Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Round One: The New UFC Middleweight Title Top Contender Is…
Yushin Okami, who rolled past Nate Marquardt in three rounds of action to earn an opportunity at the UFC Middleweight Title. Yushin Okami, who already holds a victory over UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, now gets his long anticipated title opportunity. The question for Yushin Okami is, will he face current champion Anderson Silva or potential future champion Vitor Belfort in 2011? As for Nate Marquardt, it must be embarrassing when your boss calls you a choke artist in the post fight press conference.
Next Round For Yushin Okami: The Anderson Silva/Vitor Belfort winner
Next Round For Nate Marquardt: The Anderson Silva/Vitor Belfort loser, Tom Lawlor or Dan Miller
Round Two: A New Contender Enters The Frey
In one fight, stalwart Dennis Siver has turned himself from lightweight division gatekeeper to lightweight division contender. Dennis Siver mixed an exciting striking style with a dominant ground game to choke out Andre Winner at UFC 122. Dennis Siver must now take a few more fights in North America, to better acclimate himself with those fans, as he already has a strong international fan base. Andre Winner, now with two straight losses in the UFC, could find himself on the chopping block in short fashion.
Next Round For Dennis Siver: Cole Miller, Dustin Hazelett or Joe Stevenson
Next Round For Andre Winner: Mark Bocek, Nik Lentz or Melvin Guillard
Round Three: Reality Star Victory
Despite being an UFC Ultimate Fighter Champion, Amir Sadollah has yet to truly become a contender in the UFC Welterweight Division. Amir Sadollah already holds an impressive victory over top MMA veteran Phil Baroni, so a victory over Peter Sobotta is a little less glamorous, but helps him rebound from a loss earlier in the year to Dong Hyun Kim. Amir Sadollah still needs to get a few more quality victories before he can become a topic in the title contention discussion. Peter Sobotta now has suffered three straight losses in the UFC, so it would not be shocking for him to get a UFC release.
Next Round For Amir Sadollah: Nate Diaz, Dan Hardy or Matt Serra
Next Round For Peter Sobotta: A UFC release
Round Four: The Experiment Is A Success
Krzysztof Soszynski was a potential bad showing away from being on the bottom rung of the UFC ladder, but he pushed himself from the bottom on Saturday Night. Krzysztof Soszynski used superior striking skills and several kimura attempts on Goran Reljic to outpoint his opponent on route to a unanimous decision victory. Krzysztof Soszynski now gets another opportunity to get to the top of the UFC Light Heavyweight Division in the coming year. As for Goran Reljic, this once promising fighter could be a loss away from waving goodbye to the octagon for now.
Next Round For Krzysztof Soszynski: A rubber match with Stephan Bonnar or Matt Hamill
Next Round For Goran Reljic: Seth Petruzelli, Luiz Cane or Vladimir Matyushenko
Round Five: Illness Creates Opportunity
The originally planned co-main event of UFC 122 was scheduled to be Jorge Rivera taking on Alessio Sakara in a middleweight competition. However, hours before the event began in Germany, Alessio Sakara became violently ill and had to pull out of the fight. In its place, the welterweight battle between Nick Osipczak and Duane Ludwig was promoted to the main card. The result of that encounter saw Duane Ludwig outpoint Nick Osipczak on route to a unanimous decision victory.
Next Round For Jorge Rivera: Michael Bisping at UFC 125
Next Round For Alessio Sakara: Alan Belcher, Dan Miller or Yoshihiro Akiyama
Next Round For Duane Ludwig: Joe Lauzon, Sam Stout or Cole Miller
Next Round For Nick Osipczak: Mark Bocek, Nik Lentz or Gleison Tibau
You can contact David Tees at bigteesps3@yahoo.com
