• UFC 127

UFC 127 almost officially named 'Striking Distance'

George Sotiropoulos has some of the slickest BJJ in the UFC © UFC

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Marshall Zelaznik has revealed UFC 127 was almost labelled "Striking Distance", such is the event's importance to several of the fighters on show.

In Zelaznik's eyes, at least three of the main card bouts have serious implications for the winner. UFC president Dana White has already confirmed BJ Penn or Jon Fitch will earn No. 1 contendership in the welterweight division, while Michael Bisping is believed to be only two wins away from a crack at the middleweight strap when he takes on Jorge Rivera.

Almost forgotten on that main card list is George Sotiropoulos, who meets the in-form Dennis Siver in the lightweight division. Sotiropoulos had been emerging as a major figure in the 155lb title picture prior to the UFC's merger with the WEC, and Zelaznik insists that status can be reinstalled against German kickboxer Siver.

"Almost every fight on the main card has real impact on what happens with the winner of that fight in their respective divisions," Zelaznik told ESPN. "We almost labelled the card "Striking Distance" because of it.

"Dennis Siver is on a roll, George Sotiropoulos has been around the top for a while and whoever wins is looking right down the barrel at one of the top two or three guys in the division as their next fight.

"So it's an exciting fight, but there's also so much on the line. George in particular has kind of been out-of-sight, out-of-mind, but if he wins all the talk will be about George deserving a title shot, just like the likes of Anthony Pettis have recently.

"There's so much left in this lightweight division, Pettis deserves his crack, but George has an excellent attitude. He just thinks 'my time will come', and he continues to make sure he improves so that he is ready when the time does come."

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