With that being said, it strikes me as extremely odd that there has been no real report of what was blatantly apparent on Saturday evening’s live UFC broadcast.

Just after having the vaseline applied to his face prior to entering the cage for his UFC 97 title defense against Thales Leites, Silva rubbed his hands over the ointment and wiped them all over his chest, stomach and arms four separate times upon entering the octagon. The entire ordeal took about twelve seconds in plain view of the pay-per-view cameras. The UFC middleweight champion rubbed the grease from his face to his body one more time just as his name was announced.

Following the enormous Grease-Gate scandal that followed the second B.J. Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre battle where GSP and his corner were called out because of one cornerman’s decision to wipe a small portion of grease on the welterweight champion’s chest, back and shoulders, it seems strange that there were so few that have paid the recent incident with Silva much, if any attention.

Is it only greasing if a fighter’s cornerman is the guilty party? Do greasing restrictions not apply in Canada? While I will be the first to admit that the sport doesn’t need another incident such as this, something must be said about the perceived double standard.

Following last night’s TKO loss to Rua at 4:28 of round 1, White indicated stated during the company’s post-fight press conference at the Bell Centre that Liddell’s fourth defeat in his last five fights has marked the end of an era.

When asked by the Canadian Press’ Neil Davidson about Liddell’s future in the UFC, White didn’t pull any punches.

“… There was no mystery in this,” he said regarding what a loss would mean for Liddell’s future. “My promotion for this fight it’s like watching Jordan’s in his last game… It was the end of an era tonight. Since before we’ve bought this company, (Chuck) has been with me since I got into mixed martial arts. He’s been a loyal friend and partner.”

White, who managed Liddell before him and the Fertitta Brothers formed Zuffa LLC in 2001 and purchased the UFC from the Semaphore Entertainment Group, isn’t about to allow his affinity for the man who help put his company on the map jeopardize his long-term health.

“At the end of the day and I say this all the time, and the media likes to portrary me as a tyrant who terrorizers people, or whatever my title is, but I care about these guys,” he began. “I don’t want to see anyone stick around too long and I don’t want to see anybody get hurt. In the almost 20-year history of the UFC there’s never been a death or a serious injury.”

And to the surprise of no one, White continued by making the proclamation that UFC 97 was the last time fans will get to see Liddell compete.

“You’re never going to see Chuck Liddell on the canvas again, I can tell you that,” pronounced White. “He’s done. Tonight was the end of an era. One of the best greatest in this sport fought his last fight tonight.”

During the press conference, Liddell stopped short of announcing his retirement. He expressed his desire to wait until Monday before thinking about his next move but still conceded that UFC 97 perhaps was his last fight.

If UFC 97 was truly the last fight for Liddell, it will mark the end of a career that saw him accumulate a 21-7 record that saw him successfully defend the UFC light heavyweight title four times. Perhaps the most recnogizable fighter in MMA, Liddell’s storied career includes notable victories over former PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva, former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Randy Couture, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral, former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman, and former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort.

Saturday’s event marked the first time the UFC held an event at the Bell Centre since last year’s UFC 83 in which a soldout crowd saw hometown hero Georges St. Pierre reclaim the UFC welterweight title following a second round TKO victory over Matt Serra.

Despite not having St. Pierre as a headliner for the show, the night’s co-main event matchups featuring UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites and former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua drew a sellout crowd of 21,451.

According to UFC President Dana White while speaking at the post-fight conference, the strong crowd equated to a total gate of $4.9 million.

The total attendees figure was good enough to set the new North America record in regard to that category but the total house fell shot of the UFC’s record gate, which still remains $5,397,000 for UFC 66, which was headlined by the second-ever fight between Liddell and Tito Ortiz.

The gate for UFC 97 rates as the fourth-highest in North American history, behind not only UFC 66 but also UFC 83 last year in Montreal and UFC 79. Despite drawing more fans for UFC 97 than UFC 83, UFC 83 still recorded a total gate of $5,100,000.

Shogun was given the nod for his hefty bonus payday because of his impressive knockout of former UFC light heavyweight Chuck Liddell in the first round. A solid left hand dropped Liddell, and a series of hammerfists brought an end to the bout.

Soszynski also received a bonus check when he showed that he was the far more dangerous ground fighter in his bout with Brian Stann when he tapped out the former WEC champion with a slick first round Kimura .

Wiman and Stout found themselves as unexpected main card fighters at UFC 97 and they took the opportunity to put on a fast paced back and forth lightweight brawl that grabbed “Fight of the Night” honors and ended with Stout’s hand being raised for the unanimous decision victory. This bonus marks Wiman’s third consecutive bout that he has received Fight of the Night honors for.

Anderson Silva managed to retain his UFC middleweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over Thales Leites in a bout that was sure to do nothing for his “pound for pound” status.

Neither fighter showed much of a willingness to engage the other for any duration of time for the fights full five rounds. Doing a play-by-play breakdown on the bout would be painful so if you haven’t had a chance to see the fight you can rest assured that it was very forgettable at best. In the fifth round of the middleweight championship contest most fans at ringside were fed up and expressed their discontent with overwhelming chants of “Bull****” and “GSP”.

After it was all said and done Silva picked up the unanimous decision in a fight many were glad was over with scores of 49-46, 48-47, and 50-46. The victory tied separate records for the most consecutive wins and the most title defenses in the UFC for the dominant middleweight champion.

The lackluster middleweight championship match-up capped of the otherwise entertaining UFC 97: Redemption card which took place at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday night.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua didn’t have enough time to silence his critics about his recent endurance problems as he dropped Chuck Liddell with a left hook late in the first round and proceeded to batter the former UFC light heavyweight champion with an unforgiving series of hammerfists for the first round TKO victory. The two feared strikers traded shots early in the first before Shogun managed to drag Liddell to the canvas. Once there Shogun was able to work for a heel hook and briefly take Liddell’s back before the two stood back up for the bouts finish.

The win is sure to propel Shogun towards an eventual title shot at some point down the road in the UFC while it is unknown what the loss may mean for Liddell at this point. The defeat was the fourth in his last five bouts, with three of those losses coming by convincing knockout stoppages.

Other action of the night saw Cheick Kongo derailing Antoni Hardonk‘s recent win streak with a dominating first round ground and pound beatdown. Kongo was able to utilize his superior wrestling to rain down a series of brutal elbows and punches to force a halt to the heavyweight showdown.

Luiz Cane out-banged Steve Cantwell in an exciting fight that will push Cane closer to a title shot at light heavyweight along with Shogun. Cantwell had his moments during the fight but Cane’s more poweful strikes proved to be the difference in his unanimous decision victory.

Brian Stann ran into a wall in the form of a Krzysztof Soszynski kimura in the first round of his UFC debut.

On the undercard Nate Quarry beat Jason MacDonald bloody in the first round of their bout, Denis Kang got back on track, Mark Bocek looked impressive and much more.

A full list of the results from UFC 97: Redemption are listed below.

Anderson Silva def. Thales Leites via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 50-46)

Sam Stout def. Matt Wiman via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua def. Chuck Liddell via TKO – Round 1, 4:28

Krzysztof Soszynski def. Brian Stann via submission – Round 1, 3:53

Cheick Kongo def. Antoni Hardonk via TKO – Round 2, 2:29

Luiz Cane def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Denis Kang def. Xavier Foupa-Pokam via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Nate Quarry def. Jason MacDonald via TKO – Round 1, 2:27

Ed Herman def. David Loiseau via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Mark Bocek def. David Bielkheden via submission – Round 1, 4:57

T.J. Grant def. Ryo Chonan via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Eliot Marshall def. Vinicius Magalhaes via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Our Live Event Chat Room will be providing up to the minute live coverage of tonights 12 fights.  You can enter the room and chat with other FiveOuncesofPain.com readers HERE.

Tonight’s fight card is as follows.

Due to the event having 12 fights tonights start time is  7:30PM  EST.

Main Card Bouts:
Anderson Silva def. Thales Leites via unanimous decision
Sam Stout def. Matt Wiman via unanimous decision
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua def. Chuck Liddell via TKO-4:28, Round 1.
Krzysztof Soszynski def. Brian Stann via submission (kimura) – 3:53, Round 1..
Cheick Kongo def. Antoni Hardonk via TKO (strikes) – 2:29, Round 2.
Luiz Cane def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision
Undercard Bouts:

Denis Kang def. Xavier Foupa-Pokam via unanimous decision
Nate Quarry def. Jason MacDonald via TKO (strikes) -2:27, Round 1.
Ed Herman def. David Loiseau via unanimous decision
Mark Bocek def. David Bielkheden via submission (RNC) – 4:57, Round 1.
T.J. Grant def. Ryo Chonan via split decision
Eliot Marshall def. Vinicius Magalhaes via unanimous decision

UFC 97: Redemption is set to take place at 10 pm ET at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

The weigh-ins went down without any hiccups as all fighters are set for action tomorrow night.

Anderson Silva - 182 vs. Thales Leites - 185

Chuck Liddell – 206 vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua – 206

Cheick Kongo – 232 vs. Antoni Hardonk – 249

Luis Cane – 206 vs. Steve Cantwell – 205

Krzysztof Soszynski – 204 vs. Brian Stann – 206

Vinicius Magalhaes – 204 vs. Eliot Marshall – 205

Xavier Foupa-Pokam – 185 vs. Denis Kang – 185

Jason MacDonald – 186 vs. Nate Quarry – 186

Ed Herman – 186 vs. David Loiseau – 185

David Bielkheden – 157 vs. Mark Bocek – 154

Ryo Chonan – 171 vs. T.J. Grant – 169

Sam Stout – 155 vs. Matt Wiman - 155

For those of you that may be unfamiliar with exactly what these numbers mean or how they work, I’ll give you a really quick break down. Basically, the guy in the negative range is the favorite with the fighter in the positive being the underdog.

The number behind the negative means that you would have to bet that amount on the favorite to win back $100. Let’s take the Liddell vs. Shogun bout for example. You would have to bet $200 on Liddell, the favorite, to win $100. So you keep your original $200 and win $100 for a total of $300.

The number that follows the positive is the amount of money that you would make if you put $100 on the unlikely winner. So if you bet $100 on Shogun, you would win $160 and get your original $100 back for a total of $260.

The odds referenced were taken from Bodog’s Sportsbook on Friday afternoon to give as accurate a reflection of the current odds as possible.

With that out of the way, come along as we look a little closer at some of the bouts that have the potential to make or ruin Saturday night for many of those that like to put there money where their mouth is.

Anderson Silva (-625) vs. Thales Leites (+425)

The feared middleweight champion is a huge favorite to tie the UFC records for most consecutive title defenses and consecutive wins in the octagon, and for good reason. Silva is one of the most complete and dominant champions the UFC, or the sport of mixed martial arts for that matter, has ever seen. Sure, Silva’s last bout against Patrick Cote was his least impressive title defense to date, but if anything we are likely to see a more determined and aggressive Anderson on Saturday, which is a very scary thought. The oddsmakers are fully aware of this, and honestly, between the -600 to -700 range feels about right for Silva.

However, there has been a lot of talk lately about the style it would take to beat Silva and even though it’s a long shot, Leites may possess the much sought after formula. I know that Silva recently beat a jiu-jitsu black belt in Travis Lutter, but let’s be real, Leites is a whole different type of beast. I know, I know, he was pretty thoroughly beaten in the winning effort against Nate Marquardt who was overwhelmed by Silva, and MMAth and all of that, but styles make fights, and Leites style has the potential to make this fight. He showed a jaw of iron in his bout with Marquardt, and although it’s not impossible for Silva to knock anyone out, it’s not going to be as easy to flatten the durable Brazilian grappler as many may think.

Leites’ striking is not his strong point by any means but I feel like he is capable enough on the feet and with his wrestling to possibly take the fight to the mat at some point. The Spider is far from a fish out of water on the canvas but this will without a doubt be the position where Leites has the best possibility at pulling off the miracle upset. It’s not likely that anyone is going to knock Silva out anytime soon and I feel like most will agree that if someone is going to dethrone the current middleweight king, it will be by submission. It’s not likely, but it’s also not as if Silva has never been forced to tap out in the past.

Silva is absolutely likely to prove the oddsmakers correct with an impressive victory over Leites on Saturday night, but let us just keep in mind, no man is invincible.

Chuck Liddell (-200) vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (+160)

These odds are definitely a reflection of Shogun’s extremely questionable gas tank going into this fight based on his most recent two highly criticized performances against Forrest Griffin and Mark Coleman where his cardio looked far from superb. The criticism was without a doubt not without warrant as the Pride FC grand prix tournament champion has looked like a shell of his former self since his debut with the UFC.

Let’s just assume that Shogun really has addressed his endurance level for this fight, and is completely prepared to go three fast paced rounds, should Liddell still be that much of a favorite going into this bout? The former UFC light heavyweight champion hasn’t exactly looked like his once dominant self in his most recent bouts either to be honest. Shogun has shown a diminished level of cardio while Liddell has displayed an ability to be caught and knocked out in two of his last four bouts, it’s a trade off.

I personally feel like a different, more prepared Rua will be showing up on Saturday night in a bout that he is well aware of the potential consequences to his career. Furthermore, I really don’t feel like this fight is going to be the long, drawn out war many are anticipating. This one would be lucky to make it out the second round.

Fast and furious is how this light heavyweight showdown is likely to unfold and while not guaranteed by any means against a former champion as dangerous as Liddell, there is a very good chance that Shogun could end up making some risk takers a pretty penny at UFC 97.

Krzysztof Soszynski (-155) vs. Brian Stann (+125)

I find the fact that Soszynski is coming into this bout as the favorite to be a little curious to say the least. I’ll admit, I don’t think either of these guys hold an enormous advantage over the other, but I definitely don’t feel as Stann should be considered any sort of under dog in this match-up.

Soszynski should hold an advantage in the submission department but Stann is a fully capable wrestler and should be able to keep the fight on the feet for the most part.

The power in Stann’s fists will give him the edge on the feet and let’s be sure to remember that the veteran of the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter has been stopped by strikes on four separate occasions during the course of his career, and twice by men that I don’t feel are nearly as dangerous as Stann on the feet.

Don’t call it an upset if the former WEC champion ends up in the win column after this one is said and done.

Luiz Cane (-340) vs. Steve Cantwell (+260)

Can I just say that this is by far the most overlooked fight on the card. Not that either fighter will be in line for a direct shot at the title with a victory, but because of the bout’s incredible potential to be the Fight of the Night. Both men are big league bangers with durable chins, and in a combined total of nineteen professional bouts, neither man has seen the judges scorecards. You have to love that.

Cane is a pretty large favorite in this bout and I’m not so sure that those odds are as close to the reality of things as they should be. Cane has knocked out nearly every man he has faced, and while I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Cantwell is immune to the dangerous Brazilians bombs by any means, he showed that he has a jaw of granite in his slugfest victory over Brian Stann in August of 2008.

One area of Cane’s arsenal that we have yet to see much of has been his ground game. Cantwell is a strong wrestler and it is not beyond him to eventually drag Cane to the canvas at some point. We saw in Cantwell’s recent arm splintering victory over Razak Al-Hassan in December that he definitely possesses the tools to get the job done on the ground and it would be interesting to see his game plan unfold in a bout that he absolutely has a good chance of pulling off the upset in.

Cheick Kongo (-350) vs. Antoni Hardonk (+275)

I don’t think a lot of people have taken Hardonk’s evolution as a mixed martial artist into consideration in this bout. Sure, he was out wrestled in a losing effort to Justin McCully in his UFC debut and wound up losing to a refocused Frank Mir immediately following that performance but the dangerous K-1 veteran has put together a string of impressive victories since those setbacks to his career and has grown tremendously since his previous defeats in the octagon.

Kongo’s edge in wrestling should still be enough to earn him the victory at UFC 97 but make no mistake, if he decides to try his luck on the feet against Hardonk for an extended duration of time it will be his undoing. Hardonk is the best striker in the UFC’s heavyweight division, period.

Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites

Bryan Levick: While I see this being a lot more competitive than most others do there is no way in hell I am choosing Leites to beat Anderson Silva. Both men will be looking to prove themselves here. Silva will be looking to prove that he is taking his fights seriously after being criticized for his effort in the Cote fight and Leites will be looking to prove that he belongs here and deserves a title shot. Leites strong suit is his jiu-jitsu but people tend to overlook that Silva is no slouch when it comes to that area of MMA. I just don’t see Leites catching Silva in an armbar or triangle choke here but I can certainly see Silva catching Leites in the Thai plumb and kneeing Leites back to Brazil. Silva via 2nd round TKO.

Dustin James: There’s only a few sure things in MMA and Anderson Silva is one of them. I have nothing against the UFC for putting Leites in this fight with Silva as I believe he is as good a contender in the UFC’s middleweight division as anyone else. I’m not saying Leites doesn’t have a chance…I just don’t like his chances that much. Winner: Anderson Silva, KO, Round 2

Brendhan Conlan: No disrepect to Thales Leites, but I’m fairly certain this particular match-up was created by the Zuffa brain trust to help cement Anderson Silva’s legend in the modern day UFC. Nate Marquardt, who “The Spider” destroyed, is the only “Top 20” middleweight Leites has ever beaten in his career and it was a win he “earned” due to numerous point deductions. He hasn’t knocked an opponent out in more than four years. Beating Anderson Silva at UFC 97 would be equivalent to Buster Douglas knocking Mike Tyson out. It’s possible, but it’s so far from likely that it would shake the foundations of MMA were it to occur. And rest assured that just because *I* am underestimating the young Brazilian’s chances does not mean Anderson Silva will approach the bout in the same manner. I am 100% positive he is as focused on Leites as he would be on any opponent, plus I’m confident he’s especially motivated after the criticism he received based on his performance against Patrick Cote. The combo should result in a quick, painful championship defense with a few highlight reel moments to boot. Winner – Anderson Silva, TKO, RD 1

Caleb Newby: What needs to be said here. Leites is being given about no chance and it’s hard to argue with that. Yes, yes, anyone can win or lose, look at Matt Serra. Well, much like the GSP/Serra fight, picking Leites to win here and being right doesn’t make you an expert or a genius, just lucky. Silva is the only rational choice. Normally I’d take round two, but Silva might be on a mission with something to prove here. Winner: Anderson Silva – KO, Rd1

Cory Brady: Everyone seems so fast to write off Leites but what you have to remember is, styles make fights. Sure Silva faced another jiu-jitsu black belt in Travis Lutter not too long ago but Leites is an entirely different animal on the ground. Leites also showed that he has a chin of concrete in his fight with Marquardt. All I’m saying is, don’t sleep on Leites, no man is in invincible. With that being said…Winner: Anderson Silva by TKO

Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

Bryan Levick: If any two fighters on this card have anything more to prove than these two then please point them out to me. Liddell is looking to show that getting knocked out happens to the best of them and that is was more of a case of getting caught rather than his skills declining. Shogun will be looking to show the fans on this side of the Pacific that the fighter everyone drooled over while he was in Pride really does exist. Rua has looked awful in his two bouts inside the octagon and while I give Forrest Griffin a lot of credit for putting the pressure on in their fight and implementing a great game plan what excuse does Rua have for his performance against a 44 year old Mark Coleman? He was as a gassed as Coleman was before the fight hit the 2nd round. I believe Rua is perfect for Liddell as he will look to pressure Chuck and that will give the “Iceman” an opportunity to use his effective counter striking. I see Liddell mixing it up a bit like he did against Wanderlei Silva, throwing in a few takedowns along with some effective leg strikes. I don’t think it will take too long before Liddell shows the world that going to ATT has helped him and that he is willing to do whatever is necessary to remain a strong fighter. Liddell by 1st round TKO.

Dustin James: While I’ve been a huge fan of Shogun’s for sometime now, I have been less than impressed with his run in the UFC thus far. He just doesn’t’ look like the Shogun of old. I truly feel that Liddell is coming into this fight motivated and looking to make one last meaningful run. He’s coming off a highlight KO loss to Rashad Evans at UFC 88 and has lost three out of his last four fights. That’s not good for the man who was once the face of the UFC. If Rua comes into this fight looking like he did when he fought Mark Coleman, it could be a long night for him. Winner: Chuck Liddell, Decision

Brendhan Conlan: Ah, 2005…those were the days. Gwen Stefani was teaching illiterate people how to spell “b-a-n-a-n-a-s”, Tom Cruise’s wackiness was just being introduced to the public, and both Chuck Liddell and “Shogun” Rua were both considered the cream of the crop at light heavyweight. Fast forward a few years and a bout that would have once made MMA fans pitch proverbial tents is co-headlining an event with a bout featuring Thales Leites. And, while Liddell and Rua defined what it meant to be elite at 205-pounds in 2005, both men are currently struggling to establish themselves as legitimate contenders. The individual who emerges victorious on Saturday night will take one step closer to gold while the loser will be left questioning his future in the sport. I think this particular bout is more “must win” for Rua, as Liddell will always have a place in good friend Dana White’s organization until he hangs up his mohawk while “Shogun” is being paid six-figures per fight for a slowed down, sloppier, stompless version of his former PRIDE self. I can see him being asked to take a pay cut if he loses to Liddell and walking away from the UFC as a result. In terms of the actual fight, I have a hard time picking a clear favorite based on Liddell’s wrestling abilities versus the mix of Rua’s multi-tiered striking and “The Iceman” having been rendered into a puddle of water at the hands of Rashad Evans and “Quinton” Jackson in recent bouts. Ultimately, I think the fight will resemble Liddell’s showdown with Wanderlei Silva and earn him a shot at the winner of Forrest Griffin and Thiago Silva’s UFC 101 throwdown. Winner – Chuck Liddell, Judges’ Decision

Caleb Newby: Now this is a more interesting fight. I’ve been thinking it over and while Shogun certainly *can* win, a lot of things have to go right for him. His cardio has to be much better. Recovery from knee surgery. Strong striking defense against Chuck’s potent offense. Ability to either take Chuck down or work an effective clinch. That’s too many ifs for my liking. Here’s hoping that Shogun has solved his cardio problem and is back to form, but until he has a better performance I can’t reasonably take him in a fight like this. Winner: Chuck Liddell – KO, Rd2

Cory Brady: My boy Shogun is going to be in better shape this time around. Anyone else see the countdown? Rua’s looking fit and I’m thinking that him being the more well ronded fighter will give him the edge. While I don’t expect for this one to go to the ground necessarily, if it did, Shogun would hold a HUGE advantage down there…I’m just saying. Winner: Shogun by TKO

Brian Stann vs. Krzysztof Soszynski

Bryan Levick: I like Soszynski’s versatility here having won 8 fights by submission and 5 fights by TKO, he is also more experienced and has faced tougher competition. Stann has 6 wins all by TKO in the first round and the only time he has ventured into round 2 he was knocked out by Steve Cantwell and that was back in August of 2008. That is a long layoff for someone who hasn’t fought that much to begin with. I saw him get extremely tired against Cantwell and he can ill afford to gas against someone with Soszynski’s experience. I see Krzysztof winning by 2nd round submission as Stann has not shown any semblance of a ground game what so ever.

Dustin James: This one should be a stand-up war with Stann coming out like a rocket and testing Soszynski’s chin. Winner: Brian Stann, KO, Round 1

Brendhan Conlan: BREAKING NEWS – Brian Stann is a Marine! Sarcasm aside, Stann’s journey to the Octagon is actually quite inspirational and is truly the definition of “All-American”. However, his Mixed Martial Arts’ technique is not as impressive as his backstory, and unfortunately for him that’s all that matters once the Octagon door closes. Soszynski has three times Stann’s in-ring experience and I expect him to use it, as well as his more-rounded set of skills, to beat Stann in dominating fashion. The only way I see the former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion coming away with a “W” is by way of the old “puncher’s chance”. Krzysztof Soszynski, TKO, RD 2 

Caleb Newby: Brian Stann… Brian Stann… isn’t he that guy who is in the Coast Guard or something? I can’t remember. Anyway, Soszynski has KO power, but more importantly knows how to work submissions. Should Stann end up on his back I have a hard time believing he’d be in a comfortable spot, and standing it can go either way. But Soszynski has more options and should get the win. Winner: Krzysztof Soszynski – Sub, Rd2

Cory Brady: I’m seeing Soszinski coming in as a favorite in most of the sports books right now. I don’t like those odds. It’s not like Soszinski hasn’t ran into trouble when he’s stepped up in competetion in the past. Stann’s the bigger banger of the two, that will be the difference when the going gets tough. Winner: Stann by knockout

Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk

Bryan Levick: Talk about fireworks going off, this fight will exciting and offer nobody an opportunity to go to the bathroom or even blink for that matter! Hardonk has won his last three fights and has come a long way since debuting in the UFC back in November of 2006. While I still wouldn’t consider either one of these goliaths to have a good ground game they both has worked on doing what is necessary to get the fight back to a standing position and utilize their kickboxing skills. Kongo is the stronger of the two and I feel he has more potential. I see both men inflicting their fair share of punishment until Kongo ends it in the 2nd round with a knockout.

Dustin James: One thing you can bet on in this fight is….it won’t be going to the ground. Hardonk throws some of the hardest kicks in MMA and that’s good because his opponent can hit just as hard. This fight is being billed as a potential “#1 contender fight” and I totally expect it to be a war. Winner: Cheick Kongo, Decision

Brendhan Conlan: Someone better get K-1’s Mike Schiavello on the phone because, lady and gentlemen, we’ve got ourselves a kickboxing match at a UFC event! Hardonk and Kongo have similar technique, though I’d argue the enormous Frenchman is the better wrestler and physically stronger individual. He’ll use both attributes to his advantage come UFC 97, neutralizing Hardonk’s stand-up with his own while scoring takedowns and smothering the Dutch heavyweight en route to either a ground-and-pound win or unanimous decision in his favor. Winner – Cheick Kongo, Judges’ Decision

Caleb Newby: I’m sorry, but Hardonk lost to Justin McCully. Winner: Cheick Kongo – TKO, Rd1

Cory Brady: The only way that Kongo wins this fight, in my eyes at least, is by grinding out a hard fought decision with himself in top control for most of the fight. If he decides to trade with Hardonk for some reason, he’s going to sleep, that’s it. He won’t. Kongo will win this by utilizing his superior wrestling in a fight that I don’t feel will be as exciting as a lot of people are anticipating. Winner: Kongo by decision

Luis Arthur Cane vs. Steve Cantwell

Bryan Levick: I really like Cane, he is aggressive, strong and knows how to handle himself inside the octagon. I like the patience he showed when he defeated Sokoudjou back at UFC 89 in October. He waited for Soko to punch himself out and then he pounced on him and finished the job. He has 8 knockouts in 9 career victories. His only loss was because he was disqualified when he landed a knee to the head of James Irvin while he was still on the ground. Cantwell will be looking for his fifth straight win and has good submission skills to go with good standup. He broke his last opponents arm and was not the least bit upset about it! He has yet to turn 23 years old and has loads of potential but I see him coming up short in this one, but not by much. Cane by unanimous decision.

Dustin James: Cane is widely considered a top 10 light heavyweight and will indeed get a good test here from WEC veteran Cantwell. It’s pretty difficult to bet against “Banha” here. Winner: Luis Cane, KO, Round 1

Brendhan Conlan: Joe Silva deserves a bonus for the UFC 97 lineup. Like so many of the card’s earlier bouts, Cane vs. Cantwell is evenly matched and difficult to pick. They both have similar experience in the ring with 9-1/7-1 records respectively and are looking to further establish themselves as contenders in the 205-pound division. Cane has shown little weakness in any of his UFC performances and Cantwell has been steadily improving since losing to Brian Stann via TKO in 2007. I expect the fight to unfold with each individual feeling the other out for a few minutes, then turning into a brawl with Cantwell occasionally going for the takedown. “Banha” has never made an opponent tap out from a choke or limb-manipulation, having only one submission to his name that came after a series of soccer-style kicks, so bringing things to the mat is Cantwell’s best bet for victory. Unfortunately, I think Cane isn’t going to allow that happen without unleashing a good amount of damage on the 22-year old American. Winner – Luis Cane, TKO, RD 3

Caleb Newby: This Should be good. I’m back and forth on who I like here, but am leaning Cane to take it late in the 2nd round. Winner: Luis Arthur Cane – TKO, Rd2

Cory Brady: I’ll tell you what, if Chuck Liddell vs. Shogun fails to deliver, this fight is a shoe in for Fight of the Night honors. Both of these guys bring it and someone will undoubtedly wind up snoring at the end of this one. Ya gotta love it. Winner: Cane by knockout?

Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam

Bryan Levick: Kang will be fighting in front of his Canadian fans and he will be looking to forget about the blown fight he had against Alan Belcher in January at UFC 93. Kang was dominating that fight until he stuck his neck out for Belcher to take and he got choked out. Kang has the edge in experience and has fought much tougher opponents but he will need to fight a complete fight in order to win. Foupa-Pokam is riding a 7 fight win streak and will be looking to make an incredible first impression on the UFC fans and officials. He has 20 wins with 11 coming by knockout and 7 by submission but he lost his only fight against a fighter who could be considered a top opponent when he was choked out by Ninja Rua back in 2007. I think the bright lights will get to him eventually and he will make a mistake. Kang by third round submission.

Dustin James: The UFC brought in Xavier Foupa-Pokam because the man is on a seven-fight win streak since May of 2008. So, the UFC decided to sign the guy and give him a test in the form of former top 10 middleweight Denis Kang. Foupa-Pokam is on an amazing run right now, but Kang is a huge step up in competition. Kang is no doubt fighting for his UFC career here and he doesn’t want to go out on an 0-2 run with the biggest company in MMA. I totally expect to get the Denis Kang of old….but I will probably be wrong, so bet on Foupa-Pokam. Winner: Denis Kang, KO, Round 3

Brendhan Conlan: Kang is like a beautiful girl with horrible body odor. From a distance he always looks like a sure bet – 12 TKOs, 15 Submissions, going 20+ bouts without losing, and essentially 3:1 win/loss ratio. He draws you in with his accomplishments. As you get closer and closer still he continues to look good, often starting out strong and keeping his opponents on the ropes. But then, when you’re finally face to face, you catch a whiff of the proverbial stank and watch him stumble into a submission hold or well-placed strike. He’s the kind of Mixed Martial Artist who breaks as many hearts as he does arms and ankles. Facing an opponent who isn’t well-known and is debuting in the UFC, as Kang is at as aptly named a PPV as the UFC has had in quite some time (“Redemption”), would almost seem to be a forgone conclusion where success is concerned. However, Foupa-Pokam, is no joke with eighteen finishes in twenty wins and a fairly even split between submissions/knockouts. Interestingly enough, he also has three disqualification losses, so it sounds like Kang would be wise to protect his hockey pucks if you know what I’m sayin’. In the end, I’m a sucker for pretty girls, and the fan in me wants to see Denis redeem himself in the UFC while being cheered on by his Canadian countrymen. Hopefully this pick won’t spurn me like so many hotties have in the past…okay, fine…average looking broads….FINE…street urchins. Winner – Denis Kang, TKO, RD 1

Caleb Newby: I remember when Kang was top 10. I remember his huge winning streak. And I believe. Sorta. I’ll at least take him to win, I just don’t believe enough to pick a finish. Yes, I realize odds are the newcomer scores an “upset” victory. I BELIEVE! Winner: Denis Kang – Decision

Cory Brady: Kang should be able to rebound with an impressive victory over the outmatched octagon newcomer in this one. Winner: Kang by knockout

Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry

Bryan Levick: MacDonald always shows up to fight and he entertains whether he wins or loses. He has given Demian Maia his best fight out of any other opponent he has faced in the UFC and that includes Nate Quarry who Maia choked out early in the 1st round of their fight at UFC 91. Quarry is a tough guy but doesn’t possess anyone skill that scares his opponents. MacDonald on the other hand has an excellent ground game and can submit his opponents from anywhere. Out of 21 career victories 17 have come by submission. The UFC likes him as they just signed him to an extension and the hometown fans will certainly give him a boost. I see Macdonald taking a unanimous decision here.

Dustin James: This fight will probably end up earning “Fight of the Night” honors. I’m a huge fan of both fighters, and each man has their problems. MacDonald’s problem is that he’s basically a gatekeeper in the UFC’s middleweight division. It seems his thing is to win a fight, then lose a fight, then win a fight, then lose a fight, then….well, you get the idea. Quarry’s problem is that he keeps running into fighters who are in totally different leagues than him (Maia, Franklin). The question is, is MacDonald in a different league than Quarry? We shall see. Winner: Nate Quarry, Decision

Brendhan Conlan: The fans in Montreal are in for another treat when Quarry and MacDonald step into the infamous eight-sided cage. Both fighters are coming off a losing performances and, with Quarry having just turned 37 and MacDonald’s 34th birthday around the corner, neither man can afford to start a downward streak at this point in his career. Because of this reason, and their styles in general, I think you’ll see Canada’s own MacDonald and the Ultimate Fighter alumnus throw caution to the wind and go all out in hopes of avoiding the possibility of the bout’s result being left in the ringside officials’ hands. Look for “The Athlete” to engage Quarry on his feet early in the fight and then quickly resort to his athleticism and superior grappling once he gets a taste of the Team Quester’s power. Nate’s wrestling is good enough to make takedowns difficult but his jiujitsu is not on the same level as MacDonald’s and positioning will ultimately determine the outcome of this match-up. Something in my gut tells me “The Rock” is going to clip MacDonald and pound out a win because of it, though I won’t bat an eyelash if Jason is able to submit Quarry or even eek out a split-decision win.

Caleb Newby: I am really looking forward to this fight and hope we get to see it on the broadcast. Both MacDonald and Quarry have long been favorites of mine. While Nate has the power, I’m looking at Jason MacDonald to win this on the ground. Winner: Jason MacDonald – Sub, Rd2

Cory Brady: Do you do with the heavy handed striker or the slick submission artist? My gut instinct tells me that MacDonald has the ground arsenal to handle Quarry but I’m going to go against my better judgement to make things interesting, plus Quarry’s hands are way underestimated. Winner: Quarry by knockout

Ed Herman vs. David Loiseau

Bryan Levick: The crow returns to the octagon he is another fighter fighting at home. Ed Herman knows this may be a make or break situation for him as he has lost two in a row and is 3-4 in the UFC. Another loss will probably send Short Fuse packing his bags. Loisea hasn’t fought in the UFC since September of 2006 and will be looking to make an example of Herman. Loiseau has some of the nastiest elbows in all of mixed martial arts and with his fans cheering him on and the thrill of being back in the octagon I think he will make short work of his opponent. Loiseau by 1st round TKO.

Dustin James: Ed Herman is a buddy of mine, so I must pass on giving my opinion as to why I think Loiseau will defeat him on Saturday. Unfortunately it could be Herman’s swan song in the UFC if he isn’t able to pull out a win. Winner: David Loiseau, Decision

Brendhan Conlan: I won’t be surprised if Loiseau vs. Herman shows up on the televised broadcast at some point because the bout certainly has show-stealing potential. Each man has the ability to finish opponents by way of knockout or submission, possesses an exciting fighting style, and is in desperate need of a win in the UFC. Expect both of them to come out firing in hopes of entertaining the crowd and receiving an invitation back to the Octagon. I like Loiseau’s striking better than Herman’s, as I feel it’s a bit more diverse in terms of incorporating kicks/knees, but I think “Short Fuse” has an advantage where grappling is concerned. However, I think Herman has a tendency to allow emotion to overcome him in the ring and could be baited into a stand-up battle against “The Crow”. If he takes that route I see Loiseau winning. If Herman maintains his cool and tries to keep the action on the mat then I see the carrot-topped TUF 3 finalist winning. This fight’s outcome is truly a toss up in my eyes. Winner – Ed Herman, Judges’ Decision

Caleb Newby: Because I know what Dustin is saying if he’s making picks, I need to counter his personal bias. Leave your mancrush feelings for Herman at home, sir. Winner: David Loiseau – TKO, Rd2

Cory Brady: This one has potential to be exciting but it has even more potential to be a real dissapointment. Hopefully both guys show up hungry for blood. Winner: Loiseau by knockout

Eliot Marshall vs. Vinny Magalhaes

Bryan Levick: I have absolutely no interest in this fight as neither fighter will be in the UFC this time next year. Magalhaes has great jiu-jitsu but nothing else and Marshall has no personality to go along with his good but not great all around skills. I see this being a bathroom break fight and I will choose Marshall by unanimous decision.

Dustin James: This is a fight I really wanted to see when the two were on “The Ultimate Fighter” and I’m finally going to get my chance! I totally expect this fight to last a total of about ten seconds standing. Both fighters will be looking to end the fight with a submission, and it wouldn’t shock me to see Magalhaes the one with the armbar locked on. Winner: Vinny Magalhaes, Submission, Round 2
 
Brendhan Conlan: I’ll be impressed if this bout ends in any other fashion than a submission or judges’ decision. Magalhaes and Marshall are both world-class jiujitsu specialists but neither is particularly known for owning anything other than mediocre striking abilities. That being said, Eliot exhibited some decent kickboxing while on the Ultimate Fighter, and I assume his game has continued to improve in coordinance with the amount of time he’s spent in Greg Jackson’s facility. Based on Magalhaes’ reliance on BJJ, I don’t think he’ll be able to pull anything out of his proverbial toolbox that will catch Marshall off-guard. If this bout doesn’t go a full fifteen minutes it will be because Eliot uses his striking to set up a submission. Otherwise, like so many other balanced fights on the UFC 97 card, it is a scrap destined to see the judges’ scorecards. Winner – Eliot Marshall, Submission, RD 2

Cory Brady: Eliot reminds me a lot of Ryan Bader, with a slightly better ground game. I just think Vinny may be a little too one dimensional for the UFC’s 205 pound division but I’m REALY hoping he proves me wrong. Winner: Marshall by TKO

Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden

Bryan Levick: Bocek is 2-2 in his UFC career with a loss being followed by a win and so on. He has some solid submission skills but that’s about all I know about him. Bielkheden was destroyed by Diego Sanchez in his UFC debut at UFC 82 in March of 2008 but rebounded nicely as he defeated Jess Liaudin at UFC 89 in October. I believe that Bielkheden has is a bit bigger so I will go with him by 2nd round TKO.

Dustin James: I’m trying really hard to care about this one, but for some reason it’s not working out to well for me. Winner: David Bielkheden, Decision

Brendhan Conlan: Bielkheden has better stand-up than Bocek but I don’t think it will matter in the long run, as the redheaded Canadian is an excellent grappler and should be able to neutralize Bielkheden’s primary weapons with a steady dose of wrestling/jiujitsu and control the bulk of the fight. However, putting the Stockholm native away won’t be an easy task, as he’s never been tapped out via choke/limb-manipulation nor has he ever been knocked out. In nineteen professional fights, Bielkheden has only lost once within the confines of a fight’s allotted time limit (submitting to Diego Sanchez’s strikes at UFC 82). Winner – Mark Bocek, Judges’ Decision 

Caleb Newby: My coin says Bielkheden. (I didn’t really use a coin.) Winner: David Bielkheden – Decision

Cory Brady: Bocek is way underestimated in my opinion. While not a title contender by any means, he belongs in the UFC and he has what it takes to beat Bielkheden this Saturday. Winner: Bocek by submission

T.J. Grant vs. Ryo Chonan

Bryan Levick: Grant is another Canadian fighter on this card as he makes his UFC debut against the Japanese veteran Chonan. Grant is 13-2 in his career with a remarkable 12 submission victories. He does have a lack of quality opponents as the only fighter I recognize that he has faced is Forrest Petz. Chonan is looking to even his UFC record at 2-2 and another loss here will probably send him back to Japan. He has only been submitted once in 24 career fights so Grant will have to think of another way to defeat him but I do see Grant pulling off the minor upset here and winning a unanimous decision

Dustin James: It’s the UFC debut of submission expert T.J. Grant! He’s definitely got a tough test here against Ryo Chonan. Chonan needs this win bad. If he loses this fight then his overall UFC record would be 1-3 and you can bet he would be on his way out of the company. Here’s to hoping Chonan is motivated. Winner: Ryo Chonan, Decision

Brendhan Conlan: Am I the only one who finds it interesting that Chonan, the last man to legitimately finish Anderson Silva (more than four years ago by the way), is likely fighting for his job on a card being headlined by the aforementioned 185-pound force of nature? “Piranha” is 1-2 in the Octagon and has seen the judges’ scorecards in all three bouts. While he’s endeared himself to more knowledgeable MMA fans with his colorful personality – and equally vibrant hair – Chonan hasn’t wowed many Zuffa Zombies during his 18-month stint in the UFC. I think there’s an above-average chance the judges’ scorecards will come into play, as the each man involved seems to negate the other’s talents. Chonan is a better striker than he is a jiujitsu practitioner, but his Canadian foe hasn’t been knocked out in any of his fifteen professional fights. On the other hand, T.J. Grant relies heavily on his grappling (twelve of his thirteen wins are the result of tapping his opponent out), yet Chonan has only been submitted once in an eight-year career. I’m giving the former DEEP/PRIDE star the edge based on experience, but don’t expect to see him plod his way to victory on the televised portion of the broadcast unless something freakish occurs. Winner – Ryo Chonan, Judges’ Decision

Caleb Newby: I’d like to take Ryo but he’s hardly been inspiring lately. Usually I avoid the UFC rookie, but I’ll risk it here. Sorry Damian. Winner: T.J. Grant – Decision

Cory Brady: Ryo Chonan’s experience and striking advantage will be the difference. Winner: Chonan by decision

Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman

Bryan Levick: Stout is probably fighting for his UFC life here as he has lost two in a row and is 2-4 in the UFC. He hits hard and can certainly take a punch as evidenced in his two wars with Spencer Fisher. Wiman hasn’t fought since getting dominated by Jim Miller in December at the UFC Fight For The Troops special. That snapped a four fight win streak in which he was also coming off an impressive knockout win over Thiago Tavares at UFC 85. I see an all-out war in this one and the fans will walk away happy especially being that their hometown boy Stout wins by unanimous decision.

Dustin James: A wise man once told me…never bet against Matt Wiman. Unfortunately this could be Stout’s last fight with the UFC as a loss would be his third straight. Winner: Matt Wiman, Decision

Brendhan Conlan: This pairing should start out the night’s card on a positive note given each man’s willingness to stand and bang coupled with the energetic pace both usually bring to the cage. Stout will no doubt be the fan-favorite based on his Canadian roots, though I also expect Wiman to merit a warm reception by night’s end based on his performance in the Octagon. I think Stout and Wiman have comparable skills where stand-up is concerned, though the young Canadian seems to possess more power while I think “Handsome” Matt has the advantage when it comes to grappling. Stout is coming off a two-fight losing streak so it’s likely he is in a “must win” situation if he hopes to keep drawing a Zuffa paycheck. Unfortunately, I think Wiman’s wrestling will allow him to dictate most of the fight’s positioning, as I don’t see Stout being able to clip him with enough of a shot to end things early on. Winner – Matt Wiman, Judges’ Decision

Caleb Newby: I think I’ve been overrating “Hands of Stone” for awhile, but why end that now? Winner: Sam Stout – KO, Rd1

Cory Brady: If they stay on the feet for a good portion of this bout, which I’m hoping they do, Stout will have a definitive advantage. Wiman is no slouch on his feet but Stout’s boxing is top notch. Winner: Sam Stout by knockout

FiveOuncesOfPain.com is the first to report that a 205 pound clash between Magalhaes and fellow TUF 8 castmate Eliot Marshall will soon be announced as set to take place at UFC 97 on April 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

Magalhaes last fought in the light heavyweight finals for the live finale of The Ultimate Fighter 8 on December 13 against Ryan Bader. Bader took the 205 pound TUF 8 crown after TKO’ing the jiu-jitsu world champion at 2:18 of round 1. The defeat dropped Magalhaes lifetime record as a pro to 2-3.

Marshall also fought at the TUF 8 finale in a non-televised match. Facing fellow castmate Jules Bruchez, Marshall was declared the winner via submission after securing a rear naked choke just one minute and 27 seconds into the fight. The win improved Marshall’s overall MMA record to 6-1.

MMAWeekly.com had reported earlier in the week that Marshall was slated to face Mike Ciesnolevicz at UFC 97. A reason for the change in opponents was not immediately known.

In addition to Magalhaes vs. Marshall, UFC 98 is set to be headlined by Anderson Silva defending his UFC middleweight title vs. Thales Leites. Additionally, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell will return to action against former PRIDE star Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Other reported matchups for UFC 97 include Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk, David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman, Brian Stann vs. Krzysztof Soszynski, Luiz Cane vs. Steve Cantwell, Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden, T.J. Grant vs. Ryo Chonan, Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry, Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Denis Kang, and Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman.

In a new interview with Neil Davidson of the Canadian Press, White goes so far as to essentially put his good friend on notice leading up to Liddell’s co-headlining bout vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua scheduled for UFC 97 on April 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

“I’ve made it very clear to Chuck. Very clear,” White began to tell Davidson. “It’s not about money, it’s not about this, that. Chuck is one of my good friends. Chuck (has) cemented his legacy in the UFC and in the fight game. I’m not even saying if he wins, unless he looks incredibly impressive (in Montreal) – I mean, he’s going to have to go out there and dazzle me, for me to want Chuck to still fight.”

“I love him, and I don’t want to see what I saw in his last fight ever again,” he added.

Once considered the top light heavyweight in the world, Liddell began to see his immense stock drop following a TKO loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 71 in May of 2007. Jackson needed just one minute and 53 seconds to end Liddell’s four-fight title reign.

In what was perceived as nothing more than a showcase fight to bounce back following the disappointing loss to Jackson, Liddell was matched up with Keith Jardine a little over three months later at UFC 76. However, Jardine proved to be a difficult matchup for Liddell and utilized an array of leg kicks to win an upset split decision victory.

Liddell then rebounded at UFC 79 in December of that same year when he recorded a unanimous decision victory over Wanderlei Silva in a long-awaited dream match between the two 205 pound icons.

Unfortunately, Liddell’s comeback was short lived as he was knocked out in devastating fashion by Rashad Evans at UFC 88 this past September. Despite being 12-0-1 heading into the fight, Evans was still the clear cut underdog but appeared to have scouted Liddell well when he countered one of Liddell’s looping punches en route to a KO stoppage at 1:51 of round 2.

While White is claiming that money is not an issue, public records indicate that Liddell has been receiving a $500,000 guarantee for his past several fights. It is believed that Liddell easily makes over $1 million per fight due to the fact that his contract also includes a clause that entitles him to a percentage of pay-per-view sales.

While Liddell finds himself in a must-win situation, the UFC has matched him up with an opponent who has been just a big of a disappointment as Liddell in recent fights.

Once considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Rua has performed as one of the biggest busts in UFC history since signing a lucrative contract with Zuffa during the final days of the Japan-based PRIDE promotion.

Rua showed poor stamina during his UFC debut at UFC 76 against Forrest Griffin and tapped to a rear naked choke at 4:36 of round 3. Even if Rua had not been finished by Griffin, he was well on his way to suffering a decision defeat.

After requiring multiple knee surgeries, Rua was unable to compete for a year and a half. The 27-year old Brazilian native returned at UFC 93 this past January against 44-year old UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman. Both fighters gassed early in the fight and in spite of Rua’s youth, he was only able to finish Coleman with 24 seconds remaining in the contest.

While UFC officials awarded both fighters a “Fight of the Night” bonus, critics panned the bout and were extremely critical of Rua’s performance during the fight.

While a poor performance by Liddell could signal the end of his UFC career, the same could also likely be said for Rua.

The bout has yet to be officially announced by the UFC and if the story is correct, it would mean that UFC 97 would have a total of 12 bouts scheduled. There is no word as to whether Ciesnolevicz vs. Marshall will be replacing a previously announced matchup.

Ciesnolevicz, a former standout in the now-defunct International Fight League, made his UFC debut at UFC 95 last month in London, England. Accepting a fight on short notice and moving up a weight class just to get his foot into the door with the organization, Ciesnolevicz impressed UFC officials by submitting heavyweight Neil Grove with a heel hook at just 1:03 of round 1.

The win improved Ciesnolevicz’s overall record to 17-3 and increased his win streak to four. The long-time veteran been competing as a pro since 2003 and holds notable victories over Brent Beauparlant, Alex Schoenauer, and Aaron Stark.

Marshall, 6-1, was featured during the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Despite being eliminated during the light heavyweight competition, he was brought back for the December finale where he submitted Jules Bruchez at 1:27 of round 1 with a rear naked choke.

In addition to Ciesnolevicz vs. Marshall, UFC 98 is set to be headlined by Anderson Silva defending his UFC middleweight title vs. Thales Leites. Additionally, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell will return to action against former PRIDE star Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Other reported matchups for UFC 97 include Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk, David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman, Brian Stann vs. Krzysztof Soszynski, Luiz Cane vs. Steve Cantwell, Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden, T.J. Grant vs. Ryo Chonan, Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry, Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Denis Kang, and Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman.

The main event will be for the UFC middleweight championship as title holder Anderson Silva defends his crown against Thales Leites. Chuck Liddell will also be looking to return to his winning ways in the night’s co-main event against fallen PRIDE superstar Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Other fights scheduled to be televised include a matchup between former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann and The Ultimate Fighter season eight contestant Krzysztof Soszynski. Steve Cantwell, the man who defeated Stann and became the final WEC 205 lbs. champion, will take on up and comer Luiz Cane. Rounding out the main card will be a clash of two big heavyweights as Cheick Kongo battles Antoni Hardonk.

The preliminary portion of the card will feature a host of Canadian fighters as David Loiseau makes his long awaited return to the octagon as he takes on Ed Herman. Denis Kang, Jason MacDonald, Sam Stout, Mark Bocek and T.J. Grant round out the list of Canadians who will fight in front of their countrymen.

Recent reports indicated that the card was in serious jeopardy of being relocated due to the Quebec Athletic Commission looking to impose rules on the UFC that weren’t consistent with the unified rules of MMA. A contingent of UFC officials led by Marc Ratner and UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta met with the commission and came to agreement so that the show would go on as scheduled.

The current scheduled card is as follows:

Main Card -

• Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites
• Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
• Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann
• Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk
• Luiz Cane vs. Steve Cantwell

Preliminary Card -

• Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Denis Kang
• Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry
• Ed Herman vs. David Loiseau
• David Bielkheden vs. Mark Bocek
• Ryo Chonan vs. T.J. Grant
• Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman

The UFC has yet to issue an official comment in response to the report and phone and text messages left for UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner by FiveOuncesOfPain.com were not immediately returned.

The QAC was intent on standing its ground and potentially forgoing the millions of dollars that a UFC event could pump into the Canadian economy. Previous reports stated that the commission has rules that were rarely if ever enforced which forbid the use of elbows and knee strikes, judo throws, slams and calls for a break in the action if a fighter is knocked down.

The old administration never enforced these rules and allowed the use of the North American unified rules of mixed martial arts but an event that was held on February 6 caused the new officers in charge to take a look at how these events were being run. A near riot caused by miscommunication amongst the fighters caught the attention of the commission and put UFC 97 in serious jeopardy.

In the main event that featured James Thompson and former hockey player Steve Bosse there was an apparent “gentleman’s agreement” in which there would be no ground fighting. Thompson claims he was unaware of this agreement and when he took Bosse down fans started pelting the ring with bottles and other foreign objects.

Apparently cooler heads have prevailed and with 22,000 tickets already sold and millions of dollars at stake the QAC has made an exception for the time being.

UFC 97 will feature a main event Anderson Silva defending his middleweight championship against Thales Leites and a light heavyweight matchup between former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and former PRIDE superstar Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Dana White said in a statement to the Canadian Press that UFC 97 sold out faster than last year’s UFC 83 event, which featured a main event of Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra for the UFC welterweight title. White sounded confident that things will go on as planned.

The issue at hand is that the unified MMA rules do not mesh with the “mixed boxing” rules that are currently in place in Quebec. Monday brought a sense of optimism when an official from Quebec stated that there is a strong desire on both parts to make things work. He did stress that the UFC may need to agree to some sort of accommodation of the rules.

Rejean Theriault, who is the communications director for the commission, said he would not be able to comment any further until he gave the UFC an opportunity to state their case. Theriault went on to say that the rules have never changed but the enforcement has. It was only brought to their attention that the previous regime had not been enforcing the provincial regulations.

Quebec regulations do not allow the use of elbows or knee strikes. To hit an opponent with a bent knee or bent elbow is considered a foul. Further rules state that once a fighter is knocked down the referee must send his opponent to a neutral corner like they do in boxing. Judo type throws are also forbidden. “Using any other part of the body other than the hands, arsm, feet or legs to knock an make an opponent fall” is illegal.

Also at issue is the dimensions of the octagon. Quebec regulations say that the cage can not be bigger than 24 feet between two facing corners. The Octagon is 30 feet.

None of these issues were ever brought to light when the UFC held UFC 83 last April which was extremely successful. TKO which has since gone out of business also used the unified rules of MMA when holding events in most jurisdictions that sanction the sport.

Theriault said that once it was discovered that the rules were not being applied properly they informed all promoters including the UFC that they had to follow their rules. One main concern of the province is the threat of a lawsuit by a fighter who was injured in afight where the rules were not properly followed.

During the pre-sale for UFC 97, over 13,000 tickets were sold in just five hours. It is believed that the remaining tickets were sold out before going on sale to the public last Saturday. Last year’s show featuring Montreal’s own St. Pierre drew a sell-out crowd of 20,011 which set a record for not only the UFC but for all mixed martial arts shows in North America. UFC 83 was the first event held in Canada by the organization and sold out within one minute.

A major reason that the commission is beginning to enforce its rules is due to the controversy surrounding last Friday’s Strikebox show. That event made an attempt at using a variation of the unified MMA rules which excluded the ground game. Theriault denied that this was the case saying that the problems had started before this event.

The Quebec boxing commission is overseen by the Regie des Alcools, des courses et des jeux, which is a Quebec agency that regulates alcohol, gaming and combat sports.

It is in the best interest of the commission to approve this event as UFC 83 had a live gate of over $5 million not including whatever money is generated in pay-per-view sales. At $44.99, the UFC can expect to make millions more from their PPV audience. They also have to take into account the money brought in by tourists who are in town specifically for this event.

Based on a report by the French language website CorusSports.com, Canadian officials will not allow the UFC to hold another event in Canada with the organization’s current policies in effect.

The UFC’s use of elbows and knees to the head do not comply with the current guidelines set by the Regis des alcohols, des courses et des jeux which governs alcohol, racing, gambling and combat sports in Quebec. This was based on a statement made by their director Rejean Theriault.

Although the current policies only apply to boxing, kickboxing and mixed boxing at this time it does not provide any regulations when fights take place in a cage. Theriault has gone on record saying he would have no problem canceling the April 18^th event scheduled to take place at the Bell Centre unless the UFC can comply with their rules and regulations.

When asked to comment for the CorusSports.com article, UFC V.P. of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner told MMAjunkie.com that it was too early for him to know how this would affect UFC 97. Ratner stated “I don’t have enough information right now, I just know what I’ve been told, and we are working on it.”

Ratner also said the UFC was working very hard to see that the event goes on as scheduled.

What doesn’t make sense is this isn’t the first trip to Canada for the UFC. They held UFC 83: St. Pierre vs. Serra II back in April of last year in Montreal which was the highest attended event in the company’s history drawing over 21,000 fans and generating $5.1 million in ticket sales. According to the report, the commission was unaware of that event until a few days ago.

An additional report by Sportsnet.ca said the commission is re-evaluating its rules due to the near riot caused by confusion over implemented policies at a February 6 event called Strikebox. The show was to governed under traditional MMA rules but the event’s promoter Stephane Patry supposedly struck up a gentleman’s agreement between the fighters in which the fights would be kept standing. James Thompson who took part in the night’s main event did not uphold that agreement and all hell broke loose as fans started showering the ring with beer cans and other objects.

The report went on to say that The UFC may be required to utilize a smaller cage than the traditional octagon they have been using for years and eliminate elbow and knee strikes. They would also require the referee to stop the fight to insure that a downed fighter is ok to continue.

The event, which will be headlined by Anderson Silva defending his UFC middleweight title against Thales Leites, will take place at the 21,000-plus seat Bell Centre, home to the NHL’s Montreal Canadians.

Tickets will be made available to the general public this Saturday, February 14 starting at 12 noon ET. However, the general on sale will be preceded by two separate pre-sales. Members of the UFC’s “Fight Club” will get first crack at ticket starting this Wednesday, February 11at noon ET.

“Fight Club” members will have up to 48 hours of exclusive access to UFC 97 tickets until subscribers to the UFC’s newsletter gets access starting at noon ET on Friday, February 13.

UFC 97 will mark the UFC’s return to Montreal for the first time since last April’s UFC 83, which featured Georges St. Pierre winning back the UFC welterweight title following a second round TKO over Matt Serra.

Last year’s event was a sellout with over 13,00 tickets being purchased through the “Fight Club” before they were made accessible to the general public. So many tickets were bought via the “Fight Club” pre-sale that the UFC canceled its newsletter pre-sale. Demand for this year’s event is expected to be strong, but not as strong as last year due to the fact that St. Pierre will not be headlining.

The news was first reported by the web site for the U.K.-based MMA magazine Fighters Only.

Kongo, 13-4-1, is currently on a two fight win streak with consecutive victories over Dan Evensen at UFC 87 and Mustapha al Turk at UFC 92. A veteran of eight UFC fights, Kongo is 6-2 and is considered a contender for the UFC heavyweight title that’s currently held by Brock Lesnar.

Hardonk, 8-4, has won his last three fights in the Octagon including wins over Colin Robinson at UFC 80, Eddie Sanchez at UFC 85, and Mike Wessel at UFC 92. After beginning his UFC career1-2, Hardonk has improved to 4-2 and a win over Kongo would likely move him into the title contender picture.

UFC 97 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 18 and will emanate from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. In addition to Kongo vs. Hardonk, the card is set to be headlined by Anderson Silva defending his UFC middleweight title vs. Thales Leites. Additionally, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell will return to action against former PRIDE star Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Other reported matchups for UFC 97 include David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman, Brian Stann vs. Krzysztof Soszynski, Luiz Cane vs. Steve Cantwell, Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden, T.J. Grant vs. Ryo Chonan, Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry, Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Denis Kang, and Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman.

The news of Foupa-Pokman’s signing and his scheduled debut against Kang was first reported by MMAjunkie.com and FiveOuncesOfPain.com has since confirmed the news with a source close to the fighter.

Foupa-Pokam, 20-9, won last week at Palace Fighting Championships 12 with a first round knockout over Kyacey Uscola following a flying knee to the body. The 26-year old French native has won 12 of his last 13 fights and has competed for the DEEP, Cage Rage, and Jungle Fight promotions.

His opponent, Kang, fell to 31-11-1 following a second round submission defeat against Alan Belcher at UFC 93 earlier this month. A native of Canada, Kang at one point was ranked as a top ten middleweight by all of the major rankings polls in existence. The former PRIDE superstar earned a reputation as one of the world’s best with notable victories over Andrei Semenov, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Amar Suloev, and Akihiro Gono.

UFC 97 is set to take place on Saturday, April 18 and will emanate from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. In addition to Foupa-Pokam vs. Kang, the card is set to be headlined by Anderson Silva defending his UFC middleweight title vs. Thales Leites. Additionally, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell will return to action against former PRIDE star Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Other reported matchups for UFC 97 include David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman, Brian Stann vs. Krzysztof Soszynski, Luiz Cane vs. Steve Cantwell, Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden, T.J. Grant vs. Ryo Chonan, Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry, and Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman.

The news comes according to a report my MMA Weekly.

MacDonald, 21-11, last competed during the live finale for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Facing Wilson Gouveia in a featured matchup, MacDonald submitted to elbows at 2:18 of round 1. A ten year veteran of the sport, MacDonald is 5-4 in nine career fights under the UFC banner.

MacDonald will be fighting in his home country for the second consecutive year. During the UFC’s Montreal debut last April, the Edmonton native recorded a second round TKO over fellow countryman Joe Doerksen.

Quarry, 10-3, last fought in November at UFC 91 in November. Facing middleweight sensation Demian Maia, Quarry was forced to tap at 2:13 of round 1 after getting caught in a rear naked choke submission. The one-time UFC middleweight title challenger is 5-2 during his UFC career.

In addition to MacDonald vs. Quarry, UFC 97 will be headlined by Anderson Silva defending his UFC middleweight title vs. Thales Leites. Additionally, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell will return to action against former PRIDE star Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Other reported matchups for UFC 97 include David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman, Brian Stann vs. Krzysztof Soszynski, Luiz Cane vs. Steve Cantwell, Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden, T.J. Grant vs. Ryo Chonan, and Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman.