Published by Stephen Rhodes
Jason sent this in:
On Saturday, September 19th, mixed martial arts fans in Dallas, Texas will be treated to what could be the best fight card of the year, when UFC 103 heads to the American Airlines Arena. The card is stacked with recognizable fighters, and will be headlined by a 195 pound catch-weight super fight pitting superstar Rich “Ace” Franklin against former UFC champion Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort. Even with no title on the line, UFC 103 should be one of the best fight cards of the year.
Now for the fighters:
Belfort will be making his long-awaited return to the Octagon following his recent successful stint with Affliction, which saw him annihilate both Matt Lindland and Terry Martin with powerful strikes. (From 1997-2005, “The Phenom” bounced back and forth between Pride and the UFC, finding success in both organizations.) Primarily known for his boxing technique and ferocious style, he’ll enter this fight having won his last four bouts.
His fighting career was only recently considered by many in the MMA community to be nearing its end, but if his recent showings are any indication though, he may be making one final push towards a UFC middleweight title. Now Rich Franklin was in a similar position not too long ago, when after losing a second fight against Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title, he was forced to move up in weight or forever be relegated to division gatekeeper.
Since his move to the 205-pound division, “Ace” has looked like a revitalized fighter. He defeated Matt Hamill and Wanderlei Silva, while only losing a controversial decision to Dan Henderson at UFC 93. With a 25-4 professional record, Franklin has shown that he belongs among the UFC elite at any weight. A win against Belfort will put him in title contention for the UFC light heavyweight belt. Since both fighters love to stand in the pocket and strike, this fight could ultimately end up being a nominee for fight of the year.
Also on the card will be a heavyweight match between two of MMA’s most dynamic fighters when Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic tangles with Brazilian kick-boxer Junior “Cigano” dos Santos. “Cro Cop” once ruled Pride’s heavyweight division, where he established himself as one of the greatest MMA athletes in the world. His ability to finish fights with one punch or one kick makes him almost unbeatable on the feet, where 19 of his 25 career wins have come by knockout. Throughout his career he has taken on some of the best fighters in the sport, and he recently signed a three-fight deal with the UFC to make one last heavyweight title run. To do that, however, he will have to get past dos Santos – something that will be no small feat.
“Cigano” enters this match following devastating first round TKO’s of Fabricio Werdum and Stefan Struve in his first two UFC contests. He is considered a younger version of his UFC 103 foe because of his ability to stand and strike. This fight could end quickly, with the winner getting in line for the next heavyweight title shot.
The number one contender spot in the welterweight division was supposed to be decided at UFC 103 with Mike “Quick” Swick taking on Dutch striker Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann – that was until Swick suffered a concussion resulting from a fall during training. Stepping up on short notice to fill in for Swick will be Paul “Semtex” Daley, an English striker who will also be making his UFC debut. “Semtex” enters this bout with a 21-8 career record, and 16 of his wins have come by knockout.
Following a loss at middleweight to Nate Marquardt at UFC 88, Martin Kampmann opted for a drop in weight to challenge for the welterweight title. His recent hard fought split decision win against veteran fighter Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night 18 shows that he may have made the right decision. With the winner possibly getting the next shot at pound-for-pound king Georges “Rush” St. Pierre, expect both fighters to come out guns-blazing. In another pivotal welterweight match, ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ alum Josh “Kos” Koscheck will lock horns with veteran MMA star Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg. Koscheck is an elite wrestler that has gone 10-4 inside the Octagon. He is coming off of a devastating first round knockout loss to Paulo Thiago at UFC 95, and is badly in need of a win to remain part of the division’s elite. In Trigg, he gets a fellow experienced wrestler with a well-rounded game.
Frank Trigg has fought around the world for many different organizations. He owns a 19-6 career record while competing against some of the best welterweights in the world. “Twinkle Toes” recently signed a four fight deal with the UFC to make one final run at the title that he has long desired.
. Sep 18, 2009
Filed under: Octagon Buzz Exclusive, Rich Franklin, UFC 103, Vito Belfort
