UFC 122 to Determine Title Shot

New York, NY, October 26, 2010 – Two of the world’s best middleweight (185 lbs.)  mixed martial arts fighters, Denver’s Nate Marquardt and Japan’s Yushin Okami, will square off in the main event of “UFC 122” on Spike TV Saturday, November 13 at 9:00pm ET/PT (same day tape).  Emanating from Konig-Pilsener-Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, the winner of the Marquardt-Okami bout is guaranteed a shot at the UFC middleweight title currently held by Anderson Silva.  

A longtime protégé of renowned mixed martial arts trainer Greg Jackson, Marquardt (33-9-2) is coming off of a first-round TKO victory against Rousimar Palhares on September 15. With over forty fights on his resume, Marquardt is one of the most experienced fighters in the UFC, and has notched wins against notable middleweights like Demian Maia and Martin Kampmann. Even more impressive is that his last four victories have come by way of knockout, setting the stage for more fireworks on November 13.  
 
Okami (27-5) has fought the best middleweights in the world throughout his lengthy career.  Since his debut in the UFC in August 2006 at UFC 62, he was won nine of eleven bouts in the Octagon, including victories over Alan Belcher, Mike Swick, the late Evan Tanner, and, most recently, Mark Munoz this past August. In January of 2006, he defeated current UFC champ Anderson Silva in a controversial bout where Silva was disqualified for an illegal kick.  A victory over Marquardt might deliver a rematch with Silva for the coveted crown.
 
On the undercard, veteran middleweight (and cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter 4”) Jorge “El Conquistador” Rivera (18-7), fighting out of Milford, Mass, takes on Italy’s Alessio Sakara.

Rivera has won three of his last four bouts in the Octagon® including a recent victory over Nate Quarry in March.  The 38-year-old has fought the biggest names in the division throughout his lengthy career, including Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin, but he needs a victory over Alessio Sakara to continue his quest for a long-awaited shot at the UFC title.

Fighting out of Miami, FL with the famed American Top Team, Sakara (19-7, 1 NC) has won three straight fights in the UFC, including a 1st round knockout over Joe Vedepo with a stunning head kick which earned him “Knockout of the Night” honors at UFC Fight Night 15.    Born and raised in Rome, Italy, Sakara, a former professional boxer, is one of the most feared strikers in the division.  

In a lightweight showdown, Andre Winner (12-4-1), fighting out of Leicester, England with Team Rough House, takes on Germany’s Dennis Siver (16-7). 

Winner, a finalist on “The Ultimate Fighter 9,” is looking to rebound after a tough decision loss against Nik Lentz at UFC 118 in August.   Fighting in front of his fellow countrymen, Siver, a resident of Manheim, Germany, has won five of six bouts inside the Octagon, and earned “Knockout of the Night” bonuses for his wins over Paul Kelly and Nate Mohr.

Brooklyn-born Amir Sadollah (4-2), winner of “The Ultimate Fighter 7,” has won two of his three UFC bouts since emerging on the international scene.  Sadollah, who trains with UFC star Forrest Griffin in Las Vegas with the Throwdown Training Center team, has garnered a huge fanbase for his always exciting bouts.  His opponent, Peter Sobatta (8-3) from Geislingen, Germany, is a promising welterweight looking for his first win in the UFC.

The first televised fight on Spike will be a light heavyweight clash between Goran Reljic (8-2) and Krzysztof Soszynski (20-11-1).   Fighting out of Zagreb, Croatia, Reljic won his first eight professional fights at light heavyweight before dropping down to the middleweight division, but after bouts with C.B Dolloway and Kendall Grove, Reljic has decided to make the move back to 205 pounds where he will fight Poland native Soszynski.  An “Ultimate Fighter 8” alum who now makes his home in Winnipeg, Soszynski is coming off an epic two fight series with Stephan Bonnar that captured the attention of fans from Sydney to Las Vegas.

“UFC 122” will also include the following bouts that could air on Spike TV, time permitting:

•    Carlos Eduardo Rocha vs. Kris McCray

•    Karlos Vemola vs. Seth Petruzelli

•    Rob Kimmons vs. Kyle Noke

•    Nick Osipczak vs. Duane Ludwig

•    Mark Scanlon vs. Pascal Krauss

•    Alexandre Ferreira vs. Vladimir Matyushenko

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