Alessio Sakara vs Rousimar Palhares UFC 99 fight possible June 13

by MMAmania.com on Mar 30, 2009 3:11 PM EDT

Former Italian boxer Alessio Sakara will tangle with Brazilian jiu-jitsu submission specialist Rousimar Palhares at UFC 99 from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, on June 13, according to MMAWeekly.com.

Talk about a clash of styles.

"Legionarius" is coming off a brutal knockout of Joe Vedepo via head kick at UFC Fight Night 15 back in September 2008. It was an eye-opening finish from the heavy-handed American Top Team product to say the least.

Sakara was set to lock horns with Jake Rosholt at UFC Fight Night 17 on Feb. 7, 2009, until a late shoulder injury forced him off the card. He was then penciled in to clash with Alan Belcher at UFC 99 before "The Talent" was promoted to a showdown opposite big free agent acquisition, Yoshihiro Akiyama.

The former light heavyweight is currently (2-2) in his last four bouts and the same during his three-year career (4-4, 1 NC) with the UFC. Sakara -- who historically struggles against higher-level competition -- has been branded a gatekeeper of the division.

The up-and-coming Palhares is fresh off a unanimous decision win over mixed martial arts journeyman Jeremy Horn at UFC 93 earlier this year. Prior to the win, "Toquinho," which means "tree stump" in Portuguese, dropped a unanimous decision to Dan Henderson at UFC 88: "Breakthrough" on September 6.

In both performances he demonstrated just how dangerous he can be on the ground -- Horn and Henderson were extremely cautious when their fights went south. Ivan Salaverry -- Palhares’ first opponent inside the Octagon -- was not so lucky, tapping to a super slick armbar at UFC 84: "Ill Will" back in May 2008.

UFC 99 will be headlined by former middleweight champion Rich "Ace" Franklin taking on ex-PRIDE smashing machine Wanderlei Silva in a special 195-pound brawl. Two solid welterweight match ups -- Mike Swick vs. Ben Saunders and Marcus Davis vs. Dan Hardy -- are also currently expected to receive main card billing.

For more on UFC 99 click here.

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wow terrible match up for Sakara,Palhares will get the sub!! I think this will be the fastest sub we seen in awhile

by NM on Mar 30, 2009 3:15 PM EDT reply actions

Was gonna say the same…this could be a UFC record for fastest sub in the octagon.

by c-war on Mar 30, 2009 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions

what a stupid match up, why match up a talented striker vs a submission guy? these match ups are almost always boring, the belcher/sakara fight was gonna be sick, this fight is just lame…

by brendan on Mar 30, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Is anyone being fooled here? Seriously.

by NameNotRequired on Mar 30, 2009 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions

sakara is still in the ufc.. i say the WEC neds hi as a gate-keeper.
Rousimar Palhares By 2nd RD. LegLOCK!!!!!!!

by mikeybear on Mar 31, 2009 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions

I’ll say Paul Harris by TKO. Not standing, but by back mount GNP. Equally as possible as a submission, right?

by Synyster on Mar 31, 2009 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions

rousimar 1st round sub!!

by Pimp_man on Mar 30, 2009 3:15 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed. Seems to be the general consensus, I was wondering when we’d get to see Palharas in action again.

by The Anomaly on Mar 31, 2009 3:33 AM EDT up reply actions

This must be an official lets finally get Alessio Sakara removed from the UFC fight. Joe Silva sometimes is responsible for some incredibly dumb matches. Yes we love watching grapplers fight strikers yet we get incredibly pissed off when it turns out to be a boring fight, which is like 90% of the time. Almeida vs Cote? Quarry vs Starnes? Yeah… they were good match ups too

by Ballam on Mar 30, 2009 3:16 PM EDT reply actions

Dont even bring up the Starnes/Quarry fight!!
That fight was the worst in Ufc history.

by NM on Mar 30, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I got 1 miiiiiiillllion dollars on Paul Harris. Its too bad Syracuse got bounced.

by ViolentMike on Mar 30, 2009 3:21 PM EDT reply actions

hahaha, I dont mind this match up. They are currently on the same level, but Paul Harris has a much brighter future!

by john on Mar 30, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Alessio doesn’t stand a chance. Paul Harris 1st rd sub, someone is headed over to Strkieforce.

by DSmith on Mar 30, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Alessio should be matched up against standup fighters.. cause Alessio would knock someone like Alan Belcher into the next century! FORZA ITALIA FFS! Roma is my favorite team in the world too, ITAly-4-life!

by RoB on Mar 30, 2009 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

to be honest i can’t see why they even signed someone like Paul Harris, he looks like a mongo that has no idea of where he’s at.. his last fight against Jeremy Horn was horrible at best! and it’s just incredible that the UFC are trying to build someone up with zero potential of becoming a fan favorite or some sort of a star! hope Alessio sends him home once and for all.

by RoB on Mar 30, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Damn rob! A swede repping my hometown Roma? Its beautiful to see!

by john on Mar 30, 2009 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions

John- did you hear about guida vs sanchez? thank god huggie bear will be stopped!

by DSmith on Mar 30, 2009 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions

you got it bro!.. I think the UFC should try to keep an italian like Sakara around for as long as possible, they need different nationalites!

by RoB on Mar 31, 2009 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Make that 2 john.

Sweden, and Roma-fan since the early 90’s.

And yeah, The BJJ-midget by whatever sub he chooses to go for. I’ll be betting the house on this one.

by Choke_Him on Mar 31, 2009 5:41 AM EDT up reply actions

I used to love Swedens team when they had Henry Larson and Ibrahimovitch or however you spell his name…. I live in America but all my family lives in Rome. I spent about 2/3 of my summers in Rome/Sardenia (most beautiful Island on earth that shits on the carrabean)…I actually have duel citizenship with an Italian and American passport….basically, I LOVE ITALY!!!!

UFC needs to keep Sakara…The UFC has a ton of fans in Italy. Every summer when I go back, i am always shocked at how much more popular the UFC is there than it was the year before. Eventually they will have an event in Italy and thats when a Roman BANGER like Sakara will come in handy! I dont care what his record is, he always put on a show, none of his fights are boring….keep him in the UFC

by john on Mar 31, 2009 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions

good shit! I’ll have to order a new Roma shirt in a week or so, they’re the finest in the biz!.. Alessio should be working takedown defense night&day to try to implement the same gameplan as Hendo had..

by RoB on Mar 31, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree with you both…Italy rocks!!Sakara on paper is dead but you never know

by Robert(1) on Mar 31, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Hahahaha ‘Paul Harris’. LMAO!

Yeah, first round sub.

by Johnny Farnham on Mar 30, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

WAR PAUL HARRIS, THE TREESTUMP

by Bill Maher on Mar 30, 2009 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I obviously meant to say “by submission” in my Dr. Evil voice…

by ViolentMike on Mar 30, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions

How good is Palhares’s BJJ compared to Demian Maia’s?

by Lights Out on Mar 30, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

Both have outstanding BJJ without a doubt. I give Maia.. the advantege on his fluidness.. some transitions.. I believe Maia’s BJJ embodies the pure essence of the art. Palhares.. is more athletic.. more power..speed.. exsplosive.. in his BJJ. Both bring to the table..tuff to deal with jits against anyone. My favorite of the two.. is Maia. I carve my own style of BJJ around his..plus a few more notables.

by PhilQNY on Mar 30, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Well put Phil. I too am a huge fan of Maia. Wish my jitz was anywhere near his, he is so smooth it is ridiculous. That trip on Chael right into the triangle mount was amazing.

by WB on Mar 30, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Sakara’s last fight in UFC.

by Big Ox on Mar 30, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

I agree, though I find it unfortunate. I like Alessio Sakara, have never been bored during one of his fights. Easy first round sub for Palhares here, btu I will be rooting for another headkick KO by Sakara.

by mburtoni on Mar 30, 2009 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah I agree. I’ve always enjoyed Sakara’s fights. I like him. He’s copped a lot. When he suffered the ruptured testicle at UFC 55 it was cringe-worthy.

by Johnny Farnham on Mar 30, 2009 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions

yea, what a mismatch. They must just want to get rid of Sakara.

by Crowls on Mar 30, 2009 3:25 PM EDT reply actions

I think the should do the Rosholt vs. Sakara fight now or at least a Cote vs Sakara or something fun to watch.

by subwayy2sallyy on Mar 30, 2009 3:33 PM EDT reply actions

palhares wins by submission and also literally rips off sakaras arm in the process

by bobby o'shea on Mar 30, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions

well if anyone wants to make money just bet your life savings on paul harris. his chin is amazing and hes obviously going to take the fight to the ground and get an easy sub

by jared on Mar 30, 2009 4:25 PM EDT reply actions

sakara by submission

by horny for gina on Mar 30, 2009 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

hahaha

by c-war on Mar 30, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

flying gogoplata!

by brendan on Mar 30, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep, either that or Palhares via jumping spinning back kick to the head.

by Jeremyjackson on Mar 30, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions

looks like Joe Silva is looking to build up Rousimar by giving him a fight that he should easily win. even there are no easily winnable fight in the UFC.
I would like to see how Legionarius does against lower levels of competiton such as Strikeforce.there is some pretty good match ups in that Org. for Alessio.I would call him a big underdog but a fight that I would love to see him in is against Ruthless Robbie Lawler.but he would have to earn that fight by beating a couple of other fighters.

by the Levi on Mar 30, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

agreed, theres alot of decent middleweights at strikeforce who i think would match up well with sakara like radach, ninja, hell even cung le would be a sick fight!

by brendan on Mar 30, 2009 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

You never know, Paul Harris could get KO’d if he trades with Legionarius too long.

by GG on Mar 30, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

Rousimar took some solid shots from Hendo and didn’t get KOed.I think that he has proved that he can take some puches and survive.

by the Levi on Mar 31, 2009 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep…awful awful fight.

And I was actually a little excited with the prospect of Sakara vs Belcher. Everyone enjoys a good scrap which im sure it would have been. This new fight is boardering pointless.

Palhares by submission round 1.

by UK_Chris on Mar 30, 2009 6:04 PM EDT reply actions

sakara by rnc or kimura easy win for sakara say word big bird

by dick-breath on Mar 30, 2009 7:47 PM EDT reply actions

sakara has come a far way….i see him stuffing all of the submissions and winning by tko in the 2nd paul harris will not come into this fight in shape bc he thinks he will tap out sakara quick but it wont happen (hopefully) got to keep the guy with the craziest tat’s in the ufc

by wm133 on Mar 30, 2009 10:09 PM EDT reply actions

You’re crazy if you think Sakara even has a chance at beating Palhares. Palhares has a solid chin. Dan Henderson hit him with those hard shots and he never even winked. Palhares by submission.

by Phasebook on Mar 31, 2009 6:54 AM EDT reply actions

palhares has been off a while and has been working on a lot of things. he is gonna beat the shit outta alessio

by denniskuderjr on Mar 31, 2009 8:34 AM EDT reply actions

They are trying to get rid of sakara…after this fight he will be released

by What? on Mar 31, 2009 9:01 AM EDT reply actions

Alessio Sakara? why is this guy still in the UFC this guy must of signed an awesome contract. Rousimar Palhares by submission

by will on Mar 31, 2009 12:44 PM EDT reply actions

this fight can happen like sakara-james lee , all people said befor james lee would win by submission but sakara ko’d him easily, that what i expect for this fight,plus he’s now in ATT since ufc 80, be sure that he will learn many things in ATT, and of course he will train hard for takedown defence, dont blink with boxers….anything can happen…

by karim on Apr 8, 2009 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

This is BTT against ATT. Bustamante against Liborio. And BTT will prevail, Toquinho is too talented, his ground is too good for anyone in the division and he is improving his standing a lot, very strong chin, he cant get KO.

by purdy on Apr 10, 2009 8:44 AM EDT reply actions