Octagon veteran Alessio Sakara (13-7) will welcome up-and-coming middleweight prospect Jake Rosholt (5-0) to the big leagues when the pair meet up in a middleweight match at UFC Fight Night 17 from the University of Southern Florida (USF) Sun Dome in Tampa, Fla., on February 7, 2009.
“Legionarius” is fresh off a brutal knockout of Joe Vedepo via head kick at UFC Fight Night 15 back in September. It was an eye-opening finish from the heavy-handed former Italian boxer.
The former light heavyweight is now even (2-2) in his last four bouts and the same during his three-year career (4-4) with the UFC. Sakara – who historically struggles against higher-level competition — has been branded a gatekeeper of the division.
His best chance of winning this fight is to keep it upright, which could be almost impossible against perhaps the best wrestler in all of mixed martial arts.
Rosholt is a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion out of Oklahoma State University (OSU). He turned pro more than one year ago and his gone undefeated ever since.
His limited experience was evident in his recent World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) debut against Nissen Osterneck. Rosholt won the bout via technical knockout, but not before eating several knuckle sandwiches and looking as if he could be stopped.
He more than likely won’t have that same luxury against a guy like Sakara … he hits hard and has one-punch (or kick) knockout power. He’ll need to take this fight to the ground early and often, using his superior takedowns and cardio, to overwhelm the American Top Team-trained fighter if he intends to be successful in his promotional debut.
UFC Fight Night 17 features a 155-pound match up between Joe Lauzon and Hermes Franca. Fellow lightweights Mac Danzig and Josh Neer, as well as Kurt Pellegrino and Rob Emerson, are also likely hook ‘em up.
In addition, Cain Velasquez will be in action on the Spike TV special against Denis Stojnic in a heavyweight bout.
To check out the latest UFC Fight Night 17 fight card and rumors click here.
40 Comments »
I’m a huge Sakara fan, can’t wait for this fight!
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TO ALL THE MMAMANIA FAMILY:
Hope all of you (including mania himself) have a great holiday season. Don’t drink too much and drive. Be safe and enjoy the event saturday! I’m flying out early tomorrow morning and will check back in with my thoughts on the event on monday! Peace be with all of you!
MERRY CHRISTMAS MANIACS!!
i hope he has good take down defense
Happy Xmas KEv, war is over!…i too adore Sakara’s boxing stance. It’s near perfection. Mine’s perfect, his is 2nd, LMAO!
Diego Sanchez is also an oustanding wrestler, and I don’t think he managed a takedown on Sakara during their entire fight. I think Sakara can stay on his feet and batter Rosholt around the cage.
I think your confusing sakara with someone else.
They never fought, they have never been in the same division.
If sakara can stop the takedowns he should win this fight easily.
probly thinking of fioravanti
Also added to this UFN 17 fight card is a match up between:
Matt Grice vs. George Sitiropolous
Why match up Sakara vs. a wrestler?
I’m not sure. I’m going with Sakara onthis one. I’m a big fan of jake because he wrestled at Oklahoma State, but I think he is going to try and stand too long with sakara and get rocked. I also knew matt grice, another outstanding wrestler from Oklahoma, and am interested to see his fight. I’m afarid george’s jits will be too overwhelming on the ground.
Did you see Roshalt’s last fight. He got hit with everything but somehow found a way to get the take down. His stand up must come a LONG way before he will be anythign to contend with in the UFC.
I did see that fight. That’s what scares me. I think the guy he fought was also a striker, but I think Alessio may be heavier handed.
^^ Exactly. I was there live for that fight and Jake took a beating from a guy that’s primarily known for his ground game. I was extremely disappointed in how raw Jake’s stand-up was and unless Jake takes this to the ground IMMEDIATELY, I think Alessio scores a big KO here.
I could not remember if he was fighting a striker or a grappler. Yeah, since it was a ground guy, Jakes screwed. He shouldn’t be able to take that kind of punishment from sakara, who is also way more experienced.
I read that yesterday too John. I like George on TUF, I’ll be rooting for him!
Is this george’s first fight at 155?
NOt sure. I didnt even know he was dropping down to 155 lbs. If so, he should be very tough! I root for George as well Kev. No Nonsense kind of guy. Not around to make friends, just wants to fight!
Enjoy your holidays my fellow mma crack heads! Be safe n I wish u all and your families the best!
Grice fights at 155, so i am assuming that is the weight they are fighting at.
I was thinking the same thing….put him with strikers from now on and give the fans a treat, same thing goes for Houston, why not sell their good points and use them wisely?
they matched him up with a wrestler just for him to lose, and for Jake to win! he’s the guy they want to win this fight so they can build his name.
i think the Grice-Sotiropolous fight sounds Pretty good.
Sacraficial Lamb?
Rosholt will take this fight in my opinion without much problem. Take him down, ground and pound, repeat until ref stops or if repeating is even necessary.
Sounds incredibly boring the way you just described it. Rosholt has very sloppy striking so I think/hope Sakara can catch him before the hump fest begins.
I’m actually liking all these free fight. they should all be exciting. good job cuz they’re free
Merry Christmas fellow MANIACS…drive safe…see yall Saturday night on the 92 thread
merry christmas everyone have a great time, and have fun watchin 92
I expected a lot out of Jake coming out but his stand up is poor…very poor. Plus, he’s from Oklahoma so WAR SAKARA!!
Hook ‘Em
Boomer!
Gig ‘em!
I hope Sakara kicks Rosholt’s head off!! I don’t like Rosholt and definetily do not think he is the best wrestler in MMA.
WAR SAKARA!
Rosholt is a phenomenal wrestler, but wasn’t hendo an olympian. Lots of wrestlers are thrown around as best wrestler in mma, but I think an Olympian would over rule any college accolades.
I think GSP is by far the best wrestler in mma and he has no collegiate or high school wrestling background
Rosholt’s face looked like hamburger after his debut in the WEC. He cannot afford to take any shots from Allesio Sakara. I predict a round one TKO from Sakara unless Rosholt drastically improves his stand up; in such a short timeframe.
Stick n move! Alessio loves boxing too much and he puts together too many punches in his combinations, if he had a Bisping game plan against Leben he would have won for sure.
Im totally stoked for the Lauzon vs Franka fight. that should be a war. Im taking Lauzon via TKO.
Who is writing this shit?? Sakara does not have 1hit ko power if he did he wouldve KO’d Houston and Leben instead he got his shit rocked both times. Cote has 1hit KO power and rocked Leben when they fought, thats 1hit KO power not Sakara who couldnt even push LEben back.
rosholt got destroyed in the WEC fight and was lucky to win. his stand up game is a joke. he was getting made to look like a fool. sakara should be able to put him out if he practices takedown defence and getting up.
rosholt’s cardio didn’t look that great either, compared to a lot of the other “wrestler mma fighters” that I can’t stand. sakara isn’t known as a cardio machine either, though, so it’s probably a scratch.
Sakara got destroyed by Houston - just watch this if you don’t remember. http://www.myvideofight.com/video/ufc/ufc-75-houston-alexander-vs.-alessio-sakara/index-5.html
And back then Houston didn’t have a much longer record than Rosholt has now. I’ve never seen Rosholt fight though so I don’t know if the comparison is valid. But the fact that they’re putting Sakara against some 5-0 guy means that he’s probably not having the best streak of his lifetime.
Houston and rosholt are nothing alike. so no that comparison is not valid…. you cant just look at records or stats.. styles really do make fights, and this one is simple great wrestler vs great striker. whoever can implement there gameplan will win.
Pretty cool.
Rosholt is the closest thing to a Caveman walking this earth. He should be on the Geico commercials.