IRVIN: James Irvin is a wrestler and former college football player from Citrus Heights, California. “The Sandman” fights as part of the No Limits Underground team and the Capital City Fighting Alliance with Cassio Werneck. He also spars at City Boxing in San Diego and has recently been training with Randy Couture at Team Quest.

Irvin is 5-0 in the Gladiator Challenge and 2-0 in World Extreme Cagefighting. Last Halloween he beat Olympic wrestler Houssain Oushani in WEC 12 for the WEC world heavyweight championship. He had already won the opening round of a heavyweight tournament where the winner was to meet Mike Kyle for the heavyweight title.

A lot of controversy surrounds this match-up with Kyle. It was originally supposed to take place in the WEC but Kyle pulled out five days before the fight due to an arena football tryout. Scott Adams, UFC veteran and the main man at the WEC, called and had Kyle’s tryout date changed but Mike still didn’t want to fight so he was stripped of the title. Now they settle it in the UFC for the world to see.

KYLE: Mike Kyle is a former East Oregon University defensive end and fullback with an 11-3 record in MMA. “The Stalker” began training with the Primal Tribe in Boise Idaho and now trains with UFC veterans Josh Thomson, Tim Lajcik, Paul Buentello, “Crazy” Bob Cook and boxing specialist Javier Mendez at the American Kickboxing Academy.

Kyle fought in smaller shows like Night of the Knockouts (fought KOTC veteran Kauai Kupihea) and after a bout in the Gladiator’s Challenge he got his break in the King of the Cage. He faced Dan Bobish at KOTC 13 and lost a controversial match where it looked like he had the win wrapped up. He met UFC 51 fighter and sparring partner Paul Buentello KOTC 18 and performed well enough to be courted by the American Kickboxing Academy camp and made the move to California.

Kyle beat Jerry Vrbanovic in his WEC debut and won the heavyweight title there. He then beat Hammer House wrestler Wes Sims in his Octagon debut at UFC 47. The bout officially ended with strikes but Kyle’s teeth prints could be seen in Sims’ chest ala the Gilbert Yvel-Karim Barkalaev bout from years ago.

At UFC 49 Kyle was knocked out by former roommate and Miletich Fighting Systems athlete Justin Eilers.

MY PICK: Kyle. I’d kind of like to see Irvin win because of all he’s had to go through to get the fight, and he may still do it but I think Kyle has too much experience. With this being his first time in the cage and so much controversy surrounding his debut, it may be too much even with Couture helping to train him.

However, given how quickly Randy and crew got Rulon Gardner ready to defeat Hidehiko Yoshida, anything is possible. It should be a slugfest and it would not surprise me at all if it ends mired in controversy. Kyle by TKO in round two.