By
Anthony De Franco 
September 29, 2009, at 7:21 pm
What a replacement for Dyun-hung Kim. Swick was supposed to take on Martin Kampmann at UFC 103, but instead “The Hitman” was knocked out by Paul Daley who replaced Swick because he was concussed in training. Now, Swick will get a second chance at a number one contender’s fight with Dan Hardy. Last time we saw Dan Hardy, he was eeking out a split decision over Marcus Davis at UFC 99 in Germany. Here’s the story from MMA Weekly:
Following Martin Kampmann’s devastating loss to Paul Daley at UFC 103, fans and critics alike were wondering who could possibly fit the bill to face Mike Swick with the winner gunning for a shot at UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. It looks like that question has been answered in the form of British fighter Dan Hardy, who will face Swick at UFC 105 in England.
Mike Chiappetta of AOL Fanhouse first reported the news on Monday citing UFC president Dana White, and MMAWeekly.com has since confirmed the bout with sources close to the negotiations.
Swick was forced out of his scheduled UFC 103 bout against Kampmann due to a concussion sustained in training, but the American Kickboxing Academy stand out is back to form and chomping at the bit to get in the Octagon.
Currently sitting with an undefeated record as a 170-pound fighter, Swick has looked impressive in his last few bouts, including a dominating performance over Ben Saunders in his last trip out.
The hometown crowd will definitely be behind its countryman, Hardy, at UFC 105 as he hails from Great Britain and has amassed a 3-0 record in the UFC.
I am really excited to watch Swick smash Hardy. To be honest, I just can’t possibly see Hardy winning this fight because his strength is striking, and I’m fairly sure that Swick’s striking is in fact better than Hardy. I full expect Swick to walk and then start preparing for Georges St.Pierre in February.
By
Anthony De Franco September 29, 2009, at 3:31 pm
It looks like Anderson finally has an opponent that he is willing to fight against. After saying that he won’t fight teammate Lyoto Machida, or Dan Henderson, Silva will get back in the cage to take on the resurgent Vitor as the main event of the UFC’s new year’s card. Here’s the news from MMAWeekly:
Anderson Silva is expected to defend his middleweight title for a sixth time when he faces Vitor Belfort at the yet-unannounced UFC 108 on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas.
After a series of conflicting reports regarding the health of the 34-year-old Silva, UFC president Dana White told The Los Angeles Times Saturday he had secured verbal agreements for the New Year’s match-up. MMAWeekly.com subsequently confirmed the news Monday with sources close to the fight.
Silva (25-4) is expected to undergo surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow; a procedure White said would require a minimal amount of recovery time. Silva manager Ed Soares declined comment on the procedure.
Last month, Silva, who holds a UFC record for most consecutive victories with 10 straight wins, returned to devastating form at light heavyweight, knocking out Forrest Griffin with a backpedaling jab at UFC 101.
The booking sidesteps an impasse in contenders brought by the recent victories of top ranked middleweights Dan Henderson and Nate Marquardt. White predicted title shots for both fighters in separate interviews, but following UFC 103 on Sept. 19, he indicated the two would fight for the next contender slot and Belfort would be the first to face the current champion.
Regardless if Vitor is ready, Dana White knows that no one can get excited about Anderson Silva taking rematches against two guys that he destroyed earlier in his career in Marquardt and Henderson. What we all will get in Vitor is a fighter who has hands that are fast enough to capitalize on any mistake that Silva makes. Also, If Silva gets goofy, which he has done in his last few fights, Vitor can make him pay and end the fight quickly.
Tags: 
