Earlier I offered my thoughts on the production aspect of UFC 82. Now, it's time to get into the actual fights.

* Jon Fitch over Chris Wilson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) - I was surprised this fight opened the show because all indications were that Leben vs. Sakara was the TV opener. I wonder why the late change? This fight was slow at times and it seems like Leben vs. Sakara would have been better here.

After the fight, I read a lot about how Fitch didn't look good. Why are people taking credit away from Fitch and not giving proper credit to Wilson? Myself, and others, have been telling the novices out there that even though they may not know who he is Wilson is no joke. Fitch is without question a top five fighter in the world at welterweight and Wilson more than held his own in the first round.

Fitch looked tentative at times because he showed a lot of respect for Wilson's striking. If he hadn't shown that respect, he might have gotten knocked out. You also have to realize that he knew he had a title shot waiting for him -- so long as he didn't lose. Knowing that, why shouldn't have Fitch exercised a degree of caution? What motive did he have to take risks?

The problem is that the UFC needs to stop awarding title shots to fighters when an immediate title shot isn't ready. They told Fitch he had a shot waiting and apparently Karo Parisyan had been told the same. They told Arlovski he had a shot waiting for him if he could beat Werdum. They told Rich Franklin he had a rematch vs. Silva so long as he didn't lose to Yushin Okami. Stop the madness! Just have title eliminators. Have a fight between the two top contenders below the number one contender (who should already be signed to fight for the title) and make it clear the winner will get a title shot within five months (so they can get paid and not be tempted to take another fight while waiting), barring injury. When you do that then fighters have something they have to win as opposed to something they have to try and not lose.

Kudos to UFC VP of Talent Relations Joe Silva for bringing a prospect like Wilson in and making this fight. Wilson is going to be a player at 170 pounds in the UFC.

* Yushin Okami knocked out (knee) Evan Tanner at 3:00 of round 2 - I was pulling for Tanner in this one but it's hard to escape reality. He's been gone for two years and didn't get any younger at that time. He also looked about as rusty as the bottom of his abandoned boat.

I'd love for Tanner to be relevant once again towards the top of the UFC's middleweight division, but that might be overly ambitious for supporters to expect at this stage. And taking on Okami in his first match back could have been a case of biting off more than he could chew.

Okami is improving with each fight. However, he remains a slow starter. It's funny because I was speaking with a friend on the phone Friday who pointed out how slow he is at the beginning of the fight before he comes on strong. Sure enough, that's exactly what we got here. I think just about everyone would like to see Okami be more aggressive but at least he's showing some signs of eventually turning the corner.

* Chris Leben defeats Alessio Sakara via TKO at 3:16 of round 1 - I was thoroughly entertained by this fight. Leben is a great TV fighter. I could spend a lot of time pointing out holes in his game but he has some strengths. Bottom line is that most of his fights are entertaining and he has a lot of wins in the UFC. He's a fighter that doesn't have championship or headlining potential but is still very valuable.

As for Sakara, you know, he's almost become a sympathetic figure in that I personally feel bad when he loses. I realize he beat James Lee in January, but it was hard to get excited about the win considering Lee looked so bad. I hate to say it, but it might time for Sakara to undergo a change in scenery and fight somewhere where he can be a big fish in a small pond as opposed to a little fish in a big pond.

* Heath Herring defeats Cheick Kongo by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) - I agree with Herring, what's up with Kongo showing a ground game and scoring points with the early takedowns? Man, Juanito Ibarra is the man. That guy can completely overhaul someone's game. Kongo might have lost but with Ibarra training him he could go a long way in the sport.

I also have another bone to pick, but something needs to be done about Cecil Peoples. I know that a lot of people in the industry respect the guy. But while I'm sure he's a nice man and that he also knows combat sports very well, he's simply judging MMA fights by an incorrect criteria. How do you give that fight to Kongo? I just don't see it. Even judges have a bad night every now and then, but it seems like Peoples is consistently grading fights on a different curve than other judges.

I should also make it clear that I was really impressed with Herring this past weekend. The way he carried himself during pre and post fight interviews was exceptional. He also fought a good fight last night and seems re-dedicated to the sport. Herring was once a big time heavyweight prospect and still possesses a lot of marketing potential. If he can stay focused and continue to work hard, he could be a big time star.

* Anderson Silva submits (rear naked choke) Dan Henderson at 4:52 of round 2 - The first round went exactly as a I expected and Henderson clearly won the round. After that first round, the outcome of what we saw transpire in the second was the last thing I would have expected.

I was surprised that Henderson didn't defend the choke better. He just left his chin out when Silva had his back and I felt he could have possibly made it hard for Silva to get his arm around his neck. Then again, I wasn't the one caught in a body triangle.

By that point Henderson could have been suffering from air deprivation and his ability to think tactically could have been compromised. The body triangle that Silva had on Henderson was tight and he had it on for an extended period of time. I'm in no position to question Henderson so even though it looked like Silva got the arm in a little too easy, I'm sure that really wasn't the case.

I will play some more armchair cornerman and ask whether or not Henderson's decision to pull guard against Silva was the right move? In hindsight, the obvious answer is no. But if you were in his camp and someone suggested that potential strategy during the training leading up to the fight, would you have said, "Yeah, that's a good game plan." I sure wouldn't have. Yes, standing with Silva is not a great option. Henderson needed the fight on the ground but he needed to put Silva's back to the mat as opposed to having his own pressed against it.

Silva's dominance over Henderson in the second round is amazing when you consider that as a light heavyweight, Henderson knocked out Wanderlei Silva last February and then made an excellent accounting of himself against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson this past September in another bout contested at 205 pounds. Yet, in a middleweight fight, Henderson couldn't make it past the second round against Silva. So what does that say about Anderson Silva?

A lot of people are asking what's next for Silva and I have some ideas. But I'm devoting an article CBSSports.com article to it so you'll have to check it out there.

As for Henderson, where does he go from here? On September 4, he held not one, but two crowns. Now he has none left. His performance last night vs. Silva doesn't warrant a rematch. So he's stuck in a small pile of UFC middleweights who are some of the best fighters in the world but are stuck in limbo because the guy at that top of the heap has already beaten them in dominant fashion. Personally, I'd love to see a match between Henderson and Rich Franklin. But does the match make any sense because where does the winner go from there?

* Josh Koscheck defeats Dustin Hazelett via TKO (strikes) at 1:24 of round 2 - Hazelett looked solid. I think Joe Rogan did an awesome job of underscoring the fact that Hazelett is only 21 and that it would be a mistake for everyone to count the kid out. As a friend told me the other day, Rogan excels at telling you why you should care about a fighter. That's something I'd like to see more of on every telecast. These guys train too hard and take too many risks once the fight starts to have people go on some message forum and say, "I don't care about this fight."

Hazelett looked solid but Koscheck looked good. He got rocked a couple of times and showed a good chin. Koscheck needs to work on his defensive striking skills, but offensively he looked the best he has with his standup. That's the most comfortable I've seen him when exchanging punches.

I couldn't help but notice that he showed a little more aggression during the standup exchanges with Hazelett than usual. Koscheck is now a free agent and I can only guess that he wanted to make sure he goes to the negotiation table on a high note. When you think about it, I'm kind of surprised the UFC put the match on TV because the performance really helps his market value. But hey, I'm not complaining because getting to see the fight was a nice bonus.

CLICK HERE to read a review of the overall production for UFC 82 in Fight Critic: Part 1

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

For me, UFC 82 was a good show. Nothing great, but nothing terrible either. I didn't feel like I got more than my money's worth, but I certainly don't feel cheated either.

The main theme for me coming out of last night's show is the brilliance of Anderson Silva. He officially cleaned out the UFC's middleweight division last night when he somehow managed to finish Dan Henderson with a rear naked choke -- something that might never happen against to Henderson.

I would have loved for the fight to have gone a full five rounds because I was expecting a war and was disappointed in that regard.

I'll have more on the fights later, but I wanted to give my thoughts on the overall production.

First, I've got to give credit to the broadcast team. I've been critical of Mike Goldberg the past few shows but he was solid last night. My only issue with him last night is that I heard a little too much of "It's all over!" People bash Mauro Ranallo for using too much hyperbole, but I appreciate the creativity. It would be nice to hear Goldberg add a few new lines into his rotation.

But the star of the night was Joe Rogan on color. Does Dana White give out bonuses to the broadcasters? If so, Rogan earned one last night. His analysis was on point and he was very fluid and concise in explaining everything. I especially liked his analysis during the Heath Herring fight when Herring kept giving Kongo his back while going for an arm and trying to roll into a Kimura.

My favorite line from Rogan last night was when he said, "The worst part of a mixed martial arts fight is still better than the best part of a baseball game." I'm a baseball fan so I don't agree totally, but I liked the line. I also liked the prelude in which he shared his opinion about how he feels fighters need to be granted more leniency on the ground, and that sometimes it takes time to advance a fight. Good job of adding some content to the broadcast and also educating the newer fans.

I don't want to go overboard, but last night might have been Rogan's best performance. Ever.

I also noticed some minor upgrades to the HD telecast last night. The lights projected much better on my screen and the wide shots looked beautiful. However, while the action came across with great picture clarity on my screen, I still didn't see that added dimension that I see when I watch fights on HDNet. While watching the "Strikeforce at the Dome" show, it looked like some of the punches were coming out of my screen. I still don't see that with the UFC PPV telecasts in HD. I'd love to hear from other HD subscribers because maybe I'm wrong here?

I also felt like there was a faster pacing to the show. I am also curious if anyone else felt the same way? It just seems like the UFC takes forever to get out of one fight and into the next at times but I didn't feel that way last night. Usually I can get up and go to the bathroom without feeling I need to rush back, but I felt rushed last night. Maybe it was something I drank?

I could be wrong again, but I also don't recall any commercials during last night's telecast. Way to go! I also liked the somewhat non-intrusive in-product placement they'd do at the start of some rounds when a small animated graphic would appear in the corner of the screen and Goldberg would do a quick read. I'd love to see more of that during the Spike TV telecasts as opposed to cutting away to inserts. What I saw last night as far as product push was more seamless and subtle than usual. Over the years the networks have worked hard to incorporate advertising into soccer through various innovations and I'd like to see a continued effort in MMA to make sure the broadcast doesn't get broken up too much.

I will say this, I didn't think there was a good enough buildup of the non-main event matches at the top of the show. If I didn't follow the sport actively, I wouldn't have had any idea who was coming up next outside of the Herring vs. Kongo and Silva vs. Henderson fights.

Going into the show, I was curious as to how they were going to handle the Mark Coleman induction. I would have preferred that they induct him live on TV and show a highlight package. But when I first heard that they did the induction ceremony during the non-televised portion of the card my fear was that they wouldn't show Coleman at all. I just think they could have done more with him to call attention to his accomplishments in the sport. Allowing him to commentate during the Herring vs. Kongo match would have been nice.

The announcement that he'll be fighting Brock Lesnar was well done and I love the matchup! Great match making on the part of the UFC. Coleman is the perfect next opponent for Lesnar. I admit, I'm a sucker for the new school vs. old school matches such as Shamrock vs. Ortiz and Hughes vs. Gracie. I can't put a finger on it, but I really get excited for them. Knowing that there will be a Coleman vs. Lesnar match, they definitely should have done a better job educating the newer fans on exactly who Coleman is.

People don't realize that at one point Coleman was "the guy" in MMA. At first it was Royce Gracie and then Ken Shamrock was billed as "The World's Most Dangerous Man" but I always felt Coleman was the third guy in line as far as being the top dog in the UFC. Before losing the heavyweight title to Maurice Smith in a massive upset in '97, Coleman was viewed as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world by a lot of people. And believe it or not, at the time he was considered a well-rounded threat because he could wrestle and throw some power punches. Back then, that was enough to earn you respect as a dual-threat. However, his game at the time wouldn't hold up well by today's standards.

The bottom line is that Lesnar vs. Coleman at the Target Center in Minneapolis in August equals big money.

CLICK HERE to read a review of the fights from UFC 82 in Fight Critic: Part 2 

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

I was not able to attend UFC 82 live, however, thanks to "Mr. Sunshine" Steve Cofield, who recorded the audio, I was able to listen to the post-fight press conference online. I highly recommend you go to Cofield's blog and listen to all the post-fight audio he accumulated while doing his post-show wrap on ESPN 920 in Las Vegas.

Here are the notable comments from the post-fight press conference:

- The official attendance for the event was 16,431 for a live gate of $2.2 million. UFC President Dana White said he loves having fights in Columbus.

- White awarded $120,000 in bonuses to unified middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Silva and former PRIDE welterweight champion Dan Henderson received the bonus for "Fight of the Night" and then Silva also received the award for "Submission of the Night." The bonus money Silva received is in addition to his guarantee and his win bonus. White awarded the $60,000 "Knockout of the Night" bonus to Chris Leben for his first round TKO over Alessio Sakara.

- Henderson was not at the post-fight press conference. White indicated that he felt the main event "delivered." In regards to Henderson, White later added that he feels he belongs at 185 pounds.

- White revealed that the UFC officially offered UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture a fight with UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira but that Couture has yet to respond. A reported pointed out that they already offered Couture the fight but White said that they hadn't offered it to him since Nogueira won the interim title. Again, White said he feels Couture should honor his contract and fight Nogueira because he believes he owes Nogueira the opportunity to fight him because Tim Sylvia gave Couture the same opportunity a year ago.

- A big theme during the press conference was White's stumping for Silva to be recognized by pundits as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He stated at one point that anyone who believes otherwise is "out of their mind." Later in the press conference he went after the Internet media in regards to Silva, referring to them as "knucklehead websites." Later on he said that he feels that the reason more sites don't recognize Silva as the pound-for-pound number and rank Fedor in that spot is out of their hatred for him. He said, "You're a clown if you rank Fedor number one." He did not name a website in particular.

While the comment was directed at any of the sites I am involved with, I'd like to entertain the comment. While I don't take what White says personally, I simply don't agree that Silva is the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. I have him number two, behind Georges St. Pierre. Silva is the better striker, has better submissions off his back, and is more consistent from fight-to-fight. However, St. Pierre's striking is world class, his submissions from the top are better, and he's the far better wrestler. Physically, I can find no weakness in GSP's game. I do feel Silva still has a few, minor flaws to work out.

Also, I'd like to go on the record and state that I don't hate Dana. In fact, I like the guy in many respects. While he will no longer grant me interviews because of my affiliation with ProElite.com, he was a true gentleman in all of my dealings with him prior. I have a lot of respect for what he's done for this sport and thing he does a lot of things right. However, I do not feel he's perfect and I'm not afraid to say when I think he's wrong. My ranking of GSP over Silva is based on my sincere opinion and not personal politics. Again, I'm not taking White's comments personally, I just felt some people might be interested in my comments. Besides, I don't have Fedor ranked number one, so in his eyes I must not be a clown? Okay, I wouldn't bet on that.

- Another common theme is what is next for Anderson Silva. A reporter asked about a possible move to light heavyweight to fight Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Neither Silva or White were opposed to it. White believes that middleweight is Silva's best weight but said if he wanted to move up that he wouldn't discourage it. He added that he tries to keep B.J. Penn in check because Penn wants to fight in every division, including heavyweight. He doesn't feel Penn has the frame to fight above welterweight and told him to clean out a division first before he thinks about moving up. White said he believes Silva has cleaned out the middleweight division.

Okami was brought up and while nobody said he's next, nobody ruled him out as the next challenger. Silva said he'll fight whoever the UFC tells him he needs to fight. White said closer to the start of the conference that they are "working on some things" for Silva and that we should expect more "exciting things from him," but he wouldn't go into specifics. Towards the end, a reporter asked Silva about a fight with Paulo Filho. Silva said that the two are training partners and that a fight between them is "impossible." White interjected that he believes no fight is impossible (spoken like a true promoter) but that he's never really considered a fight between Silva and Filho.

- Yushin Okami suffered a broken right hand during his win over Evan Tanner.

- White initially claimed that Josh Koscheck broke his hand as well, however, Koscheck arrived to the press conference late after returning from the hospital and revealed that X-rays showed no break. He was instructed to undergo an MRI on the injury this week.

- White stopped short of officially naming Jon Fitch as the next challenger for the winner of the welterweight title unification match at UFC 83 in April between Matt Serra in Georges St. Pierre. However, White might as well have given Fitch the official moniker. He said that Fitch "realistically" is line for the next welterweight title shot. At one point White said Fitch "could have waited for his title shot" but chose to fight instead. It wouldn't surprise me if other sites report that White said Fitch will get the next shot, that's how strong his comments were worded.

- To clear up all the confusion, Koscheck is indeed a free agent. White clearly stated that his "contract is up."

- Andrei Arlovski is now officially a free agent as well following his second round TKO over Jake O'Brien during the non-televised portion of the undercard. White said that the UFC is talking to Arlovski and that they are working on a deal.

- As a general observation, Heath Herring showed tremendous charisma throughout the press conference. If I had no idea what the UFC was and was assigned to cover the press conference, I would have thought he was the biggest star on the card. Herring stated that he feels renewed and has fully committed himself to training now. He admitted in the past that he hadn't always trained for his fights. He's happy with his current team and said he's lost about 15 pounds. Herring reiterated that he didn't train for the ground for his fight over Cheick Kongo and that he feels he needs to bring in a coach to work with him on his ground game. If Herring can remain as committed as he sounded last night, he will become a star behind the UFC's marketing machine.

- At the start of the press conference White said he was pleased with the Herring vs. Kongo fight, even going so far as to say they fought like 185 lbs. fighters.

- Dave Meltzer from Yahoo! brought up CBS' deal with EliteXC and White went on a long rant. He basically said they aren't going to cut a "stupid" TV deal and that MMA isn't hot, the UFC is.

- White brought up the Budweiser deal. He called them the "number one sports marketer in the world" (and I personally wouldn't disagree) and said he believes the UFC's deal with them could land them a better network deal. White really seemed excited about all the cross-promotional opportunities and believes they will promote the UFC in stores and at bars.

- White believes that Massachusetts and New York will approve regulation of MMA by year's end. He also said Tennessee is very close. In regards to continued international expansion, White believes Germany is next.

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

Normally when I write this style of article, it generates a lot of controversy.

In this isolated case, I'm not sure how anyone can raise an issue with prediction of a Dan Henderson victory over Anderson Silva this Saturday at UFC 82. Just like I can't raise an issue with someone for picking Silva to beat Henderson.

If this was an NFL game, it would be a pick 'em. It's a matchup with a potential outcome that could go either way. If Silva and Henderson fought ten times, they'd each win five. Blah, blah, blah. You get all the cliche's. But my point is that this is a very even matchup and for anyone planning to do their "I told you so" song and dance after the outcome is official, you need to grow up. This isn't a fight where you'll be able to fault anyone who ended up picking the loser. Instead, you should be giving someone the credit for having the stones to make a pick.

It would be real easy for me or anyone else to recuse ourselves from making a prediction by saying "Oh, this one is just too close to call." But where's the fun in that? So I decided to "man up" last week and take a sobering look at this matchup. My conclusion is that it's Silva's Thai clinch vs. Henderson's Greco Roman body lock.

And I'm taking the body lock.

The key in this match will be who can control the distance. Silva needs to make sure that he keeps Henderson away from him during the initial portion of the fight. If Henderson can close the distance without paying too steep of a price and lock Silva up, then Silva's greatest weapons will be neutralized. Silva needs space to operate.

Yes, there isn't a lot of space in the clinch, and area in which Silva excels at, but he'll need to stay loose during the beginning portion of the match. Trying to crowbar the clinch in against a naturally strong athlete such as Henderson isn't advisable. He's going to need to break Henderson down first before he tries to impose his will and close the distance and in turn go in for the kill.

In regards to Henderson, space will not be his friend. For every step that Silva takes forward, Henderson needs to either take two back or six forward. Meaning, he needs to either stay out of Silva's range, or eliminate it altogether.

Footwork will be essential as that will go a long way towards allowing Henderson to work the dominant angles and control the distance.

We know Henderson has a great right and he proved against Wanderlei Silva last year that his left hook is pretty damn potent as well. However, his striking technique does not come close to rivaling Spider's and engaging in a striking battle for an extended period of time will prove costly.

The good thing about Henderson is that fighting for him isn't about ego. As a former two-time Olympic competitor it's about winning. He doesn't need to beat Silva at his own game in order to feel some sort of satisfaction. As long as he walks with the "W," that will be good enough for him.

Henderson needs to shoot the distance and wrap his arms around the upper portion of Silva's torso, just beneath his arms. He needs to clapse his hands behind Silva's back and hold on for dear life. From there, he needs to put Silva's back up against it, whether it be against the cage or against the canvas. If he puts him against the cage, Henderson will need to utilize his dirty boxing skills. But there's a risk in going the clutch and grab route because the fight will still be standing and Silva, who is also extremely strong, could put himself in a position to respond with an immediate counter-strike.

In spite of Silva's black belt in jiu-jitsu that he received from the Nogueira brothers and his deadly submission game off his back, I still think Henderson's best bet is to go for a trip takedown out of the body lock and take the fight to the floor.

I was watching "Countdown to UFC 82" last night on Spike and started chuckling when Dana White tried to sell everyone on the idea that Silva showed no weakness against Travis Lutter and that he basically dominated the fight. I laughed because he made these comments highlights were shown of Lutter putting Silva on the mat, passing his guard, and throwing blows from the high mount.

White's point was that Silva is such a threat off his back that he was always in a position to win. While playing the bottom in competitive grappling is often a good strategy, it's a risky one when it comes to MMA. White can say all he wants, but what if Silva wasn't successful in his attempt to triangle Lutter?

The notion that Silva is without weakness is ludicrous. He's without question one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world but his wrestling is a major area of weakness and his jiu-jitsu skills do not entirely translate well to MMA. Silva has improved a lot since his days in PRIDE, but he was exposed on the ground on several occasions. And I just happen to believe that Henderson will expose Silva's ground game.

Once Henderson has Silva on his back, he'll need to stack him and lack his elbows against Silva's upper thighs. He must control Silva's legs and prevent him from "climbing." Once Henderson secures position, and I believe he will because that's where his wrestling background will be a tremendous asset, he has to do damage from inside his guard. I don't think trying to improve his position right away is a smart move. He needs to cause some damage before he tries to break free of Silva's guard. If Silva is 100% alert, then Henderson runs the risk of getting caught once he tries to advance because his position will no longer be fully secured.

If Henderson can finish Silva from inside his guard, he will then eventually need to improve his position and try to achieve mount. If he achieves mount, securing position once again will be imperative. Silva is a threat off his back even while mounted as he will have free use of his legs and could possibly attempt to bridge out when Henderson raises up to throw punches. One way to avoid possibly giving up position when throwing strikes from the mount would be to try and utilize short elbows, as it would be a good idea because Henderson will have better weight distribution.

If Silva can't control the distance and gets put on his back, then he will need to control Henderson's wrist and his body. Just like Henderson needs to lock Silva up and eliminate space, Silva needs to keep Henderson tied up in order to limit the momentum he can put behind his punches and elbows.

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

I had the pleasure of taping a recent segment with Ariel Helwani of the audio blog JarryPark.com. The topic of discussion was this Saturday's UFC 82 card.

Ariel and I broke down the Dan Henderson vs. Anderson Silva main event, discussed whether Chris Wilson has a legitimate chance to upset Jon Fitch, whether Cheick Kongo is a legitimate heavyweight contender, and I also gave my thoughts as to what I believe the future holds for Andrei Arlovski after UFC 82. 

CLICK HERE to listen to the segment.

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

The UFC has confirmed through UFC.com that a middleweight bout between Chris Leben and Alessio Sakara has been moved to the televised portion of the scheduled card for UFC 82 on March 1 in Columbus, Ohio.

The promotion of the Leben vs. Sakara match means that a welterweight fight between Diego Sanchez and David Bielkheden has been relegated to the non-televised portion of the card.

(HT: MMAjunkie.com) 

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

Rumors began circulating last week about a middleweight matchup at UFC 82 on March 1 in Columbus, Ohio between Chris Leben and Alessio Sakara. ProElite.com (SamCaplan.ProElite.com) has confirmed through Leben's management that a bout between Leben and Sakara is indeed scheduled to take place.

"Yes, we fight Sakara in Columbus." said manager T. Jay Thompson when contacted for comment via e-mail.

Thompson, who is also the promoter of the ICON Sport promotion in Hawaii, also added, "Chris has been in training camp for the last four weeks and is excited to test himself against Sakara."

Sakara, 12-6, last competed at UFC 80 on January 19, where he disposed of former PRIDE competitor James Lee at 1:30 of round 1 via TKO due to strikes. UFC 82 will mark his first fight since dropping from light heavyweight to middleweight.

Leben is 17-4 overall and 7-3 lifetime in the UFC. He last competed at UFC Fight Night 11 in September, recording a third round knockout victory over Terry Martin.

Leben has recorded notable wins in the UFC over the likes of Jorge Rivera and Patrick Cote and also holds victories over Mike Swick and Benji Radach in fights contested outside of the UFC.

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

Chris Wilson has agreed to step in and face Jon Fitch at UFC 82 on March 1 as an injury replacement for Akihiro Gono, according to Sherdog.com.

While the bout has yet to be officially announced by the UFC, Sherdog is also reporting that Fitch has agreed to the bout as well. 

Prior to agreeing to fight Fitch, Wilson was a part of an exclusive list of the top welterweight fighters in the world not signed to the UFC. Training of of Matt Lindland's Team Quest in Portland, Oregon, Wilson has fought for the IFL and BodogFIGHT promotions in the past.

Wilson compiled a 2-1 record in the IFL during the 2006 season. He posted notable wins towards the end of the season against Rory Markham and current IFL welterweight champion Jay Hieron.

He made his one and only appearance for Bodog during tapings in Vancouver this past August, where he submitted Ray Steinbess with an armbar at 4:00 into round 2. 

Wilson most recently fought in Lindland's Sportfight promotion in October. He recorded a unanimous decision victory over Derrick Noble, garnering Wilson his fourth consecutive win. 

While Wilson may not be a familiar name to casual fans, he's a very dangerous threat to Fitch's aspirations of earning a shot at the UFC welterweight title. While Wilson's wrestling is not at the level of Fitch's, he's very capable on the ground having trained with Lindland for several years. Where Wilson poses the greatest danger to Fitch is his striking, where he will have an advantage.

Even if Wilson is not successful in defeating Fitch he has the potential to be a mainstay in the UFC's welterweight division. 

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

After previously stating he'd be fighting Roan Carneiro at UFC 82 on March 1 in Columbus, Ohio, welterweight Deigo Sanchez sent another bulletin via his MySpace account announcing a new opponent.

According to Sanchez, he is no longer scheduled to fight Carneiro at UFC 82 and is set to square off against Swedish fighter David Bielkheden.

Bielkheden, 12-5, will be making his UFC debut. 

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com