File Photo: Sherdog.com
Eleven fights are now official for the event, which will be headlined by a long-awaited grudge match between former light heavyweight champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rashad Evans.
Based out of the Wolfslair Academy, Bisping last appeared in February, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Brazilian icon Wanderlei Silva at UFC 110 in Australia. Wins over Matt Hamill, Chris Leben and 2006 Pride Fighting Championships welterweight grand prix finalist Denis Kang highlight the 31-year-old’s resume. In 21 professional bouts, Bisping has been finished only once. The former Cage Rage and FX3 champion rose to global prominence four years ago, when he defeated Josh Haynes to win an eight-man light heavyweight tournament on Season 3 of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Miller finds himself on a two-fight losing streak for the first time in his career. The 28-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has not competed since being outpointed by Demian Maia at UFC 109 in February. Anchored at the AMA Fight Club, Miller has secured seven of his 11 career wins by submission. The Sparta, N.J., native holds notable victories against John Howard, Jake Rosholt and former IFL middleweight titleholder Matt Horwich.
The heavyweights will also take center stage on the main card, as the unbeaten Todd Duffee locks horns with Pride veteran Mike Russow.
The 24-year-old Duffee has roared through his first six opponents, finishing five of them inside one round. He dazzled in his promotional debut, as the Evansville, Ind., native knocked out Tim Hague in just seven seconds at UFC 102 in August. A Herculean heavyweight at 6-foot-3, 260 pounds, Duffee now trains out of Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts in Las Vegas.
Russow, 33, will carry an eight-fight winning streak into the match. A decorated amateur wrestler who was a three-time Div. I national qualifier at Eastern Illinois University, the once-beaten Chicagoan earned a unanimous decision over Justin McCully at UFC 102. Eight of Russow’s 12 career wins have come by submission.
UFC 114 will be heavily populated by past winners of “The Ultimate Fighter.” In addition to Evans and Forrest Griffin -- who meets Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the co-headliner -- the show will also feature Diego Sanchez, Amir Sadollah and Efrain Escudero.
Sanchez, after a three-fight stop at 155 pounds, will return to the welterweight division, where the unbeaten John Hathaway awaits.
Sanchez has not appeared since being systematically dismantled by former lightweight champion B.J. Penn in the UFC 107 main event four months ago. The 28-year-old Albuquerque, N.M., native had never before been finished. Sanchez counts victories over reigning Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago, current Strikeforce welterweight titleholder Nick Diaz and top lightweight contender Kenny Florian among his 21 career conquests.
His return to the 170-pound division will be no walk in the park. Perfect through a dozen professional bouts, Hathaway outpointed Paul Taylor by unanimous decision at UFC 105 in November. The 22-year-old London Shootfighters standout has finished six of his first 12 foes inside one round. His showdown with Sanchez will serve as his debut on American soil.
Meanwhile, Sadollah, the unlikely winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 7, will collide with rugged South Korean judoka Dong Hyun Kim in a pivotal matchup at 170 pounds.
Sadollah will ride a two-fight winning streak into the match. The 29-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y., native last competed in January, when he dominated International Fight League veteran Brad Blackburn en route to a unanimous decision. Victories over C.B. Dollaway and UFC, Strikeforce and Pride Fighting Championships veteran Phil Baroni anchor his resume.
A fourth-degree black belt in judo, Kim has not fought since he posted a unanimous decision over Canadian T.J. Grant at UFC 100 nine months ago. The 28-year-old has delivered half (six) of his 12 career wins by knockout or technical knockout.
Escudero, on the rebound for the first time in his career following his submission loss to Evan Dunham, will take on Dan Lauzon in a preliminary lightweight duel.
Still only 24, Escudero already has wins over American Top Team’s Cole Miller and Phillipe Nover under his belt. The Mexican-born lightweight has not fought since succumbing to Dunham’s armbar at UFC Fight Night 20 in January. Escudero has secured nine of his 12 career wins by submission.
The 22-year-old Lauzon has never gone the distance in 15 professional appearances. He has posted seven wins in eight fights, though a submission loss to Miller at UFC 108 in January stymied his considerable momentum. The Brockton, Mass., native has stopped eight opponents inside the first round.
UFC 114 will also host a preliminary light heavyweight showdown pitting the world-ranked Luis Arthur Cane against Cyrille Diabate, a lightweight duel pairing Aaron Riley with Joe Brammer and a middleweight matchup between Jesse Forbes and Ryan Jensen.