Photo by Sherdog.com
Georges "Rush" St. Pierre
His bout with
B.J. Penn is now official, and the welterweight division's ruler -- having vanquished the only two men to defeat him -- will have a golden opportunity to answer perhaps the last nagging question surrounding him. He will attempt to earn a second but more clear and emphatic victory over Penn when they meet on Jan. 31.
If there were any doubts as to who deserves the next crack at the UFC welterweight title after the St. Pierre-Penn rematch, Alves erased them with his sensational showing against
Josh Koscheck at UFC 90 on Oct. 25. With an exciting and well-earned decision, the Brazilian has, in part, atoned for his weight-related indiscretions of the past and more than earned his crack at the UFC’s welterweight crown.
Although Fitch could not hold a competitive candle to St. Pierre in their UFC 87 bout, he likely gained a measure of respect from fans and his contemporaries with the guts he demonstrated in making it all five rounds under heavy fire.
After a competitive but ultimately unsuccessful effort against
Thiago Alves in October, Koscheck bounced back in impressive fashion on Dec. 10. He brutally corked
Yoshiyuki Yoshida and created a fantastic bit of highlight reel footage that puts him firmly back in the UFC's welterweight mix.
Although Sanchez previously announced that his future was as a welterweight, the "Nightmare" will take his act to the lightweight division. He will have the chance to inject himself into the midst of the 155-pound division when he meets
Joe Stevenson in his lightweight debut at UFC 95 in London on Feb. 21.
EliteXC's welterweight champ was extremely keen on finally heading to the UFC, but the legal wrangling within the promotion's still gasping parent company ProElite has stalled Shields' immediate jump into the Octagon.
Already in the twilight of his career, Hughes was exploited by another young, up-and-coming welterweight in Alves at UFC 85. Although some have called for the longtime welterweight king to retire, a grudge match with
Matt Serra is likely next up for Hughes, who continues to recuperate from a knee injury.
The slipper dropped for Serra, who was destroyed in his rematch with St. Pierre in April. However, he might not be done in big bouts, as the potential for a clash with Hughes seems high in the near future.
After a freak, last-minute injury killed his anticipated Sept. 6 bout with
Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 88, Parisyan will get a chance to take on another tough fellow judoka. He is slated to meet rugged South Korean star
Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 94 on Jan. 31.
While challengers are running thin for the talented Condit within the confines of the WEC, "The Natural Born Killer" will likely defend his title in March, possibly against former victim
Brock Larson.
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