Middleweights Kalib Starnes (8-1-1) and Alan Belcher (10-3) will clash at UFC 77 on October 20, according to a report from Sherdog.com.
The pay-per-view (PPV) event, which takes place at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, will feature the rematch between current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and hometown hero, former titleholder Rich Franklin, as the main event.
A former contestant on season three of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), Starnes is coming off a unanimous decision win over the gritty Chris Leben at UFC 71 in May. It was the “Fight of the Night,” and one in which the Canadian was humble in victory.
Starnes — who recently joined American Top Team (ATT) to improve his stand up — has a respectable record inside the Octagon (2-1), with his only loss coming via technical knockout courtesy of Yushin Okami at UFC 64.
Here’s a snip from him on his new training regimen and potential opponent:
“The weakest part of my game has been my boxing … so to come down here to focus with an Olympic Gold Medalist with almost 40 years experience in the game, Howard Davis Jr. — that’s invaluable. I can get great training in Vancouver, but when it comes to sparring, in Florida I have 20 guys in my weight class to spar with as opposed to two in Vancouver. I need to have guys in there all the time who are better than me or as good as me, and that’s what I get down here …. He [Belcher] has got heavy hands and he hits hard, and he has some jiu-jitsu experience. He’ll be a big boy, so it should be a good fight.”
Indeed, in his last fight against Sean Salmon at UFC 71, Belcher took the light heavyweight bout (20 more than the traditional 185) on short notice and dispatched of the former Ohio State University NCAA Division I wrestler in less than one minute.
Similar to Starnes, “The Talent” also dropped a fight to Okami at UFC 62 via unanimous decision — a memorable showdown because of the unconventional move that Belcher implemented, diving head first into the canvas to shuck the Japanese star off his back.
It didn’t work. And after the defeat, he later went on to get worked and eventually submitted by Kendall Grove at UFC 69.
Regardless of the prior losses, both fighters are coming off of impressive wins and will look keep the momentum rolling when they meet on October 20.
It’s important to note that the bout agreements for this fight have not been signed … yet.
29 Comments »
I like this fight. Both of these guys are “B” fighters in my mind, but stand a chance of becoming “A” fighters eventually. This is especially true of Belcher who I think is only 22 or 23.
You wrote “Similar to Starned”
[quote comment=”110587″]You wrote “Similar to Starned”[/quote]
Thakns
Hoyked onn fonics werked four me
You know, Starnes is rated worse than he is…. I know people have critized Jmac to his loss to Starnes, but after that fight Jmac said he couldn’t control the fight because he was Starnes was so stong. I think Starnes would have done better on the show if he wouldn’t have had his ribs broken by Kendal. The way the show made him look like a puss, but that rib injury was pretty bad.
I dont think Starnes is a bad fighter. Is he gritty enough to be a high ranked fighter? I doubt it… definitely better then a middle of the road fighter though.
starnes is probably one of the better middle weights in the ufc hes well rounded,strong,decent hands and he has a great ground game…i think starnes will win this fight by either tlk or decision
Kalib has undeniable talent. I just don’t know if he has “it.” Like that killer instinct or complete fighter mentality. He seems to get derailed when things dont go his way or he gets injured. I think Chris Leben calls it the “Warrior Spirit.” Or maybe Swick said it recently. You get the idea. Kalib via sub … nice gatekeeper for all the 185ers the UFC HAS TO IMPORT.
i go for belcher,he has potential and is a huge 185 like a white yushin okami.
I’m adding Starnes to the tiny list of TUF fighters who deserve to be in the UFC:
Travis Lutter
Marcus Davis
Kendall Grove
Rashad Evans
Fat boy Alan Belchar … too short to be a light heavyweight and doesnt possess the skills or body type to hang with Middleweights. I think he could make an exceptional bowler on the PBA tour.
Kalib Starnes unanimous decision
[quote comment=”110696″]Fat boy Alan Belchar … too short to be a light heavyweight and doesnt possess the skills or body type to hang with Middleweights. I think he could make an exceptional bowler on the PBA tour.
Kalib Starnes unanimous decision[/quote]
no ‘Kevin “cuts” Kelly’ lil siggy jawn?
Man, my sausage and pasta salad was breathtaking, now time to wash it back with some Xyeince and megamen…
Lil siggy jawn ? Is that an ingredient in one of your supplements Lupper ?
Keep drinking your xyience and doses of megaman to go along with your “sausage and pasta salad was breathtaking”
I don’t think that Kalib is anything special, nor will he ever be. PLUS, he is in the weakest division of the UFC I don’t see him ever being ranked any higher than 5 or so in the worst division in MMA. As soon as the UFC starts bringing in some good or even decent MW’s, next year you guys will all be confusing Kalib Starnes with Josh Rafferty.
[quote post=”2809″]I’m adding Starnes to the tiny list of TUF fighters who deserve to be in the UFC:
Travis Lutter
Marcus Davis
Kendall Grove
Rashad Evans [/quote]
KenFlo, Daddy, Bisping, Lytle, Din Thomas, Serra(maybe), Cole Miller, Joe Jauzon, Nate Diaz, and Andy Wang
[quote comment=”110745″][quote post=”2809″]I’m adding Starnes to the tiny list of TUF fighters who deserve to be in the UFC:
Travis Lutter
Marcus Davis
Kendall Grove
Rashad Evans [/quote]
KenFlo, Daddy, Bisping, Lytle, Din Thomas, Serra(maybe), Cole Miller, Joe Jauzon, Nate Diaz, and Andy Wang[/quote]
YOU SAY MAYBE TO MATT SERRA AND YOU THROW IN ANDY WANG?
Please Andy Wang will never see the octagon unless he tears through the competition which I doubt.
Eh I am somewhat interested in this fight, and I am going to this fight for a sure fact, so UFCMANIA if you need someone reporting the results to you let me know.
Cant stand either one of these jokers but I hope Belcher beats Starnes A**
[quote post=”2809″]Eh I am somewhat interested in this fight, and I am going to this fight for a sure fact, so UFCMANIA if you need someone reporting the results to you let me know.[/quote]
Lettin you know.
We don’t have anyone lined up for Ohio yet. If you could do prelims, that’d be huge.
[quote post=”2809″]YOU SAY MAYBE TO MATT SERRA AND YOU THROW IN ANDY WANG?[/quote]
Obviously listing Andy Wang was a joke. And i am not sure if Serra beating GSP was a fluke or not.
Kalib Starnes is not even a B fighter because he’s too nice a guy even in the octagon. He doesn’t look like he wants to decapitate his opponent. Plus his cardio is suspect.
[quote comment=”110740″]Lil siggy jawn ? Is that an ingredient in one of your supplements Lupper ?
Keep drinking your xyience and doses of megaman to go along with your “sausage and pasta salad was breathtaking”[/quote]
Being a fat slow lazy bastard is fun, you should try it.
I’ll give it a shot …
Kevin “cuts” Kelly
great news
i met Kalib in London at UFC 75 he was a very nice guy he took the time to talk to fans i even got my photo taken with him, hope he kicks Belchers ass
You little fancy boys with your A class, B class C, class bullshit make me laugh. Your all A class nerds.
ok im not in the ufc but i do fight mma i want to break something down here for a couple of guys. belcher is strong and a good wrestler, i dont take that away from him. belchers one down fall is that he think cuz he have a couple years of jui-jitsu he can compete with starnes, if this fight goes to the ground he will get tapped out by someone with far greater skills. and i believe that starnes proved that he could go the distence with someone with knock-out power and win the decition
GUESS ALL YOU GUYS PULLING FOR STARNES GOT NOTHING TO SAY NOW!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA