t excited to fight.”

“My last fight, [a controversial unanimous decision win over "Pitbull" Fabricio Monteiro (16-7)], I was excited to be in Japan; but, just style-wise and where I was coming from in my career, it seemed like a lose/lose fight.

“If I beat him, I was supposed to be him.  If I lost to  him, I lost to a guy that wasn’t very good.  Fights like that are hard to get up for.

“Mark Weir was another example when I fought him in BoDog.  Mark is a tough guy, he will knock you out if you make a mistake.  He hits fairly hard, but, at the same time, he was on like a four- or five-fight losing streak; and, it’s kind of like: If I beat him, so what?  And, it’s not an easy fight.”

Easy or not, Thompson has strung together 11 straight wins after losing to “Heat” Karo Parisyan (18-5) at UFC 50 in April 2006, many of which he has fought at 170-pounds, a difficult achievement for a fighter who stands 6’1″ and walks around at around 210-pounds, according to his trainers.

And now, fighting at Sengoku, the welterweight fighter will have to drop even more weight to get to the required 167-pounds for his division.  Nick confessed that on Mother’s Day he, “went over to my mom’s house; and, they made a great dinner; and, I brought my own Tupperware of chicken, heated it up in the microwave.”

For a moment, Nick’s usually cheerful face suddenly showed a sign of regret.  “It’s not just hard on me, it’s hard on my wife.  We’re newlyweds, 25-, 26-years old.  Most people like to go out and get burgers or go to bars with friends.  I can’t do that.”

Of course, that isn’t to say that he has to either.  Remember, Thompson is a graduating law student who has more than just mixed martial arts as an option.  So, why wouldn’t he give up being hit in the face for a living?

To Nick the answer seemed simple.  “I can be a lawyer when I’m 40!”

After years of fighting and enduring strain to personal relationships, Nick has learned the hard lessons he wishes he had known earlier.

He said, “One [lesson] is really surrounding yourself with good guys.

“Coming to a  school like [Minnesota Martial Arts Academy] may be more expensive than going to a smaller school, but the learning curve is just so exponential.  If you are paying $15 more a month to come and train with top level guys, it really pays for itself.”

Without pausing to think, Nick offered more advice for prospective fighters.  “Another one is: Get management!  It is really tempting when you’re a young fighter that, if a promoter says, ‘Here’s $50 and a sandwich, go fight this guy.’

“When you are a young fighter, you should have the mentality that you will fight anyone, but you really need a manager or a coach to say, ‘Hey, no, here’s what you are going to do.’

“And the last thing is something I learned too late in my career.  I wished I had learned sooner…to train out of your comfort zone.  If you are really good at jiu-jitsu and suck a wrestling, you need to practice your wrestling.

“It’s better to suck in practice than to get in a fight and realize ‘this guy is better than me at jiu-jitsu and I don’t know how to wrestle’.  It isn’t terribly fun at practice, but it’s better than losing in a fight.”

As always, Nick is thankful for his wife, his training partners at Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy, and his sponsors Tapout and Island Nutrition.

Photos of Thompson with Emelianenko and Thompson in Costa Rica are copyrighted by Nick Thompson from www.nickthompson.tv.

In April, second-ranked “Ace” Rick Franklin (23-3) finessed out of an armbar executed by TUF champ “Serial Killer” Travis Lutter (9-5) to pick apart the Texan in two rounds, but Franklin has no where to go after two stoppages to Silva.

As mentioned in 3 May’s Bushido Sheet, Franklin was offered a main event versus tenth-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7) at UFC 85, but turned down the fight.

Franklin continues to consider interesting match-ups at 205-pounds.

Hendo’ dropped a rank in May after his 2006 UD over eighth-ranked “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (19-8-2) fell from his two-year record leaving “Hollywood” without a win at 185-pounds in two years.

His March stoppage to Silva leaves him with few good match-ups but for Franklin.  At this point, Hendo’ just needs a win in the Octagon.

The trail on the “Hitman” Misaki has gone cold since his March submission of Siyar Bahadurzada (13-2-1) at Sengoku.

Third-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0) is recovering from a substance abuse problem in Brazil.

He’s scheduled for a rematch with Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) to defend his WEC title, but don’t hold your breath for a Silva versus Filho title unification bout.

Filho and Silva are friends and refuse to fight each other; and, Filho plans to move to 205-pounds win, lose, or draw to Sonnen.

Fourth-ranked Yoshihiro Akiyama‘s (10-1) run at the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix championship ended before it began when he re-injured a nasal bone fracture in training, causing him to withdraw.

Fifth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4) remains the most likely candidate to take a swat at “Spider”, but no official word yet.

Sixth-ranked “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) may be the face of the division when his EliteXC title defense versus “Hands of Stone” Scott Smith (13-4) is broadcast on national television across North America at the end of May.

Ninth-ranked “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-5) debuted before the Nipponese in May with a first-round TKO of Katsuyori Shibata (2-4), but the “W” does little to propel him forward in the division.

May 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 (23-3)

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 and top-ten challenge 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. “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-5)

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.

10. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7)

“Hollywood” served Silva his first losing round in two years, but couldn’t follow-up in round two.  Yo-yoing between weight classes has resulted in a mixed record for the last PRIDE champion in two weight classes.  If he wants 185, he’ll have to commit.

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 Silva stoppage losses, Franklin is still the best of the rest, even according to Silva himself. “Ace” outwrestled notoriously powerful Okami for a decision last July and out-classed “The Athlete” Jason MacDonald before that.

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 and top-ten challenge 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. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7)

“Hollywood” served Silva his first losing round in two years, but couldn’t follow-up in round two.  Yo-yoing between weight classes has resulted in a mixed record for the last PRIDE champion in two weight classes.  If he wants 185, he’ll have to commit.

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.

However, it was UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva who left Nationwide Arena big pimpin’ with a total disclosed payday of $260,000 for his second round submission of “Hollywood” Dan Henderson.

Silva received $70,000 to show, a $70,000 win bonus, a $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus, and a $60,000 Fight of the Night bonus.  Mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money!

Henderson received a $60,000 bonus for participating in Fight of the Night.  “The Crippler” Chris Leben received $60,000 for Knockout of the Night in his victory over “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara.

Despite making the PPV broadcast in an non-stop stand-up war, Josh Koscheck and Dustin Hazelett lost out to Silva v Henderson for Fight of the Night.

The entire run-down below:

Andrei Arlovski: $170,000
Anderson Silva: $140,000
Heath Herring: $140,000
Dan Henderson: $100,000
Diego Sanchez: $60,000
Chris Leben: $50,000
Cheick Kongo: $30,000
Yushin Okami: $28,000
Evan Tanner: $25,000
Josh Koscheck: $20,000
Alessio Sakara: $17,000
Luigi Fioravanti: $16,000
Luke Cummo: $16,000
Jorge Gurgel: $14,000
Dustin Hazelett: $12,000
Jake O’Brien: $11,000
David Bielkheden: $8,000
John Halverson: $3,000

The kickboxer from Curitiba vanquished former PRIDE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion “Hollywood” Dan Henderson in a rear naked choke at 4:52 of the second round.

The first round illustrated why Henderson, 22-7, was pegged as Silva’s last great challenge at 185-pounds.

The wrestler from California nixed the champion’s world class stand-up with lateral movement that prevented Silva from setting and delivering his laser-like strikes.

Henderson grabbed hold of the “Spider” and dumped him to the mat in an awkward half guard that allowed “Hollywood” to smother Silva while peppering him with hammer fists.

The frustrated champion endured to the second frame.

In a sloppy Thai clinch, Silva slammed a knee to Henderson’s chiseled chin, causing the the top contender to crumble.

Silva pounced!  A barrage of strikes convinced Henderson to give up his back, the fatal flaw leading to a rear naked choke submission with just eight seconds to spare in the round.

While UFC broadcasters Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan wondered allowed who could challenge the champion, Silva seemed to indicate a third tussle with former UFC Middleweight Champion “Ace” Rich Franklin was due.

In the broadcasted card’s only heavyweight rumble, “The Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring tumbled into a split decision “W” over Cheick Kongo of France.

The Parisian kickboxer insisted on wrestling, to the surprise of everyone including Herring.  Kongo dumped the Texan by force of will, but never capitalized on his advantageous ground positions as Herring consistently swept and reversed into safer territory.

In the end, Herring’s pitter-patter of pounding and Kongo’s cluelessness on the mat served Herring the “W” and a possible rematch with current interim UFC belt holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, whom Herring came within a hair of beating last year.

In untelevised heavyweight action, former UFC titlist “The Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski wrapped-up his current UFC contract and possibly his Octagon career with second round TKO of Jake O’Brien.

Arlovski has openly entertained the idea of quitting the UFC for greener opportunities.

Another pair of middleweights made the PPV broadcast when former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner was knocked silly…er with a knee from the Thai clinch by Yushin Okami.

The fight was Tanner’s first since April 2006 and the vet seemed to gas late into the first round before eating the death blow at 3:00 of the second.

18-4 Chris Leben TKO’d 185-pound newbie “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara of Italy at 3:16 of round one.

“The Crippler” Leben knocked Sakara to his back with a left hook behind the ear, then pounced on the Roman with six unanswered punches before referee Herb Dean waved the affair closed.

Welterweights Josh Koscheck and Dustin Hazelett lit each other up for a round before a Koscheck kick found the button behind Hazelett’s ear a minute into round two.  Koschek pummeled the fallen fighter until the referee called it a TKO for Koscheck.

The PPV opened with the longest three rounds of my life between welterweight contender Jon Fitch and UFC-debuting Chris Wilson of Team Quest.

Wilson spent most of his Octagon initiation on his bicycle while Fitch tried to chase him down.  The judges awarded Fitch a unanimous decision for aggression and superior wrestling positioning.

The rest of the untelevised portion of the card included a unanimous decision  “W” for 12-3 welterweight Luigi Fioravanti over Luke Cummo, who falls to 6-5.

“Nightmare” Diego Sanchez was tossed a bit of red meat in Sweden’s David Bielkheden after dropping two consecutive fights.  Sanchez devoured Bielkheden in a first round strikes submission.

Lightweight Jorge Gurgel took a unanimous decision over John Halverson to improve to 12-3, 3-2 in the Octagon.

 UFC 82 sold out Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.