However, according to a report by MMA Weekly, Lister’s management at Haykmaker’s Empire is claiming that he was released per his own request. The reason given as to why Lister wanted out of his UFC contract — which paid him $19,000 for his recent loss to Okami — was so that he could seek a new employer in 2009.

Lister departs the UFC with a career 4-2 record, which includes his unanimous decision loss to Okami at UFC 92. His only other loss took place against Nathan Marquardt during UFC Fight Night 8 while his win in the Octagon have come against against Jeremy Horn, Yuki Sasaki, Jordan Radev, and Alessio Sakara.

Prior to joining the UFC, Lister competed for the King of the Cage promotion and PRIDE. After going 6-2 with KOTC, Lister ventured to Japan where he competed in three fights under the PRIDE banner, going 1-2 with losses to Ricardo Arona and Amar Suloev and a victory over Akira Shoji.

A trip back to Japan may not be out of the cards for Lister, with the MMA Weekly report indicating that both Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza of DREAM and Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago are on his wish list of future opponents.

While the vast majority of the country waits for the live feed to hit their television screens, Okami and Lister will be doing battle inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in a fight that could very well determine which man remains employed with the largest fight organization in the world.

Despite having an impressive 6-1 record in the UFC, Okami has been cursed with the stigma of being known as a “boring fighter.” Furthermore, the UFC is trying hard to get its roster down to 140 fighters and Dave Meltzer speculated in a recent edition of The Wrestling Observer that the loser of Saturday’s non-televised middleweight encounter could have their contract cut by the UFC.

Okami re-signed with the UFC not too long ago but Zuffa retains the legal option to cut most of its fighters following a loss. If Okami doesn’t win Saturday, there’s not much that the UFC can do with him. The question is, what can be done with him even if he wins?

It would appear that capitalizing on the history that exists between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Okami stemming from their semi-controversial encounter at Rumble on the Rock 8 in 2006 isn’t a top priority for the UFC right now. Despite having a DQ win over Silva, a planned October title bout never happened due to an injury sustained by Okami. It looks like Okami’s small window of opportunity may have closed because when Silva returns this April at UFC 97, it will be Thales Leites who will be challenging Silva and not Okami.

Okami finds himself in a position where he is not making entry-level money in the UFC, which is both a blessing and a curse. He just happens to fall into the mid-level salary category that fighters such as Fabricio Werdum, Marcus Aurelio, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou all fell into. From a pure fighting perspective, the latter three all belong in the UFC. However, they weren’t delivering a strong rate of return so the UFC deemed them expendable.

If Okami can’t get past Lister, then he too will likely be deemed expendable. The promotion isn’t going to continue to pay him tens of thousands of dollars to appear in non-televised bouts with no promise of moving up the card.

With a 4-1 lifetime UFC record, Lister doesn’t belong on the chopping block based on merit. However, three of his five fights have gone to decision and like Okami, Lister has developed a reputation for having fights that are less than entertaining.

One of the greatest American-born jiu-jitsu practitioners alive, Lister is by and large a one-dimensional fighter. His standup has made strides but his striking still looked less than polished during a submission victory over Jeremy Horn at the live finale for the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter in June.

And as yet another mid-level salary fighter, Lister has to move up the ladder because the UFC isn’t going to pay him tens of thousands of dollars to appear in dark matches when they can give the same slot to a younger fighter earning $3,000 to show and $3,000 to win.

So while you’re kicking back this Saturday drinking a cold one and downing your second slice of pizza, just remember that at the same time in Las Vegas there will be two men likely fighting for their livelihoods.

According to Shnerer, the bout is off the Sept. 17 fight card because of a knee injury sustained by Lister during training.

UFN 15 will emanate from Omaha Civic Center in Omaha, Nebraska and will feature a lightweight main event between Nate Diaz, the winner of the fifth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” and Josh Neer.

The event will serve as a lead-in for the season premiere of the eighth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and will also feature bouts between Houston Alexander vs. Eric Schafer, Clay Guida vs. Mac Danzig, Joe Lauzon vs. Kyle Bradley, Alan Belcher vs. Ed Herman, Jeremy Horn vs. Wilson Gouveia, and Drew McFedries vs. Mike Massenzio.

The news was first reported on Monday by our friends at MMAjunkie.com.

Since losing the TUF 5 final against Nate Diaz due to a shoulder injury, Gamburyan has gone 2-0 in the UFC with submission wins over Nate Mohr at UFC 79 and Jeff Cox at UFC Fight Night 13.

Emerson, who is 7-6 according to Sherdog’s fight finder, last competed at UFC 81 in February, where he recorded a split decision victory over Keita Nakamura. He had been scheduled to fight this past weekend vs. Terry Etim at UFC 84 as an injury replacement, but he ended up having to be replaced himself by Rich Clementi due to injury.

UFC 87 is scheduled to be headlined by a welterweight title defense by Georges St. Pierre against number one contender Jon Fitch. Other bouts include a heavyweight tilt between Heath Herring and Brock Lesnar as well as a lightweight bout between Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta.

This listing goes against a widely accepted report from MMA Junkie back in February that Etim would take on Jeremy Stephens. In my recent MMA blog travels I haven’t noticed anyone disputing Junkie’s report or mentioning a possible injury to Stephens that would have kept him out of the bout.

It must be noted that UFC.com never officially announced Etim vs. Stephens. It just seems strange to me that Stephens would announce that he has signed a bout agreement to fight Etim but then for the fight to fizzle out without anyone really noticing. Whatever the reason, it will most likely come out in the next few days.

Stephens’ “replacement”, Rob Emerson (7-6) is coming off a split decision victory over Keita Nakamura at UFC 81 back in February.

Update: MMA Junkie has now confirmed that Stephens had to pull out of the bout with Etim due to a “minor legal situation.”

Read more UFC 84 content on FiveOuncesOfPain.com.

In regard to the decision:

“I stopped the fight as Rob was in pain. I did not see a tap, but I don’t see what it matters. In boxing we give both fighters an 8 count and may count one or both fighters out. In this sport we don’t have an 8 count. But both fighters were done. Should a fighter who is out win? I don’t have time to think about all this stuff but I hope we can learn. I do think it was the right call.

“I also want to say the call was mine. I informed the commission that both fighters were unable to continue. That was my call.”

I still disagree with the decision. Mazzagatti didn’t even acknowledge Maynard’s condition until after the fight. He was completely focused on Emerson.

In any event, a rematch between Maynard and Emerson is already in the works, as is a possible rematch between Nate Diaz and Manny Gamburyan. However, the Diaz vs. Gamburyan may have to wait because it’s looking likely as though he’ll undergo surgery.

Update: In a previous version of this story I incorrectly stated that Loretta Hunt fromThe Fight Network had reported that UFC president Dana White was seen speaking with Mazzagatti and NSAC officials after the fight was stopped. Loretta never reported that and it was irresponsible on my part to attribute those comments to her.