All three bouts were announced by the UFC.

Lopez (11-2) is a student of Wanderlei Silva’s who lost his UFC debut to Justin Edwards in 2011. Lopez and Sadollah (5-3) were scheduled to first meet at UFC 143 but both were injured and the fight was cancelled.

McKenzie (12-2) has gone 1-2 in his three UFC fights since appearing on the Ultimate Fighter 12, while Riley (30-13-1) is 3-3 in his last six UFC fights and 3-5 all-time inside the Octagon.

Tavares (7-1) suffered the first loss of his career at UFC 132 to Aaron Simpson. His opponent, Yang (10-2), sports a 1-2 career record with the UFC.

UFC on Fuel 3 takes place from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. The main card airs on FUEL TV, while the prelims will stream on Facebook. The main event is scheduled to see Dustin Poirier and Chan Sung Jung battle to move one step closer to a shot at the featherweight title.

PHOTO CREDIT – Amir Sadollah

News of the match-up and change in divisional scenery for Ferguson were announced through the UFC’s website.

The 27-year old Ferguson has had his hands raised seven of the last eight times he’s fought including four straight strike-based victories. However, he has yet to face an opponent with Riley’s resume in his career making for a very interesting affair come the UFC’s September stop in Denver.

A veteran of more than forty fights, Riley holds past wins over apt adversaries like Shane Nelson, Jorge Gurgel, and Michihiro Omigawa. Fourteen of his thirty total instances of in-ring success have come via submission with another eleven as the result of the judges’ scorecards. He last competed a little over a year ago at UFC 114 where he notched a Unanimous Decision win over Joe Brammer.

In addition to Riley vs. Ferguson, other pairings expected to take place at UFC 135 include welterweight icon Matt Hughes facing original Ultimate Fighter Diego Sanchez and Japanese striker Takanori Gomi’s attempt to fare better against Nate Diaz than he did against older brother Nick Diaz a few years back.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Set for action at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California, Bellator 35 features the eight men competing for a crack at Ben Askren’s title and a six-figure paycheck taking the first step towards that goal in the form of four opening round match-ups. Read ahead to find out who among the group of Jay Hieron, Dan Hornbuckle, Lyman Good, Rick Hawn, Jim Wallhead, Anthony Lapsley, Chris Lozano, and Brent Weedman will move on to the semi-finals…

Below is a complete listing of Bellator 35 results:

PRELIMINARY CARD (unaired)

Paul Ruiz def. Jesus Castro via TKO Round 1
Zoila Frausto def. Karina Hallinan via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Bender def. Josh Herrick via Submission Round 1 (Guillotine Choke)
Waachiim Spirtwolf def. Jaime Jara via Split Decision

MAIN CARD (MTV 2 – 9:00 PM EST)

Brent Weedman vs. Dan Hornbuckle

ROUND ONE: The friends start out firing shots at each other before Hornbuckle latches on and scoops Weedman up for a takedown. He works for a quick mount but can’t pass half-guard. Weedman reverses him and drops a few strikes from the top but has to be wary of Hornbuckle’s bottom-based submission attack. Weedman throws more punches in the guard but can’t find a clean spot to land one. Hornbuckle throws his legs up for an Armbar, nearly locking up a Triangle Choke in the process, but isn’t able to finish the hold. The two go back to standing before they clinch against the fence. Weedman gets a beautiful throw from the fence and nearly locks up an arm-based submission but runs out of time. Close round but 5 OZ scores the fight 10-9 Weedman after the late flurry of offense and earlier reversal.

ROUND TWO: The two stand for the first thirty seconds before clinching up in the center of the ring. Hornbuckle muscles Weedman backwards up against the fence, then throws a few knees to his body. He backs away while punching and the two re-center the action. Weedman mixes in a few kicks but ends up tripped after Hornbuckle catches his leg. Hornbukcle springs on top and goes for a Rear-Naked Choke but can’t get it. Weedman circles out to the top and avoids a Triangle Choke attempt in the process. Weedman attempts a Heel Hook but Hornbuckle defends, then tries to counter with a Toe Hold. Weedman tries one in return but neither can apply it with enough force to finish the other. The two scramble with Weedman briefly getting mount, then nearly stretching Hornbuckle out for a a Rear-Naked choke before the round expires. Another 10-9 round on the 5 OZ scorecards for Weedman.

ROUND THREE: Both fighters sense the urgency and come out swinging. The two clinch up with Weedman’s back ultimately ending up against the cage. Hornbuckle throws a few knees to Weedman’s thighs who quickly drops down and attempts a Kimura. However, Hornbuckle defends in part due to the fighters’ positioning near the fence and rolls to get Weedman’s side. Weedman has a cut over his eye from earlier action but is not bleeding in a significant manner. Hornbuckle continues working from the top and pushes his way into half-guard. Weedman locks Hornbuckle’s left leg up to prevent him from advancing with “The Handler” answering in the form of punches. Hornbuckle postures up after a little more ground-work and tries to attack but doesn’t land much. The third ends with a quick scramble and brief exchange while standing. Easily Hornbuckle’s round 10-9. The result will definitely come down to how the judges scored the opening stanza after a pair of clear-cut frames.

Winner – Brent Weedman def. Dan Hornbuckle via Unanimous Decision

Jim Wallhead vs. Rick Hawn

ROUND ONE: Hawn comes out as the aggressor causing Wallhead to back up and resulting in a brief clinch against the cage. The two back up, then test the other’s boxing skills in the center of the ring. Hawn looks to be throwing with a bit more technique, even mixing in the occasional leg kick. Hawn closes the distance for a clinch but “Judo” Jim backs up out of the way. Hawn clearly coming off as the better striker at the moment as he’s faster, more precise, and more varied in his approach. Round ends with more of the same. 10-9 Hawn,

ROUND TWO: Wallhead looks slightly more relaxed to open up the second and even lands a solid leg kick. Three minutes in and still very little grappling from either. No significant shots get through but both are staying busy with combos. Wallhead grabs Hawn and lands a quick knee in the clinch but loses his grip and the two go back to kickboxing. Wallhead moves in and tries to wrestle Hawn down but the Olympic judoka maintains his balance. Wallhead tries for another takedown but can’t get it. Round ends without either man’s back having touched the mat. Hard to score based on lack of cleanly landed offense. 5 OZ gives it to Wallhead albeit slightly.

ROUND THREE: Third round looking similar to the first two though Hawn looks to have found his range. Wallhead backs away for a second, then lunges in with a combo. Ref stops action for a second after Wallhead loses his mouthpiece. Wallhead shoots in for a single-leg takedown but Hawn counters and puts the Brit on his back. Hawn works from the guard for about thirty seconds then stands back up. Hawn continues to work forward and keep Wallhead on his toes. Third frame ends with Hawn throwing a body kick. Easy round for Hawn likely resulting in him joining Weedman in the tournament semi-finals.

Winner – Rick Hawn def. Jim Wallhead via Unanimous Decision

Anthony Lapsley vs. Jay Hieron

ROUND ONE: Hieron lands an early punch and goes for a quick Guillotine Choke after Lapsey drops for a second. Lapsley defends and slips out. Hieron recomposes himself, then shoots in again and drives Lapsley down to the mat. Hieron presses Lapsley up against the cage, throwing punches, and slips onto his back. During the ensuing scramble Hieron slides back to the front into mount. He starts working some ground-and-pound, then postures up which causes Lapsey to give up his back. Hieron locks in a Rear-Nake Choke that looks deep but Lapsley doesn’t tap. Josh Rosenthal thinks Lapsley is out cold and stops the fight. Lapsley springs up and argues his case though Rosenthal explains he asked for a response and didn’t receive one.

Winner – Jay Hieron def. Anthony Lapsley via Technical Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke)

Chris Lozano vs. Lyman Good

ROUND ONE: Good stalks forward from the outset and as promised both men show interest in keeping things standing. Lozano maintains his poise and answers Good’s strikes with a counter to Good’s body. Good slips after an errant kick but gets back to his feet before Lozano can take advantage. Combos from both with Good getting a minor edge in the exchange. Round expires with Good taking the round on the 5 OZ scorecard 10-9 based on precision and overall aggression.

ROUND TWO: Good clinches Lozano’s torso and pushes him up against the fence. Lozano fights back and pushes Good away while landing a few knees to his body. The two separate momentarily and go back to the clinch with Lozano again bullying his way off the fence for a second time. Lozano lands a body shot but Good answers with a clean punch that seems to have hurt his undefeated opponent. Lozano springs forward but gets caught in a clinch and his mouthpiece goes flying. Lozano’s left eye looks to have been hurt during the sequence, possibly from an accidental headbutt, and is causing him to noticeably squint. The lack of vision starts to affect his striking with Good picking up more and more momentum while standing. Lozano plays it safe and avoids taking any more clean shots but gives up a takedown at the end of the round. Two rounds to none for Good thus far.

ROUND THREE: Lozano tries to quickly jump into a Guillotine Choke but Good shakes him off. They stand for a bit with Lozano again working for a Guillotine when the opportunity presents itself. It appears he understands the gravity of the situation in terms of scoring and his damaged eye. Lozano showing a lot of heart, marching in fearlessly and trying to out-muscle Good in the clinch. However, Good works him against the fence and then scoops his legs out fro under him. Good throws shots to the downed Lozano for a few seconds before things return to the standing position. Good gets behind Lozano and lands a solid knee to Lozano’s face. He drags Lozano to the mat, works from the top, and continues looking for the finish. Good gets Lozano’s back and finishes the round in position to latch on a Rear-Naked Choke. Hard-fought, albeit easy to score, win for the former Bellator champ.

Winner – Lyman Good def. Chris Lozano via Unanimous Decision

Your Bellator Season 4 Welterweight Tournament semi-finalists are:

Brent Weedman
Rick Hawn
Jay Hieron
Lyman Good

MMAWeekly.com was the first to report the news, which confirmed the rematch with a source close to Nelson’s camp.

Referee Rick Fike declared Nelson the winner via TKO just 44 seconds into the bout soon after Nelson dropped Riley with a punch. Nelson went in for the finish while Riley began to defend himself and Fike inexplicably called a premature stop to the fight.

Nelson’s victory over Riley improved his record to 12-3. The B.J. Penn-trained fighter is a Hawaiian native and prior to the UFC had spent most of his career competing on the Islands. While fighting for promotions just as X-1 and Rumble on the Rock, Nelson posted notable victories over Kaleo Kwan and Harris Sarmiento.

Coming off the heels of a six-fight win streak, Nelson was cast for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter last January and made it to the final field of 16 after winning a qualifying bout against Charles Diaz. However, he was eliminated following  a loss in the every next round when he was submitted by eventual lightweight show winner Efrain Escudero. He then rebounded during the show’s live season finale on Dec. 13 after recording a split decision victory over George Roop.

Riley made his UFC return at UFC 91 in November and won a unanimous decision against Jorge Gurgel. Currently 27-11-1 overall with a lifetime record of 1-3 inside the Octagon, the 12-year veteran is currently on this third tour of duty with the UFC and has also competed for PRIDE and BodogFIGHT.

UFC 101 is currently scheduled to be headlined by Nelson’s trainer, B.J. Penn, defending the UFC lightweight title against number one contender Kenny Florian.

Aaron Riley (27-10-1) vs. Shane Nelson (11-3)

Despite a pedigree that includes training under B.J. Penn, Nelson is hardly a blue chip prospect. Having develop a reputation on the Hawaiian MMA scene for being less than an exciting fighter, Nelson still got a shot to be a part of the cast for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Despite winning in the qualifying round and make it into the house, Nelson was eliminated from competition early against eventual-lightweight winner Efrain Escudero. Despite the loss, he showed enough to get a shot in a non-televised match at the TUF 8 finale against George Roop.

While Nelson earned a split decision win over Riley, the UFC’s lightweight division is overstocked and native Hawaiian’s job security is less than certain.

Currently on his third tour of duty with the UFC, the rugged and experienced Riley earned his first win inside of the Octagon at UFC 91 this past November when he recorded a unanimous decision win over Jorge Gurgel that knocked Gurgel out of the UFC.

With previous UFC losses against Spencer Fisher and Robbie Lawler, the 28-year old journeyman will look to win his fourth consecutive fight and keep his spot in the UFC.

It’s hard to break down this matchup, as Nelson has the better jiu-jitsu yet Riley is stronger and more aggressive. In the end, I believe Riley’s experience and versatility will prove to be the difference.

Prediction: Riley over Nelson via second round TKO.

The news is courtesy of a report from MMAjunkie.com, which quoted a source close to Nelson as indicating that the fight is close to being finalized.

Nelson’s victory over Roop improved his record to 11-3. The B.J. Penn-trained fighter is a Hawaiian native and prior to the UFC had spent most of his career competing on the Islands. While fighting for promotions just as X-1 and Rumble on the Rock, Nelson posted notable victories over Kaleo Kwan and Harris Sarmiento.

Coming off the heels of a six-fight win streak, Nelson was cast for TUF 8 last January and made it to the final field of 16 after winning a qualifying bout against Charles Diaz. However, he was eliminated following  a loss in the every next round when he was submitted by eventual lightweight show winner Efrain Escudero.

Riley made his UFC return at UFC 91 in November and won a unanimous decision against Jorge Gurgel. The victory improved Riley’s overall MMA record to 27-10-1 and his UFC record to 1-2.

UFC 96 will take place in Columbus, Ohio and emanate from the Nationwide Arena. Other bouts currently expected for the event include Jim Miller vs. Gray Maynard, Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga, and Kendall Grove vs. Jason Day, and Dustin Hazelett vs. Ben Saunders.

Despite lofty projections for PPV sales of the event, officials with the promotion awarded $60,000 bonuses after having awarded $70,000 bonuses during last month’s UFC 90 event in Rosemont, Illinois.

Receiving the 65K bonuses last night on top of their originally scheduled pay were Dustin Hazelett, Jeremy Stephens, Jorge Gurgel, and Aaron Riley.

Hazelett was awarded the “Submission of the Night” bonus following a victory via armbar against fellow welterweight Tamdan McCrory at 3:59 of round 1. The award marked the second time in the 22-year old black belt’s career that he has earned such honors. After the fight, Hazelett informed UFC color commentary Joe Rogan that it is his goal to set the UFC-career record for “Submission of the Night” awards.

The “Knockout of the Night” award went to Jeremy Stephens after the native Iowan thwarted multiple submission attempts by Rafael dos Anjos en route to a third round TKO. In what was proclaimed by color commentator Rogan as one of the biggest uppercuts in UFC history, Stephens deemed his lackluster performance in the first two rounds as irrelevant after loading up and delivering.

Stephens began to swing while outside of dos Anjos’ range but continued to move forward as the punch slipped through dos Anjos’ guard and turned his head at a 90 degree angle. The momentum behind the punch forced a discharge of saliva from the mouth of dos Anjos and made his neck to move as if it was on a swivel.

Both Gurgel and Riley were the recipitients of the “Fight of the Night” bonus following their preliminary card fight that ended with Riley winning via unanimous decision. Despite having taken place as the fourth fight on the card, UFC officials still managed to squeeze the fight into last night’s PPV telecast by airing it immediately after the night’s main event of Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar had concluded.

Even though Gurgel holds a black belt in jiu-jitsu, he decided to engage in a standup battle with Riley, who was making his return to the Octagon after two prior tours of duty with the promotion. Gurgel’s decision not to take the fight to the floor cost him not only the battle but the war, but he’s now $60,000 richer to show for the effort.

The news comes from our good friends over at MMA Junkie.

Chonan had to pull out of the UFC 85 clash due to a rib injury, leaving Carneiro to take on a replacement fighter in the form of the unheralded Kevin Burns. In a surprising turn of events, the BJJ black belt was submitted by the lowly Burns. However, Carneiro finds himself in a rare position in which he could all but erase the result of the Burns’ fight by winning the fight he against the opponent he was originally set to face.

Chonan, on the other hand, is coming back from an injury to find everything is where he left it as the fight he had to cancel due to injury is still there, glaring back at him. It will be an important fight for “Piranha” as he failed to impress in his debut where he was on the wrong end of a Karo Decisyan.

UFC 88 is headlined by a light heavyweight showdown between Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans.

Read more UFC 88 content on FiveOuncesOfPain.com.

Roan Carneiro and Ryo Chonan have signed to fight at UFC 85 on June 7 in London, sources close to both camps have told Sherdog.com.

The bout will be a rematch of a Feb. 12, 2005, meeting in Deep. Chonan (14-8) stopped the Brazilian on a cut in that first fight after landing a knee as Carneiro (12-6) tried for a takedown.

Chonan was recently saying that he had “no money,” according to a translation of his blog and was awaiting his next fight. Now he’s got it and it looks be a damn good one on paper. This Joe Silva character knows what he’s doing sometimes.

The match announcement has yet to be confirmed by the UFC.

Sanchez is coming off two consecutive losses, which served as the first times he had been defeated after starting his pro MMA career as 17-0.

His first career loss came at the hands of former fellow alumnus from the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Josh Koscheck. Koscheck won a unanimous decision vs. Sanchez at UFC 69 last April.

Sanchez tried unsuccessfully to return to his winning ways at UFC 76 this past September but lost a split decision to Koscheck’s training partner at the American Kickboxing Academy, Jon Fitch.

Carneiro, a former member of Brazilian Top Team who now trains with American Top Team in Florida, is 12-6 lifetime overall and 2-1 for his career in the UFC.

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