The Doggy Bag: Sprechen Sie UFC 122?

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm pretty excited for the Jorge Rivera-Alessio Sakara scrap. I never would have imagined either guy being on a relevant winning streak in the UFC.. How do you see this match-up of oddly important gatekeepers going down and what sort of path would the winner be on? If either guy got a title shot, it would be MMA's true Chuck Wepner story.
-- Jonathan from Queens

Jack Encarnacao, reporter, columnist, radio host: Not sure why you’d hate to admit this, Jonathan. Hardcore MMA fans are too self-conscious and afraid to acknowledge what it is they love about the sport.

If this plays out like we envision, it will be the kind of fight we all love: two veterans with strikingly similar styles -- savor that pun -- on unexpected win streaks should mean fun in the cage. Fences will be swung for and Rivera and Sakara have knockout power in their hands and feet. Despite several past losses that indicated their UFC days were over, they’re still here, in a co-main event no less. These two don’t have their jobs because they’re afraid to lose; they have them because matchmakers can rely on their styles to make exciting fights.

Where would the winner go? In a recent interview I conducted with Rivera for a forthcoming feature on Sherdog.com, he revealed that he personally requested his last three opponents: Rob Kimmons, Nate Quarry and Sakara. Those suggestions struck the right chord with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva. If he wins on Nov. 11, Rivera said he next wants an opponent who will allow him to demonstrate his grappling aptitude, perhaps Demian Maia.

Sakara is aiming a bit higher, saying in a recent interview he would like to fight Michael Bisping in Rome if he tops Rivera. Not sure the Italian would get thrown that large of a bone, but the Italian-English soccer rivalry could be played off of for a UFC event in Italy. A glimmer of Chuck Wepner potential there, I suppose, though Sakara didn’t reach the same level of competition before skidding and rising anew: Sonny Liston and George Foreman, Dean Lister and Drew McFedries.

Rivera is trying to relax his striking in camp as bit too much outside circling invites the well-timed shots Sakara used to put down James Irvin and Joe Vedepo. There ought to be an emphasis on “kill shot” for Rivera as Sakara’s chin has betrayed him in the past. I like Rivera to show more aggression in close quarters and land a kill shot within two rounds.