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Heading into UFC 159, figuring out ways that Chael Sonnen could compete with Jon Jones required an active imagination. The leading idea on how to get it done was for Sonnen to put his chin down, stick the crown of his head into Jones’ chest and drive him through the cage floor. Once there, things would become adventurous for all parties.

It didn’t get there.

In fact, Jones turned the tables on Sonnen and shot in for a takedown of his own just a few seconds into the fight. It was Sonnen staring up at the lights, fending off oncoming elbows. He was able to get up, but Jones, out of a sense of pride and civic duty, became the kind of insistent wrestler who only Sonnen could appreciate. With half a minute to go in the first round, Sonnen’s face battered and wits scattered, Jones was pried off of the "West Linn Gangsta" in what was ultimately the most predictable stoppage in the history of ground and pound.

But in a bizarre night where Ovince St. Preux won an abrupt technical decision with an eye poke of Gian Villante, Michael Bisping won a technical decision for an eye poke of the one man whose phobia is eye pokes, Alan Belcher, and Yancy Medeiros’ thumb was rearranged into something from Picasso’s brush, it was par for the course that Jones broke his toe somewhere along the way. By the end of the night, appendages at odd angles were all but the norm.

Now we can focus on “what does it all mean,” which is one of MMA’s favorite pastimes. Let’s try to sort it out.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

How does Sonnen compete?
Turns out our hunches were right -- he doesn’t, not when fighting a stylistic nightmare who has the wingspan of a Cessna and a chip on his shoulder.

Last time we see Jones at 205?
Because he only tied Tito Ortiz’s record of five title defenses, here’s guessing no. Lyoto Machida has been promised a rematch, and Alexander Gustafsson still has a modicum of appeal on his way up. And if Jones fights Daniel Cormier, the likeliest scenario is it happens at light heavyweight.

Can Phil Davis break through?
Davis showed improved stand-up ability from that awkward version of himself a couple of years ago. But this was a one-sided beatdown of Vinny Magalhaes, a static fighter whose own stand-up won’t swell the orchestra. Davis might be ready for a step up in competition, but he still seems light years away from challenging Jon Jones.

Is Cheick Kongo showing his 37 years?
Kongo is a dapper gentle giant outside the cage, and in his fight with Roy Nelson, he became one inside the cage, too. We didn’t see any urgency or head-hunting or even any of that rare joie de vivre. What we did see was Roy Nelson go into his windup, as if from the pitcher’s mound, and deliver a heater of an overhand right that dropped Kongo like a curtain sliding off the rod. In other words, yes, Kongo’s days appear numbered.

NEW QUESTIONS

Does Sonnen retire?
Through the last three-year odyssey in which Sonnen has captivated the world of MMA and fought for the belt three times, he made it plain that winning a championship was his singular motivation. Does he want to stick around in a grudge-match capacity to fight the Vitor Belforts and Wanderlei Silvas of the world? (Answer: Hope so. Too many delicious vendettas lingering out there for Sonnen to just walk away.)

Is Pat Healy a top-10 lightweight?
If you subscribe to the theory that divisions are essentially a Netflix queue, where you can drag a title up from the bottom and replace something already in line near the top, then yes (and I know that speaks to more than half a dozen of you). Beating Jim Miller in Miller’s native New Jersey was enough of a feat, but Healy’s pressure game is starting to look scary. At nearly 30 years old, and with 46 professional fights, Healy is just now really coming into his own.

Is Nelson a heavyweight contender?
His right hand says "yes." His surprising agility to climb the fence and do the two-handed Buddha belly rub after victories says "yes." His popularity among fans and mullet connoisseurs says "yes." And realistically, yes. Now everybody is imagining Nelson against Mark Hunt, and Nelson against Daniel Cormier, and Nelson against Alistair Overeem, and that’s a good thing.

What’s next for Michael Bisping?
In hockey patois, Bisping was clutching his stick a little tight early against Belcher, but he began to get into a groove with his striking early in the second round. It was a victory that staves off ugly circumstances and gets him rolling toward something again. Bisping has mentioned fighting in October in Manchester, and here’s thinking Cung Le would be a big draw.

THE FUTURE

For Sara McMann -- Right now it’s wide open, with the Armageddon she brought on Sheila Gaff. We know about the Olympic wrestling, but there’s something about the delight she took in the elbows she was dropping from the crucifix position that has you wondering about how she’d fare against Ronda Rousey (and that’s where McMann’s headed -- but she’ll have to stay busy with another fight or two).

For Jim Miller -- Technically, getting put to sleep isn’t a submission so much as a loss of consciousness, but losing a second time in New Jersey (the first to Nate Diaz) hurts Miller. Though he’s flirted with the idea of moving up to 170 pounds in the past, he might consider a move down to 145. Pastures are always greener in other divisions after losses like the one to Healy.

For Jon Jones -- He needs to get that toe better, but when that’s all said and done, he can officially break Tito Ortiz’s record of five light heavyweight title defenses. The dust has to settle, but the forerunners to become his next victim appear to be down to Alexander Gustafsson or Lyoto Machida (particularly if they fight each other while Jones heals to form a super-definitive, no-questions-asked No. 1 contender).

For Chael Sonnen -- The television booth, at first. But eventually Wanderlei. And Belfort. And the whole block of peeved Brazilians who are smashing their fists in their hands waiting by their phones for Joe Silva to call.

For Roy Nelson -- Daniel Cormier and great balls of fire!

Matches to make

Jon Jones versus Alexander Gustafsson -- If you're an all-or-nothing fan, Jones should heal up and wait on Anderson Silva. But more realistically, dial up the Swede.

Chael Sonnen versus Wanderlei Silva -- Sonnen's already dropping the subliminal tracks toward this fight.

Michael Bisping versus Cung Le -- The two greatest verbs in MMA are "Cung Le."

Alan Belcher versus Hector Lombard -- If 170 is too condensed for the Cuban, a run-in with Belcher at 185 might be fun.

Roy Nelson versus Daniel Cormier -- Twitter wants it. Twitter is all that matters in matchmaking.

STOCK UP/STOCK DOWN

Up
Bryan Caraway -- Only seven weeks removed from his split decision loss to Takeya Mizugaki, Caraway took out Johnny Bedford on a week’s notice with poise and strength.

Phil Davis -- He made it through the rebound portion of his career (the Wagner Prado series and now Vinny Magalhaes), and it’s right back into the kitchen fire of light heavyweight elites.

Cody McKenzie -- Hey, kudos to McKenzie for not engaging Leonard Garcia in a “Leonard Garcia” fight. His restraint was admirable.

Steven Siler -- This would have been fight of the night had Healy/Miller not turned things into Grappler’s Quest Gone Wild. Siler was too much for Kurt Holobaugh, and he weathered a big second-round storm to get the job done.

Down
Leonard Garcia -- Five losses in a row, the latest coming against a fighter who was tailor-made for getting off the schneid? Not good.

Vinny Magalhaes -- Here’s yet another lesson of “be careful what you wish for.” It was Magalhaes who called out Davis, but he had nothing for him.

Alan Belcher -- The eye poke was scary, particularly after having surgery on that same eye not all that long ago. But when you’re likely down 2-0 on the scorecards and you come out in the third with smiles instead of flurries? Not the way his corner drew it up.

All the UFC 159 promos can't do away with the most basic question: How did we get here?

The first time Chael Sonnen fought Anderson Silva, the original novelty was his utter disregard for Silva's legacy. To that point people had only been reverent of the middleweight champion -- even if Dana White was still fuming that Abu Dhabi had been turned into a stage for bad performance art by him and Demian Maia.

Along came the stock contender Sonnen, a journeyman who was proud of his singlet, the flag and his real estate license. He'd just taken the pestle to top contenders Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt, so he had the credentials. And what a platform it was. Within days of that last victory, he became the game's most infatuating wisenheimer. It was hard to gauge his sincerity, though; did he truly believe he would walk through Silva, the mythological Brazilian who, in Sonnen's active imagination, could speak the King's English?

Turns out he did. And turns out he backed it up for nine-tenths of a five-round fight in Oakland. The other one-tenth, as you now know, is the marker that defines his career.

After the loss, the asterisks piled up as the rematch lolled on the horizon. By the time he made his way back from his suspension for elevated testosterone levels, and made it through mobile obstacles (Brian Stann and Michael Bisping), we were talking about Sonnen-Silva II as the biggest fight in MMA history. It was Ali-Frazier there for a minute. It was Silva's first real rival. It was all kinds of bandstands, bunting and pageantry.

Yet Sonnen lost the rematch, too, this time less spectacularly. He lost his footing throwing a spinning backfist.

But losing your footing is nothing when you've mastered the art of falling forward. Sonnen now faces Jon Jones for the light heavyweight belt on Saturday night. For six months we've debated the matchmaking, with pro wrestling fans calling the protectors of pecking orders anything from "naïve" to "idiots." Either way, the moment has arrived to see what's what.

And unlike in either of the Silva bouts, this time Sonnen feels like a formality between Jones and bright new ventures, things like "heavyweight" and "superfights." Jones just wants to break Tito Ortiz's record for most title defenses at light heavyweight. That number is five; Jones' magic number to tie him is one.

Sonnen is the one.

And so here we are. Sonnen gets the "third time's the charm" treatment for UFC gold. Jones gets a chance to make Sonnen a footnote in history.

FIVE STORYLINES

Bisping in vulnerable spot

In his five-year quest to fight Anderson Silva, Bisping has gotten close three times. Yet in three eliminators, he's ended up being the one eliminated three times. Should he lose to Alan Belcher to make it three losses in four fights, his middleweight title shot may go away for good. It's not a must-win for Bisping in the roster sense, but it is in the gold-plated accessory sense.

Resurgence of Roy Nelson

As one of the more popular heavyweights, Roy Nelson's mullet beefs with Dana White won't keep him from contention. A win over thunder-fisted Frenchman Cheick Kongo would make it three in a row. If he knocks out Kongo in the first round? That would be three emphatic wins in a row. At that point the jokes about Nelson's belt size will be off the hook.

Jones and history

Everything Jones does in this young sport seems to stack neatly into something historic. Now he can pad his legacy by tying Ortiz's record for 205-pound title defenses against Sonnen. He makes it all seem so perfunctory that you forget the guy is only 25 years old.

Careful what you wish for

That Vinny Magalhaes called out Phil Davis is shrouded in mystery for those of us in the fight trade. Yes he's strong and has mad grappling skills, but isn't "Mr. Wonderful" an uber-athlete whose "wrestle first" attitude is meant to nullify limb hunters? (Reading between the lines: Vinny's sense of susceptibility is stronger than our sense of conventional wisdom).

Eye on Sara McMann

Before Cat Zingano came barging into the women's bantamweight title picture from left field (read: the flatirons of Colorado), the big up-and-coming prospect to watch was Sara McMann. Why not? McMann was a silver medalist in wrestling at the 2004 summer Olympics, and is 6-0 as a pro mixed martial artist. She makes her debut against Germany's Sheila Gaff, and a win keeps the contender cupboard stocked for the winner of Rousey-Zingano.

FIVE QUESTIONS

How does Sonnen compete?

Sonnen is giving up 11 inches in reach. Sure, he can wrestle, but in 16 takedown attempts, Jones has been taken down exactly zero times. There might be an existential crisis awaiting for Sonnen in Newark. How does he compete? Can Sonnen be the maelstrom that overpowers Jones? Or, the "Chaelstrom?" Hey, you know what? The gangster from West Lynn will take off his shoes and give it a go.

Last time we see Jones at 205?

Should Jones defeat Sonnen, the question will become: What now? There aren't a lot of desirable title fights to make at 205 right now (given that a Lyoto Machida redux is the best option, and Daniel Cormier underwhelmed last weekend). Could Jones sit back and watch the Chris Weidman-Anderson Silva bout in July, with designs on a "superfight" to commemorate the UFC's 20th anniversary? Or might he bolt for the heavyweight division?

What becomes of Bisping and Belcher?

Between Belcher (12 UFC fights) and Bisping (13), that's a lot of experience in the Octagon. The winner of this bout will again cycle back towards title contention, but will either ever get over the hump? Career stakes are on the line here.

Can Davis break through?

When Davis was charging up the 205-pound ranks, he looked so raw that we kept imagining him with a couple of more years of experience. But after he got worked by Rashad Evans, our minds were no longer as blown. Of course, he spent the last year in the forgettable Wagner Prado series, but here we are a couple of years removed from those halcyon days of catching Tim Boetsch in a "Philmura." Will the Davis we see Saturday night be the one we projected we'd see a couple of years ago at this point?

Is Kongo showing his 37 years?

The answer is, no, not really. Kongo keeps chipping away, and aside from getting knocked out by Mark Hunt he hasn't lost a fight since 2009 (though it still feels like Pat Barry knocked him out before that Hail Mary heave in Pittsburgh). How good would a knockout of Nelson look? Probably enough to get him into the cage with a guy like Alistair Overeem.

WHO'S ON THE HOT SEAT

Steven Siler – Losing to Darren Elkins is one thing, but following that up with a loss to UFC newcomer Kurt Holobaugh is another. It's the way things are during a roster trim -- all deep prelimists have to get used to life on the bubble.

Nick Catone – Tough draw for Catone against James Head in a must-win fight. Yes he's back on his native Jersey soil, but his last big win was against Costa Philippou back in spring 2011. Should he lose his third in a row? Close the drapes.

Cody McKenzie – When he lets his hair down, he looks like he should be shouting "Figaro!" When he lets his hands down, he turns into a punching back (refer to the Chad Mendes fight). A loss against Leonard Garcia would make it four of five, which is short for being "made redundant."

Leonard Garcia – If you were to lift up the cushions to Garcia's couch, you'd find a lot of loose game plans that have fallen through the cracks over the years. We expect him to jettison all that hooey he learned in training when the bell rings, but problem is he keeps getting his bell rung because of it. Dana White loves himself some Garcia, but it's hard to keep around a fun-loving brawler on a five-fight losing streak.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

Because "Bones" Jones has out-landed his opponents 330-99 in significant strikes in title fights … because Sonnen is the latest contestant to familiarize himself with the discrepancy … because Bones throws elbows from the pitcher's mound … because Sonnen will move forward until he can't … because Bisping might feel the tattoo of Johnny Cash's face squeezing his trachea ... because it'll be a drinking game challenge to tell Jim Miller and Pat Healy apart…because Magalhaes doesn't see a muscular athlete in Davis, but a dozen miles of workable limbs and neck ... because Garcia's neck is on the line against McKenzie (and in general) ... because Nelson and Kongo have no need for judges' scorecards ... because Jones is "Angry Johnny" capable of animal's grace ... yet he can do it with precision, or he can do it with gourmet taste.

Anderson Silva has surveyed two potential foes up close, only to have things go haywire.

First he traveled to Montreal for UFC 154 as a prelude to a “superfight” against Georges St-Pierre. Then, two months later, he hit Sao Paulo, Brazil, to check out the latest hubbub, Michael Bisping.

St-Pierre won, but wasn’t interested in a bout with Silva. Bisping lost spectacularly, and now we’re right back to where we were long before Silva’s thrown-together gimmick bout with Stephan Bonnar: Who’s next for Anderson Silva?

These are always murky waters.

Silva, whether he admits it or not, wants a rare blend of marketability, worthiness, nonrepetitiveness and beatability in his opponents. He will settle, of course, but Silva’s camp is not afraid to air its druthers. And now that the St-Pierre reverie has past, and Bisping -- our modern-day Sisyphus -- has tumbled back down the hill, who’s out there?

Vitor Belfort beat Bisping on Saturday night, and had a long-shot case. Yet (somewhat inexplicably) he chose to call out light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, in hopes of a rematch of their UFC 152 bout. Dana White reiterated that Belfort would not get the crack at Jones, anyway, given the dramatic finish of their first fight at UFC 126. So no Belfort.

Alan Belcher lost to Yushin Okami very unspectacularly, so he’s out -- and so is Okami, who had his shot at UFC 134 and doesn’t do himself any favors with his grinding, unspectacular style. Feel free to exhale, because it won’t be Okami.

Hector Lombard, whom Bisping referred to as a “little poison dwarf” not so long ago, slipped against Tim Boetsch in his UFC debut, even if he redeemed himself a little against Rousimar Palhares a few months later. He’s an option, but he’s motivated in strange ways. Besides, he's fighting Okami next, and here's guessing he wouldn't mind Bisping after that.
Mark Munoz slipped against Chris Weidman (badly), and Weidman lacks billboard appeal and experience (according to Silva, and Silva’s opinion has echoed down the media chambers). Tim Boetsch lost to Costas Philippou, and Philippou is too green, too new and too unproven.

There are out-of-division intrigues. Dan Henderson would do it, but Silva hates repeat customers, and besides, Hendo’s got a date with Lyoto Machida at UFC 157. Rashad Evans is a possibility, but he has business first with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. If Rory MacDonald wasn’t already locked up with a fight against Carlos Condit, maybe he’d use this opportunity to move up a weight class. But that fight is made, and don’t even try to talk to MacDonald about foregoing his chance to avenge that Condit loss.

Ronaldo Souza is interesting, but he’s not the reigning Strikeforce champion. That leaves Luke Rockhold, who was just a few days ago calling out a cusp top-10 fighter in Philippou. He is the reigning Strikeforce champion, but since dethroning “Jacare” he’s fought Keith Jardine and Tim Kennedy. Should he be asked to fight Silva in his UFC debut, it would feel like he was being jumped into a gang.

The most logical name is Jones. Jones fights Chael Sonnen in April and, realistically, isn’t expected to encounter much turbulence there. Silva could wait it out. But that would be a long time between bouts.

So what is the UFC to do? It would be nice if things were simple, but they’re not. It’s either pick between Lombard, Rockhold or Weidman, or dredge up another Bonnar-type as a potboiler.

Or, the UFC could think bigger. Have Silva travel one more time to check out a potential foe. This time to New Jersey. Put him cageside for Sonnen/Jones, as a looming presence for Jones should he win. With no true No. 1 contender within the division for matchmaker Joe Silva, set the table for the fight people are most curious about.

Convincing Silva might be difficult, but if there’s going to be a superfight, then make a superfight already. The timing isn’t perfect, but given how complex superfights are to put together, it might be as good as it gets.

When the call came from UFC officials, offering a title shot against light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, there wasn’t the slightest hesitation from Vitor Belfort.

Before the final words reached his ears, Belfort accepted. The only issue he had was, when would the fight take place?

Jones had turned down a fight with Chael Sonnen after his original opponent, Dan Henderson, pulled out of their Sept. 1 showdown at UFC 151 with a partially torn MCL.

The champion and his handlers weren’t interested in fighting Sonnen with eight days remaining 'til fight night.

Shortly thereafter, former UFC light heavyweight champions Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua said "no" to facing Jones on short notice. That's when the promotion turned to Belfort, who was willing to fight immediately.

Saving UFC 151 became his top priority. Belfort insisted he was the right man to fight Jones on a week’s notice and rescue that event, not Sonnen.

Eight days? No problem. Belfort, who was training for an Oct. 13 middleweight bout against Alan Belcher, was physically and mentally ready to go.

“If the fight would have happened next Saturday, I would have stepped in,” Belfort told ESPN.com. “That’s what I told them: ‘Don’t cancel! There are so many fans, we don’t want to bum them out. They deserve to see a fight. Let’s do it!’

“For Jones, on a personal level, fighting Chael Sonnen wasn’t worth it. Chael didn’t deserve to fight a guy like Jones.”

Belfort and Sonnen have spent the past few years competing at 185 pounds. Each also has light-heavyweight experience under his belt.

“

If the fight would have happened next Saturday, I would have stepped in. That's what I told them, 'Don't cancel! There are so many fans; we don't want to bum them out. They deserve to see a fight. Let's do it!'

” -- Vitor Belfort, on trying to salvage UFC 151

Belfort not only takes a two-fight win streak into the cage against Jones but also can boast of being a former UFC light heavyweight champion.

Belfort lifted the 205-pound belt from Randy Couture on Jan. 31, 2004, with a first-round TKO. Couture would reclaim his title, via third-round TKO, during an immediate rematch in August 2004.

Besides, Belfort is old-school: no frills, no trash-talk. Throughout his career, Belfort has wanted to fight only the best, and he’s never given less than 100 percent effort.

It will be no different against Jones. Belfort is prepared to give the defending champion all he can handle.

And Belfort isn’t afraid to absorb a punch or kick or elbow in an effort to land some of his own -- and let the chips fall where they may.

“When you have a history like I do, somebody like me from the old days, we’re not divas,” Belfort said. “Carlson Gracie, during my first fight against a guy called Jon Hess, said, ‘Vitor, when your mind is ready, you are going to be dangerous for anybody.’

“Carlson taught me one thing I will never forget: ‘You have to just think of one thing -- never hesitate when a challenge comes. Just do it.’

“I’m focused on challenges and this definitely is a challenge. But in the end it’s just a fight. And I’m a fighter.

“I come from the old days. If I wasn’t in training, if I wasn’t preparing myself for a fight [in October], I still would have taken this fight with Jones. My God, this is a title fight!”

At 35, Belfort has battled a Who’s Who of mixed martial artists. He could retire tomorrow and be satisfied knowing that he competed against some of the very best this sport had to offer.

But the 25-year-old Jones is a different breed. This champion offers a style of mixed martial arts that Belfort and his colleagues of a few years ago could not have imagined.

Jones is the full package: youth, athleticism, size, speed, strength and confidence. He is also a fast-rising Madison Avenue darling.

It’s a lot to overcome, but Belfort can barely contain his enthusiasm when thinking about facing Jones inside the Octagon on Sept. 22 at the reworked UFC 152 in Toronto.

Belfort isn’t fighting for himself. He’s fighting for an era and for colleagues who are quickly fading into the history books.

Jones-Belfort is old school versus new school.

“I told [UFC chairman] Lorenzo [Fertitta] and [president] Dana [White] a while ago that I want to finish my career fighting the best fighters in the world,” Belfort said. “And having the privilege to fight the best fighter in the whole history of the UFC, Jon Jones, it’s a pleasure, it’s a dream.

“I admire him a lot. He’s the new version of the sport; I come from the old version. It’s a perfect fit. The fans are going to enjoy it.”

Anderson Silva hung up his gloves after stopping Chael Sonnen on Saturday. The best middleweight in MMA history, arguably the top fighter over the first two decades of the sport's modern era, had nothing left to accomplish. So he did the sensible thing. He walked away healthy. Left with his legacy intact.

OK ... on the unlikely chance you're freaked out right now, relax. My lede is as real as Sonnen's UFC championship belt. Someday, though, Silva, 37, having established and maintained unparalleled records of longevity in the UFC, will leave the sport.

What happens then? A free-for-all at 185 pounds? Will a fighter emerge and establish his own dominant track?

Based on Wednesday's clash in San Jose, Calif., between Mark Munoz and Chris Weidman, the division won’t lack for talent. The unbeaten Weidman was to-a-T perfect, landing a beautiful standing counter elbow that sliced open the Filipino Wrecking Machine en route to a bloody second round stoppage. Perhaps the 28-year-old wrestler from Long Island is the next big thing and the man to end Silva’s reign. He sure looked like a force against Munoz, and whether or not Silva is around to test him, Weidman will surely have a say about the future of the middleweight division.

While the perceived gulf between Silva and his 185-compatriots befits the Grand Canyon, perhaps emerging contenders like Weidman suggests it’s not as wide as we think.

At the very least, a cadre of contenders ensures a merry-go-round at the top of the class, a hint that winning the belt does not come with an implicit guarantee of retaining it.

Who are the best candidates to replace Silva when he finally walks (or maybe before he does)?

Chris Weidman

With less than 10 pro fights you’d think he doesn’t have the experience to challenge Silva. But history suggests this isn’t any kind of deterrent to championship aspirations in the UFC. Thus far, Weidman did everything that promotion has asked of him, and looked great in the process.

Over the long haul, among the contenders that exist today, Weidman has established himself (in my mind at least) as the front-running prospective champion. That could be the afterglow of Wednesday’s one-sided beatdown talking, but this is a guy with all the makings of a serious fighter.

He’s more than a wrestler. He’s a long wrestler. And if there was any doubt about his striking acumen I’ll refer you to the elbow that sealed the deal against Munoz.

Billed by his coach Ray Longo as a natural, Weidman plays the part well.

Chael Sonnen

Yes, Sonnen. He didn’t beat Silva, but who has? It’s a whole different (i.e. less difficult) scenario taking on the smorgasbord that would exist in the Brazilian’s absence. Sonnen’s most trying opponent is often himself. Negotiating mental hurdles to claim a belt, even if it’s not from Silva, remains his biggest challenge.

Michael Bisping

Collective groans from the peanut gallery on this one. But the man deserves more respect than he gets. No matter how vigorously some fans hate on Bisping, it’s clear he’s a threat and continues to improve, especially in the area of takedown defense. When he fights with composure there are few better at overwhelming opponents with angst and volume punching than the veteran Brit.

Hector Lombard

Here’s the thing with Lombard: no one knows how good he is.

You can surmise and infer all you want. The fact is Lombard, formerly the Bellator middleweight champion, hasn’t fought anyone at or near their prime in years. If he gets past Tim Boetsch (big if) then he’ll earn credibility. Without needing to fight Silva, whose length and accuracy are massive factors against the short yet powerful Cuban, Lombard could have a shot at making this happen.

Alan Belcher

Another big middleweight who can do more than a little bit of everything. Belcher’s win against Rousimar Palhares in May indicated the 28-year-old, fighting out of Biloxi, Miss., is nearing the top of his game. With his confidence soaring, Belcher is a test for anyone at 185 pounds.

Luke Rockhold

First things first, he has to matriculate to the UFC. For now let’s pretend that instead of fighting for Zuffa’s unfortunately low-rent Strikeforce, Rockhold has already made his way to the Octagon. The athletic, lanky, aggressive Californian should not be underestimated. He’s learning on the job, which is a strike against him, but so far so good. If he handles Tim Kennedy with ease this Saturday, there’s no reason Rockhold shouldn’t be mentioned in the same class as the cream of UFC’s 185-pound crop.

Apologies in advance for the cliché, but there is simply no better way to describe the fallout from Vitor Belfort’s broken hand than by using one of our favorites …

Business as usual.

Another injury, another fight card tossed haphazardly into chaos. It’s sort of become a disturbing trend for the UFC over the last couple of years. At this instant we can only assume matchmakers are scrambling back to their bunkers to find somebody, anybody to fight Wanderlei Silva at UFC 147.

Keep your phones turned on, opportunistic UFC middleweights.

This time, Belfort’s injury scrapped not only the fight company’s planned main event for its June 23 show in Brazil, but at best indefinitely postponed a fight that was meant to cap the inaugural international season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” on which both Silva and Belfort were opposing coaches.

In the wake of the injury -- and despite the fact he should have been a prohibitive underdog in this bout -- Silva has accused Belfort of being something between a coward and an incompetent. He insists he’s still fighting, though his opponent is currently listed as the dreaded “To Be Announced.”

To that end, here are five suggestions for good replacements to fill Belfort’s shoes, ranging from the very likely to the admittedly very fanciful:

Michael Bisping.

I’m not a betting man (at least that’s what I keep telling my wife), but if I were I’d be willing to lay good money that we ultimately see Bisping injected into this bout. From the start, it felt strange that the UFC followed up his spirited January loss to Chael Sonnen by handing him a meeting with Tim Boetsch at UFC 149 in July. Boetsch may be riding a three-fight win streak, but Silva just makes more sense for the Brit right now, especially if matchmakers want “The Axe Murderer” to retain his slot in UFC 147’s main event. Bisping lost to Wanderlei via unanimous decision at UFC 110 and it’s been eating him up ever since. No doubt he’d jump at the chance to swap Boetsch for Silva, even if it meant a truncated training camp.

Especially when you consider that among the crop of other likely candidates, Mark Munoz is already expected to take on Chris Weidman in July (a cool fight we’d all hate to see scrapped) and Yoshihiro Akiyama is injured, Bisping is the odds on favorite to take this fight.

Demian Maia.

Despite losing to Weidman in January, Maia still has a few things going for him if the organization wants him to fight at UFC 147: First, he’s Brazilian and the UFC traditionally loves to stock its international shows with local products. Second, he’d make for a credible, but potentially beatable opponent for Silva, just in case the UFC is interested in keeping Wanderlei in the win column until Belfort is healed up. Well, more beatable than candidates like, say, Hector Lombard or Brian Stann. Third, Maia’s already training for a fight against Dong Hyun Kim 14 days later at UFC 148. Wouldn't take much shuffling to get him on here, if Bisping is unavailable or unwilling.

Alan Belcher.

“The Talent” appeared to emerge relatively unscathed from his victory over Rousimar Palhares earlier this month and while he’s currently riding a streak of four consecutive victories, he seems like the kind of dude who’d let it ride and jump at the chance for a short-notice fight against a name as big as Silva. He’d also give promoters, fans and Wanderlei himself the kind of stand-up war we’re hoping for from this bout. So long as he’s physically able, the fight makes sense.

Jake Shields. Shields has decided to return to middleweight after a disappointing 2-2 run through the welterweight ranks and is slated to take on Ed Herman at UFC 150 in early August. On the other hand, there'd be no use use facing someone as dangerous and comparatively unheralded as “Short Fuse," if Shields could jump the line into a fight against a much bigger and much more vulnerable fish. His status as the former Strikeforce champ means the company could probably still pass this matchup off as the main event and his underwhelming performances since coming to the UFC in 2010 could make Shields look like an attractive opponent to Silva, too.

Ronaldo Souza.

Sure, it’s a reach, but it’s not like “Jacare” has anything else going on. We haven’t heard one word from him (also a former Strikeforce titlist) since he defeated Bristol Marunde in March. For all we know, he’d be a serious draw in his home country and it would add some considerable intrigue to the 185 pound division if he could come in and defeat Silva in his UFC debut. To do it though, he’d have to get past Wanderlei’s bad intentions and get him on the ground.

Wildcard pick: BJ Penn. No, this won’t happen, but it sure would be a hoot. The former UFC welterweight and lightweight champ fought in middleweight and even open weight affairs during the 22 months he spent wandering the earth while on the outs with the UFC in 2004-06. Hey, we’re doing this thing in Brazil anyway, so why not make it a good, old fashioned vale tudo-style affair pitting the smaller, but more talented grappler against a larger, but fading wildman?

No? No, probably not.

But a guy can dream.

Mixed martial arts is filled to the brim with great stories. Not the least of which is the amazing tale of the sport itself.

During the course of this fight week, UFC’s third on network TV, we were often reminded of two of its most harrowing: Lavar Johnson taking three bullets in a drive-by and Alan Belcher's battle with blindness.

When it comes to opportunities, Johnson and Belcher have to rank among the UFC's most grateful combatants.

With Johnson, it's easy to grasp why. He was the victim of horrific street violence that left his life (never mind his career as a heavyweight fighter) in peril. To survive and rebuild must have been empowering, which you can see in an attitude that led him, improbably enough, to open the Fox-televised UFC card. Johnson is fighting like he has nothing to lose, knocking dudes stiff, and for that he's moving toward the something-to-lose category. It will be interesting to see how the mid-tier heavyweight handles added pressure of success.

Belcher, though. The sport dinged him bad, nearly taking his sight. To cope with the emotions and thoughts that must come with that, the surgery and eventual recovery, to put it all on the line again by fighting dangerous beasts like Rousimar Palhares, I'm not sure there are many people who can comprehend what that requires.

Alan Belcher amazed on Saturday, and only in part because of his history.

The 28-year-old out of Biloxi, Miss., turned the tables on Palhares, attacking the Brazilian at his considerable strength. Leg locks, dare I say, are a dangerous game if played against “Toquinho,” but Belcher was obviously well prepared and defended the twisting, turning, bone-breaking attacks as well as he could.

Belcher wasn’t supposed to win -- not according to the mythology built up around the Brazilian. Palhares tore people limb by limb, OK? But, you know, Belcher wasn’t even supposed to be fighting, either. And there he was, slamming elbows and punches into the head of a stumpy middleweight stuck on his back.

UFC’s third card on Fox was its best since finding the brighter spotlight of prime-time network TV. After a too-short title fight followed by an all-decision card, Saturday’s effort -- highlighted by Johnson’s knockout, Belcher’s referee stoppage and Nate Diaz’s coming out party -- was a true example of mixed martial arts as spectator sport.

On a big night for combat sports, when UFC action led into Floyd Mayweather out-pointing Miguel Cotto and pocketing a record $32 million in guaranteed money, Belcher’s win -- his fourth straight -- feels worth singling out. The streak, halved by the retina detachment in 2010, puts him in position to compete at the upper reaches of UFC’s middleweight division.

Palhares, amazingly enough, wasn’t ranked coming into tonight. So where does that leave Belcher in a deep, competitive field?

I think he’d beat Hector Lombard, Bellator’s former champion and Zuffa’s newest signee, who has a similar chance to breakthrough on Fox when he fights Brian Stann in Los Angeles in August. Can’t say I feel so confident in Belcher if he’s matched against Stann. Belcher versus the winner between Ed Herman and Jake Shields makes sense. Perhaps Tim Boetsch or Michael Bisping, who meet this July. Whatever Zuffa tasks him with next, Belcher will eagerly answer the call.

After all, he didn’t come back from the brink of disaster for nothing.

In the end, Luke Rockhold just said what we were all thinking.

After shoring up the initial defense of his Strikeforce title with a first-round knockout of Keith Jardine on Saturday night, Rockhold sounded pretty indifferent on the prospect of a bout with Tim Kennedy.

No offense to Kennedy -- he may be the promotion’s only real option as a No. 1 contender in the immediate future -- but even the middleweight champion seemed to tacitly acknowledge that Strikeforce 2.0 will fail without a significant influx of talent from its parent company.

“Right now all the best guys are in the UFC ...,” Rockhold said on Saturday, expertly sidestepping Kennedy altogether. “Those are the guys I want. I want to climb to the top, I want to fight the best in the world. I think they should bring over some top contenders.”

As bad as this makes us all feel for Kennedy -- nobody ever wants to fight him, seems like -- Rockhold is right.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, if Strikeforce is going to live out this year and even see (e-gads!) 2014, it’s going to need more fighters. At this stage of MMA’s evolution, it’s hard to see anywhere those fighters (at least the ones any viewers have heard of before) would come from besides the UFC.

With that in mind, here are five compelling opponents for Rockhold who could all come to Strikeforce during 2012, without really upsetting the balance of power in the UFC 185-pound division:

Brian Stann: Stann shapes up a perfect future foe for Rockhold, given his status as a highly regarded up-and-comer recently knocked out of the thick of the UFC title hunt with an ugly loss to Chael Sonnen. At this point, the bigger fight company wouldn’t really miss him (much), but he’d be a huge addition to Strikeforce. Stann is just 31, a former WEC light heavyweight champion and would certainly have the chops to put up a better fight for the Strikeforce champ on his feet than Jardine did. The million dollar question might be whether Stann could keep the fight standing and -- in the event it went to the ground -- steer clear of Rockhold’s submission game. Up next, Stann is scheduled to meet Alessio Sakara in April in a fight he absolutely must (and should) win to maintain his status as a hot prospect. After that? Anything may be possible.

Alan Belcher: With the uncertainty of a 2010 eye injury now behind him, Belcher kicked off his full time return to competition with an expeditious beatdown of Jason MacDonald in September. He was briefly rumored as a next opponent for Vitor Belfort before Belfort got funneled into a matchup with Anthony Johnson (and then a TUF: Brazil coaching gig) and the UFC has yet to place him with an official upcoming fight. If matchmakers aren’t exactly sure how to pace the talented Duke Roufus-trained striker, a fight with Rockhold could be just the ticket.

Rousimar Palhares: If the UFC balked at sacrificing prospects like Stann or Belcher to Strikeforce, it could always think about somebody like Palhares. The fireplug submission specialist has beaten everyone he’s faced in the Octagon save for Dan Henderson and Nate Marquardt, but the company doesn’t seem to have him ticketed for big things, as evidenced by back-to-back fights against Dave Branch and Dan Miller. He’d be giving up a ton of height to the 6-foot-3 Rockhold, but things might get interesting if he could get the fight to the mat. Up next for him, Palhares fights Mike Massenzio on Jan. 14 at UFC 142.

Tim Boetsch: “The Barbarian” has proved cutting to middleweight was the proper move after unanimous decisions over Kendall Grove and Nick Ring. Still, not sure anyone is yet fully on board with him as a legit threat to the top of the division. That all changes if he beats Yushin Okami next month at UFC 144, of course, but if not? He’d shape up as a compelling litmus test for Rockhold, and a markedly different one than the guys listed above. To beat him, the Strikeforce champ would have to either stay off his back or become just the second man ever to submit him. The first was light heavyweight Phil Davis, which could put Rockhold in rarefied air if he were to pull it off.

Nate Marquardt: Call this one sort of an honorable (but likely impossible) mention. It’s been nearly six months since Marquardt was summarily dumped from the UFC after the summer’s testosterone therapy debacle. He’s finally scheduled to make his BAMMA debut on Feb. 11, taking on Yoshiyuki Yoshida for the British promotion’s welterweight title, but so far he hasn’t exactly started his post-Zuffa career like gangbusters. It’s probably out of the realm of possibility the organization would have him back, but if a change of heart occurred sometime during 2012, he’d make a great test for Rockhold.

NEW ORLEANS -- Jake Shields was a noticeable absence Thursday during the UFC’s open workouts at the New Orleans Athletic Club.

Shields faces Jake Ellenberger in the main event on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: “Battle on the Bayou,” just 16 days after the passing of his father. Jack Shields was 67 years old.

In a released statement, Shields said it only took “a few minutes” to decide he wouldn’t pull out of the fight. He felt it was what his father would have wanted.

“It took me a moment to figure out what I wanted to do, but I figured the right thing to do would be to continue to fight with him being my manager and my biggest supporter.”

Ellenberger expressed sympathy for his opponent but added Saturday would still be business and he expects Shields to be the best possible version of himself.

Shields is just five months removed from competing for the UFC welterweight title. The former Strikeforce middleweight champion came up short in a bid against Georges St. Pierre, losing via unanimous decision at UFC 129.

Ellenberger is still waiting for his first crack at the title and a win over the likes of Shields might be enough to get him there. He’s won four straight since dropping a split decision to Carlos Condit in 2009.

St. Pierre is scheduled to fight Condit in October. After that, the list of contenders is short. B.J. Penn has already failed in two welterweight title fights. Nick Diaz was dropped from a title matchup after failing to attend news conferences. Another two candidates in Jon Fitch and Johny Hendricks are slated to fight in December.

Although certainly not one of the louder personalities in the UFC, Ellenberger has tried to let his fists talk for him. Three of his last four fights have ended in knockout.

“I think at the end of the day it comes down to winning,” Ellenberger said. “Eventually, if you keep winning, you’re going to get a title shot. It also comes down to how you win -- impressively, and not just squeaking by.”
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MacDonald taking a page out of Lytle’s book?

Veteran middleweight Jason MacDonald was thrilled to return to action earlier this year at UFC 129 following a year-long layoff due to injury.

But how long does the 36-year-old, father of four want to continue fighting?

Last month, welterweight Chris Lytle retired from mixed martial arts, despite a 5-1 record in his previous six fights, to spend more time with his family. He said a big factor in his decision was he didn’t enjoy training as much as he used to.

MacDonald, who fights Alan Belcher on Saturday’s main card, said the story hit home.

“I know I belong. I wasn’t a one-fight wonder,” the Canadian said. “I’ve fought the who’s who of the middleweight division. It’s never a question of do I belong, it’s how much longer do I want to do this?

“I could relate to Chris Lytle’s story. I’ve got four children. I’m not a title contender. Some people might say that’s a poor thing to say -- I’m realistic. A big win over Alan and I’m still a lot of fights away from a title. You start asking yourself how many fights you want to do.”

MacDonald wouldn’t say he’s ready to retire just yet, but the 12-year pro said he wouldn’t fight it when the time came.

Belcher nearly gave up hope he’d ever fight again

Middleweight contender Alan Belcher admits he pretty much gave in to the frustration and despair of a serious eye injury late last year.

The 27-year-old underwent surgery to repair a detached retina in 2010. During the process, Belcher allowed himself to envision a life away from fighting. Given the extreme commitment the sport requires, that simple act was like admitting defeat.

“I kind of started conditioning my mind to accept it one way or another,” Belcher said. “Kind of thinking, ‘So be it.’ When you go that far, you pretty much are saying, ‘I’m not going to fight anymore.’”

Belcher halted his diet and focused his mind on other activities. Once he was cleared to resume training, however, he says it was amazing how quickly his mentality returned.

“It’s pretty funny. The body and mind have a great memory,” he said. “You come back just like you were before.”

Alan Belcher decided to take the Jorge Rivera-style route to getting himself a big fight later in the year by instigating a war of words with British bad boy Michael Bisping.

Bisping is no shrinking violet and he's aimed a dig at Belcher's slightly stretched tattoo of Johnny Cash. More »

Alan Belcher was a middleweight on a roll in the UFC. He had won two straight fights -- beating Wilson Gouveia and former title contender Patrick Cote -- and four of his last five. The only defeat in that span was a controversial split decision loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100.

All his momentum came to a screeching halt when Belcher suffered a detached retina while training in Brazil for a fight against the world-ranked Demian Maia that was slated to headline UFC Fight Night 22 in September. He underwent emergency surgery in August and has been on the long road back to the Octagon ever since.

“I only had two sparring sessions with heavy hitters [before the injury],” Belcher told Sherdog.com. “I started seeing things, but I didn’t know what to look for. I started noticing something was wrong, and it kind of happened over time. I flew back to the U.S. and had surgery. Then, I had to have surgery again a month later when the retina detached again.”

After undergoing two surgeries in as many months on his right eye, Belcher was forced to contemplate life without full eyesight, much less being able to compete again in the UFC again.

“[After the second surgery] is when it really hit home,” said Belcher, who earned two “Fight of the night” and two “Submission of the night” bonuses in his last four fights. “I wondered how I’d be able to see again. I just wanted to be able to see my child and live a normal life. I wasn’t thinking about fighting. People talked to me about fighting again, but it wasn’t in my mind at all. Once my eye finally healed, it was all downhill and so easy from there.”

A member of the Roufusport camp in Milwaukee and a native of Biloxi, Miss., Belcher was released to start sparring again in February. However, it will be several more months before UFC fans will see “The Talent” in action again. A UFC event in New Orleans, tentatively scheduled for Sept. 17, has become his target.

“Right now, I’m planning to come back in September,” said Belcher, who has 14 finishes among his 16 professional victories. “Everything is looking good so far, and I’m glad to be back in training. The time off was good for me. I got to see things from a different point of view. It made me realize just how lucky I was to be a fighter. It’s truly a gift that I’ve been given, but now I’m ready to be back as good or better than I’ve ever been.”

Belcher has had plenty of time to contemplate who he would like to face in his first fight back from injury, and one of the names at the top of the list belongs to “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner Michael Bisping.

“Bisping is an a------ who disrespects the sport and his opponent,” said Belcher. “A fight between me and Michael Bisping is something everybody wants except for Michael Bisping. It would be amazing to sign that fight and have him come to my backyard. He always gets to fight in Britain and other places, but it’d be good to see him come down to Louisiana. I’d love for that to be my comeback fight.”

Other names that Belcher tossed out included Maia, Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva.

“I want to fight the top three or four guys,” he said. “I want someone who will help keep my status high and help me move towards a title shot. I don’t want to have to prove myself again. [Belfort] is a legend and is still close to the top. I’m not sure beating [Silva] gets me closer to the title, but he’s a fighter I like. [Maia] and [Bisping] are other possibilities, too.”

Despite the fact that he has healed enough to be cleared by doctors, Belcher’s vision in his right eye remains blurry. However, he does not see it as a problem.

“My vision is still not perfect, but when both my eyes are open, I can see what I’m doing,” said Belcher, who owns other notable wins over Denis Kang, Ed Herman, Kalib Starnes and Jorge Santiago. “I’m nearsighted in my right eye, and if I close my left eye, things get blurry unless I’m really close to something. It’s getting better every day. I have my peripheral vision, and I can see well enough to spar. I’ll be able to see what people are doing.”

After suffering what might have been a career-ending and life-altering injury, most fighters might be hesitant to get back in the cage for fear of getting hurt again. That does not appear to be the case for Belcher.

“My doctor told me there’s no chance to detach the retina again now that it’s healed up,” said Belcher. “The only problem might come if I get poked in my left eye, leaving me with one blurry eye, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”